All the children had been attending so hard to what Mr Beaver was telling them that they had noticed nothing else for a long time. Then during the moment of silence that followed his last remark， Lucy suddenly said：
“I say.where‘s Edmund？”
There was a dreadful pause， and then everyone beganasking， “Who saw him last？ How long has he been missing？ Is he outside？ and then all rushed to the door and looked out. The snow was falling thickly and steadily， the green ice of the pool had vanished under a thick white blanket， and from where the little house stood in the centre of the dam you could hardly see either bank. Out they went， plungingwell over their ankles into the soft new snow， and went round the house in every direction. “Edmund！ Edmund！” they called till they were hoarse. But the silently falling snow seemed to muffle their voices and there was not even an echo in answer.
“How perfectly dreadful！” said Susan as they at last came back in despair. “Oh， how I wish we’d never come.”
“What on earth are we to do， Mr Beaver？” said Peter. “Do？” said Mr Beaver， who was already putting on hissnow.boots， “Do？ We must be off at once. We haven‘t a moment to spare！”