This being the state of affairs, great was the alarm of all one day as
it became evident that Tilderee was missing. The ranch was a scene of
intense excitement when, after an exploration of the neighborhood, the
child was not found. The news spread like a prairie fire. The
settlers for miles around joined the party which set out to continue
the search. The poor mother was frantic. The father went about
helplessly, like a man dazed by a terrible blow. Peter galloped wildly
to and fro upon Twinkling Hoofs, without an idea where he was going.
Joan cried as though her heart would break.
Fudge had disappeared also. Had he gone with Tilderee? There was a
grain of comfort in the suggestion; yet, even so, what could a poor
baby do, astray and with no other defender? Evening came, and still
there was no trace of the child. All through the night they continued
to seek her, guided by the light of the stars and the glimmer of their
pine torches. But in vain.
II.
On that memorable day, shortly after dinner, if mother had not been so
absorbed by the discovery that certain wee, blundering fingers had
sprinkled sugar instead of salt over her new batch of butter; or if
Joan, instead of going for the third time since morning to the lowest
drawer of the deal clothes-press which contained the family wardrobe,
to take an aggrieved look at Angelina,--if either had glanced out of
the doorway, she would have seen a diminutive figure tripping down the
trail in happy unconcern, with Fudge gambolling along in front.
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