As the storm seemed likely to be a heavy one, as soon as she was out of school Nan hurried home with Flossie and Freddie. The younger twins had not heard the talk about Bert’s fall, and so would not mention it to either Mrs. Pry or Dinah.
Bert did not go home with Nan and the smaller children. He stayed to have some fun in the snow with Charlie Mason and John Marsh. And he had so much fun and felt so much better, after his fall, to be out in the air that it was not until it was almost dark that he ran home.
“Oh, Bert!” cried Nan, meeting him at the door. “Something has happened!”
“Uncle Rossiter!” cried Bert. “Is he——”
“No, it isn’t about Uncle Rossiter,” answered Nan. “Oh, I’ve been waiting and waiting for you to come home to tell you! Dinah has gone away!”
“Dinah gone away!” cried Bert blankly. “What for?”
It seemed as if the bottom had dropped out of everything with the faithful colored cook away from the house and with Sam also gone.
“What happened?” asked Bert.