“He was toddling about quite happily on the lawn,” said Mrs. Momeby tearfully, “and Arnold had just come in, and I was asking him what sort of sauce he would like with the asparagus⁠—”

“I hope he said hollandaise,” interrupted Clovis, with a show of quickened interest, “because if there’s anything I hate⁠—”

“And all of a sudden I missed Baby,” continued Mrs. Momeby in a shriller tone. “We’ve hunted high and low, in house and garden and outside the gates, and he’s nowhere to be seen.”

“Is he anywhere to be heard?” asked Clovis; “if not, he must be at least two miles away.”

“But where? And how?” asked the distracted mother.

“Perhaps an eagle or a wild beast has carried him off,” suggested Clovis.