“I shall be greatly obliged to you,” said Mr. Ward.  “I want Fred to come back.”

“When did you find out he was gone?” asked Mr. Brown.

“Just a little while ago,” answered Mr. Ward.  “I sent him up to his room this morning.  He did not come down to dinner, for I said he should not eat until he said he was sorry for what he did.  Perhaps I was wrong, but I meant to do right.”

“You did it for the best,” said his wife.  “When I went up to Fred’s room this afternoon, he was gone, and there was this note.  It was then I cried,” she went on, turning to the parents of Bunny and Sue.

“I am so sorry,” said Mrs. Brown.  “But I think it will all come right.  My husband will help find your boy.”

“I’ll get the police to help, too,” said Mr. Brown.  “They will search for him.”

“And we’ll help!” exclaimed Bunny and Sue, coming in just then from having a romp on the lawn with the two dogs.  “We’ll try to find Fred for you.”

“Bless their hearts!” cried Mrs. Brown, as the children ran out again.  “They get into all sorts of mischief, but they manage to get out somehow.  Bunny is ready for anything, and Sue is generally ready for whatever follows.”

“But they are learning a good deal,” said Mr. Brown.  “Their life in the woods and on the farm was good for them—­as good as the time they spend in school.”

“Yes,” said Mr. Ward.  “Sometimes I think I may have kept Fred too much at his books.  I wish I had him back.”

“Oh, we’ll find him,” said Mr. Brown.

“I hope so,” sighed Mrs. Ward.  “It is very kind of you to offer to help us.”

“Why shouldn’t we?” asked Mrs. Brown.  “That is what neighbors are for—­to help one another.  We’ll go, now.  But Mr. Brown will come back and get you to tell him what Fred looks like, and how he was dressed, so the police will know him if they see him.  They will send you word where he is if they find him.”

“I will give you his photograph,” said Mr. Ward.

As Mr. and Mrs. Brown walked across the lawn, they saw Bunny and Sue playing with the two dogs.  Bunny was on Splash’s back as though the dog were a horse, and Sue was doing the same thing with Dix.

“Gid-dap!  Gid-dap!” cried the two little ones, holding to the dogs’ long ears so they would not fall off—­I mean so the children would not fall off, not the dogs’ ears.

“Aren’t they having a good time?” asked Mrs. Brown smiling.

“They certainly are,” agreed her husband.

“I’m glad it is neither of our children who is away.”

“I can’t bear even to think of that!” said Mrs. Brown, with a shudder.

“Look out!  They’ll run us down!” she went on, for the children, on their dog-horses, were rushing right at them.

“Clear the track!  Clear the track!” cried Bunny, wildly.

“Yes!  All aboard for the north pole!” yelled Sue.

“Bow-wow!” barked the two dogs, as happy as the children.