Frank rushed out. The perambulator was indeed empty. For an instant he stared at it in amazement. Then he decided it was a trick of some of the boys in Farleigh and tiptoed about peering into all possible and impossible corners and hiding-places. But there was no one in sight.
CHAPTER XX
SETH MILLER returned home shortly after the boys. Greatly alarmed, he rushed over to Miss Penny’s and frightened her still more. But Mrs. Lorraine spoke calmly and suggested that he get Walter Phelps to drive him over to the post office, enquiring all the way, and if he did not find the baby meantime, someone in the crowd collected for the mail would be sure to have tidings of him.
The stage was late and they reached the post office just as it drove up. Anna stepped out, white and anxious. She had learned the news at Wenham just in time to catch the coach.
The girl did not lose an instant. She consulted the post master who had enquired of everyone who had come in. He had no information to offer. Her father had stopped at every house except the parsonage, Miss Penny having cautioned him not to go there because of the invalid. Wherefore Seth Miller supposed that they had better be working over Wenham way.
But Anna decided otherwise. Asking Walter to remain at the post office for possible tidings, she had her father drive her to the parsonage. Three minutes after she had let herself quietly in, she came running out to the buggy.
“Mrs. Langley’s gone, too,” she said. “Dear me, isn’t it great luck that Mr. Langley’s way at the further end of the Hollow? We met him, and I suppose he’s talking school business with Mr. Phillips. He’d be perfectly crazy, you know.”
She climbed into the buggy.
“Did you look in the garret?” her father enquired.
“I don’t know about that, but Bell went everywhere else,” Anna returned. Her father stared at her for she seemed less anxious.