Of course Freddy forgot the warning. Joe, Junior, repeating _Go, go_, Freddy was in an ecstasy, and was hardly out of sight before his stocking was trailing in the dust. The day being unseasonably warm he rather liked it so, and didn’t mind the halting gait it induced. But Frank objected to the latter, and drawing the stocking up over the little boy’s trousers, fastened it securely if not elegantly with the safety pin. Whereupon they rushed on and reached the post office an hour before the mail was due. After a little the elder brother went inside, cautioning the younger not to wheel the carriage while he was gone. When Freddy grew tired of waiting, he moved it, pushing it sidewise, and went in to tell Frank that the sun was shining right into the baby’s eyes, and couldn’t he just wheel him into the shade? But when he entered, the post master was telling his brother how many parcels had come on the stage a year ago on the twenty-fourth of December, and what he calculated would have been their combined weight in pounds. He put it to Frank how many ounces that would be, and Freddy stood spell-bound while his brother computed it ‘in his head.’ Further delay was occasioned by the fact that Frank got his answer according to the avoirdupois scale and had to be reminded that he should have used the Troy, and to multiply all over by sixteen, which was more difficult than reckoning by the dozen. When finally the matter was settled, the little boy put his request. “Of course, silly,” returned Frank, and went on talking with the post master. Presently Freddy returned. “He ain’t there,” he said in a dazed way. “What you givin’ us?” demanded his brother. Freddy burst into tears. “He ain’t there, cross my neck, Frank. Nothin’ but a pillow,” he declared, “O, O, the bears must ’a eat him up!” Frank rushed out. The perambulator was indeed empty. For an instant he stared at it in amazement. Then he decided it was a trick of some of the boys in Farleigh and tiptoed about peering into all possible and impossible corners and hiding-places. But there was no one in sight. CHAPTER XX Seth Miller returned home shortly after the boys. Greatly alarmed, he rushed over to Miss Penny’s and frightened her still more. But Mrs. Lorraine spoke calmly and suggested that he get Walter Phelps to drive him over to the post office, enquiring all the way, and if he did not find the baby meantime, someone in the crowd collected for the mail would be sure to have tidings of him. The stage was late and they reached the post office just as it drove up. Anna stepped out, white and anxious. She had learned the news at Wenham just in time to catch the coach.