"Why, papa, papa, do you s'pose there's anybody dead?" "The probability is, Alice, that they have gone away. I will run over to Mrs. Prosser's, and see if she knows anything about it." Mrs. Prosser was the nearest neighbor on the left. Her little daughter came to the door in tears, having hurt herself against a trunk in the hall. "Miss Carrie," said Mr. Parlin, "can you tell me where Mrs. Parlin and the rest of the family are gone?" "Yes, Caddy Prosser, the house is shut up," added Dotty, "and I'm afraid they're dead." "I don't know where they're gone, nor anything," sobbed Carrie. "I didn't know the trunk was in the entry, and I came so fast I fell right over it." "I am very sorry you are hurt," said Mr. Parlin. "Is your mother at home?" "No, sir, she isn't; her trunk came, but she didn't." There was no information to be obtained at the Prossers'; so Mr. Parlin went to Mr. Lawrence's, the nearest neighbor on the right, making the same inquiries; but all he learned was, that a carriage had been seen standing at Mr. Parlin's door; who had gone away in it nobody could tell. Dotty paced the pavement with restless steps, her mind agitated by a thousand wild fancies: Grandma Read never went anywhere; perhaps she was locked up in the house, and Zip too. Norah was at Cape Elizabeth; she had walked out to see her friend Bridget, the girl with red hair; and, just as likely as not, she didn't ever mean to come back again. Mother, and Susy, and Prudy had gone to Willowbrook, to grandpa Parlin's--of course they had,--and left grandma Bead all alone in the house, with nothing to eat. How strange! How unkind! "Grandma!" she called out under Mrs. Read's window. There was no answer. Dotty fancied the white curtain moved just a little; but that was because a fly was balancing himself on its folds. Grandma was not there, or, if she was, she must be very sound asleep. O, dear, dear! And here were Dotty and her father come home a day earlier than they were expected; and instead of giving the family a joyful surprise, they had a surprise themselves, only not a joyful one, by any means. How impolite it was in everybody, how unkind, to go away! At first, Dotty had been alarmed; but now her indignation got the better of her fears. When she _did_ see Prudy again,--the sister who pretended to love her so much,--she wouldn't take the presents out of her trunk for ever so long, just to tease the naughty girl! Meanwhile her father did not appear to be at all disturbed. "Perhaps they have gone to the Islands, or somewhere else not far away, to spend the day. It is now nearly two o'clock. You may go to the Preble House with me, and take-your dinner, and then I will unlock the house, and find some one to stay with you till night. Would you like that? Or would you prefer to go at once to your aunt Eastman's? You may have your choice." Dotty reflected about half a minute. "I will go to aunt Eastman's, if you please, papa."