o the street cleaning department sent out a big snowplow,
drawn by horses, after every big storm, and thus the sidewalks were made
easy to walk on without waiting for each householder to clean his own
space.

"But where would he go?" asked Janet, hardly able to keep back her
tears.

"That's what we must find out," said Uncle Toby. "Don't worry. We'll
find him. I'll ask the police if they've seen him. A little chap like
Trouble would be sure to be noticed."

"Unless maybe he fell in a snowdrift," suggested Janet.

"If he fell in he'd shout and cry until some of us came to help him
out," said Uncle Toby. "Now we'll start a searching party. I'll go with
you girls up the street, and the three boys can go down the street. Ask
every one you meet if they have seen Trouble."

"Only," suggested Jan, "we'd better give him his right name of William."

"That's so!" laughed Uncle Toby. "If we go along asking every one we
meet if they have seen Trouble, they'll think we are trying to make fun
of them. Yes, we must ask for news of a little boy named William."

So they started out, Ted, Tom and Harry going one way, and Uncle Toby
and the three girls the other way. Aunt Sallie remained behind in the
house, but she was very anxious, and she said she would call up police
headquarters, asking that each officer be told to be on the lookout.

At first the question asked by the searchers had no effect. No one
seemed to have noticed Trouble toddling along the streets, which, as
Uncle Toby had said, were now quite free from snow, which was piled
high on either side.

"Maybe he wandered off toward the woods," suggested Lola, for there was
a clump of trees, called "woods" not far from Uncle Toby's house.

"I don't believe so," was Mr. Bardeen's answer. "I think he wouldn't go
there alone. But here comes Policeman McCarthy. I'll ask him."

And, to the delight of the girls, Policeman McCarthy said he had seen a
little boy going along the street a few minutes before.

"I don't know what his name was," the officer said. "But he was dressed
just as you say. He seemed to know where he was going, so I didn't stop
him, though he was pretty little to be out alone."

"Where did he go?" asked Uncle Toby.

"Right down that way," answered the policeman, pointing. "He was
standing in front of that barber shop the last I saw him."

"Oh, now I know where he's gone!" suddenly cried Janet.

"Where?" asked Uncle Toby.

"In the barber shop," answ