eatedly, but there was no answer. He
searched the yard and the shore, but there was no trace of his little
daughter. He went through the big open mill, and peered into shadowy
corners, but Anna was not to be found. And at last he hurried back to
tell Paul and Rebby, and to have them help him in his search for the
missing girl.

CHAPTER XIII

DOWN THE RIVER

Anna had gathered an armful of dry wood and was just starting back when
a queer little frightened cry made her stop suddenly and look quickly
around. In a moment the noise was repeated, and she realized that it
came from a pile of logs near the river bank. Anna put down the wood,
and tiptoed carefully in the direction of the sound.

As she came near the logs she could see a little gray creature
struggling to get loose from a coil of string in which its hind legs
were entangled.

"Oh! It's a rabbit!" Anna exclaimed. "Perhaps it is Trit," and she ran
quickly forward. But the little creature was evidently more alarmed at
her approach than at the trap that held him, and with a frantic leap he
was off, the string trailing behind him; but his hind feet were still
hampered by the twisting string, and he came to a sudden halt.

"Poor Trit! Poor Trit!" called the little girl pityingly, as she ran
after him. Just as she was near enough to touch him another bound
carried him beyond her reach. On leaped the rabbit, and on followed Anna
until they were some distance below the mill and near the river's
sloping bank, over which the rabbit plunged and Anna after him. A small
boat lay close to the shore, and Bunny's plunge carried him directly
into the boat, where, twisted in the string, he lay struggling and
helpless.

Anna climbed into the boat and picked up "Trit," as she called the
rabbit, and patiently and tenderly untied the string from the
frightened, panting little captive, talking gently as she did so, until
he lay quiet in her hands.

The little girl was so wholly absorbed in her task that she did not
notice that the boat was not fastened, or that her spring into it had
sent it clear from the shore. Not until Trit was free from the string
did she look up, and then the little boat was several feet from the
shore, and moving rapidly downstream.

If Anna had stepped overboard then she could easily have waded ashore
and made her way back to the mill; but she was so surprised that such a
course did no