ell upon his ear, filling him with
acute terror. He dared not move from the spot upon which Charlie had
left him, but sat there, crouched up close against a tree, trembling
with fear in every nerve. At intervals he would break out into vehement
crying, and then he would be silent again. Presently the darkness
enveloped him, and still no succour came.

Meantime, there had been much anxiety at Maplebank. On Bert's being
missed, diligent inquiry was made as to his whereabouts, and at length,
after much questioning, some one was found who had seen him, in company
with Charlie Chisholm, going up through the hill pasture toward the
woods. When Mrs. Lloyd heard who his companion was, her anxiety
increased, for she well knew what a reckless, adventurous little fellow
Charlie was, and she determined that search should be made for the boys
at once. But in this she was delayed by Uncle Alec and the men being off
at a distance, and not returning until supper time. So soon as they did
get back, and heard of Bert's disappearance, they swallowed their
supper, and all started without delay to hunt him up.

The dusk had come before the men--headed by Uncle Alec, and followed, as
far as the foot of the hill, by the old Squire--got well started on
their search; but they were half-a-dozen in number, and all knew the
country pretty well, so that the prospect of their finding the lost boy
soon seemed bright enough.

Yet the dusk deepened into darkness, and hour after hour passed--hours
of intense anxiety and earnest prayer on the part of the mother and
others at Maplebank--without any token of success.

Mrs. Lloyd was not naturally a nervous woman, but who could blame her if
her feelings refused control when her darling boy was thus exposed to
dangers, the extent of which none could tell.

The Squire did his best to cheer her in his bluff blunt way:

"Tut! tut! Kate. Don't worry so. The child's just fallen asleep
somewhere. He'll be found as soon as it's light. There's nothing to harm
him in those woods."

Mrs. Lloyd tried hard to persuade herself that there wasn't, but all
kinds of vague terrors filled her mind, and refused to be allayed.

At length, as it drew toward midnight, a step was heard approaching, and
the anxious watchers rushed eagerly to the door, hoping for good news.
But it was only one of the men, returning according to arrangement to
see if Bert had been found, and if not to set forth again along some new
line of se