Millicent departed on tiptoe, closing the door after her, and Betty continued:
“I’m second; so when the two minutes are up, I go and hide, and you allow me also two minutes in which to tuck myself away. Then so on until all are gone but our Helen, our pride and joy. After the last two minutes she starts to hunt, and the first one she finds goes with her to hunt the others; and so on, you know, until all are found but one, who is, of course, the lucky owner of Hester’s masterpiece of photographic art.”
The two minutes passed, and Betty went to hide. Then the others, one by one, until at last Helen was ready to start on her hunting expedition.
“They wouldn’t be so babyish as to hide behind doors,” she thought, as she looked behind several. “However, it’s best to be systematic. I’ll open every door I see.”
Acting on this plan, she opened the door of the sideboard as she passed that old-fashioned and roomy piece of furniture, and, to her surprise, there was the chubby Marguerite squeezed in between two shelves.
“Oh, help me out!” she cried. “I’m nearly dead.”
It was a close fit, but Helen pulled her out, and together they continued the search.
“Some one would be sure to hide in the kitchen,” declared the canny Matron, so they explored the cupboards there. And, as might have been expected, away back behind some pots and pans was Hester, who looked angrily at her discoverers.
“I thought I had such a good place,” she said, crawling out. “How ever did you find me?”
“Come on,” cried Helen; “it’s getting to be more fun; let’s find the others.”
“Let’s get some buns and milk first,” said Marguerite; “I’m fearfully hungry, and the sight of the cake-box maddens me.”
So the three sat down to a light repast, and as they fell to chatting they quite forgot the game and the other players thereof.
“Well, you’re a nice lot!” said Marjorie, suddenly appearing from the cellar. “I hid in the coal-bin, and I’m sure you never would have found me; but when I heard you talking up here, I thought you had found all the rest.”
“Never mind,” said Hester; “you’re on our side now. Come on; let’s dig up the others.”
Nan was easily found, as she had climbed out her bedroom window and was calmly sitting on the roof, gazing at the sea.