Rachel intimated, in reply, that she presumed it would afford Jack a great deal of satisfaction to write such a paragraph.

The evening came.  Still no tidings of Ida.

The family began to feel alarmed.  An indefinable sense of apprehension oppressed the minds of all.  Mrs. Crump feared that Ida’s mother, seeing her grown up so attractive, could not resist the temptation of keeping her.

“I suppose,” she said, “that she has the best claim to her; but it will be a terrible thing for us to part with her.”

“Don’t let us trouble ourselves in that way,” said the cooper.  “It seems to me very natural that they should keep her a little longer than they intended.  Besides, it is not too late for her to return to-night.”

This cheered Mrs. Crump a little.

The evening passed slowly.

At length there came a knock at the door.

“I guess that is Ida,” said Mrs. Crump, joyfully.

Jack seized a candle, and hastening to the door, threw it open.  But there was no Ida there.  In her place stood William Fitts, the boy who had met Ida in the cars.

“How do you do, Bill?” said Jack, endeavoring not to look disappointed.  “Come in, and take a seat, and tell us all the news.”

“Well,” said William, “I don’t know of any.  I suppose Ida has got home.”

“No,” said Jack, “we expected her to-night, but she hasn’t come yet.”

“She told me that she expected to come back to-day,” said William.

“What! have you seen her?” exclaimed all in chorus.

“Yes, I saw her yesterday noon.”

“Where?”

“Why, in the cars,” said William, a little surprised at the question.

“What cars?” asked the cooper.

“Why, the Philadelphia cars.  Of course, you knew that was where she was going?”

“Philadelphia!” all exclaimed, in surprise.

“Yes, the cars were almost there when I saw her.  Who was that with her?”

“Mrs. Hardwick, who was her old nurse.”

“Anyway, I didn’t like her looks,” said the boy.

“That’s where I agree with you,” said Jack, decidedly.

“She didn’t seem to want me to speak to Ida,” continued William, “but hurried her off, just as quick as possible.”

“There were reasons for that,” said Mrs. Crump, “she wanted to keep secret her destination.”

“I don’t know what it was,” said William; “but any how, I don’t like her looks.”

The family felt a little relieved by this information; and, since Ida had gone so far, it did not seem strange that she should have outstayed her time.

CHAPTER XII.

How Ida fared.

We left Ida confined in a dark closet, with Peg standing guard over her.

After an hour she was released.

“Well,” said Peg, grimly, “how do you feel now?”