But all their exertions were in vain; and there they stood in wondering astonishment.
“P’aps,” suggested Cissy, “he’s done upstairs?”
“Nonsense, child!” said Conny decisively; “we would have seen him from the window if he had come in.”
“Still, we’d better look, miss,” observed Mary, who was all pale and trembling with anxiety as to the safety of her special charge. “He may have been frightened and rushed to the nursery to hide himself, as he has done before when he has been up to something!”
So saying, she hurried into the passage, and the rest after her.
It was of no use looking into the drawing-room or kitchen, the little girls having been in the former apartment all the time, and Molly in the latter; but the parlour was investigated unsuccessfully, and every nook and cranny of the study, a favourite play-ground of the children when the vicar was out, as he happened to be this evening, fortunately or unfortunately as the case might be, visiting the poor of his parish.
Still, there was not a trace of Teddy to be found.
The search was then continued upstairs amongst the bed-rooms by Mary and Molly, accompanied by the three little girls, who marched behind their elders in silent awe, Jupp and Joe remaining down in the hall and listening breathlessly for some announcement to come presently from above.
The nursery disclosed nothing, neither did the children’s sleeping room, nor the vicar’s chamber, although the beds were turned up and turned down and looked under, and every cupboard and closet inspected as cautiously as if burglars were about the premises; and Mary was about to give up the pursuit as hopeless, when all at once, she thought she heard the sound of a stifled sob proceeding from a large oak wardrobe in the corner of the spare bed-room opposite the nursery, which had been left to the last, and where the searchers were all now assembled.
“Listen!” she exclaimed in a whisper, holding up her finger to enjoin attention; whereupon Cissy and Liz stopped shuffling their feet about, and a silence ensued in which a pin might have been heard to drop.