Neither Miss Brown nor the Warners had seen Louise, nor had she been heard of at the Morrises', and they were trying to think what to do next when Mr. Hazeltine came in.
"Father, she must be lost, don't you think so?" asked Bess, when matters were explained to him.
"I don't know what to think," he answered. "Louise is not the kind of a child to get lost easily."
"So I say," added Carl.
"Then somebody has stolen her like Charlie Ross, and I'll never see her again."
"It is too soon to despair, dearie," said Aunt Zélie, as Bess looked ready to cry.
"Suppose we have some dinner, and then if we hear nothing in the meantime, I'll go to the Armstrongs' and try to find a clue to start with," said Mr. Hazeltine.
It was not a cheerful meal, in spite of Aunt Zélie's effort to hide her anxiety and talk of other things. It seemed as if Louise's bright face must appear each minute; but dinner was over and no word of her.
The snow was falling fast when Carl and his father started out. Little John could tell them nothing more than that Louise had been there for an hour, and then said she must go, as there was something she wanted to do. He watched her out of the gate and thought she went home.
"It is a great puzzle," said Carl when they were on the street again.