Chapter 6

           Abouttenminuteslater,thebellrangfortea,and,asVirginiadidnotcomedown,Mrs.Otissentuponeofthefootmentotellher. AfteralittletimehereturnedandsaidthathecouldnotfindMissVirginiaanywhere. Asshewasinthehabitofgoingouttothegardeneveryeveningtogetflowersforthedinner-table,Mrs.Otiswasnotatallalarmedatfirst, butwhensixo’clockstruck,andVirginiadidnotappear,shebecamereallyagitated,andsenttheboysouttolookforher,whilesheherselfandMr.Otissearchedeveryroominthehouse. Athalf-pastsixtheboyscamebackandsaidthattheycouldfindnotraceoftheirsisteranywhere. Theywereallnowinthegreateststateofexcitement,anddidnotknowwhattodo,whenMr.Otissuddenlyrememberedthat,somefewdaysbefore,hehadgivenabandofgipsiespermissiontocampinthepark. HeaccordinglyatoncesetoffforBlackfellHollow,whereheknewtheywere,accompaniedbyhiseldestsonandtwoofthefarm-servants. ThelittleDukeofCheshire,whowasperfectlyfranticwithanxiety,beggedhardtobeallowedtogotoo,butMr.Otiswouldnotallowhim,ashewasafraidtheremightbeascuffle. Onarrivingatthespot,however,hefoundthatthegipsieshadgone,anditwasevidentthattheirdeparturehadbeenrathersudden,asthefirewasstillburning,andsomeplateswerelyingonthegrass. HavingsentoffWashingtonandthetwomentoscourthedistrict,heranhome,anddespatchedtelegramstoallthepoliceinspectorsinthecounty,tellingthemtolookoutforalittlegirlwhohadbeenkidnappedbytrampsorgipsies. Hethenorderedhishorsetobebroughtround,and,afterinsistingonhiswifeandthethreeboyssittingdowntodinner,rodeoffdowntheAscotroadwithagroom. Hehadhardly,however,goneacoupleofmiles,whenheheardsomebodygallopingafterhim, and,lookinground,sawthelittleDukecominguponhispony,withhisfaceveryflushed,andnohat.