ve to. I dread to think what Mr.
Crowninshield will say. He will be furious, simply furious."

With this dubious prediction his wife walked away.

She herself was upset. It was easy enough to see that. She strove,
however, to be calm, clinging desperately to the hope that the dog
might be discovered in the care of some of the men or maids. She
idolized Lola and although she did not admit it, His Highness knew
only too well that if it really proved that her pet was gone she, too,
would be furious.

"A nice mess!" commented the lad to himself as he hurried across the
lawn in search of Jerry. "A nice hole I am in the very first thing!
Between them they will tear me to pieces. And Ma--Ma will say, '_I
told you so!_' That's all the sympathy I'll get from her. She'll have
to know, of course, for Mr. Crowninshield will fire me bag and
baggage. I must expect that. Jerry as good as told me so when I came.
I sha'n't have a chance to defend myself. They will just believe I
left the gate of the kennels unlocked when I went out and that Lola
made off as fast as her four small feet could carry her. They will
either think that, or they will think--" he stopped aghast at the
possibility that had taken possession of his mind. "They couldn't
think I left it open on purpose for some one to get in and _take_
Lola! They couldn't think that! But suppose Mr. Crowninshield did
decide I was an accomplice what proof have I but my word that I
wasn't. It does look bad--my being gone and taking Achilles and the
other dogs with me. Still, I've done it every day since I've been
here. And anyway, they would know I could not entice Jerry and Tim
away even if I had wanted to."

The boy took courage.

"No, of course they couldn't think _I_ had anything to do with Lola
being gone," he murmured.

By this time he had overtaken Tim and his fellow workers who were
still busy clipping the hedge.

"Tim!" he called.

There was no answer but the crisp snip, snip of the shears.

"Tim!"

"Did you call?"

"Yes. You haven't seen Lola, have you?"

"Lola? Indeed I haven't. What would she be doing round here, I'd like
to know?"

His Highness struggled to smile.

"Oh, I just thought you might have seen her."

"She's not at the kennels?"

"No."

"Oh, then the mistress took her up to the house. She often does. She
is clean daffy over that dog. Give yourself no concern, sonny; the pup
is with the master and missis, being shown off to company, most