“Yes, I’ll take Cap and send him on ahead.” All the laugh was gone from Jerry’s voice now. How quickly the cloud of Anxiety can darken the brightest home?
More than an hour later all three searchers returned to the Nest and admitted they could not find Nora.
“She couldn’t be in the house, could she?” asked Ted, disconsolately.
“We looked hastily, but it was best to do all the outdoor looking first,” replied Jerry. “Do you suppose she went to visit anyone? Did she make friends with Alma and Wyn, our pet Scouts?”
“I wish she had. There’s that about the Scouts, they go in groups,” answered Ted, with feeling. “Let us look over the house more carefully. But why should she hide?” A loud bark from Cap answered that question.
“Here! Cap knows where she is. Let him find her,” exclaimed Jerry, joyfully.
“It’s at the kitchen door,” added Ted, hurrying in that direction.
“Quick, open the door, Vita!” commanded Jerry, while the dog barked wildly.
Vita put a trembling hand on the door that led to the back stairs and opened into the kitchen. No sooner had she done so than Cap bounded past her, and the next moment the big dog and the forlorn little prince tumbled into the room.
“Nora!” exclaimed both Jerry and Ted.