Never had I longed so eagerly to walk, as I did that evening when all three cousins ran out of the room in pursuit of their missing brother. I had not really been anxious before, for Harold, although only nine years old, was well able to take care of himself, and I had only regretted that he would probably get into trouble again with father for disobedience. It never entered my head that he could possibly be hidden in the house, far less that he should be in the oak chest, which for all I knew was locked up.  
The housemaid coming in just then, I begged her to carry me up to the tower-room, putting aside for the moment the fear I had always had, before my cousins came, of trusting myself to any one but father.
 
When we reached our den the children were standing by the chest, which was open, and was empty.
 
"He has been here," said Rupert; "see how the things are pressed down."
 
"I don't believe he could get in," said I; "it isn't long enough."
 
But my doubts were silenced by Kathleen stooping and lifting from one corner a handkerchief stained with blood, which was still wet.
 
"This is Harold's!" she cried. "Whatever has happened to him!"
 
"His nose has been bleeding," said Jack, promptly; "you know it often does. It would be enough to make a mummy's nose bleed to be shut up in that old chest. I wish I had never told him what a splendid place it would be to hide in. It seems I'm always to be at the bottom of the mischief. We shouldn't have gone in that boat if I had not suggested fishing, and Edric would still have had five fingers on each hand if I hadn't fired the gun. Now poor old Harold will get into a scrape for hiding so long, just because I went and showed him how the spring of the chest worked, after I had ferreted it out myself. Halloa, what are you about, Rupert? Don't kill me; I didn't mean any harm."
 
Rupert had suddenly sprung at Jack, and seizing him by the arm almost screamed out—
 
"Spring, did you say? Then it can't be opened from the inside."
 
In another moment Rupert had flung out the few odds and ends of old clothing which were in the bottom of the chest, and sprang into it; as he did so, his heels made a strange, hollow sound, which caught my attention. He was rather tall for his age, and had to double himself up in a way that would have delighted the heart of his gymnasium master before he could say—
 
"Now shut it down, quick, and I'll see if I can open it; but mind you undo the spring directly I give three knocks."
 
Of course, he could do nothing; the box could only be opened from the outside by pressing the springs. We were glad enough to reply, to his signal, and release the prisoner. Then we all stood with puzzled faces looking at the open chest.
 
"What have you been up to?" said a cheery voice, and never were we more relieved to see my mother. She listened gravely and quietly to our account.
 
"If he has really been in that box, and the handkerchief certainly seems to prove it, then some one must have got him out. Perhaps one of the servants did. Let us go and inquire. You had better all come downstairs; you look as white as the miller. There's nothing much to be frightened at, after all. If Harold were able to get out of the chest, he certainly was not smothered. As to his nose bleeding, you know that won't hurt him. Perhaps he is asleep in bed; have you looked?"
 
"We've ransacked every room in the house, and the servants have not seen him since six o'clock."
 
Ten o'clock............