rm continued, snow, hail, and rain, and wind howling against the
windows. Toward morning they did fall asleep. It was at a late hour they
waked up and went to peer out from the veranda window. There was a
policeman passing round the house!

* * * * *

Meanwhile there had been great anxiety at the Wilsons'.

"If it were not for the storm," said Aunt Harriet, "I should send up to
the Pentzes' to inquire about those boys."

"I suppose it's the storm that keeps them," said Jane.

"If it were not for the storm," Mrs. Pentz was saying to Mary, "I should
like you to go down to the Wilsons' and see what those boys are about."

As to Mrs. Stebbins, John was so seldom at home it did not occur to her
to wonder where he was.

But when Saturday morning came, and no boys, Aunt Harriet said, "There's
a little lull in the storm. I can't stand it any longer, Jane. I am
going to put on my waterproof and go up to the Pentzes'."

"I will go too," said Jane; and Gertrude and George joined the party.

Half-way up the long street they met the Pentz family coming down to
make the same inquiries,--Mr. and Mrs. Pentz, Mary, Sophy, Will, and the
rest.

"Where are the boys?" was the exclamation as they met half-way between
the two houses.

Mr. Johnson, one of the leading men of the town, crossed the street to
ask what was the commotion in the two families. "Our boys are missing,"
said Mr. Pentz. "Five boys!"

"We haven't seen them since Thursday morning," said Aunt Harriet.

"They were at home Thursday afternoon," said Mary Pentz.

"I must speak to the police," said Mr. Pentz.

"He is up at the Wilson House," said Mr. Johnson. "There were tramps in
the house there last night, and the police came very near catching them.
He found the door unlocked night before last. The tramps kept off that
night, but turned up last night in the storm. They have got off,
however. There is only one policeman, but we've sworn in a special to
keep guard on the house."

"I'll go up and see him," said Mr. Pentz.

"We'll all go up," said Harriet.

"Perhaps the tramps have gone off with the boys," said Gertrude.

Quite a crowd had collected with the party as they moved up the street,
and all together came to the front of the house. The policeman was just
disappearing round the other side. They turned to the back to meet him,
and reached the corner where the veranda looked down upon the yard.

At this moment Mr. and Mr