"Jim? No, Mr. Eager."
"Who's it, 'Kattie?" asked her mother anxiously, from her bed; for over the lonely cottage hung the perpetual fear of ill-tidings.
"It's only us, Mrs. Rimmer." And they stepped inside.
"Ech! Mr. Eager, and the little lady, and----"
"We're looking for Jim, and were hoping he might have come along here."
"Jim?" said Mrs. Rimmer, looking steadfastly at Jack. "I nivver con tell one from t'other; but none o' them's been here to-day."
"No? I wonder where the boy can have got to. Is Seth about? Maybe he could help us."
"Seth's away," said Mrs. Rimmer briefly; and Eager did not ask her where. For "Seth's away" was an understood formula, and meant that young Seth was off on one of his expeditions, and the less said about it the better.
"I don't quite know where to look next," said Eager anxiously. "Can you suggest anything, Kattie?"
But Kattie shook her mane of hair and stared back at them nonplussed, and presently said: