“Good-bye,” said Yeggie abruptly. “Yeggie’s going to call on the hens,” and he diddled away.
Gringo laughed heartily, as he disappeared round the corner of the barn. “I like that little fool kid dog,” he said.
“Sir Edward has been gone ever since lunch,” I remarked. “I know, because he lunched at our house to-day, and soon afterward went for a walk up the Lalabee River road.”
“He ought to be back soon,” said Gringo, “the dark is coming on.”
How well I remember that afternoon. Nobody was anxious about Sir Edward, but in half an hour, when it had become quite dark and he had not returned, there was great excitement. A man with an artificial leg who takes long walks is something of a marvel, but he cannot go on indefinitely, and he never had stayed out as long as this before. There was really painful anxiety at last. I, suspecting nothing wrong, had gone home, and was playing with George Washington in the nursery when Bessie the nurse came in, and called Mrs. Granton to the telephone.
I followed her, and heard enough to assure me that everybody was out looking for Sir Edward, and they had decided to ask for King Harry to trail him.
Mrs. Granton was in great trouble. “Oh! Norman,” she said to Mr. Bonstone who was telephoning, “there was a child lost in Torbellon this morning, and an hour ago some men came in a car and got King Harry to track her—Have you tried Walt Dixon?”
I couldn’t hear Mr. Bonstone’s reply, but I knew by what Mrs. Granton said, he had thought the hound would be quicker. However, failing the hound, he would try Walt.
I tore out through the front hall, and ran over to Green Hill. On the way I met Mr. Bonstone in an automobile hurrying down to the village for Walt. Afterward, we all heard the story of the rescue from Gringo who went with his master.