and
fetch it. I'll be after you with the little boys in five minutes."

Hoodie was off like a shot, but the five minutes grew into ten before
Martin and the boys followed her; an ill-behaved button dropping off
Hec's boot while the careful nurse was fastening it.

"And if there's one thing I can't abide to see, it's children's boots
wanting buttons," she said, "so run down, Miss Maudie, there's a dear,
and take care of your sister till I come."

Maudie ran down, but as she did not return Martin felt no misgivings,
and she was greatly surprised and disappointed when, on going
down-stairs, she was met by the child with an anxious face.

"I couldn't find Hoodie in the back hall or anywhere about there," she
said, "and I ran out a little way into the garden, because I knew you'd
be so frightened, but I can't see her."

"Oh dear, dear," said poor Martin, "wherever will she have gone to now?
Take the boys into the study, Miss Maudie dear, for a few minutes, and
I'll run round by the lodge, and ask if they have seen her pass. If
she's gone up the wood to that cottage again they must have seen her.
Dear me, dear me, I might have thought of it when she teased so about
her basket."

Off rushed Martin, and Maudie, faithful to her charge, kept watch over
the little boys. They were not kept waiting very long, however. In two
minutes Martin put in her head again.

"Is she with you, Miss Maudie?" she said, quite breathless with running
so fast, "No? Oh dear, where _can_ she be? The woman at the lodge says
she saw her running back to the house a few minutes ago. She is sure she
did."

"Perhaps she's gone up to the nursery again," said Maudie.

"Oh no," said Martin, "she'd never go there, once she thinks she's
escaped again. She's got something new in her head, I'm sure. I'll just
ask in the servants' hall if any of them have seen her."

She left the room to do so, but as she passed by the foot of the stairs
she heard a step. There, calmly coming down, was Hoodie, without her
basket, however. But that, in her delight at recovering her truant,
Martin did not notice.

"Miss Hoodie, Miss Hoodie," she cried, "where _have_ you been? You've
given me such a fright again. Where _have_ you been?"

"Up in the nursley," said Hoodie, coolly. "I wented out a little, and
then up-stairs to the nursley."

[Illustration: "Up in the nursley," said Hoodie coolly]

And with this account of her doings Martin was obliged to be content.