CHAPTERVII-WHELP-HUNTING
BEFOREtheringformedroundtheOldHellShaftwasbroken，onefigurehaddisappearedfromwithinit。Mr。BounderbyandhisshadowhadnotstoodnearLouisa，whoheldherfather\'sarm，butinaretiredplacebythemselves。WhenMr。Gradgrindwassummonedtothecouch，Sissy，attentivetoallthathappened，slippedbehindthatwickedshadow-asightinthehorrorofhisface，iftherehadbeeneyesthereforanysightbutone-andwhisperedinhisear。Withoutturninghishead，heconferredwithherafewmoments，andvanished。Thusthewhelphadgoneoutofthecirclebeforethepeoplemoved。
Whenthefatherreachedhome，hesentamessagetoMr。Bounderby\'s，desiringhissontocometohimdirectly。Thereplywas，thatMr。
Bounderbyhavingmissedhiminthecrowd，andseeingnothingofhimsince，hadsupposedhimtobeatStoneLodge。
\'Ibelieve，father，\'saidLouisa，\'hewillnotcomebacktotownto-night。\'Mr。Gradgrindturnedaway，andsaidnomore。