"We never thought to count noses until we reached the Cassidy place, and then we found they were missing." Hastily slipping into a wrapper, Mrs.Sherman ran down-stairs with a candle in her hand, and opened the front door.

Plump little Mrs.Cassidy was standing there, wringing her hands.
"Oh, _don't_ tell me that they are not here!" she cried.

"Didn't you see them when you were locking up the house after we left?
Then I know they're lost.

They must have slipped away from the porch before the storm came up, and were playing outside somewhere when we all ran inside and shut the door.

Oh, my babies!" she wailed.