But from out of doors there came the sound of a calling and questing voice, at first in the distance, then growing louder--coming nearer. “Oh, Ver-er-man! O-o-o-oh, Ver-er-ma-a-an!” It was the voice of Herman. “OO-O-O-O-OH, VER-ER-ER-MA-A-A-AN!” And then two boys sat stricken at that cheerful table and ceased to eat. Recollection awoke with a bang! “Oh, my!” Sam gasped. “What's the matter?” Mr. Schofield said. “Swallow something the wrong way, Sam?” “Ye-es, sir.” “OO-O-O-O-OH, VER-ER-ER-MA-A-A-AN!” And now the voice was near the windows of the dining-room. Penrod, very pale, pushed back his chair and jumped up. “What's the matter with YOU?” his father demanded. “Sit down!” “It's Herman--that coloured boy lives in the alley,” Penrod said hoarsely. “I expect--I think--” “Well, what's the matter?” “I think his little brother's maybe got lost, and Sam and I better go help look--” “You'll do nothing of the kind,” Mr. Schofield said sharply. “Sit down and eat your dinner.” In a palsy, the miserable boy resumed his seat. He and Sam exchanged a single dumb glance; then the eyes of both swung fearfully to Margaret. Her appearance was one of sprightly content, and, from a certain point of view, nothing could have been more alarming. If she had opened her closet door without discovering Verman, that must have been because Verman was dead and Margaret had failed to notice the body. (Such were the thoughts of Penrod and Sam.) But she might not have opened the closet door. And whether she had or not, Verman must still be there, alive or dead, for if he had escaped he would have gone home, and their ears would not be ringing with the sinister and melancholy cry that now came from the distance, “Oo-o-oh, Ver-er-ma-an!” Verman, in his seclusion, did not hear that appeal from his brother; there were too many walls between them. But he was becoming impatient for release, though, all in all, he had not found the confinement intolerable or even very irksome. His character was philosophic, his imagination calm; no bugaboos came to trouble him. When the boys closed the door upon him, he made himself comfortable upon the floor and, for a time, thoughtfully chewed a patent-leather slipper that had come under his hand. He found the patent leather not unpleasant to his palate, though he swallowed only a portion of what he detached, not being hungry at that time. The soul-fabric of Verman was of a fortunate weave; he was not a seeker and questioner. When it happened to him that he was at rest in a shady corner, he did not even think about a place in the sun. Verman took life as it came.