He looked up and wagged his tail; he made no sign of feeling concern that the girl was not there.

Bates could have cursed his dumbness; he would fain have asked where she had gone.

The dog probably knew, but as for Bates, he not only did not know, but no conjecture rose in his mind as to her probable whereabouts.
He took his aunt to her big chair, piled the stove from the well-stored wood-box, and lit it.

Then, shutting the door of the room where the disordered bed lay and throwing the house-door open, he bid the visitors enter.

He went out himself to search the surroundings of the house, but Sissy was not to be found.
The dog did not follow Bates on this search.