'Yes; they have seen nothing.'
Hop Yet just at this moment issued from his kitchen with an immense
platter of mutton-stew and dumplings, which he deposited on the
table. On being questioned again, he answered as before, with the
greatest serenity, intimating that Dicky would come home 'heap bime-
by' when he got 'plenty hungly.' He seemed to think a lost boy or
two in a family rather a trifle than otherwise, and wound up his
unfeeling remarks with the practical one, 'Dinner all leady; you no
eat mutton, he get cold! Misser Wins', I no find pickle; you
catchum!'
'I don't believe he would care if we all died right before his eyes,'
muttered Polly, angrily. 'I should just like to see a Chinaman's
heart once, and find out whether it was made of resin, or cuttle-
fish, or what.'
'Well,' said Phil, as Dr. Winship came through the trees from the
card-room, 'we must start out this instant, and of course we can find
him somehow, somewhere; he hasn't been gone over two hours, and he
couldn't walk far, that's certain. Now, Uncle Doc, shall we all go
different ways, and leave the girls here to see if he doesn't turn
up?'
'Oh, papa,' cried Bell, do not leave us at home! We can hunt as well
as any one; we know every foot of the canyon. Let me go with Geoff,
and we'll follow the brook trail.'
'Very well. Now, mamma, Pancho and I will go down to the main road,
and you wait patiently here. Make all the noise you can, children;
and the one who finds him must come back to the camp and blow the
horn.
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