Part 5 (2/2)

But Luke is in bed. I am going by to-morrow's train to see for myself.

I don't dare tell Aunt Lorina--nor even Neighbor. Neighbor--Mr.

Northrup--is not well himself, and he would only worry about Luke if he knew.... Now, don't _you_ worry, and I will send you word how Luke is just the minute I arrive.”

”But how can I help being anxious?” Ruth demanded of her sister. ”Poor Luke! And he was working so hard this summer so as not to be obliged to depend entirely on Neighbor for his college expenses next year.”

Ruth was deeply interested in Luke Shepard--had been, in fact, since the winter previous when all the Corner House family were s...o...b..und at the Birdsall winter camp in the North Woods. Of course, Ruth and Luke were both very young, and Luke had first to finish his college course and get into business.

Still and all, the fact that Luke Shepard had been hurt quite dwarfed the Gypsy bracelet matter in Ruth's mind. And in that of Agnes, too, of course.

In addition, the very next morning Mrs. Pinkney ran across the street and in at the side door of the Corner House in a state of panic.

”Oh! have you seen him?” she cried.

”Seen whom, Mrs. Pinkney?” asked Ruth with sympathy.

”Is Buster lost again?” demanded Tess, poising a spoonful of breakfast food carefully while she allowed her curiosity to take precedence over the business of eating. ”That dog always _is_ getting lost.”

”It isn't Sammy's dog,” wailed Mrs. Pinkney. ”It is Sammy himself. I can't find him.”

”Can't find Sammy?” repeated Agnes.

”His bed hasn't been slept in! I thought he was just sulky last night.

But he is _gone_!”

”Well,” said Tess, practically, ”Sammy is always running away, you know.”

”Oh, this is serious,” cried the distracted mother. ”He has broken open his bank and taken all his money--almost four dollars.”

”My!” murmured Dot, ”it must cost lots more to run away and be pirates now than it used to.”

”Everything is much higher,” agreed Tess.

CHAPTER V--SAMMY OCCASIONS MUCH EXCITEMENT

”I do hope and pray,” Aunt Sarah Maltby declared, ”that Mrs. Pinkney won't go quite distracted about that boy. Boys make so much trouble usually that a body would near about believe that it must be an occasion for giving thanks to get rid of one like Sammy Pinkney.”

This was said of course after Sammy's mother had gone home in tears--and Agnes had accompanied her to give such comfort as she might. The whole neighborhood was roused about the missing Sammy. All agreed that the boy never was of so much importance as when he was missing.

”I do hope and pray that the little rascal will turn up soon,” continued Aunt Sarah, ”for Mrs. Pinkney's sake.”

”I wonder,” murmured Dot to Tess, ”why it is Aunt Sarah always says she 'hopes and prays'? Wouldn't just praying be enough? You're sure to get what you pray for, aren't you?”

”But what is the use of praying if you don't hope?” demanded Tess, the hair-splitting theologian. ”They must go together, Dot. I should think you'd see that.”

Mrs. Pinkney had lost hope of finding Sammy, however, right at the start. She knew him of course of old. He had been running away ever since he could toddle out of the gate; but she and Mr. Pinkney tried to convince themselves that each time would be the last--that he was ”cured.”

<script>