noon
`` Why , Mother , '' said Peggy , suddenly alarmed , `` Janet Clark was with us this morning ! '' Janet Clark was Alice 's closest playmate . The two families lived in adjoining houses . Mrs. Lee had returned to the house at noon and Nora had told her that she had last seen Alice running through the gate between the two gardens . It was only a worried moment before Billy came home to say that Alice had not been there that morning ! It was not like Alice to be long away from home . Mrs. Lee , hiding her concern , directed the children to scour the neighborhood .