"Yes, _piazza_; so it is," said careless Susy, beginning to read a fairy story, and soon forgetting her quiet little charge.
Looking up at last, there was nothing to be seen of Alice.

She could not have entered the house, for the front-door knob was above her reach.
Susy ran out upon the pavement, and looked up and down the street.
Which way to go she could not tell, but started down street at full speed.

"O, I'm sure I ought to be going _up street_," gasped she; "and if I was, I shouldn't think _that_ was right either.

Wish I knew which way I should _expect_ Dotty to go, and then I'd know she'd gone just the other way." After flitting hither and thither for some time, Susy ran home to give the alarm.

Without stopping to remove the jelly from the stove, Mrs.
Parlin, Norah, and Prudy ran out of doors, and taking different directions, started in search of the missing child.
On High Street Prudy met a soap-man, just reentering his wagon at some one's door.
"O, have you seen my little sister ?" cried Prudy, pressing her hand against her heart.
"Your little sister?
And who may that be ?" said the soap-man, in a deep whisper; for he had such a severe cold on his lungs that for six months he had not spoken a loud word.
"O, her name is Alice Wheelbarrow Parlin, sir," whispered Prudy, in reply; "and she had on a pink dress, and her hair curls down her neck, and she has the brightest eyes, and two years and a half of age, sir.