woke up to know how to find
her way back into the house. I have heard of children doing such
things."

"But she could n't have gone past the door without my seeing her," said
Ann, very positively. "I have been sitting right there in the kitchen
all the evening, and I am sure I would have heard her, if she had gone
past. I never knew Ruby to walk in her sleep; but then I would n't say
she might n't have done it this time, only I know she did n't walk past
the kitchen door and go out that way."

"Could she have gone out the front door?" asked Aunt Emma.

The doctor shook his head.

"No; that would be too heavy for her to open alone, after it was locked
up for the night. I fastened it myself before I went out, and it is
fastened now; so she could not have gone out that way. There is her
mother calling. I hope she will not ask for Ruby. She must not have
this anxiety if we can spare her."

CHAPTER III.

LOOKING FOR RUBY.

People who are sick are very quick to hear when anything is wrong, and
as soon as the doctor opened the door of the sick-room, Ruby's mamma
asked anxiously,--

"Is anything wrong with Ruby? Where is she?"

Just then the only possible explanation of her absence occurred to the
doctor, and he answered,

"She is not in her bed, my dear, and I am afraid she has run away and
gone over to Ruthy's to spend the night. You know she asked permission
to stay all night the last time she went over there for supper, and I
suppose she has made up her mind to go without permission. It is too
bad in her to act this way and worry you. I will drive over after her
right away, and bring her back in a few minutes."

"I don't believe she would go all the way up to Ruthy's after dark,"
said her mother, in anxious tones. "I am afraid something has happened
to her, though I cannot imagine what it could be."

"Don't think about it till I bring her back safe and sound," said the
doctor as he hurried away.

But it was a great deal easier to give this advice than to follow it.
Ruby's mamma could not help worrying about her little girl, and while
naughty little Ruby was curled up in her blankets, sleeping as sweetly
as a little bird in its nest, her mamma was listening to the wheels of
the doctor's buggy, rolling out of the yard, with a beating heart, and
wondering what had happened to the little girl who had gone to bed not
two hours ago.

It did not take very long to drive over to Ruthy's house, an