Well, I can't see him at all," Uncle Frank answered.

"You can't see him?" echoed Mr. Martin.

"No, Nicknack isn't here. He's gone!"

CHAPTER XIX

WHAT NICKNACK BROUGHT

Teddy and Janet were so surprised they did not know what to say. They
just stood and looked at one another in the light of the lantern their
father held after having milked the cow. Uncle Frank was in Nicknack's
little stable with another lantern.

"Are you sure he isn't there?" asked Mr. Martin, for well he knew how
sorry the Curlytops would feel if anything happened to their goat.

"There isn't a sign of him," answered Uncle Frank. "You can come and
look for yourselves."

"Maybe he's lying down asleep," suggested Teddy.

"I've looked all over," said Uncle Frank.

Teddy darted out of the barn, followed by Janet.

"Here! Come back!" cried their father. "You may get lost in the storm.
It's snowing and the wind is blowing and it's hard to see where you're
going, especially after dark."

"We want to see where Nicknack is," pleaded Teddy.

"Wait, and I'll go with you," his father remarked. "Perhaps he has
burrowed down under the hay or straw to keep warm."

But when all four of them stood in front of Nicknack's little stable,
which was too small for more than two to get in at a time, the Curlytops
saw that their pet was not there. Uncle Frank flashed the lantern up
high and down low, but no goat was to be seen.

"Where can he be?" asked Teddy, anxiously.

"Was the door fastened?" Daddy Martin inquired.

"Yes, it was shut and the catch was on. I had to take it off to get in,"
replied Uncle Frank. "Nicknack couldn't have gotten out that way."

"And there is only one door," went on Mr. Martin. "Did you look to see
if any boards were loose on the sides of the stable, Uncle Frank?"

"No, I didn't, but I will."

With his lantern Uncle Frank began looking around the goat's stable,
pushing against the boards, on the outside of which the snow was piled.
Finally Uncle Frank gave a shout.

"What is it?" cried Teddy. "Have you found Nicknack?"

"No, but I've found the place where he got out. Look!"

Holding the lantern so all could see, Uncle Frank showed where a large
board had been knocked loose. It swung to one side and showed a hole in
the snow outside.

"Is he in there?" asked Jan, as she saw the hole. It was like the tunnel
her father and Uncle Frank had dug, but smaller.

"I don't know whether he's there or not," answered U