the avenue.

"No!" and Mrs. Jo flew out of her chair looking so alarmed that every
one jumped up and gathered round Franz.

"I can't find them anywhere," he began; but the words were hardly spoken
when a loud "Hullo!" startled them all, and the next minute Jack and
Emil came round the house.

"Where are Nan and Rob?" cried Mrs. Jo, clutching Emil in a way that
caused him to think his aunt had suddenly lost her wits.

"I don't know. They came home with the others, didn't they?" he
answered, quickly.

"No; George and Tommy said they went with you."

"Well, they didn't. Haven't seen them. We took a swim in the pond, and
came by the wood," said Jack, looking alarmed, as well he might.

"Call Mr. Bhaer, get the lanterns, and tell Silas I want him."

That was all Mrs. Jo said, but they knew what she meant, and flew to
obey her orders. In ten minutes, Mr. Bhaer and Silas were off to the
wood, and Franz tearing down the road on old Andy to search the great
pasture. Mrs. Jo caught up some food from the table, a little bottle of
brandy from the medicine-closet, took a lantern, and bidding Jack and
Emil come with her, and the rest not stir, she trotted away on Toby,
never stopping for hat or shawl. She heard some one running after her,
but said not a word till, as she paused to call and listen, the light of
her lantern shone on Dan's face.

"You here! I told Jack to come," she said, half-inclined to send him
back, much as she needed help.

"I wouldn't let him; he and Emil hadn't had any supper, and I wanted
to come more than they did," he said, taking the lantern from her and
smiling up in her face with the steady look in his eyes that made her
feel as if, boy though he was, she had some one to depend on.

Off she jumped, and ordered him on to Toby, in spite of his pleading to
walk; then they went on again along the dusty, solitary road, stopping
every now and then to call and hearken breathlessly for little voices to
reply.

When they came to the great pasture, other lights were already flitting
to and fro like will-o'-the-wisps, and Mr. Bhaer's voice was heard
shouting, "Nan! Rob! Rob! Nan!" in every part of the field. Silas
whistled and roared, Dan plunged here and there on Toby, who seemed
to understand the case, and went over the roughest places with unusual
docility. Often Mrs. Jo hushed them all, saying, with a sob in her
throat, "The noise may frighten them, let me call; Robby will know my
voice;" and then