That meant that he had drank lightly after all, slipped from the back door, and gone home.

And yet, would he do it, after what he had said about being afraid?
If he had not drank heavily, he would not go into the night alone, when he had been afraid in the daytime.

Dannie climbed from the buggy once more, and patiently searched the alley and the street leading to the footpath across farms.

No Jimmy.

Then Dannie drove home, stabled his horse, and tried Jimmy's back door.