Fortunately Mollie had some of the pocket torches and soon the little party of searchers was going about the house. In the mantle of newly-fallen snow it would seem to be an easy, matter to pick out the child's footprints and at least trace in which direction he went. Will was the first to locate them, and a joyful whoop told of his success. "Here they are!" he called. "He came out of this side door, and headed for the river----" "The river!" screamed Mrs. Billette, clutching at Mollie's arm. "Hush, Mother! It is frozen over, you know. He can come to no harm, I'm sure." "Oh, Will, hurry! Do! Find my little baby!" cried the frantic mother. Will dashed on, followed by the others. They kept their electric torches aglow, and could easily trace the line of tiny footsteps, since no other persons had passed down this way over the Billette property to the frozen Argono. A sound near the boathouse attracted Will, and he turned in that direction, seeing instinctively that the steps led there. Then he saw a flash of light in the structure where, in addition to some craft owned by Mollie, was stored Betty's motor boat, the _Gem_. "Are you in there, Paul?" cried Will. They all waited anxiously for the answer. "Ess," was the childish answer. "What oo want? I goin' way off in boat. I goin' be Robbyson Tuso." "Oh, Paul!" reproached his mother. But her voice showed relief. They pushed open the side door of the boat house, which had been left unlocked that day--inadvertently, it seemed--as a man was doing some repairs to Betty's craft. They saw Paul gravely seated in the boat, which he had managed to get into by means of a chair. He had a lantern with him, taken, it developed, from where Isaac, the furnace man, had left it for a moment in the Billette kitchen. And Paul was gravely playing that he was Robinson Crusoe, starting off on a voyage. "Oh, Paul, how could you frighten mamma so?" asked Mollie, as she caught him up. "You should be punished!" "Pichure in my book about Robbyson Tuso. He got in boat--I go in boat. Betty no care--does oo?" "No, dear, not about my boat. But----" "You were very, very naughty!" said Mollie, severely, "and sister doesn't love you any more. Naughty Paul!" The sensitive lip of the toddler began pursing outward, quivering. His eyes filled with tears. Then catching sight of Grace, who, with the others, formed a circle about the recovered lost one, Paul smiled through the gathering mist of tears and asked: "Oo dot any tandy?" And he laughed with them as Grace produced some chocolates in a bag. And no one remarked on her failing--that time, at least. Paul was soon in bed, having made many promises not to offend again. Then Will went back with Amy, Mr. Blackford escorting Betty and Grace, who lived near each other. The girls promised to meet again next day, but this was hardly necessary, since scarcely a day passed that they were not together--"inseparables," they had been dubbed.