head, and in five minutes he and Jus were off in the
dog-cart to Caryll.

Justin was very silent.

'Can you think of anywhere she can be?' asked his father, 'or any
explanation? The child can't be stolen--what good would it do any one to
steal her?'

Justin was in some ways a slow-witted boy.

'I can't think of anything, I'm sure,' he said. But a confused feeling
was working at the back of his mind. _Could_ it have anything to do with
Bob and the ferrets? He knew that Bob was getting anxious as to paying
the rest of the money, though he did not know how bad this anxiety had
become--he knew, too, that he himself had been selfish and to some
extent deceitful in the matter. But he could not see clearly how the two
troubles could be mixed up, so he put the idea out of his mind, not
sorry to do so--that was Justin's way.

'No, I can't think of anything,' he repeated.

It had been snowing lightly, and now again a few flakes began to fall.

'Do you think it's coming on to snow, papa?' he inquired, partly to
change the subject, partly because it came into his mind--for he was not
a heartless boy--that _if_ Miss Mouse was lost anywhere out of doors a
snowstorm would certainly not mend matters.

Mr. Hervey looked up with some anxiety.

'No,' he said, 'I think not, and I certainly hope not if that poor child
is by any chance out of doors.'

They were soon at Caryll Place. Here all was miserable anxiety, for so
far no traces of the poor little girl were to be found, though there
were men out in all directions. Mr. Caryll had been out some distance
himself, but had just come back for a moment to see Aunt Mattie before
driving off to Weadmere to speak to the police. Aunt Mattie, choking
down her tears, repeated to Justin's father all there was to tell--how
Miss Mouse must have gone out of her own accord, as her warm cloak and
cap were missing, and how she had evidently not wanted any one to know,
adding, 'The _only_ thing at all unusual to-day was our meeting Bob Crag
in the town, and Rosamond may have been talking to him while I was in
the shop. _Can_ he have anything to do with it? Justin, you know him
well?'

She looked keenly at Justin, and she fancied he grew red. He hesitated
before answering.

'I-- I don't see how, auntie,' he said at last. Then he went on more
courageously. 'Bob is quite a good boy--he really is, though people
speak against him. I'm sure he _never_ would have tried to get money
from--from Miss