But no one had seen Jenny Lind. No one had heard of
her. Mrs. Johnson and Grandma Johnson and Mrs. Rawson and Mrs.
Willoughby came out on the second-floor landing and said what a shame
it was, and on the third floor Mrs. Matchan and Miss Adams and Miss
Proctor and Miss Carter talked together and tried to comfort Mary Rose.

But all the talking on all three floors did not bring Jenny Lind back.
Mary Rose pressed her face close to Aunt Kate and tried not to cry and
to believe the conscience-stricken Miss Carter when she said that Jenny
Lind was all right, they'd find her before Mary Rose could say Jack
Robinson.

"She's all I had here of my very own," hiccoughed Mary Rose; "I had to
board out my cat and loan my dog. I've had her for years and years.
It doesn't seem just fair for anyone to take her from me."

"You can have Germania," promised Mrs. Schuneman, to the surprise of
all who heard her. "I'll be busy with the wedding and won't have time
to take care of her," she added kindly so that Mary Rose would think it
was a favor to take her bird.

"But Germania's yours and Jenny Lind was--was mine. They can't ever be
the same, though I'm much obliged, Mrs. Schuneman. Oh, where can she
be, Aunt Kate? Where can she be?"

"Yes, where can she be?" repeated Grandma Johnson helplessly.

"We'll advertise," promised Bob Strahan, who had come in and heard the
sad story of Jenny Lind's disappearance. "Just you keep a stiff upper
lip, Mary Rose. We'll find your bird."

They were all talking at once and advising Mary Rose to keep her upper
lip stiff when Mr. Wells slammed the door behind him. He stopped when
he saw the group around the newel post.

"What's the matter?" he scowled, and his voice was like the bark of a
dog to Mrs. Donovan's nervous ear. "What's the matter?"

It was Mrs. Schuneman who told him. She had never dared to speak to
him before. He looked oddly from one to the other and last of all at
Mary Rose whose upper lip just wouldn't stay stiff.

"It is only what you should expect," he said, as he went on up the
stairs. "Pets are not allowed in this building."

"I wish grouches weren't," muttered Bob Strahan to Miss Carter, who was
almost as tearful as Mary Rose.

"Brute!" she answered. "If he had been here I should think he had
something to do with Jenny Lind's disappearance."

"That Jap of his was here," suggested Bob Strahan, but no one paid any
attention to him then.

"Come down with m