“She went up wrong stairs and I guess, maybe, she got lost in the big open attic,” Vita volunteered, apparently anxious to forestall further questions.
“No, it was not opened. It was shut tight—very tight,” snapped Nora. She resented Vita’s explanation. Somehow she felt Vita was to blame.
“Then you must have struck the spook closet,” said Jerry, his old happy tones ringing through the small kitchen. “Say Ted, let’s get into the other room. Can you walk, Bobbs, or shall big Cousin Jerry carry you?”
“Oh, I can walk all right,” replied Nora, slipping to the floor from Teddie’s lap. “But I was so stiff and cramped and—I guess I must have fainted.”
“You must have been up there all the time we were hunting for you, and the attic is always hot,” added Ted. “I never thought of looking there.”
“But Cap did. He knew where you were the moment he came in the house,” said Jerry proudly. “I tell you, Cap is a regular life-saver. He will have to get another medal for this; even if he didn’t drag you out of the spook cabinet, he did tumble in the kitchen with you.”
Both Jerry and Ted were too considerate to show surprise at Nora’s appearance, but Vita could not or did not attempt to hide her astonishment.
“Guess she thinks the fairies had you,” said Jerry softly, when Vita stood in the doorway, her hands on her capable hips and her mouth wide open in a gasp of surprise. But Nora had an uncertain feeling that Vita, as sole tenant of the back stairway, should have made better arrangements than to have a door that would spring shut like that, right at the very top of the dark place.
It was at this point a mistake was made. Nora did not express herself and Vita had no idea of explaining. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry were supposed to know all about the Nest, but did they! In the excitement of finding Nora, the actual hiding place was not being considered.
Quickly as the little girl recovered her self-possession and took part in the conversation, everyone enjoyed a good hearty laugh, naturally led by Jerry.