*

Meanwhile Hugo had hunted through every corner of the four platforms; he
had even gone to look for the Amber Guiting train, but was told it
always was moved on to a siding directly it had discharged its
passengers.

It was mysterious, it was profoundly annoying, but it was not, to Hugo,
alarming. He suspected that Peter Ledgard was in some way mixed up in
it; that he, himself, had been shadowed and that Peter had stolen Tony
in the crowd. In his mistrustful wrath he endowed Peter with such
abnormal foresight and acumen as he certainly did not possess.

It really was an impossible situation. Hugo could not go about asking
porters and people for a lost child, or the neighbourhood would be
roused. He couldn't go back to Wren's End without Tony, or there would
be the devil to pay. He even got a porter to look in every carriage of
the side-tracked train for a mythical despatch-case, and accompanied him
in his search. Naturally they didn't seek a despatch-case in the van.

He had lost his train, but there was another, very slow, about
three-quarters of an hour later, and this he decided to take. He would
telegraph to Jan from London. Somehow he was not in the least concerned
about the fate of Tony. Peter and Peter's car had something to do with
this mysterious disappearance. He was sure of that.

Well, if this particular deal had failed, he must shuffle the cards and
deal again. In any case Jan should see that where his children were
concerned he was not to be trifled with.

He was sorry, though, he had bought the half-ticket for Tony, and to ask
them to take it back might cause comment.

As the slow train steamed out from the junction Hugo felt a very
ill-used man.

* * * * *

At eleven o'clock Anne Chitt brought in the tray with two cups of milk
and a plate of Hannah's excellent scones.

"Please go into the kitchen garden and ask Master Tony to come for his
lunch," Jan said.

Presently Anne returned. "Master Tony ain't in the garden, miss; and
'Annah says as 'e most likely ain't back yet, miss."

"Back! Back from where?"

"Please, miss, 'Annah says as 'is pa've took him with him down the
village."

Jan laid her sewing on the table and got up.

"Is Earley in the garden?"

"Yes, miss. I ast Earley an' 'e says the same as 'Annah. Mr. Tancred
'ave took Master Tony with 'im."

Anne went away, and Jan and Meg, who had stopped her machining to
listen, stared at each oth