and when after fifteen minutes it was sure that the
little boy was not in the neighborhood, the constable was called on and
the search made up and down the street.

"Well, we'll find him, of course," said Uncle Toby, speaking more
hopefully than he really felt. "What happened, I suppose, is that he
wandered out of the store, to find me, maybe, and he got in the wrong
place. We'll look in every building along Main Street."

This was done, and the houses on side streets were visited, too, but
without effect. Trouble seemed to have vanished completely and
mysteriously.

By this time Janet was crying, as were the other girls, and the boys
tried not to let the tears in their eyes be seen.

"Where can he be?" asked the Curlytops over and over again, when each
store had been searched twice.

"I'll tell you what I think happened," said Uncle Toby. "Trouble
wandered away from you, while you were buying your Christmas presents.
He wandered out into the street and got confused. Maybe he started
crying in the street, and some farmer and his wife, in their sled, may
have taken him in to comfort him."

"But what would they do with him?" asked Ted.

"Some farmer and his wife picked Trouble up off the street and took him
home with them," repeated Mr. Bardeen, as if he knew this was so. And he
really believed it.

"Why would they do that?" asked Jan, with trembling lips.

"They may have thought Trouble was the child of some neighbor whom they
knew, and they planned to take him home. Depend on it--that's what
happened!"

"But how will we get Trouble back?" asked Ted.

"Why, the farmer, whoever he is, will find out his mistake, and he'll
bring the little fellow back to town again," was the answer. "That's
what will happen. But I'll get as many men as I can, and with the
constable we'll inquire of all the farmers around here. In that way
we'll get Trouble back quicker."

There were willing searchers, and soon the country around Crystal Lake
was being searched by men and women in automobiles and sleds who
inquired at each farmhouse for a little boy taken away by mistake.

But as night came and no Trouble had been found, the Curlytops and their
playmates began to feel very sad indeed.

Uncle Toby decided to take the children home and leave them with Aunt
Sallie in the cabin, while he kept on with the search.

"Trouble missing and Skyrocket gone!" thought Uncle Toby to himself, as
he drove back in the automobile. "This wil