“Where is the little one?” Okak asked presently. “I have not seen her with the other children to-day.”
There was a noticeable pause; then Guninana answered, trying to make her voice sound ordinary. “She went to play and has not come back yet.”
“But the others are back long ago!”
“She went into the woods.”
Taptuna’s voice sounded rough for his proud soul was full of alarm which he would have liked to keep from Okak.
“Ah—into the woods—and she has not returned.”
Each slow word was a knife twisted in their hearts. Dead silence followed. It is not necessary to talk when all know what the others are thinking. At last Okak broke out violently:
“This is exactly what I expected! We had better rouse the village, neighbor, and go in pursuit.”
His use of that final strange word stabbed his belief home.
“Nonsense!” protested Taptuna, but the familiar exclamation lacked force. It seemed to drop away into darkness. Okak’s voice continued harshly: