The first house at which he stopped was that of Mr. Marston, which, it will be remembered, was only a short distance away from his own home. There, to his disappointment, he learned that their little girl had not been at school that day, and consequently they could tell him nothing.
Without waiting longer than to give a few words of explanation he resumed his trot1, and soon after turned into the lane leading to the home of Mr. Kilgore. He found that both Bobby and Sallie had been to school, but they had nothing to tell. When we are more than usually anxious to learn something, it seems that every one whom we meet is stupid beyond endurance. If we are in a strange place and apply for information, the ignorance of nearly every person is exasperating2.
Bobby and Sallie remembered seeing Nellie in school during the forenoon and afternoon, but, while the boy insisted that she came along the road with them after dismissal, Sallie was just as positive that the missing girl was not with them.
The party of school children which usually went over the highway was so small in number that it is hard to understand how such a mistake could be made, but the difference between Bobby and Sallie was irreconcilable3.
"I know she didn't come home with us," said Sallie, stamping her foot to give emphasis to the words.
"And I know she did," declared Bobby, equally emphatically, "for me and her played tag."
"Why don't you say she and I played tag?" asked Nick, impatient with both the children.
"'Cause it was me and her," insisted Bobby.
"What a dunce-head!" exclaimed his sister; "that was last night when you played tag, and you tumbled over into the ditch and bellered like the big baby you are."
"I remember that he did that last night," said Nick, hoping to help the two to settle the dispute.
"I know I done that last night, but this afternoon I done it too. I fall into the ditch every night and beller; I do it on purpose to fool them that are chasing me."
Nick found he could gain nothing; but he believed the sister was right and the brother wrong, as afterward4 proved to be the case.
There were no more houses between his own home and the school building, and Nick resumed his dog trot, never halting until he came in front of a little whitewashed5 cottage just beyond the stone school-house.
The latter stood at the cross roads, and the cottage to the left was where the teacher, Mr. Layton, an old bachelor, lived with his two maiden6 sisters.
Mr. Layton, although strict to severity in the school-room, was a kind-hearted man and was fond of the Ribsam children, for they were bright, cheerful, and obedient, and never gave him any trouble, as did some of his other pupils. He listened to Nick's story, and his sympathy was aroused at once.
"I am very sorry," said he, "that your good father and mother, not to mention yourself, should be so sorely troubled; but I hope this is not serious. Nellie came to me about three o'clock and asked whether I would let her go home."
"Was she sick?" asked the distressed7 brother.
"Not at all; but she said you had gone to Dunbarton in your carriage and she wanted to meet you coming back. She knew her lessons perfectly8, and Nellie is such a good girl that I felt that I could not refuse so simple a request. So I told her she could go. I saw her start homeward with her lunch-basket in one hand and her two school-books in the other. She stepped off so briskly and was in such cheerful spirits that I stood at the window and watched her until she passed around the bend in the road."
Nick felt his heart sink within him, for the words of the teacher had let in a great deal of alarming truth upon him.
Nellie had reached the forks two hours ahead of him, and then, not wishing to sit down and wait, she had started up the road in the direction of Dunbarton to meet him. She must have entered the eight mile stretch of woods from the south about the same time Nick himself drove into it on his return from Dunbarton.
The two should have met near Shark Creek9, but neither had seen the other. Nick, as a matter of course, had kept to the road, but what had become of Nellie?
This was the question the lad put to himself, and which caused him to feel so faint that he sank down in a chair unable to speak for a minute or two. Then, when he tried to do so, he had to stop, and was kept busy swallowing the lump that would rise in his throat, until finally the tears suddenly appeared, and, putting his hands to his eyes, he gave way to his grief.
"There, there," said Mr. Layton soothingly10, "don't cry, Nick, for it will do no good. Nellie has strayed off in the woods to gather flowers or perhaps wild grapes and has missed her way."
"She—is—lost—poor—Nellie!" said the lad as best he could between his sobs11; "we'll never see her again."
"Oh, it isn't as bad as that! I suppose she has grown weary, and, sitting down to rest, has fallen asleep."
If the good teacher meant this to soothe12 the lad, it had the contrary effect, for the picture of his little sister wandering alone in the woods was one of the most dreadful that could be imagined, and it took all the manhood of his nature to keep from breaking down again.
While the interview was under way, Mr. Layton was busy changing his slippers13 for his boots, his wrapper for his coat, and his hat was donned just as he spoke14 the last words.
His sympathy did not expend15 itself in talk, but the instant he saw what the trouble was he was eager to do all he could to help his suffering friends. He even reproached himself for having given Nellie permission to meet her brother, though no matter what harm may have befallen her, no one could blame her instructor16 therefor.
"We must hunt for her," said Mr. Layton, when he was ready to go out; "I will tell my sisters they need not be alarmed over my absence, and I guess I will take the lantern with me."
Nick passed out to the front gate, where he waited a minute for the teacher, until he should speak with his friends and get the lantern ready. When he came forth17, the boy felt much like the patient who sees the surgeon take out his instruments and try their edge to make sure they are in condition before using upon him.
The sight of the lantern in the hand of Mr. Layton gave such emphasis to the danger that it caused another quick throb18 of Nick's heart, but he forced it down as the two started back over the road, toward the school-house.
"There is no need of lighting19 the lantern until we get to the woods," said the teacher, "for we don't need it, and I hope we won't need it after we reach the forest. Poor Nellie! she will feel dreadfully frightened, when she wakes up in the dark forest."
He regretted the words, for the two or three sobs that escaped the brother, before he could master himself, showed that his heart was swelled20 nigh to bursting.
The night was mild and pleasant, although a little too chilly21 for any one to sleep out of doors. The moon was gibbous, and only a few white, feathery clouds now and then drifted across its face. Where there was no shadow, one could see for a hundred yards or so with considerable distinctness—that is, enough to recognize the figure of a man in motion.
Opposite the lane leading to the house of Mr. Kilgore, the teacher stopped.
"I will go in and get him to join us," said Mr. Layton; "and you had better hurry home for your father. On your way back, stop for Mr. Marston; that will give us a pretty large party. If when you reach the forks you do not find us there, don't wait, but hurry on toward Dunbarton; you will meet us before you reach the bridge over Shark Creek."
Nick did as told, and, still on a rapid trot, reached home panting and excited, with the story which the reader has just learned.
Mr. Ribsam threw down his pipe, donned his hat and coat, and started out the door. With his hand on the latch22, he paused, and, looking back, commanded his voice so as to say:
"Katrina, you and Nick needn't wait up for me."
"Oh, father," pleaded the lad, moving toward him: "would you make me stay at home when Nellie is lost?"
"No, no—I did not think," answered the parent, in a confused way; "I feel so bad I do not know what I do and say. Katrina, don't feel too bad; we will come back as soon as we can."
Again the half distracted father placed his hand on the latch, and he had drawn23 the door partly open, when his wife, pale and trembling, called out in a voice of touching24 pathos25:
"Gustav, my heart would break should I try to stay here, when no one but God knows where my darling Nellie is; but, wherever she may be, no sorrow or pain or suffering can come to her that her mother will not share, and may our Heavenly Father let her mother take it all upon her own shoulders!"
"Come on, Katrina; come on and bring the lantern with you."
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1
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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2
exasperating
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| adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式 | |
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3
irreconcilable
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| adj.（指人）难和解的，势不两立的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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5
whitewashed
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| 粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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7
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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8
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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9
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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10
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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11
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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12
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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13
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
expend
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| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
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16
instructor
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| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
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17
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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18
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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19
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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20
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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21
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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22
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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23
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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24
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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