The two Crosby girls were found first, because not knowing the house well, they had simply gone into hall closets, and stood behind some hanging dresses. They were discovered by Jim Kenerley and Hal; and if the latter was disappointed in his quarry, he gave no sign of it. The four returned to the hall, and after a while they were joined by Roger and Mona. "Oho," said Jim, who loved to tease, "what a coincidence that you two should find each other!" "Easy enough," said Roger. "I knew Mona would choose the very hardest place to find; so I went straight to the attic to the very farthest, darkest corner, and there she was, waiting for me!" "There I was," said Mona, "but I wasn't waiting for _you_!" "No, you were waiting for me, I know," said Jim, ironically. "But never mind, Mona, we'll be partners next time. Hello, Adele, is that _your_ terrible fate?" and they all laughed as Adele and Mr. Hoyt came in together, with cobwebs on their hair and smudges of black on their faces. "I thought I'd be so smart, Jim, and I hid in the coal-bin; but Mr. Hoyt found me! By the way, we must have that place cleaned; it's a disgrace to the house!" "But you know, my dear, we don't often use it to receive our guests in." "Well, I don't care, it must be cleaned. There's no excuse for cobwebs. Now I must go and tidy up. I hope they haven't wakened the baby. Oh, here's Daisy." Daisy and Mr. Collins came in, laughing, and Mr. Collins declared he had found Miss Dow hanging out the third-story window by her finger-tips. "Nothing of the sort," said Daisy. "I was out on a kind of little balcony place, that's on top of a bay-window or something,--but I put my hands over the sill inside, so that I could say I was still in the house. Wasn't that fair?" "Well, it's fair enough, as long as I found you," said Mr. Collins. "But when I saw your hands, I really thought you were hanging from the sill!" "Where's Patty?" asked Daisy, "and Mr. Van Reypen? Are they still finding each other?" "I saw Phil," said Roger, "standing guard at the nursery door, as he said he would. He let us each go in and look around, on condition that we wouldn't wake the baby. And the baby's nurse was also asleep on the sofa, so I looked around and sneaked out as fast as I could." Just then Van Reypen came downstairs. "I've been delayed," he said, "because I held the fort for the baby, until every man-jack of you had been in the nursery. Now I'm going to begin _my search_. Who is there left to find?" "Oh, who, _indeed_?" said Jim, looking wise. "Oh, _nobody_ in particular! Nobody but that little Fairfield girl, and _of course_ you wouldn't want to find _her_!" "Patty!" exclaimed Philip, as he looked around at the group. "Why, she isn't here, is she? Where can that little rascal be? You fellows have been all over the house, I suppose?" "Every nook and cranny," declared Mr. Hoyt. "It was as a very last resort that I went to the coal-bin and captured Mrs. Kenerley."