`` He never stayed away from home more than two days in his life . '' `` What could have happened to him ? '' asked Felix . `` He 's been poisoned -- or a dog has killed him , '' answered the Story Girl in tragic tones . Cecily began to cry at this ; but tears were of no avail . Neither was anything else , apparently . We searched every nook and cranny of barns and out-buildings and woods on both the King farms ; we inquired far and wide ; we roved over Carlisle meadows calling Paddy 's name , until Aunt Janet grew exasperated and declared we must stop making such exhibitions of ourselves . But we found and heard no trace of our lost pet . The Story Girl moped and refused to be comforted ; Cecily declared she could not sleep at night for thinking of poor Paddy dying miserably in some corner to which he had dragged his failing body , or lying somewhere mangled and torn by a dog . We hated every dog we saw on the ground that he might be the guilty one . `` It 's the suspense that 's so hard , '' sobbed the Story Girl . `` If I just knew what had happened to him it would n't be QUITE so hard . But I do n't know whether he 's dead or alive . He may be living and suffering , and every night I dream that he has come home and when I wake up and find it 's only a dream it just breaks my heart . '' `` It 's ever so much worse than when he was so sick last fall , '' said Cecily drearily . `` Then we knew that everything was done for him that could be done . '' We could not appeal to Peg Bowen this time . In our desperation we would have done it , but Peg was far away . With the first breath of spring she was up and off , answering to the lure of the long road . She had not been seen in her accustomed haunts for many a day .
Her pets were gaining their own living XXXXX the woods and her house was locked up .
If for in of on over that to until whether