Esther, Penelope, and Angela reached home at just about what they thought must be tea-time. They came in the way they had gone out, through the garden door. In the garden path they saw Poppy's new watering-can lying. They expected to see Poppy too, but she did not appear, and the garden seemed quite empty. She must have gone indoors, they concluded, and Esther began to feel very compunctious for having left her alone so long. With this feeling on her she hurried in to find her little sister, but the house seemed quiet and empty too. They ran up to their own rooms. No one was there. They came down and looked in the sitting-rooms, Esther with a sudden fear that Poppy might be at some mischief; but both rooms were quite empty. They next ran out and tapped at the kitchen door. "Come in," said Anna cheerfully. She liked to have the children about her. "Is Poppy here?" asked Esther. "Miss Poppy! No, miss. I haven't seen her since she went out with you." "She hasn't been with us. We have been on the moor ever since, and she must have stayed in the garden, but I can't see her there now. We saw her little can in the path, that was all, and I can't find her in the house anywhere. I thought perhaps she was here with you." Anna looked anxious. "Have you been all over the house, miss?" "I have been in our rooms and the dining-room and drawing-room, and we have all called her, but we can't find her." "I'd look again, miss, if I was you; look in the missus's room, and mine too, if you like. I'd come with you, but I can't leave my bread for a few minutes." "Oh, we will find her," said Esther cheerfully, and they ran off again. She was back in a short while, though, and not quite so cheerful. Just as she reached the kitchen Ephraim came in at the other door. "Who hev been meddlin' with my new turnip-bed?" he demanded. He did not see Esther. "What's the matter with your turnip-bed?" asked Anna shortly. She was just lifting her loaves out of the oven, and it was a critical moment; besides, Anna was always 'short' with Ephraim; she had a theory that it was good for him. "Why, it's in such a mess as you never saw in your life; anybody'd think there'd been a month's rain emptied over it, and all the hens in Dorsham scratching it over, and me only sowed the seeds this morning and left it as tidy as ever you see a bed, only so long ago as dinner-time." Anna, looking up, caught sight of Esther. "Have 'ee found her, missie?" she asked, taking no further notice of Ephraim. "No," said Esther anxiously, "she isn't in the house, I'm sure."