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 voice. Running down hastily, Sally found husband and wife staring at each other with ashen faces.

"Not—wi'—ye, Samuel?" repeated Mistress Todd gaspingly, sinking back upon the settle from which she had started up a moment previous. All her strength seemed to have left her.

"Nay!" Master Todd made a violent gesture of frightened reproach. "Why, Moll, I told ye I had the big south field to plow this day. Didst forget? Ye must have known I would ne'er take little Mary down there wi' me, in this heat and all!"

Sally sprang to the door. "Mary! Mary!" she called desperately.

Mary's father joined in the calling: "Mary! Mary!"

But it brought no response. There came no fat baby form in homespun running to greet them, and at last Master Todd turned back into the kitchen with a groan.

There was a step outside the door a moment or so later, however; but it was Uzal who appeared. "Well, neighbor, art ready?" he was commencing briskly, when something in their faces stopped him. He stared at them inquiringly.

"Go up and see an the lad be i' his room, Sally," bade Master Todd dully. "He must help search for us—the more we have, the better. We are worried about little Mary," he turned to Uzal Ball, as the