osets, and stood behind some
hanging dresses. They were discovered by Jim Kenerley and Hal; and if
the latter was disappointed in his quarry, he gave no sign of it.

The four returned to the hall, and after a while they were joined by
Roger and Mona.

"Oho," said Jim, who loved to tease, "what a coincidence that you two
should find each other!"

"Easy enough," said Roger. "I knew Mona would choose the very hardest
place to find; so I went straight to the attic to the very farthest,
darkest corner, and there she was, waiting for me!"

"There I was," said Mona, "but I wasn't waiting for _you_!"

"No, you were waiting for me, I know," said Jim, ironically. "But
never mind, Mona, we'll be partners next time. Hello, Adele, is that
_your_ terrible fate?" and they all laughed as Adele and Mr. Hoyt
came in together, with cobwebs on their hair and smudges of black on
their faces.

"I thought I'd be so smart, Jim, and I hid in the coal-bin; but Mr.
Hoyt found me! By the way, we must have that place cleaned; it's a
disgrace to the house!"

"But you know, my dear, we don't often use it to receive our guests
in."

"Well, I don't care, it must be cleaned. There's no excuse for
cobwebs. Now I must go and tidy up. I hope they haven't wakened the
baby. Oh, here's Daisy."

Daisy and Mr. Collins came in, laughing, and Mr. Collins declared he
had found Miss Dow hanging out the third-story window by her
finger-tips.

"Nothing of the sort," said Daisy. "I was out on a kind of little
balcony place, that's on top of a bay-window or something,--but I put
my hands over the sill inside, so that I could say I was still in the
house. Wasn't that fair?"

"Well, it's fair enough, as long as I found you," said Mr. Collins.
"But when I saw your hands, I really thought you were hanging from the
sill!"

"Where's Patty?" asked Daisy, "and Mr. Van Reypen? Are they still
finding each other?"

"I saw Phil," said Roger, "standing guard at the nursery door, as he
said he would. He let us each go in and look around, on condition that
we wouldn't wake the baby. And the baby's nurse was also asleep on the
sofa, so I looked around and sneaked out as fast as I could."

Just then Van Reypen came downstairs. "I've been delayed," he said,
"because I held the fort for the baby, until every man-jack of you had
been in the nursery. Now I'm going to begin _my search_. Who is there
left to find?"

"Oh, who, _indeed_?" said Jim, looking wise. "Oh, _nob