oys?" he asked.

"I didn't see him," said Frank.

"I didn't," said Clive.

"Nor I," said Bob.

"He was up before I was." said Frank, "and had gone out. I didn't
see him at all. I only saw his empty bed, and found his clothes
gone. I dare say he's gone off on a walk."

"O, he's all right," said Bob.

"Yes," said Uncle Moses, "I don't doubt it He's a very careful,
quiet boy, I know; but he is always so punctual, that it seems kind
o' odd for him to be so late."

"O, I dare say he's misunderstood about the hour," said Clive.

"Perhaps so," said Uncle Moses.

The boys now went on finishing their breakfast; but Uncle Moses
began to fidget in his chair, and look around, and sigh, and gave
other signs of growing uneasiness of mind. Feeling in himself, as
he did, the care of all the boys, he never was altogether free from
anxiety; and the various adventures which the boys had encountered,
had not, in any way, tended to lessen his uneasy vigilance over
them. Bob's last adventure, in particular, had wrought upon him
most painfully, so that he was ten times more careful over his
young and somewhat flighty charges than he had been before. The
absence of David at such an important time seemed unaccountable.
If it had been any one of the others, it would have been intelligible;
but for David, who was the soul of order, regularity, and method,
to fail an appointment, was something so extraordinary, that he
could not but feel alarmed. Still he restrained himself, for he
felt a little ashamed of his fears; and though he was evidently
very restless, uneasy, and worried, he said not a word until the
boys had finished their breakfast.

"I don't know what to make of it," said Uncle Moses at last, starting
from his chair and going to the window. Standing there, he looked
uneasily up and down the street, and then returned and looked
earnestly at the boys.

"I don't know what to make of it, at all," he repeated. "Did you
say you didn't see him, none of you? Didn't you see him, Clive?"

"No, sir," said Clive. "When I waked, all the boys were up."

"Didn't he say anythin last night about intendin to do anythin this
mornin?"

"I didn't hear him say anything."

"O, I'm sure he's misunderstood about the hour," said Frank. "That's
it He's off on a walk. I dare say he's found some old ruin; and if
that's the case, he won't know anything about time at all. Put him
in an old ruin, and he'd let all the breakfasts that ever were
coo