It was too bad to leave you. I must
see Sylvia before she goes. Perhaps I may not be permitted to have
visitors much longer," said Mrs. Carleton, and she and Grace left the
pleasant room and, followed closely by Estralla, made their way over the
bridge to the landing-place.
"Where is Sylvia?" asked Mr. Fulton, looking at his watch. "We really
ought to have started an hour ago." For a moment the little group looked
at each other in silence. Then with a sudden cry Estralla darted off.
Mrs. Carleton hurriedly explained Sylvia's starting off to find
Estralla, and her own departure. She blamed herself that she had
permitted Sylvia to go out alone.
"She must be somewhere about the fort," declared Captain Carleton.
"Oh, yes," agreed Mr. Fulton, "but we had best lose no time in finding
her."
While Captain Carleton questioned the soldiers, Mr. Fulton and Mrs.
Carleton and Grace hastened back to the officers' quarters, and a
thorough search for the little girl was begun at once. No one gave a
thought to Estralla, who had traced her little mistress along the
street, and was now running along a sandy slope beyond the barracks
calling: "Missy Sylvia! Missy Sylvia!" But no answer came to her calls.
CHAPTER XVI
IN DANGER
Estralla did not know why she was so sure that Missy Sylvia had wandered
out beyond the barracks; but, since her little mistress was not at Mrs.
Carleton's, and had not come to the landing-place, the little colored
girl was sure that she must be among the sand-hills, and she ran along
calling Sylvia's name as she ran.
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