"Master Archie, dear," she cried, sobbing, "how could you run away and scare us so?"
"Why, it's Loo—isa," said Archie wonderingly. "Did you come out here to build a house too, Loo—isa?"
"Where have you been?" clamored Louisa, holding him tight in her arms.
"Oh, out there," explained Archie, waving his hand toward the woods generally.
"How could you slip away and frighten Nursey so, and poor Mamma and Papa? Papa's been all the day hunting you. And where are you going now?"
"Home! Stop a squeezing of me, Loo—isa. I don't like to be squeezed. Has the dinner-bell runged yet? I want my dinner."
"Dinner! Why it's most evening, Master Archie. And nobody could eat, because we was so frightened at your being lost."
"I wasn't lost!" cried Archie indignantly. "I was building a house. Come along, Loo—isa, I'll show you the way."
So Archie took Louisa's hand and led her along. Neither of them knew the path, but they were in the right direction, and by and by the trees grew thinner, and they could see where they were, on the edge of Mr. Plimpton's garden, not far from home.
Mr. and Mrs. Gray were consulting together on the piazza, when the click of the gate made them look up, and behold! the joyful Louisa, displaying Archie, who walked by her side.