A neighbor's son
was on board, and this fact caused Mr. and Mrs. Landler to look at
the papers, morning and night, as soon as possible, to ascertain if
anything had been heard of the missing vessel.
"That's what my daughter and I have been doing, too," returned Mrs.
Stratton. "I wonder if this evening's paper hasn't come, so we could
look?"
Her daughter glanced at the clock.
"Why, yes!" said she. "That paper ought to have come before now."
Miss Stratton went out and hunted carefully. No paper was visible,
search as she might.
"Perhaps it hasn't come yet," she said to the guests, when she came
in.
A little later she went out again. Mrs. Landler came to help search,
though Miss Stratton disclaimed the need of aid.
"The paper doesn't always fall where I can see it," explained Miss
Stratton, mortified at her failure to find the paper for her guests.
"Who brings it around?" asked Mrs. Landler, looking at the broad
front walk.
"Harry Butterworth," answered Miss Stratton.
She did not tell of the annoyance Harry had caused her heretofore.
Harry's mother was a church friend of the Landlers and the
Strattons, and Miss Stratton was loath to expose the boy's
shortcomings.
No paper appeared, and after a thorough search, Mrs. Landler and
Miss Stratton went into the house. Dusk was coming. Miss Stratton
had occasion to go upstairs for something, and glancing out of the
front hall window, she saw the twisted roll of that evening's paper
lying on a projection of the roof.
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