Off she jumped , and ordered him on to Toby , in spite of his pleading to walk ; then they went on again along the dusty , solitary road , stopping every now and then to call and hearken breathlessly for little voices to reply . When they came to the great pasture , other lights were already flitting to and fro like will-o ' - the-wisps , and Mr. Bhaer 's voice was heard shouting , `` Nan ! Rob ! Rob ! Nan ! '' in every part of the field . Silas whistled and roared , Dan plunged here and there on Toby , who seemed to understand the case , and went over the roughest places with unusual docility . Often Mrs. Jo hushed them all , saying , with a sob in her throat , `` The noise may frighten them , let me call ; Robby will know my voice ; '' and then she would cry out the beloved little name in every tone of tenderness , till the very echoes whispered it softly , and the winds seemed to waft it willingly ; but still no answer came . The sky was overcast now , and only brief glimpses of the moon were seen , heat-lightening darted out of the dark clouds now and then , and a faint far-off rumble as of thunder told that a summer-storm was brewing . `` O my Robby ! my Robby ! '' mourned poor Mrs. Jo , wandering up and down like a pale ghost , while Dan kept beside her like a faithful fire-fly . `` What shall I say to Nan 's father if she comes to harm ? Why did I ever trust my darling so far away ? Fritz , do you hear any thing ? '' and when a mournful , `` No '' came back , she wrung her hands so despairingly that Dan sprung down from Toby 's back , tied the bridle to the bars , and said , in his decided way , `` They may have gone down the spring I 'm going to look . '' He was over the wall and away so fast that she could hardly follow him ; but when she reached the spot , he lowered the lantern and showed her with joy the marks of little feet in the soft ground about the spring . She fell down on her knees to examine the tracks , and then sprung up , saying eagerly , `` Yes ; that is the mark of my Robby 's little boots ! Come this way , they must have gone on . '' Such a weary search !
But now some inexplicable instinct seemed to lead the anxious mother , for presently XXXXX uttered a cry , and caught up a little shining object lying in the path .
Bhaer Dan Jo Nan Rob Robby Silas Toby summer-storm will-o