"No, sir," said Frick miserably.
Thomas popped his head in, to be given the order to have one of the rainy-day carriages brought round. Just then, in ran Jasper. He had been caught by the sudden shower over at Pickering Dodge's.
"Father," he cried, his face glowing, "I've come home as soon as it slacked up a bit. Why, you are not going out?"—seeing the old gentleman beginning to don his mackintosh.
"Yes, I am," said Mr. King grimly, "going to do just that very thing,
Jasper."
"Oh, let me, Father." Jasper sprang to his side eagerly, then looked in a puzzled way over to Frick.
"It's Joel," said Frick, feeling that it was expected of him to furnish an answer.
"Joel?" cried Jasper, the color going out of his cheek.
"Yes, Joel can't be found," said old Mr. King, speaking lightly to hide the dismay he really felt. "It's all right, of course; he's probably at one of the boys' houses; only as he was to join Frick, why, I'd prefer to look him up a bit. Well, there's Thomas"—glancing out of the window.
"Oh, let me go for him," begged Jasper. "I can find him. Surely, you don't need to, Father; don't, pray, in all this rain."
"I am going after Joel," declared his father, quite obstinately, "so say no more about it, Jasper"—moving past him to the door. "Come, along, Frick, my boy, you might as well come, too."