But they did not go to bed.  This was one of the times when they did not do as they were told.  But it was only once in a while they did anything like that.  Bunny and Sue were, as a rule, very good.

Well, instead of going to bed they stood by the window where they could watch the lawn on which Splash and Dix were still playing.

“We mustn’t catch cold,” said Sue.  “We’d better wrap a blanket around us, Bunny, if we stand by the window, though it isn’t cold at all.”

“Yep,” grunted Bunny, who was so interested in watching his father cross the grass plot that he did not feel like talking much.

Sue brought a light blanket from her bed and one from Bunny’s, and in these the children wrapped themselves, and stood by the window.

“There he is!” cried Bunny, as he saw the tall figure of his father, accompanied by a bigger shadow in the moonlight, appear on the lawn.

“Hush!” cautioned Sue.  “Don’t talk so loud or mother will come up and make us go to bed.”

Bunny “hushed,” and then the two children watched.  They saw their father go up the side steps of the Ward house and very soon come out again.

“It didn’t take him long to find out,” said Bunny in a low voice.

“I hope Fred has come back,” whispered Sue.

But it was not, as they learned a little later when their mother came upstairs to tell them.  The children had quickly scampered back to their beds when they heard their mother coming up, and she found two anxious faces peering at her over the blankets.

“Was it Fred?” they asked excitedly.

“No, I am sorry to say it was not,” answered Mrs. Brown.  “It was one of the boys Fred used to play with, and he went around the back way because he did not want any one to see him going in the front door.”

“Does he know where Fred is?” asked Bunny.

“No.  But he went to tell Mr. Ward about him.  He had seen some of the police circulars, or printed papers which were scattered about, showing Fred’s picture and telling how he looked and how much his father wanted him to come home again.”

“And is he coming?” asked Sue.

“We don’t know, dear.  Mr. Ward told us this boy, whose name is George Simpson, knew that Fred was going to run away, for Fred had told him.”

“Why didn’t George come and tell Fred’s father so he could stop him?” asked Bunny.

“Because Fred made George promise not to tell.  But after George had seen the police circulars he made up his mind he must say something, so he came to-night.  He said Fred had told him he was going to run away to Portland and try to get work in a theater playing a banjo.”

“Portland!” cried Bunny.  “Why that’s where we’re going!”

“And maybe we’ll see Fred!” added Sue.

“It may be,” said their mother.  “But now you two must go to sleep.  The big auto will be here in the morning, and you will wish to see the new things daddy has put in.”