Page:Harry Castlemon - The Steel Horse.djvu/170

 Peter! I'm in a worse scrape than I thought."

Willis did not have time to follow out this train of thought, for just then Mrs. Moffat came into the room. The man knew well enough what she was going to say, for the look of anxiety her face wore could be easily interpreted.

"Good morning, Mr. Willis," said she, with a sorry attempt to appear as cheerful as usual. "Have you seen Rowe since we left him in his room last night?"

"I have not," replied the superintendent, resuming his seat and once more unfolding the paper. "What makes you ask?"

"Why, I went up just now to tell him breakfast would soon be ready, and he wasn't there," answered the housekeeper. "More than that, his bed was not slept in."

"That doesn't signify. He took to the lounge probably, and went out before any of us were up for his usual morning's spin on his wheel."

"But he took his wheel when he went to the