proofreading team [transcriber's note: an illustration was included in the original text that did not belong in the story. it appeared in the first chapter after the paragraph ending "but they are pretty good skaters for such small children." the omitted text reads [illustration: at seven o'clock a supper was served.--p. .]] the bobbsey twins in a great city by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins," "the bunny brown series," "the outdoor girls series," etc. _illustrated_ new york grosset & dunlap publishers [illustration: the children were delighted with the store camp. _the bobbsey twins in a great city. frontispiece_--(_page_ )] =books by laura lee hope= mo. cloth. illustrated. price, per volume, =the bobbsey twins series= the bobbsey twins the bobbsey twins in the country the bobbsey twins at the seashore the bobbsey twins at school the bobbsey twins at snow lodge the bobbsey twins on a houseboat the bobbsey twins at meadow brook the bobbsey twins at home the bobbsey twins in a great city the bobbsey twins on blueberry island =the bunny brown series= bunny brown and his sister sue bunny brown and his sister sue on grandpa's farm bunny brown and his sister sue playing circus bunny brown and his sister sue at aunt lu's city home bunny brown and his sister sue at camp rest-a-while bunny brown and his sister sue in the big woods bunny brown and his sister sue on an auto tour =the outdoor girls series= the outdoor girls of deepdale the outdoor girls at rainbow lake the outdoor girls in a motor car the outdoor girls in a winter camp the outdoor girls in florida the outdoor girls at ocean view the outdoor girls on pine island grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york. copyright, , by grosset & dunlap. the bobbsey twins in a great city contents chapter page i. the ice-boat ii. building the "bird" iii. a runaway iv. the old woodchopper v. glorious news. vi. on to new york vii. on the express train viii. a long ride ix. in the store x. lost underground xi. freddie and the turtle xii. in the theatre xiii. the "rescue" of freddie xiv. the store camp xv. sad news xvi. the big elephant xvii. called home xviii. a queer ride xix. the goat xx. mr. bobbsey comes back xxi. uncle jack's real name xxii. reunited =the bobbsey twins in a great city= chapter i the ice-boat "oh, there comes my skate off again! freddie, have you got any paste in your pocket?" "paste, flossie! what good would paste be to fasten on your skate?" "i don't know, but it might do _some_ good. i can't make the strap hold it on any more," and a plump little girl shook back her flaxen, curling hair, which had slipped from under her cap and was blowing into her eyes, sat down on a log near the shore of the frozen lake and looked sorrowfully at the shining skate which had become loosened from her shoe. "come on, flossie!" called the small, plump boy, just about the size of his sister, and with her same kind of light hair and blue eyes. "there go bert, nan and tommy todd 'way ahead of us. we'll never catch up to 'em if you sit here. come on!" "i can't help sitting here, freddie bobbsey! how am i going to skate on only one skate?" asked the little girl. "put on the other, and come along." "i have put it on, lots of times, but it comes off every time i skate a little bit. that's why i want some paste. maybe i could paste the strap fast around my shoe." "i don't believe you could, flossie," and this time the small, plump boy stopped skating around in a ring--"grinding the bar," as it is called--and glided toward his sister seated on the log. "anyhow, i haven't any paste. what made you think i had?" "oh, you carry so much stuff in your pockets i thought maybe you'd have paste." "i might if it was summer, flossie, and i was making kites with bert. but i haven't any paste now." "then have you got a postage stamp?" "a postage stamp? of course not! what good would a postage stamp be to fasten your skate strap?" "well, a postage stamp has paste on it, hasn't it? anyhow, it's sticky, 'cause i got some on my tongue once, and i just know if i could only fasten down the end of this skate strap, to keep it from flopping up, and coming out of the buckle, i'd be all right. it's the flopping end that comes loose." "well, pooh! a postage stamp wouldn't be any good!" cried freddie. "if you did stick it on it wouldn't last more than three strokes. a postage stamp wouldn't go far at all!" "some postage stamps do!" exclaimed flossie. "mother got one on a letter the other day and it had stuck itself on half-way round the world--she told me so. and if a stamp sticks half-way around the world i should think it would stick while i skated down to the end of the lake." "huh! that's different!" half grunted freddie, for, just then, he was stooping over tightening one of his straps. "anyhow, i haven't got a stamp." "well, maybe you could fix my skate so it wouldn't come off," suggested flossie. "i've tried and tried, but i can't, and i don't want to stay here all alone." "why flossie bobbsey! i'm with you!" "i know, but nan and bert are away down at the other end, with tommy todd, and bert is going to buy hot chocolates. i know he is, 'cause he said so. i don't want to miss them." "me neither! wait and i'll see if i can't fix your skate, flossie." freddie was small--he and flossie were the smaller pair of bobbsey twins--but he was a sturdy little chap, and living out of doors, and playing games with his older brother bert had taught freddie how to do many things. he put flossie's skate on her shoe, tightened the strap, and then made it still tighter by putting some pieces of wood under the leather loop. "there!" he exclaimed, as he stood up, having been kneeling in the snow on the edge of the lake. "i guess that will hold, flossie. now come on, and we'll see how fast we can skate." together the brother and sister started off. this time flossie's skate seemed to be all right, needing neither paste nor a postage stamp to hold it on, and in a little while the smaller twins had caught up to bert and nan, their brother and sister, who, with a boy neighbor, named tommy todd, had slowed up to wait for them. "what kept you?" asked nan. "did you try to do some fancy skating, flossie?" "i guess freddie stopped to see if there wasn't a crack in the ice where he could get some water to play fireman," remarked bert with a smile, for his small brother was very fond of this game, and his best-liked toy was a small fire engine, which, when a spring was wound, could squirt real water. "no, i didn't stop at any cracks!" exclaimed freddie earnestly. "cracks in the ice is dangerous--daddy said so. it was flossie's skate." "that's right--it kept coming off," explained the blue-eyed girl. "but freddie fixed it, and he didn't have to use a postage stamp, either. did you, freddie?" "nope." "well, i guess they know what it means, but we don't!" laughed nan, taking her small sister's hand. "come on, now, you little twins. i we waited for you, so we could all have hot chocolate together. you didn't get cold, i hope, stopping to fix your skate, flossie?" "nope! i'm as warm as butter!" "what does she mean by that?" asked tommy todd. "i often hear my grandmother say she's as warm as toast, but _butter_----" "well, when it's winter, like it is now, you have to warm your butter so you can spread it on your bread," explained flossie. "so i'm as warm as butter now." "i wish i was!" cried bert. "i'm getting a chill standing here waiting for you two! come on, now. skate lively, and we'll soon be there," and he pointed to a little candy and soda-water stand near the lower end of lake metoka, on the frozen surface of which the children were skating. in the little cabin, which in winter was built over the stand to make a warm place for skaters, hot chocolate and other drinks could be had, and bert had promised to treat his brother and sisters, as well as tommy todd. "don't skate too fast," begged flossie. "my skate _might_ come off again, though freddie fixed it pretty good." "if it comes off again i'll skate and carry you on my back the rest of the way!" cried bert. "i want something hot to drink. but mind you!" he cried, as he saw a mischievous look on his little sister's face, "don't dare make your skate come off on purpose! i don't want to carry you unless i have to." "all right, bert. i'll skate as fast as i can," promised flossie. the five started off, tommy todd skating beside flossie to help her if she should need it. tommy was a sort of chum of both pairs of twins, sometimes going with the older ones, nan and bert, and again with flossie and freddie. in fact, he played with these latter more often than with nan and her twin, for flossie and freddie had played a large part in helping tommy at one time, as i'll explain a little later. it was a fine winter's day, not too cold, and the sun was shining from a clear sky, but not warmly enough to melt the ice. the steel skates of the five children rang out a merry tune as they clicked over the frozen surface of the lake. "hurrah! here we are!" cried bert at last, as he skated on ahead and sat down on a bench in front of the "chocolate cabin," as they called the place. he began taking off his skates. "come on!" he called to the others. "i'll order the chocolate for you and have it cooling," for there was more trouble with flossie's skate and nan had stopped to help her fix it. "don't order chocolate for me, bert!" called nan. "i want malted milk. the chocolate is too sweet." "guess you're afraid of your complexion, sis!" laughed bert, as he went inside the little wooden house. "oh, flossie, take both your skates off and walk the rest of the way," advised nan, after she had tried, without much success, to fix the troublesome strap. "we'll get there sooner." "all right," agreed flossie. "it's a bother--this skate. i'm going to get a new pair." "maybe a new strap is all you need," said tommy. "you can get one in there," and he nodded toward the little cabin. a little later the five children were seated on stools in front of the counter, sipping the warm drinks which made their cheeks glow with brighter color and caused a deeper sparkle in their eyes. "this is great!" cried tommy todd. "that's what!" murmured freddie, his nose deep in his cup. "don't forget about my strap," came from flossie. "oh, yes," agreed bert. "we don't want to have to drag you all the way home." the man who sold the chocolate and candy in the cabin also had skate straps for sale and one was soon found that would do for flossie. "now my skate won't come off!" she cried, as once more they were on the ice. "i can skate as good as you, freddie bobbsey!" "let's have a race!" proposed freddie. "bert and nan can give flossie and me a head start, 'cause they're bigger than us. will you?" he asked his brother. "yes, i guess so. a race will get us home quicker, and we're a little late." "we'll let flossie and freddie start ahead of me," suggested tommy, who, being a little elder than the two smaller twins, was a little better skater. "all right," agreed bert. "any way you like. go ahead, floss and fred. skate on until i tell you to wait. then i'll give tommy a starting place and, when we're all ready, i'll give the word to begin." flossie and freddie, hand in hand, skated ahead a little way. but freddie's skate went over a little piece of wood on the ice and he tripped and fell, pulling flossie down with him. the two plump twins were in a heap on the ice. "hurt yourself?" asked bert, as he started toward them, to help them up. "no--no--i--i guess not," answered flossie, who was the first to get up. "we're all right," replied freddie. "the ice was soft right there." "i guess it's because they're so fat, that they're soft, like a feather pillow," laughed tommy. "they're getting fatter every day." "that's what they are," agreed nan with a smile. "but they are pretty good skaters for such small children." "everybody ready?" asked bert, when the two small twins had taken their places, and tommy todd was between them and bert and nan. "all right," answered freddie. "i am, too," came from tommy. "then go!" cried bert, suddenly. the skating race was started. merrily clicked the runners on the hard ice, leaving long white streaks where the children passed over. flossie and freddie were skating as fast and as hard as they could. "they are very anxious to win," said nan, who was skating beside her brother. "yes, but they can't keep going as fast as that all the way home." "you're going to let them win, aren't you?" asked nan. "sure i am! but they're so sharp we don't dare lag much behind. we must make a spurt toward the end, and pretend we did our best to beat them. tommy todd may come in ahead of them, though." "we can skate up to him and tell him not to," suggested nan. "good idea!" declared bert. "we'll do it." the older twins skated a little faster to overtake tommy, who was some distance behind flossie and freddie, when suddenly nan gave a cry and clutched bert by the arm. "look!" she exclaimed, pointing with her hand. "an ice-boat," remarked bert. "and going fast, too!" "yes, but see! it's coming right toward flossie and freddie, and they're skating with their heads down, and don't see it! oh, bert! yell at them! tell them to look out! yell at the man in the ice-boat!" it did indeed seem a time of danger, for a swift ice-boat--one with big white sails and runners, like large skates under it, was skimming over the frozen lake straight for the smaller twins. chapter ii building the "bird" flossie and freddie, anxious to win the skating race, were bending over with heads down, as all skaters do who wish to go fast and keep the wind from blowing on them too hard. so they did not see the ice-boat coming toward them, for the craft, blown by the wind, made hardly any noise, and what little it did make was taken up by the clicking of the skates of the smaller twins. "oh, bert! do something!" cried nan. "yes, yes! i will--of course!" bert shook off nan's hand, for it was still on his arm, and started to skate toward the twins as fast as he could. he hoped to reach them in time to stop them from skating right into the path of the oncoming ice-boat. but he soon saw that he was not going to be able to do this. the ice-boat was coming toward the small twins faster than bert could ever hope to skate and reach them. "yell at them!" shouted nan. "that's the only way to stop them! yell and tell them to look out!" bert himself had decided this was the best thing to do. he stopped skating and, making a sort of funnel, or megaphone, of his hands, he cried out: "flossie! freddie! look out! danger--the ice-boat!" just at this moment, whether it was because of bert's shouts or because they were tired of going so fast and wanted a rest, the two children leading the skating race stood up straight and looked back. they saw bert pointing toward them and then they glanced at the ice-boat. it was very close, and flossie screamed. at the same time the man who was steering the boat saw the children. with a shout that echoed the one given by bert, and the screams of nan and flossie, the man steered his boat to one side. but he made such a sudden change that, though he steered out of the way of flossie and freddie, he nearly ran into tommy todd. that small boy, however, was a good skater and stopped just in time, for he had seen the ice-boat coming. then with a whizz and a clink of ice, as the runners of the boat scraped big chips from the frozen lake, the skimming boat shot past nan and bert, not doing a bit of harm, but scaring all five children very much. "sorry! didn't see you! next time----" this was what the man in the ice-boat shouted as he whizzed by. his last words seemed whipped away by the wind and the children did not know what he meant. "maybe he meant next time he'd be sure to run into us," said tommy todd. "oh, he wouldn't do _that!_" declared bert "that was mr. watson. he buys lumber from my father. i guess he meant that next time he'd give us a ride." "oh, my!" exclaimed nan. "would you ride in one of those dangerous things, bert bobbsey?" "would i? well, just give me the chance! how about you, tommy?" "i should say so! they're great!" "oh, i can't bear them!" went on nan. "please let's stop and rest. my heart is beating so fast i can't skate for a while." "all right--we'll call the race off," agreed bert. flossie and freddie were a little startled by the closeness of the ice-boat, and they skated back to join their brother and sister. and while they are taking a little rest on the ice i shall have a chance to let my new readers know something of the past history of the children about whom i am writing. there were two pairs of bobbsey twins. they were the children of mr. richard bobbsey and his wife mary, and the family lived in an eastern city called lakeport, which was at the head of lake metoka. mr. bobbsey was in the lumber business, having a yard and docks on the shore of the lake about a quarter of a mile from his house. the older bobbsey twins were nan and bert. they had dark hair and eyes, and were rather tall and slim. flossie and freddie, the younger twins, were short and fat, with light hair and blue eyes. so it would have been easy to tell the twins apart, even if one pair had not been older than the other. besides the children and their parents there were in the "family" two other persons--dinah johnson, the fat, good-natured colored cook, and sam, her husband, who looked after the furnace in the winter and cut the grass in summer. then there was snoop, and snap. the first was a fine black cat and the second a big dog, both great pets of the children. those of you who have read the first book of this series, entitled "the bobbsey twins," do not need to read this explanation here, but others may care to. in the second volume i told you of the fun the twins had in the country. after that they went to the seashore, and this subject has a book all to itself, telling of the adventures there. later on the bobbseys went back to school, where they had plenty of fun, and when they were at snow lodge there were some strange happenings, as there were also on the houseboat _bluebird_. there was a stowaway boy--but there! i had better let you read the book for yourself. the bobbsey twins spent some time at meadow brook, but there was always a question whether they had better times there or "at home," which is the name of the book just before this one. you, who have read that book, will remember that flossie and freddie found, in a big snow storm, the lost father of tommy todd, a boy who lived with his grandmother in a poor section of lakeport. and it was still that same winter, after tommy's father had come home, that we find the bobbsey twins skating on the ice, having just missed being run into by the ice-boat. "my! but that was a narrow escape!" exclaimed nan, as she skated slowly about. "my heart is beating fast yet." "so's mine," added flossie. "did he do it on purpose?" "no, indeed!" exclaimed bert. "i guess mr. watson wouldn't do a thing like _that!_ he was looking after the ropes of the sail, or doing something to the steering rudder, and that's why he didn't see you and freddie." "what makes an ice-boat go?" asked freddie. "the wind blows it, just as the wind blows a sailboat," explained bert, looking down the lake after the ice-boat. "but it hasn't any cabin to it like a real boat," went on freddie. "and it doesn't go in the water. where do the people sit?" "an ice-boat is like this," said bert, and with the sharp heel end of his skate he drew a picture on the ice. "you take two long pieces of wood, and fasten them together like a cross--almost the same as when you start to make a kite," he went on. "on each end of the short cross there are double runners, like skates, only bigger. and at the end of the long stick, at the back, is another runner, and this moves, and has a handle to it like the rudder on a boat. they steer the ice-boat with this handle. "and where the two big sticks cross they put up the tall mast and make the sail fast to that. then when the wind blows it sends the ice-boat over the ice as fast as anything." "it sure does go fast," said tommy todd. "look! he's almost at the end of the lake now." "yes, an ice-boat goes almost as fast as the wind," said bert. "maybe some day----" "oh, come on!" cried flossie. "i want to go home! i'm cold standing here." "yes, we had better go on," said nan. "i'm all right now." as the five children skated off, no longer thinking of the race, nan asked bert: "what are you going to do some day?" "oh, i don't know. i haven't got it all thought out yet. i'll tell you after a bit." "is it a secret?" asked nan, eagerly. "sort of." "oh, please tell me!" "not now. come on, skate faster!" bert and nan skated on ahead, knowing that flossie and freddie would try to keep up with them, and so would get home more quickly. but they did not leave the smaller twins too far behind. a little later the bobbseys were safe at home. tommy todd went to his grandmother's house, and flossie and freddie took turns giving their mother an account of their escape from the ice-boat. "was there really any danger?" asked mrs. bobbsey of bert. "well, maybe, just a little. but i guess mr. watson would have stopped in time. he's a good ice-boat sailor." "but don't let flossie and freddie get so far away from you another time. they might have been hurt." bert promised to look well after his little sister and brother, and then, having asked his mother if she wanted anything from the store, he said he was going down to his father's lumberyard. "what for?" asked nan, as she saw him leaving. "is it about the secret?" "partly," answered bert with a laugh. two or three days later the bobbseys were again out skating on the ice, nan and bert keeping close to freddie and flossie. they had not been long gliding about when freddie suddenly called: "oh, here comes that ice-boat again!" "surely enough, it is!" added nan. "oh, we must skate toward shore! come on!" "no need to do that," replied bert. "it isn't coming fast, and mr. watson sees us." "he's waving his hand at us!" cried flossie. "i guess he wants to give us a ride. come on, freddie!" "here! wait a minute!" called bert "don't get into any more danger. but i believe he _is_ going to stop," he went on, as the ice-boat came slowly up to them. then, as it swung up into the wind, with the sail loosely flapping, mr. watson called: "come on, children, don't you want to go for a ride?" "oh, let's!" cried flossie, clapping her hands. "and i want to steer!" added freddie. "no, you can't do that!" exclaimed nan. "oh, bert, do you think it would be all right for us to go?" she asked her older brother. "i don't see why not," said bert. "the wind doesn't blow hard, and mr. watson knows all about ice-boats. i say let's go!" "oh, what fun!" cried flossie and freddie. they took off their skates and walked toward the ice-boat. mr. watson smiled at them. "i'm so sorry i nearly ran into you the other day," he said. "i did not see you until almost the last minute. so i made up my mind the next time i saw you on the lake i'd give you a ride. come on, now, get aboard!" "he talks just as if it was a real boat!" laughed flossie, for, living near the lake as they did, and often seeing boats at their father's lumber dock, the bobbsey twins knew something about water craft. "well, of course, this isn't as big as some boats," said mr. watson, "but it will hold all of us, i think." the children saw where there was a sort of platform, with raised sides, built on the center of the crossed sticks, and on this platform were spread some fur rugs and blankets. mr. watson saw to it that the little children, especially, were well wrapped, and then, telling them all to hold on, he let out the sail and away flew the ice-boat down the frozen lake, fairly whizzing along. "my! how fa-fa-fast we go!" gasped nan, for really the wind seemed to take away her breath. "this sure _is_ sailing!" cried bert, and then nan noticed that her brother was looking at different parts of the ice-boat, as if to find out how it was made. flossie and freddie were having lots of fun holding on to one another, and also to the sides of the ice-boat, for the craft slid this way and that so quickly, sometimes seeming to rise up in the air, that it was like being on the back of a horse. but the bobbseys liked it, and the ride in the ice-boat came to an end all too soon. with sparkling eyes, and red, glowing cheeks, the twins got out close to their father's lumber dock, calling their thanks to mr. watson. "i'll take you again, some time," he answered, as he sailed off down the lake. "ah, ha! and so my little fat fireman had a ride in an ice-boat, did he?" cried mr. bobbsey that night, when he came home from the office and heard the story. "and how did my little fat fairy like it?" and he lifted up first freddie and then flossie to kiss them. "fat fireman" and "fat fairy" were mr. bobbsey's pet names for the smaller twins. bert and nan had had pet names when they were small, but they were too large for them now, growing out of them as they grew out of their clothes. "oh, it was glorious!" cried nan. "sailing in an ice-boat must be like the way it feels to be in an airship." "i'm going up in an airship when i get big!" cried freddie, making a dive after snoop, the cat, who was hiding under the table. "have you heard yet whether you are to go?" asked mrs. bobbsey, of her husband, when the noisy greetings to the children were over. "no, not yet," he answered, and he made a motion with his head, as if to tell his wife not to speak of a certain matter before the children. "oh, i saw you wink!" cried nan, clapping her hands. "what does it mean? is it a secret, momsey?" "well, yes, nan. you shall be told in plenty of time, if anything comes of it." "oh, that's two secrets!" cried nan. "bert has one and now there's one here." "what is bert's secret?" asked nan's mother. "i don't know yet; he won't tell me." "yes, i'll tell you to-morrow," said her brother. "but what's this about father going away, mother? are we going too?" "supper am ready, chilluns!" exclaimed the voice of dinah, the cook, and that ended the talk about secrets for the time being. "but when are you going to tell me _yours?_" nan managed to whisper to her brother when the dessert was being served. "come down to the lumberyard to-morrow afternoon," he whispered. "it's almost done." without telling flossie or freddie anything about it, nan slipped off by herself the next afternoon, and from the watchman in her father's lumberyard learned that bert and another boy were in one of the sheds. as nan came closer she could hear the noise of hammering and sawing. "oh, bert, what are you making?" cried nan, as she saw her brother and tommy todd busy with sticks, boards, hammer and nails. "this is the _bird!_" cried bert, waving a hammer at something that, so far, did not look like much of anything. "a bird?" cried nan. "it looks more like a scare-crow!" "just wait until it's finished!" said tommy todd. "when we get the sail on----" "oh, bert! is it a _boat?_" cried nan eagerly. "yes, it's going to be an ice-boat, and i've called it the _bird_," was the answer. "i got the idea of building it after i'd seen mr. watson's. father said i might, and he gave me the lumber, and let me have a carpenter to help, for tommy and i couldn't do it all. but now the ice-boat is almost done and in a few days i'll sail it." "and may i have a ride?" asked nan. "of course. i'll take the whole family," said bert. "just you wait," and then he and tommy went on hammering and sawing. chapter iii a runaway "all aboard!" "don't forget your baggage!" "this way for your tickets!" "the ice-boat _bird_ makes no stops this side of the lake! all aboard!" bert bobbsey and tommy todd thus were calling at the end of one of the lumberyard docks one day about a week after nan had seen her brother building the ice-boat. coming down the dock were mr. and mrs. bobbsey, with nan, flossie and freddie. snap, the big dog, was bounding on ahead through the snow, barking joyously. he enjoyed fun as much as any one. "all aboard! please hurry up!" cried bert. "why, i thought this was a _special_ trip you were giving us, and we didn't have to hurry," laughed his mother. "it is," bert said. "but you see you can't sail an ice-boat if you haven't any wind, and i want you to have a ride before the wind dies away, as it might. so come on, get on board!" "i want to steer!" cried freddie. "no, you must not," said nan. "yes, i must. i know how to steer a motor boat, and i can steer an ice-boat, i guess," and freddie was very sure about it. "after a while, maybe," agreed bert. "but an ice-boat is different to steer from a motor boat. i'll show you how, though." mr. and mrs. bobbsey got on the little platform which bert had built as a sort of open cabin. it had old carpets and rugs on it, and there were blankets and robes to keep the passengers warm. after some failures bert and tommy had finally managed to finish the ice-boat. it was not as easy to build as they had expected, but mr. bobbsey's carpenter had helped them. the boat had been tried out on the ice, and had sailed well. mr. bobbsey had mr. watson look at it, and that gentleman had said it was safe to ride in. then bert had finally gotten his father and mother to promise to take a trip in the boat, bringing nan, flossie and freddie with them. mr. bobbsey had, before this, been given a ride with bert and tommy, so he knew the two boys could manage the boat fairly well. tommy and bert had had several rides by themselves. now they had company. "are you all ready?" asked bert, after he had seen his father and mother, his sisters and brother, get on board the _bird_. "all ready," answered mr. bobbsey. "don't go too fast at first, and take your mother's breath away." "i won't!" promised bert. "are those two little ones covered up all right?" he asked, nodding toward flossie and freddie. "yep! we're as warm as--as popcorn!" cried flossie. "with butter on!" added freddie. "well, you certainly ought to be good and warm," laughed mrs. bobbsey, as she tucked the robes closer around the two smaller twins. "all aboard!" called bert, and then, moving slowly at first, the ice-boat glided away from the lumber wharf, skimming over the lake with the entire bobbsey family, not counting, of course, fat dinah and her husband, who stayed at home. nor was snoop, the black cat, along. snap, the dog, ran a little way, but when he found the ice-boat was going too fast for him, and when he noticed that he was slipping too much, he gave a sort of good-bye howl and went slowly back to shore. "isn't this great?" cried bert, as he steered the ice-boat out into the middle of the lake. "wonderful!" cried nan, her hair flying in the wind and her cheeks almost as red as roses. "i don't see how you made it, bert." "well, it wasn't easy. how do you like it, freddie?" "all right. when can i steer?" "oh, maybe after a while," said bert, with a laugh. "say, we're going fast, all right." "yes," agreed mr. bobbsey. "i think the wind is getting stronger instead of dying out, bert." "it does seem so. well, all the better. we won't have to walk back if it keeps on this way. we can sail to the end of the lake and ride back." "are you sure you can manage the boat yourself?" asked bert's father, "she seems pretty big." "oh, tommy and i sailed her in a stronger wind than this. and we have a heavier load on now, which makes it all the safer." mr. bobbsey himself knew how to sail an ice-boat, but he wanted to let bert do as much alone as he could, for this is a good way for a boy to learn, if there is not too much danger. "and the worst that can happen," said mr. bobbsey, in a whisper to his wife, "is that we may upset and spill out." "oh! but do you really think there is any danger of _that?_" "well, there may be. ice-boats often upset, but we can't fall very far," and he looked down at the ice, which was only a few inches below them. "and we have so many robes and blankets that falling would be like tumbling into bed. there is no danger." the wind was blowing harder and harder. it was sweeping right across the lake and forcing the boat down. the steel runners clinked on the ice, now and then scraping up a shower of icy splinters that sparkled in the sun. on the other side of the lake were other ice-boats, and bert wished he could have a race with some of them. but he knew his mother would not like that now. "can't you make it go a little slower?" asked flossie, after a bit. "every time i open my mouth it gets filled with cold air, and it makes me want to sneeze." "i can't go any slower than the wind blows," answered bert. "turn your back to the bow, or front end of the boat, and you can open your mouth easier then." flossie did as she was told and felt better. meanwhile the _bird_ was living up to her name, and skimming along swiftly. bert held to the steering handle, now and then tightening or loosening the rope that was fast to the sail. "want any help?" asked his father. "no, thank you, dad. i want to manage it all by myself as long as i can." "isn't it my turn to steer?" asked freddie, when they were half-way down the lake, toward the end farthest from the town, where there were deep woods on either side. "no, not yet!" exclaimed bert "don't touch anything, freddie!" he went on, for his little brother was reaching out toward the sail. "i'll have to wait until the wind doesn't blow so strong before i can let your steer, freddie." "but i want to steer when we're going _fast!_" cried the little fellow. "i know how to do it. you just----" freddie never finished what he was saying. whether he touched anything, or whether bert was afraid he would, and so pulled on the wrong rope to keep it out of freddie's way, was never known. suddenly the ice-boat gave a quick whirl to one side, like a boy or a girl on roller skates going around a corner. it went around so quickly that it tipped half-way over. mrs. bobbsey and nan screamed. mr. bobbsey called to bert to be careful, but it was too late. bert had lost his hold of the rudder and the sail rope. the next second bert shot out of the ice-boat, and slid along on his back. a moment later his father and mother were also spilled out, followed by nan. then the ice-boat, not having such a heavy load aboard, settled down on the ice again, and started to run away, or, rather, blow away. right before the wind it flew, and flossie and freddie, being well tucked in among the robes and blankets were not spilled out. they stayed on board; and mr. bobbsey, sitting up after he had slid some distance across the ice, saw the _bird_ scooting down the lake, carrying his two smaller twins with it. "oh, the ice-boat is running away with flossie and freddie!" cried nan, as she, too, saw what had happened. chapter iv the old woodchopper while mr. and mrs. bobbsey, bert and nan picked themselves up from where they had fallen and slid along the ice, the ice-boat, with flossie and freddie snugly tucked in among the blankets and robes, was skimming down the lake, blown by a strong wind. at first the two small twins hardly knew what had happened. they had felt the ice-boat tilt to one side, they remembered that they had nearly fallen out, and then they had sailed on again. it was not until flossie opened her eyes (she always shut them when anything surprising was happening) that she saw she and freddie were alone in the _bird_. "why! why!" she exclaimed. "where are daddy and mother?" "yes, and bert and nan?" added freddie. "where is everybody?" then the two small twins looked back over the icy lake and far behind them saw their father and mother, with bert and nan, standing on the ice and waving their hands. "oh, they've jumped off and left us to sail the boat alone!" cried freddie. "now i can steer! isn't that good?" flossie was not quite sure that this was "good," but, for a few seconds, she believed what freddie had said--that the others had jumped off the ice-boat. she did not know that they had been spilled out, as bert said afterward. "now watch me steer!" cried freddie, crawling back toward the tiller, which was the last thing bert had let go of, as he shot from the boat. "oh, can you?" asked flossie. "do you think you can steer?" "of course i can," was the answer. "you just watch me. i'll make this boat go faster!" "but you want to be awfully careful, freddie." "oh, i'm always careful, ain't i?" "well, i s'pose you are--most times," answered flossie, somewhat slowly. she did not wish to hurt her twin's feelings. "oh, i know what i'm doing," was freddie's confident reply. "you just watch me! i'll make this boat go just as fast as anything!" as it had happened, a rope had become caught around the tiller, or handle, of the rudder, thus holding it so that the ice-boat sailed straight before the wind. otherwise it would have darted from side to side, and perhaps flossie and freddie would have been tossed out as the others had been. but it so happened that they sailed along nicely, no one being at the helm. straight down the lake sailed the _bird_ with the two little twins aboard. they had been a bit frightened at first, but now freddie was thinking only of how he could steer the craft, and flossie was waiting to see what her brother would do. "i wonder what they're waving to us for?" asked flossie, as she looked back and saw the frantic signals of her father and mother, bert and nan. "and they're running after us, too!" she added. "maybe they want us to come back," suggested freddie. but as the ice-boat was too far away for the older bobbseys to make their voices heard by flossie and freddie, mr. bobbsey and the others could only wave their hands. "we must catch that boat!" cried bert. "no telling what it will do to them if it upsets. come on! run, everybody!" he set off as fast as he could go, his father with him, while mrs. bobbsey and nan came along more slowly. "i guess they want us to come back and get them," said freddie. "they must be tired. well, i'll steer the boat back and we'll give them a ride. won't it be fun, flossie?" "ye-yes, maybe. if you can do it." "do what?" "steer the ice-boat back." "of course i can do it!" cried freddie. "i can squirt water from my fire engine, can't i? and that isn't any harder than this." freddie did not know so much about ice-boats as he thought he did, and when he had crawled back to the tiller, still held fast in a loop of the rope, the small boy found it harder to move than he had expected. flossie stayed among the rugs and robes. freddie knew enough about boats to be sure that to steer one the tiller ought to move from side to side. so, finding that the rope, which was fast to the sail, was keeping the rudder handle from moving, he began to loosen the coils. as soon as he did that the rudder moved from side to side, and this, of course, made the ice-boat do the same thing. "oh, dear!" cried flossie, "don't jiggle it so, freddie!" "i--i can't--help it!" chattered freddie, his words coming jerkily, for he was being "jiggled" himself, as the rudder shook from side to side in his hand. "this--this is the way to--to steer an ice-boat." "well, i don't like it," flossie announced, "it makes me homesick!" "do you mean--_seasick?_" asked freddie, trying his best to hold the tiller still. "no, i mean homesick! i want to go home!" "but we're having a nice ride, flossie." "i don't care! i want papa and mamma! i can't see them now!" the ice-boat, sailing down the lake, had turned around a point of land, and this hid from view the rest of the bobbsey family. "i'll turn around and go back and get them," freddie said. by this time he had taken the rope from the tiller, so the rudder handle moved freely from side to side. and then, all of a sudden, the _bird_ shot ahead more swiftly than before. the wind was blowing more strongly, and when freddie moved the rudder he steered the ice-boat so that the wind sent it straight ahead instead of a little to one side. "oh! oh!" cried flossie, "this is too fast! how can we stop the ice-boat, freddie?" "i--i don't know," answered the little boy. "don't you like to go fast, flossie?" "not so fast as this. i can't make my nose work--i can't get any air!" indeed they were sailing even more swiftly than when bert was steering, and flossie was frightened. so was freddie, but he was not so quick to say so. "please stop the boat!" cried flossie again. "well, i'll try," promised freddie. "i guess this is the rope you pull on," and he took hold of the one fast to the end of the sail--the rope that kept the big piece of white canvas from blowing away. freddie pulled on this, but it could not have been the right rope, or else he pulled it the wrong way, for, in an instant, the ice-boat seemed to "stand on its ear," as bert spoke of it afterward. flossie and freddie were almost tossed out. "oh, don't do that!" cried the little girl. "i--i didn't mean to," freddie told her. "i guess i pulled on the wrong rope. here's another. i'll try that." by this time the ice-boat was more than two miles down the lake, for the wind was blowing hard and the _bird_ sailed swiftly. the children could not see their father, mother, bert or nan now. they would soon be at the end of the lake, and before them flossie and freddie could see big drifts of snow near the edge of the frozen lake and between it and the forest beyond. "i--i guess we'd better stop pretty soon," faltered freddie. "if we don't we'll run ashore." with all his strength, he pulled on another rope, at the same time shoving the tiller over as far from him as it would go. the result was a surprise to him and to flossie. the ice-boat turned quickly, and then, like a frightened horse, it darted toward shore. over the ice it skimmed. then it turned up on one side, buried the bow, or front part, deep in a big snow drift and with another motion sent flossie and freddie, together with the robes and blankets, flying into a pile of soft snow. down came the bobbsey twins with a soft thud, not being in the least hurt. for a moment neither of the children spoke. then flossie, brushing the snow from her face, looked around, and seeing freddie near her, doing the same thing, she asked: "what--what happened?" "i guess i steered right up on shore instead of away from it," replied freddie. "i must have turned the handle the wrong way. are you hurt, flossie?" "nope. are you?" "nope. i hope the ice-boat isn't broken. bert wouldn't like that. let's go and look." as the children floundered out of the snow, which had been left from a storm that had swept over the country before the lake had frozen, they heard a voice calling to them. looking in the direction of the woods, they saw coming toward them an old man, wearing a big, ragged overcoat, a fur cap and mittens, while over his shoulder was an axe. "oh! oh!" said flossie in a low voice. "who--who's that, freddie?" "oh, i know him. that's uncle jack, the woodchopper. he'll help us get the boat on the ice again, and i can sail it back home." "nope!" cried flossie, shaking her flaxen curly head. "i'm never going to ride in an ice-boat with you any more. never! you go too fast, and stop too quick. i'm going to _walk_ home!" "what's the matter, children?" asked uncle jack, and he came plowing his way through the snow. "ah, your ice-boat is upset, i see! well, you two are pretty small potatoes to be out sailing alone. 'most froze, too, i'll warrant ye! come on to my cabin. it's warm there, whatever else it is!" and he helped flossie and freddie from the snowdrift. "thank you," said flossie. "but we're not potatoes, uncle jack." "well, little peaches, then. anyhow, your cheeks look like red apples," said the man, laughing. chapter v glorious news "how did it all happen?" asked uncle jack, a little later, as he led flossie and freddie along a path through the snow to his cabin in the woods. "why are you two out ice-boating alone?" "the rest of 'em spilled out," answered freddie; "and i upset flossie and me when i pulled on the wrong rope. but we're not hurt a bit. it was fun. wasn't it, flossie?" "ye--yes, i--i guess so." "hum! you're part of the bobbsey twins, aren't you?" asked the old woodchopper, who made a living by cutting firewood and kindling wood in the forest, where he lived by himself in a lonely cabin all the year around. "yes, we're the littlest ones," answered flossie. "bert and nan are bigger, but they fell off, too." "so falling from an ice-boat doesn't go by sizes," laughed the old man. then, taking turns, flossie and freddie told the story of the runaway ice-boat, and of having left the rest of their family several miles away on the ice. "we tried to stop, but we couldn't," said flossie. "and, oh, dear! i wonder where daddy and mother are now." flossie spoke as though it would not take much to make her cry. "don't worry," said uncle jack, as every one around lakeport called him. "if your father and mother don't come for you i'll take you home." "it--it's a long way to walk," said freddie with a sigh. "and i guess flossie is hungry. aren't you?" he asked of his little sister. "well--a little," admitted the blue-eyed girl twin. "how about you, little man?" asked uncle jack. "i--i guess i am, too," freddie admitted. "have you got anything to eat?" "well, maybe we can find something in my cabin," said the old man. he had left his axe sticking in a tree near where the ice-boat had run into the snow bank, and was leading the children along by either hand. flossie and freddie looked up into his kindly, wrinkled face, the cheeks glowing red like two rosy apples, and they knew they would be well taken care of. uncle jack was a fine, honest man, and he was always kind to children, who, often in the summer, would gather flowers near his lonely log cabin. in a little while flossie and freddie were seated in front of a stove, in which crackled a hot fire, eating bread and milk, which was the best the woodchopper could offer them. but they were so hungry that, as freddie said afterward, it tasted better than chicken and ice-cream. "haven't you got any little girl?" asked flossie after a while. "no, i haven't a chick or a child, i'm sorry to say." "my father would give you a chicken if you wanted it," said freddie. "and some days _we_ could come and stay with you." "that last part would be all right," said the old man with a smile; "but i haven't any place to keep a chicken. it would get lonesome, i'm afraid, while i'm off in the forest chopping wood. but i thank you just the same." "didn't you ever have any children?" asked flossie, taking a second glass of milk which the kindly old man gave her. "never a one. though when i was a boy i lived in a place where there were two children, i think. but it's all kind of hazy." "where was that?" asked freddie, brushing up the last of the bread crumbs from his plate. "i don't remember much about my folks. most of my life has been spent working on farmers' land, until i got so old i could not plow or cut hay. then the man who owns this forest said i might come here and chop firewood, and i did. i built this cabin myself, and i've lived all alone in it for many years." this was so, for jack had been in the woods from the time when bert and nan were babies, so flossie and freddie had often heard their older brother and sister say. "haven't you any folks?" asked freddie. "well, i seem to remember that once i had a brother and a sister. but i lost track of them, and they lost me, i guess; so where they are now, if they're anywhere, i don't know. i'm all alone, i guess," and the woodchopper's face was sad. "never mind! we'll come to see you," said flossie, with a smile. "but now maybe we'd better start home, freddie. papa and mamma may be worried about us." "i'll take you home, if you've had enough to eat," said uncle jack. "oh, we've had plenty, thank you," said freddie. "but it's a long way to go home. if i could sail the ice-boat back----" "i don't like that boat!" cried flossie. "how would you like to ride on a sled?" asked the woodchopper. "in a sled drawn by a horse with jingling bells?" "that would be _fine!_" cried freddie, clapping his hands. "but where is he--the horse, i mean?" "oh, out in my little stable. i built a small stable, as well as this cabin, for i have to haul my wood into town to sell it. i'll get my bobsled ready and tuck you in among the blankets that spilled from your ice-boat. then i'll drive you home." flossie and freddie liked this plan, and were soon snugly tucked in among their own robes, for the ice-boat had upset not far from the woodchopper's cabin. "your folks will likely be worried about you," said uncle jack, "so i'll get you home as fast as i can, though my horse isn't very speedy. he's getting old, like myself." "you don't _look_ old," said flossie kindly. "well, i am. i'm old and full of pains and aches." "have you got a stomachache?" asked flossie. "if you have my mother could give you some peppermint." "my pain is in my bones and back; peppermint isn't much good for that. i guess i need to go to a hospital. but never mind me, i must look after you children now." along through the snow jogged the woodcutter's horse, his bells jingling as he hauled the sled over the road that led along the shore of the lake. "what'll we do about bert's ice-boat?" asked flossie. "i'll look after it until he comes for it," said uncle jack. "it isn't damaged any, and it will be all right. few folks come down to this end of the lake in winter. i have it all to myself." "you must be lonesome," remarked freddie. "i am, sometimes. often i wish i had folks, like other men. but it isn't to be, i reckon. g'lang there, bucksaw." "is that the name of your horse?" "yes. bucksaw is his name. pretty good for a woodchopper's horse, i guess," and the old man smiled. while flossie and freddie were being driven home by the woodchopper, mr. and mrs. bobbsey, with bert and nan, left far behind on the ice when the _bird_ upset, were much worried and excited. "what can we do?" cried bert. "we must go after those children!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "that's what i'm going to do," mr. bobbsey remarked. "if i could borrow one of those ice-boats over there," put in bert, pointing toward some on the other side of the lake, "i could sail down and get them." "no more ice-boats to-day!" said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i do hope nothing happens to flossie and freddie!" "i don't believe they'll be hurt," said their father. "even if they fall out they can't get much of a bump on the ice, and if they run ashore, as they're likely to do, they'll only fall in the snow. don't worry." "but we _must_ go after them!" cried his wife. "just what i am going to do. bert and i will go to shore, hire a team and drive down the lake after them. the road runs right along the lake shore and we'll be sure to see them, or hear something of them. they'll be all right." it did not take mr. bobbsey and bert long to get started on the search for the missing ones, for flossie and freddie in the ice-boat had sailed around the point of land, as i told you, and were out of sight of their folks. mrs. bobbsey and nan were taken home by some friends who happened to pass the lake in their automobile, and half-way to the woodcutter's cabin, though he had no idea the children had been there, mr. bobbsey and bert met them being driven to lakeport by uncle jack. "oh, there's daddy!" cried freddie. "and bert!" added flossie, as she saw her brother. "your ice-boat's all right," she added. "we just fell out of it." "are _you_ all right?" asked mr. bobbsey, stopping his horses. "fine!" cried freddie. "and we had bread and milk." "well, i'm sure i'm much obliged to you, uncle jack," said the children's father. "it was very kind of you." then flossie and freddie told their story, and the woodchopper told of having seen them tossed into the snow and of how he helped them out, and then mr. bobbsey told what had happened to him, the children's mother, bert and nan. "i just pulled on the wrong rope, that's all, and i guess i steered the boat crooked," said freddie with a laugh. "you're lucky it was no worse," remarked bert, laughing also. "but as long as you two are all right, and the _bird_ isn't damaged, i'm glad." mr. bobbsey was also, and then he took the children into his sleigh, driving home with them while uncle jack turned back. "i like him," said flossie, speaking of the old woodchopper to her father. "he hasn't a chick or a child and he lives all alone in the woods." "yes, poor uncle jack doesn't have a very happy life," said mr. bobbsey. "i must see what we can do to help him." little was talked of in the bobbsey home that afternoon and evening but the adventure with the ice-boat, and what had happened to flossie and freddie when it ran away with them. the next day bert and tommy todd got the _bird_ back and had fine times sailing in it. flossie and freddie, as well as some of their friends, were also given rides, but bert cut the sail smaller so his boat would not go so fast, making it safer. when the bobbsey twins were not ice-boating they were skating, or building snow forts or snow men. once flossie and freddie built a little snow house and got inside it with snoop, the black cat, and snap, the dog. everything was very nice, but the house was so small that, when they were all in it, there was not room for snap to wag his tail. and as there never was a dog yet, with a tail, who did not want to wag it, you can easily guess what happened. either snap wagged his tail in the faces of flossie and freddie or he whacked snoop with it, and as the cat did not like that she ran out of the snow house. but snap kept on wagging his tail, and as flossie and freddie made him get to one side when he did it the only other place he had to wag it was against the sides of the snow house. now these snow sides were not very thick or strong--they were not made to be wagged against by a big dog's tail, and, all of a sudden, snap wagged his tail right through the snow house. then, with a swish and a swush, down the snow house toppled right on the heads of flossie, freddie and snap. snap gave a howl and dug his way out. but the two small twins were laughing so hard that it took them a little longer to dig their way out. they were not hurt in the least, however, and they thought it great fun to have the snow house fall on them when snap's tail wagged too hard. it was about a week after the funny ice-boat ride that mr. bobbsey came home from his office a little earlier than usual. he was smiling, and when his wife saw him she asked: "did it come?" "did what come?" asked nan. "are we going to have a new automobile, mother?" "not yet, nan." "then what came?" "glorious news!" cried her father, catching her up and kissing her. "glorious news came in a letter. we are all going to a great city!" "to live?" "no, just on a visit," said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, it is good news! i have been wanting to go for a long while. come in, bert--and you too, flossie and freddie--and hear the good news!" she called to the other twins. "daddy has glorious news for us!" chapter vi on to new york "are we going?" cried flossie, when she heard that the family was about to make some sort of a journey. "and can we take the ice-boat?" freddie asked eagerly. "yes, of course you're going," said mrs. bobbsey. "but no ice-boat," added bert. "there's no chance to sail one in new york city--and if there was we wouldn't have time." "oh, are we going to new york?" cried flossie. "yes," her father nodded. "then i'm going to take my fire engine!" cried freddie. "they have fires in new york, don't they, daddy?" "plenty of them, i think. and they have big engines there to put them out--larger ones than we have in lakeport. but now let's get quiet so i can tell mother and you the news." then, with the smaller twins cuddled up on his lap and bert and nan seated near their mother, mr. bobbsey told the news. he was going to start a new business, from which he hoped to make a great deal of money, and he had to go to new york to see about it. the trip would take the best part of a day from lakeport, and mr. bobbsey would have to stay in the big city several weeks. he had long promised his wife that when the time came to go to new york he would take her and the whole family with him, and that time had now come. "when can we start?" flossie inquired. "to-night?" asked freddie eagerly. "oh, indeed not!" laughed his mother. "it will take at least a week to get ready, and perhaps longer. you children have to have some new clothes, and daddy has to look after his business here. i think we will close this house, and dinah and sam can visit their friends." "what about snap and snoop?" asked flossie. "oh, let's take them!" begged freddie. "it would be no fun going to new york with pet cats and dogs," said bert. "they'd only be in the way or get lost." "i wouldn't want either one of 'em to get lost," put in flossie. "then we'll leave them with dinah," said mother bobbsey, glad that that part was over. every time they went away it was always hard to get the younger twins to consent to leave snoop and snap at home. "it will be great, going to new york!" cried bert. "i want to see some of the flying machines i've read about." "and i want to see some of the lovely stylish dresses the girls wear as they ride on fifth avenue," declared nan. "mother, do you think i could have a _real_ dress from new york?" she asked in a whisper. "not one that's _too_ stylish, of course, but so i could say it came from new york." "i guess so," and mrs. bobbsey smiled. "but let's hear what flossie and freddie most want to see in new york," and she looked at the two small twins. flossie and freddie thought for a moment, and then the blue-eyed boy, shaking his flaxen curls, cried: "i want to see a big fire, and watch the firemen put it out. but i hope nobody gets hurt!" "that last part is good, anyhow," said mr. bobbsey. "and how about my little fat fairy?" and he playfully pinched flossie's plump leg. "what do you want to see?" flossie did not answer at once, but when she did she cried: "a monkey!" "a monkey?" repeated her father. "yes, the monkeys in the park. i read about them, and how they do such funny tricks their cages. that's what i want to see--the monkeys in the park." "oh, so do i!" cried freddie. "can i see the monkeys and a fire too?" "well, i guess so," answered his father. "but we will hope no big fires will occur while we are in new york. as for monkeys, i guess there will be plenty of them in the park." the children were so excited, thinking about the trip to the great city of new york, they could hardly sleep that night, even though they stayed up later than usual. and the next day a busy time began. mrs. bobbsey had to see to getting ready the clothes for herself and the children. at this nan helped some, but flossie and freddie could not, for they were too small. bert ran on a number of errands for his father, before and after school, for the children had their lessons to do even while getting ready for the trip. of course they could not go to school in new york very well, but mr. bobbsey arranged with the teachers in lakeport that the twins could make up, when they came back, any lessons they should miss. and as nan and bert were ahead of their class, and as flossie and freddie were only in the "baby" grade, where they did not have hard lessons, as yet, staying from school would do not great harm to any of them. but at last all was ready for the start. the trunks and valises had been packed, the children had said good-bye to their many friends and playmates, dinah and sam had gone away and the dog and cat had been sent to board near the cook's home until the bobbseys should come back. mr. bobbsey had left his business with his partner to look after, and bert had said tommy todd could sail the ice-boat as much as he pleased while bert was in new york. "well, i guess we're ready to start," said mr. bobbsey, when the house had been locked and the big automobile that was to take them to the station was puffing out in front. "all aboard!" "this isn't the train, daddy!" laughed nan. "no, but we'll soon be there," her father answered, "come along." into the automobile they piled, parents, twins, baggage and all, and off they started. on the way to the depot flossie cried: "oh, there's uncle jack!" and the sled of the woodchopper was seen moving slowly down the village street, with a load of logs piled high on it. "poor old man," murmured mrs. bobbsey, "did you see if you could help him in any way?" she asked her husband. "yes, i have arranged it so that uncle jack will have plenty of food this winter. he can keep warm, for he has a stove and can cut all the wood he wants. i sent our doctor to see him. but dr. haydon thinks uncle jack should go to a hospital." "then why don't you send him? he was so good to the children----" "i know he was, but he won't go to the hospital. he says he knows it costs money and he won't let me spend any on him. but when i come back from new york i'll see what i can do. i think he'll be all right for a while, poor old man." uncle jack, sitting on top of his load of wood, saw the children in the automobile and waved to them. the bobbsey twins waved back. "we must bring him something from new york," said freddie. "we could get him a little toy chick, and then he wouldn't be lonesome. maybe he'd like that," added flossie. little did the two small bobbsey twins think what they would help to bring back from new york for the poor, old woodchopper. the train for new york was on time, and soon the twins, each pair in one seat, with father and mother bobbsey behind them, were looking out of the car windows, happy and joyous as they started on their journey. they were on their way to the great city of new york. i shall not tell you all that happened on the trip. it was not really much, for by this time the twins had traveled so often that a railroad train was an old story to them. but they never tired of looking out of the windows. on and on clicked the train, rushing through the snow-covered country, now passing some small village, and again hurrying through a city. now and then the car would rattle through some big piece of woods, and then flossie and freddie would remember how they were tossed out of the ice-boat, and how they had been so kindly cared for by uncle jack in his lonely log cabin. it was late in the afternoon when, after a change of cars, the bobbsey family got aboard a pennsylvania railroad train that took them over the new jersey meadows. they crossed two rivers and then flossie and freddie, who were eagerly looking out of the windows, suddenly found themselves in darkness. "oh, another tunnel!" cried freddie. "is it, daddy?" asked flossie. "yes, it's a big tunnel under the hudson river. in a little while you will be in new york." and not long afterward the train came to a stop. the children found themselves down in a sort of big hole in the ground, for the pennsylvania trains come into the great thirty-third street station far below the street. up the steps walked the bobbsey family, red-capped porters carrying their hand-baggage, and, a little later, flossie, freddie and the others stood under the roof of the great station in new york. they were in the big city, and many things were to happen to them before they saw lakeport again. chapter vii on the express train mr. bobbsey wished to ask one of the railroad men in the big station some questions about the trunks, and he also had to send a telegram, so, while he was doing these things, he told his wife and children to sit down and wait for him. mrs. bobbsey led nan and bert and flossie and freddie to one of the many long benches in the large depot, but the two smaller twins were so excited at being in such an immense place that they had not been seated more than a few seconds before they jumped up to gaze all about them. bert and nan, too, though older than their brother and sister, were much astonished at what they saw. "why--why!" gasped freddie, "it's bigger than our armory at home!" for in lakeport there was a big hall where the soldiers drilled. "it's three times as big," said flossie. "four!" declared freddie. "come on!" he called to his sister, "let's see how long it takes to walk around it." "don't go too far away," said mrs. bobbsey, who, for the moment, did not realize how really large the station was. "don't get lost!" she went on. "no'm, we won't!" promised flossie and freddie. they started off to walk around the large depot, which, as you who have seen it know, takes up a whole new york city block, or "square," as you will say if you live near philadelphia. mr. bobbsey's business took him a little longer than he expected, but as bert and nan begged to be allowed to buy a little candy at the newspaper stand near them, and as mrs. bobbsey wanted a magazine, the getting of these things took a little time, so the three did not notice how long mr. bobbsey was away from them. when he came back, having sent his message and found out what he wanted to know, the twins' father asked: "where are flossie and freddie?" "they're walking around, just seeing how big the station is," said nan. "trying to find out how much larger it is than our armory at home," added bert with a laugh. "well, i hope they don't get lost," said mr. bobbsey, "this place is a good deal larger than our armory. i'd better go to look for them," he went on as a glance around, near the news stand, did not show the two little ones anywhere in sight. "i'll come with you," offered bert. "no, you'd better stay here with your mother," said his father. "i don't want you getting lost, too." and he smiled at his son. "stay right here. i'll not be long." but if mr. bobbsey thought he was going to find flossie and freddie soon he was disappointed. he wandered about under the big glass roof, which at first the two younger twins had taken for the sky; but he did not see flossie or freddie. "has yo'all done lost suffin, boss?" inquired one of the colored porters. "i'm looking for my two little children," explained mr. bobbsey. "they wandered away from their mother." "oh, don't yo'all worry 'bout _dat_, boss! chilluns gits lost heah ebery day, an' we all easy find 'em ag'in." "oh, i'm not worried," answered mr. bobbsey, with a smile. "but it is time for us to go, and i want them. did you see them--two little ones--about so high," and he held his hand a short distance above the stone floor. "they have light hair and blue eyes." the porter thought for a moment. then he said: "well, to tell yo' de truff, boss, we has about seben hundred blue-eyed an' light-haired chilluns in heah ebery day, and we has de same number ob dark ones, so it's mighty hard t' 'member 'em all." "yes, i suppose so. well, i'll walk about i dare say i shall find them." "i'll tell some ob de udder men," offered the porter. "we often has t' pick up lost little ones an' take 'em to de waitin' room. ef yo' doan't find yo' tots yo'se'f, stop in dere." "i will," said mr. bobbsey, and he was about to walk on when the porter called to him: "heah comes a light-haired, blue-eyed gal now, an' she's runnin' like she's in a hurry. maybe she's yo'rs." mr. bobbsey looked up in time to see flossie running toward him from the front part of the station. she seemed much excited, and when she neared her father she called: "oh, daddy! guess what happened!" "i'm afraid i haven't time," said mr. bobbsey quickly, "we must hurry away. where is freddie?" "that's what i mean! guess what happened to him," went on flossie, who was rather out of breath. "i can't," said mr. bobbsey. "tell me quickly, flossie. is he hurt?" "oh, no; he's all right. but he's gone off down the street, and he went into a store where there was a lot of bugs in the window, and he says he's going to buy some. i want some bugs, too!" "what in the world is she talking about?" asked mrs. bobbsey, who from where she sat had seen her husband and little girl and had hurried on to join them. "she says freddie went down the street," explained mr. bobbsey, "and that he----" "yep! he went in a store with a lot of bugs in the window!" said flossie again. "they're great big bugs and they walk around and around and around!" and she shook her flaxen head as hard as she could, as she often did when excited. "what in the world do you mean?" asked nan, who, with bert, now joined their father. "freddie must have gone outside the depot to go down a street," said bert. "maybe she means he went into an animal store, where they sell monkeys and parrots." "no, they weren't any monkeys--nor parrots, either," said flossie. "but some of the big bugs were green like a parrot. and we didn't go outdoors, either." "then show us where you did go," ordered mr. bobbsey quickly. "i think we can find freddie that way. did you go into the store with him?" he asked his little girl. "nope. i ran back to get the money to buy the bugs that crawl around and around and around, and go in a little door all by theirselves!" said flossie, who was not breathing so fast now. "what is it all about?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "we seem to have found a queer part of new york as soon as we arrive." "it's over this way," and flossie, taking her father's hand, pulled him in the direction from which she had come. up a flight of broad stone steps she led him, the others following, until, as they approached the main entrance of the station, flossie pointed and said: "there's the street with all the stores on it. freddie went down there, and we stopped in front of a window where the bugs are, that go around and around and----" "yes, dear, we know all about how they go around," said her mother, with a smile. "but show us where freddie is." "just down the street," said flossie. "come on." "oh, i see what she means!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "it's the arcade. this is part of the depot--the vestibule, so to speak," he went on. "it's the entrance, and it is so big that there is room for stores on either side. it does look like a street." and so it did, except that there were no automobiles or wagons in it--just people hurrying along. on either side of the arcade were stores, where fruit, candy, toys, flowers and other things were sold. you can imagine that a station which has room in it for many trains, automobiles and thousands of people easily has room for stores also. "come on--right down this way!" called flossie, hurrying ahead of the others, "i'll show you where the bugs are." "the bugs that go around and around and around," laughed bert, in a low tone to nan. "oh, i do hope freddie hasn't gotten into any trouble," sighed nan, who, though she was only ten years old, felt much more grown up than either flossie or freddie. "here are the bugs!" cried flossie, a little later, and she stopped in front of a station toy store, in the window of which a young man was showing how big tin bugs would move along on a spring roller that was fastened beneath them. there were green, red, yellow and spotted bugs, and they did indeed go "around and around and around," as flossie had said, and some of them steered themselves, when started by the young man, into the door of a little pasteboard house, where all the toy tin bugs seemed to live. "there's freddie now, buying a bug!" cried flossie, as she saw through the store door her brother talking to a clerk. and the clerk was showing freddie how the bug "walked" on the wooden roller which answered for legs. "i want a bug, too!" flossie cried, and into the store dashed the little girl. "i've brought back papa and mamma and bert and nan," flossie explained to her brother. "they all want to see the bugs." "well!" exclaimed the man in the store. "this is going to be a busy day for me, i guess," and he smiled at the bobbsey family. "can i have three of these bugs, daddy?" asked freddie, just as if he had caused no trouble at all by going off as he had done. "i want three, too," echoed flossie. "oh, what funny looking things!" cried mrs. bobbsey, as the clerk sent the bugs crawling "around and around." "they are very amusing," said the salesman, "and just the thing for children. they can play many games with them and keep out of mischief." "they'll have to be pretty good to keep _these_ youngsters out of mischief," said mr. bobbsey, with a smile. "yes, freddie, you may have some bugs, and flossie also. how about you, nan and bert?" "i'd rather have that small aeroplane," said bert, pointing to one that could be wound up with a rubber band and would fly for some distance. "and i'd like that work basket," said nan. "well, we'll get you all something, and then we must start for our hotel," said mr. bobbsey. "come, freddie, pick out the bugs you want, and don't run away again. you might get lost, even if you are only in the railroad station." "i couldn't get lost--flossie knew where i was," said freddie. "i sent her back to bring you, so you could pay for my bugs." then the two younger bobbseys looked over about all the toy tin bugs in the station store, and finally picked out those they wanted, though it took some little time. bert's and nan's gifts were wrapped up long before freddie could make up his mind whether to take a blue bug, striped with green, or a purple one, spotted with yellow, finally making up his mind that the last was best. then, after all the baggage had been collected, the family was ready to start for the hotel where they were to stay while in new york. mr. bobbsey wanted to get a taxicab, but flossie and freddie had heard of the elevated trains, which ran "in the air," and they wanted to go in one of them, saying it would be such fun. so, as it was almost as near one way as it was the other, mr. bobbsey consented, and they set off for the elevated railroad. "oh, there goes a train!" cried flossie, as they came in sight of the station, which was high above the street, set on iron pillars, some of which also held up the elevated track. "just think, freddie, we're going to ride on a high train!" flossie was quite excited. "i hope it doesn't fall," said nan. "they're made strong on purpose, so they won't fall," said bert. flossie and freddie ran on ahead up the elevated stairs, and just as their father was buying the tickets, to drop in the little box where the "chopper" stood, working up and down a long handle, a train rumbled into the station. the iron gates of the car platforms were pulled back, several persons hurried off and others hurried on. flossie and freddie, thinking this was the train their parents, bert and nan, were going to take, and, being anxious to get seats near the window where they could look out, rushed past the ticket chopper, darted through the open gates and into one of the cars. chapter viii a long ride flossie and freddie, scurrying through the gates of the elevated car just as the guard was about to close them, saw inside two rows of seats on either side, there being very few passengers in that coach. thinking their father and mother, with bert and nan, were right behind them, the two little twins felt no fear, but rushed in, each one anxious to get a seat. "i'm going to sit by a window!" cried freddie. "so'm i!" added flossie, and both were soon kneeling on the rattan seats, with their noses fairly flattened against the glass of the window. the few passengers in the train smiled, for they knew the children must be from somewhere outside of new york, as the little folk of that city are not so eager to see the sights amid which they live. it was not until the train had started, and had gone several blocks, that flossie and freddie thought of their father and mother. they were greatly interested in looking out of the windows, and watching the train rush past at the level of the upper stories of the houses and stores along the streets. it did seem so queer to them to be riding in a train high up in the air, instead of on the ground. "it's lots better than a tunnel, and i used to think they were lots of fun!" said flossie, fairly bubbling over with joy. "it's great!" cried freddie, and he flattened his nose out more than ever against the glass, trying to look around a corner. for he had seen in one window of a house a boy dropping from the window of his home a basket on a string, and freddie wanted to see why he was doing this. it is no unusual sight in new york, to see children, not much larger than the small bobbsey twins, traveling about alone, so the other passengers and the trainmen, after the first few smiles, paid no attention to flossie and freddie. but the two themselves, after their first wonder at the sights they saw, began to think of their father and mother, as well as of bert and nan. "where are they?" asked flossie, after a bit, as she turned around and sat down in her seat. "didn't they--didn't they come in after us?" asked freddie, his chubby face taking on a worried look. "i--i didn't see them," returned flossie. "maybe they're in another car. let's go to look!" to say a thing was generally to do it, with the smaller bobbsey twins, at least, and no sooner did flossie say this than freddie was ready to go with her on a hunt for the others. the children slipped from their seats and started for the door while the train was moving swiftly, but a guard, who is a sort of brake-man, stopped them. "where are you youngsters going?" he asked good-naturedly. "we want our father and mother," explained freddie. "they must be in another car. we hurried on ahead." "well, it wouldn't be the first time that has happened," said the guard, with a laugh. "but i guess you're a little too small to go navigating around from car to car when the train's moving. what's your father's name? i'll have him called out for in the other cars." "he's mr. richard bobbsey, of lakeport," said flossie, "and my mother and sister and brother are with him. my sister is nan and my brother is bert. this is my brother, freddie." "well, now i guess i know the whole family," laughed the guard, the other passengers joining in a smile. "i'll see if i can find your folks for you, though it's queer they haven't been looking for you themselves. you stay here." the guard started to go through the other cars of the elevated train, and freddie called after him: "if you find my father, please tell him to open the box and take out the yellow bug." "the yellow bug?" repeated the guard in some surprise. "is your father an animal trainer?" "oh, no," said flossie, seriously. "freddie means one of the tin bugs that go around and around and around. and, if you please, i want a green one." "say, i wonder what kind of children these are, anyhow," murmured the guard. "guess they must belong to a theatre or a circus." "they look nice," said a man sitting near the door. "oh, they're all _right_, that's sure. well, i'll see if i can find their folks for 'em." elevated railroad men in new york get used to doing queer things, and seeing strange sights, so it did not cause much excitement when the guard went into the different cars calling for mr. bobbsey. he had to come back to his own car once to call out "forty-second street," and to open the gates to let passengers off and others on. then he closed the gates and called out: "fiftieth street next," after that he went again into the cars he had not been in before and called for mr. bobbsey, but of course that gentleman did not answer, being a station or two behind by this time. [illustration: "where are you youngsters going?" _the bobbsey twins in a great city. page_ ] the guard, not being able to find mr. or mrs. bobbsey, or nan and bert, came back to where flossie and freddie were now rather anxiously waiting. "did you find him?" asked the children eagerly. "no, i'm sorry to say your father isn't on this train. but don't worry. i'll look out for you, and your father is sure to come for you sooner or later." "did you find any of the bugs?" asked freddie. "that go around and around and around," added flossie. "no," said the guard, laughing, "i didn't. what about them?" freddie explained what he meant, and asked if the train could not be stopped while he went into the nearest toy store to buy some more of the tin, crawling toys. but the guard said this could not be done. "i don't just know what to do with you," he said, scratching his head. "if your father thought, he could telephone to any of the stations where our train will stop--this is an express train and does not make many stops after sixty-sixth street till the end of the line. he could have the agent there take you off and keep you until he could come. or, i might take you to one hundred and fifty-fifth street, which is the end of the line, and have the agent there take charge of you. i don't know what to do." just then flossie thought of something: "oh, freddie!" she cried. "we haven't any tickets or any money, unless you have some, and the conductor will put us off!" "i've got five cents," said freddie, taking it out of his small pocket. "that's only enough for a street-car ride, and this is the elevated railroad," replied his blue-eyed sister. "oh, what shall we do?" and there was just a little tear in each eye as she looked at the guard. "what's the matter now?" he asked kindly. "do you want a bug?" "no--i mean yes, but not now. we haven't any tickets and the conductor----" "didn't you drop your tickets in the chopper's box at the station where you got on?" "no. we ran on ahead," explained freddie. "ho! i see! you were so small that the ticket chopper didn't see you. well, don't worry--it will be all right. the road won't lose much by carrying you two." "you could send the bill to my father," said flossie. "that's what mother says when she goes to buy things at the store." "that will be all right," the guard said. "i'll see that you're not put off until the proper time comes. and you save your five cents," he added to freddie, who was holding up the nickel. "you might want to buy some peanuts." "oh, that's so--for the monkeys in the park!" cried freddie. "i forgot we were going to see them!" by this time some of the other passengers were interested in the children, asking them many questions and learning the story of their coming to new york on a visit. "they don't seem worried," said one woman. "and they're quite lost in this big city." "oh, we've been lost before," said flossie easily. "lots of times!" "in the woods, too," added freddie. "and we heard funny noises. but we weren't scared. were we, flossie?" "nope. we'll just keep on riding now until daddy comes for us. it's fun, i think." "and we don't have to pay for it, either," said freddie, with satisfaction, as he put away his only piece of money. "i'm going to save this for peanuts for the monkeys." "will you save some for me?" asked flossie. "i'm getting hungry." "maybe we'll eat these peanuts all ourselves," said freddie, after thinking about it for a moment. "we can get some for the monkeys later afterward. i'm hungry, too." "well, you've got quite a long trip ahead of you," said the guard in whose car they were. "it's quite a ride to one hundred and fifty-fifth street. i'll ask the gateman at the next stop if your father has telephoned about you. just sit still." and so flossie and freddie, in the elevated express train, were having a long ride all by themselves. they were not frightened now, for they were sure their father or mother would come for them soon, as he had done the day they were spilled out of the ice-boat and were taken in by uncle jack. "i wonder what that nice woodchopper man is doing now?" asked flossie. "uncle jack, i mean." "i hope his pain is better," said freddie. "maybe we could get him work here on the elevated railroad, chopping tickets at the station." when people drop their tickets into the glass boxes at the elevated or subway stations they are "chopped" into fine pieces by the men who pump the handles up and down. "uncle jack chops wood," went on freddie, "and he could easy chop tickets." so flossie and freddie kept on with their long ride, talking and looking out of the train windows. chapter ix in the store mr. bobbsey bought his tickets, put his change in his pocket, and turned to gather his little party together to take them through the gate, past the ticket chopper. "why, where are freddie and flossie?" he asked. mrs. bobbsey, nan, bert, none of them, had seen the little twins rush past the ticket chopper and on to the train. all began to turn here and there excitedly, looking about for the blue-eyed boy and girl. "now, now," said mr. bobbsey, "don't worry. you, bert, and your mother and nan will wait here at the head of the stairs, while i go down to the street and see if the children went down there again. i'll not be gone long. if they are not close at hand, i'll come back to you before making further search. now, as i said, don't worry. in a city children are always quickly found." mr. bobbsey did as he said, but, of course, saw nothing of freddie and flossie, who were now having a very nice ride and a very good time indeed on the elevated express train. by this time the ticket chopper, the agent who sold tickets, the station porter and several persons who were waiting to take a train, had heard from nan and bert what had happened. these people offered all sorts of advice, but mr. bobbsey thought it best to listen to that of the ticket agent, who, of course, would know more about the elevated trains than persons who only rode on them two or three times a day. the ticket chopper had seen the children rush by him and on to the train, but they had gone by so quickly that he had not been able to stop them, and, as there were a good many people on the platform, he did not know to whom they belonged. so he told the ticket seller and mr. bobbsey that flossie and freddie had taken the last express train that had passed the station. "it would have been easy enough to stop them if you'd only known it at first," said the ticket seller; "but they've got the start of you now, and after sixty-sixth street these express trains make only a few stops before they reach the end of the line. but i can telephone to one of the ticket sellers at one of the uptown stations and have him meet the train and take the children off." "what will he do with them?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "oh, he'll keep 'em safe till you folks get there. the trains run pretty close together at this hour of the day. your husband can get uptown after 'em so quick that they won't have to wait long." "what shall we do?" asked bert. "we will all go on together," answered his father. "i wish we had taken an automobile to go to the hotel, and then this would not have happened. but flossie and freddie would have been disappointed if they had not had the first ride in an elevated train. however, i'm sure it will all come out right." the ticket agent went into his little office to telephone on ahead, and have flossie and freddie taken from the train and held until their parents could claim them. meanwhile mr. bobbsey and the others waited until this was done before getting on the train that was to take them far uptown in new york. something was the matter with the telephone in the first station which the ticket seller called up. he could not get the agent there to talk to him over the wire until the train in which flossie and freddie were riding, had whizzed on, after making a short stop. "well, i'll catch them at the next station where the train stops," the agent said. this time he managed to get in touch with the agent there, but when the latter understood, and ran out to hail the train, it was already in motion and could not be stopped. "well, the third time is always lucky," said the ticket seller who had offered to do what he could to help mr. bobbsey. "i'll be sure to catch them now." he talked over the telephone to another agent and this one answered back that the train was just then pulling out of his station. "but i'll yell at one of the guards," this agent called into the telephone instrument, "and tell him to put the children off at the next stop. i'll do that," and he rushed out to try to call to one of the trainmen. "that will be one hundred and twenty-fifth street," said the first agent, as he came out of his little office. "that's the best i can do. your two little children will be put off the train when it makes the stop there, and the ticket agent will look after them until you get there. you can wait for the next express, or you can take a local train here and change to the express at sixty-sixth street." when the next train came along, they got on, eager and anxious to catch up to the missing children. in order not to be bothered with the hand-baggage, mr. bobbsey had called a taxicab and had had the chauffeur take it to the hotel were they were to stop, which was an uptown hotel, near enough to central park for flossie and freddie to walk over to see the monkeys as often as they wished. meanwhile the two runaway children--who really did not mean to run away--were in the express train speeding along. after their first surprise at finding themselves alone, they were not frightened, but continued to look out of the windows and to wonder at the many sights they saw. "well, we'll be at the end of this run some time," said the guard, who had been talking with flossie and freddie. "what will you do with us then?" the little boy asked. "turn you over to the agent, unless we have some other word about you," the trainman answered. "wait, we're going to stop here, and there may be a message." he hurried out on the platform. as the train was leaving that station flossie and freddie saw the ticket agent run out, waving his hand, and they heard him shout something to their guard. when the latter came into their car again he said to flossie and freddie: "that message was about you two. the agent said two lost children were on this train and that they were to be put off at the next station and left until their father came for them. you're the only lost children i know of." "and we're not lost so _very_ much," said flossie slowly. "'cause _we_ are here. it's daddy and the rest who are lost." "well, they'll soon be along--coming on the next train," said the guard. "i'll turn you over to the agent at one hundred and twenty-fifth street and you'll be all right." this was done. the train came to a stop; many passengers got off and a kind woman took flossie and freddie in charge and saw that they got inside the elevated station, where the agent, who had been telephoned to, knew about them and was expecting them. "now, just sit right down here and be comfortable," the agent said to the bobbsey twins. "you'll be all right, and your folks will soon come for you. i have to sit in the office and sell tickets." the kind woman called a good-bye to the children and went away; so flossie and freddie were left by themselves in the elevated railroad station at one hundred and twenty-fifth street. for a while they sat quietly, watching the people come in to buy tickets or get off trains. the agent did not pay much attention to them, being very busy, for it was toward the close of day when the rush was like the morning, greater than at other times. "say! what's that?" suddenly asked flossie, holding up her chubby hand to tell freddie to stop whistling, which he was trying to do. "what's what?" he asked, looking at his sister. "i hear music," went on flossie. "so do i!" exclaimed freddie. they both listened, and from somewhere outside they heard the sound again. "it's a hand organ!" cried flossie. "no, it's a hand _piano!_" said freddie. "hear how jiggily the tune is." "well, it's the same thing," flossie insisted, "i wonder if there's a monkey with it." "let's go downstairs and see," proposed freddie. once flossie or freddie made up their minds to do a thing it was almost as good as done--that is, if it were not too hard. this time it seemed easy to do. they looked toward the little office in which the ticket seller had shut himself. he was busy selling tickets. "he'll not see us," whispered freddie. "besides, we're coming right back as soon as we see the monkey." "and we'll give him some peanuts," added flossie. "you can buy some with your five cents, freddie. and we won't give them _all_ to the monkey. i want some." "so do i. come on, we'll go down." the agent seemed to have forgotten them. at any rate his door was closed and he could not see them. none of the passengers, hurrying in to buy tickets, paid any attention to the bobbsey twins. so, hand in hand, flossie and freddie went out of the station, and down the long stairs to where they could hear the music of the hand piano. it was being played by an italian man in the street, almost under the elevated station, and, as flossie leaned over the stair railing to look down, she cried out: "oh, there is a monkey, freddie! the man has it on a string!" "that's good. do you see peanuts anywhere?" "yes, there are some at that stand near the bottom of the stairs. don't lose your five cents!" "i won't!" freddie hurried down with flossie. he bought a bag of peanuts, and the children hastened across the street to where a little crowd of boys and girls stood in front of the hurdy-gurdy, or hand piano, listening to the music and watching the monkey. this will draw a crowd, even in new york, where there are many more and stranger sights to be seen. "oh, isn't he cute!" cried flossie, tapping her feet on the sidewalk in time to the music. "he's coming over this way," said freddie. "i'm going to give him a peanut." "but don't let him get the whole bag." "i won't. here, jacko! have a peanut!" and freddie held out one to the hurdy-gurdy monkey. the long-tailed animal lost no time in making a grab for it, and soon he was chewing it hungrily. the man grinding out the music shook the cord which was fast to a collar around the monkey's neck. what the street piano man wanted was pennies and five-cent pieces put in the monkey's red cap. peanuts were good for jacko, but money was better for his master. the monkey well knew what the jerks meant on the cord around his neck. they meant that he must scramble around in the crowd and hold out his cap for pennies. the monkey would much rather have eaten peanuts, but even monkeys can not do as they like in this world. so, with a chattering sound, and with another look at freddie, who tossed him a peanut, the monkey, catching the dainty in one paw, started to try to collect some money. but he must have been a hungry little monkey, for, when he looked at flossie, and saw on her hat what he thought were red cherries, that monkey made up his mind to get some of them if he could. though the cherries were made of celluloid, they looked very real, and they might have fooled even a boy or a girl, to say nothing of a monkey. so with a quick bound jacko--which seems to be the name of all those long-tailed chaps--was perched on flossie's shoulder, tearing at her hat with two paws, trying to pull off what he thought were ripe, red cherries. "oh! oh!" screamed flossie. "oh, stop!" "wait till i get hold of him!" cried freddie. "come away! come away froma de littlea gal!" yelled the piano italian. some in the crowd laughed and others screamed. the monkey kept pulling and tearing at flossie's hat until he had pulled it from her head and then, jumping down off her shoulder to the ground, the animal crouched under the piano and began pulling off the red cherries. but one bite told him they were not real, and then, perhaps frightened at what he had done and fearing he would be punished, the monkey tried to run away. but he was held by the string on his collar, and the italian, perhaps afraid that he would be made to pay for flossie's hat, which his monkey had torn to pieces, pulled jacko to him, perched him on his shoulder and hurried away, wheeling the street piano. "oh, freddie! freddie! what shall i do?" cried flossie, as she looked at her sadly torn hat. "it's a shame," said a woman in the crowd. "you'll need a new hat, little girl," said another woman. that gave freddie an idea. if his sister needed a new hat he was the one to help her get it. he looked up and down the street. across the way was a large drygoods store, in one of the windows of which were many hats and other things for girls and ladies to wear. "come on, flossie!" cried freddie, clasping her hand. "i'll take you there." "where?" she asked. tears had come into her eyes when the monkey tore her nice, new hat. but she did not really cry. "where are you going to take me, freddie?" she asked. "over to that big store; and we'll buy a new hat for you," said the little fellow. "then we'll go back to the station and wait for daddy and the rest. come on. i'll get you a new hat." flossie wondered how freddie was going to do it, but she did not ask. leaving the torn hat in the street, she went with her brother. he led the way into the big store, which, though it was not one of the large ones of new york, was much bigger than any in lakeport. "well, little ones, what can i do for you?" asked one of the tall men in the store, as flossie and freddie strolled in. "are you with your parents?" "no, sir, we're all alone," spoke up freddie. "we were lost on an express train, but we're waiting for my father and mother and bert and nan. but a monkey chewed up flossie's hat and i want a new one for her. you sell hats, don't you?" chapter x lost underground flossie and freddie looked up at the tall man, who smiled kindly down at them. he seemed to be laughing at something, though whether it was flossie's flaxen hair, now rather tangled because the monkey had pulled off her hat, or because freddie looked so funny asking his question, the children could not tell. "so you want a hat for the little girl?" asked the floorwalker, as the man was called. he walked up and down in the store to see that the clerks waited properly on the customers, and he told strangers where to go. "flossie wants a hat," went on freddie. "the monkey ate the cherries off hers." "no; he didn't really _eat_ them," flossie explained, anxious to have everything just right. "he _tried_ to chew 'em, but he didn't like 'em. anyhow, my hat's gone!" "what kind of a hat did you want?" asked the store man, not quite sure how to treat the children. "one with feathers on," suggested freddie. "no, i want one with flowers on!" insisted flossie. "how much did you want to pay?" asked the man, shaking his head in a puzzled way. "my father will pay," replied freddie, "you just send the bill to him--mr. richard bobbsey, of lakeport. he has a lumber mill and----" "what seems to be the trouble?" broke in a new voice, and the two children, as well as the floorwalker, turned to see standing near them a stout man, with gray hair, who was smiling kindly at them. "oh, mr. whipple!" exclaimed the tall man, glad to have some one else to help him. "i don't know what to do about these children. they want a hat for the little girl, and----" "it's because a monkey ate flossie's hat!" broke in freddie. "we're lost. we were on an express train, but we got off and we heard music and please charge it to our father--charge the hat, i mean, not the music, for we didn't pay anything for that. did we flossie?" "no; but i'm not going to have a hat with feathers on. i want one with flowers on, and i wish mamma was here--or nan--to help pick it out." "i'll help you," offered freddie kindly. "i guess you had better come with me," said the stout man, who, as the children learned afterward was mr. daniel whipple, owner of the big store into which flossie and freddie had wandered. "i'll take you up to my office," mr. whipple went on, "and you can tell me about yourselves. i'll try to find your folks for you." "and can i get a hat?" asked flossie. "yes, i think so," the store owner answered. "send one of the clerks from the children's hat department to my office with some hats that will do for this little girl," he went on, and the floorwalker said he would. "we'll be all right now, flossie," said freddie, as they followed their new friend. in a little while flossie was fitted with just the hat she wanted, and mr. whipple was listening to the story told in turn by the two children. "your father is probably on his way up to get you now," said mr. whipple. "he'll expect to find you in the elevated station, but you will not be there. i'll send one of my clerks over to tell the agent you are here, and to send your father over when he comes. but i think i'll keep you two tots here, because----" "we might get lost again--we get lost lots of times," said freddie with a smile. "it's nice here. i like it!" and, very much at home, he looked around the office of the store owner. it was almost closing time, and mr. whipple was wondering whether in case the children's father did not come it would not be better to take them to his own home, when the clerk came back from the elevated station with mr. bobbsey himself. "oh, daddy!" cried flossie and freddie. "well, you two certainly gave me a fine chase!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, with a smile, hugging his "little fat fireman" and his "fat fairy," one after the other. "where in the world have you been?" "oh, we heard a hand organ and we went to look at the monkey and it chewed flossie's hat and we're here!" gasped freddie, all in one breath. "and i got a new hat, and you'll please pay for it, daddy," added flossie. "and did you bring my bugs--the ones that go around and around and around?" she asked. "yes, flossie, i have them. but what's all this about a hat?" "i bought her a new one," explained freddie, "but i didn't have any money to pay for it, so we charged it." "the little girl seemed to need one, mr. bobbsey," said the store owner. "oh, that will be all right, i'm glad to pay for it, mr.--er----" "whipple is my name," said the store man. "daniel whipple." "whipple!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, and a thoughtful look came over his face. "daniel whipple," and he seemed to be trying to think of something he had heard a long while before. "yes; you may have seen it in my advertisements. i advertise in the papers every day." "ah, yes, i presume so," said mr. bobbsey. "thank you very much, mr. whipple, for looking after the children for me. i reached the one hundred and twenty-fifth street elevated station a little while ago, and the ticket agent there was very much excited because the children had slipped out while he was in his office. "we were just trying to think where they could have gone, when your clerk came up to say they were here. now i'll take them to their mother, who is quite anxious about them." "i can well believe she is," said mr. whipple. "come and see me again," he invited flossie and freddie, who, after their father had paid for the new hat, went away with him. a little later they were safe in the hotel where the bobbsey family was to live while in new york. mrs. bobbsey, bert and nan were already there, and quite glad to see the two runaways, you may be sure. "what a lot of adventures you must have had!" cried nan, when flossie and freddie had told her a few of the things that had happened. "we did!" laughed freddie. "you ought to have seen that monkey's face when he bit on those make-believe cherries on flossie's hat!" and freddie laughed loudly. "anyhow i got a new hat!" "that mr. whipple was a fine man," said freddie. "indeed he must be," agreed mrs. bobbsey, and then, seeing a strange look on her husband's face, she asked: "what is the matter? are you worried?" "no, but i am trying to remember where i have heard that name before. but so much has happened to-day that i can't recall it." it had been indeed, a full day since the bobbsey twins had left their home in lakeport that morning, and mrs. bobbsey insisted on flossie and freddie, at least, going to bed early. this the small twins were glad enough to do, after they had told nan and bert the different things that had happened after they got on the express train. "it was an awful splendid store," said flossie, in speaking about mr. whipple's establishment. "bigger'n any store in lakeport," added her twin. "and the nicest clerks that ever was," went on flossie. "why, one of 'em had a whole counter full of cologne, and she squirted some on me when i went past, and it smelled awful good!" after breakfast the next morning, when mr. bobbsey had finished sending some telegrams and telephone messages, he asked the children what they first wanted to see in new york. "the monkeys!" cried flossie and freddie. "i want to go on fifth avenue and see the lovely shops and stores," said nan. "and i want to go to the history museum and see the stuffed animals and the model of a whale," said bert, who had been reading of this. "well, how would you like to go and see some live fish?" asked mr. bobbsey. "that ought to satisfy all of you, and nan can see some stores on the way to the aquarium. i have to go downtown in new york," he said to his wife, "and i can take the children to the aquarium at the battery as well as not." "all right," said mrs. bobbsey. "if you'll do that i'll stay here and rest. afternoon will do for me to go out. now mind, flossie and freddie, don't get lost again!" the small twins promised they would not and soon all four were on their way downtown with their father. this time they went in the subway, or underground road, which, as freddie said, was like one big, long tunnel. "we'll get out at the brooklyn bridge or city hall park," said mr. bobbsey. "i have to see a man in the city hall, and from there we can walk to the battery, as it is a nice day. or we can ride, if you get too tired." the children were sure they would not get too tired, and a little later they all got out at the subway station at brooklyn bridge. there were many persons hurrying to and fro, trains coming in and going out, and lights all over, making the children think it was night, though it was in the morning. "wait here just a minute," said mr. bobbsey, showing the twins a less crowded place where they could stay. "i want to get a magazine over at the news-stand," he added. the magazine he wanted had been put away under a pile of papers, and as the boy was getting it out flossie caught sight, down the platform, of a man pasting up on the advertising boards in the underground station, some new posters. "oh, maybe it's signs about a circus, freddie!" cried the little girl "come on and watch!" freddie was always ready to go, and he had darted off after his sister down the long platform before bert and nan saw them. when the two older children missed the younger twins they looked hurriedly about for them. "there they are--watching that bill-poster," said bert. for the underground subway stations are much used by advertisers, gaily colored sheets of paper being pasted on boards put there for that purpose. "you mustn't run away like that!" said nan to flossie, as she came up to her sister, to lead her back. "we wanted to see if it was a circus poster, but it isn't," returned freddie. "well, come on back. daddy will miss us," declared bert. he started back--at least he thought he did--for the place where their father had told them to wait for him. but the subway station under the new york sidewalks was so large and rambling, there were so many stairways leading here and there, up and down, and there were so many platforms that it is no wonder bert went astray. "where are you going?" asked nan at last. "well, i was trying to find the place father told us to wait," bert answered. "it's over this way," said nan, pointing just the other direction from the one in which bert was walking. "all right, we'll try that, but it seems wrong," he stated. they walked a little way in that direction. they saw nothing of their father, however, and there were fewer people on the platform where they now were. "oh, dear!" cried flossie, "i'm thirsty! i want a drink!" "so do i!" added freddie. nan and bert looked about them. they were still in the underground station, and they could see trains coming in and going out, and crowds of people hurrying to and fro. but they could not see their father nor the place where he had told them to wait. at last nan said: "bert, i don't know where we are! we're lost!" chapter xi freddie and the turtle bert bobbsey looked all around the big underground subway station before he answered nan. then he took off his cap to scratch his head, as he often did while thinking. next he looked down at flossie and freddie. if he thought he was going to find the two little twins in a fright at what nan had said about being lost, bert was mistaken. the two flaxen-haired tots were looking down the long platform, into the gloom of the long tunnel of the subway. "aren't they funny, freddie?" asked flossie. "yep, awfully funny," was freddie's answer. "what's funny?" asked bert, wishing he could see something at which to laugh. "those red and green lights down the track," explained freddie. "they blink so funny and come up and go out----" "just like winking at you," said flossie. "i like it down here. it isn't like the dark tunnels we went in on the steam cars." "well, i'm glad _somebody_ likes it," said bert to nan. "but say, how do we get out of here?" "i'm sure i don't know," she said. "when i ran after flossie i didn't look which way i was going." "i didn't, either. queer how we could get lost in a place like this," and bert seemed worried and spoke more loudly than he intended. freddie heard what his brother said and looked up quickly. "are we _really_ lost?" he asked. "it seems so," answered nan. "i ran after you two, and we have walked about so many platforms and up and down so many stairs that i can't see or remember the place where father told us to wait for him." "well, there's no danger, that's sure," said bert. "it's a queer place to be lost in--a subway station. i was never in one before, but if we stay here long enough dad is sure to find us. here comes somebody now, looking for us, i guess." a man in a blue suit, carrying a red lantern, and with white numbers on either side of his cap, walked toward the four twins. "is your name bobbsey?" he asked. "yes; but how did you know?" was bert's question. "your father sent me to look for you. he guessed you must have wandered away, and he thought it best to stay where he told you to wait, and let one of us find you. a lot of men are hunting up and down the different platforms for you." "well, i'm glad you found us!" sighed nan. "we didn't know what to do." "just come with me," said the subway guard. "i'll take you to your father," and he did, leading the children down a long platform and over a sort of bridge, then down a flight of steps. though they did not know it, the twins had wandered quite a distance from the place mr. bobbsey had left them. the subway station was a rambling place, with several doors to go in by and come out of, a number of platforms and stairways, and wiser persons than four small children could easily become confused there. when mr. bobbsey came back, after buying his magazine, and could not find his children, he guessed what had happened, and wisely asked a guard to make a search, instead of doing it himself. "for i don't come to new york often enough to be sure of finding my way around in all the odd nooks and corners," said the lumber merchant. "and it wasn't a circus poster at all!" said freddie, after flossie had told what had caused her to wander away. "it was only about chewing gum." speaking of chewing gum made flossie remember she was thirsty, and after mr. bobbsey had thanked the man with the red lantern, and had explained to freddie that it was used to stop trains in case of an accident, the bobbsey party went up out of the underground station and into a candy store. "i know what i'm going to have!" exclaimed freddie. "so do i!" cried flossie. "chocolate soda!" "yes! and i want plenty of cream on top!" "suppose they haven't got any chocolate soda?" remarked mr. bobbsey, with a twinkle in his eye. "oh, i know they've got chocolate soda," remonstrated his little son. "they always have chocolate soda at soda fountains! don't they, flossie?" "of course they do! i don't think it would be a real soda fountain if they didn't have chocolate soda," replied the little girl. "i think i'm going to have an orange phosphate," said bert. "and that is just what i am going to have too," added nan. "phosphate!" cried freddie in wonder. "i wouldn't drink any phosphate! that's what they make matches of." "oh, just hear that!" cried bert, laughing. "freddie thinks they make matches of phosphate." "they do, too!" answered the little boy. "you are thinking of phosphorus, freddie," explained mr. bobbsey. "that is different, and it is poisonous." then the drinks were ordered and quickly served. "and now i want to go to see the big fish!" said freddie, sipping the last drops of his sweet drink. "are there any animals in the 'quarium, daddy?" "well, there aren't any lions or tigers," answered mr. bobbsey. "we'll go to see them later in bronx park. but, of course, fish are animals. it won't take me long to run into city hall and see my friend. then we'll go to the aquarium." left on the top steps of the city hall building, this time the bobbsey twins were found safely there when their father came out, and a little later they were on their way to battery park in a broadway street car, that ran on the ground. "we've ridden under the ground in the subway, over the ground in the elevated and now we're riding _on_ the ground," said nan. "new york is a funny place!" the aquarium, as those of you know who have seen it, is in the round, brown stone building, on a point of land almost the very end of the island of manhattan. it is where the north and east rivers come together to form new york bay, and, years ago, this building was where the immigrants, or people who came to the united states from other countries, were kept for a while until they could be sent out west, or down south, or wherever they wanted to go. now it is a place where many fish, big, little, ugly and beautiful, are shown in tanks of water so the boys and girls can see what strange things are in the ocean, rivers and lakes of this world. led by mr. bobbsey, bert and nan, with flossie and freddie trailing on behind, walked around the big building, looking in the glass tanks wherein swam the fish. "what's over there?" asked freddie, pointing to where a crowd of people were standing near some pools in the middle of the floor. "oh, different big fish--a sea lion, alligators and turtles," said mr. bobbsey. "let's look at the sea lion!" called flossie. "i want to see a swimming turtle," said freddie. "i had a mud turtle once, but he went away." "you shall see everything," promised mr. bobbsey. they went over to the pool, where a number of large alligators, and one crocodile, were lying in or out of the water. some were lazily swimming about, and the crocodile was asleep out on the stone ledge, with his big mouth wide open. "he's waiting for some one to come along and feed him," said bert. "i guess he'd eat a lot," laughed freddie, looking at the rows of big teeth in the crocodile's mouth. they passed on to the pool of the sea lion. that sleek, brown animal was swimming about like a big fish, now and then stopping under one of the pipes where the water ran into his pool, and holding his mouth under the little stream as though taking a drink. now and then he barked like a dog. around the stone ledge, or wall of the pool, was a wire grating, and near the floor was a sort of pipe running all around, so the smaller children could step up on this to look in--something which the big folk did not have to do. "be careful!" cried nan, as flossie leaned well over the edge to get a better look at the sea lion. "you might fall in." "she could get a ride on his back if she did," said freddie. "well, i'm not going to!" exclaimed flossie, drawing back, a little frightened, as the seal splashed the water right under her, some drops going in her face. they watched the seal for a while, went over to the other tanks, where some sturgeon and other big fish swam about, and then freddie called: "i want to see the big turtles! where are they?" "over here," said mr. bobbsey, leading the way toward the south end of the building near the tank, where the green moray--a sort of big eel--was lying half in and half out of a piece of sewer pipe put in his tank to make him feel more at home. "there are the big turtles," and mr. bobbsey lifted flossie up over the rail so she could look down more easily. there were some very large turtles in the tank, swimming by moving their broad flippers. sometimes they would swim about close to the white tiled bottom of the tank, but the water was clear, so they could be seen easily. again the turtles would rise to the top, so that their big, hard shells were out of water, like a raft which the boys build to play with when the city's vacant lots or country meadows are flooded in the spring. in one end of the tank was a big turtle--the largest of all--swimming by himself, and overhead, hung by a wire from the room, was a stuffed one, larger yet. this, so a sign near it said, was a "leather-back turtle," and when alive had weighed eight hundred and fifty pounds. "whew!" whistled bert, looking at the big, stuffed fellow. "he could swim around with two or three boys on _his_ back." "i'd like to have had a ride on him," cried freddie. "but this one is pretty big, too!" and he pointed down at the large swimming turtle, which, just then, stuck his head up out of the water. he seemed to be nearly a yard long and almost as broad. "oh!" screamed flossie, as she saw the big turtle so close to her. "can he get out of the water, daddy?" "no, indeed," laughed mr. bobbsey. "i can't see him very good," said freddie, and he gave a little jump up from the foot-rail on which he was standing. freddie must have jumped up harder and farther than he had any idea of, for before bert, who was standing near his little brother, could put out a hand to hold him, the flaxen-haired twin had fairly dived over the rail, and down into the tank he fell with a great splash. no, not such a great splash, either, for freddie did not fall directly into the water. instead, only his two fat legs and feet went in, for the small boy landed, sitting right up on the broad back of the big turtle! right down on the turtle's back fell freddie bobbsey! chapter xii in the theatre there was a scream from nan, another from flossie, and a sort of grunt of surprise from bert, as they saw freddie disappear over the railing of the tank, and come into view a second later on the back of the turtle, which was as much surprised as, probably, the little boy himself. "here, freddie! what are you doing down there?" asked mr. bobbsey, before he thought what he was saying. he and his wife had so often to ask what flossie or freddie were doing, as the smaller twins were so often in mischief, that the father did it this time. "oh, the turtle will eat him up! the turtle will eat freddie up!" cried flossie. freddie, too, after the first shock of surprise, was frightened, and as he clung with both hands to the edges of the turtle's shell he looked over his shoulder, toward his father and the others, and cried: "oh, get me out, daddy! get me out!" the cries of the children, and the call of mr. bobbsey, had drawn a crowd around the turtle pool, and among the throng were some of the attendants on duty in the aquarium. "what's the matter?" asked one, elbowing his way through the crowd to the side of mr. bobbsey, who was trying to climb over the rail to go to the rescue of his little boy. [illustration: "freddie fell in!" "he's on the back of a big turtle." _the bobbsey twins in a great city. page_ ] "freddie fell in," explained bert. "he's on the back of the big turtle!" "good land!" cried the man. "what will happen here next? come back, sir," he went on to mr. bobbsey, "i'll get him out for you." "then please be quick. he may fall off and the turtle may bite him or drown him," said freddie's father. "well, the turtle _could_ give him a bad bite," returned the aquarium man. "but if he holds on a little longer i'll get your boy." the man jumped up on the ledge of the pool and made his way to the piece of wood that held up the heavy wire screen which divided the turtle pool into two parts, keeping the one big turtle away from the others. all this while freddie sat on the shell of the big turtle, his chubby legs dangling in the water, and his hands grasping the edges of the shell behind the front flippers. the turtle's neck was so short that it could not turn its head to bite freddie, nor could the big flippers reach him. as they had no claws on the ends, they would have done no harm, anyhow, if they had brushed him. the greatest danger was that the turtle might suddenly sink down to the bottom of the pool, and, though it was not very deep, it was deep enough to have let freddie drown. even though the small boy could swim, the turtle might attack him, or knock his head under water, which would have been a great danger to flossie's brother. but, so far, the turtle did not show any wish to sink below the water. it was frightened, that was certain, for it splashed about in the pool and swam as fast as it could, carrying freddie with it. freddie was such a small chap, and the turtle was so large, that it did not mind the weight on its back. but there was no telling when it would sink down. "take me off! take me off!" cried freddie again. "that's all right," said the aquarium man. "don't be afraid, little boy. the turtle won't hurt you, and we'll soon have you off his back. he won't bite you, and you're having a fine ride!" freddie, it seemed, had not thought of that before. "that's so!" he exclaimed, and his face did not show much fright now. "i am having a ride, ain't i?" flossie heard this, and then, instead of being afraid her brother would be hurt, she cried out: "oh, i want a turtle ride, too!" "no!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, who was not so worried, now that he saw the aquarium man on his way to get freddie. "one turtle ride is enough for the family. hold fast, freddie!" he called, as the turtle came around on the side of the pool near to where the bobbseys stood. by this time the man was out on the middle of the wooden piece that held the heavy wire netting, and as the turtle swam near that the man leaned over and quickly lifted freddie from the swimming creature's back. "there you are, my boy!" cried the man, as he held freddie out to another attendant who had come to help. "now you're all right except for wet feet, and we can dry them for you in the engine room." "we have to keep the boilers going in winter to warm the water for the tropical fish," said the man to mr. bobbsey. "take your little boy there and we'll dry his shoes and stockings." "thank you," said mr. bobbsey. by this time freddie was safely out of the turtle pool, and the big creature, relieved of that strange thing on his back, had sunk down to the bottom of the pool, as though to hide away. it was lucky he had kept himself afloat as long as he had, or freddie might have been wet all over. "well, you do seem to have the queerest things happen to you, freddie," said his father with a smile. "what will you do next?" "i--i couldn't help this, daddy," said the little fellow. "i--i just slipped!" "well, don't do it again," said the aquarium man, with a smile. "if you had fallen in the other pool, where there are half a dozen turtles, though none as large as the one you rode on, you might have been bitten. but you're all right. now come along and we'll dry you out." it was an easy matter to dry freddie's feet and legs in front of the warm furnaces in the boiler room, but his shoes and stockings did not get rid of their wetness so soon. and, as mr. bobbsey did not want to wait, he sent one of the attendants out to buy new shoes and stockings for his son. with these on, and carrying the damp ones in a bundle, freddie was soon ready to go home. "i guess i've had enough of the 'quarium," he said. "anyhow i had a funny ride." "i should say you did!" agreed bert. "i wish we had a picture of you riding around on the back of that turtle." mrs. bobbsey was at first alarmed, and then she laughed, when told of what had happened. she made freddie drink some hot milk, so he would not get cold, but he told her the water of the turtle pool was warm, as it always is in winter, and he said: "i don't think i'll even have the snuffles," which he did not, as the next day proved. for two or three days mr. bobbsey was busy attending to his business in new york, but he found time to take the children to see the many sights. "i want to go on a ferryboat and across the brooklyn bridge," said flossie, one day. "oh, i want to go on a ferryboat too. and i want to see what makes the ferryboat go!" cried freddie eagerly. "all right; i'll take you out to-day," answered mr. bobbsey. "and i'll show you as much of the ferryboat as i can," he added. then they went across the brooklyn bridge on a car, and later on they took quite a trip on the ferryboat to st. george, staten island, and back, and freddy even got a glimpse into the engine-room of the boat and went home satisfied. "there is so much to see!" exclaimed nan, after a day spent in the bronx park, where there are many animals. "_i_ don't believe we could see it _all_ in a year." "that's right," agreed bert. "but we're going to see something good this afternoon." "what?" asked flossie. "are we going to another 'quarium?" "no, to a matinée in the theatre," said her larger brother. "it's an awful funny play--anyhow, the billboard pictures are." "are we all going?" asked freddie. "yes," answered mrs. bobbsey. "we are all going." much excited over the joys before them, for in lakeport there was only one theatre, and plays did not show there often, the bobbsey twins made ready to go to the matinée. flossie and nan wore new frocks, and bert and freddie had new suits, so they were quite dressed-up, they felt. the play was a very amusing one, and the children laughed so hard that freddie at last rolled off his seat and had to be picked up by his father. but this only made all the more fun, and the people around the bobbsey family joined in the laughter when an usher helped mr. bobbsey place freddie in his proper place again. then the curtain went down on the first act, and as the lights were turned up the children looked about them. freddie found himself seated next to a boy about his own age, who, with an elderly lady, had come in after the performance began. this was why freddie had not noticed his little neighbor before. "isn't this a dandy show!" cried freddie. "the best i ever saw," answered the boy. "what's your name?" "freddie bobbsey. what's yours?" "laddie dickerson. where do you live?" "we live away up in lakeport, but we're staying at the parkview hotel." "why--why, that's where _we_ live, my mother and my uncle and my aunt. my father is dead. we live at the hotel, except in the summer, when we go to the seashore. what floor are you on?" "the tenth. i know 'cause i holler it out when we come up in the elevator." "why, _we_ live on the tenth floor, too," said laddie dickerson. "it's funny i never saw you." "and it's funny i never saw you," replied freddie. "say, come and play with me, will you?" "sure i will! well have lots of fun. i've got a train of cars." "i've got a fire engine!" said freddie, his eyes big with delight. "oh, what fun we'll have!" "hush, freddie dear," said his mother, for the little boy was talking rather loudly. "the curtain is going up again." chapter xiii the "rescue" of freddie during the rest of the play the attention of freddie and flossie, who sat near him, was divided between laddie, the new boy, and the things happening on the stage. both were so jolly--the funny things the actors did and the chance of having a new playmate--that the two smaller bobbsey twins did not know which was best. "don't you like this show?" asked freddie of laddie, when the curtain went down again. "yes. it's great! but i'm glad you're comin' to play with me," laddie answered. "so'm i," answered freddie. "you're glad too, aren't you, flossie?" "of course i am," said the little girl. "does _she_--_she_ play with you?" asked laddie, nodding his head toward freddie's little sister, as if in surprise. "of course she does. we have lots of fun. why?" "but she's a _girl!_" "of _course_ she's a girl," agreed freddie. "she couldn't be my sister if she wasn't a _girl_. i've got another sister, too, but she's bigger. she's sitting on the end of the row. she plays with bert and flossie plays with me. we're two sets of twins. don't you like girls?" "well, i don't know," said laddie slowly. "i never played with 'em much. i--i like your sister, though. she can play with us. do you ever play store?" "lots of times," said freddie. "we take some dirt for sugar, some little stones for eggs, some big stones for loaves of bread, clam shells and pieces of tin for dishes--we have lots of fun like that. but we haven't had any fun that way since we came to new york. i fell on a turtle's back in the 'quarium, though, and had a ride." "you did!" cried laddie, so loudly that many persons in near-by seats turned to smile at him. "sure i did," answered freddie. "i'll tell you about it. i was scared at first, but----" "laddie, dear, the curtain is going up and you had better keep quiet," said the elderly lady who was with the new boy. "is she your mother?" freddie asked. "no, she's my aunt. my mother is out in california, but she's comin' home soon, and i'm glad of it, though my aunt is awful nice." "hush!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, thinking it was freddie talking, for now the last act had started. so the two little boys quieted down, each one resolved to start talking again as soon as he could. the last act of the show proved to be uproariously funny, and freddie laughed and laughed until he was in danger of rolling on the floor again. but he was held fast in his seat, and so that danger was averted. "say, freddie, wouldn't you like to be an actor man?" questioned flossie, during a brief interval in the play. "sure, i'm going to be an actor man when i grow up," responded her brother quickly. "but you're going to be a fireman too, ain't you?" queried his sister. "of course! i'm going to be an actor man and a fireman too," replied freddie. "i can act in a theatre when there aren't any fires to be put out." "but what would you do if you were all dressed up as an actor man when you had to go out to ?" asked his sister. "oh, i'd just tell the people that i couldn't act any more, and then i'd run right out and get my engine," answered freddie simply. "i guess i'd like to be an actor man too," put in laddie. "i heard a big boy tell once that they earn bushels and bushels of money." "sure, they do," answered freddie. "they make a thousand dollars a minute, i guess." the play ended in a jolly lot of fun and music, and everybody was laughing when the final curtain went down. fathers and mothers, who had come to bring their children, talked with one another, though they were strangers, and it was because of this that mrs. bobbsey, when freddie and laddie started to talk together again about the turtle ride, nodded and smiled at the elderly lady with whom laddie had come to the theatre. "my little boy seems to have taken quite a fancy to yours," said the twins' mother. "oh, he isn't my boy, though i love him as though he were," said this lady. "laddie is my sister-in-law's boy, but she is in california. my husband and i are taking care of laddie." "and freddie is coming to play store and steam cars and automobile and steam engine, with me, and--and----" laddie paused, trying to think of something else. "fireman," said freddie. "we're going to play fireman." "oh, yes," agreed laddie. "i forgot about that. we're going to play fireman." "and i'm going to play with 'em," added flossie. "yes, she can come," said laddie to his aunt. "i guess i'll like her, though i don't know much about playin' with girls," he added. "well, you seem to have it all settled," laughed his aunt. the bobbseys and their new friends were standing in the theatre aisle, waiting for the crowds ahead of them to pass out. "we're strangers in new york," added mrs. bobbsey. "we are staying at the parkview hotel----" "why, that's where my husband and i have been living for a number of years," said freddie's aunt. "my husband has a department store in harlem, but he likes to live in this section. i like the hotel very much. won't you let me call to see you?" mrs. bobbsey said she would be very glad to, and so the two ladies, having thus met, became friends, which laddie and freddie had done a little while before. laddie's aunt, whose name was mrs. whipple, said she would be glad to have freddie and flossie, as well as nan and bert, come in to play with laddie. "though i am afraid your two larger twins are rather old for our small boy," said mrs. whipple, who had no children of her own. "yes, nan and bert are getting a little older," said mrs. bobbsey. "but freddie and flossie will be delighted to have a new play-fellow." so it was arranged that the next day the two small twins were to go to the whipple apartment to play with laddie, and flossie and freddie could hardly wait for that time to come. "oh, i think new york is just the _nicest_ place!" said flossie, as she talked with freddie about whether or not she might bring one doll with her when she went to laddie's hotel home. "it's dandy!" said freddie. "don't you wish you were coming with us, bert?" "pooh! dad is going to take _me_ to see the airships go up down at governor's island. they go up even in winter, for the airmen want to get used to the cold, i guess," bert said. "oh, i want to see the airships!" cried freddie. "can't daddy take me, too?" he asked his mother. "well, not this time, freddie," said mr. bobbsey. "you and flossie are going to have some fun with laddie. i'll take you later." and with this the small twins had to be satisfied. so, while nan and bert were taken downtown, to get a glimpse of the airships flying over new york bay, which the bird-like craft did, in charge of army officers, who wished to learn to fly, even when there was snow on the ground, the small twins, taking some of their toys with them, went to the hotel rooms where laddie dickerson lived with his aunt. "did you bring the bugs that go around and around and around?" asked flossie, as their mother knocked at mrs. whipple's door. "yep," answered freddie, "and i brought my toy fire engine, too. i wonder if she'll let us squirt real water?" and he nodded toward the door that was not yet opened by laddie's aunt. "you mustn't do that unless you are told you may," said mrs. bobbsey. "if you squirt water you may spoil the wall paper." "we'll be careful," promised freddie, and then mrs. whipple's maid opened the door, and the twins went in to have a good time. laddie was very glad to see them, and he was much amused at the "go-around" bugs. he had a number of toys of his own, and when the children were tired of playing with them, and with those the bobbsey twins had brought, they began to have a make-believe store. "i've got some real store boxes and things," said laddie, as he brought them out from his play-room. "oh, they _are_ real!" cried flossie, as she saw them. "isn't they grand! where'd you get 'em?" "my uncle dan gave them to me," said laddie. "he keeps a real store, and he sells hats and dresses and lots of things." "what's the name of his store?" asked freddie. "he's daniel whipple," answered laddie. "he is my mother's brother--her name was whipple, too, before she was married to my father. and my middle name is whipple. i go to my uncle dan's store lots of times; it's an awful big one." "i know it is!" cried freddie. "i've been in it!" "you have?" cried laddie in surprise. "when?" asked flossie. "when were we in laddie's uncle's store?" "don't you 'member?" went on freddie. "it was the time the monkey chewed your hat, flossie. we went into a store to buy a new one, and daddy came there and found us and the man's name was whipple." "that's right--it was," agreed flossie. "oh, isn't that _funny!_ and now we're playing with _you_, laddie." "it is queer, i'm going to tell my aunt." and when laddie did, mrs. whipple remembered having heard her husband tell about the two little lost children who came into his department store after a street-piano monkey had spoiled a little girl's hat. "and to think _you_ two are those same children!" cried mrs. whipple. "it is quite remarkable, and new york such a big place as it is. i must tell my husband. he's laddie's uncle, you know." "i've got another uncle, too, but we don't know where he is," went on laddie. "is he lost at sea?" asked freddie. "if he is, i know how to find him. just ask tommy todd's father. he was shipwrecked, and me and flossie found him in a snow storm." "you must tell me about that some time," said mrs. whipple. "but laddie's other uncle isn't lost at sea, so far as we know. it's too sad a story to tell to children. but mr. whipple has a brother, who is also a brother to laddie's mother, but this brother has long been lost." "how'd he get lost?" asked freddie. "did he go to the store and couldn't find his way back?" "no, my child. it was different from that. i'll tell you, perhaps, another time. go on with your play now." so laddie, freddie and flossie went back to their "store," and had lots of fun. then they played other games, using freddie's fire engine and laddie's train of cars, and even flossie's doll, who rode as a passenger. "well, what'll we do next?" asked freddie, when he and laddie had taken turns squirting water from the fire engine in the bath room. "let's play automobile," said laddie. "i can get----" he stopped talking and seemed to be listening. "what's the matter?" asked flossie, as laddie hurried to a window that looked down into a side street. "it's a fire!" cried laddie. "i can hear the puffers! come on! it's right down this side street!" flossie and freddie looked out of the window long enough to see a crowd of people in front of a store not far from the hotel, which was on a corner. and in the street, which was a side one, as laddie had said, were a number of fire engines. "let's go down!" cried freddie, all excited at what he saw. "oh, you mustn't!" gasped flossie. "course we can," declared laddie. "my aunt always lets me look at a fire when it's near here, and this is awful close. maybe this hotel will burn down." "oh-o-o-o!" cried flossie. "where's my doll?" and she ran to get her pet. "come on, we'll go!" said freddie to laddie. "girls don't like fires, but we boys do." "sure," said laddie. "we'll go, all right. my aunt's looking out the front window, and we can go out the side door and down the elevator," he went on. "i know all the elevator men, 'cause i've lived in this hotel a whole year. my aunt won't care 'cause she won't see us, so she won't be worried. i don't like her to worry." "me either," said freddie. so the two little boys, making sure mrs. whipple was still looking from the front windows of her apartment, to see what all the excitement was about, stole out of a door into the side hall and so reached the elevators. "down, george!" called laddie to the colored elevator man. "down it am, master laddie," was the good-natured answer. "where is yo'all gwine?" "to see the fire," was the answer. "don't he talk funny?" asked laddie of freddie, as they left the elevator at the ground floor. "he talks just like our colored cook, dinah," said freddie. "did you ever see her?" "nope." "you ought to eat some of her pancakes," went on freddie. "i'll write, when i have a chance, and ask her to send you some." "oh, hear the engines whistlin'!" cried laddie. "hurry up, or maybe they'll be gone before we get there." the fire was not near enough to the hotel to cause any danger, though many of the hotel guests were excited, and so no attention was paid to the small boys, freddie and laddie, as they hurried out to see all that was going on. there was a crowd in the side street and more engines and hook and ladder trucks were dashing up to help put out the fire. from the blazing store great clouds of black smoke were pouring out, and firemen were rushing here and there. laddie looked for a while at the exciting scene and then he called to freddie: "i'm going back and get my aunt. she likes to look at fires." "all right; i'll wait for you here," freddie said. they had been standing not far away from the side entrance to the hotel, and as laddie turned to go back after his aunt, freddie walked down the street a little way, nearer the fire. "i can see laddie and his aunt when they come," thought the small boy. but just then a bigger crowd, anxious to watch the fire, came around the corner, and, rushing down the narrow side street, fairly pushed freddie ahead of them. "here! wait a minute! i don't want to go so fast!" cried the little fellow. "i want to wait for laddie!" no one paid any attention to him, and he was swept along, half carried off his feet by the rush, until at last he found himself standing alone, almost in front of the burning store. "oh, i can see fine here!" thought freddie. "i wish laddie and his aunt would hurry and come here. wow! this is great!" freddie was so excited watching the puffing engines, seeing the big black clouds of smoke, and the leaping, darting tongues of lire from the windows of the burning building, also watching the firemen squirt big streams of water on the blaze, that he did not think of himself, and the first he realized was when some one shouted at him: "stand back there, youngster!" freddie did not know he was the "youngster" meant, and stood where he was. "get back there!" cried the voice again. "you may be hurt!" but freddie was busy watching the fire. he wished he had brought his own little engine with him. "i could squirt water on some of the little sparks, anyhow," he said to himself. "i guess i'll go back and get it, and find laddie and his aunt." freddie was about to turn when suddenly he saw a fireman in a white rubber coat, which showed he was one of the chiefs, or head men, rushing toward him. "get back! get back!" cried this fireman. "don't you know you're inside the fire lines!" then for the first time freddie noticed that back of him was stretched a rope, behind which stood the crowd of men and boys. freddie was so small that he had slipped under the rope, not knowing it. he had either slipped under himself or been pushed by the throng. "get back! get back!" cried the fireman. the next instant there was a loud noise, as if a gun had been fired, and freddie felt himself being lifted up and carried along quickly. chapter xiv the store camp the noise like a gun which freddie heard was made when something exploded, or blew up, in the burning store, and at first freddie thought he had been blown up with it and was flying through the air. then, as he opened his eyes (for he had closed them when the strange thing began to happen) he saw that he was in the arms of the fireman with the white rubber coat, and the fireman was smiling down at him. "am i--am i hurted?" freddie asked. "bless your little heart! of course not!" was the answer. "but you might have been if you had stayed where you were--not so much hurt by the fire, for that's almost out--as by the crowd. how did you get past the fire lines?" "i--i didn't see 'em," said freddie. "back in lakeport, where i live, we don't have fire lines, though i've got a fish line." "humph! you're from the country, all right. where do you live, and how comes it your father let you out in the streets during a fire?" "i live in the parkview hotel and my father didn't let me out. he's gone to see the airships with nan and bert, and laddie and i came out to see the fire ourselves. flossie stayed with her doll. laddie went back to get his aunt, 'cause she likes fires--i mean to see 'em--and i waited for him, and--and----" "yes, i guess you don't know _what_ happened next," laughed the fireman. "but as i want to telephone to headquarters about one of the engines that is broken, i'll use the hotel 'phone, and, at the same time, take you back where you belong. you're too little to get inside the ropes at a new york fire." "i'm going to be a fireman when i grow up," said freddie, as the assistant chief carried him into the corridor of the hotel. "well, that won't be for some time yet, and while you're waiting to grow up don't go too near fires--they're dangerous. there you are, and i think some one is looking for you," the fireman went on, as he saw a lady rushing toward him when he set freddie down. "that's my mother," said freddie. "oh, freddie! where have you been?" cried mrs. bobbsey, for when she heard of a fire she went in search of the two small twins, and could not find them in mrs. whipple's rooms. "i've been to the fire, and i was rescued," answered freddie. "he did it," and he pointed to the white-coated fireman. "oh, he really wasn't in any real danger," the assistant chief said, taking off his heavy helmet and bowing to mrs. bobbsey. "he was inside the fire lines and i carried him here." "oh, i can't thank you enough!" cried freddie's mother. "i never knew him to do such a thing as that before. but he is simply wild about fires!" "yes, most boys are." then the fireman telephoned about the broken engine. freddie told his mother how he and laddie came to go down to watch the "puffers" (part of which story flossie had already told mrs. bobbsey), and then along came laddie and his aunt. mrs. whipple was almost as much worried as was mrs. bobbsey. but everything came out all right; no one was hurt, and the fire, though it badly burned the store in which it started, did not get near the hotel or any other buildings. but freddie could not forget about his "rescue," as he called it, and when his father, with nan and bert, came home that evening the story had all to be told over again. "but you and laddie did wrong to go down to the fire without telling laddie's aunt," said mr. bobbsey to his small son. "you must never do it again!" "i never will," promised freddie. "but i was rescued all right, wasn't i?" "i guess so," and mr. bobbsey had to turn his head away so freddie would not see his smile. laddie, flossie and freddie soon became fast friends, and when the smaller bobbsey twins were not being taken about new york, to see what to them were very wonderful sights, they were either playing in the rooms of mrs. whipple or in their own at the hotel. bert and nan were a little too old for this kind of fun, but they met, in the same hotel, a brother and sister of about their own age--frank and helen porter--with whom they had good times. mr. bobbsey had to spend many days looking after the business that had brought him to new york, but mrs. bobbsey was free to go about with the children. she took nan and bert shopping with her sometimes, leaving flossie and freddie with mrs. whipple. this suited the small twins, for laddie and they were great friends and played well together. other times bert and nan would go to the park, or somewhere with the porter brother and sister, and mrs. bobbsey would take flossie and freddie to a matinée or the moving pictures. "oh, i think new york is just the nicest place in the world," said nan one afternoon, after a trip she and bert had had on top of a fifth avenue automobile stage, frank and helen porter having gone with them. "yes, it is nice," agreed bert "but it's nice in lakeport, too. you can't have fun riding down hill here, and the skating isn't as good as on our lake metoka. and i haven't seen an ice-boat since we came here, except in moving pictures. i wonder how tommy todd is making out with mine." "hasn't he written to you?" asked nan. "no; but he promised he would. guess i'll write him a postal now and ask him how the _bird_ is sailing." "and i'll write to some of the girls in lakeport," said nan. i had forgotten to tell you that some time before this, mr. whipple, the man who owned the store where flossie's hat was bought the day the monkey chewed up hers, had met the two smaller twins in his wife's rooms one day, when flossie and freddie had come to play with laddie. "why, those are the two little children who were on the elevated express," said the store owner, in surprise. "that's so, you do know them, don't you?" returned mrs. whipple. "i should say i did!" cried her husband, and he told all that had happened, while mrs. whipple related how laddie, flossie and freddie had come to know one another in the theatre. mr. whipple, at another time, once more met mr. bobbsey, whom he had seen that day in the store, and the two families became very good friends, though mr. whipple was so busy he did not have much time for calling. one evening, however, mr. whipple came home from the store rather earlier than usual, and, finding flossie and freddie in his apartments playing with laddie, the store-owner asked: "how would you youngsters like to come and see a woodland camp--a camp with tents, a real fire, where a man is cooking his dinner and all that? how would you like it?" "oh, please take us!" begged laddie. "where is it?" freddie asked, ready to go at once. "in my store," said mr. whipple. "a store is a funny place for a camp in the woods," said freddie. he and flossie had often pretended to camp out in a tent made from a blanket or quilt, and they knew what it meant. "well, you just come and see it," laughed mr. whipple. "if your folks say it's all right, i'll take you all to-morrow." "oh, we'll come!" cried freddie. "i love a camp!" chapter xv sad news bert and nan bobbsey were so interested when they heard that freddie and flossie were going to see some sort of a camping scene at mr. whipple's store that they, too, begged to be allowed to join the party. "come right along!" exclaimed the merchant. "the more the merrier. i hope you'll like it." "is it a real camp, with trees and all?" asked freddie. "well, there are some real bushes, and make-believe trees," said mr. whipple. "i couldn't grow real big woodland trees in my store, you know. but the tent is real, so is the fire, and the men who are camping out eat real food." "i'd like that part," said flossie. "well, come along, then," invited mr. whipple. mrs. bobbsey, as well as mrs. whipple, were to go with the five children, and they made up a merry party as they set out for the uptown department store. "oh, we're going in an automobile!" cried freddie, as they came out of the parkview hotel and saw a big car standing at the curb. the chauffeur got down off his seat and opened the door as he saw mr. and mrs. whipple. "yes, this is our machine," said the merchant. "i don't care much for riding around new york, though in the summer i take long trips in the car. but as we have so many children with us to-day," and he looked at nan, bert, flossie, freddie and laddie, "it will be better to go in the machine." on the way up, through the streets of the great city, the bobbsey twins, as did laddie, looked out of the windows at the many sights. once freddie saw a fire engine speeding on its way to some blaze. "oh, let's get out and watch!" he begged. "of course we can't do that!" said mrs. bobbsey. "but maybe the fireman who rescued me will be there," went on freddie. "i'd like to see him again." "i'll take you around to his fire house some time," promised mr. whipple. "won't that do as well?" freddie thought it would, and then he noticed a street piano, on top of which perched a monkey. "maybe that's the one who tore your hat, flossie," he said. "no, this is a bigger one," returned the little girl. "besides, if he is the same one i don't want to see him. i feel sorry about the nice cherries on my hat." "don't you like the one you and your brother bought in my store?" asked mr. whipple, with a laugh. "oh, yes, it's awful nice," said flossie. "but it hasn't any _cherries_ on it. but i like it just as well," she went on quickly, thinking, i suppose, that it might not be polite to say she did not. "and now for the woodland camp!" cried mr. whipple, as they got out of his automobile in front of his store. "you see," he explained to mrs. bobbsey, "i sell a good many things that campers use--tents, pots, pans, fishing rods and lines, lanterns, axes, cook stoves, boats, canoes, guns and so on. every year i set up, on the top floor of the store, a sort of woodland scene--a camp. i get real bushes from the woods and some logs. then my men fix up a place to make it look as nearly like the real woods as we can. we have real moss and dirt on the ground, and a little spring of water. there is a real tent--two of them, in fact--and in one there are cots for sleeping, while in the other the meals are cooked. "i hire some real campers to stay in my store camp, and they live almost as they would if they were actually camping out. this is to show the people how to use the camping things i sell. it is a new kind of advertisement, you see." "and a very good one, i should think," said mrs. bobbsey. "it sounds great!" cried bert. "i wish we could go camping! do you think we ever could, mother?" "well, i don't know," answered mrs. bobbsey slowly. "i did hear your father say something about going to camp this summer, but warm weather is a long way from us yet. we'll see." "oh, i believe we can go camping!" cried nan to bert in an excited whisper, as they entered the store elevator. "won't it be wonderful?" "great!" said bert "i wouldn't want anything better than to camp on an island in some lake." by this time they were up on the top floor of the big department store owned by mr. whipple, and at one end the twins and laddie could see a number of persons. "that's the camp," said mr. whipple. "i don't believe you've seen it this year, have you, laddie?" "no, uncle dan. is it different from last year?" for the store-owner had the camp set up each winter. "yes, it's a little different. there is a new kind of tent, and the men are different." mr. whipple found a good place for the children to look in on the store camp. as he had said, there were the two tents, and, on some earth and moss between them, a real camp fire was burning, while a man, dressed just as you have seen campers in pictures, was cooking something in a pot over the blaze. in one tent a table was set for a meal, and while the bobbsey twins and the others looked on, the two men and a boy, who made up the store camping party, put their food on the table and began to eat. they acted as though they were in a real camp, and as though they were not being watched by hundreds of eyes. they talked among themselves, washed their dishes after the dinner and then shot at a target with a small rifle, which sent out real bullets. the boys--bert, freddie and laddie--liked this part very much. "it certainly looks like the real thing," was bert's remark. "and the best part of it is, everything is so new and clean." "it makes me feel hungry to look at 'em eat," was laddie's comment. "oh, look at them shoot at that target!" cried freddie excitedly. "i'd like to do that." "you'd have to be careful, so that you didn't shoot yourself," replied his brother. all about the tents in the store camp were things mr. whipple sold for those who wanted to take them to a real camp. "there are some things here i'd like when i go camping," said bert. "i'm going to ask my father to get them," he told mr. whipple. "that will be nice. i asked your father to meet us here and have lunch," said the store owner, for there was a restaurant in his building. "i thought perhaps he'd like to see the camp himself." "i'm sure he would," said bert. "i hope he comes." then the bobbseys and others looked at the camp some more, bert being very much interested in a small canoe, which, he said, would be just right for him and tommy todd to paddle. "wouldn't you let me paddle with you?" asked nan. "i know how--a little." "sure i'll let you," agreed her brother. "oh, i do hope dad will let us go camping!" mr. bobbsey came in a little later, and he liked the store camp very much. he said he and his wife had talked of going to a camp in the summer, and taking the children with them, but it was not all settled as yet. "there's no better fun than camping out," said mr. whipple. "i used to do it when i was a boy, and i made up my mind that if ever i kept a store, which i always wanted to do, i'd sell camping things in it. and that's just what i'm doing," he added with a laugh. "doesn't this place make you think of our woods at home?" asked nan of bert. "yes, it does look like the woods around lake metoka," was his answer. "and it's just like the place where uncle jack has his camp!" cried freddie. "have the children an uncle who is a camper?" asked mr. whipple. "no," answered mr. bobbsey, "but there is an old woodchopper, who lives in a log cabin near our town of lakeport. he makes a living by chopping firewood. he lives all alone, and really sort of camps out. every one calls him uncle jack. he was very good to flossie and freddie one day when they fell out of bert's ice-boat. "poor uncle jack!" went on mr. bobbsey, with a sigh. "i am sorry to say i have bad news about him," he went on to his wife, but the children heard, though he spoke in a low voice. "uncle jack!" cried nan. "i hope he isn't dead!" "no," answered her father, "but he is very ill, and he must go to a hospital, i am told. it's too bad about him." chapter xvi the big elephant "what's the matter with uncle jack?" asked mrs. bobbsey, "and how did you hear about him, richard?" she asked her husband. "i had a letter from my bookkeeper," was the answer. "before we came away i left word that the poor old man must be looked after, and i arranged to have news of him sent on to me. to-day i got a letter which says he is much worse than he has been, and really needs to go to a hospital. i think i shall have to raise the money to send him." "who is he?" asked mr. whipple. "i am interested. who is this uncle jack?" "he's just the nicest man!" cried flossie. "he took us in when freddie upset the ice-boat, and----" "i didn't upset the ice-boat--it upset _itself!_" freddie cried. "easy now, children! don't dispute," said mrs. bobbsey gently. "uncle jack is quite a character around lakeport," went on mr. bobbsey. "i don't know all his story, but he has lived in the woods for a number of years. where he was before that i don't know." "he don't know hardly anything about his folks, daddy!" piped up freddie. "how do you know?" asked mr. bobbsey. "he told us so," put in flossie. "it was that day he took us in his house, after we got spilled from the ice-boat." "well, perhaps that is right," said mr. bobbsey, when the two small twins had told what uncle jack had related to them. "they really know more about him than i do. all i know is that he is a good, faithful old man. he sells us wood and many of my friends buy of him. we help him all we can. "i suppose he must have had _some_ folks once upon a time, but, as he says, he has lost track of them. the bad news i have about him is that he needs to go to the hospital. i think he will not get well if he does not have a good doctor. he was so good to my children that i want to help him, and i am going to tell my bookkeeper to arrange for sending uncle jack where he can be taken care of. i'll pay the bill. he wouldn't take the money from me, but he won't know about this." "just a minute," said mr. whipple, as he led the way down to the restaurant in his store. "you say this old man lives in the woods?" "yes, he is a regular woodsman. he was a hunter and trapper once, i believe, though he has spent most of his life working for farmers. he loves now to live by himself in a sort of camp." "i love camping myself," said mr. whipple, "and that is why i am so interested in selling things for campers. i love anybody who loves the woods, and, while i do not know this uncle jack, i'd like to help look after him." "i shall be very glad to have you join me," said mr. bobbsey; and the twins, listening to this talk, though they did not understand all of it, knew that their old woodsman friend was going to be cured if it were found to be possible. "we'll join each other in looking after him," went on mr. whipple. "you must let me pay half." and to this the children's father agreed. he said he would write back at once to his office, and tell some one there to look after the old woodchopper. "is there any other news from lakeport?" mrs. bobbsey asked her husband at the restaurant dinner table, while the children were busy talking among themselves. "no, not much. everything is all right, i believe. i have some news for you, though, bert," he went on, as his older son glanced across the table. "what is it?" bert questioned. "did tommy todd go through the ice in the _bird?_" "no, but it has to do with the ice-boat. he went in a race in her on lake metoka, and, what is better, he won." "hurray for tommy todd!" cried bert, so loudly that persons at other tables in the store dining room looked over and smiled, at which bert's ears became very red. "did you hear anything of my friends?" asked nan. "no, my dear," answered her father. "and the reason i happened to have news for bert was because tommy's father wrote to me about some business matters, and tommy slipped in a little note himself. here it is, bert." it was just a little letter telling about the ice-boat, and tommy expressed the wish that bert would soon come home to help sail it in other races. "i'd like to be back in lakeport," said bert, "but we're having such a good time here in new york i don't want to leave. guess i'll write and tell tommy so." after dinner mr. whipple showed the bobbseys and laddie about the big store, and each of the children was allowed to pick out a simple gift to take away. nan took a pretty ribbon; bert a book he had long wanted; flossie a piece of silk to make a dress for her doll, and freddie saw in the toy department a little hose cart which, he said, was just what he wanted to go with his engine. mr. whipple gave it to freddie, who was very much pleased. for his present from his uncle, laddie picked out a little gun, which shot a cork. "i can't break any of the hotel windows with this," he said to his aunt. "did you ever break any windows?" asked flossie, rather surprised. "once. i had a little wooden cannon that shot wooden balls. i shot one right through the window of our parlor, and the next ball hit george, the elevator boy, who was coming in with a telegram." "and after that i had to take the cannon away from him," said mrs. whipple, with a smile. "but i think the cork pop-gun will be all right." never had the bobbsey twins had as much fun as they did the day of their visit to mr. whipple's store. they were sorry when the late afternoon gave the signal for starting back home. "but we'll have fun to-morrow," said bert to nan, as they reached their hotel. "how do you know?" she asked. "'cause i heard daddy tell mother he was going to take us to bronx park to see the animals." "oh, will we see the monkeys?" cried flossie, who heard what her older brother had said. "well, there are plenty of them there, so i've read," went on bert, "big ones, too." "i like little monkeys best, even if one did pull my hat to pieces," went on flossie. "oh, i wish to-morrow would hurry up and come." to-morrow finally did come, after the bobbsey twins had gone to bed, though when it came it was to-day instead of to-morrow. but that's the way it always happens, doesn't it? "all aboard for the bronx!" cried bert as, with his sisters and brother he followed mr. bobbsey into the subway train that would take them to the big animal park. if ever you are in new york, i hope you will go to see this place. there are many strange animals in it, and it has beautiful birds and gardens also. of course, when the bobbsey twins went it was in winter, and most of the animals had to be kept shut up in their cages in the warm houses. some, however, like the deer, buffalo and other cattle, could stay out of doors even in cold weather. there were so many things to see, even though it was winter, when the park is not at its prettiest, that the bobbsey twins hardly knew where to look first. flossie and freddie were anxious to get to the house where the monkeys were. some of the larger ones were uglier than they were funny, and in front of the cages were many persons who never seemed to tire of looking at the queer tricks the "four-handed" animals played on each other. you might say a monkey had five hands, for those that have tails certainly use them as much as they do their paws. "oh, look at that one big monkey, chewing a straw just like some of the men in front of the hotel at home chew toothpicks," said nan, pointing to a chimpanzee crouched in a corner of his cage. he did, indeed, look like a little old man thoughtfully chewing on a toothpick. and he was so natural, and so much in earnest about it, that the bobbsey twins, all four of them, burst out laughing. this seemed to surprise the chimpanzee. he darted toward the front bars of his cage, shook them, as if in anger, and then ran into a corner, turning his back on the people. "just like a spoiled child," said mrs. bobbsey. "well, where shall we go next?" asked mr. bobbsey, for whenever he and his wife took the children on a little pleasure trip, the parents allowed the twins to choose their own places to go, and what to see, as long as it was all right. "let's go to see the elephants," cried freddie. "i haven't seen any since we went to the circus." "i want to see 'em too, and feed 'em peanuts!" added flossie. "no one is allowed to feed the animals in the park," said mr. bobbsey. "it isn't good for them to be eating all the while, and i suppose an elephant would keep on eating peanuts as long as you'd feed them to him. so we can't offer the big animals anything. they get all that is really good for them." as it was cold, the elephants were all inside the big elephant house, with its several cages, in the front of which were heavy iron bars, set wide apart. "they are close enough together to keep the elephants in," said mr. bobbsey, when his wife pointed out these bars, "though i suppose some animals might get out between them." "whew! they _are_ big!" cried freddie, when he stood close in front of one of the cages, or dens, and saw the elephant swaying to and fro back of the iron bars. "i wouldn't like one like him to step on me." "i should say not!" laughed bert. "even a baby elephant would be too heavy. look at this one stretch out his trunk to us. he wants something to eat, i guess!" the big elephant, in front of whose barred cage the bobbsey twins stood, did seem to be begging for something to eat. flossie had carried from the hotel a rosy-cheeked apple, which the waiter had given her at breakfast. not wanting to eat it, she carried it with her to the park, and had it in her hand. now, for some reason or other, probably without thinking, she held it out to the elephant. the big animal saw what she was doing and turned toward flossie. "oh, you mustn't feed the elephant!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "it's against the rules." "i'm not feeding him, mother," flossie answered. "i'm just lettin' him _smell_ it. it smells awful good!" and just then the apple slipped from flossie's hand and rolled or bounced straight into the elephant's cage, between the iron bars. "oh, my nice apple!" cried the little girl, and before any one could stop her she had crawled under the front rail, and had run in between the bars. right into the cage of the big elephant ran flossie after her apple. chapter xvii called home for a moment mr. bobbsey, as well as his wife, was so surprised at what flossie had done that neither could say or do anything. they just stood and looked at the little girl who was walking toward the apple, which lay in the straw just in front of the big elephant. nan and bert, however, together gave a cry of fear and bert made a jump as though he intended to go into the elephant's cage, also. his father, however, stepped in front of him, and said quietly: "one child in there is enough at a time. i'll get flossie!" and flossie, not at all thinking of danger, if danger there was, kept going on to get her apple. the elephant, as it happened, was chained by one leg to a heavy iron ring in the side of his cage, and he could move only a short distance. but he was so anxious to get the apple that he stretched his legs as far as he could, pulling hard on the chain, and then he stretched out his trunk. and truly it seemed made of rubber, that elephant's trunk did, from the way he stuck it out. but, stretch as he did, the elephant could not quite reach the apple, which he wanted very much. "no, you mustn't take it!" flossie was saying. "you can't have my apple! i was only going to let you smell it, mr. elephant. it isn't good for you to eat it, my mother says. i'll take it back and maybe some day i'll bring you another." by this time flossie was almost within reach of her red-cheeked apple, but, what was worse, she was also almost within reach of that trunk, which, however soft and gentle it might seem when picking up a peanut, was very strong, and could squeeze a big man or a little girl very hard indeed--that is, if the elephant was a bad one and wanted to do such a thing. "oh, flossie! come back! come back!" cried mrs. bobbsey, who had been so frightened at first that she could not say a word. "i want to get my apple," answered the little girl. "the elephant can't have it! i only wanted to let him smell how good it would taste if he could eat it." she was stooping over now, to pick up the fruit, and the tip of the long trunk was brushing the fluffy hair on flossie's head. nan covered her face with her hands, and bert looked eagerly about, as though for something to throw at the big animal. mr. bobbsey was climbing over the rail that was in front of the elephant's cage, and the people around were calling and shouting. the elephant really did have the end of one of flossie's curls on the tip of his trunk, when along came one of the keepers, or animal trainers. somebody had sent him word, that a little girl was in one of the animal cages. the keeper knew right away what to do. "back, ganges!" he cried to the big elephant. "get back there! back! back!" the elephant raised his trunk high in the air, and made a funny trumpeting noise through it, as though half a dozen big men had all blown their noses at once. then, as the keeper himself went in between the bars, the elephant slowly backed to the far end, his chain clanking as he did so. "there! i got my apple!" cried flossie, as she picked it up from where it had rolled in the straw. and then, before she knew what was happening, the keeper picked her up and carried her to the outside rail, where he placed her in mr. bobbsey's arms. "oh, flossie! flossie!" cried mrs. bobbsey, with tears in her eyes. "why did you do it?" "why, i had to get my apple," answered the little girl. "did you think the elephant would bite me?" "he might," said mr. bobbsey, who was a little pale. "you must never do such a thing again, flossie, no matter how many apples roll into elephants' cages." "oh, ganges wouldn't have hurt her," said the keeper. "at least i don't believe he would, though he might have pinched her with his trunk if he had gotten the apple and she had tried to take it away from him. he's a very gentle elephant, and in the summer many children ride on his back about the park." "oh, could i have a ride on his back?" asked freddie, who had been anxiously watching to see what happened to flossie. "not now, little man," answered the keeper. "it is too cold for the elephants to go out of doors now. if you're here in the summer you and your sister may have lots of rides." "then i'm coming in the summer!" cried freddie. "oh, i don't believe i'd ever let you go near an elephant!" said mrs. bobbsey. "i was so frightened when i saw flossie." "there really wasn't any danger!" said the keeper again. "here, i'll show you how gentle ganges is." the man went in the cage and the elephant, whose name was ganges, seemed very glad to see his keeper. when the man called out an order the elephant lowered his trunk, made a sort of loop at one end, and when the keeper stepped in this the elephant raised him high in the air. "i have taught him two or three tricks," said the man, coming back to the railing, outside of which stood the bobbsey twins, their father and mother and a crowd of others who had heard what had happened. "he is a good elephant." "couldn't he have my apple?" asked flossie. "i'm not so very hungry for it, and if i want one daddy will get me another. won't you, daddy?" she asked, kissing her father, who was still holding her. "i will if you promise never to go inside an elephant's cage again," he answered. "oh, i never will," said flossie. "here, you give him the apple," she said, holding it out to the keeper. "i guess he wants it." "oh, he _wants_ it, all right!" laughed the man. "and, though it is not exactly according to the rules, i guess it will be all right this time. here you are, ganges!" he called. "catch!" the big elephant raised his trunk, making a sort of curling twist in it, and when the keeper threw the apple ganges caught it as well as a baseball player could have done. the next moment flossie's apple was thrust into the elephant's mouth, and, as he chewed it, his little eyes seemed to twinkle in delight. "he likes an apple just as much as i do," said freddie. "elephants is queer!" "don't try to go in there to feed this one peanuts!" said bert, fearing that the little twin boy might try to do as his sister had done. generally flossie and freddie wanted to do the same things. "no, i won't go in," freddie said. having swallowed the apple, the elephant held out his trunk toward the bobbseys again. he was asking for "more," as plainly as though he had spoken. "no more!" called the keeper, and this the elephant seemed to understand, for he lowered his trunk, and backed into his corner, throwing hay dust over his back as he did in the summer to keep the flies from tickling him. "well, i guess we've seen enough of elephants for one day," said mrs. bobbsey. "i thought i should faint when i saw flossie go into that cage. i wish i could get a cup of tea." "we'll go and have lunch," said mr. bobbsey. "it's about noon, i think." they went to a restaurant near a great round stone, which was perched on the top of a big ledge of rock, and when freddie wanted to know what it was his father told him. "that's a rocking stone," said mr. bobbsey. "it stands there on a sort of little knob, and it is so nicely balanced that a man, or two or three boys, can easily push it and rock it to and fro." "do you mean one man can move that big rock?" asked bert. "yes, he can make it rock, but he can not make it move off the rock on which it rests. come and try." bert and his father pushed their backs against the stone, and, surely enough, they could make it rock an inch or two back and forth. freddie helped, or at least he thought he did, which is the same thing. but the stone really did rock, and the children thought it was quite a wonderful thing. sometimes your heavy piano, if it stands on an uneven place in the floor, may be rocked back and forth a little. that's the way it was with the rocking stone. the restaurant where the bobbseys ate was named "rocking stone," because it was within sight of the queer rock. i have not time to tell you all that the bobbsey twins saw and did in bronx park that day. but they had a fine time, and flossie and freddie, at least, wanted to come back the next day. "there're lots of things that we didn't see," remarked flossie. "yes. and i want to rock that big stone again," added freddie. "why, it rocked back and forth just as easy as a cradle!" "oh, freddie bobbsey! the idea! to make out that big rock was like a cradle!" cried flossie. "i didn't say _it_ was like a cradle. i said it _wobbled_ just like a cradle," replied freddie. "daddy, can we go back again to-morrow?" "i planned to take you to the natural history museum to-morrow," said mr. bobbsey. "there you can see all sorts of stuffed animals--walruses almost as big as a small house, a model of a whale and many other queer things." "oh, do let's go!" begged bert. "we will," promised mr. bobbsey, but when the next day came the plan of the bobbseys had to be changed. in mr. bobbsey's mail that morning was a letter from his bookkeeper at the lumberyard, which, when mr. bobbsey had read it, made him thoughtful. "i hope there isn't bad news," said mrs. bobbsey. "no, not exactly _bad_ news," was her husband's answer. "but i think i shall have to go back home." chapter xviii a queer ride nan and bert, who were in the room with their mother and father when the letter was read, looked quickly at mr. bobbsey. flossie and freddie had gone to the next apartment to play with laddie. "does that mean we've got to go back?" asked bert. "we haven't seen half enough of new york," added nan. "oh, no, you won't have to come back with me," said mr. bobbsey. "you'll stay here at the hotel, and i'll return in a few days." "what's it all about?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "uncle jack," answered her husband. "you mean the woodchopper who was so kind to flossie and freddie?" "yes, and because he was so kind i can't refuse to do what he wants me to." "what is it he wants you to do?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "did he write to you?" "no, he got some one to do it for him, and my bookkeeper sent the letter on to me." "but i thought uncle jack was going to the hospital," bert said. "so he is, son. in fact, he is in the hospital now, but he is so ill that they fear he will not get better, even if the doctors do all they can for him. he is afraid he might die and he wants to see me before then. he says he has something he wants to tell me." "what do you suppose it can be?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i haven't the least idea. perhaps it's about his folks. he may have found some of them, or know where they are. if he has any relations they ought to know about him, and not leave him among strangers. of course i'll do all i can for him. mr. whipple has given me some money to spend on uncle jack, so i think the poor old woodchopper will be all right, if he can only get well." "then you're going to see him?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes, i think i had better," answered mr. bobbsey. "he did me a great favor, caring for flossie and freddie, and i must do what i can for him. he says it will make his mind easier if he can talk to me before the doctors try to make him well in the hospital." "then we can't go to the natural history museum to-day!" exclaimed nan. "oh, yes; your mother can take you." "i fear i can't tell you, as well as daddy can, about the different things," said mrs. bobbsey, smiling; "but i'll do the best i can." "oh, momsey! of course we love to have you!" cried nan, kissing her mother. "i know, but you want daddy, too! i don't blame you. but we must give him up for a little while, if it is to help uncle jack." "oh, of course we will!" cried nan, and bert nodded his head to show that he agreed. "i'll just about have time to catch a train for lakeport," said mr. bobbsey, looking at his watch. "where are flossie and freddie? i want to say good-bye to them." "they are playing with laddie," said mrs. bobbsey. "i'll get them." the two younger bobbsey twins felt sorry that their father had to go away, but they were told he would soon be back again. but as flossie and freddie were having such fun playing with laddie, they did not really think much about mr. bobbsey going away, except for five minutes or so. "give our love to uncle jack," said freddie, as he kissed his father, and started back for the whipple rooms, where he and laddie were building a bridge of books for the toy train of cars to cross a river, which was made of a piece of broken looking glass. "and here's an extra kiss i'll give you for him," said flossie, as she hugged her father in bidding him good-bye. "i love uncle jack." so mr. bobbsey went back to lakeport, and mrs. bobbsey got ready to take nan and bert to the natural history museum. at first it had been planned to take flossie and freddie, but, as they said they did not care much about stuffed animals, and as they were having such fun with laddie, mrs. whipple told mrs. bobbsey she would look after the smaller twins and give them their lunch. "then i'll leave them with you," said the mother of flossie and freddie. "i hope they will be no trouble." "i'm sure they'll be all right," said laddie's aunt. "don't worry about them." so flossie, freddie and laddie built the bridge of books, and on it safely ran the toy locomotive and cars over the river of shiny looking glass. when they grew tired of this game they played automobile. to do that laddie had to turn an old rocker upside down and stick on one leg a broken drum he had left from his christmas toys. the drum was the steering wheel, and it made enough noise, when pounded on with a stick, to pretend it was an automobile horn. flossie and freddie rode in the back part of the overturned chair, and laddie sat in front of them and made believe he was a chauffeur of a taxicab, running about the streets of new york. as laddie knew the names of many places where the real taxicabs stop, he could call them out from time to time. so that flossie and freddie went to the grand central terminal, to central park, to the public library and many other places (make-believe, of course) in the queer pretend automobile. "oh, i'm going to stop off at the public liberry!" called out flossie, while the play was going on. "what you going to stop off at the public liberry for?" asked freddie. "i'm going to get a great big picture book," returned the little girl. "'bout cinderella?" questioned her brother. "no. i'm going to get a picture book with all kinds of stories in it." "we can't stop now!" yelled out laddie. "we're three blocks past the liberry already." "well, then i won't bother," answered flossie. after that they played steamboat, a tin horn being the whistle, which was tooted every time the boat stopped or started. this game was great fun, and the children played it for some time until down in the street laddie heard the tooting of fire engines and the clanging of bells. "oh, there's another fire!" he cried. "let's go down to see it." "no, indeed!" cried mrs. whipple, with a laugh, coming into the room just then. "no more fires for you boys. you can look out the window, but that's all." and so they had to be content with that. the fire did not seem to be a large one, though it was somewhere near the hotel. down in the street were a number of engines and hose carts, and also two police automobile wagons, which had brought the officers who were to keep the crowd from coming so close as to get in the way of the fireman. but there is not much amusement in looking out of a window at a fire which cannot be seen, and flossie, freddie and laddie soon tired of this fun--if fun it was. mrs. whipple had left the room, to see a lady who called, when freddie, taking a last look from the window to the street below, said: "i know how we could have some fun!" "how?" asked laddie. "get in one of the police wagons and have a ride," went on the small bobbsey boy. "oh, let's do it!" cried flossie, always ready for anything that freddie proposed. "how you going to do it?" she asked her brother. "why, we can go down in the elevator," freddie said. "there's nobody in the police wagon now, for all the policemans are at the fire, but we can't see them or it. and the driver on the front seat of the wagon won't see us if we crawl in the back." "oh, so he won't!" cried flossie. "'member how we crawled in the empty ice-wagon once?" she asked freddie. "yep. i tore my pants that day. but we had a nice ride. we'll have a nice ride now," he went on. "we can get in when they don't see us." "but when the policemans comes back from the fire they'll see us and maybe arrest us," said laddie in a whisper. "they won't if we hide under the seats," returned freddie. "see, there are long side seats in the police automobile wagon, and we can lie down under 'em and make believe we're in a boat." "oh, if it's a make-believe game, i'll do it," said laddie. "i guess my aunt won't care, as long as it isn't goin' to a fire." "then come on," answered freddie. one of the police patrol wagons, or, to be more correct, automobiles, stood near the curb not far from the front entrance to the hotel. it had brought several policemen to the scene of the fire, and was waiting to take them back. as freddie had said, the chauffeur on the front seat could not see what went on in the back of the wagon, for there was a high board against which he leaned. and there were two long seats, one on each side of the auto patrol, under which three children could easily hide if the police were not too particular in looking inside their wagon as they rode back to the station house. the three children hurried out into the hall and got in the elevator, which laddie called to the floor by pressing the electric signal button. "am yo' all gwine far?" asked george, the colored elevator boy, as he shot up to the tenth floor and opened the door. "i guess not very far," answered freddie. none of them knew how long a ride they would get. out the front entrance of the hotel went the three tots. because of the fire no one paid much attention to them, and the hotel help were used to seeing the children come and go, and perhaps thought mr. and mrs. bobbsey, or mrs. whipple, were not far away. so flossie, freddie and laddie had no trouble in getting out, and then they walked quietly down to the automobile patrol. no one was near it, for automobiles--even police ones--are too common to look at in new york, especially when there is a fire around the corner, even if the blaze is a small one. so, as it was, no one noticed the children climb into the patrol, and the driver, half dozing, did not hear them. as freddie had said, there was plenty of room for such small tots as these three to crawl under the long seats. and when they were stowing themselves away, freddie found some blankets, which covered himself, his sister and laddie. "now they can't see us!" said freddie. "but we must keep still!" "hush!" cautioned flossie. "somebody's coming!" and somebody was coming. it was the policemen coming back to take their places in the patrol, for the fire was out. laughing and talking, they took their places on the long seat, never noticing the children hidden below. and, a few seconds later, away started the automobile, taking the two bobbsey twins and laddie on a queer ride. chapter xix the goat everything would have been all right if flossie had not sneezed. at least that's what freddie said afterward, and freddie ought to have known, for he was right there. laddie dickerson did not say it was flossie's fault, but then it is only brothers who say such things to their sisters. and freddie did not really intend to make flossie feel bad. "but we might have had a bigger ride if you hadn't sneezed," said freddie, after it was all over. "well, i couldn't help it," was what flossie said. "and i guess you'd have sneezed, too, if that fuzzy blanket kept tickling your nose; so there!" it was in the police patrol automobile that flossie sneezed. with freddie and laddie, she was having a ride, you remember, the three children having hidden themselves under the seats, wrapped up in blankets, when the machine stood in front of the hotel while the policemen were at the fire. for a time the two small bobbsey twins and laddie rode along in silence, the policemen not knowing the children were at their very feet. and after they had ridden about ten blocks, flossie sneezed. "a-ker-choo!" she cried, when a piece of the fuzzy blanket tickled her nose. "a-ker-choo!" "hello! what's that?" asked one of the policemen in the automobile. "sounded like a sneeze," said another. "sure it was a sneeze," came from a third. "maybe it was mike, the chauffeur," suggested the first officer. "it didn't sound like him," ventured a policeman, close to where the driver sat behind his wooden back-rest. "i say, mike!" called the policeman, "did you sneeze?" "nope! haven't time for sneezes now," answered the chauffeur. "then it was back here in this automobile," went on the first policeman, who was quite fat. "maybe it was a cat," suggested some one. "or a dog," added another. just then freddie laughed--snickered would be more like what he did, i suppose--and once more flossie sneezed. and laddie snickered, too. they really could not help it any more than flossie could help sneezing. for the two boys thought it very funny to listen to what the policemen were saying about flossie's sneezes. and when the little girl's nose was tickled the second time by the fuzzy blanket, and she sneezed again, and the boys laughed or snickered--the policemen knew where the noises came from. "it's in here--right in our automobile!" said the fat policeman again. "and it sounded right at my feet," added another. then all the policemen in the automobile leaned over and looked down. even flossie was laughing now, for it all seemed so funny, and she was wondering what her father and mother would say. the laughter of the children made the blankets, under which they were hiding, shake as though the wind was blowing them, and seeing this one of the officers pulled loose one corner of the robe and there he saw flossie, freddie and laddie. "well, i do declare!" cried a policeman with a red mustache. "it's children!" "three of 'em!" cried another. the the two bobbsey twins crawled from under the seat, and laddie came with them, to stand up in the swaying automobile between the two rows of policemen. "where in the world did you come from?" asked one officer. "under there," answered freddie, and he pointed to the place where the blankets were still rolled up. "and how did you get there?" "we crawled in to get a ride," said flossie, "and i couldn't help sneezing. that fuzzy blanket tickled my nose so!" the policemen laughed at this. "but who are you and where do you belong?" asked one of the officers who, having some stripes on his sleeve and some gold lace on his cap, seemed to be the leader. "we're part of the bobbsey twins," said freddie. "the other half of us--that's nan and bert--have gone to see a stuffed whale." "no, the whale isn't stuffed--it's the sea lion, or wallyrus--i forget which," put in flossie. "the whale's only made out of plaster and wood." "well, anyhow, nan and bert are there," said freddie. "and you're here," said the red-mustached policeman, "that's easy to see, though what he means about being half of the bobbsey twins is more than i can guess. how many is twins, anyhow?" "two," some one said. "we're four--that is, two sets," explained flossie painstakingly. "bert and nan are older than us." "oh, i see," said the policeman whom the other officers called captain, or "cap." for short. "well, where did you come from and where are you going?" "we live at the parkview hotel," said freddie, "and we got in here to have a ride. we didn't think you'd find us so soon." "it _is_ too bad," said the captain, with a laugh. "and i'm afraid i can't give you a ride any farther than to the station house. i suppose you know who you are and where you live," he went on, with a smile; "but, as we have to do things by rule in the police department, i'll have to make sure. so i'll take you to my office and telephone to the hotel. if i find you belong there i'll take you back." "then we'll have another ride!" said flossie. "that will be nice, won't it, freddie?" "um, i guess so. only i'd like to sit out in front with the driver as long as you sneezed and told 'em we were here." "i didn't sneeze any more than you giggled!" cried flossie. "and, anyhow, i couldn't help it. that fuzzy blanket----" "of course, that was it!" laughed the captain. "never mind. no harm has been done, and you shall have a ride back home. though i think, for the sake of your folks, i'll send you back in a taxicab, instead of in this patrol auto, and with an officer in plain clothes, instead of one wearing a uniform. it will look better at the hotel," he explained to his men. "sure," was their answer. and so the two little bobbsey twins and laddie were given a ride to the precinct station house in the big automobile patrol, and they sat on the laps of the kindly policemen. quite a crowd of children gathered around the doors of the police station as flossie, freddie and laddie were lifted out of the automobile, and there were all sorts of stories told about them. some believed the children had been rescued from the fire; others that they had been taken from a robbers' cave, and still others that these were the children, who, playing with matches, had caused the fire. but all these guesses were wrong, as we know, flossie, freddie and laddie had just gone for a ride, and they had one, though it did not turn out exactly as they expected. however, they had a good time. it did not take the police captain long to find out that what freddie had said was true--that the three youngsters lived at the parkview hotel. "your aunt has been looking all over for you," said the captain to laddie, after telephoning. "i sent word that i'd soon have you safely back, and you mustn't run away again." "i asked him to," said freddie, telling the truth like a little man. "i asked him and flossie to come." "well, next time you'd better ask before you crawl into a police automobile," said the captain, with a laugh. "you can't always tell where it is going. however, no harm is done this time. come and see me again," he added. then the captain called a taxicab and sent the children to the hotel in charge of one of his policemen, who did not wear a uniform. this was done so no crowd would gather in front of the hotel to stare at freddie, flossie and laddie, as would have happened if a policeman in uniform, with his bright brass buttons, had gone with them. "oh, laddie! how could you do it and worry me so?" cried mrs. whipple, when her little nephew had come back to the hotel with the bobbsey twins. "i asked him," said freddie, willing to take all the blame. "we wanted a ride and we just crawled in and hid. i'm awful sorry." "and i'm sorry i sneezed," said flossie. "if i hadn't maybe we'd have had a longer ride." "no, we wouldn't," declared freddie, shaking his head. "we got to the station house, anyhow, and that's where the automobile lives when it isn't workin'. anyhow, we had fun!" "yes, we did," said laddie; "and i liked it." "but you mustn't go away again without telling me," said his aunt. "i won't," he promised. "next time we'll take you with us," said flossie. "you'll like it, only i hope a fuzzy blanket doesn't make you sneeze." so the bobbsey twins, with their little friend, had a ride away and a ride back again, and when mrs. bobbsey came home that afternoon from the natural history museum with bert and nan, and heard what had happened, she was so surprised she did not know what to say. of course she made flossie and freddie promise never to do it again, and of course they said they never would. "i never saw such little tykes as flossie and freddie have gotten to be lately," said mrs. bobbsey to nan that night. "this being in a big city seems just to suit them, though," returned nan. "yes. but i wish your father would come back. i feel rather lost without him in this big hotel." "i'm here," said bert, with a smile. "yes, you'll have to be my little man, now. and do, please, keep watch of flossie and freddie while your father is away. there's no telling what they'll do next." and really there was not. for instance, who would have supposed that a goat-- but there, i'd better start at the beginning of this part of my story. it was a few days after the ride in the automobile patrol that mrs. bobbsey received word that a friend whom she had known when they were both small children was living in new york. this lady asked mrs. bobbsey to call and see her. * * * * * "we do not live in a nice part of new york," wrote the lady--who was a mrs. robinson--in her letter, "for we can't pay much rent. but our apartment house is not hard to reach from your hotel, and i would very much like to see you. come and bring the children. they can watch the other children playing in the streets. i know the streets are not a very nice place to play in, but that's all we have in new york." * * * * * so mrs. bobbsey decided to call on her old friend, whom she had not seen for many years. she said she would take flossie and freddie with her. nan and bert were going to a moving picture show with another boy and girl and the latter's mother. mrs. robinson lived on the east side of new york, in what is called an apartment house. some called them tenements, and in them many families are crowded together, for room is very valuable in the big city of new york. after mrs. bobbsey had talked for a while with her former girlhood friend, flossie and freddie, who had been sitting still in the parlor, asked if they could not go out in the street and watch the other children at play. "yes, but don't go off the steps," said their mother. the two bobbsey twins promised, but something happened that made them forget. this was the sight of a red-haired, snub-nosed boy, driving a goat, hitched to a small wagon, up and down the street. "oh, look at that!" cried the excited freddie. "isn't that great!" "it's cute," said flossie. "i wonder if he'd give us a ride?" "let's ask him," said freddie. "i've got ten cents. maybe he'd ride us for that. come on!" and so, forgetting all about their promise not to go off the steps of the apartment house where their mother's friend lived, the two small bobbsey twins hurried down to look at the goat. chapter xx mr. bobbsey comes back "hey, jimmie! give us a goat ride, will you?" called a boy in the street. "i will for two cents," answered the red-haired lad driving the goat and wagon. "aw, go on. give us a ride for a cent!" "nope. two cents!" "oh, did you hear that?" asked flossie of freddie. "he gives rides for two cents." "then we'll have some," said freddie. "how many rides can you get for ten cents?" "a lot, i guess," said flossie, who forgot all about the number-work she had studied for a little while in school. "hey!" called freddie to the boy with the goat. "we've got two cents--we want a ride." the boy, who was sitting in an old goat wagon, pulled on the reins and guided his animal over toward the curb. "does you really want a ride?" he asked, "no foolin'?" "no foolin'," answered freddie. "sure we want a ride. i've got five cents." he showed only half of the money he had in his pocket, keeping the other nickel back. "i'll give you an' your sister a ride for dat!" cried the goat boy, not speaking the way freddie and flossie had been taught to do. "hop in!" "can i drive?" asked freddie. "nope. i'm afraid to let youse," was the answer. "billy's a good goat, but you see he don't just know you. course i could introduce youse to him, an' then he'd know you. but first along you'd better not drive him. i'll steer him were you want to go. i gives a ride up an' down de block fer two cents," he went on. "course two of you is four cents." "i've got a nickel," said freddie quickly. "sure, dat's right. i forgot. well, i'll give you both a ride up and down de block and half way back again for de nickel." "here it is," said freddie, handing it over, as he and flossie took their seats in the goat wagon. there was plenty of room for them and the red-haired driver. other children on the block crowded to the curbstone and looked on with eager eyes as the bobbsey twins started on their ride. mrs. bobbsey, talking with her friend in the darkened parlor, knew nothing of what was going on. "say, he is a good goat," said freddie, when they were half-way down the block. "sure he's a good goat!" agreed the boy, whose name was mike. "there ain't none better." "it's lots of fun," said flossie. it was a fine day, even if it was winter. the sun was shining brightly, so it was not cold. what snow there was in new york, before the bobbseys came on their visit, had either melted or been cleaned off the streets so one would hardly know there had been a storm. "i wish we had a goat," said freddie, when the ride was almost over. [illustration: "i wish we had a goat," said freddy. _the bobbsey twins in a great city. page_ ] "so do i," agreed flossie. "let's ask daddy to buy one," she suggested. "we will," said freddie. "i'm goin' to sell dis goat," put in mike. "you are? why?" cried the bobbsey twins. "'cause i'm going to work. you see i won't have time to look after him. i bought him off a feller what moved away, an' i keeps de goat in sullivan's livery stable. but i have to pay a dollar a month, an' so i began givin' de boys an' girls around here rides for two cents to pay for billy's keep. but i can't do dat when i goes to work, so me mudder says i must sell 'im. i don't want to, but i has to." flossie looked at freddie and freddie looked at flossie on hearing this. neither of them said a word, but any one who knew them could easily have told that they were thinking of the same thing--the goat. "well, i'll ride you back to where youse got in me wagon," said mike, "and then your nickel's about used up." "oh, i've got another!" cried freddie eagerly. "we want more ride. don't we, flossie?" "sure we do! oh, it's such fun!" so they rode up and down the block again, and when that was over flossie and freddie spent some time talking to mike. by this time mrs. bobbsey had ended her visit and had come out to look for her children. "i thought i told you not to go off the steps," she said. they were down the street looking at the goat. "well, we didn't mean to," admitted freddie. "but we did so much want a goat ride." "and we had ten cents' worth!" laughed flossie. mrs. bobbsey smiled. it was very hard to be cross with these small twins. they never meant to do wrong, and, i suppose, taking a ride up and down the block was not so very bad. "good-bye!" called freddie to mike, the goat boy, as mrs. bobbsey led her children away. "good-bye!" added flossie, waving her hand. "good-bye," echoed mike. "and don't forget!" said freddie. "no, i won't." mrs. bobbsey might have asked what it was mike was not to forget, only she was in a hurry to get back to the hotel, and so did not question freddie. when they reached their rooms they found a letter from mr. bobbsey, saying he would have to stay in lakeport a day longer than he expected. but he would soon be in new york again, he wrote. bert and nan came home from the moving pictures, saying they had had a delightful time. "so did we--in a goat wagon," cried freddie. "and freddie and me are goin' to----" began flossie, but freddie quickly cried: "come on and play fire engine, flossie!" so his little sister did not finish what she had started to say. it was the next day, soon after breakfast, that one of the hotel messengers--a small colored boy--knocked on the door of the suite of apartments occupied by the bobbsey family, and when mrs. bobbsey answered, the colored boy said: "he am downstairs, ma'am. he am in de lobby." "who is?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "de boy what wants to see yo' little boy, ma'am." "some one to see freddie? who is it?" "i don't know, ma'am. he didn't gib no name." "oh, perhaps it is laddie," said mrs. bobbsey. "bert, please go down and see, will you? if it's laddie, who wants freddie to play with him, i don't see why he didn't come here. but go and see." "oh, i know who it is," said freddie, "you don't need to go, bert. just give me five dollars, mother, and i'll buy him." "buy him? buy what?" asked the surprised mrs. bobbsey. "what in the world are you talking about, freddie?" "mike, the goat boy. he's brought billy here, i guess, and flossie and i are going to buy him. can't we, please?" "what? buy a goat when we're stopping at this hotel?" cried his mother. "bert, do go and see what mischief those children have gotten into now. a goat! oh, dear!" "i'll go with him, 'cause mike don't know bert," offered freddie. "and i want to come!" said flossie. "i want to see our goat." "your goat!" cried nan. "yes, we're going to buy him. mike brought him to sell to us." and that is what had happened. when mrs. bobbsey followed bert and freddie down to the hotel lobby, leaving nan to look after flossie in the rooms, this is what she saw: out at the side entrance to the hotel was the goat and the rickety express wagon, in charge of a red-haired, snub-nosed boy, mike's small brother. mike himself, rather ragged, but clean and neat enough, was in the lobby, sitting at his ease on one of the big leather chairs, waiting. "i've brought de goat," he said to freddie, as soon as he saw that small bobbsey with bert. "what does it all mean?" asked mrs. bobbsey, while a crowd of the hotel guests and help gathered about. "why, your little boy, ma'am, what i rode in me goat wagon up and down our block, said you'd buy billy when i was ready to sell him. i'm ready now, 'cause i'm goin' to work. so i brought de goat an' wagon here to de hotel, just as your little boy made me promise to do. it'll be five dollars for de goat." for a moment mrs. bobbsey did not know what to say. then she turned to freddie and asked: "did you really tell him you'd buy his goat, freddie?" "i said you'd buy it for flossie and me. won't you? we can have such fun with it!" "a goat in a new york hotel!" cried bert, laughing, "oh, dear!" "hush, bert," said his mother. "freddie did not know any better. of course we can't keep it," she said to mike, "and i'm sorry you had the trouble of bringing him here. my little boy didn't stop to think, i'm afraid. he should have told me. but here is a dollar for your trouble, and i think you can easily sell your goat somewhere else." "oh, yes, i can easy sell him," said mike. "but your little boy made me promise to bring billy to dis hotel to-day and here i am, 'cordin' to promise." "yes, i see you kept your word," and mrs. bobbsey could not help smiling. "but really we have no place to keep a goat here, and we could hardly take it to lakeport with us. so i'm afraid freddie will have to do without it." "all right," said mike good-naturedly, as he took the dollar. of course freddie and flossie were disappointed at not having the goat and wagon, but they soon forgot that when their mother promised to take them to see another play that afternoon. "it's a wonder flossie or freddie didn't try to bring the goat up to our rooms in the elevator," said bert, when they were in their apartment again. "well, he was a good goat!" declared freddie. "and he could go fast," added flossie. "i was going to play fireman with him when we got back to lakeport," went on freddie. "now i can't." "i think you'll have just as much fun some other way," said his mother, laughing. three days after that, when mrs. bobbsey came in from shopping with the two sets of twins, she heard some one moving about in their apartment as she entered. "oh, it's daddy!" cried flossie, as some one caught her up in his arms. "daddy's come back!" "i'm so glad!" called freddie, running to get a hug and kiss from his father. "and we almost had a goat!" he added. chapter xxi uncle jack's real name "well! well!" laughed mr. bobbsey, when he heard what freddie said. "that's great! almost had a goat, did you? i must hear about that!" "but first tell us about uncle jack," begged nan. "is he going to get better?" "oh, i hope he is going to get better!" broke in freddie. "it isn't a bit nice to be sick. you have to stay in bed, and sometimes you have to have your head all bound up, and sometimes you have to take the awfullest kind of medicine ever was." "you don't always have to stay in bed when you're sick," put in flossie. "and sometimes the medicine isn't bad a bit. it's sweet and nice." "but tell us about uncle jack," begged nan again. "he'll get better, won't he?" "that is something the doctors can't tell," answered her father. "i saw him in the hospital." "was he glad to see you?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "well, to tell you the truth he didn't know me. he was very ill and was out of his head with fever. i did what i could for him, and saw that he would be well taken care of, and then went to mr. todd's house to stay all night. i said i'd go back to the hospital in the morning, but uncle jack was no better, and, after waiting two or three days, i decided to come back here." "didn't he know you at all?" asked nan. "no, he was out of his head with fever all the while. before i came, he had told some of the doctors that he had something very important to tell me--something that had to do with his friends or relations, they said. he would tell no one else but me, but when i got to his bedside he could not talk so that i could understand him. so really i don't know any more about him than before. i don't even know what his real name is. "sometimes he used to call himself jackson, and again it would be some other name. i think he may not have known who he really was. but if he does, it will be some time before he can tell me, or any one else. he was still out of his head when i came away." "are you going back?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "not until they send for me, which will be when he takes a turn for the better or worse. i want to do all i can for the poor old man, for he was so good to flossie and freddie. but now tell me about the goat." freddie and flossie took turns doing that, and a very funny story they made of it, too. mr. bobbsey laughed, and laughed again. then he had to hear about everything else that had happened while he was in lakeport. "and now tell us what happened there--i mean besides about uncle jack," said nan. "did you see any of my friends?" "and did you see bessie benton?" flossie asked, naming a little girl with whom she often played. "yes, i saw bessie," said mr. bobbsey, "and she sent you her love." "did you see tommy todd?" freddie queried. "yes; i stayed at his house." "how is the ice-boat?" asked bert. "well, there has been a thaw, as you know, and there isn't enough ice in lake metoka on which to sail the _bird_. i guess tommy'll have to wait until you get back there, bert. we'll have more cold weather yet." "oh, are we going to leave new york?" asked nan sorrowfully. "we can't _live_ here," said her mother. "we've stayed longer now than i thought we would. have you much more business to look after?" she asked her husband. "it will take about two weeks more, and then i think we'll go back to lakeport. but you children can have plenty of good times in two weeks, i should think." "of course we can!" cried bert. "and when we get back home----" "are we going camping?" interrupted freddie. "flossie and i want to go camping in the woods." "on an island in a lake," added the little girl. "and we can take the bugs that go around and around and around and--and----" "and the bugs that go around and around will catch all the mosquitoes that fly up and down, up and down, and bite us!" laughed mrs. bobbsey. "yes, we certainly shall have to take the 'go around' bugs to camp with us, children." "do you really think we can go camping?" asked bert of his father. "well, i don't know. we'll see." the bobbsey twins, both sets of them, did indeed have many more good times in new york. i wish i had room to tell you about them, but i have not space. they went to see many sights, paid another visit to central park and bronx park and saw many nice plays and moving picture shows. mr. and mrs. whipple and laddie often went with the bobbseys on little excursions about the great city. laddie and the children became better friends than before, and mrs. whipple said her little nephew had never had such good times in all his life. "he missed his mother greatly before your children came to this hotel," said mrs. whipple to mrs. bobbsey. "when is mrs. dickerson coming back from california?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "when it is warm here. she can not stand cold weather. but she did not go out to california altogether on account of the climate." "didn't she?" "no. you have heard my husband speak of a long-lost brother--also a brother of mrs. dickerson's, who was a whipple before her marriage." "yes, i heard something about that." "well, for a number of years my husband and mrs. dickerson have been trying to find this lost brother. and there was a rumor that he had gone to california when a boy and had grown up among the miners near san francisco. it was to find out, if possible, whether or not this was so, that mrs. dickerson went out west. though, to be sure, the winters here are hard for her to endure." "did she have any success in finding her brother?" asked mr. bobbsey. "no," answered mrs. whipple, "she did not, i'm sorry to say. she and my husband feel bad about it. but he may be found some day. he has been missing many years." it was two or three days after this talk that, one evening, mr. and mrs. whipple and laddie were in the hotel rooms of the bobbseys, paying a visit, when a telegram was brought up for mr. bobbsey. "it's from lakeport," he said, as he opened it and saw the date and the name of the place from which it had come. "from lakeport?" asked mr. whipple, as mr. bobbsey was reading the message. "that's where the old woodsman lives, isn't it?" "yes," answered mrs. bobbsey. "and, though he is very ill, he is being well looked after, thanks to the money you gave for him." "oh, i didn't give much. it was your husband who did the most. i was glad to help, for i always have a soft spot in my heart for those who camp in the woods. how is uncle jack, by the way? i believe that's his name?" "yes, that _was_ his name," said mr. bobbsey in a queer voice, as he held the telegram out to mr. whipple. "it was his name--what do you mean?" "i mean that he has come to his senses now. the doctors have operated on him and he will get better. there was an injury to his head that made him forget much of his early life. but now he is all right and he remembers his real name." "what is it?" asked mrs. bobbsey, while the others breathlessly waited for an answer. "what is his real name?" "john whipple," was the answer. "that's what this telegram is about. though everybody called the woodchopper uncle jack, his real name is john whipple!" chapter xxii reunited the bobbsey twins were not as much surprised at what their father said, after reading the telegram, as was mr. whipple. he fairly jumped up from his chair, on hearing what mr. bobbsey answered, and reached out his hand for the message. "his name is whipple!" cried the department store owner. "are you sure his name is john whipple?" "that's what the telegram says," went on mr. bobbsey. "you may read it. it seems he asked to have it sent to me as soon as he knew he was getting better, and when he remembered who he was. he says he remembers he had a brother and a sister." mr. whipple seemed very much excited. even flossie and freddie, young as they were, could tell that. he took the telegram from mr. bobbsey, but he did not read it. instead he looked at the children's father and asked: "do you know this old woodchopper very well?" "i have seen him a number of times," said mr. bobbsey, "and he often comes to my house with loads of wood. the children know him, too. i have told you how he helped freddie and flossie out of the snow bank and took them to his cabin." "what sort of looking man is he?" the store owner questioned eagerly. mr. bobbsey described uncle jack's looks, and also told of his having come to lakeport a number of years before, from where, no one knew. he made friends and lived in the woods. that was all that was known about him. few, if any, had known his name until now. "and so he is john whipple," said mr. bobbsey, rather talking to himself than to any one else. "strange that he should have forgotten it all these years, i wonder if i can find his folks. why, your name is whipple!" he said to laddie's uncle. "do you know who uncle jack might be?" "i think i do," said mr. whipple slowly, and his voice trembled. "i think he is my long-lost brother, and the brother of my sister--he is laddie's other uncle! oh, if it only turns out that way!" "is uncle john found?" asked laddie, who, with his playmates, flossie and freddie, began to understand a little of what was going on. "is uncle john found?" "we hope so, my dear," said his aunt gently. "how can we make sure?" she asked her husband. "there is only one way," he said. "you mean to go to lakeport?" "that's it. where can i find him?" asked mr. whipple of mr. bobbsey. "uncle jack, i will call him, until i make sure he is my long-lost brother," he added. "he was taken to a private hospital, not far out of town. i'll be very glad if you and your wife, and laddie, as well, will come back to lakeport with us. then you can see uncle jack and make sure whether or not he is your brother." "i'll be glad to do that. but i thought you were going to stay in new york for some time yet." "we can go back to-morrow if need be," said mr. bobbsey. "my business is now in good shape, and i can come back here if there is any call for me." "oh, let's all go back to lakeport!" cried freddie. "maybe then we can have a goat, flossie." "oh, may we, mother?" the little girl demanded. "i'll buy 'em a goat--two goats--if this news proves true," said mr. whipple. "oh, i do hope i have found my brother!" "how did he get lost?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "it happened when my sister and i were very little children. john was somewhat older. our parents died, and distant relatives, living far away from our home, took charge of my sister and me. john, who was a half-grown boy, stayed with the family of a neighboring farmer, who had been friends of our parents, and the relatives took my sister and me away with them. "shortly after this the farmer lost his money, his farm, everything, and soon after moved away, taking john with them. news of this did not come for some time to our relatives, and when it did and they began a search for john, all trace of him was lost. they learned that the farmer had died in a public hospital in a strange city, and all trace of his widow and john was lost right there. "when i became old enough, i started to look for john, but could not find him. my sister could not, either, though lately she heard he was in california, but it was not true. and so, for many years, we have been trying to find john whipple. and at last i know where he is!" "let us hope uncle jack is your brother," said mr. bobbsey gently. "we will soon know," said mrs. whipple. the stay of the bobbseys in the great city of new york came to a sudden end, but they had had a good time, and might come again some time. besides, mr. and mrs. whipple were going back with them, to see if the old woodchopper were really the long-lost man, and flossie and freddie thought that almost as good as if they had stayed in the city. "and laddie is coming, too!" cried freddie. "we'll have heaps of good times." "and maybe we'll get a goat," said flossie. "if we do, i'm going to drive him sometimes." "yes, you can," agreed freddie. mr. bobbsey closed up most of his new york business matters, and mr. whipple, with his wife and laddie, got ready to go to lakeport with the bobbseys. word was sent to dinah, the fat cook, and her husband, sam, to get the lakeport house ready for the family and for the whipples, who would stay with them for a short time. another telegram came from the hospital about uncle jack. it said he was doing well, and that his mind was clear. he was certain he was john whipple, and that he had relations somewhere. but, for fear there might be a disappointment, after all, no word was sent him about mr. daniel whipple's coming on. nor was laddie's mother, in california, told. they wanted to make sure there would be no mistake. once more the bobbsey twins were in the big pennsylvania station, and freddie almost made the whole party miss the train by stopping in the arcade to show laddie where the bugs, that went "around and around and around," had been bought. "see what beautiful colors they are!" exclaimed freddie. "green and blue and red and brown and pink and yellow and--and--oh, every kind!" "and you ought to see how fast some of 'em go around!" exclaimed flossie. "they just keep on going around and around and around till sometimes you can't most see 'em go!" "and you wind 'em just like this----" explained freddie, making a queer little movement with his chubby hand. "oh, i know just how they go," said laddie. "didn't i see yours run?" "come, children, we'll have to hurry," said mr. bobbsey. "we don't want to miss the train." "i want some of those bugs," said laddie wistfully. "we can get some later," replied his aunt. "but they may be all gone when we come back!" "i don't think so," his aunt replied. "see! they have a whole store full of them." and then the crowd hurried off to catch the train. in due time they arrived in lakeport, and when flossie and freddie rushed into the house, almost knocking down dear old fat dinah, they found splash, the big dog, waiting for them. and splash did really knock flossie down, he was so glad to see her. but she was so fat that, really, falling just to the floor did not hurt her at all. and, anyhow, she sat down on the tail of splash, so it was like a cushion, only, of course, he could not wag it until flossie got up. "oh, chilluns! how glad i is t' see yo' all!" cried dinah, trying to hug all four of them at once. "and here's laddie," said flossie. "aren't you glad to see him?" "co'se i is, chile! i lubs yo' all!" and she hugged laddie, too. leaving his wife at the bobbsey home, mr. whipple went with mr. bobbsey to the hospital where uncle jack (as they still called him) had been taken. the old woodchopper was much better, though still weak and ill. one of the doctors had told him some one was coming to see him, and had said it might prove to be some one who knew about his brother and sister. poor uncle jack's eyes filled with tears. "oh, i only hope it is true," he said. mr. whipple walked softly into the hospital room. after a short talk with the old woodchopper, mr. daniel whipple cried: "it is true! i am your brother! oh, john, i have found you at last!" there was no doubt of it. after further talking it over between them, mr. daniel whipple and mr. john whipple made sure they were brothers. and when uncle jack (as many still kept on calling him) got better, every one could see that he and mr. whipple, the department store owner, looked very much alike, except that the woodchopper was older. but i must not call him a woodchopper, for he was that no longer. "you are coming to live with me," said his brother dan. "i have enough to look after you. no more hard work for you!" "i am very happy," said uncle jack. "bless the dear children; they helped you to find me as much as any one did." "yes," said uncle dan, as the bobbsey twins called laddie's uncle, "if flossie and freddie hadn't fallen off the ice-boat i might still be looking for you, john." and so, as you have read, everything came out all right. uncle jack, in a few weeks, was able to leave the hospital, quite well again, though he was very weak, and he was old. he grew stronger in time, but of course no younger, though he lived for a number of happy years with his brother. laddie stayed in lakeport over two weeks, and he had many good times with the bobbsey twins. his mother, as soon as the weather became warm, came on from california and said she had never seen laddie play with two children he liked more than he did flossie and freddie. bert and tommy todd sailed the ice-boat, and it did not upset again, though once it came very near it. flossie and freddie were given the cart and goat they so much wanted, but i shall have no room here to tell about the fun they had with them. "well, it certainly was a dandy winter," remarked bert one day, when the air felt like spring. the whipples, taking uncle jack with them, had gone back to new york, and the bobbseys were alone. "it will soon be summer," said nan. "i wonder what we shall do then. where are we going to spend our vacation, mother?" "oh, i think daddy has some nice place picked out." "let's try to guess!" said nan to bert. but they did not easily do that, and as i do not want to keep you guessing, i will say that the children did have a fine time that summer. where they went, and what they did while there, you may find out by reading the next book of this series, to be called, "the bobbsey twins on blueberry island." there they went camping, and----but i will let you read it for yourselves. "freddie! oh, freddie!" called flossie, coming into the house one day about a month after they had come back from new york. "where are you, freddie?" "i'm out in the kitchen gettin' some bread an' jam," he answered. "what d'you want?" "lucy turner is with me," went on flossie. "she says we haven't got any bugs that go around and around and around, and i want to show her. we have got 'em, haven't we, freddie?" "course we have. i've got one now going around and around and around my plate that had bread and jam on it--but there isn't any on it now, 'cause i ate it all up!" "oh, come on and we'll get some, too!" cried flossie, and she and her little girl playmate were soon having fun with freddie. and there we will take leave of them. the end the girls of central high series by gertrude w. morrison = mo. bound in cloth. illustrated. uniform style of binding.= here is a series full of the spirit of high school life of to-day. the girls are real flesh-and-blood characters, and we follow them with interest in school and out. there are many contested matches on track and field, and on the water, as well as doings in the classroom and on the school stage. there is plenty of fun and excitement, all clean, pure and wholesome. the girls of central high or rivals for all honors. a stirring tale of high school life, full of fun, with a touch of mystery and a strange initiation. the girls of central high on lake luna or the crew that won. telling of water sports and fun galore, and of fine times in camp. the girls of central high at basketball or the great gymnasium mystery. here we have a number of thrilling contests at basketball and in addition, the solving of a mystery which had bothered the high school authorities for a long while. the girls of central high on the stage or the play that took the prize. how the girls went in for theatricals and how one of them wrote a play which afterward was made over for the professional stage and brought in some much-needed money. the girls of central high on track and field or the girl champions of the school league. this story takes in high school athletics in their most approved and up-to-date fashion. full of fun and excitement. the girls of central high in camp or the old professor's secret. the girls went camping on acorn island and had a delightful time at boating, swimming and picnic parties. grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the tom swift series by victor appleton = mo. cloth. uniform style of binding. colored wrappers.= these spirited tales convey in a realistic way the wonderful advances in land and sea locomotion. stories like these are impressed upon the memory and their reading is productive only of good. tom swift and his motor cycle or fun and adventure on the road tom swift and his motor boat or the rivals of lake carlopa tom swift and his airship or the stirring cruise of the red cloud tom swift and his submarine boat or under the ocean for sunken treasure tom swift and his electric runabout or the speediest car on the road tom swift and his wireless message or the castaways of earthquake island tom swift among the diamond makers or the secret of phantom mountain tom swift in the caves of ice or the wreck of the airship tom swift and his sky racer or the quickest flight on record tom swift and his electric rifle or daring adventures in elephant land tom swift in the city of gold or marvellous adventures underground tom swift and his air glider or seeking the platinum treasure tom swift in captivity or a daring escape by airship tom swift and his wizard camera or the perils of moving picture taking tom swift and his great searchlight or on the border for uncle sam tom swift and his giant cannon or the longest shots on record tom swift and his photo telephone or the picture that saved a fortune tom swift and his aerial warship or the naval terror of the seas tom swift and his big tunnel or the hidden city of the andes grosset & dunlap, publishers new york the moving picture girls series by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins series." = mo, bound in cloth. illustrated. uniform style of binding.= the adventures of ruth and alice devere. their father, a widower, is an actor who has taken up work for the "movies." both girls wish to aid him in his work and visit various localities to act in all sorts of pictures. the moving picture girls or first appearance in photo dramas. having lost his voice, the father of the girls goes into the movies and the girls follow. tells how many "parlor dramas" are filmed. the moving picture girls at oak farm or queer happenings while taking rural plays. full of fun in the country, the haps and mishaps of taking film plays, and giving an account of two unusual discoveries. the moving picture girls snowbound or the proof on the film. a tale of winter adventures in the wilderness, showing how the photo-play actors sometimes suffer. the moving picture girls under the palms or lost in the wilds of florida. how they went to the land of palms, played many parts in dramas before the camera; were lost, and aided others who were also lost. the moving picture girls at rocky ranch or great days among the cowboys. all who have ever seen moving pictures of the great west will want to know just how they are made. this volume gives every detail and is full of clean fun and excitement. the moving picture girls at sea or a pictured shipwreck that became real. a thrilling account of the girls' experiences on the water. the moving picture girls in war plays or the sham battles at oak farm. the girls play important parts in big battle scenes and have plenty of hard work along with considerable fun. * * * * * grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the bobbsey twins books for little men and women by laura lee hope author of "the bunny brown" series, etc. = mo. bound in cloth. illustrated. uniform style of binding.= copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. books that charm the hearts of the little ones, and of which they never tire. many of the adventures are comical in the extreme, and all the accidents that ordinarily happen to youthful personages happened to these many-sided little mortals. their haps and mishaps make decidedly entertaining reading. the bobbsey twins the bobbsey twins in the country the bobbsey twins at the seashore the bobbsey twins at school telling how they go home from the seashore; went to school and were promoted, and of their many trials and tribulations. the bobbsey twins at snow lodge telling of the winter holidays, and of the many fine times and adventures the twins had at a winter lodge in the big woods. the bobbsey twins on a houseboat mr. bobbsey obtains a houseboat, and the whole family go off on a tour. the bobbsey twins at meadow brook the young folks visit the farm again and have plenty of good times and several adventures. the bobbsey twins at home the twins get into all sorts of trouble--and out again--also bring aid to a poor family. * * * * * grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the bunny brown series by laura lee hope author of the popular "bobbsey twins" books * * * * * wrapper and text illustrations drawn by florence england nosworthy * * * * * = mo. bound in cloth. illustrated. uniform style of binding.= this new series by the author of the "bobbsey twins" books will be eagerly welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. their eyes will fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive little bunny brown and his cunning, trustful sister sue. bunny brown and his sister sue bunny was a lively little boy, very inquisitive. when he did anything, sue followed his leadership. they had many adventures, some comical in the extreme. bunny brown and his sister sue on grandpa's farm how the youngsters journeyed to the farm in an auto, and what good times followed, is realistically told. bunny brown and his sister sue playing circus first the children gave a little affair, but when they obtained an old army tent the show was truly grand. bunny brown and his sister sue at camp rest-a-while the family go into camp on the edge of a beautiful lake, and bunny and his sister have more good times and some adventures. bunny brown and his sister sue at aunt lu's city home the city proved a wonderful place to the little folks. they took in all the sights and helped a colored girl who had run away from home. * * * * * grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the boys of columbia high series by graham b. forbes never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than frank allen, the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a better crowd of lads to associate with than the students of the school. all boys will read these stories with deep interest. the rivalry between the towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplots to win the champions, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, at track athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. any lad reading one volume of this series will surely want the others. the boys of columbia high or the all around rivals of the school the boys of columbia high on the diamond or winning out by pluck the boys of columbia high on the river or the boat race plot that failed the boys of columbia high on the gridiron or the struggle for the silver cup the boys of columbia high on the ice or out for the hockey championship the boys of columbia high in track athletics or a long run that won the boys of columbia high in winter sports or stirring doings on skates and iceboats = mo. illustrated. handsomely bound in cloth, with cover design and wrappers in colors.= * * * * * grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the outdoor chums series by captain quincy allen the outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men of a small city located on a lake. the boys love outdoor life, and are greatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. they have motor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc., and during their vacations go everywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. the stories give full directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wild animals and prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim, etc. full of the spirit of outdoor life. the outdoor chums or the first tour of the rod, gun and camera club. the outdoor chums on the lake or lively adventures on wildcat island. the outdoor chums in the forest or laying the ghost of oak ridge. the outdoor chums on the gulf or rescuing the lost balloonists. the outdoor chums after big game or perilous adventures in the wilderness. the outdoor chums on a houseboat or the rivals of the mississippi. the outdoor chums in the big woods or the rival hunters at lumber run. the outdoor chums at cabin point or the golden cup mystery. = mo. averaging pages. illustrated. handsomely bound in cloth.= * * * * * grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the moving picture boys series by victor appleton = mo. bound in cloth. illustrated. uniform style of binding.= moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in this line of books the reader is given a full description of how the films are made--the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick pictures to satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life in the wild west, among the cowboys and indians, thrilling rescues along the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savage beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land of earthquakes. the volumes teem with adventures and will be found interesting from first chapter to last. the moving picture boys or perils of a great city depicted. the moving picture boys in the west or taking scenes among the cowboys and indians. the moving picture boys on the coast or showing the perils of the deep. the moving picture boys in the jungle or stirring times among the wild animals. the moving picture boys in earthquake land or working amid many perils. the moving picture boys and the flood or perilous days on the mississippi. the moving picture boys at panama or stirring adventures along the great canal. the moving picture boys under the sea or the treasure of the lost ship. * * * * * grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) the bobbsey twins on blueberry island by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins," "the bunny brown series," "the outdoor girls series," etc. illustrated new york grosset & dunlap publishers made in the united states of america * * * * * books by laura lee hope the bobbsey twins series the bobbsey twins the bobbsey twins in the country the bobbsey twins at the seashore the bobbsey twins at school the bobbsey twins at snow lodge the bobbsey twins on a houseboat the bobbsey twins at meadow brook the bobbsey twins at home the bobbsey twins in a great city the bobbsey twins on blueberry island the bunny brown series bunny brown and his sister sue bunny brown and his sister sue on grandpa's farm bunny brown and his sister sue playing circus bunny brown and his sister sue at aunt lu's city home bunny brown and his sister sue at camp rest-a-while bunny brown and his sister sue in the big woods bunny brown and his sister sue on an auto tour the outdoor girls series the outdoor girls of deepdale the outdoor girls at rainbow lake the outdoor girls in a motor car the outdoor girls in a winter camp the outdoor girls in florida the outdoor girls at ocean view the outdoor girls on pine island * * * * * grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york. copyright, , by grosset & dunlap. the bobbsey twins on blueberry island [illustration: freddie caught the first fish. _the bobbsey twins on blueberry island._ _frontispiece_--(_page _)] contents chapter page i. the gypsies ii. a surprise iii. worried twins iv. the goat v. a bumpy ride vi. jolly news vii. "where is snap?" viii. off to camp ix. a night scare x. the "go-around" bugs xi. the blueberry boy xii. the drifting boat xiii. in the cave xiv. helen's visit xv. the doll's dress xvi. snoop is missing xvii. freddie is caught xviii. flossie is tangled xix. the twins fall down xx. the queer noise xxi. "here comes snap!" xxii. happy days the bobbsey twins on blueberry island chapter i the gypsies "oh, dear! i wish we weren't going home!" "so do i! can't we stay out a little while longer?" "why, flossie and freddie bobbsey!" cried nan, the older sister of the two small twins who had spoken. "a few minutes ago you were in a hurry to get home." "yes; they said they were so hungry they couldn't wait to see what dinah was going to have for supper," said bert bobbsey. "how about that, freddie?" "well, i'm hungry yet," said the little boy, who was sitting beside his sister flossie in a boat that was being rowed over the blue waters of lake metoka. "i am hungry, and i want some of dinah's pie, but i'd like to stay out longer." "so would i," added flossie. "it's so nice on the lake, and maybe to-morrow it will rain." "well, what if it does?" asked nan. "you didn't expect to come out on the lake again to-morrow, did you?" "maybe," answered flossie, as she smoothed out the dress of a doll she was holding in her lap. "i'd like to come out on the lake and have a picnic every day," said freddie, leaning over the edge of the boat to see if a small ship, to which he had fastened a string, was being pulled safely along. "don't do that!" cried nan quickly. "do you want to fall in?" "no," answered freddie slowly, as though he had been thinking that perhaps a wetting in the lake might not be so bad after all. "no, i don't want to fall in now, 'cause whenever i go in swimming i get terrible hungry, and i don't want to be any hungrier than i am now." "oh, so that's the only reason, is it?" asked bert with a laugh. "well, just keep inside the boat until we get on shore, and then you can fall out if you want to." "how am i going to fall out when the boat's on shore?" asked freddie. "boats can't go on land anyhow, bert bobbsey!" "that will be something for you to think about, and then maybe you won't lean over and scare nan," said bert, smiling. "do you want i should land you at your father's lumber dock, or shall i row on down near the house, bert?" asked a man who was pulling at the oars of the boat. "it won't make any difference to me. i've got lots of time." "then, jack, row us down near the house, if you don't mind," begged nan. "i want to get these two fat twins ashore as soon as i can; freddie especially, if he's going to almost fall overboard when i'm not looking." "i'm not going to fall overboard!" cried the little fat fellow. "can't i row, jack?" "not now, freddie. i'm in a hurry," answered the man, one of the workers from mr. bobbsey's lumberyard. "but you told bert, just now, that you had lots of time," insisted freddie. "well--er--ahem--i haven't time to let you row, freddie. maybe i will some other day," and jack looked at bert and smiled, while he said to himself: "you've got to get up early in the morning to match a smart chap like him," meaning freddie, of course. a short time before, the bobbsey twins had returned from the city of new york where they had spent a part of the winter. now it was spring and would soon be summer, and, as the day was a fine, warm one, they had gone on a little picnic, taking their lunch with them and pretending to camp on one of the many islands in the lake. now they were on their way home. "well, here you are, safe on shore!" announced jack, as the twins called mr. henderson, the man whom their father had sent with them to manage the boat. "yes, and there goes freddie--falling overboard!" cried bert with a laugh, as his little fat brother stumbled over a coil of rope on the dock and tumbled down. "it's a good thing you didn't do that in the boat, little fat fireman." "i didn't hurt myself, anyhow," said freddie, as he got up. "come on, flossie, let's run home. i'm terrible hungry." "so'm i," added his sister, who was as fat as he, and just the same size. the two smaller bobbsey twins started on ahead, while bert, after seeing that the boat was well tied, followed on more slowly with his sister nan. "it was a nice ride we had," nan said, "wasn't it, bert?" "yes, it's great out on the lake. i wonder if we'll ever go camping as we talked of when we were in new york?" "maybe. let's tease mother to let us!" "all right. you ask her and i'll ask father. there's one island in the lake where----" but bert did not have a chance to finish what he was going to say, for just then flossie and freddie, who had hurried on ahead, came running back, surprise showing on their faces. "oh, bert!" cried freddie. "it's here! it's come!" "can we go to see it?" added flossie. "oh, i just want to!" "what's here? what do you want to see? what is it?" asked bert and nan together, taking turns at the questions. "the circus is here!" answered freddie. "circus?" asked bert in surprise. "yep! we saw the wagons!" went on flossie. "they're all red and yellow, and they've got lookin' glasses all over the sides, and they have rumbly wheels, like thunder, and horses with bells on and--and----" "you'd better save a little of your breath to eat some of the good things you think dinah is going to cook for you," said nan with a laugh, as she put her arms around her small sister. "now what is it all about?" "it's a circus!" cried freddie. "we saw the wagons going along the street where our house is," added flossie. "all red and yellow and---- oh, look!" she suddenly cried. "there they are now!" she pointed excitedly down the side street, on which the bobbsey twins then were, toward the main street of lakeport, where the bobbsey family lived. nan and bert, as well as flossie and freddie, saw three or four big wagons, gaily painted red and yellow, and with glittering pieces of looking glass on their sides. the prancing horses drawing the wagons had bells around their necks and a merry, tinkling jingle sounded, making music wherever the horses went. bert and nan gave one look at the wagons, and then they both laughed. flossie and freddie glanced up in surprise at their older brother and sister. "look what they thought was a circus!" chuckled bert. "isn't it?" asked flossie. "isn't that a circus?" "no, dear," answered nan. "don't laugh so much," she said to bert, as she saw that the two small twins felt hurt. "they do look something like circus wagons." "they _are_ circus wagons!" declared freddie. "and pretty soon the elephants will come past. i like elephants." "you won't see any elephants to-day," said bert. "that isn't a circus procession." "what is it?" flossie demanded. "those are gypsy wagons," explained nan. "gypsies, you know, are those queer people, who are dark-skinned. they wear rings in their ears and live in wagons like those. they ride all over the country and tell fortunes. i wanted to have my fortune told by a gypsy once, but mother wouldn't let me," she added. "it's silly!" declared bert. "just as if a gypsy could tell you what's going to happen!" "well, lillie kent had hers told," went on nan, "and the gypsy looked at her hand and said she was going to have trouble, and she did." "what?" asked flossie eagerly. "she lost a nickel a week after that--a nickel she was going to buy a lead pencil with." "pooh!" laughed bert, "she'd have lost the nickel anyhow. but say, there are lots of gypsies in this band! i've counted five wagons so far." "maybe they're going to have a circus," insisted freddie, who did not like to give up the idea of seeing a show. "course they're going to have a circus," said flossie. "look at all the horses," for behind the last two wagons were trotting a number of horses, being led along by men seated in the ends of the bright-colored wagons. the men had straps which were fastened to the heads of the animals. "no; gypsies don't give shows. they buy and sell horses," said bert. "i've seen 'em here in lakeport before, but not so many as this. i guess they're going to make a camp somewhere on lake metoka." "maybe we'll see 'em when we go camping," said freddie. "it isn't yet sure that we're going," returned nan. "but, come on. there are no more gypsy wagons to see, and we must get home." flossie and freddie, somewhat disappointed that, after all, it was not a circus procession they had seen, started off again. they wished they could have seen more of the gypsies, but the gay wagons rumbled on out of sight, though this was not the last the bobbsey twins were to see of them. in fact, they were to meet the gypsies again, and to have quite an adventure with them before the summer was over. "well, we had a good time, anyhow," said freddie to flossie. "and we _almost_ saw a circus, didn't we?" "yep," answered his sister. "i'm going to be a gypsy when i grow up." "why?" asked freddie. "'cause they've got so many looking glasses on their wagons." "i'm going to be a gypsy, too," decided freddie, after thinking it over a bit. "'cause they've got so many horses. i'm going to ride horseback, and you can ride in one of the wagons, flossie." "no. i'm going to ride horseback, too," declared the little girl. "i'm going to have a spangly thing in my hair and wear a dress all glittery and stand on the horse's back and ride----" "gypsies don't do that," protested bert. "it's the people in circuses that ride standing up." "gypsies do too," declared freddie, not knowing a thing about it but feeling he must back up anything flossie said. "no, they don't, either." "well, maybe they have gypsies in a circus. they have indians, you know." "i don't believe they do," put in nan. "gypsies wouldn't like to be in a tent and work every afternoon and every evening. they want to live in their wagons and be more out of doors." "well, maybe we'll be gypsies and maybe we'll be in a circus," said freddie. "we'll see, won't we, flossie?" "yep." by this time the bobbsey twins had reached their house, or rather, they had turned the corner of the street leading out from the lake, and were in sight of their home. what they saw caused bert, nan, flossie and freddie to set out on a run. in front of their house was a crowd of people. there were men, women and children, and among them the twins could see their mother, fat dinah, the cook, and sam johnson, her husband, who attended to the bobbsey furnace in winter and the lawn in summer. "what's the matter?" asked nan. "something has happened!" cried bert. "the house is on fire!" shouted freddie. "i must get my fire engine that squirts real water!" and he raced on ahead. "wait a minute!" called bert. the bobbsey twins saw their mother coming quickly toward them. she held out her arms and cried: "oh, i'm so glad you're safe!" "why, what's the matter?" asked flossie. "i can't just say," answered her mother; "but helen porter can't be found. her mother has looked everywhere for her, but can't find her." "she's been carried off by the gypsies!" exclaimed john marsh, an excited boy about bert's age. "the gypsies took her! i saw 'em!" "you did?" asked bert. "sure i did! a man! dark, with a red sash on, and gold rings in his ears! he picked helen up in his arms and went off with her! she's in one of the gypsy wagons now!" when john told this flossie and freddie huddled closer to their mother. chapter ii a surprise "what's all this? what's the matter?" asked a voice on the outside fringe of the crowd that had gathered in front of the bobbsey home, and, looking up, bert saw his father coming down the street from the direction of his lumberyard. "has anything happened?" asked mr. bobbsey, after a glance had shown him that his own little family was safe and sound. "dere suah has lots done gone an' happened, mistah bobbsey," answered fat dinah. "oh, de pore honey lamb! jest t' think ob it!" "but who is it? what has happened?" asked mr. bobbsey, looking about for some one to answer him. flossie and freddie decided they would do this. "it's gypsies," said the little "fat fireman," as his father sometimes called freddie. "and they carried off helen porter," added the little "fat fairy," which was flossie's pet name. "an' i saw the wagons, all lookin' glasses, an' freddie an' i are goin' to be gypsies when we grow up." flossie was so excited that she dropped a lot of "g" letters from the ends of words where they belonged. "you don't mean to say that the gypsies have carried off helen porter--the little girl who lives next door?" asked mr. bobbsey in great surprise. "yep! they did! i saw 'em!" exclaimed john marsh. "she had curly hair, and when the gypsy man tooked her in his arms she cried, helen did!" "oh!" exclaimed flossie, freddie and other children in the crowd. "there must be some mistake," said mr. bobbsey. "those gypsies would never take away a child, even in fun, in broad daylight. it must be a mistake. let me hear more about it." and while the father of the bobbsey twins is trying to find out just what had happened, i will take a few minutes to let my readers know something of the twins themselves, for this book is about them. it may be that some boy or girl is reading this as his or her first venture into the volumes of the "bobbsey twins series." if so, i will state that there are a number of books which come before this, though this story is complete in itself. to begin with there were four bobbsey twins, as you have guessed before this. nan and bert were about ten years old, tall and dark, with eyes and hair to match. flossie and freddie were short and fat, and had light hair and blue eyes. so, now that you know them you will have no trouble in telling the twins, one from the other. with their mother and their father, who owned a large lumberyard, the twins lived in the eastern city of lakeport near the head of lake metoka. there were others in the family besides the twins and their parents. there was dear old, black, fat dinah, the cook, who made such good pies, and there was sam, her husband. and i must not forget snoop, the black cat, nor snap, the big dog, who once did tricks in a circus. you will hear more about them later. "the bobbsey twins," is the name of the first book, and in that you may read of many adventures that befell the children. they had more adventures in the country, and there is a book telling all about that happy time, and also one about the seashore. when the bobbsey twins went to school there was more fun and excitement "than you could shake a stick at," as dinah used to say, though why any one would want to shake a stick at fun i can't tell. then came jolly times at "snow lodge," and on a houseboat. from there the twins went to "meadow brook," and afterward came home, there to have more fun. the book just before this one you are reading is called "the bobbsey twins in a great city." in that you may learn how bert, nan, flossie and freddie went to new york where mr. bobbsey had some business to look after. while there the twins helped to solve a mystery about a poor old man. i think, however, that i had better not tell you any more about it, but let you read it for yourself. and now we find the twins back in lakeport, ready for a good time during the summer that would soon be at hand. only the gypsy scare had rather alarmed every one for the time being. "but now let me hear what it is all about," said mr. bobbsey, who had come home from the office of his lumberyard to find an excited crowd in front of his house. "were there really any gypsies?" he asked his wife. "and did they take away helen porter?" "i don't know about that last part," said mrs. bobbsey; "but a caravan of gypsies did pass by the house a little while ago. i heard dinah say something about the gaily painted wagons, and i looked out in time to see them rumbling along the street. then, a little later, i heard mrs. porter calling for helen, and, on seeing the crowd, i ran out. i was worried about our children until i saw them coming from the lake, where they had gone for a row in the boat." "i can't believe that gypsies took helen," said mr. bobbsey. "oh, but she's _gone_!" several neighbors told him. "we can't find her _anywhere_, and her mother is crying and taking on terribly!" "well, it may be that helen is lost, or has even strayed away after the gypsies, thinking their wagons were part of a circus, as nan says flossie thought," said mr. bobbsey. "but gypsies wouldn't dare take a little girl away in broad daylight." as he said this he looked at his own little children and at others in the crowd, for he did not want them to be frightened. "years ago, maybe, gypsies did take little folks," he said, "but they don't do it any more, i'm sure." "but where is helen?" asked john marsh. "a gypsy man has her, i know, 'cause i saw him take her." "are you sure?" asked mr. bobbsey, for john was an excitable boy, sometimes given to imagining things that never happened. "course i'm sure," he said. "cross my heart!" and he did so, while the other children looked on wonderingly. "suppose you go over to mrs. porter's house," said mrs. bobbsey to the children's father. "she's worried, i guess, and her husband isn't home yet. maybe you can help her. i was just going in when you came along." "all right, i'll go," said mr. bobbsey. "can't we come?" asked freddie, and as he had hold of his little sister's hand, it was flossie, of course, whom he included in his question. "no, you must go with your mother," said his father, and when the little fat fireman seemed disappointed mr. bobbsey went on: "i guess supper is almost ready, isn't it, dinah?" "deed it am. an' dere's puddin' wif shaved-up maple sugar scattered ober de top an'----" "oh, i want some of _that_!" cried flossie. "come on, freddie! we can look for the gypsies after supper." "and we'll get helen out of the shiny wagons," added freddie, as he hurried toward the bobbsey home with flossie, fat dinah waddling along after them. "i'll go with you," offered bert to his father. "maybe you would want me to go on an errand." "yes, take bert with you," said mrs. bobbsey. "i'll look after nan, flossie and freddie. and be sure to tell mrs. porter that if i can do anything for her i will." "i'll tell her," and then mr. bobbsey, with bert, walked to the porter house next door. the crowd in the street grew larger, and there was much talk about the gypsies. some said that several little boys and girls had been carried off, but, of course, this was not so. as flossie and freddie tore on toward the house in front of fat dinah, they continued to chatter about the gypsies. "if gypsies take little girls we don't want to be them--the gypsies, i mean--freddie." "humph-umph; that's so. well, i guess we'll be in a circus anyhow. that'll be more fun. you can ride a horse in the ring, and sometimes i can ride with you and sometimes i can be a clown. when i'm a clown i can squirt water from my fire engine over the other clowns. that'll make the folks holler and laugh." when nan and mrs. bobbsey reached the house each of the little twins was munching on a piece of maple sugar, given them by dinah to keep them from nibbling at the pudding before the time to serve it came. "my, momsie! aren't you glad the gypsies came and got helen porter? it gives us something to think about," remarked freddie coolly. "freddie bobbsey!" gasped his mother. "no, i am not glad the gypsies got helen--if they did. and you and flossie find enough to think about, as it is. and give the rest of us enough to think about, what is more." "there go daddy and bert into mrs. porter's house now," said nan. "now tell me just what happened, and i'll do all i can to help you," said mr. bobbsey to mrs. porter, when he got to her house and found her half crying in the sitting-room where there were a number of other women. "oh, helen is gone, i'm sure she is!" cried the mother. "the gypsies have taken her! i'll never see her again!" "oh, yes you will," said mr. bobbsey in mild tones. "i'm sure it's all a mistake. the gypsies haven't taken her at all. what makes you think so?" "johnnie marsh saw them carry her away." "then let's have johnnie in here where we can talk to him. bert, suppose you do one of those errands you spoke of," said his father with a smile, "and bring johnnie in out of the crowd where i can talk to him quietly." john, or johnnie, as he was often called, was very ready to come when bert found him outside the porter house, telling over and over again to a crowd of boys what he had seen, or what he thought he had seen. "now tell us just what happened," said mr. bobbsey, when the small boy was seated in a chair in the porter parlor. "well, i was coming from the store for my mother," said johnnie, "and i saw the gypsy wagons. i thought it was a circus." "that's what flossie and freddie thought," said bert to his father. "but it wasn't," went on johnnie. "then i saw helen playing in grace lavine's yard down the street when i came past. and a little while after that, when i had to go to the store for my mother again, 'cause i forgot a yeast cake, i saw a gypsy man running along the street and he had helen in his arms and she was crying." "what made you think it was helen?" asked mr. bobbsey. "'cause i saw her light hair. helen's got fluffy hair like your flossie's." "yes, i know she has," said mr. bobbsey. "what did you do when you thought you saw the gypsy man carrying helen away?" and they all waited anxiously for johnnie's answer. "i ran home," said johnnie. "i didn't want to be carried off in one of those looking-glass wagons." "quite right," said mr. bobbsey. "then you really didn't see the gypsy man pick helen up in his arms?" "no," slowly answered the little boy, "he only just ran past me. but he must have picked her up in grace's yard, for that's where helen was playing." "then we'd better go down to where grace lavine lives and see what she can tell us," said mr. bobbsey. "you don't need to," put in bert. "i see grace out in front now with some other girls. shall i call her in?" "oh, please do!" exclaimed mrs. porter. "my poor helen! oh, what has happened to her?" "we'll get your little girl back, even if the gypsies have her," said mr. bobbsey. "but i don't believe they have taken her away. call in grace, bert." grace was not as excited as johnnie, and told what she knew. "helen and mary benson and i were playing in my yard," said grace. "we had our dolls and were having a tea party. mary and i went into the house to get some sugar cookies, to play they were strawberry shortcake, and we left helen out under the trees with her doll. when we came back she wasn't there, nor her doll either, and down the street we saw the gypsy wagons." "did you see any gypsy man come into the yard and get helen?" asked mr. bobbsey. "no," said grace, shaking her head, "i didn't. but the gypsies must have taken her, 'cause she was gone." "oh, please some one go after the gypsies, and make a search among them, at any rate!" cried mrs. porter. "we'll get right after them," said mr. bobbsey. "i don't really believe the gypsies took helen, but they may have seen her. they can't have gone on very far. i'll call some policemen and we'll get after them." "i'll come with you," said bert. "maybe we'd better get an automobile." "it would be a good idea," said his father. "let me see now. i think----" but before mr. bobbsey could say what he thought there was the sound of shouts in the street, and when those in the porter home rushed to the windows and doors they were surprised to see, coming up the front walk, the missing little girl herself! there was helen porter, not carried off by the gypsies at all, but safe at home; though something had happened, that was sure, for she was crying. "here she is! here she is!" cried several in the crowd, and mrs. porter rushed out to hug her little girl close in her arms. chapter iii worried twins "oh, helen! how glad i am to have you back!" cried mrs. porter. "how did you get away from the gypsies? or did they really have you?" the little girl stopped crying, and all about her the men, women and children waited anxiously to hear what she would say. "did the gypsies take you away?" asked mr. bobbsey. "no, the gypsies didn't get me," said helen, her voice now and then broken by sobs. "but they took mollie!" "took mollie!" cried mr. bobbsey. "do you mean to say they really did take a little girl away?" "they--they took mollie!" half-sobbed helen, "and i--i tried to get her back, but i couldn't run fast enough and--and----" "well, if they really have mollie," went on mr. bobbsey, "we must get right after them and----" "mollie is the name of helen's big doll--almost as large as she is," explained mrs. porter, who was now smiling through her tears. "mollie isn't a little girl, though probably there are several in lakeport named that. but the mollie whom helen means is a doll." "oh, i see," said mr. bobbsey. "but did the gypsies really take your doll, helen?" "yes, they did," answered the little girl. "a bad gypsy man took her away. i was playing with mollie in grace lavine's yard, and grace and mary went into the house to get some cookies. i stayed out in the yard with my doll, 'cause i wanted her to get tanned nice and brown. i laid her down in a sunny place, and i went over under a tree to set the tea table, and when i looked around i saw the gypsy man." "where was he?" asked mr. bobbsey. "he was just getting out of one of the red wagons. and there was a little gypsy girl in the wagon. she was pointing to my doll, and then the man jumped down off the wagon steps, ran into the yard, picked up my doll, and then he jumped into the wagon again and rode away. and he's got my nice doll mollie, and i want her back, and--oh, dear!" and helen began to cry again. "never mind," said mr. bobbsey quietly. "i'll try to get your doll back again. how large was it?" "nearly as large as helen herself," said mrs. porter. "i didn't want her to play with it to-day but she took it." "yes, but now the gypsy man with rings in his ears--he took it," explained helen. "he carried my doll off in his arms." "then it must have been the doll which johnnie saw the gypsy man carrying, and not helen!" exclaimed bert. "did it look like a doll, johnnie?" "well, it might have been. it had light hair like helen's, though." "helen's doll had light hair," said mrs. porter. "and probably if a gypsy put the doll under his arm, and ran past any one it would look as though he were carrying off a little girl. especially as the doll really had on a dress helen used to wear when she was a baby." "that is probably what happened," said mr. bobbsey. "the gypsy man's little girl saw, from the wagon, the doll lying in the lavine yard. gypsies are not as careful about taking what does not belong to them as they might be. they often steal things, i'm afraid. and, seeing the big doll lying under the tree----" "where i put her so she'd get tanned nice and brown," interrupted helen. "just so," agreed mr. bobbsey. "seeing the doll under the tree, with no one near, the gypsy man made up his mind to take her for his little girl. this he did, and when he ran off with mollie, johnnie saw what happened and thought helen was being kidnapped. "but i'm glad that wasn't so, though it's too bad mollie has been taken away. however, we'll try to get her back for you, helen. maybe the gypsies took other things. if they did we'll send the police after them. now don't cry any more and i'll see what i can do." "and will you get mollie back?" "i'll do my best," promised the bobbsey twins' father. there being nothing more he could do just then at the porter home, mr. bobbsey went back to his own family, and told his wife, flossie, freddie and nan what had happened. "oh, i'm so glad helen is all right," said mrs. bobbsey. "but it's too bad about her doll," sighed nan. she had a doll of her own--a fine one--and she knew how she would feel if that had been taken. "helen's doll could talk," said flossie. "i know, 'cause she let me make it talk one day. you wind up a winder thing in her back, and then you push on a shoe button thing in her front and she says 'mamma' and 'papa' and other things." "yes, that's right," said nan. "mollie is a talking doll. i guess she has a little phonograph inside her. maybe that's the noise johnnie heard when the gypsy man carried the doll past him, and johnnie thought it was helen crying." "i guess that was it," agreed mr. bobbsey. "well, it's too bad to lose a big talking doll. i must see what i can do to help get it back. i'll call up the chief of police." "it would be worse to lose your toy fire engine," declared freddie. "why, freddie bobbsey!" exclaimed his little sister, "nothing could be worse than to lose your very best doll--your very own child!" mr. bobbsey, being one of the most prominent business men in the town, had considerable business at times with the police and the fire departments, and the officers would do almost anything to help him or his friends. so, after supper--at which dinah had served the pudding with the shaved-up maple sugar over the top, flossie and freddie each having had two helpings--mr. bobbsey called up the police station and asked if anything more had been heard of the gypsies. "well, yes, we did hear something of them," answered chief branford, over the telephone wire. "they've gone into camp, where they always do, on the western shore of the lake, and as i've had several reports of small things having been stolen around town, i'm going to send on officer out there to the gypsy camp, and have him see what he can find. you say they took your little girl's doll?" "no, not my little girl's," answered mr. bobbsey, "but the talking doll belonging to a friend of hers." "her name is molly, daddy," said flossie, who, with the other bobbsey twins, was listening to her father talk over the telephone. "i mean the doll's name is mollie, not helen's name." "i understand," said mr. bobbsey with a laugh, and he told the chief the name of the doll and also the name of the little girl who owned it. "well, what is to be done?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as her husband hung up the receiver. "i think i'll go with the policeman and see what i can find out about the gypsies," said mr. bobbsey. "if they are going to take things that do not belong to them they may pay a visit to my lumberyard, if they have not done so already. i think i'll go out to the gypsy camp." "oh, let me come!" begged bert, always ready for an adventure. "i wouldn't go--not at night, anyhow," remarked nan. "nor i," added freddie, while flossie crept up into her mother's lap. "oh, i'm not going until morning," said mr. bobbsey. "then i'll take you, bert, if you'd like to go. we'll see if we can find helen's big, talking doll." "she must feel bad at losing it," said nan. "she does," said bert. "though how any one can get to like a doll, with such stupid eyes as they have, i can't see." "they're as good as nasty old knives that cut you, and kite strings that are always getting tangled," said nan with a laugh. "yes, i guess we like different things," agreed her brother. "well, i'm glad it wasn't flossie or freddie the gypsies took away with them." "i wouldn't go!" declared freddie. "and if they took flossie, i'd get my fire engine and squirt water on those men with rings in their ears till they let my sister go!" "that's my little fat fireman!" laughed mr. bobbsey. "but now i think you're getting sleepy. your row on the lake made the sandman come around earlier than usual i guess. off to bed with you." flossie and freddie went to bed earlier than nan and bert, who were allowed to sit up a little later. there was much talk about the gypsies, and what they might have taken, and nan and bert were getting ready for bed when a pattering of bare feet was heard on the stairs, and a voice called: "where's snoop?" "why, it's flossie and freddie!" cried mrs. bobbsey, as she saw the two small twins. "why are you out of bed?" she asked. "freddie thought maybe the gypsies would take our cat snoop," explained flossie, "so we got up to tell you to bring him in." "and bring in snap, our dog," added freddie. "the gypsies might take him, 'cause he does tricks and was once in a circus." "oh, don't worry about that!" laughed mr. bobbsey. "get back to bed before you take cold." "but you won't let the gypsies take them, will you?" asked flossie anxiously. "no, indeed!" promised her mother. "snoop is safely curled up in his basket, and i guess snap wouldn't let a gypsy come near him." but flossie and freddie were not satisfied until they had looked and had seen the big black cat cosily asleep, and had heard snap bark outside when bert called to him from a window. "the gypsies won't take your pets," their father told the small twins, and then, hand in hand, they went upstairs again to bed. chapter iv the goat "can't we come, too?" "we're not afraid of the gypsies--not in daytime." flossie and freddie thus called after their father and bert, as the two latter started the next morning to go to find the gypsy camp. the night had passed quietly, snap and snoop were found safe when day dawned, and after breakfast mr. bobbsey and his older son were to go to lake metoka and find where the gypsies had stopped with the gay red and yellow wagons. they were going to see if they could find any trace of helen's doll, and also things belonging to other people in town, which it was thought the dark-skinned visitors might have taken. "please let us go?" begged the little bobbsey twins. "oh, my dears, no!" said mrs. bobbsey. "it's too far; and besides----" "are you afraid the gypsies will carry us off?" asked freddie. "'cause if you are i'll take my fire engine, and some of the funny bugs that go around and around and around that we got in new york, and i'll scare the gypsies with 'em and squirt water on 'em." "no, i'm not afraid of you or flossie's being carried off--especially when your father is with you," said mrs. bobbsey. "but there is no telling where the gypsies are camped, and it may be a long walk before they are found. so you stay with me, and i'll get dinah to let you have a party." "oh, that will be fun!" cried flossie. "i'd rather play hunt gypsies," said her brother, but when he saw dinah come out of the kitchen with a tiny little cake she had baked especially for him and his sister to have a play-party with, freddie thought, after all, there was some fun in staying at home. "but take snap with you," he said to bert. "he'll growl at the gypsy men, and maybe he'll scare 'em so they'll give back helen's doll." "well, snap can growl hard when he wants to," said bert with a laugh. "but still i think it wouldn't be a good thing to take him to the gypsy camp. they nearly always have dogs in their camp--the gypsies do--and those dogs might get into a fight with snap." "snap could beat 'em!" declared freddie. "no, don't take him!" ordered flossie. "i don't want snap to get bit." "i don't either," agreed bert, "so i'll leave him at home i guess. well, there's daddy calling me. i'll have to run. i'll tell you all about it when i come back." so, while flossie and freddie, with the little cake dinah had baked for them, went to have a good time playing party, mr. bobbsey, with a policeman and bert, went to the gypsy camp. the policeman did not have on his uniform with brass buttons--in fact, he was dressed almost like mr. bobbsey. "for," said this policeman, whose name was joseph carr, "if the gypsy men were to see me coming along in my helmet, with my coat covered with brass buttons, and a club in my hand, they would know right away who i was. they could see me a long way off, on account of the sun shining on the brass buttons, and they would have time to hide away that little girl's doll, or anything else they may have taken. so i'll go in plain clothes." "like a detective," said bert. "yes, something like a detective," agreed mr. carr. "now let's step along lively." several persons had seen the gypsy caravan of gay yellow and red wagons going through lakeport, and had noticed them turn up along the farther shore of lake metoka. there was a patch of wood several miles away from the town, and in years past these same gypsies, or others like them, had camped there. it was to these woods that bert and his father were going. "do you think we'll find helen's doll?" asked the boy. "well, maybe, bert," answered his father. "and yet it may be that the gypsies have it, but will not give it up. we'll just have to wait and see what happens." "if i get sight of it they'll give it up soon enough," said policeman carr. after about a two-hours' walk bert, his father and mr. carr came to the woods. through the trees they looked and saw the red and yellow wagons standing in a circle. near them were tied a number of horses, eating what little grass grew under the trees, while dogs roamed about here and there. "i'm glad we didn't bring snap," said bert. "there'd have been a dog fight as sure as fate." "yes, i guess so," agreed his father. by this time they had entered the gypsy camp, and some of the dark-faced men, with dangling gold rings in their ears, came walking slowly forward as if to ask the two visitors with the little boy what was wanted. "we're after a big doll," said mr. bobbsey. "one was taken from a little girl in our town yesterday. perhaps you gypsies took it by mistake; and, if so, we'd be glad to have it back." "we haven't any doll," growled one big gypsy. "we have only what is our own." "i'm not so sure about that," said mr. carr. "we'll have a look about the camp and see what we can find." the gypsy growled and said something else, though what it was bert could not hear. the gypsies did not seem pleased to have visitors, nor did the dogs who sniffed about the feet of bert, his father and the policeman. one dog growled, while others barked, and then the gypsy man who had first spoken made them go away. "you are wasting your time here," said this gypsy, who seemed to be the leader, or "king," as he is sometimes called. "we have nothing but what is our own. we have no little girl's doll." "we'll have a look about," said mr. carr again. but though the policeman and mr. bobbsey, to say nothing of bert, who had very sharp eyes, looked all about the gypsy camp, there was no sign of the missing doll. if a gypsy man had taken it, of which helen, at least, was very sure, he had either hidden it well or, possibly, had gone off by himself to some other camp in another part of the woods. "if the doll would only talk now and tell us where she is, we could get her," said bert with a laugh to his father, when they had walked through the camp and come out on the other side. "that's right," agreed mr. bobbsey; "but i'm afraid the doll isn't smart enough for that. do you see anything else that the gypsies may have taken?" asked the twins' father of the policeman. "i'm not sure," answered mr. carr. "we had a report of two horses missing, and they may be here, but most horses look so much alike to me that i can't tell them apart. i guess i'll have to get the men who own them to come here and see if they can pick them out." for half an hour bert, his father and mr. carr roamed through the gypsy camp, the dark-faced men and women scowling at them, and the dogs now and then barking. if there were any boys or girls in the camp bert did not see them, and he thought they might be hiding away in some of the many wagons. "well, we didn't find the doll," said mr. carr when they were on their way back to lakeport. "but i'm sure some of the horses the gypsies have don't belong to them. the chief of police is going to make them move away from that camp anyhow, for the man who owns the land doesn't like the gypsies there. he says they take his neighbors' chickens." flossie and freddie, as well as helen porter, were much disappointed when mr. bobbsey and bert came back without the doll. helen was sure some gypsy had it, but as it could not be found, nothing could be done about it. "we'll help you look for your doll this afternoon," said freddie to the little girl, into whose eyes came tears whenever she thought of her lost pet. "maybe you left mollie under some bush in grace's yard." "i looked under all the bushes," said helen. "well, we'll look again," promised freddie, and they did, but no doll was found. the next day the gypsies were made to move on with their gaily colored wagons, their horses and dogs, and though they went (for they had no right to camp on the land near the lake), they were very angry about it. "they said they had camped there for many years," reported mr. carr, telling about the police having driven the dark-faced men and women away, "and that they would make whoever it was that drove them away sorry that he had done such a thing." "i suppose that means," said mr. bobbsey, "that they'll help themselves from somebody's chicken coop." "we haven't got any chickens," said freddie. "but we've got a dog and a cat," put in flossie. "if those gypsies take snap or snoop i--i'll go after 'em, i will!" "so'll i!" declared her little fat brother. "what'll you do when you get to where the gypsies are?" asked bert. "why, i--i'll----" began freddie. "oh, i'll just pick snoop up in my arms and tell snap to come with me and we'll run home," answered flossie. "but maybe the gypsies----" "don't, bert," admonished his father. "i do not believe that you little twins need worry about your cat and your dog," he continued. but for several days and nights after that flossie and freddie were very much worried lest their pets should be taken away. but the gypsies did not come back again--at least for a time, and though the small bobbsey twins again helped helen hunt under many bushes for her talking doll it could not be found. "i just _know_ the gypsy man took my mollie!" declared helen. "i'll help you get it back if ever i see those gypsies," declared freddie, but at that time neither he, flossie nor helen realized what strange things were going to happen about that same talking doll. it was about a week after this (and summer seemed to have come all of a sudden) that, when the mail came one morning, mrs. bobbsey saw a postal card that made her smile as she read it. "what's it about, momsie?" asked freddie, when he noticed his mother's happy face. "are we going back to new york?" "no, but this postal has something to do with something that happened in new york," was mrs. bobbsey's answer. "it is from the express company to your father, and it says there is, at the express office, a----" just then mrs. bobbsey dropped the postal, and as nan picked it up to hand to her mother the little girl saw one word. "oh!" cried nan, "it's a postal about a goat!" "a--a goat?" gasped flossie. "a goat!" shouted freddie. "a live goat?" "why--er--yes--i guess so," and nan looked at the postal again. "oh, i know!" cried freddie. "it's that goat i almost bought in new york--mike's goat! oh, did daddy get a goat for us as he promised?" asked the little boy of his mother. chapter v a bumpy ride the bobbsey twins--all four of them--stood in a circle about their mother, looking eagerly at her and at the postal card which nan had handed to her. freddie and flossie were smiling expectantly while nan and bert looked as though they were not quite sure whether or not it was a joke. "is it really a goat, mother?" asked bert. "well, that's what this postal says," answered mrs. bobbsey. "a goat and cart have arrived at the express office, and your father is asked to come to get them and take them away." "course he's got to take 'em away," said freddie. "the goat'll be hungry there, for he can't get anything to eat." "and he might butt somebody with his horns," added flossie. "daddy wouldn't buy a butting goat," freddie declared. "anyhow, let's go and get him. i want to have a ride." "if there really is a goat outfit at the express office for us," said bert, "we'd better get it i think. i'll take the postal down to the lumberyard office and ask daddy----" "i'm going with you!" cried freddie. "i'm comin', too!" added flossie. "suppose you all go," suggested mrs. bobbsey. "your father will tell you what to do, for i'm sure i don't know what to say. i never had a goat. four twins, a dog and a cat are about all i can manage," she said laughingly, as fat dinah came waddling into the room to ask what to order from the grocery. "a goat! good lan' ob massy!" exclaimed the colored cook. "dere suah will be trouble if de honey lambs takes t' playin' wif goats! um! um! um! a goat! oh, landy!" "i know how to drive a goat!" declared freddie. "mike, the red-haired boy in new york, showed me. flossie and i had a ride in his wagon for two cents apiece. it was fun, wasn't it, flossie?" "yep. i liked it. we had lots of fun in new york. freddie rode on a mud turtle's back and we had bugs that went around and around and around." "maybe the goat will go around and around and around," said nan, half laughing. "well, hurry down to your father's office with the postal," advised mrs. bobbsey. "he'll know what to do." and when the four excited bobbsey twins--for even bert was excited over the chance of owning a goat--reached their father's office he told them all about it. "you remember," he said, "that when freddie and flossie 'almost' bought the goat in new york i promised that if i could find a good one for sale, with a harness and wagon i'd buy it for you this summer. well, i heard of one the other day, and i got it, having it sent on here by express. now we'll go down and see what it looks like." "it's going to be my goat--flossie's and mine, isn't it?" asked freddie, as they started for the express office down near the railroad station. "no more yours than it will be nan's and bert's, my little fat fireman," said mr. bobbsey with a laugh. "you must all be kind to the goat and take turns riding in the wagon." "can't we all ride at once?" asked nan. "well i don't know how large the wagon is," answered mr. bobbsey, as he started from his lumberyard for the express office with the children. "maybe you can all get in at once if the goat is strong enough to pull you." "i hope he's a big goat," said freddie. "then me and bert will drive him and ride you and flossie, nan." "don't let him run away with me, that's all i ask!" begged nan, laughing. they found the goat in a crate on the express platform. near him was a good-sized wagon, like those the children had seen in central park when on their visit to new york. "oh, we can all get in it!" cried freddie, as he ran from the wagon over to where the goat was bleating in his crate. the animal was a large white one, and he seemed gentle when flossie and freddie put their hands in through the slats of the crate and patted him. "i think he'd like to get out where he can walk around and have something to eat and drink," said mr. bobbsey. "we must take him out of his crate." this was soon done with the help of the express agent, and, when the last piece of wood was taken off, the goat stepped out of his crate in which he had traveled from a distant city, and gave a loud, "baa-a-a-a-a!" then he stamped his forefeet on the platform, and shook his head, on which were two horns. "oh, look out! he'll run away!" cried freddie, who was afraid of losing his goat before there was a chance for a ride. but the goat seemed tame, kind and gentle, and after walking about a little, stood still beside the crate and let the children pat him, while mr. bobbsey paid the express agent. there was a piece of paper pasted on the crate in which the goat had traveled. one end of the paper was flapping loose, and, seeing it, the white animal nibbled at it, and finally ate it, chewing it up as though he liked it; as indeed he did, not so much for the paper as for the dried paste by which it had been stuck on. "oh, look!" cried nan. "the goat's eating the label off his crate so we can't send him back. he likes us, i guess." "we like _him_, anyhow," said freddie, laughing and patting the billy. "come on, bert. hitch him up and give us a ride." "shall i?" asked bert of his father. "why, yes, i guess so. might as well start now as any time. the man i bought him from said he was kind and gentle and liked children. harness him up, bert." a complete harness had come with the goat and wagon, and when the white animal had been given a drink of water and fed some grass which flossie and freddie pulled for him, bert, helped by his father and the express agent, put the harness on. "what are we going to call him?" asked nan. "we'll have to have a name for our goat. we don't want to call him 'it,' or 'billy.'" "name him whisker," said bert. "see, he has whiskers just like an old man." "oh, that's a nice, funny name!" laughed flossie, and freddie thought so too. so the goat was named whisker, and he seemed to like that as well as any. what he had been called before they got him, the children did not know. whisker did not seem to mind being hitched to the wagon, and when mr. bobbsey had made sure that all the straps were well fastened, bert took the front seat, with nan beside him, while flossie and freddie sat in the back. they set off, mr. bobbsey walking beside the goat to make sure he did not run away. but whisker seemed to be a very good goat indeed, and went along nicely, and so slowly and carefully that freddie, several times, begged to be allowed to drive. "i will let you after a while," promised bert. "let me get used to him first." when the bobbsey twins came riding down their street in the goat wagon you can imagine how surprised all the other children were. they gathered in front of the house and rushed into the yard when bert turned whisker up the driveway. "oh, give us a ride! give us a ride!" cried the playmates of the bobbsey twins. "yes, i'll give you all rides," promised bert good-naturedly. then began a jolly time for the bobbsey twins and their friends. whisker did not seem to mind how many children he hauled around the smooth level yard at the side of the house, and sometimes the wagon was as full as it could hold. nor did the goat try to butt any one with his horns, letting the boys and girls pet him as much as they pleased. "he's almost as nice as my doll the gypsies took," said helen porter, after she had had a ride. "i like whisker." "did you find your doll?" asked flossie. "no. i can't find mollie anywhere. i just know she's been turned into a gypsy. oh, dear!" "flossie and i'll help you find her," promised freddie once again. "some day i'm going to drive the goat all alone, and i'll give you and flossie a long ride, helen. then we'll go off and find your doll." "that'll be nice," said helen. the bobbsey twins never knew how many friends they had until they got the goat wagon. for a time snoop and snap were forgotten, because there was so much fun to be had with whisker. bert gave many rides to his little sister and brother and to their playmates, and in a few days freddie was allowed to drive the goat, so gentle was the white animal. one day, soon after bert had hitched whisker to the wagon, and was going to give his two sisters and brother a ride, a telephone message came from mr. bobbsey, asking bert to come to the lumber office to get something mr. bobbsey had to send home to his wife. "i'll give you a ride when i come back," promised bert, hurrying down the street. "we'll leave whisker hitched up," said nan. "i'll go in and finish sewing up that hole in my stocking i was mending." "and i'll stay out here in the goat wagon," said freddie, while flossie nodded her head to say she would do the same thing. a little later, and before bert had come back from his father's office, helen porter came walking past the bobbsey house. looking in the yard, she saw flossie and freddie seated in the goat wagon. "come on in," invited flossie. "we're having a make-believe ride, and you can ride too. can't she, freddie?" "yep. an' i'm going to drive--make-believe. come on, helen. when bert comes i'll ask him to take us to help find the gypsies and get back your doll." helen hurried in and took her place in the wagon, and the three children had lots of fun pretending they were going on a long trip. they did not really go, for the goat was tied to a post. "i wish bert would hurry back," said flossie, after a bit. "i'm tired of staying in one place so long." "so'm i," said freddie. then he got out of the wagon and began loosening the strap by which the goat was fastened to the post. "what're you doing?" flossie asked. "i--i just want to see what whisker'll do," answered the little boy. "maybe he's tired of standing still." indeed, the goat seemed to be, for no sooner had freddie got into the wagon again than off whisker started, walking slowly toward the back of the yard, where there was a gate to a rear street which led to the woods. "whoa!" cried freddie, but he did not say it very loudly. "whoa, whisker! where you going?" "oh, he's runnin' away!" cried helen. "let me out! he's runnin' away!" "no, he's only walking," said freddie. "it's all right. as long as he walks, you won't get hurt. i guess i'd better drive him, though." "can't you stop him?" asked flossie. "bert won't like it to have us take him away." "we aren't taking him away; he's taking _us_ away," said freddie. "i can't make him stop. look!" again he called: "whoa!" but the goat did not obey. on and on went whisker, slowly at first, then walking a little faster and pulling after him the wagon with the children in it. "oh, he's going to the woods!" cried flossie, as she saw the goat heading for the patch of trees at the end of the back street. "stop him, freddie!" "maybe he wants to go there," said freddie. "he won't stop for me." "but it--it's such a bumpy road," said helen, the words being fairly jarred out of her. "it's all--all bu-bu-bumps and hu-hu-humps." "that's 'cause we're in the woods," said freddie, for by this time the goat had drawn the wagon into the shade of the woods, not far from the bobbsey home. it was indeed a bumpy place, whisker pulling the children over tree roots and bits of broken wood. but the wagon was stout, and the goat was strong. then, suddenly, freddie had an idea. "oh, helen!" he cried, "i guess whisker is taking us to find your lost doll!" chapter vi jolly news whisker, the big white goat, seemed to know exactly what he was doing, whether or not it was taking the two smallest bobbsey twins and helen porter to the woods to find the lost doll. for the goat stepped briskly along, pulling after him the wagon in which the children rode. they were bumped about quite a bit, for the path through the woods was anything but smooth. in some places there was no path at all, but this did not seem to worry whisker. he went along anyhow, now and then stopping to nibble at some green leaves, and again turning to one side to crop some grass. "do you really think he's taking us to my doll?" asked helen eagerly. "i--i hope so," answered flossie, somewhat doubtfully. "maybe he is," said freddie. "anyhow, the gypsies that took your doll mollie came to the woods, and we're in the woods, and maybe the doll is here and maybe we'll find her." that was as much as freddie could think of at one time, especially as he had to hold the reins that were fast to the bit in whisker's mouth. for the goat was driven just as a horse or pony is driven, and freddie was doing the driving this time. at least the little boy thought he was, and that was very near the same thing. but whisker went along by himself pretty much as he pleased, really not needing much driving by the leather reins. and he never needed to be whipped--in fact, there was not a whip in the wagon, for the bobbsey children never thought of using it. they were kind to their goat. "oh, i'm falling out!" suddenly cried helen, as the wagon went over a very rough, bumpy place in the path. "hold on tight like me," said flossie. "anyhow," she went on, as she looked out of the wagon, "if you do fall you won't get hurted much, 'cause there's a lot of soft moss and leaves on the ground." "but i'll get my dress dirty," said helen. "then we'll go down to the lake and wash it off," said freddie, for the woods in which they now were led down to the shore of the lake. "well, i don't want to fall, anyhow," said helen. "'most always when i fall i bump my nose, an' it hurts." "it's smoother now, and i guess the wagon won't tip over," observed freddie, a little later. they had come now to a wider path in the woods, where it was not so bumpy, and the wagon rolled easily over the moss and leaves as whisker pulled it along. "it's nice in here," said flossie, looking about her. "yes, i'm glad whisker took us for a ride," said freddie. "he wouldn't have if you hadn't unhitched his strap," remarked flossie. "what'll bert say?" "well, whisker was tired of standing still," went on her brother. "and, anyhow, helen wanted to come for a ride to find her doll; didn't you?" he asked their little playmate. "yep, i did," she answered. "i want my doll mollie awful much." "then we'll look for her," freddie went on. "whoa, whisker!" whether the goat really stopped because freddie said this word, which always makes horses stop, or whether whisker was tired and wanted a rest, i can not say. anyhow, he stopped in a shady place in the woods, and the children got out. "i'll tie the goat to a tree so he can't go off and have a ride by himself," said freddie, as he took the strap from the wagon. but whisker did not seem to want to go on any farther. he lay down on some soft moss and seemed to go to sleep. "we'll leave him here until we come back," said freddie. "and now we'll look for helen's doll." perhaps the children had an idea that the gypsies may have left the talking doll behind in the woods when they were driven away by the police. for, though they were not near the place where the dark-skinned men and women had camped, flossie, freddie and helen began looking under trees and bushes for a trace of the missing mollie. "do you s'pose she can talk and call to tell you where she is?" asked flossie, when they had hunted about a bit, not going too far from the goat and wagon. "i don't know," helen answered. "sometimes, when i wind up the spring in her back she says 'mamma' and 'papa' without my pushing the button. my father says that's because something is the matter with her." "well, if she would only talk now, and holler out, we'd know where to look for her," added freddie. "let's call to her," suggested flossie. "all right," agreed helen. [illustration: "mollie! mollie! where are you?" _the bobbsey twins on blueberry island._ _page _] so the children called: "mollie! mollie! where are you?" their voices echoed through the trees, but there was no other answer--at least for a while. then, when they had walked on a little farther, and found a spring of water where they had a cool drink, they called again: "mollie! mollie! where are you?" then, all at once, seemingly from a long way off, came an answering call: "wait a minute. i'm coming!" "oh, did you hear that?" gasped flossie. "it was somebody talking to us," whispered helen. "and it wasn't the echo, either," went on flossie. "maybe it was your doll," suggested freddie. "did it sound like her voice?" "a--a little," said helen slowly. "we'll call again," suggested flossie, and once more the children cried aloud: "mollie! mollie! where are you?" "wait a minute. stand still so i can find you! i'm coming!" was the answer. the three little ones looked at one another in surprise, and they were, moreover, a little frightened. was it possible that the missing, talking doll was really in the woods and had answered them? that it could talk, because it had a phonograph inside, they all knew. but would it answer when spoken to? "it didn't sound like mollie," whispered helen, after a bit. "her voice wasn't as loud as that." "oh-o-o-o-o!" suddenly gasped flossie. "maybe it was--the gypsies!" that was something the children had not thought of before. suppose it should be the same gypsy man who had taken away the doll? "it couldn't be the gypsies," said freddie, looking around him. "they all went away. daddy said so." "but maybe there was _one_ left," suggested his sister. "pooh! i'm not afraid of _one_ gypsy," declared freddie. "if he bothers me i'll sic whisker on him." "you can't sic a goat--they can't bite or bark like a dog," retorted flossie. "no, but whisker can butt with his horns!" cried freddie. "that's what i'll do! if it's a gypsy i'll sic whisker on him!" just then the children heard the voice again, calling: "where are you? i want to find you!" once more they looked at one another rather afraid. and then came a loud "baa-a-a-a-a!" from whisker. "come on!" cried freddie. "maybe they're trying to take our goat away!" he started on a run through the woods toward the place where they had left whisker and the wagon, now out of sight behind some bushes. "wait! wait for me!" cried flossie, who was left behind with helen. "don't run off without us, freddie!" "oh, excuse me," he said, politely enough. "but we don't want those gypsies to take whisker." "whisker'll butt 'em," said flossie. "wait for us." "yes, i guess our goat won't let anybody take him," went on freddie, walking now, instead of running. "come on, flossie and helen! maybe it's your doll talking and maybe it isn't. but we'll soon see!" together the three children hurried on, soon coming within sight of the goat. there was whisker peacefully lying down, still asleep. and running toward him, along the woodland path, was bert, who, as he caught sight of freddie and the others, called: "oh, there you are! i've been looking everywhere for you. didn't you hear me calling?" "was that you?" asked freddie. "we thought maybe it was a gypsy man." "or helen's doll," added flossie. "her doll, mollie, can talk, you know, bert. and whisker gave us a ride here so we looked for the doll." "yes, and then i had to come looking for you," said her brother. "but never mind. i've found you and i've got jolly news." "do you mean jolly news because you found us?" asked freddie. "no, it's jolly news about something else," bert said. "but i've got to hurry home with you so mother won't worry. then i'll tell you." chapter vii where is snap? "how did you youngsters come to run away?" asked bert, when he was driving the goat wagon back through the woods again, taking a path that was not quite so bumpy as the first one. "my goodness! i came back from daddy's office to find mother and nan looking everywhere for you. how did you happen to run away?" "we didn't runned away," said flossie, who was so excited over what had happened that she forgot to speak the way her teacher in school had told her to. "whisker runned away with us." "i guess he didn't go without being told, and without some one's taking off his hitching strap," said bert, with a smile. "anyhow, we didn't run much, whisker just walked most of the time," said freddie. "well, it's all the same," returned bert. "i had to chase after you to find you. didn't you hear me calling?" "yes, but we thought it was gypsies or helen's doll," answered flossie. "we were looking for mollie, you know." "you'll not find her unless you find that band of gypsies," said bert. "anyhow, you mustn't come off to the woods alone, you little children." "we had whisker with us," freddie declared. "and if any of the gypsy men had come he'd have butted 'em with his horns." "he might, and he might not," went on bert. "anyhow, i guess you had a nice ride." "we did," said flossie. "only we're sorry we couldn't find helen's doll. how did you find us, bert?" "oh, i could see by the wheel and hoof marks in the soft dirt which way whisker had taken the wagon, and i just followed." "but what is the jolly news?" freddie demanded. "are we going back to new york?" "better than that!" answered bert. "we're going camping!" "camping?" cried the two little bobbsey twins in the same breath. "where?" asked freddie. "when?" asked flossie. "it isn't all settled yet," answered bert. "you know daddy and mother talked about it when we were in the big city. and to-day, when i was down at the lumberyard i heard daddy speaking to a man in there about some of the islands in lake metoka. daddy wanted to know which one was the best to camp on." "and did the man say which was a good one?" asked freddie. "i didn't hear. but i asked daddy afterward if we were going to camp this summer, and he said he guessed so, if mother wanted to." "does mother want to?" asked flossie eagerly. "she says she does," answered bert. "so i guess we'll go to camp this summer all right. isn't that jolly news?" "um," said freddie, not opening his mouth, for in one pocket of his little jacket he had found a sweet cracker he had forgotten, and he was now chewing on it, after having given his sister and helen some. "oh, i wish we could go now and take whisker with us!" cried flossie. "if we go we'll take the goat cart!" decided bert. "and we'll take our dog snap, and our cat snoop, too!" announced freddie. "they'll like to go camping." mrs. bobbsey and nan were anxiously waiting for bert to come back with the runaways, and when he came in sight, driving the goat cart, the children's mother hurried down the back road to meet them. "oh, my dears! you shouldn't go away like that!" she called. "whisker wanted to go," said freddie. "and we had a nice ride even if it was bumpy. and we thought we heard mollie's doll calling, but it was bert." "well, don't do it again," said mrs. bobbsey. she always said that, whenever either set of twins did things they ought not to do, and each time they promised to mind. but the trouble was they hardly ever did the same thing twice. and as there were so many things to do, mrs. bobbsey could not think of them all, so she could not tell nan and bert, flossie and freddie not to do them. "when are we going camping?" asked freddie, as he got out of the goat cart. "and what island are we going on?" asked flossie. "oh, my! i see you have it all settled so soon!" laughed mrs. bobbsey. "your father and i have yet to talk it over. "we'll do that to-night," she went on. "and now you children come in and get washed, and dinah will give you something to eat. you must be hungry." "we are," said flossie. "and helen's hungry, too. aren't you, helen?" she asked. "um--yes--i guess so." "well, we'll soon find out," laughed mrs. bobbsey. "i think your mother won't mind if i give you a little lunch with flossie and freddie. nan can tell her that you are here and are all right. she doesn't know you had a runaway ride in the goat wagon." "it was a bumpy ride, too," explained flossie. "and we didn't find mollie the talking doll." "well, maybe you will some day," said mrs. bobbsey kindly. and while flossie, freddie and helen ate the nice little lunch, fat, black dinah got ready for them, bert and nan went for a ride in the goat wagon, stopping at mrs. porter's house to tell her that helen was safe in the bobbsey home. "and now let's talk about camping!" cried bert that night after supper when the family, twins included, were gathered in the dining-room, the table having been cleared. "when can we go?" "i think as soon as school closes," said his father. "summer seems to have started in early this year, and i want to get you children and your mother off to some cool place. an island in the middle of the lake is the best place i can think of." "it will be fine!" cried bert. "which island are we going to camp on?" "there are two or three that would do nicely," answered mr. bobbsey. "i talked to some friends who own them, but i think one called blueberry island would suit us best." "it has a nice name," said nan. "i like--blueberry island! it sounds just as if it were out of a book." "is it a fairy island?" freddie wanted to know, for he liked to have fairy stories read to him. "well, maybe it will turn out to be a fairy story," said mr. bobbsey with a laugh. "it's the largest island in the lake, and several other parties are going there camping, so mr. ames, the man who owns it, told me." "why do they call it blueberry island?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "because there are many blueberries on it," answered her husband. "and if we go there i shall expect you children to pick plenty of blueberries so dinah can make pies. i'm very fond of blueberry pie." "i like it, too," said freddie. "we'll take whisker with us, and he can haul a whole wagon load of blueberries." "i wouldn't ask you to pick as many as that," said his father with a laugh. "two or three quarts would be enough for a pie, wouldn't they, mother?" "i should hope so! but do you really mean we are to go camping on blueberry island?" "surely," answered mr. bobbsey. "it will be a nice way to spend the summer." "and shall we live in a tent?" asked freddie, "and cook over a camp fire? and go fishing? and--and--and----" "yes, all of that and more, too," said his father, catching up the little fat fireman and bouncing him toward the ceiling. then followed a happy hour talking over the plans for going camping on blueberry island, until mother bobbsey said it was time for flossie and freddie, at least, to go to bed. off they went to slumberland, to dream of living in a big white tent with a flag on top of it. "just like a circus!" as freddie said the next morning at breakfast. "or a gypsy camp," added flossie. "are there any gypsies on blueberry island, daddy?" "no, not a one." "'cause if there was," went on the little girl, "i wouldn't take my doll with me. i wouldn't want her tooked away like helen's was." "we won't let any gypsies come," said mr. bobbsey. one warm summer day came after another until it was nearly time to close the school, and all the boys and girls in lakeport were thinking of vacation. the bobbseys were getting ready to go to the blueberry island camp. mr. bobbsey had bought the tents and other things and they were to go to the island in a boat. "and we'll take whisker, our goat, and snap and snoop," said flossie, "and my dolls and the bugs that go around and around and around and----" "you'll have a regular menagerie!" said nan. "we'll have some fun, anyhow," cried freddie. "i wonder if we could hitch snap and whisker up together and make a team?" "let's try," suggested bert. "come on, freddie, we'll find our dog." but when they called snap he did not come running in from the yard or barn as he had always done before. bert and freddie called, but there was no answering bark. "where is snap, dinah?" asked bert, when a search about the house did not show the missing dog. "i done seed him heah about half an hour ago," said the colored cook, "an' den, all to oncet, i didn't see him ag'in. i wonder if dat ole peddler could hab took him?" she asked, speaking half to herself. bert and freddie looked at one another in surprise. where was snap? chapter viii off to camp "this is queer," said bert, when a more careful search about the house and barn failed to find snap. "if he's run away, it will be about the first time he has done that since we've had him." "let's ask at some of the houses down the street," said nan. "sometimes the children coax him in to play with them, and he forgets to come home because they make such a fuss over him." "here's snoop, anyhow!" cried freddie, coming out of the barn with the big black cat in his arms. "he can go to camp with us." "but we want snap, too!" added flossie. "we need a dog to keep the gypsies away." "there won't be any gypsies on blueberry island!" bert reminded them. "you can't tell," declared freddie. "maybe there'll be one or two, an' i don't want them to take my doll the way they did helen's," added flossie. "didn't helen get her doll back?" asked mrs. bobbsey, coming out of the house in time to hear what the children were saying. "no'm, and she feels awful sad," replied flossie. "and now the gypsies has took snap." "the gypsies have _taken_ snap--really, flossie, you must speak more correctly," said mrs. bobbsey. "but what do you mean about snap's being taken?" "he seems to be gone," reported bert. "we've looked everywhere for him, and now we're going to ask down the street," added nan. "but we've got snoop," said flossie, and so it was. "we"--that is, she and freddie both--had the big black cat, one twin carrying the head and the other twin the hind legs. but snoop was often carried that way and he did not mind. "snap not here? that is odd," said mrs. bobbsey. "have you whistled and called to him?" "every way we know," replied bert. "listen!" and, putting his fingers in his mouth, he gave such a shrill whistle that his mother and nan had to cover their ears, while fat dinah, waddling to her kitchen window, cried: "good land ob massy! what am dat--a fire whistle?" "i can whistle like that!" shouted freddie, dropping his end of the black cat. as it happened to be the head end he was carrying, this left the hind legs to flossie and poor snoop was thus dangling head down. "miaou!" he cried sadly, and then he gave a wriggle, and another one, and got loose. freddie made a sort of hissing sound on his fingers--not at all a nice, loud whistle as bert had done--but it was pretty good for a little fellow. "he ought to hear that," bert said, when he was done blowing his call, and his mother and sister had uncovered their ears. "but he doesn't come." "did you ask dinah about him?" mrs. bobbsey questioned. "yes, and she said----oh, she said something about a peddler!" cried nan. "we forgot to ask her what she meant." "did snap chase after a peddler?" asked bert, for the colored cook was still at the window. "no, i didn't see you all's dog chase after de peddler, honey lamb," replied dinah. "but jest a little while ago a woman wif a red dress on, all trimmed wif yaller, real fancy like, comed to de back do' sellin' lace work. snap was heah den, eatin' some scraps i put out fo' him, an' de woman patted him an' talked to him in a queer like way." "she did!" cried bert excitedly. "what'd she say?" "lan' goodness! you all don't s'pose i knows all de queer languages in de united states, does yo'?" asked dinah, shaking her kinky head. "but de woman talked queer t' snap, an' he wagged his tail, which he don't often does t' strangers." "no," put in flossie, shaking her head vigorously, "snap don't often talk to strangers. he's awful dig-dignified with 'em. isn't he, freddie?" "well, he doesn't like tramps, and they're strangers," replied her brother. "are peddlers tramps, bert?" "no, i guess not. but some of 'em look like tramps--pretty near, maybe." "what happened to the woman peddler?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i soon got rid ob her," said dinah. "i tole her we was gwine t' lib in de woods an' we didn't want no fancy lace 'cause it would git all ripped on de trees an' bushes. so she went off." "and what happened to snap?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "oh, he was eatin' his scraps de last i seen ob him," answered dinah. "an' he wagged his tail ag'in at de woman in de gay dress what looked like she was gwine on a picnic." "a dress of red and yellow," said nan. "isn't that the color the gypsies wear?" "was the woman a gypsy?" asked bert quickly. "she mought o' been," answered the cook. "she had gold rings in her ears, an' she was dark. not as dark as me or sam, but like some of them eytalian men. i didn't pay much 'tention to her, 'cause i was makin' a cake. but maybe snap done followed her to see to it she didn't take nuffin. 'cause ef she was a gypsy she mought take things." "yes, and she's taken snap--that's what she's done!" cried bert. "that's what's happened to our dog. the gypsies have him! i'm going to tell daddy, and have him get a policeman." "now don't be too sure," advised mrs. bobbsey. "perhaps that peddler may have been a gypsy, and she may have made friends with snap--those people have a strange way with them about dogs and horses--but it isn't fair to say she took your pet. he may have followed her just to be friendly. you had better ask at some of the houses down the street first." "come on!" cried bert to nan. "we'll go and ask." "and i'm coming, too!" added freddie. "i can call snap and you can whistle for him, bert." "and i'll take snoop, and snoop can miaou for him," said flossie. "no, you two little ones stay here," directed mrs. bobbsey. "i want to wash and dress you for dinner. let bert and nan hunt for snap." "then can't we go in the goat cart?" freddie asked. "we'll all have a ride when we come back," promised bert. "we first want to find snap, if we can, to see if he'll hitch up with whisker," the boy told his mother. so while flossie and freddie went into the house to get freshened up after their play, nan and bert went from house to house asking about snap. but though the big, trick dog sometimes went to play with the neighbors' children, this time there was no sign of him. one after another of the families on the block said they had not seen snap. several servants had noticed the gypsy woman "peddler," as they called her, for she had made a number of calls on the block, trying to sell her lace, but no one had seen snap with her. "oh, i guess snap just ran away for a change, as flossie and freddie sometimes do," said mr. bobbsey when he came home that evening and had been told what had happened. "he'll come back all right, i'm sure." but nan and bert were not so sure of this. they knew snap too well. he had never gone away like this before. flossie and freddie, being younger, did not worry so much. besides, they had snoop, and the cat was more their pet than was the dog, who was bert's favorite, though, of course, every one in the bobbsey family loved him. several times that evening bert went outside to whistle and call for his pet, but there was no answering bark, and when bedtime came bert was so worried that mr. bobbsey agreed to call the police and ask the officers who were on night duty to keep a lookout for the missing animal. this would be done, the chief said, since nearly all the officers in lakeport knew snap, who often visited at the police station. morning came, but no snap was at the door waiting to be let in, though bert was up early to look. snoop, the big black cat, was in his usual place, getting up to stretch and rub against bert's legs. "but where's snap?" asked the boy. "miaou," was all snoop answered. perhaps he knew, but could not tell. "well, i'm afraid your dog is lost," said mr. bobbsey, when at the breakfast table bert reported that snap was still away. "we'll put an advertisement in the paper and offer a reward if he is brought back." "maybe he's gone to camp on blueberry island and is waiting over there for us," said flossie. "maybe, my little fat fairy!" agreed her father, catching her up for a good-bye kiss. "let's hope so. and now you must soon begin to get ready to go camping." the children heard this news with delight, and, for a time, even lost snap was forgotten. he had often visited the neighbors before, and had always come back, so bert hoped the same thing would happen this time. there was much to do to get ready to go to blueberry island. there were clothes to pack and food to be bought, for though it was not many miles from the island back to the mainland where there were stores, still mrs. bobbsey did not want to have to send in too often for what was needed. the goat wagon was very useful for going on errands during the days that it took them to get ready to go off to live in the woods. bert and nan, sometimes with flossie and freddie, rode here and there about town, and whisker was as good as a pony, being strong and gentle. everywhere they went nan and her brother looked for snap and asked about him. but, though many in lakeport knew the dog, and had seen him on the day he was last noticed, no one could tell where he was. no one could be found who had seen him with the gypsy woman--if he had gone with her--though a number said they had noticed the gaudy, red-and-yellow-dressed peddler strolling about with her lace. "our dog's gone and helen's doll is gone," said nan the night before they were to go to camp. "i wonder what will be taken next." "i hope they don't get our snoop," said flossie, as she went to look at the big black cat who was sleeping in the box, with a handle, in which he was to be taken to the island. "and i hope they let whisker alone," said freddie. "whisker can take care of himself, with his horns," observed bert. "i'm not afraid of a gypsy trying to get our goat." the tents had been sent to the island, and a man would set them up. plenty of good things to eat were packed in boxes and baskets. dinah and sam had made ready to go to camp, for they were included in the family. dinah was to do the cooking and her husband was to look after the boats and firewood. "and, oh, what fun we'll have!" cried flossie the next morning, when the sun rose warm and bright and they started for blueberry island. "it would be better if we had snap," said bert. "you don't know how i miss that dog!" "we all do," said mrs. bobbsey. "perhaps we'll find him when we come back, bert. your father will come back from the island once or twice a week, and he'll come to the house to see if snap has come back." "he'll never come back," said bert, with a sad face. "i'm sure the gypsies took him, and they'll keep him when they find out he can do circus tricks." "well, maybe we'll find the gypsies and, if they have snap, we can make them give him up," said nan. "i hope so," murmured bert. there was a small steamer that made trips across the lake, and in this the bobbseys were to go to blueberry island, as they had so many things to take with them that a small boat would never have held them all. chapter ix a night scare "well, are you all ready?" asked daddy bobbsey, as he came out and locked the front door. on the steps in front of him, or else down the front walk, were his wife, nan, bert, flossie, freddie, sam, dinah, snoop, in his traveling crate, whisker, the goat, hitched to his wagon, and a pile of trunks, boxes and other things. "if we're not ready we never will be," said mrs. bobbsey with a sigh and a laugh, as she looked over everything. "we aren't going so far, but what we can send for anything we forget, which is a good thing. but i guess we're all ready, daddy." "good! here comes the expressman for our trunks, and behind him is the automobile we're going to take down to the steamer dock. now have you children everything you want?" and he looked at flossie and freddie particularly. "i've got my best doll, and snoop's in his cage," said flossie. "and my other dolls are in the trunk and so are the toys i want. is your fire engine packed, freddie? 'cause you might want it if the woods got on fire." "yep; my fire engine is all right," answered the little fellow. "an' i've got everything i want, i guess--except--maybe----" he was thinking then. "oh, i forgot 'em! i forgot 'em!" he quickly cried. "open the door, daddy! i forgot 'em!" "forgot what?" his father asked with a smile. "the tin bugs that go around and around and around," answered freddie. "you know, the ones i buyed in new york. i want 'em." "well, it's a good thing you thought of them before we got away, for i wouldn't have wanted to come back just to get the tin bugs." "but they go around and around and around!" cried flossie, who liked the queer toys as much as did her brother. "they're lots of fun." "well, as long as we're going to camp on blueberry island for fun as much as for anything else," said mr. bobbsey, "i suppose we'll have to get the bugs. come on, freddie." the little twin had wrapped his tin bugs in a paper and left them on a chair in the front hall, so it was little trouble to get them. then the trunks, bags and bundles were piled in the wagon and taken to the steamboat dock, while the bobbsey family, all except bert, took their places in the automobile. bert was to drive whisker to the wharf, as it was found easier to ship the goat and wagon this way than by crating or boxing the animal and his cart. "i'd rather ride with bert and whisker than in the auto," said freddie wistfully, as he saw his brother about to drive off. "so would i!" added flossie, who always chimed in with anything her twin brother did. "but you can't," said mrs. bobbsey decidedly. "if you two small twins went with bert in the goat wagon something would be sure to happen. you'd stop to give some one a ride or you'd have a race with a dog or a cat, and then we'd miss the boat. you must come with us, flossie and freddie, and, bert, don't lose any time. the boat won't wait for you and whisker." "i'll be there before you," promised bert, and he was, for he took a short cut. he said on the way he had stopped at the police station to ask if there was any news about the missing snap, but the trick dog had not been seen, and so the bobbseys went to camp without him. if there had not been so much to see and to do, they would have been more lonesome for snap than they were. as it was, they missed him very much, but bert held out a little hope by saying perhaps they might find their pet on blueberry island, though why he said it he hardly knew. "all aboard!" called the steamboat men as the bobbseys settled themselves in comfort, their goods having been put in place. the goat wagon was left on the lower deck where stood the horses and wagons that were to be taken across the lake, for the steamer was a sort of ferryboat. "all aboard!" called the deck hands. there was a tooting of whistles, a clanging and ringing of bells, and the boat slowly moved away from the dock. "oh, it's just lovely to go camping!" sighed nan. "we haven't really begun yet," said bert. "wait until we get to the woods and have to go hunting for what we want to eat, and cook it over an open fire--that's the way to live!" "i guess there won't be much hunting on blueberry island," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "well, we can make-believe, can't we?" asked freddie. "oh, yes, you can make-believe," said his mother. "and that, sometimes, is more fun than having real things." i will not tell you all the things that happened on the steamboat, for so much more happened on blueberry island that i will have to hurry on to that. besides, the trip to the middle of the lake did not take more than an hour, and not much can take place in an hour. i say not much, and yet sometimes lots of things can. but not a great deal did to the bobbseys this time, though, to be sure, a strange dog tried to get hold of snoop in his crate, and freddie nearly fell overboard reaching after his hat, which blew off. "but i could swim even if i did fall in," he said, for mr. bobbsey had taught all four twins how to keep afloat in water. "well, we don't want you falling in," his mother answered. "now you sit by me." this freddie did for a short time. then he got tired of sitting still and jumped down from his chair, at the same time calling to his little sister: "say, flossie, let's go and watch the engine." "all right," answered the little girl, ready, as always, to do anything her brother suggested. as flossie jumped from her chair to join her brother, she accidently kicked an umbrella belonging to a man who was sitting near by, and the umbrella fell to the floor and slipped out under the railing right into the water. "oh--oh--oh!" gasped flossie. but freddie turned and ran as fast as he could to the stairs that led to the lower deck. "here! where are you going?" cried his father, and started after his son. "goin' after that umbrella!" "i think not!" and mr. bobbsey caught up with freddie and picked him up in his arms. meanwhile, mrs. bobbsey told the man how sorry she was, and said that they would replace the umbrella. but the man returned that he would not allow that. "no one needs an umbrella on such a lovely day, anyway," he said. but a deckhand who was cleaning some mops in the water had already rescued the umbrella. "blueberry island!" called a man on the steamer, after the boat had made one or two other stops. "all off for blueberry island!" "oh, let us off! let us off!" cried flossie, getting up in such a hurry from her deck chair that she dropped her doll. "we're going camping there." "i guess the passengers know it by this time, without your telling them," laughed her father. "but come on--don't forget anything." such a scrambling as there was! such a gathering together of packages--umbrellas--fishing rods--hats, caps, gloves and the crate with black snoop in it. sam and dinah helped all they could, and between them and mr. and mrs. bobbsey and the children the family managed to get ashore at last. a gangplank had been run from the boat to the dock, and over this bert drove whisker and the goat cart. the goat seemed glad to get off the steamboat. "oh, wouldn't snap just love it here!" cried nan, as they went on shore and looked at the island. "isn't it too bad he isn't with us?" "i'm going to find him!" declared bert. "those old gypsies sha'n't have our trick dog!" blueberry island was, indeed, a fine place for a camp. in the winter no one lived on it, but in the summer it was often visited by picnic parties and by those who liked to gather the blueberries which grew so plentifully, giving the island its name. in fact, so many people came to one end of the island in the berry season that a man had set up a little stand near the shore, where he sold sandwiches, coffee, candy, and ice-cream, since many of the berry-pickers, and others who came, grew hungry after tramping through the woods. but where mr. bobbsey was going to camp with his family, the berry-pickers and picnic parties seldom came, as it was on the far end of the island, so our friends would be rather by themselves, which was what they wanted. mr. dalton, the man who kept the little refreshment stand, had his horse and wagon on the island, and he had agreed to haul the bobbsey's trunks and other things to where their tents, already put up, awaited them. "and can't we ride there in the goat wagon?" asked freddie of his mother, as he saw bert get up behind whisker in the little cart. "yes, i think you and flossie may ride now that we are on the island," said mrs. bobbsey. "do you want to go, nan?" "no, i'll walk with you and daddy. i'll get enough goat rides later." "oh, how nice it is!" cried mother bobbsey when she and nan came in sight of the tents of the camp. "i know we shall like it here!" "i hope you will," said her husband. "and now we must see about something to eat. i suppose the children are hungry." "dey's always dat way!" laughed fat dinah. "i neber seen 'em when dey wasn't hungry. but jest show me whar's de cook-stove an' suffin' t' cook, an' dey won't be hungry long, mah honey lambs!" dinah was as good as her word, and she soon had a fine meal on the table in the dining tent, for the men mr. bobbsey had hired to set up the canvas houses had everything in readiness to go right to "housekeeping," as nan said. there were several tents for the bobbsey family. one large one was for the family to sleep in, while a smaller one, near the kitchen tent, was for dinah and her husband. then there was a tent that served as a dining-room, and another where the trunks and food could be stored. in this tent was an ice box, for a boat stopped at the island every day and left a supply of ice. the children helped to unpack and settle camp, though, if the truth were told, perhaps they did more to unsettle it than otherwise. but mr. and mrs. bobbsey were used to this, and knew how to manage. so the meal was eaten, whisker was put in his little stable, made under a pile of brush-wood, and the children went out rowing in a boat. they had lots of fun that afternoon, and bert even did a little hunting for snap, thinking that, by some chance, the trick dog might be on the island. but snap was not to be found. "though, of course, we didn't half look," bert said. "we'll look again to-morrow." and now it was evening in "twin camp," as the bobbseys had decided to call their place on blueberry island. there had been quite a talk as to what to name the camp, but when dinah suggested "twin," every one agreed that it was best. so "twin camp" it was called, and daddy bobbsey said he would have a wooden sign made with that on it, and a flag to hoist over it on a pole. beds were made up in the sleeping tent, and soon even nan and bert declared that they were ready to go to slumberland by the quickest train or steamboat which was headed for that place. they had been up early and had been very busy. flossie and freddie dropped off to sleep as soon as they put their heads on the pillows. freddie did not know what time it was when he awakened. it was in the night, he was sure of that, for it was dark in the tent except where the little oil light was aglow. what had awakened him was something bumping against him. his cot was near one of the walls of the sleeping tent and he awoke with a start. "hi!" he called, as he felt something strike against him. "who's doin' that? stop it! stop it, i say!" "freddie, are you talking in your sleep?" asked his mother, who had not slept very soundly. "no, i'm not asleep," freddie answered. "but something bumped me. it's outside the tent." "maybe it's whisker feeling of you with his horns," said flossie, who slept near her brother, and who had been awakened when he called out so loudly. "it--it didn't feel like whisker. it was softer than his horns," freddie said. "momsie, i want to come into your bed." "no, freddie, you must stay where you are. i guess it was only the wind blowing on you." "no, it wasn't!" said freddie. "it was a bump that hit me. i'm afraid over here!" chapter x the "go-around" bugs without waiting for his mother to tell him that he might, freddie slipped off his cot and went scurrying over the board floor of the tent toward mrs. bobbsey's bed. "i'm coming, too!" said flossie, who generally went everywhere her small brother did. "did something hit you, too?" asked freddie, turning to his sister. "no, but it might. if you are afraid i'm afraid, too." "oh, you children!" said mrs. bobbsey with sigh. "i believe you only dreamed it, freddie." "no, momsie, i didn't! really i didn't! somethin' bumped me from outside the tent. it hit me in the back--not hard, but sort of soft like, an'--an' i woked up. i want to sleep with you!" "what's it all about?" asked daddy bobbsey. then freddie had to explain again, and flossie also talked until nan and bert were awakened. "it might have been whisker," said bert. "if he got loose and brushed against the tent and freddie had rolled with his back close against the side it would be like that." just then there sounded in the night the "baa-a-a-a-a!" of the white goat. "there he is!" cried bert. "but it sounds as though he were still safely tied up," said mr. bobbsey. "i'll have a look outside. too bad we haven't snap with us. he'd give the alarm in a minute if anything were wrong." the goat bleated again, but the sound did not seem near the tent, as it would have done if whisker has been loose. putting on his bath robe and slippers, mr. bobbsey took a lantern and went outside. bert wanted to come with his father, but mrs. bobbsey would not hear of it. "we want a little man in here to look after us," she said, smiling. "ain't i almost a man? i can make my fire engine go," freddie said, forgetting his fright, now that the "big folks" were up, and the light in the tent was turned higher. they could hear mr. bobbsey walking around outside, and they heard him speaking to the goat who bleated again. mr. bobbsey was as fond of animals as were his children, and whisker was almost like a dog, he was so tame and gentle. "was the goat loose, daddy?" asked nan, when her father came back into the tent. "no, he was tied all right in his little stable. it wasn't whisker who brushed against freddie, if, indeed, anything did." "something _did_!" declared the small boy. "didn't i wake up?" "well, you might have dreamed it," said nan. "you often talk in your sleep, i know." "i did feel something bump me," declared freddie, and nothing the others could say would make him change his idea. "did you see anything?" asked mrs. bobbsey in a low voice of her husband when the twins were in their beds again. flossie's and freddie's cots were moved over nearer to those of their parents', and they had dropped off to slumber again, after getting drinks of water. "well, i rather think i did," answered mr. bobbsey in a low voice. "you did! what?" "i don't know whether it was a horse or a man, but it was something. it was so dark i couldn't see well, and the trees and bushes come up around the tents." "how could it be a horse?" "it might have been the one that belongs to mr. dalton. if the horse were walking around, cropping grass wherever he could find it, he might have brushed past the side of the tent and so have disturbed freddie." "yes, i suppose so," agreed mrs. bobbsey. "but couldn't you tell a horse from a man?" "no, it was too dark. i only just saw a shadow moving away from the tents as i stepped out." "and was whisker all right?" "yes, though i guess he was lonesome. he tried to follow me back here when i left him." "i suppose whisker misses the children," said mrs. bobbsey. "but do you think it could be a man who was wandering about our tents?" "it _could_ be--yes." "one of the gypsies?" "oh, i wouldn't say as to that. in fact, i don't believe the gypsies are anywhere around here. the children have that notion in their heads, but i don't believe in it. perhaps it was a blueberry picker who was lost." "but if he was lost, and saw our tents, he'd stop and ask to be set on the right road," went on mrs. bobbsey. "besides, blueberries won't be ripe for another week or so, and nobody picks them green." "no, i suppose not," agreed her husband. "well, i'm sure i don't know who or what it was, but i saw a dark shadow moving away." "shadows can't do any harm." "no, but it takes some one or something to make a shadow, and i'd like to know what it was. i'll take a look around in the morning," said mr. bobbsey. "we don't want twin camp spoiled by midnight scares." "maybe we'd better get another dog, if snap doesn't come back," suggested his wife. "i'll think about that. we can't very well train whisker to keep watch. besides, he can't bark," and mr. bobbsey laughed as he got back into bed. there was no more disturbance that night and the twins did not again awaken. mr. bobbsey remained awake for a while, but he heard nothing, and he believed that if it was a man or an animal that had brushed against the tent where freddie was sleeping, whoever, or whatever, it was had gone far away. dinah had a fine breakfast ready for the twins and the others the next morning. there were flap-jacks with maple syrup to pour over them, and that, with the crisp smell of bacon, made every one so hungry that there was no need to call even nan twice, and sometimes she liked to lie in bed longer than did the others. "did you find what it was that bumped me, daddy?" asked freddie, as he, as last, pushed back his plate, unable to eat any more. "no. and we don't need to worry about it. now we must finish getting twin camp in order to-day," went on mr. bobbsey, "and then we will begin to have fun and enjoy ourselves." "are we going to catch any fish?" asked bert. "always, when you read of camps, they catch fish and fry them." "yes, we can go fishing after we get the work done," said his father. "work first and play afterward is a rule we'll follow here, though there won't be much work to do. however, if we're to go fishing we'll have to dig some bait." "i can dig worms!" cried freddie. "worms are good for bait, aren't they, daddy?" "for some kinds of fish, yes. we'll fish part of the time with worms and see what luck we have. bert, you and freddie can dig the bait." "i want to help," said flossie. "i helped nan get out my dolls and toys, and now i want to dig worms." "all right, little fat fairy!" laughed bert. "come along." "mercy, flossie, digging bait is such dirty work! what do you want to do that for?" asked nan. "i don't care if it is dirty, it's fun." "you might have known, nan," laughed mrs. bobbsey, "that flossie would not object to dirt." with a shovel for turning up the dirt, and a tin can to hold the worms, bert and the two smaller twins were soon busy. but they did not have as good luck as they expected. earthworms were not plentiful on the island. perhaps they could not swim over the lake from the main shore, freddie suggested. "aren't bugs good for bait?" asked freddie, when he had looked in the tin can and found only a few worms wiggling about after more than half an hour's digging on the part of himself and bert. "some kinds of bugs are good for fishing; yes," bert answered, and, hearing that, freddie started back for the tent where the trunks were stored. "what are you going to do?" bert called after his little brother. "i'm going to get the go-around bugs. we can use them for bait. water won't hurt 'em--the store man told me so. we can use the go-around bugs." "oh, they're no good--they're _tin_!" laughed bert. but freddie was not listening. he had slipped into the tent and was searching for the toys he had bought in new york. bert kept on digging for worms, now and then finding one, which flossie picked up for him, until he heard another call from freddie. the little fellow came running from the tent with an empty and broken box in his hand. "look! look!" cried freddie. "my go-around bugs comed alive in the night and they broke out of the box. oh, dear! now i can't have 'em to catch fish with! the go-around bugs broke out of the box and they've gone away!" chapter xi the blueberry boy "what's the matter, freddie? what has happened? i hope you haven't hurt yourself," and mrs. bobbsey, who heard the small twin calling to bert about the tin bugs, hurried from the tent, where she was making the beds, to see what the trouble was. "no, momsie, i'm not hurt," freddie answered. "but look at my go-around bugs!" and he held out the empty and broken box. "what's the matter with them?" asked mr. bobbsey who came up just then from the shore of the lake where he had gone to make sure the camp boats were securely tied. "my bugs are all gone!" went on freddie. "they broke out of the box in the night! they bited themselves out!" "no, they didn't bite the box," said flossie, coming up to look at what her small brother held. "they just went around and around and around, and they knocked a hole with their heads in the box and so they got out. did you look for them on the floor of the tent, freddie?" "no, i didn't." "come on, we'll have a look," bert said. he dropped the shovel with which he had been digging for worms and ran over to his little brother. he took the box from freddie. "that must have been smashed in the moving," bert said to his father. "no, it wasn't smashed," freddie said, hearing what bert remarked to mr. bobbsey. "flossie and i were playing with the bugs yesterday after we got here, and the box wasn't broken then. it was all right, and so were the go-around bugs. but now they're gone!" "maybe the box fell off a table or something," said mr. bobbsey, "and broke that way. we'll look on the floor of the tent for your bugs, my little fat fireman." but no bugs were to be found after a careful search had been made, and freddie and flossie were quite disappointed. "we can't go fishing if we can't find any bugs for to bait the hooks," said freddie, tears in his blue eyes. "never mind," his father answered. "the tin bugs wouldn't have caught many fish, and if we don't find your toys i'll get you some more when i go to town. you and bert had better keep on digging the worms, i guess. they're better for fish." "and i'll pick 'em up," offered flossie. she was a queer little child in some ways, not afraid of bugs and "crawly things." it did not take freddie or flossie long to forget what had made them unhappy, and though for a time they were sorry about the loss of the bugs, they soon became so interested in helping bert dig for worms that they were quite jolly again. "here's an awful fat one, flossie!" cried freddie. "pick that one up just terribly careful-like. i'm going to save him for my hook, and maybe i'll get the biggest fish of all." "how'll you know where to find this one when you want it, i'd like to know, freddie bobbsey?" returned his sister. "tie a blue ribbon on it," suggested bert. "yes, we might," said flossie slowly. "maybe nan has a ribbon. i'll ask." bert laughed and said: "i was just fooling, little fat fairy. i don't believe you can do that." "i don't see why," dissented freddie. "we can try, anyway. here, i have a red string in my pocket. that'll do better than a ribbon." he pulled out the string, and the two smaller children tied it around the middle of the earthworm, but, much to flossie's dismay, they tied it so tightly that it almost cut the worm in two. "oh, freddie bobbsey! you fix that right away!" cried his twin sister, and he loosened the string. pretty soon bert again dropped the spade he had taken up and said: "there, freddie, you dig awhile. i want to see about the lines and poles. we have almost worms enough." freddie was glad to do this, and flossie was eager to pick up the crawling creatures. bert went back to the tent to get out the poles, lines and hooks. there he found his father and mother looking at the broken box that had held the tin bugs. "how do you think it became smashed?" mrs. bobbsey asked. "i don't know," answered her husband. "it looks as though some one had stepped on it." "but who could do that? flossie and freddie think so much of the bugs that they take good care of them, and they wouldn't put them where they would be stepped on. do you suppose any of the men that have been helping set up the camp could have done it?" "i hardly think so. if they did they wouldn't take the bugs away, and that is what has happened. it seems to me as though the box had been broken so the bugs could be taken out. for the cover fits on tightly, and it often sticks. freddie and flossie often come to me to open it for them. probably whoever tried to open it could not do so at first, and then stepped on it enough to crack it open without damaging the tin bugs inside." "but who would do such a thing?" asked mrs. bobbsey, and bert found himself asking, in his mind, the same question. "that's something we'll have to find out," said mr. bobbsey, and neither of them noticed bert, who, by this time, was inside the tent where the fishing things were kept. "could it be the gypsies?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "well, i don't altogether believe all that talk about the gypsies," said mr. bobbsey slowly. "i think they may have taken helen's talking doll, but that's all. however, if there are any gypsies here on the island, and if they saw those gay red, yellow and spotted bugs of flossie's and freddie's they might have taken them. they like those colors, and the crawling bugs might amuse them." "oh, but if there are gypsies on this island i don't want to stay camping here! they might take away some of the children--flossie or freddie! nan and bert are too old." "nonsense!" laughed mr. bobbsey. "there are no gypsies here, and you needn't worry." "all the same i wish snap were here with us," went on mrs. bobbsey. "i'd feel safer if i knew the dog were with the children all the while, as he was before." "well, if he doesn't come back, or if we don't find him soon, i'll get another dog," promised mr. bobbsey. "now don't worry about gypsies. maybe this broken box was only an accident." "but what about the shadow you saw last night. maybe that was a----" just then dinah came waddling from the cook tent toward the large one where mr. and mrs. bobbsey stood. bert could see and hear all that went on. "mrs. bobbsey, did yo' take dat big piece ob bacon i cut a few slices off of last night?" asked the cook. "why, no, dinah, i didn't," answered mrs. bobbsey. "why do you ask?" "'cause as how dat bacon's gone. it's done gone complete! i hung it inside de tent, up high where none ob dem chatterin' squirrels or chipmunks could git it, an' now, when i want some fo' dinnah it's gone. maybe de chilluns took some fo' dere fish hooks, 'cause i done heah bert talk about bait." "no, i didn't take it," answered bert himself, stepping out of the small tent where the poles, oars for the boats and other camp articles were kept. "we've got worms enough for bait." "bacon gone, eh?" said mr. bobbsey. then, as he looked at his wife and glanced at bert, he went on: "well, maybe a stray dog jumped up and got it. some dogs can jump very high, dinah. snap could, i remember." "good land ob massy! ef i t'ought dat 'er snap had come back t' mah honey lambs i'd be so glad i wouldn't mind de bacon," said the fat cook. "but i don't reckon no dog took it, mistah bobbsey. i t'ink it war' a two-legged robber dat----" "never mind that now, dinah!" said mrs. bobbsey quickly. "come here and finish making the beds, i want to walk down to the lake with mr. bobbsey," and she nodded to her husband. "one piece of bacon won't matter," she went on. "we have plenty more." "yes, i knows _dat_," said dinah, who was puzzled. "but if no 'count folks is gwine t' come t' dish yeah camp an' walk off wif vittles dat way----" "it's time it was stopped, isn't it?" asked bert, as he walked toward the fat cook. "say, dinah," he went on as he saw his father and mother stroll down to the shore of the lake, "did you hear a queer noise in the night?" "did i heah a queer noise around de camp las' night?" repeated dinah. "well, i suah _did_, honey lamb! i done heard a owl hoot, an' dat's a suah sign ob bad luck." "no, i don't mean that kind of noise, dinah. did you hear anything else?" "yas. i done heah mah man sam snore suffin' terrible! it were 'most like thunder. did you all heah dat, honey lamb?" "no, i didn't hear that, dinah," answered bert, with a laugh. "but something or somebody brushed past our tent in the night, and woke up freddie. then my father went outside and saw some one sneaking away." "oh, mah good lan' ob massy!" cried dinah. "dat's where mah bacon went to! wait until i tells your fader, honey lamb, an'----" "no! hold on! wait a minute!" cried bert, catching dinah by her apron as she was hurrying away. "dad knows it already, and so does mother. i guess they don't want to scare us children, but i'm not afraid. i'll tell you what i think, dinah." "what's dat?" "i think there are gypsies on this island, and that they're after flossie and freddie!" "oh, mah goodness! oh, mah goodness! oh, mah goodness!" cried dinah quickly. it seemed she could think of nothing else to say. "but i'm not afraid," went on bert. "we'll just have to keep a good watch, and not let those two little twins out of our sight. don't tell my mother or father that you know this. you and i and nan will keep watch." "dat's what we will!" exclaimed the fat cook. "an' if dem gypsies lays so much as a fingernail on mah honey lambs i'll pull de gold rings offen dere ears an' frow dish water on 'em--dat's what i'll do to dem gypsies!" "i wish we had snap back, or that whisker were a dog instead of a goat," said bert. "but maybe if i let whisker roam around the camp at night he'll be as good as a watch dog." "he can butt wif his horns," said dinah. "yes, and he can make a bleating noise. that's what i'll do," said bert. "i'll use whisker as a watch dog. now don't say anything to father or mother about our knowing there're gypsies here," went on bert. "i won't--i won't say a word," promised dinah. "but i'll keep mah ole eyes skinned fo' flossie an' freddie, an' so will sam. it's got 't be mighty smart gypsies dat'll take away mah honey lambs!" bert was really much excited by what he had seen and heard. the smashing of the box, what his father and mother thought about it, the taking of the bacon and the scare the night before--all this was quite a surprise. "are you sure it's gypsies?" asked nan when her older brother told her what had happened. "i'm _sure_ of it," said bert. "now what you and i've got to do is to keep a good watch over flossie and freddie. course we're too big for the gypsies to take, but they could easy walk away with those little twins." "what d'you s'pose they'd do with 'em, bert, if they did take flossie and freddie?" "oh, they wouldn't hurt 'em, of course. they'd just black up flossie's and freddie's faces with walnut juice to make 'em look dark, like real gypsies, and they'd keep 'em until dad paid a lot of money to get the twins back." "how much money?" "oh, maybe a thousand dollars--maybe more." "oh!" exclaimed nan. "then we must be sure never to let flossie or freddie out of our sight. we've got to watch them every minute." "of course," agreed bert. "we'll fool those gypsies yet." carrying out their plan to be very careful of their little brother and sister, bert and nan took the small twins in the boat with them when they went fishing an hour later. bert would not go out far from the shore of blueberry island--indeed, his mother had told him he must not, for the lake was deep in places--and the older twins did about as much watching the bushes along the bank for signs of gypsies as they did fishing. flossie and freddie, however, not worrying about any trouble, had lots of fun tossing their baited hooks into the water, and freddie yelled in delight when he caught the first fish. flossie also caught one, but it was very small, and bert made her put it back in the lake. the children caught enough fish for a meal, though when they started out neither their father nor mother thought they would. but the worms proved to be good bait. "we'd have caught bigger fish if we'd had my tin bugs for bait," said freddie. "i don't want my bugs put on a hook," said flossie. "when will you find them, freddie, and make them go around and around?" "i don't know," he answered. the tents were put in good order and for two or three days the children had great sport playing, going fishing and taking walks in the woods with their father and mother, or going for trips on the lake. there were no more night scares. "maybe it wasn't gypsies after all," said nan to her brother one day. "yes, it was," he said. "they were here, but they went away when they found out we knew about them. but they'll come back, and then they may try to take flossie or freddie. we've got to keep a good watch." it was about a week after they had come to blueberry island that the bobbsey twins--all four of them--went for a ride in the goat wagon. there was a good road which ran the whole length of the island, and whisker could easily pull the wagon along it. the twins had taken their lunch and were to have a sort of picnic in the woods. they rode under the green trees, stopped to gather flowers, and nan made a wreath of ferns which she put over whisker's horns, making him look very funny, indeed. then the twins found a nice grassy spot near a spring of water, and sat down to eat the good things dinah had put up for their lunch. freddie had taken one bite of a chicken sandwich when, all of a sudden, there was a noise in the bushes near him, and a queer face peered out. freddie gave one look at it, and, dropping his piece of bread and chicken, cried: "oh, it's a blueberry boy! it's a blueberry boy! oh, look!" chapter xii the drifting boat at first nan and bert did not know whether freddie was playing some trick or not. flossie had gone down to the spring to get a cupful of water, and so was not near her little brother when he gave the cry of alarm. but bert looked up and had a glimpse of what had startled freddie. certainly there was a queer, blue face staring at the three twins from over the top of the bushes. and the face did not go away as they looked at it. "a blueberry boy! what in the world is a blueberry boy?" asked nan. "there he is!" cried freddie, pointing. "he's been picking blueberries. that's why i call him a blueberry boy." "yes, and he's been eating them, too, i guess," added bert. "did you want anything of us?" he asked of the stranger. by this time flossie had come back with the water--that is, what she had not spilled of it--and she, too, saw the strange boy. "who are you?" she asked. "my name's tom," was the answer. "what's yours?" "flossie bobbsey, an' i'm a twin an' we're campin' on this island, and we had some bugs that went around and around and----" "flossie, come here," called nan. she did not want her little sister to talk too much to the strange boy. nan had an idea the boy might belong to the gypsies. "i saw him first," put in freddie. "i saw his face all covered with blueberries, and i dropped my standwich--i did." he began looking on the ground for what he had been eating, but finding, when he picked up the bread and bits of chicken, that ants were crawling all over the "standwich," he tossed it away again. "aw, what'd you do that for?" asked tom, the blueberry boy. "that was good to eat! ain't you hungry?" "yes, but i don't like ants," returned freddie. "'sides, there's more to eat in the basket!" "cracky!" exclaimed tom. "that's fine! there isn't anything in _my_ basket but blueberries, and not many of them. you get tired of eatin' 'em after a while, too." "are you--are you hungry?" asked bert. as yet no one else had appeared except the boy. he seemed to be all alone. and he was not much larger than bert. "hungry? you'd better believe i'm hungry!" answered the boy with a laugh that showed his white teeth with his blueberry-stained lips and face all around them. "i thought i'd have a lot of berries picked by noon, so i could row back to shore, sell 'em and get somethin' to eat. but the berries ain't as ripe as i thought they'd be--it's too early i guess--so i've got to go hungry." nan whispered something to bert who nodded. "we've got more sandwiches here," bert said to the blueberry boy. "would you like one?" "would i _like_ one?" asked the boy, who seemed to answer one question by asking another like it. "say, you just give me a chance. i ain't had nothin' since breakfast, and there wasn't much of that." with a bound he jumped through the bushes and stood in the little grassy glade where the bobbsey twins were having a sort of picnic by themselves. they saw that tom had on ragged clothes and no shoes. indeed, he looked like a very poor boy, but his face, though it was stained with the blueberries he had eaten, was smiling and kind. the bobbsey twins thought they would like him. "here--eat this," and bert held out some sandwiches. dinah had put in plenty, as she always did. "and he can have some cake, too," said freddie. "i don't want but two pieces, and i told dinah to put in three for me." "oh, what a hungry boy!" laughed nan. "and the blueberry boy can have one of my pieces of cake," said flossie. "where did you get the blueberries?" she asked, looking into his basket. "i didn't get many--that's the trouble," he said. "it's a little too early for them. but the earlier they are the better price you can sell 'em for. so i came over alone to-day." "where do you live?" asked bert, as the boy was hungrily eating the sandwich. "over in freedon," and tom turner, for such he said was his name, pointed to a village on the other side of the lake from that where the bobbsey twins had their home. "our folks come here every year to pick blueberries, but never as early as this. i guess i've had my trouble for nothing. i've eaten more berries than i put in my basket, i guess. but i was so hungry i had to have something. i didn't find many ripe ones at that, and i guess i got as much outside of me as i did inside," and he laughed again, showing his white teeth. "where do you folks live?" tom asked, as he took a piece of cake nan offered him. "we're camping on this island." "you don't mean to say you are gypsies, do you?" asked the blueberry boy in surprise. "no, of course not!" bert answered. "we live in lakeport--bobbsey is our name and----" "oh, does your father have a lumberyard?" "yes." "oh! well, then you're all right! my father drives one of your father's lumber wagons. he just got that job this week--been out of work a long while. i heard him say he had a place in the bobbsey lumberyard, but i never thought i'd meet you. i thought maybe you was gypsies at first." "that's what i thought you were," said nan. "we're going to be gypsies when we get older--freddie and me," announced flossie. "no, we're not, flossie. we're going to be in a circus." "oh, yes! and i'm going to ride a horse standing up." "and i'm going to be a clown----" "and he'll have his little fire engine----" "and squirt water on the other clowns and----" "and the folks'll holler and laugh. and i'm going to have a glittery----" "dear me, flossie and freddie, we've heard all about that at least a dozen times lately," protested bert. "but tom hasn't heard about it. he's int'rested," declared freddie. "i knew a feller once that had been in a circus," said tom. "he said they had to work awful hard. there's the show every afternoon and every night and the parade in the mornin' and the practisin' and gettin' ready. he said too that the fellers at the head of the show was awful strict about how everybody behaved themselves. it wasn't much fun, he said, and it was lots of work." "my!" gasped freddie. "i--i guess we'll be gypsies. i don't like to work--much." "that is, not very much," agreed flossie. "are there any gypsies here?" asked bert, for he thought it would be a good chance to find out what he wanted to know. "yes, there are some," was tom's unexpected answer. "they had a camp on the lower end of the island last week. i expected to see some of 'em to-day. they're great blueberry pickers, and that's one reason i came early. most always the gypsies get the best of the blueberries 'fore we white folks have a chance." "are there gypsies on this island now?" asked nan, looking over her shoulder into the bushes, as though she feared a dark-faced man, with gold rings in his ears, might step out any moment and make a grab for flossie or freddie. "well, i guess they're here now, 'less they've gone," said tom. "i saw some of the men and women here day before yesterday. they had been over to the mainland buyin' things from the store, and they rowed over here. i'd come to look for blueberries, but there wasn't as many ripe as there is to-day, though that isn't sayin' much. but the gypsies are here all right." "then we'd better go," said nan to bert. "why?" tom asked. "because," said nan slowly, "we don't like gypsies. they might take----" "they took helen's talking doll!" exclaimed flossie. "she cried about it, too. i would if they'd take my doll, only i got her hid under my bed. you won't tell the gypsies, will you?" "no, indeed!" laughed tom. "you're afraid of them, are you?" he asked nan. "yes--a little," she said slowly. "they won't hurt you!" tom said. "they're not very fond of workin', and they'll take anything they find lyin' around loose, but they won't hurt nobody." "they took helen's doll," said freddie, who had finished his two pieces of cake, "and maybe they got my bugs that go around and around----" "and around! they go around three times," put in flossie. "i was going to say that, only you didn't wait!" cried freddie. "but we've got a goat!" he went on, "and he's almost as good as snap, our dog, and maybe the gypsies got him." "my, you don't think of anything but gypsies!" said tom with a laugh. "i'm not worried about them. if i see any of 'em on the island i'll ask 'em if they have your dog and bugs." "and helen's doll," added flossie. "she wants mollie back." "i'll ask about that," promised tom. "you've been awful good to me, and i'd like to do you a favor. i know some of the gypsy boys." "i guess i'll tell my father they're camping on this island," said bert. "let's go tell him now," suggested nan. "we've stayed here long enough." "and i guess i'll row back to the mainland," added tom. "there's no use waiting here for the blueberries to get ripe. i'll come next week." he walked back a little way with the bobbsey twins to where he had left his boat. then he was soon rowing across the lake, waving his hand to his new friends, his white teeth showing between his berry-stained lips. "he's a nice boy--that blueberry boy," said freddie. "i saw him first, i did!" mr. bobbsey nodded his head thoughtfully when the twins, taking turns, told him what tom had told them. "gypsies on the island, eh?" remarked mr. bobbsey. "well, i suppose they think they have a right to camp here. but i'll see about it. maybe some of them are all right, but i don't like the idea of staying here if the place is going to be overrun with them. i must see about it." for the next few days and nights a close watch was kept about twin camp, but no gypsies were seen. nor did any more blueberry-pickers come. indeed, the fruit was not ripe enough, as the bobbseys could tell by looking at some bushes which grew near their tents. it was about a week after this, when mr. bobbsey had gone to lakeport one morning on business, that flossie and freddie went down to the shore of the lake not far from their camp. as they looked across the water they saw drifting toward the island an empty rowboat. there was no one in it, as they could tell, and the wind was sending it slowly along. "it's got loose from some dock," said freddie, who knew more about boats than most boys of his age. "maybe it'll come here and we can get it," said flossie. "let's throw stones at it." "no, that would only scare it away," said freddie. "wait till it gets near enough, and then i'll wade out and poke it in with a stick." so the two little twins waited on shore for the drifting boat to come to them. chapter xiii in the cave "look out, freddie! don't you go wadin' too far!" cried flossie, as she saw her little brother kick off his low shoes, quickly roll off his stockings, and start out toward the boat which now a strong puff of wind had blown quite close to the island shore. "i'll be careful," he answered. "mother said i could wade up as far as the wig-wag cut on my leg, and i'm not there yet." freddie had several scars and scratches on his legs, reminders of accidents he had suffered at different times. one scar was from a cut which he had got when he had fallen over the lawn mower about a year before. it was the biggest cut of all, and was near his right knee. he called it his "wig-wag" cut, because it was a sort of wavy scar, and when he wanted to go in wading his mother always told him never to go in water that would come above that cut, else he would get his knickerbockers wet. so now he was careful not to go out too far. he watched the water rising slowly up on his bare legs as he waded along on the sandy bottom of the lake toward the drifting boat. "if you took a stick you could reach it now," called flossie. "i guess i could," freddie said. "i'll hand you a stick," flossie offered, looking for one along the shore. there were many dead branches, blown from the trees, and she soon handed freddie a long one. with it the little boy was able slowly to pull the boat toward him, and he had soon shoved the "nose," as he sometimes called the bow, against the bank of the island. "now i can get in!" laughed flossie. "and i won't have to take off my shoes and stockings either," and into the boat she scrambled. "oh!" exclaimed freddie. "are you going to get in the boat?" "i am in," answered his sister. "aren't you comin' in, too?" freddie looked at the boat, at his sister, at the lake, and at his shoes and stockings on the shore. then he said: "well, it doesn't belong to us--this boat don't." "i know," said flossie. "but you pulled it to shore and we can keep it till somebody comes for it. and we can make-believe have a ride in it. momsie won't care as long as it's fast to the shore. come on, freddie!" it seemed all right to freddie when flossie said this, especially as the boat was close against the shore. he put on his shoes and stockings, drying his feet in the grass, and then he took his seat in the boat beside his little sister. "now we'll play going on a long voyage," she said. "we'll take a trip to new york and maybe we'll be shipwrecked." "like tommy todd's father," added freddie. "yep. just like him," said flossie, "only make-believe, of course." "and i'll be captain of the ship, and you can be a sailor," went on freddie. "it'll be lots of fun!" bert and nan had gone riding in the goat wagon to the other end of the island, mr. bobbsey was at his office and mrs. bobbsey, with dinah, was working about twin camp, so there was no one to watch flossie and freddie. mrs. bobbsey supposed they were playing safely at the lake shore, and, as a matter of fact, they were on shore, though in the boat. "i wonder whose it is?" said freddie, when they had made a make-believe voyage safely to new york, after having been shipwrecked at philadelphia--a place the little twins remembered, as one of their aunts lived in that city. "maybe it's a gypsy boat," said freddie. "or else it's the one the blueberry boy had," added his sister. "oh, yes, maybe it is his!" cried freddie. "and if it is, didn't we better ought to take it to him?" "how?" asked flossie. "why, we can push it along the shore with sticks, 'cause there's no oars in it, and when we see him picking blueberries we can holler to him to come an' get his boat." flossie thought this over a few seconds. then she said: "let's!" this meant she would do as freddie said. the twins did not stop to consider whether they were doing something they ought not to do. they planned to keep near shore, and that was as much as they remembered of what their mother had told them--that they were not to go out on the lake in any boat without her permission or their father's. "but paddling along the shore isn't going out," said freddie. "anyhow, mother and father would want us to give back the boat to the blueberry boy, wouldn't they?" "course," said flossie. "get another stick, freddie, and we can poke the boat along, and we won't have to go far out at all." in a little while the two twins were shoving the drifted boat along the shore by pushing the ends of their sticks into the soft bank. the boat was of good size, and it was flat-bottomed, which meant it would not easily tip over. flossie and freddie each knew how to row, though they had to have oars made especially for them. but they knew how to keep in the middle of a boat, and never thought of rocking it or changing seats, so they were much safer than most children of their age would have been. having lived near lake metoka all their lives, they knew more about boats and water than perhaps some of you small boys and girls do; and they could both swim, though, of course not very far, nor were they allowed to try it in deep water. "oh, this is lots of fun!" cried flossie, as she and freddie poled the boat along. "this is real trav'lin'!" "but we mustn't go too far," said freddie, not quite sure whether or not his mother would think what he and his sister were doing was just right. "as soon as we see the blueberry boy we must give him his boat and go back home." "if he wants to row us back, can't we let him?" asked flossie. "yes, but he can't row, 'cause there are no oars in the boat," said freddie. "maybe he has 'em with him. i guess that's what happened," went on the little girl. "you know we take the oars out of our boat and put them up on shore. and then maybe the blueberry boy forgot to tie his boat." "and it blew away and we found it," finished freddie. "come on, push hard, flossie. let's go fast and make believe we're a steamboat." that suited flossie, and they were soon pushing the boat along the shore quite fast. they went out past a little point on the island, some distance away from their own camp, the white tents of which they could see. "oh, how nice the wind is blowing!" cried flossie, after a bit. "i don't hardly have to push at all, freddie." "that's good," he said. "we'll be a sailboat instead of a steamboat. if we only had a sail now!" "maybe you could hold up your coat," suggested his sister. "don't you remember that shipwreck story mother read us. the men in the boat held up a blanket for a sail. we haven't any blanket, but if you held one end of your coat and i held the other it would be a sail." "we'll do it!" cried freddie, as he slipped off his jacket. it was small, but when he and his sister held it crosswise of the boat, the wind, which had begun to blow harder, sent the boat along faster than the children had been pushing it. "oh, this is fine!" freddie cried. "i'm glad we played this game, flossie." "so'm i. but look how far out we are, freddie!" flossie suddenly cried. "we can't reach shore with our sticks." freddie looked and saw that this was so. "i wonder if we can touch bottom out here," he said. "i'm going to try." he let go of his coat, and as it happened that flossie did the same thing, the little jacket was blown into the water. "oh!" cried flossie. "oh! oh!" "i can get it!" excitedly shouted freddie. "i'll reach it with my pushing stick." he managed to do this, taking care not to lean too far over the edge so the boat would not tip. then he caught the coat on the end of the stick and pulled his jacket into the boat. "oh, it's all wet!" cried flossie. freddie did not stop to tell her that every time anything fell into the water it got wet. instead, he began to search in his pockets. "what's the matter--did you lose something?" asked flossie. "i guess we can eat 'em after they dry out," said freddie, after a bit, pulling out some soaked sugar cookies. freddie spread them out on one of the boat-seats where the sun would dry them, and then he wrung from his coat as much water as he could. next he spread the jacket out to dry, flossie helping him. all this time the children failed to notice where they were going, but when they had seen that the soaked cookies were getting dry and had eaten them, freddie looked about and, pointing to shore, cried: "oh, look, flossie!" "we're going right toward a big, dark hole!" said the little girl. "that isn't a hole--it's a cave," freddie said. "maybe it's a pirate cave, and there'll be gold and jewels in it. the wind is blowing us and our boat right into it!" and that was what was happening. the wind had changed, and, instead of blowing the boat away from the island, was blowing it toward it. and directly in front of flossie and freddie was a big hole in the steep bank of the island shore. as freddie had said, it was a cave. what was in it? chapter xiv helen's visit while the two children sat in the drifting rowboat, which was being slowly blown toward the island shore again, flossie suddenly gave a little jump, which made the boat shake. "what's the matter?" asked freddie. "did something bite you?" for his sister had started, just as you might do if a fly or a mosquito suddenly nipped your leg. "no, nothing bit me," she answered. "but i felt a splash of rain on my nose and---- oh, freddie! look! it's going to be a thunder-lightning storm!" freddie, whose eyes had seen nothing but the cave, now looked up at the sky. the blue had become covered with dark clouds, and in the west there was a dull rumble. "i--i guess it is going to rain," said freddie slowly. "i know it is!" flossie answered. "there's 'nother drop!" "i felt one, too," said her brother. "it went right in my eye, too!" and he winked and blinked. "and there's another one on my nose!" cried flossie. "oh, freddie! what are we going to do? i haven't an umbrella!" for a moment the little boy did not know what to do. he looked at his coat, but that was still wet, though it had been spread out on the seat to dry. he could not wrap that around flossie, as he thought at first he might. the wind, too, was blowing harder now, and there were little waves splashing against the side of the boat. but the wind did one good thing for the children--it blew the boat toward shore so much faster, and shore was where they wanted to be just now. they knew they had drifted out too far, and they were beginning to be afraid. the shore of the island looked very safe and comfortable. "we can get under a tree--that will be an umbrella for us," said flossie. "aren't you glad we're going on shore, freddie?" "yes, but i guess we can get in a better place out of the rain than under a tree, flossie." "then we'd better get," she said, "'cause it's rainin' hard now. i've got about ten splashes on my nose." the big drops were beginning to fall faster. the clouds had quickly spread over the sky, which was now very dark, and the wind kept on blowing. "where can we go out of the storm?" asked the little girl. "huh?" "where we goin', freddie?" "in there," answered her brother, pointing. "what! in that dark hole?" "it isn't a hole--it's a cave. an' maybe we'll find gold and diamonds in there, like in the book momsie read to us. come on. we can go into the cave, and we won't get wet at all. i'll take care of you." "i--i'm not afraid," said flossie slowly. "but i wish snap was with us; or whisker. i guess whisker would like a cave." "so would snap," said freddie. "but we can't get 'em now, so we've got to go in ourselves. come on. and look out, 'cause the boat's goin' to bump." and bump the boat did, a second later, against the shore of the island, close to the open mouth of the black cave. it was raining hard now, and freddie helped flossie out of the boat, and then, holding each other by the hand, the children ran toward the cavern. no matter what was in it, there they would be sheltered from the rain they thought. the cave, as freddie and flossie saw, could be entered from either the land or the water. at one side it was so low that a boat could be rowed into it for a little way. on the other one could walk into it by a little path that led through the trees. the water of the lake splashed into the cave a short distance, and then came to an end, making a sort of little bay, or cove, large enough for two or three boats. and the cave, as the children could see when their eyes became used to the darkness, was quite a large one. "i wonder if anybody lives here," whispered flossie, as she kept close to her brother. "we live here now," he said. "anyhow, we're going to stay here till the rain stops." "maybe a bear lives here," said flossie in a whisper. "pooh!" laughed freddie. "there are no bears on blueberry island, or daddy would have brought a gun. and he said i didn't even need my popgun, 'cause there wasn't a thing here to shoot. but i did bring my popgun." "you haven't got it here now, though," said flossie. "i know i haven't. i left it in the tent by the go-around bugs. i mean before the go-around bugs got away. but my popgun is there. i saw it. only i haven't it now, so i can't shoot anything. but there's nothing to shoot, anyhow." freddie added the last for fear his sister might be frightened in the dark cave. it was very dark, especially back in the end, where flossie and freddie could see nothing. but by looking toward the place where they had come in, they could see daylight and the lake, which was now quite rough on account of the wind. they could also see the rain falling and splashing. "i'm glad we're in here," said flossie. "it's better than an umbrella." "lots better," agreed freddie. "if we had some cookies to eat we could stay here a long time, and live here." "we couldn't sleep, 'cause we haven't any beds," declared flossie. "we could make beds of dried grass the way bert told us to do if we went camping." "but have you any more cookies?" asked flossie, going back to what her brother had first spoken of. "i'm hungry!" "only some crumbs," freddie said, as he put his hand in the pockets of his coat, "and they're all soft and wet. we can't eat 'em." "well, we can go home when it stops raining," said flossie, "an' dinah'll give us lots to eat." the two children were not frightened now. they stood in the cave, and looked out at the storm. it was raining harder than ever, and the thunder seemed to shake the big hole in the ground, while the lightning flashes lighted up the cave so freddie and flossie could look farther back into it. but they could not see much, and if there was any one or anything in the cave besides themselves, they did not know it. they saw the boat blown inside the cave, and it came to rest in the little cove, which was a sort of harbor. then, almost as quickly as it had started, the storm stopped. the wind ceased blowing, the rain no longer fell, the thunder rumbled no more and the lightning died out. for a few minutes longer flossie and freddie stayed in the cave, and then, as they were about to go out, the little girl grasped her brother by the arm and cried: "hark! did you hear that?" "what?" asked freddie. "a noise, like something growling!" freddie looked back over his shoulder into the dark part of the cave. then, speaking as boldly as possible, he answered: "i didn't hear it. anyhow, i guess it was the wind. come on, we'll go home!" "are we going back in the boat?" flossie asked. "i guess not," freddie replied. "it'll be rough out on the lake--it always is after a storm. we can walk down the path to our camp. besides, this isn't our boat. maybe it belongs here and we'd better leave it." "then you'd better tie it," said flossie. she and her brother had been told something of the care of boats, and one rule their father had given them was always to tie a boat when they got out of it. in the excitement of the storm the children had forgotten this at first, but now flossie remembered it. "yes, i'll tie the boat," freddie said, "and then whoever owns it can come and get it." it did not take him long to scramble around to the edge of the little cove. once there, he tied the rope of the boat fast to a large stone that was half buried in the ground. making sure it would not slip off, freddie came back to where flossie waited for him. she was quite ready to leave the cave, and soon the two children were outside under the trees that still were dripping with rain. the sun was now shining. flossie and freddie had had an adventure, they thought, and that was fun for them. "which way is home--i mean where our camp is?" asked flossie, as she and freddie walked along together. "down this way," he said. "see the path?" certainly there was a path leading away from the cave, but freddie did not stop to think it might lead somewhere else than to twin camp. it was a nice, smooth path, though, and he and flossie set out along it not at all worried. "i'm hungry," said the little girl, "and i want to get home as soon as i can." "i'm hungry, too," freddie said. "we'll soon be home." but the children might not have reached the camp soon, only that a little later they heard their names called in the wood, and, answering, they found nan and bert looking for them in the goat wagon drawn by whisker. "where in the world have you been?" asked bert of his little brother and sister. "oh," answered freddie, "we've been out in a boat and in a cave and we only had cookies to eat and they were wet and----" "we heard a noise in the cave. maybe it's a bear, an' if it is freddie can take his popgun the next time we go there. can't you, freddie?" "dear me!" laughed nan. "what's it all about?" then the two small twins told more slowly what had happened to them, and nan and bert told their small brother and sister that, coming back from their little trip, they had found mrs. bobbsey much worried because she could not find flossie and freddie. "then it began to rain," said nan, "and we were all as worried as could be. we looked at our boats, and when we found they were tied at the dock we didn't think you were out on the water. then when it stopped raining bert and i started out to find you and so did sam, though he went a different way." "and we called and called to you," said bert. "didn't you hear us shouting?" "maybe that was the noise we heard in the cave," said freddie to his sister. "what about this cave?" asked bert. "tell us where it is." then, riding back to camp in the goat wagon, the two small twins told again of the big hole in which they had taken refuge from the storm. "i'd like to see that," bert said. "we'll go there to-morrow." "we can walk there, or whisker can take us," said freddie. "and then we can come home in the boat, but you'll have to take some oars, bert." "that's so--there _is_ a boat!" exclaimed the older bobbsey boy. "i wonder whose it can be?" but they did not learn at once, for the next day, when they all went to the cave--including mr. and mrs. bobbsey--the boat was not there. "somebody untied it and took it away," said freddie, as he pointed out the rock to which he had made fast the rope. "are you sure you tied it tightly?" asked his father. "yep. i made the same kind of knot you showed me," and freddie told how he had done it. flossie, too, was sure her brother had fastened the boat properly. "well, then somebody's been here in the cave," said bert. "say, it's a big place, daddy! can't we get a lantern and see where it goes to back there," and he motioned to the dark part. "some time, maybe, but not now," said mr. bobbsey, who, with his wife, had walked along the island path to the cave while the children rode in the goat wagon. "i didn't know there was a cave on blueberry island. i don't believe many persons know it is here. but the boat might belong to some of the berry pickers, and they hunted for it until they found it." "did the blueberry pickers make the funny noise in the cave?" asked flossie. "i don't know," replied her father. "i don't hear any noise now. i presume it was only the wind." mr. bobbsey and bert, lighting matches, went a short way back into the cave, but they could see very little, and the children's father said they would look again some other day. "but, flossie and freddie, you mustn't come here alone again," said mr. bobbsey. "if it rains and we're near here can't we come in if we haven't an umbrella?" asked freddie. "well, yes, perhaps if it rains. but you mustn't go out in a drifting boat again, rain or no rain," ordered mr. bobbsey. flossie and freddie promised they would not, as they always did, and then the camping family started back for their tents. "what do you think of that cave, the boat's being taken and all that's happened?" asked mrs. bobbsey in a whisper of her husband, as they walked toward camp together. "i don't know what to think," he said slowly. "do you suppose the gypsies could be in there?" "well, they might. but don't let the children know. they are having a good time here and there's no need, as yet, to frighten them." for the next few days there were happy times in twin camp. the children went on many rides in the goat wagon and had other fun. then, one afternoon when they were all sitting near the tents waiting for dinah to get dinner, they saw a steamer heading toward the little dock. "oh, maybe it's company!" cried flossie, clapping her hands. and so it proved, for when the boat landed mrs. porter and her little girl, helen, got off. "we came to see how you were," said mrs. porter. "helen wanted a trip on the water, so we came on the excursion boat. we're going back this evening. how are you?" "very well, indeed," said mrs. bobbsey, "and glad to see you. helen can play with flossie and freddie." "did you see any of the gypsies, and did they have my talking doll?" asked helen as soon as she had taken off her hat in the tent and had gone outside to play with the two small bobbsey twins. chapter xv the doll's dress "haven't you got your lost doll back yet?" asked freddie, as he moved over on a board, nailed between two trees, to make room for helen to sit down between him and flossie. "no, i haven't found mollie," answered the little girl, who had come to visit her friends. "i guess she's a gypsy by this time." "helen, are you sure a gypsy man took your doll?" asked nan, who had been sent out by her mother to see if the little ones were all right. "yes, i'm sure," answered helen. "i left her in the yard; and, besides, didn't johnnie marsh and me both see the gypsy man runnin' off with her?" "well, maybe it did happen that way," said nan. "but what makes you think we might have seen that gypsy man here, helen?" "'cause johnnie marsh said gypsies were camped on blueberry island." "we haven't seen any yet," remarked bert, who had come out to ask the little girl visitor about some of his boy friends in lakeport. "maybe they're hiding 'cause they've got helen's doll," said flossie. "and maybe they're in the cave freddie and i found." "did you find a cave?" asked helen. "my mamma read me a story once about a cave and a giant that lived in it. did your cave have a giant inside?" "it had a noise!" answered flossie excitedly. "me and freddie heard it! but we didn't go see what it was. are you hungry, helen?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject. "yes, i am. i only had some cake and ice-cream on the boat." "we're goin' to have ice-cream!" freddie cried. "sam chopped up the ice this morning and i heard him turning the freezer. i wish dinner would hurry up and be ready." it was not long after this that fat dinah rang the gong which told that the meal was cooked, and soon they were all seated in the dining tent making merry over it. mrs. porter told how helen had been teasing, ever since the bobbseys had come to blueberry island, to be brought for a visit. "she says that maybe the gypsies who took her doll are here," went on mrs. porter; "though i tell her she will never see mollie again. but helen begged hard to come, and so--here we are." "and we're very glad to see you," said mrs. bobbsey. "can't you stay longer than just until this evening?" "no, not this time, as we didn't bring any extra clothes with us. but helen might come later for a visit of a few days." "oh, yes, please let her come!" begged flossie. "we'll see," said mrs. porter. "did you find snap?" she asked bert. "no, we haven't heard anything of him. i was going to ask if you had," and he looked anxiously at helen's mother. "no, i haven't heard a word about your pet," answered mrs. porter, "though i've asked all your boy friends, and so has helen. tommy todd and the others say they are keeping watch for snap, and if they see him they'll let you know. has anything else happened since you've been here?" she asked mr. and mrs. bobbsey. "nothing much," answered nan's mother. "we have had a lovely time camping, and----" "flossie's and my go-around bugs broke out of their box!" cried freddie, and then he begged his mother's pardon for interrupting her when she was speaking. his mother smiled, excused him, and then she let him and flossie, in turn, tell about the missing bugs. "come on, we'll play hide-and-go-to-seek," proposed flossie after dinner, while her father and mother and mrs. porter were still sitting about the table talking. "do you and nan want to play, bert?" she asked her older brother. "no, flossie," he answered with a smile. "i'm going to help sam cut wood for the campfire. we're going to have a marshmallow roast to-night." "oh, i just wish i could stay!" cried helen. "i love roast marshmallows!" "we'll roast some when you come again," said nan, who was going to do some sewing, so she could not play with the smaller children just then. soon the game of hide-and-go-to-seek began. freddie said he would hide first, and let both girls hunt for him. he thought he could hide so well that he could fool them both, and still get "home safe" before they spied him. so while flossie and helen "blinded" by hiding their faces in their arms against a tree, freddie stole quietly off to hide. he found a good place behind a pile of brush-wood, and there he cuddled up in a little bunch and waited, after calling "coop!", until he heard the two girls searching for him. by peeping through the brush freddie could see helen and his sister looking all about for him--behind trees, down back of fallen logs, and in clumps of ferns. then freddie saw the girls go far enough away from "home," which was a big oak tree, so that he thought he would have a chance to run in "free." this he did, and how surprised flossie and helen were when they saw him dash out from the pile of brush-wood! "i'll blind now and let you hide," said freddie, though if the game was played by the rules it would be his turn to hide again, as he had not been caught. so this time the little boy hid his head in his arms and began counting up to a hundred by fives, and when he had called out loudly: "ninety-five--one hundred! ready or not, i'm coming!" he opened his eyes and began searching. freddie had to be more careful about going away from the "home" tree than had the two little girls. either one of them could have spied him and have run to touch "home" before he did. but freddie was all alone hunting for his sister and helen, and when he had his back turned one or the other might run in ahead of him. "but i'll find 'em," he told himself. "i'll spy 'em both and then it will be my turn to hide again." meanwhile, flossie and helen were well hidden. flossie had found two logs lying on a pile of leaves, not far from the "home" tree, and she had crawled down in between them pulling leaves over her. only her nose stuck out, so she could breathe, and no one could have seen her until they were very close. helen had picked out a hollow stump in which to hide. it was deep enough for her to get inside, and the bottom was covered with old leaves, so it was soft and not very dirty. helen had been given an old dress of flossie's to put on to play in, so she would not soil her own white one. "i'm going to have a good place to hide," thought helen, as she climbed up on a pile of stones outside the old stump and jumped down inside, crouching there. then she waited for freddie to come to find her, and as there was a crack in the stump, she could look out and see where he was. as soon as he got far enough away from "home," flossie, who was nearer the oak tree, would run in free,--and then she would try to reach it. meanwhile she crouched in the hollow stump, trying not to laugh or cough or sneeze, for if she did that freddie would hear and know where she was. helen saw something white in the stump with her. at first she thought it was a piece of paper, but when she picked it up she knew it was cloth. and as she looked at it her eyes grew big with wonder. without stopping to think that she was playing the hide-and-go-to-seek game helen suddenly stood up in the hollow stump, her head and waist showing above the edge like a jack-in-the-box. in her hand she held the white thing she had found. flossie, from her hiding place between the two logs, could look over and see what helen was doing. seeing her standing up in plain sight flossie, in a loud whisper, called to her friend: "get down! get down! freddie will see you and then you'll be it! get down!" "but look! look at what i found! in the hollow stump!" answered helen. "oh, i must show you!" "no! get down!" cried flossie, pulling more leaves over herself. "here comes freddie. he'll see you!" the little boy was coming from the "home" tree. he caught sight of helen, and cried: "tit-tat, helen! tit-tat, helen! i see her in the hollow stump!" "i don't care if i am it," helen answered. "look what i found!" "what is it?" asked flossie, sitting up amid the leaves. "it's the dress mollie wore when the gypsy took her away!" exclaimed helen. "oh, my doll must be somewhere on this island!" and holding the white object high above her head she ran toward flossie. chapter xvi snoop is missing the children suddenly lost interest in the game of hide-and-go-to-seek. freddie thought no more of spying flossie or helen. flossie no longer cared about hiding down between the two logs, and helen did not care about anything but the white dress she was holding up as she scrambled out of the hollow stump. "it's my doll's dress!" she said over and over again. "it's my lost doll's dress!" "are you sure?" asked flossie, as she shook the leaves from her dress and hair, and came over to her friend. "course i'm sure!" answered helen. "look, here's a place where i mended the dress after mollie tore it when she was playing with grace lavine's dollie one day." mollie hadn't really torn her dress. helen had done it herself lifting her pet out of the doll carriage, but she liked to pretend the doll had done it. "let's see the torn place," said flossie, and helen showed where a hole had been sewed together. "i 'member it," helen went on, "'cause i sewed it crooked. i can sew better now. it's my doll's dress all right." "it's all wet," said freddie, who, though a boy, was not too old to be interested in dolls, though he did not play with them. "maybe the gypsies live around here," he went on, "and they washed your doll's dress and hung it on the stump to dry." "maybe!" agreed helen, who was ready to believe anything, now that she had found something belonging to her doll. "no gypsies live around here," said flossie, "'cause we haven't seen any. but maybe they live in the cave." "the cave's far off," said freddie. "but it's funny about that dress." "i--i found it when i hid in the stump," explained the little visiting girl. "first i thought it was a piece of paper, but as soon as i touched it i knew it wasn't. oh, now if i could only find mollie!" "maybe she's in the stump, too," freddie said. "if the gypsies washed her dress they'd have to cover her up with leaves or bark so she wouldn't get cold while her dress was drying." "the gypsies didn't wash her dress," said helen. "how do you know?" asked flossie. "'cause nobody washes dresses an' makes 'em all up in a heap an' puts 'em in a hollow stump," helen went on. "you've got to hang a dress straight on a line to make it dry." "that's so," added flossie. "you only roll a dress up the way this one was rolled when you sprinkle it to iron, don't you, helen?" "yep. oh, i do wish i could find my mollie!" "well, she must be somewhere around here if she isn't in the stump," insisted freddie. "if the gypsies took off her dress they must have dropped the doll. let's look!" this was what the two little girls wanted to do, so with freddie to help they began poking about with sticks in the leaves that were piled around the stump. they searched for some time, but could find no trace of the lost doll. "we'd better go and tell my mamma and your mamma," said flossie. "maybe they'll get a policeman and he'll find the gypsies and your dollie, helen." "all right--come on!" out of breath, the children ran to the tents where mrs. porter was just thinking about going in search of her little girl, as it was nearly time for the steamboat to come back for them. "oh, i found mollie's dress! i found mollie's dress!" cried helen, waving it over her head. "it was in a stump!" added freddie. "and it was all wet from bein' rained on, i guess," said flossie, for indeed the doll's dress was still damp, and very likely it had been out in the rain. that stump would hold water for some time, like a big, wooden pitcher. mrs. porter was very much surprised to hear the news, and thought perhaps her little girl was mistaken. but when she had looked carefully at the dress, she knew it was one she herself had made for helen when that little girl was a baby. "but how did it come on this island?" she asked. "it must have been dropped by the gypsies," said mr. bobbsey. "in spite of what they said to us some one of them must have picked up the doll and carried her away for some little gypsy girl. and the gypsies must have been on this island. some of the blueberry pickers said they saw them, but when i looked i could not find them. by that time they must have gone away." "and did they take my doll with them?" asked helen. "well, i'm afraid they did," said mr. bobbsey. "if they wanted your pet badly enough to take her away so boldly, as they did from the yard, they'd probably keep her, once they had her safe. it isn't every day they can get a talking doll, you know." "i wish there was some way of getting helen's doll back," said mrs. porter. "she does nothing but wish for her every day. she has other dolls----" "but i liked mollie best," helen said. "i want her. if she only knew i had her dress she might come to me," she added wistfully. "she might, if she were a fairy doll," said mrs. bobbsey, as she patted helen on the head. "but we'll look as carefully as we can for your little girl's pet, mrs. porter. if mollie is on this island we'll find her." "and i'll leave this dress here," said helen, "so you can put it on her when you do find her. then she won't take cold." "i'll wash the dress and have dinah iron it for you," promised flossie. "i can't iron very well." "thank you," said helen. "oh, i'm so glad i came here, for i found part of mollie, anyhow." helen and her mother left blueberry island, promising to come again some day, and flossie and freddie said they would, in the meanwhile, look as well as they could for the lost doll. [illustration: they toasted the soft candies over the blaze _the bobbsey twins on blueberry island._ _page _] that night, in front of the tents, there was a marshmallow roast. the bobbsey children, with long sticks, toasted the soft candies over the blaze, until the marshmallows puffed out like balloons and were colored a pretty brown. then they ate them. flossie and freddie dropped about as many candies in the fire as they toasted, but bert and nan at last showed the small twins how to do it, and then freddie toasted a marshmallow for his father and flossie made one nice and brown for her mother. "i dropped mine in the dirt, after i cooked it," said freddie to his father, as he came running up with the hot candy, "but i guess you can eat it." "i'll try," laughed mr. bobbsey, and he brushed off all the dirt he could, but had to chew the rest, for freddie stood right in front of his father, to make sure the marshmallow was eaten. "is it good?" asked the little boy. "fine!" cried mr. bobbsey. "but i can't eat any more," he said quickly, "because i might get indigestion." "then i'll eat 'em," said freddie. "i'm not afraid of id-idis-idisgestion." it was jolly fun toasting candies at the campfire, but as everything must come to an end some time, this did also, and the children went to bed and the camp was quiet, except that now and then whisker gave a gentle "baa-a-a-a!" from his resting place under a tree, and snoop, the black cat, purred in his sleep. the next day it rained, so the twins could not go to look for the doll, as they wanted to. they had to stay around the tents, though when the shower slackened they were allowed to go out with their rubber coats and boots on. toward night the sun came out, and they all went down to the dock to meet the steamboat, for mr. bobbsey had gone over to the mainland after dinner, to attend to some business at the lumber office, and was coming back on the last boat. it was after supper that dinah, coming into the dining tent to clear away the dishes, caused some excitement when she asked: "has any ob you all seen snoop?" "what? is our cat gone?" asked bert. "well, i hasn't seen 'im since flossie an' freddie was playin' hitch him up like a hoss to a cigar box wagon," went on dinah. "he come out to me an' i gib 'im some milk, an' now, when i called 'im t' come an' git his supper, he ain't heah!" flossie and freddie looked at each other. so did nan and bert. even mr. bobbsey seemed surprised. but he said: "oh, i guess he just went off in the woods for a rest after flossie and freddie mauled him when they were playing with him. go call him, bert." so bert went out in front of the tent and called: "snoop! snoop! hi, snoop, where are you?" but no snoop answered. then flossie and freddie called, and so did nan, while sam went farther into the woods among the trees. but the big black cat, that the children loved so dearly, was missing. snoop did not come to his supper that night. chapter xvii freddie is caught "hark! wasn't that snoop?" "listen, everybody!" bert and nan suddenly made these exclamations as they, with the rest of the bobbsey family, were sitting in the main tent after supper. the lanterns had been lighted, the mosquito net drawn over the front door, or flap of the tent, to keep out the bugs, and the camping family was spending a quiet hour before going to bed. bert thought he heard, in the woods outside, a noise that sounded like that made by the missing cat snoop, and nan, also, thought she heard the same sound. they all listened, mr. bobbsey looking up from his book, while flossie and freddie ceased their play. mrs. bobbsey stopped her sewing. "there it is again!" exclaimed nan, as from the darkness outside the tent there came a queer sound. "what is it?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "it doesn't sound like snoop." "maybe it's snap!" exclaimed freddie. "he used to howl like that." "it did sound a bit like a dog's howl," admitted bert. "may i go out and see what it is, daddy?" "i'll take a look," said mr. bobbsey. he stepped to the flap of the tent and listened. the queer sound came again, and he went outside, while bert went near the tent opening to listen. he, as well as his father, then heard another noise--that made by some one walking across the ground, stepping on and breaking small sticks. "who's there?" suddenly called mr. bobbsey, exactly, as bert said afterward, like a soldier sentinel on guard. "who's there?" "it's me--sam," was the answer. "i done heard some queer noise, mr. bobbsey, an' dinah said as how i'd better git up and see what it was." "oh, all right, sam. we heard it too. listen again." sam stood still, and mr. bobbsey remained quietly outside the big tent. sam and his wife lived in a smaller tent not far away, and they usually went to bed early, so sam had had to get up when the queer noise sounded. suddenly it came again, and this time bert, who had stuck his head out between the flaps of the tent, called: "there it is!" "who! who! who!" came the sound, and as mr. bobbsey heard it he gave a laugh. "nothing but an owl," he said. "i should have known it at first, only i couldn't hear well in the tent. you may go back to bed, sam, it's only an owl." "only an owl, mr. bobbsey! yas, i reckon as how it is; but i don't like t' heah it jest de same." "you don't? why not, sam?" "'cause as how dey most always ginnerally bring bad luck. i don't like de sound ob dat owl's singin' no how!" "he wasn't singing, sam!" laughed bert, after he had called to the rest of the family inside the tent and told them the cause of the noise. "ha! am dat yo', bert?" asked the colored man. "well, maybe an owl don't sing like a canary bird, but dey makes a moanful soun', an' i don't like it. it means bad luck, dat's what it means! an' you all'd better git t' bed!" "oh, i'm not afraid, sam. we thought it was snoop mewing, or snap howling, maybe. you didn't see anything of our lost dog, did you?" "not a smitch. an' i suah would like t' hab him back." "ask him if he or dinah saw snoop," called flossie. bert asked the colored man this, but sam had seen nothing of the pet cat either. "oh, dear!" sighed freddie. "both our pets gone--snap and snoop! i wish they'd come back." "maybe they will," said his mother kindly. "it's time for you to go to bed now, and maybe the morning will bring good news. snap or snoop may be back by that time." "that's what we've been thinking about poor snap for a long while," grumbled nan. "well, i'm afraid snap _is_ lost for good," said mrs. bobbsey. "he never stayed away so long before. but snoop may be back in the morning. he may have just wandered off. it isn't the first time he has been away all night." "only once or twice," said bert, who came back to the book he was reading. "and both times it was because he got shut by accident in places where he couldn't get out." "maybe that's what's happened this time," suggested nan. "we ought to look around the island." "we will--to-morrow," declared bert. "and look in the cave flossie and i found," urged freddie. "maybe snoop is there." "we'll look," promised his brother. when flossie and freddie were taken to their cots by their mother, flossie, when she had finished her regular prayers, added: "an' please don't let 'em take whisker." "what do you mean by that, flossie?" asked her mother. "i mean i was prayin' that they shouldn't take our goat," said the little girl. "i want to pray that, too!" cried freddie, who had hopped into bed. "why didn't you tell me you were going to pray that, flossie?" "'cause it just popped into my head. but you stay in bed, an' i'll pray it for you," and she added: "please, freddie says the same thing!" then she covered herself up and almost before mrs. bobbsey had left the sides of the cots both children were fast asleep. "poor little tykes!" said the mother softly. "they do miss their pets so! i hope the cat and dog can be found, and helen's doll, too. it's strange that so many things are missing. i wonder who flossie meant by 'they,' i must ask her." and the next morning the little girl, when reminded of her petition the night before and asked who she thought might take the goat, said: "they is the gypsies, of course! they take everything! blueberry tom said so. and i didn't want them to get whisker too." "who in the world is blueberry tom?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "he's the boy who was so hungry," explained freddie. "he came to the island to pick early blueberries only there wasn't any." "oh, now i remember," mrs. bobbsey said with a laugh. "well, i don't believe there are any gypsies on this island to take anything. snoop must have just wandered off." "then we'll find him!" exclaimed nan. during the next few days a search was made for the missing black cat. the twins, sometimes riding in their goat wagon, and again going on foot, went over a good part of the island, calling for snoop. but he did not answer. sam, too, wandered about getting firewood, and also calling for the lost pet. mr. bobbsey made inquiries of the boatmen and the man who kept the soda-water stand, but none of them had seen the children's pet. bert printed, with a lead pencil, paper signs, offering a reward for any news of snoop, and these were tacked up on trees about the island so the blueberry pickers might see them. but though many read them, none had seen snoop, and, of course, snap was missing before the bobbseys came to camp, so, naturally, he would not be on the island. but in spite of the missing snap and snoop, the bobbsey twins had lots of fun in camp. during the day they played all sorts of games, went on long walks with their father and mother, or for trips on the lake. sometimes they even rowed to other islands, not far from blueberry island, and there ate their lunch. the fishing was good, and freddie and bert often brought home a nice mess for dinner or supper. whisker, the big white goat, was a jolly pet. he was as gentle as a dog and never seemed to get tired of pulling the twins in the wagon, though the roads of the island were not as smooth as those in lakeport. but though the twins had fun, they never gave over thinking that, some day, they would find snap and snoop again. "and maybe helen's doll, too," said flossie. "we'll hunt for her some more." "but it's easier to hunt for snoop," said freddie, "'cause he can holler back when you holler at him." "how can a cat holler?" asked his sister. "well, he can go 'miaou,' can't he?" freddie asked, "an' ain't that hollerin'?" "i--i guess so," flossie answered. "oh, freddie, i know what let's do!" she cried suddenly. "what? make mud pies again? i'm tired of 'em. 'sides, momsie just put clean things on us." "no, not make mud pies--i'm tired of that, too. let's go off by ourselves and hunt snoop. you know every time we've gone very far from camp we've had to go with nan and bert; and you know when you hunt cats you ought to be quiet, an' two can be more quiet than three or four." "that's right," agreed freddie, after thinking it over. "then let's just us two go," went on flossie. "we won't get lost." "nope, course not," said freddie. "i can go all over the island, and i won't let you be lost. snoop knows us better than he does nan and bert anyhow, 'cause we play with him more." "and if we find him," went on flossie, "and he's too tired to walk home we'll carry him. i'll carry his head part an' you can carry his tail." "no, i want to carry his head." "i choosed his head first!" said flossie, "the tail is nicest anyhow." "then why don't you carry that?" "'cause it's so flopsy. it never stays still, and when it flops in my face it tickles me. please you carry the tail end, freddie." "all right, flossie, i will. but we had better go now, or maybe momsie or nan or bert or dinah might come out and tell us not to go. come on!" so, hand in hand, now and then looking back to make sure no one saw them to order them back, flossie and freddie started out to search for the lost snoop. they wandered here and there about the island, at first not very far from the camp. when they were near the tents they did not call the cat's name very loudly for fear of being heard. "we can call him loud enough when we get farther away," said freddie. "yep," agreed his sister. "anyhow he isn't near the tents or he'd've come back before this." so the two little twins wandered farther and farther away until they were well to the middle of the island, and out of sight of the white tents. "snoop! snoop! snoop!" they called, but though they heard many noises made by the birds, the squirrels and insects of the woods, there was no answering cry from their cat. after a while they came to a place where a little brook flowed between green, mossy banks. it was a hot day and the children were warm and tired. "oh, i'm goin' in wading!" cried freddie, sitting down and taking off his shoes and stockings. "you hadn't better," said flossie. "mamma mightn't like it." "i'll tell her how nice it was when i get home," said the little fellow, "and then she'll say it was all right. come on, flossie." "no, i've got clean white stockin's on and i don't want to get 'em all dirty." "huh! they've got some dirt on 'em now." "well, they aren't wet and they'd get wet if i went in wading." "not if you took 'em off." "yes they would, 'cause i never can get my feet dry on the grass like you do. you go in wading, freddie, and i'll sit here an' watch you." so freddie stepped into the cool water and shouted with glee. then he waded out a little farther and soon a queer look came over his face. flossie saw her brother sink down until the brook came up to the lower edge of his knickerbockers, wetting them, while freddie cried: "oh, i'm caught! i'm caught. flossie, help me! i'm caught!" chapter xviii flossie is tangled flossie bobbsey, who had been sitting on the cleanest and dryest log she could find near the edge of the stream to watch freddie wade, jumped up as she heard him cry. she had been wishing she was with him, white stockings or none. "oh, freddie, what's the matter?" she cried. "what's happened?" "i--i'm caught!" he answered. "can't you see i'm caught?" "but how?" she questioned eagerly. "you aren't caught in a trap like snap was, are you?" "no, it isn't a trap--it's sticky mud," freddie said. "my feet are stuck in the mud!" "oh--oh!" said flossie, and a queer look came over her face. "you are stuck in the mud! how did you do it, freddie?" "i didn't do it! it did it! i just stepped in a soft place, and now when i pull one foot out the other sticks in deeper. can't you help me out, flossie?" "yes, i'll help you out!" she cried, and she ran down to the edge of the stream, as though she intended to wade out to where poor freddie was trying to pull his feet loose from the sticky mud. "oh, don't come in! don't come in!" cried freddie, waving her back with his hand. "you'll be stuck, too!" flossie stood still on the edge of the little brook. she looked at freddie, who was in the middle of the stream, too far out for flossie to reach with her outstretched hands, though she tried to do so. "can't you pull your feet out?" she asked. "nope!" answered freddie. "i can't, for i've tried. as soon as i get one foot up a little way the other goes down in deeper." "then i'll go and call mamma!" "no, don't do that!" begged freddie. "maybe if you would get a long stick, flossie, and hold it out to me, i could sort of pull myself out." "oh, i know. it's like the picture in my story book of the boy who fell through the ice, and his sister held out a long pole to him and he pulled himself out. wait a minute, freddie, and i'll get the stick. i'm glad you didn't fall through the ice, though, 'cause you'd get cold maybe." "this water is nice and warm," said freddie. "but i don't like the mud i'm stuck in, 'cause it makes me feel so tickly between the toes." "i'll help you out," said flossie. "wait a minute." she searched about on the bank until she found a long smooth branch of a tree. holding to one end of this she held the other end out to her brother. freddie had to turn half around to get hold of it as his back was toward flossie, and she could not cross the brook. "now hold tight!" cried the little boy. "i'm going to pull!" flossie braced her feet in the sand on the bank of the brook and her brother began to pull himself out of the mud. his feet had sunk down to quite a depth, and when he first pulled he made flossie slide along the ground until she cried: "oh, freddie, you're going to make me stuck, too! don't pull me into the water!" freddie stopped just in time, with the toes of flossie's shoes almost in the water. "did you pull loose a little bit?" she asked. "yes, a little. but i don't want to pull you in, flossie. if you could only hold on to a tree or a rock, then i wouldn't drag you along." "maybe i can hold to this tree," and flossie pointed to one near by. "if i can stretch my arms i can reach it." "look for a longer tree branch to hold out to me," said freddie, and when his sister had found this she could reach one end to her brother, keep the other end in her right hand, and with her left arm hold on to a small tree. the tree braced flossie against being pulled along the bank, and when next freddie tried, he dragged his feet and legs safely from the sticky mud, and could wade out on the hard, gravelly bottom of the brook. "i guess that was a mud hole where some fish used to live," said the little fellow, as he came ashore, a little bit frightened by what had happened. "your feet are all muddy," said flossie, "and you are all wet around your knees." "oh, that'll dry," said freddie. "and i can wash the mud off my feet. it was awful sticky." it certainly seemed to be, for it took quite a while to wash it off his bare feet and legs, though he stood for some time in the brook, where there was a white, pebbly bottom, and used bunches of moss for a bath sponge. but at last freddie's legs were clean, though they were quite red from having been rubbed so hard with the moss-sponge. flossie, too, having helped her brother scrub himself, had gotten some water on her shoes and stockings, and a little mud, too. "but we can walk through places where the grass is high," said freddie, "and that will brush the mud off, and the sun will dry your stockin's same as it will my pants." "and we'll keep on calling for snoop," said flossie. freddie having put on his stockings and shoes, the two children set out again, wandering here and there, calling for the black cat. but either he did not hear them or he would not answer, and when, after an hour or two, they got back to camp, they had not found their pet. "where have you two been?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i was just getting anxious about you." "we've been looking for snoop," said flossie. "and i went in wadin' an' got stuck in the mud, and my pants got a little wet, and flossie's shoes and stockin's got wet an' muddy, but we waded in tall grass and we're not very muddy now," said freddie, all out of breath, but anxious to get the worst over with at once. "oh, you shouldn't have gone in wading!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "you didn't tell me not to--not to-day you didn't tell me," freddie defended himself. "no, because i didn't think you'd do such a thing," replied his mother. "i can't tell you every day the different things you mustn't do--there are too many of them." "but there are so many things we can do too--oh, just lots of them." "yes, and the things we may do and the things we're not to do are just awful hard to tell apart sometimes, momsie," put in flossie. "yes'm, they are," added freddie. "and how is a feller and his sister to know every single time what they're to do and what they're not to do?" "suppose you try stopping before you do a thing to ask yourselves whether you ought to do it or not, and not wait until after the thing is done to ask yourselves that question," suggested mrs. bobbsey. "that might help some." "well, i won't go wading any more to-day," promised the little fellow. "but i didn't think i'd get stuck in the mud." mrs. bobbsey wanted to laugh, but she did not dare let the two small twins see her, for they would think it only fun, and really they ought not to have gotten wet and muddy. "and so you couldn't find snoop," remarked mr. bobbsey at supper that night. "well, it's too bad. i guess i'll have to get you another dog and cat." "no, don't--just yet, please," said nan. "maybe we'll find our own, and we never could love any new ones as we love snap and snoop." "nope, we couldn't!" declared flossie, while freddie nodded his head in agreement with her. "but you could get us some new go-around bugs," the little girl went on. "we haven't found ours yet." "that's so," remarked mr. bobbsey. "it's queer where they went to. well, i'll see if i can get any more, though i may have to send to new york. but you two little ones must not go off by yourselves again, looking for snoop." "could we go to look for snap?" asked freddie, as if that was different. "no, not for snap either. you must stay around camp unless some one goes with you to the woods." it was a few days after this, when mrs. bobbsey, with the four twins, went out to pick blueberries, that they met a number of women and children who also had baskets and pails. but none of them was filled with the fruit which, now, was at its best. "what is the matter with the berries?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "we have been able to pick only a few. the bushes seem to have been cleaned of all the ripe ones." "that's what they have," said blueberry tom, who was with the other pickers. "and it's the gypsies who's gettin' the berries, too." "are you sure?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "we haven't seen any gypsies on the island." "they don't stay here all the while," said tom. "they have their camp over on the main shore, and they row here and get the berries when they're ripest. that's why there ain't any for us--the gypsies get 'em before we have a chance. they're pickin' blueberries as soon as it's light enough to see." "well, i suppose they have as much right to them as we have," said mrs. bobbsey. "but i would like to get enough for some pies." "i can show you where there are more than there are around here," offered tom. "it's a little far to walk, though." "well, we're not tired, for we just came out," said mrs. bobbsey. "so if you'll take us there, tom, we'll be very thankful." "come on," said the boy, whose face was once more covered with blue stains. "i'll show you." the other berry pickers, who did not believe tom knew of a better place, said they would stay where they were, and, perhaps, by hard work they might fill their pails or baskets, and so tom and the bobbseys went off by themselves. tom, indeed, seemed to know where, on the island, was one spot where grew the largest and sweetest blueberries, and the gypsies, if the members of the tribe did come to gather the fruit, seemed to have passed by this place. "oh, what lots of them!" cried bert, as he saw the laden bushes. "yes, there's more than i thought," said tom. "i'll get my basket full here all right." soon all were picking, though flossie and freddie may have put into their mouths as many as went in their two baskets. but their mother did not expect them to gather much fruit. they had picked enough for several pies, and mrs. bobbsey was looking about for the two smaller twins who had wandered off a little way, when she heard flossie scream. "what is it?" asked her mother quickly. "is it a snake?" and she started to run toward her little girl. "maybe she's stuck in the mud, as freddie was!" exclaimed bert. "mamma! mamma!" cried flossie. "come and get me!" "she--she's all tangled up in a net!" cried the voice of freddie. "oh, come here!" mrs. bobbsey, nan, bert and tom ran toward the sound of the children's voices. chapter xix the twins fall down again flossie cried: "i'm all tangled! i'm all tangled up! come and help me get out!" "what in the world can she mean?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i'm sure i don't know," answered bert. "what did freddie say about a net?" asked nan, as she stumbled and spilled her blueberries. she was going to stop to pick them up. "never mind them," her mother said. "let them go. we must see what the matter is with flossie." they saw a few seconds later, as they turned on the path. on top of a little hill, in a place where there was a grassy spot with bushes growing all around it, they saw flossie and freddie. freddie was dancing around very much excited, but flossie was standing still, and they soon saw the reason for this. she was entangled in a net that was spread out on the ground and partly raised up on the bushes. it was like a fish net which the children had often seen the men or boys use in lake metoka, but the meshes, or holes in it, were smaller, so that only a very little fish could have slipped through. and the cord from which the net was woven was not as heavy as that of the fish nets. "flossie's caught! flossie's caught!" cried freddie, still dancing about. "come and get me loose! come and get me loose!" flossie begged. "mother's coming! mother's coming!" answered mrs. bobbsey. "but how in the world did it happen?" she did not wait for an answer, but, as soon as she came near, she started to rush right into the net herself to lift out her little girl. but bert, seeing what would happen, cried: "look out, mother! you'll get tangled up, too. see! the net is caught on flossie's shoes and around her legs and arms. she must have fallen right into it." "she did," said freddie. "we were walking along, picking berries, and all of a sudden flossie was tangled in the net. i tried to get her out, but i got tangled, too, only i took my knife and cut some of the cords." "and that's what we've got to do," said mrs. bobbsey. "the net is so entangled around flossie that we'll never get her out otherwise. have you a knife, bert?" "yes, mother. stand still, flossie!" he called to his little sister. "the more you move the worse you get tangled." with his mother's help bert soon cut away enough of the meshes of the queer net so that flossie could get loose. she was not hurt--not even scratched--but she was frightened and she had been crying. "there you are!" cried mother bobbsey, hugging her little girl in her arms. "not a bit hurt, my little fat fairy! but how in the world did you get in the net, and what is it doing up on top of this hill in the midst of a blueberry patch?" "i--i just stumbled into it," said flossie, "same as freddie got stuck in the mud, only i didn't wade in the water." "no, there isn't any water around here," returned nan. "i can't see what a net is doing here. i thought they only used them to catch fish." "maybe they put it up here to dry, as the fishermen at the seashore dry their nets," said mrs. bobbsey. "no," announced tom, who had been looking at the net, "this ain't for fishes." "what is it for then?" asked bert. "it's for snarin' birds. i've seen 'em before. men spread the nets out on the grass, and over bushes near where the birds come to feed, and when they try to fly they get caught and tangled in the meshes. i guess this net ain't been here very long, for there ain't any birds caught in it." "but who put it here?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i think it's a shame to catch the poor birds that way. who did it?" tom looked carefully around before he answered. then he said: "i think it was the gypsies." "the gypsies!" cried bert. "yes. they're a shiftless lot. they don't work and they take what don't belong to 'em. they're too lazy to hunt with a gun, so they snare birds in a net. why, they'll even eat sparrows--make a pie of 'em my mother says. and when they get robins and blackbirds they're so much bigger they can broil 'em over their fires. this is a bird-net, that's what it is." "i believe you're right," said mrs. bobbsey, when she had looked more closely at it. "it isn't the kind they use in fishing. but do you really think the gypsies put it here, tom?" "yes'm, i really do. they put 'em here other years, though i never seen one before. you see the gypsies sometimes camp here and sometimes on the mainland. all they have to do is to spread their net, and go away. when they come back next day there's generally a lot of birds caught in it and they take 'em out and eat 'em." "well, they caught a queer kind of bird this time," said bert, with a smile at his little sister. "and it didn't do their net any good," he added, as he looked at the cut meshes. "i'm sorry to have destroyed the property of any one else," said mrs. bobbsey, "but we had to get flossie loose. and i don't believe those gypsies have any right to spread a net for birds." "my mother says they haven't," replied tom. "it's agin the law." "let's take the net away," suggested bert. "no, we haven't any right to do that," said his mother, "but we can tell the man who has to enforce the laws against hunting birds. i'll speak to your father about it. are you all right now, flossie?" "yes, momsie. but it scared me when i was in the net." "i should think so!" exclaimed nan, petting her sister. "did you just stumble into it?" "yep. i was walkin' along, and i saw a bush with a lovely lot of blueberries on it. i ran to it and then my foot tripped on a stone and i fell into the net. first i didn't know what it was, and when i tried to get up i was all tangled. then i hollered." "and i helped her holler," said freddie. "indeed, you did, dear. you were a good little boy to stay by flossie. but you're both all right now, and next time you come berrying stay closer by mother." "you've got lots of berries," said flossie, looking at bert's basket. "yes. tom showed us this good place. and now i guess we'd better go," said bert. "maybe those gypsies might come to look in their net." he glanced around as he spoke, but though it was lonely on this part of blueberry island there were no signs of the dark-skinned men with rings in their ears who had set the bird net. dinah made enough blueberry pie to satisfy even the four twins, and when mr. bobbsey heard about the net he told an officer, who took it away. whether or not the gypsies found out what had happened to their snare, as the net is sometimes called, the bobbseys did not hear, nor did they see any of the wandering tribe, at least for a while. jolly camping days followed, though now and then it rained, which did not make it so nice. but, take it all in all, the bobbseys had a fine time on blueberry island. mr. bobbsey got flossie and freddie some new "go-around" bugs, and the small twins had lots of fun with them. the old ones they did not find. snoop was not found either, though many blueberry pickers, as well as the bobbseys themselves, looked for the missing black cat. nor was snap located, though an advertisement was put in the papers and a reward offered for him. but whisker did not go away, nor did any one try to take him, and he gave the twins many a fine ride. "and i'm glad the gypsies didn't get whisker," observed flossie. "i like him. maybe not so much as i like snap and snoop, but awfully well i like him." "yes, he's a nice goat. nicer'n mike's goat that we 'most bought, but didn't. i'm glad now that we didn't get mike's goat, aren't you, flossie?" "yes, i am." the bobbseys had been camping on the island about a month, when one day mrs. bobbsey went over to lakeport to do some shopping, taking nan and bert with her, and leaving flossie and freddie in charge of their father. of course dinah and sam stayed on the island also. but you can easily imagine what happened. after mr. bobbsey had played a number of games with the small twins he sat down in a shady place to rest and read a book, thinking flossie and freddie would be all right playing near the big tent. the two little ones were making a sand city. they made a square wall of sand, and inside this they built sand houses, railroads, a tunnel and many other things, until freddie suddenly said: "oh, if we only had some of the clam shells that are down by the lake we could make a lot more things." "so we could!" cried flossie. "let's go and get some!" so, never thinking to ask their father, who was still reading, away rushed the two twins, after "clam" shells. they were not really shells of clams, but of fresh water mussels, but they were almost like the shells of the soft clams one sees at the beach. the mussels are brought up on shore by muskrats who eat the inside meat and leave the empty shells. the small twins often used the shells in their play and games. the place where the mussel shells were usually to be found was not far from the tents, but like most children in going to one place flossie and freddie took the longest way. they were in no hurry, the sun was shining brightly, and it was such fun to wander along over the island. so, before they knew it, they were a long distance from "home," as they called twin camp. "maybe we oughtn't to've come," said flossie, as she stopped to pick some blueberries. "we're not so far," said freddie. "i know my way back. oh, flossie! look at that butterfly!" he suddenly called, making a grab for the fluttering creature. the butterfly flew on a little way and freddie raced after it, followed by flossie. "now i'm goin' to get it!" the little boy cried. with his hat he made a swoop for the butterfly, and then suddenly he and flossie, who was close behind him, tumbled down through a hole in the ground, which seemed quickly to open at their very feet, between two clumps of bushes. "oh!" cried freddie, as he felt himself falling down. "oh, dear!" echoed flossie. then they found themselves in great darkness. chapter xx the queer noise freddie bobbsey sat down with a thump. flossie bobbsey sat down with a bump. this was after they had fallen down the queer hole. and yet it had not been so much of a fall as it was a slide. both of them being fat and plump--much fatter and plumper since they had come to twin camp than before--the thump and the bump did not hurt them very much. they had slid down into the hole on a sort of hill of sand, and if you have ever slid down a sandy hillside you know the stopping part doesn't hurt very much. and, after all, the part of a fall that hurts, as the irishman said, is not really the falling, it's the stopping so suddenly that causes the pain. "freddie! freddie!" called flossie, a few seconds after she and her little brother had fallen down the hole. "freddie, are you there?" "yep, i'm here, flossie," was freddie's answer, "only i dunno 'xactly where it is. i can't see." "nor me neither. but are you been hurted, freddie?" "no, are you?" the children were forgetting all about the right way to use words, which their mother had so often told them, but as they were excited, and a little frightened, perhaps we must excuse them this time. "i--i just sort of--of bumped myself, flossie," said freddie. "are you all right? and where are you?" "i'm right here," replied the little girl, "but i can't see you. i--i----it's awful dark, freddie!" "i can see a little light now," freddie went on. "let's get up and see if we can crawl back. my legs are all right." "so's mine, freddie. i guess i can----" and then flossie suddenly stopped and gave a scream. "what's the matter?" asked freddie, and the little boy's voice was not quite steady. "i--i touched something!" gasped his sister. "it was something soft and fuzzy." "oh, was that you?" asked freddie, and his voice did not sound so frightened now. "well, that was my head you touched. i--i thought maybe it was something--something after me. i didn't know you were so close to me, flossie." "i didn't either. but i'm glad i touched you. where's your hand. i'm sort of stuck in this sand and i can't get up." by this time the eyes of both the children had become more used to the darkness of the place into which they had fallen, and they could dimly see one another. freddie scrambled to his feet, shaking from his waist and trousers the sand that had partly filled them when he had slid down the incline, and gave his hand to flossie. she had about as much sand inside her clothes as he had, and she shook this out. both children then turned and looked up at the slide down which they had so suddenly fallen. up at the top--and very far up it seemed to them--they could see, at the end of the sandy slide where they had started to slip, a hole through which they had fallen. it was between two big stones, and had a large bush on either side. it had been covered with grass and bushes so that the small twins had not seen it until they stepped right into it. then the grass and bushes had given way, letting the children down. "we--we've got to get back up there--somehow," said freddie with a doleful sigh, as he looked at the place down which he and his sister had tumbled. "yes, i would like to get up out of here," said flossie, "but how can we, freddie?" "climb up, same as we falled down. come on." taking his sister by the hand, freddie started to climb up the hill of sand. but he and flossie soon found that though it was easy enough to slide down, it was not so easy to climb back. the sand slipped from under their feet, and even though they tried to go up on their hands and knees it was not to be done. "oh, dear!" cried flossie after a while, "i wish we were jack and jill." "why?" asked freddie. "'cause they went up a hill, an' we can't." "maybe we can if we try again," said freddie. "anyhow, i don't want to be jack, and fall down and break my crown." "you haven't any crown," said flossie. "only kings an'--an' fairies have crowns." "well, it says in the book that jack has a crown; an' if i was jack i'd have one too. only i'm not and i'm glad!" "well, i wish i was jill, so i could have some of that pail of water," sighed flossie. "i'm firsty," and she laughed as she used the word she used to say when she was a baby. "so'm i," said freddie. "let's try to get up to the top, an' then we can get a drink, maybe. only i'd rather be ali baba than jack, then i could say, 'open sesame,' and the door to the cave would open of itself, and we could walk out and carry diamonds and gold with us." "i'd rather have bread and butter than gold. i'm hungry. and i'd most rather have a drink," sighed the little girl. "come on, freddie, let's try to get up that hill. but it's awful hard work." "yes, it's hard," agreed freddie; "but we've done lots harder things than that." you see, freddie was trying to keep up his little sister's courage. once more the two little twins tried to climb the hill of shifting sand, but they could get up only a little way before slipping back. they did not get hurt--the sand was too soft and slippery for that, but they were tired and hot, and, oh! so thirsty. "i'm not goin' to climb any more!" finally said flossie. "i'm tired! i'm goin' to stay here until mamma or papa or nan or bert comes for us." "maybe they won't come," freddie said. "yes, they will," declared flossie, shaking her head. "they allers comes when we're lost and we're losted now." "yes, i guess so," agreed freddie. "i wonder where we are anyhow, flossie?" "why, in a big hole," she said. "oh, freddie!" she suddenly cried, "maybe we can get out the other way if we can't climb up." "which other way?" asked her brother. "out there," and in the light that came down the hole through which the twins had fallen freddie could see his sister pointing to what seemed another dim light, far away at the end of the big hole. for flossie and freddie had fallen into a big hole--there was no doubt of that. though it was pretty dark all about them, there was enough light for them to see that they were in a cavern. "maybe it's a cave, like the one we went into from the lake when we found the boat," said flossie, after thinking it over a bit, "and if we can't get out one end we can the other." "maybe!" cried freddie eagerly. "anyway, we can't get up that hill of sand," and he pointed to the one down which they had slid. "come on, we'll walk toward the other light." far away, through what seemed a long lane of blackness, there was a dim light, like some big star, and toward this, hoping it would lead to a hole through which they could get out, the children walked. as they neared it the light grew brighter, and they were beginning to feel that their troubles were over when suddenly they both came to a stop. for, at the same time, they had heard a queer noise. it came from the darkness just ahead of them and was such a funny sound that flossie put both her arms around freddie, not so much to take care of him as that she wanted him to take care of her. "did--did you hear that?" she whispered. freddie nodded his head, and then, remembering that flossie could not very well see his motions in the darkness he said: "yes, i heard it. i wonder----" "hark!" whispered flossie. "there it goes again!" chapter xxi "here comes snap!" the sound came once more through the darkness to the little bobbsey twins, and as they listened to it flossie and freddie looked at one another in surprise. they could just dimly make out the faces of each other in the dimness. "mamma! mamma!" cried a voice, for it was a voice that had caused the queer sound; yet it did not sound like the voice of man, woman or child. "mamma! mamma!" it cried. "hear it?" asked flossie again. "yep," answered freddie. "it's a little boy or girl--like us--an' it's in this cave. i guess lots of childrens get lost here like us. now i'm not afraid." "mamma! papa! mamma!" came the voice again. "it--it's kind of funny," whispered flossie to freddie. "don't you think it's kind of funny, freddie?" "yes, but i know what makes it." "what?" "it's being in this cave. you know how we used to holler at the hill, when we went to the country--'member that?" "yep," answered flossie. "an' how our voices used to come back an' sort of hit us in the face?" went on her brother. "yep." "well, that was an echo," said freddie, "an' that's what makes it sound so queer here. it's an echo." "oh," said flossie. she had not thought of that. once more the voice sounded out of the darkness. "mamma! papa! mamma!" "there! hear it? it's an echo!" cried freddie. flossie listened a moment. then she said: "if it was an echo, freddie, why didn't your voice echo too?" "oh,--er--well--'cause i didn't want it to," freddie made answer. "i can do it now. hello! hello! hello!" he called as loudly as he could. and then, to the surprise of the children, back came a voice in answer, and in more than an answer, for it asked a question. no longer did the voice call: "mamma! papa!" instead it cried: "hello, there! what's the matter? who are you and what do you want? where are you?" flossie and freddie were so startled that, for a moment, they could only hold on to each other in the darkness. then freddie found his voice enough to speak. he said: "did you hear that echo, flossie?" "that wasn't an echo," declared his little sister quickly. "echoes only say the same things you say and this--this was different." "yes, it was," freddie agreed. "but maybe it's a different kind of echo." "try it again," suggested flossie, when they had remained quietly in the darkness for a time. and during that time they had not heard the strange voice calling. it seemed to have been hushed after the "echo," if that is what it was, made answer. "call again," flossie begged her brother. once more he called: "hello! hello! hello!" "well, what do you want?" back came a voice in question. this time there was no doubt about its not being an echo. it had not repeated a single word that freddie had cried. "oh, how funny!" cried flossie. "what makes it do that?" before freddie could answer, even if he had known what to say, the two children saw a light coming toward them. it was the light of a lantern, bobbing about in the darkness, and because it was a light, which chased away some of the gloom, they were glad, even though they had been a bit frightened by the queer voice and the echo which did not repeat words as the other echo had done. "oh, maybe it's daddy and bert come to look for us!" cried flossie eagerly. freddie thought the same thing, for he called out: "here we are, daddy!" but, to the surprise and disappointment of the children, a surly voice answered them: "i'm not your father! who are you, anyhow, and what are you doing in this cave?" flossie and freddie, clinging to each other, shrank back in fear. then, as the light came nearer, they saw that the lantern was carried by a tall man--a man with a very dark face. he had gold rings in his ears, on his feet were big boots, and around his neck was a bright yellow handkerchief. "oh!" gasped flossie. "oh, he--he's a gypsy!" freddie saw it, too. the man seemed surprised to see the children. he gave a sort of grunt, held the lantern up to their faces, and exclaimed: "why, there's two of 'em!" "yes, we--we're twins!" stammered flossie. "twins are always two," freddie added, thinking, perhaps, that the gypsy man did not know that. "twins, eh?" remarked the man in a questioning voice. "the bobbsey twins," said freddie. "we came from our camp, and we----" "how'd you get in this cave? that's what i want to know!" cried the man, and he spoke harshly. "tell me, how did you get here?" he asked, and he held the lantern in front of the faces of the two little children. "we--we fell in here!" said freddie, pushing flossie behind him. he felt that he must look after his little sister and protect her. "fell in?" cried the man. "yes, through a hole. we slid down a sandy hill, and we couldn't climb back again. we saw a little light over this way and we walked to it and then we heard some one cry: 'mamma!' are there any more little children here?" freddie asked. "hum! yes, some," half-grunted the gypsy. "but not your kind. i don't see how you came here," he went on, speaking to himself, it seemed, for he did not glance at flossie or freddie and there was no one else near by. the man looked all about the cave. "which way did you come?" he asked. "back there," and freddie, who was doing most of the talking, pointed toward the place where he and flossie had tried so hard to climb up. "come and show me," the man ordered them, and when they walked back with him, the lantern making queer shadows on the side walls of the cave, flossie and freddie pointed to the place down which they had slid. "hum!" murmured the gypsy. "i never knew there was a way into the cave from there. i must see about that. it wasn't open before. well, now you're here i've got to make up my mind what i'll do with you," he went on, as he motioned for flossie and her brother to walk back in front of him. he held the lantern so they could see where to step, but the earthen floor of the cave was smooth, and the children did not stumble. "will you take us back to twin camp, where we live?" asked freddie. "we're the bobbseys you know, and we didn't mean to run away again, though i guess we're lost. my mamma and my papa will be looking for us, and if you'll take us to the camp----" "well, maybe i will after a bit, but not now," said the gypsy, shaking his head so that his earrings jiggled. "you'll have to stay here with us awhile. if you went out now, and told your folks you had found us here we'd all be sent to jail, most likely. i'll see what the others say." flossie and freddie wondered what others he meant, but he did not tell them. he kept walking close behind them, and there was nothing for them to do but to keep on. suddenly they turned a sort of corner of the cave, and then the children saw something that surprised them. seated around a table, on which some candles, stuck in bottles, were burning, were a number of men. they were all gypsies, like the man who had met the children farther back in the cave, and as he walked forward, behind flossie and freddie, the other gypsies looked up. "who was calling?" asked one of the dark men at the table. "these two," said the first man, pointing to the little bobbsey twins. "they answered my call and i found them. they fell down a hole at the far end of the cave, near the sand. i never knew it was there." "it is an old entrance," put in a gypsy who was eating some bread and tomato, cutting first a slice of one and then of the other with a big knife. "that entrance was overgrown with grass long ago," he added. "well, these two stumbled on it," grumbled the man who had found flossie and freddie. "we'd better stop it up. and now what's to be done with 'em?" "we'll have to keep 'em here for a while," said two or three at once, and hearing this the hearts of flossie and freddie were sad. "yes," went on the first gypsy, "we'll have to keep 'em here until we're ready to go, and that won't be for two or three days yet. the only trouble is that some of their folks may find where we have hidden 'em and----" "hi!" suddenly cried an old gypsy, and then he said something very quickly, but in words the children could not understand. it was gypsy talk. after that all the men spoke in this queer way, but flossie and freddie felt sure they were being talked about, for the men looked at them many times in the light of the lantern and candles. suddenly, when there came a lull in the talk, and the twins were wondering what was coming next, they heard a dog barking. now, ordinarily, this would not have surprised them, for they knew the gypsies kept many dogs, and some might be in the cave. but there was something different about this bark. in wonder flossie and freddie looked at each other. then freddie cried out: "that sounds like snap!" all at once there came a regular chorus of barks, and with them a man's voice could be heard shouting. then came a dog's growl and yells from a man's voice, then more barks. "look out!" shouted some one in the cave. "the dog's loose!" flossie and freddie saw a big dog spring into view from somewhere out of the darkness of the cave, and as the eyes of the twins lighted on him, freddie cried: [illustration: "oh, flossie! here comes snap!" _the bobbsey twins on blueberry island._ _page _] "here comes snap! here comes snap! oh, flossie! our dog that was lost is found! here's snap!" chapter xxii happy days there was no doubt about it. there was snap, alive and happy, if one could tell that last by the way he barked and tried to kiss both flossie and freddie at the same time with his red tongue. it was snap, but he was thinner than when at home in lakeport, and his nice coat of hair was muddy in some places, and not at all neat. "oh, but it's snap! it's our snap!" cried freddie in delight. "and he found us!" added flossie. "now the gypsies can't make us stay here," and standing beside the big dog she looked boldly at the dark men who were now standing about the table. a man came running out of the darkness of what seemed to be a small cave inside the larger one, and cried: "he broke away! i couldn't keep him any longer. he seemed to hear some one calling him." "keep still!" sharply ordered the gypsy who had had the lantern. "oh!" exclaimed the other man, as he saw flossie and freddie. "is it their dog?" there was no need to answer him. any one could see that snap belonged to the bobbsey twins. he was so happy with them. "did you--did you have our dog all the while?" asked freddie, as he played with snap's long ears. the gypsy who had had the lantern said something in his strange language and no one answered. probably he had told them not to speak. "oh, i'm so glad to see you!" cried flossie. "we looked everywhere for you, snap. didn't we, freddie?" "yes, we did. and now we've got him we can go home. snap knows the way home. he can take us there." "oh, no, he can't," said flossie. "why?" asked her brother. "'cause he's never been in our tent-camp. he doesn't know where it is. but maybe you know, freddie." "yes, i know the way--if--if we can get out of this cave," and he looked at the gypsies. they were talking among themselves. one of them walked toward snap and held out his hand toward a broken rope around the dog's neck. but the animal growled in such a fierce way that the gypsy drew back in fear. then there was more talk among the dark-faced men about the children and the dog. the men seemed to be worried. snap barked and ran a little way ahead, as though to lead the way out of the cave. again a man tried to catch him, but the dog's savage growl made him draw back. "i guess snap wants us to come with him," said flossie. "let's go, freddie." "all right--come on;" and freddie, taking flossie's hand, started out of the cave. they were afraid, the children were, that the gypsies might stop them, but the man who had had the lantern said: "come on. i'll show you two the way out and you can go to your camp. no use keeping you, now that your dog is loose. he'd make trouble for us. hurry up, you fellows, get things out of the way!" he called to the other gypsies, and they began taking things off the table as though they were going to leave. but flossie and freddie did not care about that. all they knew was that they had found snap, and that they were going home with him to twin camp. and snap was as glad as were they. "there you are!" said the gypsy in rather a growling voice, as he led the children to where a big patch of sunlight shone into the cave. "i guess you can find your way home from here." flossie and freddie ran on, snap going ahead, and, to the surprise of the twins they found themselves at the mouth of the cave--the same place where they had taken shelter from the rain the day they were in the drifting boat. "why, look here!" cried freddie. "isn't this funny, flossie? we've come out of the same cave we were in before. how did we get in?" "i don't know," answered the little girl, "'cept maybe it's a fairy cave an' changes." but it was not that kind at all. the children had only fallen down a hole at one end of the cave, and when the gypsy man led them through they came out at the other end, where they had first gone in. snap barked and ran down to the edge of the lake to get a drink of water. "he's glad to come out," said flossie. "awful glad," agreed freddie. "so'm i." "me, too," added the little girl. "i wonder how he got in there?" "i guess the gypsies took him," said freddie. "they liked him 'cause he is such a good dog. i'm so glad we've got him back. now if we could get snoop back we'd be all right, wouldn't we, snap?" and he put his arms around the dog's shaggy neck, while flossie patted his back. happy because they had found their dog, and not worrying at all about having been so nearly kept prisoners by the gypsies in the cave, the two little bobbsey twins hurried away from the cavern. they were anxious to get back to camp to tell the others how they had found snap. and the dog seemed just as anxious to get away from the cave as were the little boy and girl. every once in a while freddie would turn and look back, and when his sister asked him why he did this he told her he was looking to see if he could see the black cat. "she ought to be easier to find than snap," he said, "'cause she was with us here on blueberry island, and snap must have been taken by the gypsies in lakeport." afterward they found that this was so. as the children, with their dog, walked along through the woods, keeping close to the lake shore, as they knew that path led to their camp, flossie and freddie heard a shout among the trees. "there's nan!" freddie said. "yes, and bert," added his sister. "i guess they're looking for us." they were sure of this a little later, for they heard the cry: "flossie! freddie! where are you?" "here we are!" they answered, and then sounded a noise of some one coming toward them. the next moment nan and bert came into view. both stopped in surprise at the sight of the dog. "where'd you get him?" asked nan. "is he really snap?" cried bert. "yep! he really is," answered freddie. "we found him!" "in a cave," added flossie. "in a cave?" "and there were gypsies there," went on the little girl. "an' they wanted to keep us," said freddie. "but they didn't," added flossie. "no. but snap was there." "and he growled at the gypsy man." "and he came away with us." "snap was awful glad to see us, nan." "and here we are now," said freddie, putting an end to this duet. "oh, dear!" exclaimed nan. "this is dreadful! gypsies on this island, and they almost kidnapped you! you must tell daddy right away. we've been looking everywhere for you. we thought you were lost again. and you're all dirty and sandy!" she cried. "that's where we fell down a hole into the cave," said freddie, and he told nan and bert what had happened. mr. bobbsey was much surprised when the twins came home with the long-missing snap. so was mrs. bobbsey, as well as sam and dinah. "gypsies here, are there?" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "well, i'll have to see about that. we don't want them hiding in a cave and stealing our things. i guess i'll get some police officers and pay the tribe a visit." but when mr. bobbsey got to the cave with the officers the gypsies were not there. they must have known that when the children went out they would tell what had happened and that the police would come. so there was nothing for the police to do. the gypsies had run away. they went to the mainland in boats, some of the blueberry pickers said who had seen them. "and now that the island is free from the gypsies we'll have lots more fun," said mrs. bobbsey. "the thought of them made me nervous." "hark!" suddenly exclaimed nan. she, as well as all the other members of the bobbsey family, had followed the police to the cave, even flossie and freddie going along, riding to the place in the goat wagon drawn by whisker. "hark to what?" asked bert. "i thought i heard a noise," said the little girl. "yes, there it goes again, a sort of squeaky noise." "it's a--it's a cat!" cried flossie. "oh, if it should be----" before she could finish one of the policemen flashed his lantern around the sides of the cave, and then, from a dark corner, some animal came slowly out. "it is a cat!" cried flossie. "and it's our snoop!" added freddie. "oh, we've got him back again!" "oh, goody!" cried nan. "well, well," said mr. bobbsey, "everything is turning out right for you children now." "and snoop really was in this cave!" exclaimed bert. and so it proved. whether he had wandered off and had become lost in some little hole of the cave, where he could not get out, or whether the gypsies had stolen him, as they had snap, the bobbseys never heard. but they knew they had their black cat again, and they were happy, especially the little twins. "i want to hug him!" cried flossie, as the cat rubbed up against her legs. "so do i!" cried freddie. "and i want to hug the head part. you can hug the tail end!" "that end doesn't purr!" exclaimed flossie. "i want the end that purrs." "you must take turns," said mrs. bobbsey, laughing. "you ought to be glad you have snoop back instead of quarreling about him. well, we have found nearly everything we wanted now, except that bacon some one took the first night." "i guess the gypsies got that," said mr. bobbsey. "it must have been one of them who was sneaking around in the night, and who awakened the children. they probably wanted to have something to eat in their cave. but they've gone now." "yes, and they seem to have left something behind them," observed one of the policemen. "i see something white over on one of the boxes they used for a table. maybe it's only some old papers, though." bert hurried over and picked up the white thing. "it's a doll!" he cried. "flossie, did you leave your doll here?" "nope," answered the little twin. "a doll!" cried nan. "oh, maybe it's helen's talking doll! let me see, bert!" but bert had already pressed a spring and the doll began to call in a queer phonographic voice: "mamma! papa!" flossie and freddie looked at one another. "that's the noise we heard when we fell into the cave," they said. "then the gypsies did take helen's doll after all, and brought it with them to this island," said mr. bobbsey. "my, but they are great rascals! they took our dog, our cat, our bacon, and helen's doll." "but we've got everything back except the bacon," said bert. "the doll seems to be all right, too, except she hasn't a dress." "oh, helen found that the day she was here on the island," said flossie. "she found it in an old stump, you know, and i guess maybe the gypsies hid it there, or dropped it." "i guess so," agreed her mother. "well, now, isn't this just wonderful! we've found helen's doll, and your dog and cat. it's a good thing we came to blueberry island." "but i'm sorry the gypsies came here," said nan. "they made a lot of trouble." "they've gone now, though," remarked bert. "it's queer that they brought our dog and helen's doll here with them." "maybe the little gypsy girl, whose papa took away helen's doll, brought it here to play with," said nan. and perhaps that is how it had happened. but the gypsies had gone away, and no one knew just how they came to leave the doll in the cave. they may have been afraid to take it away for fear a policeman would see them have it. and then, too, it might suddenly speak when they had it, as it spoke in the cave when flossie and freddie heard it. "well, everything's come out all right," said mr. bobbsey, "and now for some happy days on blueberry island, with nothing to worry about." and, indeed, the bobbsey twins did have very happy times. snoop and snap were back with them again, and with whisker, the goat, played with the children. helen was told about her lost doll having been found, and she came to the island to get it. the go-around bugs were not found. maybe the gypsies took them. but mr. bobbsey bought new ones for the little twins. the police said the gypsy man who had picked the doll up from the yard where helen had left it for a moment, must have taken it for his little girl, and have hidden it in one of the wagons. then, some one of the band, going about lakeport before the bobbseys went to the island, saw snap about the house and enticed him away. they probably took him over from the mainland in a rowboat. snap was a friendly dog. as for snoop he either wandered away or was stolen. but now no more fear need be felt about the gypsies, for they were far away, and when it rained the bobbsey twins used to play in the gypsy cave, as they called it. "oh, but i just love it on blueberry island!" said flossie, as they all came back to camp from a little picnic in the woods one day. "so do i," said freddie. "now let's hitch up whisker and have a ride." and they did. and so i must bring this story about the adventures of the bobbsey twins to an end. they had many other good times, some on blueberry island, and others when they went back to their lakeport home, and i may tell you about them later. snap and snoop had a large part in the good times, and the dog and cat were none the worse for having been kept in the gypsy cave. nor was helen's doll, which the little girl was very glad to get back. it talked as well as ever. and now i will say good-bye for you to the bobbsey twins. the end * * * * * the bobbsey twins books for little men and women by laura lee hope author of "the bunny brown series," etc. durably bound. illustrated. uniform style of binding. every volume complete in itself. these books for boys and girls between the ages of three and ten stands among children and their parents of this generation where the books of louisa may alcott stood in former days. the haps and mishaps of this inimitable pair of twins, their many adventures and experiences are a source of keen delight to imaginative children everywhere. the bobbsey twins the bobbsey twins in the country the bobbsey twins at the seashore the bobbsey twins at school the bobbsey twins at snow lodge the bobbsey twins on a houseboat the bobbsey twins at meadow brook the bobbsey twins at home the bobbsey twins in a great city the bobbsey twins on blueberry island the bobbsey twins on the deep blue sea the bobbsey twins in the great west the bobbsey twins at cedar camp the bobbsey twins at the county fair the bobbsey twins camping out the bobbsey twins and baby may grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the bunny brown series by laura lee hope author of the popular "bobbsey twins" books, etc. durably bound. illustrated. uniform style of binding. every volume complete in itself. these stories by the author of the "bobbsey twins" books are eagerly welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. their eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive little bunny brown and his cunning, trustful sister sue. bunny brown and his sister sue bunny brown and his sister sue on grandpa's farm bunny brown and his sister sue playing circus bunny brown and his sister sue at camp rest-a-while bunny brown and his sister sue at aunt lu's city home bunny brown and his sister sue in the big woods bunny brown and his sister sue on an auto tour bunny brown and his sister sue and their shetland pony bunny brown and his sister sue giving a show bunny brown and his sister sue at christmas tree cove bunny brown and his sister sue in the sunny south bunny brown and his sister sue keeping store bunny brown and his sister sue and their trick dog bunny brown and his sister sue at a sugar camp grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york six little bunkers series by laura lee hope author of the bobbsey twins books, the bunny brown series, the make-believe series, etc. durably bound. illustrated. uniform style of binding. every volume complete in itself. delightful stories for little boys and girls which sprung into immediate popularity. to know the six little bunkers is to take them at once to your heart, they are so intensely human, so full of fun and cute sayings. each story has a little plot of its own--one that can be easily followed--and all are written in miss hope's most entertaining manner. clean, wholesome volumes which ought to be on the bookshelf of every child in the land. six little bunkers at grandma bell's six little bunkers at aunt jo's six little bunkers at cousin tom's six little bunkers at grandpa ford's six little bunkers at uncle fred's six little bunkers at captain ben's six little bunkers at cowboy jack's six little bunkers at mammy june's six little bunkers at farmer joel's six little bunkers at miller ned's grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the outdoor girls series by laura lee hope author of the "bobbsey twins," "bunny brown" series, etc. uniform style of binding. individual colored wrappers. every volume complete in itself. these tales take in the various adventures participated in by several bright, up-to-date girls who love outdoor life. the outdoor girls of deepdale; or, camping and tramping for fun and health. the outdoor girls at rainbow lake; or, the stirring cruise of the motor boat gem. the outdoor girls in a motor car; or, the haunted mansion of shadow valley. the outdoor girls in a winter camp; or, glorious days on skates and ice boats. the outdoor girls in florida; or, wintering in the sunny south. the outdoor girls at ocean view; or, the box that was found in the sand. the outdoor girls on pine island; or, a cave and what it contained. the outdoor girls in army service; or, doing their bit for uncle sam. the outdoor girls at the hostess house; or, doing their best for the soldiers. the outdoor girls at bluff point; or, a wreck and a rescue. the outdoor girls at wild rose lodge; or, the hermit of moonlight falls. the outdoor girls in the saddle; or, the girl miner of gold run. the outdoor girls around the campfire; or, the old maid of the mountains. the outdoor girls on cape cod; or, sally ann of lighthouse rock. grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the blythe girls books by laura lee hope individual colored wrappers and text illustrations by thelma gooch every volume complete in itself the blythe girls, three in number, were left alone in new york city. helen, who went in for art and music, kept the little flat uptown, while margy just out of a business school, obtained a position as a private secretary and rose, plain-spoken and businesslike, took what she called a "job" in a department store. the blythe girls: helen, margy and rose; or, facing the great world. a fascinating tale of real happenings in the great metropolis. the blythe girls: margy's queer inheritance; or, the worth of a name. the girls had a peculiar old aunt and when she died she left an unusual inheritance. this tale continues the struggles of all the girls for existence. the blythe girls; rose's great problem; or, face to face with a crisis. rose still at work in the big department store, is one day faced with the greatest problem of her life. a tale of mystery as well as exciting girlish happenings. the blythe girls: helen's strange boarder; or, the girl from bronx park. helen, out sketching, goes to the assistance of a strange girl, whose real identity is a puzzle to all the blythe girls. who the girl really was comes as a tremendous surprise. the blythe girls: three on a vacation; or, the mystery at peach farm. the girls close their flat and go to the country for two weeks--and fall in with all sorts of curious and exciting happenings. how they came to the assistance of joe morris, and solved a queer mystery, is well related. grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york amy bell marlowe's books for girls charming, fresh and original stories illustrated. wrappers printed in colors with individual design for each story miss marlowe's books for girls are somewhat of the type of miss alcott and also mrs. meade; but all are thoroughly up-to-date and wholly american in scene and action. good, clean absorbing tales that all girls thoroughly enjoy. the oldest of four; or, natalie's way out. a sweet story of the struggles of a live girl to keep a family from want. the girls at hillcrest farm; or, the secret of the rocks. relating the trials of two girls who take boarders on an old farm. a little miss nobody or, with the girls of pinewood hall. tells of a school girl who was literally a nobody until she solved the mystery of her identity. the girl from sunset ranch; or, alone in a great city. a ranch girl comes to new york to meet relatives she has never seen. her adventures make unusually good reading. wyn's camping days; or, the outing of the go-ahead club. a tale of happy days on the water and under canvas, with a touch of mystery and considerable excitement. frances of the ranges: or, the old ranchman's treasure. a vivid picture of life on the great cattle ranges of the west. the girls of rivercliff school; or, beth baldwin's resolve. this is one of the most entertaining stories centering about a girl's school that has ever been written. when oriole came to harbor light. the story of a young girl, cast up by the sea, and rescued by an old lighthouse keeper. when oriole traveled westward. oriole visits the family of a rich ranchman and enjoys herself immensely. grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the make-believe stories (trademark registered.) by laura lee hope author of the bobbsey twins books, etc. colored wrappers and illustrations by harry l. smith in this fascinating line of books miss hope has the various toys come to life "when nobody is looking" and she puts them through a series of adventures as interesting as can possibly be imagined. the story of a sawdust doll how the toys held a party at the toy counter; how the sawdust doll was taken to the home of a nice little girl, and what happened to her there. the story of a white rocking horse he was a bold charger and a man purchased him for his son's birthday. once the horse had to go to the toy hospital, and my! what sights he saw there. the story of a lamb on wheels she was a dainty creature and a sailor bought her and took her to a little girl relative and she had a great time. the story of a bold tin soldier. he was captain of the company and marched up and down in the store at night. then he went to live with a little boy and had the time of his life. the story of a candy rabbit he was continually in danger of losing his life by being eaten up. but he had plenty of fun, and often saw his many friends from the toy counter. the story of a monkey on a stick he was mighty lively and could do many tricks. the boy who owned him gave a show, and many of the monkey's friends were among the actors. the story of a calico clown he was a truly comical chap and all the other toys loved him greatly. the story of a nodding donkey he made happy the life of a little lame boy and did lots of other good deeds. the story of a china cat the china cat had many adventures, but enjoyed herself most of the time. the story of a plush bear this fellow came from the north pole, stopped for a while at the toy store, and was than taken to the seashore by his little master. the story of a stuffed elephant he was a wise looking animal and had a great variety of adventures. grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york the flyaways stories by alice dale hardy author of the riddle club books individual colored jackets and colored illustrations by walter s. rogers a splendid new line of interesting tales for the little ones, introducing many of the well known characters of fairyland in a series of novel adventures. the flyaways are a happy family and every little girl and boy will want to know all about them. the flyaways and cinderella how the flyaways went to visit cinderella only to find that cinderella's prince had been carried off by the three robbers, rumbo, hibo and jobo. "i'll rescue him!" cried pa flyaway and then set out for the stronghold of the robbers. a splendid continuation of the original story of cinderella. the flyaways and little red riding hood on their way to visit little red riding hood the flyaways fell in with tommy tucker and the old woman who lived in a shoe. they told tommy about the magic button on red riding hood's cloak. how the wicked wolf stole the magic button and how the wolves plotted to eat up little red riding hood and all her family, and how the flyaways and king cole sent the wolves flying, makes a story no children will want to miss. the flyaways and goldilocks the flyaways wanted to see not only goldilocks but also the three bears and they took a remarkable journey through the air to do so. tommy even rode on a rocket and met the monstrous blue frog. when they arrived at goldilocks' house they found that the three bears had been there before them and mussed everything up, much to goldilocks' despair. "we must drive those bears out of the country!" said pa flyaway. then they journeyed underground to the yellow palace, and oh! so many things happened after that! grosset & dunlap, publishers, new york * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors corrected. page , word "a" unclear and presumed. (forgot a yeast) page , "anothe" changed to "another". (came after another) page , "blueberrry" changed to "blueberry". (blueberry-stained) page , "blueberrry" changed to "blueberry". (more blueberry-pickers) page , "dirt" changed to "dirty". (all dirty) page , "th" changed to "then". (and then sounded) advertisement for the flyaways and goldilocks, "goldilock's" changed to "goldilocks'" twice. (goldilocks' house) (goldilocks' despair) note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) the bobbsey twins or merry days indoors and out by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins in the country," "the bobbsey twins at the seashore," etc. [illustration: down the long hill swept the two sleds.--p. .] [illustration] new york grosset & dunlap publishers copyright, , by the mershon company all rights reserved contents chapter page i. the bobbsey twins at home ii. rope jumping, and what followed iii. the first snow storm iv. the broken window v. bert's ghost vi. coasting, and what came of it vii. freddie and flossie's snow house viii. fun on the ice ix. freddie loses himself x. lost and found xi. the cruise of the "ice bird" xii. tige--playing theater xiii. nan's first cake-baking xiv. christmas xv. the children's party xvi. a grand sleigh ride xvii. the race and the runaway xviii. a quarrel in the schoolyard xix. nan's plea xx. st. valentine's day xxi. the rescue of snoop, the kitten xxii. the last of the ghost--good-night the bobbsey twins chapter i the bobbsey twins at home the bobbsey twins were very busy that morning. they were all seated around the dining-room table, making houses and furnishing them. the houses were being made out of pasteboard shoe boxes, and had square holes cut in them for doors, and other long holes for windows, and had pasteboard chairs and tables, and bits of dress goods for carpets and rugs, and bits of tissue paper stuck up to the windows for lace curtains. three of the houses were long and low, but bert had placed his box on one end and divided it into five stories, and flossie said it looked exactly like a "department" house in new york. there were four of the twins. now that sounds funny, doesn't it? but, you see, there were two sets. bert and nan, age eight, and freddie and flossie, age four. nan was a tall and slender girl, with a dark face and red cheeks. her eyes were a deep brown and so were the curls that clustered around her head. bert was indeed a twin, not only because he was the same age as nan, but because he looked so very much like her. to be sure, he looked like a boy, while she looked like a girl, but he had the same dark complexion, the same brown eyes and hair, and his voice was very much the same, only stronger. freddie and flossie were just the opposite of their larger brother and sister. each was short and stout, with a fair, round face, light-blue eyes and fluffy golden hair. sometimes papa bobbsey called flossie his little fat fairy, which always made her laugh. but freddie didn't want to be called a fairy, so his papa called him the fat fireman, which pleased him very much, and made him rush around the house shouting: "fire! fire! clear the track for number two! play away, boys, play away!" in a manner that seemed very lifelike. during the past year freddie had seen two fires, and the work of the firemen had interested him deeply. the bobbsey family lived in the large town of lakeport, situated at the head of lake metoka, a clear and beautiful sheet of water upon which the twins loved to go boating. mr. richard bobbsey was a lumber merchant, with a large yard and docks on the lake shore, and a saw and planing mill close by. the house was a quarter of a mile away, on a fashionable street and had a small but nice garden around it, and a barn in the rear, in which the children loved at times to play. "i'm going to cut out a fancy table cover for my parlor table," said nan. "it's going to be the finest table cover that ever was." "nice as aunt emily's?" questioned bert. "she's got a--a dandy, all worked in roses." "this is going to be white, like the lace window curtains," replied nan. while freddie and flossie watched her with deep interest, she took a small square of tissue paper and folded it up several times. then she cut curious-looking holes in the folded piece with a sharp pair of scissors. when the paper was unfolded once more a truly beautiful pattern appeared. "oh, how lubby!" screamed flossie. "make me one, nan!" "and me, too," put in freddie. "i want a real red one," and he brought forth a bit of red pin-wheel paper he had been saving. "oh, freddie, let me have the red paper for my stairs," cried bert, who had had his eyes on the sheet for some time. "no, i want a table cover, like nanny. you take the white paper." "whoever saw white paper on a stairs--i mean white carpet," said flossie. "i'll give you a marble for the paper, freddie," continued bert. but freddie shook his head. "want a table cover, nice as aunt em'ly," he answered. "going to set a flower on the table too!" he added, and ran out of the room. when he came back he had a flower-pot in his hand half the size of his house, with a duster feather stuck in the dirt, for a flower. "well, i declare!" cried nan, and burst out laughing. "oh, freddie, how will we ever set that on such a little pasteboard table?" "can set it there!" declared the little fellow, and before nan could stop him the flower-pot went up and the pasteboard table came down and was mashed flat. "hullo! freddie's breaking up housekeeping!" cried bert. "oh, freddie! do take the flower-pot away!" came from flossie. "it's too big to go into the house." freddie looked perplexed for a moment. "going to play garden around the house. this is a--a lilac tree!" and he set the flower-pot down close to bert's elbow. bert was now busy trying to put a pasteboard chimney on his house, and did not notice. a moment later bert's elbow hit the flower-pot and down it went on the floor, breaking into several pieces and scattering the dirt over the rug. "oh, bert! what have you done?" cried nan, in alarm. "get the broom and the dust-pan, before dinah comes." "it was freddie's fault." "oh, my lilac tree is all gone!" cried the little boy. "and the boiler to my fire engine, too," he added, referring to the flower-pot, which he had used the day before when playing fireman. at that moment, dinah, the cook, came in from the kitchen. "well, i declar' to gracious!" she exclaimed. "if yo' chillun ain't gone an' mussed up de floah ag'in!" "bert broke my boiler!" said freddie, and began to cry. "oh, never mind, freddie, there are plenty of others in the cellar," declared nan. "it was an accident, dinah," she added, to the cook. "eberyt'ing in dis house wot happens is an accident," grumbled the cook, and went off to get the dust-pan and broom. as soon as the muss had been cleared away nan cut out the red table cover for freddie, which made him forget the loss of the "lilac tree" and the "boiler." "let us make a row of houses," suggested flossie. "bert's big house can be at the head of the street." and this suggestion was carried out. fortunately, more pasteboard boxes were to be had, and from these they made shade trees and some benches, and bert cut out a pasteboard horse and cart. to be sure, the horse did not look very lifelike, but they all played it was a horse and that was enough. when the work was complete they called dinah in to admire it, which she did standing near the doorway with her fat hands resting on her hips. "i do declar', it looks most tremend'us real," said the cook. "it's a wonder to me yo' chillun can make sech t'ings." "we learned it in the kindergarten class at school," answered nan. "yes, in the kindergarten," put in flossie. "but we don't make fire engines there," came from freddie. at this dinah began to laugh, shaking from head to foot. "fire enjuns, am it, freddie? reckon yo' is gwine to be a fireman when yo' is a man, hey?" "yes, i'm going to be a real fireman," was the ready answer. "an' what am yo' gwine to be, master bert?" "oh, i'm going to be a soldier," said bert. "i want to be a soldier, too," put in freddie. "a soldier and a fireman." "oh, dear, i shouldn't want to be a soldier and kill folks," said nan. "girls can't be soldiers," answered freddie. "they have to get married, or be dressmakers, or sten'graphers, or something like that." "you mean sten_o_graphers, bert. i'm going to be a sten_o_grapher when i get big." "i don't want to be any sten_o_gerer," put in flossie. "i'm going to keep a candy store, and have all the candy i want, and ice cream----" "me too!" burst in freddie. "i'm going to have a candy store, an' be a fireman, an' a soldier, all together!" "dear! dear!" laughed dinah. "jess to heah dat now! it's wonderful wot yo' is gwine to be when yo' is big." at that moment the front door bell rang, and all rushed to the hallway, to greet their mother, who had been down-town, on a shopping tour. chapter ii rope jumping, and what followed "oh, mamma, what have you brought?" such was the cry from all of the bobbsey twins, as they gathered around mrs. bobbsey in the hallway. she had several small packages in her hands, and one looked very much like a box of candy. mrs. bobbsey kissed them all before speaking. "have you been good while i was gone?" she asked. "i guess we tried to be good," answered bert meekly. "freddie's boiler got broke, that's all," said flossie. "dinah swept up the dirt." before anything more could be said all were in the dining room and mrs. bobbsey was called upon to admire the row of houses. then the box of candy was opened and each received a share. "now you had better go out and play," said the mother. "dinah must set the table for dinner. but be sure and put on your thick coats. it is very cold and feels like snow." "oh, if only it would snow!" said bert. he was anxious to try a sled he had received the christmas before. it was saturday, with no school, so all of the boys and girls of the neighborhood were out. some of the girls were skipping rope, and nan joined these, while bert went off to join a crowd of boys in a game of football. "let us play horse," suggested freddie to flossie. they had reins of red leather, with bells, and freddie was the horse while his twin sister was the driver. "i'm a bad horse, i'll run away if you don't watch me," cautioned freddie, and began to prance around wildly, against the grape arbor and then up against the side fence. "whoa! whoa!" screamed flossie, jerking on the reins. "whoa, you naughty horse! if i had a whip, i'd beat you!" "if you did that, i'd kick," answered freddie, and began to kick real hard into the air. but at last he settled down and ran around the house just as nicely as any horse could. then he snorted and ran up to the water bucket near the barn and flossie pretended to give him a drink and some hay, and unharnessed him just as if he was a real steed. nan was counting while another girl named grace lavine jumped, grace was a great jumper and had already passed forty when her mother called to her from the window. "grace, don't jump so much. you'll get sick." "oh, no, i won't," returned grace. she was a headstrong girl and always wanted her own way. "but jumping gave you a headache only last week," continued mrs. lavine. "now, don't do too much of it," and then the lady closed the window and went back to her interrupted work. "oh, dear, mamma made me trip," sighed grace. "i don't think that was fair." "but your mamma doesn't want you to jump any more," put in another girl, nellie parks by name. "oh, she didn't say that. she said not to jump too much." it was now nan's turn to jump and she went up to twenty-seven and then tripped. nellie followed and reached thirty-five. then came another girl who jumped to fifty-six. "i'm going a hundred this time," said grace, as she skipped into place. "oh, grace, you had better not!" cried nan. "you're afraid i'll beat you," declared grace. "no, i'm not. but your mamma said----" "i don't care what she said. she didn't forbid my jumping," cut in the obstinate girl. "are you going to turn or not?" "yes, i'll turn," replied nan, and at once the jumping started. soon grace had reached forty. then came fifty, and then sixty. "i do believe she will reach a hundred after all," declared nellie parks, a little enviously. "i will, if you turn steadily," answered grace, in a panting voice. her face was strangely pale. "oh, grace, hadn't you better stop?" questioned nan. she was a little frightened, but, nevertheless, kept on turning the rope. "no!" puffed grace. "go--go on!" she had now reached eighty-five. nellie parks was counting: "eighty-six, eighty-seven, eighty-eight, eighty-nine, ninety!" she went on. "ninety-one-, ninety-two----" "no--not so--so fast!" panted grace. "i--i--oh!" and then, just as nellie was counting "ninety-seven," she sank down in a heap, with her eyes closed and her face as white as a sheet. for a moment the other girls looked on in blank wonder, not knowing what to make of it. then nan gave a scream. "oh, girls, she has fainted!" "perhaps she is dead!" burst out nellie parks. "and if she is, we killed her, for we turned the rope!" "oh, nellie, please don't say that!" said nan. she could scarcely speak the words. "shall i go and tell mrs. lavine?" asked another girl who stood near. "no--yes," answered nan. she was so bewildered she scarcely knew what to say. "oh, isn't it awful!" they gathered close around the fallen girl, but nobody dared to touch her. while they were there, and one had gone to tell mrs. lavine, a gentleman came up. it was mr. bobbsey, coming home from the lumber yard for lunch. "what is the trouble?" he asked, and then saw grace. "what happened to her?" "she was--was jumping rope, and couldn't jump any more," sobbed nan. "oh, papa, she--isn't de--dead, is she?" mr. bobbsey was startled and with good reason, for he had heard of more than one little girl dying from too much jumping. he took the limp form up in his arms and hurried to the lavine house with it. "run and tell doctor briskett," he called back to nan. the physician mentioned lived but a short block away, and nan ran as fast as her feet could carry her. the doctor had just come in from making his morning calls and had his hat and overcoat still on. "oh, doctor briskett, do come at once!" she sobbed. "grace lavine is dead, and we did it, turning the rope for her!" "grace lavine dead?" repeated the dumfounded doctor. "yes! yes!" "where is she?" "papa just carried her into her house." without waiting to hear more, doctor briskett ran toward the lavine residence, around which quite a crowd had now collected. in the crowd was bert. "is grace really dead?" he asked. "i--i--guess so," answered nan. "oh, bert, it's dreadful! i was turning the rope and she had reached ninety-seven, when all at once she sank down, and----" nan could not go on, but leaned on her twin brother's arm for support. "you girls are crazy to jump rope so much," put in a big boy, danny rugg by name. danny was something of a bully and very few of the girls liked him. "it's no worse than playing football," said a big girl. "yes, it is, much worse," retorted danny. "rope jumping brings on heart disease. i heard father tell about it." "i hope grace didn't get heart disease," sobbed nan. "you turned the rope," went on danny maliciously. "if she dies, they'll put you in prison, nan bobbsey." "they shan't do it!" cried bert, coming to his sister's rescue. "i won't let them." "much you can stop 'em, bert bobbsey." "can't i?" "no, you can't." "i'll see if i can't," answered bert, and he gave danny such a look that the latter edged away, thinking he was going to be attacked. doctor briskett had gone into the house and the crowd hung around impatiently, waiting for news. the excitement increased, and mrs. bobbsey came forth, followed by freddie and flossie, who had just finished playing horse. "nan, nan! what can it mean?" said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, mamma!" murmured nan, and sank, limp and helpless, into her mother's arms. just then mr. bobbsey came forth from the lavine residence. seeing his wife supporting their daughter, he hurried in that direction. "grace is not dead," he announced. "she had a fainting spell, that is all. but i think after this she had better leave rope skipping alone." chapter iii the first snow storm nan felt greatly relieved to learn that grace was not dead. "oh, mamma, i am _so_ glad!" she said, over and over again. "i am glad too," answered mrs. bobbsey. "her mamma has told her several times not to jump so much." "yes, i heard her." nan's eyes dropped. "i was wicked to turn the rope for her." in the end nan told her mother the whole story, to which mrs. bobbsey listened very gravely. "it was certainly wrong, nan," she said. "after this i hope my little girl will try to do better." "i shall try," answered nan. it was long after the dinner hour before the excitement died away. then it was learned that grace was resting quietly in an easy chair and the doctor had ordered that she be kept quiet for several days. she was very much frightened and had told her parents that she would never jump rope again. the time was the fall of the year, and that saturday evening there was a feeling of snow in the air stronger than before. "oh, if only it would snow!" came from bert, several times. "i like winter better than anything." "i don't," answered nan. "think of the nice flowers we have in the summer." "you can't have much fun with flowers, nan." "yes, you can. and think of the birds----" "i like the summer," piped in freddie, "cos then we go to the country where the cows and the chickens are!" "yes, and gather the eggs," put in flossie, who had gathered eggs many times during the summer just past, while on a visit to their uncle daniel bobbsey's farm at meadow brook. all of the bobbsey children thought meadow brook the finest country place in all the world. bert's wish for snow was soon gratified. sunday morning found it snowing steadily, the soft flakes coming down silently and covering the ground to the depth of several inches. "winter has come after all!" cried the boy. "wish it was monday instead of sunday." "the snow is not quite deep enough for sleighing yet," returned his father. despite the storm, all attended church in the morning, and the four children and mrs. bobbsey went to sunday school in the afternoon. the lady taught a class of little girls and had flossie as one of her pupils. to the children, traveling back and forth through the snow was great sport, and bert couldn't resist the temptation to make several snowballs and throw them at the other boys. the other boys threw back in return and bert's hat was knocked off. "bert, this will not do on sunday," said mrs. bobbsey, and there the snowballing came to an end. all through that night the snow continued to come down, and on monday morning it was over a foot deep. the air was crisp and cold and all of the children felt in the best of spirits. "nan and bert can go to school," said mrs. bobbsey. "but i think freddie and flossie had better stay home. walking would come too hard on them." "i want to go out in the snow!" cried freddie. "i don't want to stay indoors all day." "you shall go out later on, in the garden," replied his mother. "they can watch sam shovel off the snow," put in mr. bobbsey. sam was the man of all work. he and dinah, the cook, were married and lived in some pleasant rooms over the stable. "yes, let us watch him!" cried flossie, and soon she and freddie were at the window, watching the colored man as he banked up the snow on either side of the garden walk and the sidewalk. once sam made a motion as if to throw a shovelful of snow at the window, and this made them dodge back in alarm and then laugh heartily. the school was only a few blocks away from the bobbsey home, but nan and bert had all they could do to reach it, for the wind had made the snow drift, so that in some spots it was very deep. "better look out or we'll get in over our heads," cried bert. "oh, bert, wouldn't it be terrible to have such a thing happen!" answered his twin sister. "how would we ever get out?" "ring the alarm and have the street-cleaning men dig us out," he said merrily. "do you know, nan, that i just love the snow. it makes me feel like singing and whistling." and he broke into a merry whistle. "i love it because it looks so white and pure, bert." they were speedily joined by a number of other boys and girls, all bound for school. some of the girls were having fun washing each other's faces and it was not long before nan had her face washed too. the cold snow on her cheek and ear did not feel very nice, but she took the fun in good part and went to washing like the rest. the boys were already snowballing each other, some on one side of the street and some on the other. the snowballs were flying in all directions and bert was hit on the back and on the shoulder. "i'll pay you back!" he cried, to charley mason, who had hit him in the back, and he let fly a snowball which landed directly on charley's neck. some of the snow went down charley's back and made him shiver from the cold. "i wouldn't stand that, charley," said danny rugg, who was close at hand. "i'd pitch into him if i were you." "you pitch into him," grumbled charley. "you can throw awfully straight." danny prided himself on his throwing, which, however, was no better than the throwing of the other lads, and he quickly made two hard snowballs. with these in hand he ran out into the street and waited until bert's hands were empty. then he came up still closer and threw one of the snowballs with all his might. it struck bert in the back of the head and sent him staggering. "hi! how do you like that?" roared danny, in high glee. "have another?" and as bert stood up and looked around he let drive again, this time hitting bert directly in the ear. the snowball was so hard it made bert cry out in pain. "for shame, danny rugg, to hit bert so hard as that!" cried nan. "oh, you keep still, nan bobbsey!" retorted danny. "this is our sport, not yours." "but you shouldn't have come so close before you threw the snowball." "i know what i'm doing," growled the big boy, running off. the whack in the ear made that member ache, and bert did not feel near so full of fun when he entered the schoolyard. several of his friends came up to him in sympathy. "did he hurt you very much, bert?" asked one. "he hurt me enough. it wasn't fair to come so close, or to make the snowballs so hard." "let us duck danny in the snow," suggested one of the boys. this was considered a good plan, but nobody wanted to start in, for, as i have said before, danny was a good deal of a bully, and could get very rough at times. while the boys were talking the matter over, the school bell rang and all had to go to their classrooms. in a little while bert's ear stopped aching, but he did not forget how danny rugg had treated him. "i'll pay him back when we go home to dinner," bert told himself, and laid his plans accordingly. as soon as bert got out of school he hurried into a corner of the yard and made three good, hard snowballs. these he concealed under his overcoat and then waited for danny to appear. the big boy must have known that bert would try to square matters with him, for as soon as he came out he ran in the direction of one of the main streets of lakeport, just the opposite direction to that which he usually pursued. "you shan't get away from me!" cried bert, and ran after him. soon he threw one snowball and this landed on danny's back. then he threw another and knocked off the bully's cap. "hi! stop that!" roared danny, and stooped to pick up the cap. whiz! came the third snowball and hit danny on the cheek. he let out a cry of pain. "i'll fix you for that, bert bobbsey!" he said, stooping down in the street. "how do you like that?" he had picked up a large chunk of ice lying in the gutter, and now he threw it at bert's head with all force. bert dodged, and the ice went sailing past him and hit the show window of a small shoe store, shattering a pane of glass into a hundred pieces. chapter iv the broken window neither danny nor bert had expected such an ending to the snowball fight and for the moment neither knew what to do. then, as the owner of the shoe store came running out, both set off on a run. "stop! stop!" roared the shoe dealer, coming after them. "stop, i say!" but the more he cried stop the harder they ran. both soon reached the corner, and while danny went up the side street, bert went down, so the boys soon became widely separated. reaching the corner, the owner of the store did not know which boy to go after, but made up his mind to follow bert, who could not run as fast as danny. so after bert he came, with such long steps that he was soon close to the lad. bert was greatly scared, for he was afraid that if he was caught he might be arrested. seeing an alleyway close at hand, he ran into this. at the back was a fence, and with all speed he climbed up and let himself down on the other side. then he ran around a corner of a barn, through another alleyway, and into a street leading home. the shoe dealer might have followed, but he suddenly remembered that he had left the store unprotected and that somebody might come in and run off with his stock and his money. so he went back in a hurry; and the chase came to an end. when bert got home he was all out of breath, and his legs trembled so he could scarcely stand. nan had just arrived and the family were preparing to sit down to lunch. "why, bert, why do you run so hard?" protested his mother. "you must not do it. if you breathe in so much cold air, you may take cold." "oh, i--i'm all right," he panted, and started to drop into his seat, but mrs. bobbsey made him go up to the bathroom and wash up and comb his hair. poor bert was in a fever of anxiety all through the meal. every instant he expected to hear the front door bell ring, and find there a policeman to take him to the station house. he could scarcely eat a mouthful. "what's the matter? do you feel sick?" asked the father. "no, i'm not sick," he answered. "you play altogether too hard. take it easy. the snow will last a long time," went on mr. bobbsey. after lunch bert did not dare to go back to school. but he could think of no excuse for staying home and at last set off in company with nan. he looked around for danny, but the big lad did not show himself. "what's the matter with you, bert?" questioned his twin sister, as they trudged along. "nothing is the matter, nan." "but there is. you act _so_ strange." "i--i don't feel very good." "then you did run too hard, after all." "it wasn't that, nan." bert looked around him. "do you see anything of danny rugg?" "no." nan stopped short. "bert bobbsey, did you have a fight with him?" "no--that is, not a real fight. i chased him with some snowballs and he threw a big chunk of ice at me." "did he hit you?" "no, he--he--oh, nan, perhaps i had better tell you. but you must promise not to tell anybody else." "tell me what?" "will you promise not to tell?" "yes," said nan promptly, for she and her twin brother always trusted each other. "when danny threw the ice at me it flew past and broke mr. ringley's window." "what, of the shoe store?" "yes. mr. ringley came running out after both of us. i ran one way and danny ran another. i ran into the alleyway past jackson's barn, and got over the fence, and he didn't come any further." "does mr. ringley think you broke the window?" "i guess he does. anyway, he followed me and not danny." "but you had nothing to do with it. oh, bert, what made you run away at all. why didn't you stop and tell the truth?" "i--i got scared, that's why. i was afraid he'd get a policeman." "danny ought to own up that he did it." "he won't do it. he'll put it off on me if he can,--because i chased him in the first place." "did mr. ringley know it was you?" "i don't know. now, nan, remember, you promised not to tell." "all right, bert, i won't say a word. but--but--what do you think mr. ringley will do?" "i don't know." when they reached the school danny rugg was nowhere to be seen. the boys continued to have fun snowballing, but bert had no heart for play and went to his classroom immediately. but he could not put his mind on his lessons and missed both in geography and arithmetic. "bert, you are not paying attention," said the teacher severely. "you just said the capital of pennsylvania was albany. you must know better than that." "philadelphia," corrected bert. "after this pay more attention." danny rugg did not come to school, nor did he show himself until an hour after school was out. bert had gone home and brought forth his sled, and he and nan were giving freddie and flossie a ride around the block when danny hailed bert. "come here, i want to talk to you," he said, from across the street. "what do you want?" asked bert roughly. "i've got something to tell you. it won't take but a minute." bert hesitated, and then leaving nan to go on alone with the sled, he crossed to where danny was standing, partly sheltered by a tree box. "you can't blame that broken window off on me, danny rugg," he began. "hush!" whispered danny, in alarm. "i ain't going to blame it off on you, bert. i only want you to promise to keep quiet about it." "why should i? it was your fault." "was it? i don't think so. you began the fight. besides, if you dare to say a word, i'll--i'll give you a big thrashing!" blustered danny. he clenched his fists as he spoke and looked so fierce that bert retreated a step. "i haven't said anything, danny." "then you had better not. old ringley doesn't know who broke his window. so you keep quiet; do you hear?" "are you sure he doesn't know?" "yes, because he has been asking everybody about it." there was a pause and the two boys looked at each other. "you ought to pay for the window," said bert. "huh! i'm not going to do it. you can pay for it if you want to. but don't you dare to say anything about me! if you do, you'll catch it, i can tell you!" and then danny walked off. "what did he have to say?" questioned nan, when bert came back to her. "he wants me to keep still. he says mr. ringley doesn't know who did it." "did you promise to keep still, bert?" "no, but if i say anything danny says he will give it to me." a crowd of boys and girls now came up and the talk was changed. all were having a merry time in the snow, and for the time being bert forgot his troubles. he and nan gave freddie and flossie a long ride which pleased the younger twins very much. "i wish you was really and truly horses," said flossie. "you go so _beau_tifully!" "and if i had a whip i could make you go faster," put in freddie. "for shame, freddie!" exclaimed nan. "would you hit the horse that gave you such a nice ride?" "let me give _you_ a ride," answered the little fellow, to change the subject. he insisted upon it, and soon nan was on the sled behind flossie, and bert and freddie were hauling them along where pulling was easy. this was great sport for freddie, and he puffed and snorted like a real horse, and kicked up his heels, very much to flossie's delight. "gee-dap!" shrieked the little maiden. "gee-dap!" and moved back and forth on the sled, to make it go faster. away went freddie and bert, as fast as the legs of the little fellow could travel. they went down a long hill and through a nice side street, and it was a good half hour before they reached home,--just in time for a good hot supper. chapter v bert's ghost bert felt relieved to learn that mr. ringley did not know who had broken the store window, but he was still fearful that the offense might be laid at his door. he was afraid to trust danny rugg, and did not know what the big boy might do. "he may say i did it, just to clear himself," thought bert. "and if mr. ringley comes after me, he'll remember me sure." but his anxiety was forgotten that evening, when some of the neighbors dropped in for a call. there was music on the piano and some singing, and almost before bert and nan knew it, it was time to go to bed. freddie and flossie had already retired, worn out by their play. but after bert had said his prayers and found himself alone in the small bed chamber he occupied, he could not sleep. the talk of the folks below kept him awake at first, and even after they had gone to bed he could not forget the happening of the day, and he could still hear the crash of that glass as the chunk of ice went sailing through it. at last he fell into a troubled doze, with the bright light of the moon shining across the rug at the foot of the bed. but the doze did not last long, and soon some kind of a noise awoke him with a start. he opened his eyes and his gaze wandered across the moon-lit room. was he dreaming, or was that really a figure in white standing at the foot of his bed? with a shiver he ducked down and covered his head with the blankets. for two or three minutes he lay quiet, expecting every instant to have something unusual happen. then, with great caution, he pushed the blankets back and took another look. _there was nothing there!_ "but i saw something," he told himself. "i am sure i saw something. what could it have been?" ah, that was the question. for over an hour he continued to lie awake, watching and listening. nan was in the next little chamber and he was half of a mind to call her, but he was afraid she would call him a "'fraid-cat!" something he despised. bert had heard of ghosts and now he thought of all the ghost stories he could remember. had the thing in white been a ghost? if so, where had it come from? after a while he tried to dismiss the thing from his mind, but it was almost morning before he fell asleep again. this time he slept so soundly, however, that he did not rouse up until his mother came and shook him. "why, bert, what makes you sleep so soundly this morning?" said mrs. bobbsey. "i--i didn't get to sleep until late," he stammered. and then he added: "mamma, do you believe in ghosts?" "why, of course not, bert. what put that into your head?" "i--i thought i saw a ghost last night." "you must have been mistaken. there are no ghosts." "but i saw _something_," insisted the boy. "where?" "right at the foot of the bed. it was all white." "when was this?" "right in the middle of the night." "did you see it come in, or go out?" "no, mamma. when i woke up it was standing there, and when i took a second look at it, it was gone." "you must have been suffering from a nightmare, bert," said mrs. bobbsey kindly. "you should not have eaten those nuts before going to bed." "no, it wasn't a nightmare," said the boy. he had but little to say while eating breakfast, but on the way to school he told nan, while freddie and flossie listened also. "oh, bert, supposing it was a real ghost?" cried nan, taking a deep breath. "why, i'd be scared out of my wits,--i know i'd be!" "mamma says there are no ghosts. but i saw something--i am sure of that." "i don't want to see any ghostses," came from flossie. "nor i," added freddie. "sam told about a ghost once that was as high as a tree an' had six heads, to eat bad boys and girls up. did this have six heads, bert?" "no." "how many heads did it have?" "i don't know--one, i guess." "and was it as high as a tree?" went on the inquisitive little fellow. "oh, it couldn't stand up in the room if it was as high as a tree," burst out flossie. "could if it was a tiny _baby_ tree," expostulated freddie. "it was about as high as that," said bert, putting out his hand on a level with his shoulder. "i can't say how it looked, only it was white." "perhaps it was moonshine," suggested nan, but at this bert shook his head. he felt certain it had been more substantial than moonshine. that day danny rugg came to school as usual. when questioned about his absence he said he had had a toothache. when bert looked at him the big boy merely scowled, and no words passed between the pair. directly back of lakeport was a long hill, used during the winter by all the boys and girls for coasting. after school nan and bert were allowed to go to this hill, in company with a number of their friends. they were admonished to come back before dark and promised faithfully to do so. among the boys there was a great rivalry as to who could go down the hill the fastest, and who could make his sled go the farthest after the bottom was reached. "i'll try my sled against yours!" cried charley mason to bert. "done!" returned bert. "are you going down alone, or are you going to carry somebody?" "you must carry me down," insisted nan. "then i'll take nellie parks," went on charley. nellie was close at hand and soon the two sleds were side by side, with a girl on each. bert and charley stood behind. "are you ready?" asked charley. "yes." "then go!" away went both lads, giving each sled a lively shove down the hill. then each hopped aboard, and took hold of the rope with which to steer. "a race! a race!" shouted those standing near. "i think charley will win!" said some. "i think bert will win!" said others. "oh, let us win if we can!" whispered nan to her twin brother. "i'll do my best, nan," was the answer. down the long hill swept the two sleds, almost side by side. each was rushing along at a lively rate of speed, and those aboard had to hold on tightly for fear of being jounced off. "whoop!" roared charley. "clear the track, for i am coming!" "make room for me!" sang out bert. "we are bound to win!" the bottom of the hill was almost reached when charley's sled began to crawl a bit ahead. "oh, bert, they are going to beat us after all," cried nan disappointedly. "i knew we'd beat you," cried nellie parks. "charley's is the best sled on the hill." "the race isn't over yet," said bert. his sled had been running in rather soft snow. now he turned to where the coasting was better, and in a twinkling his sled shot forward until he was once more beside charley and nellie. "here we come!" shouted bert. "make room, i say! make room." on and on they went, and now the bottom of the hill was reached and they ran along a level stretch. charley's sled began to slow up, but bert's kept on and on until he had covered a hundred feet beyond where charley had come to a stop. "we've won!" cried nan excitedly. "oh, bert, your sled is a wonder." "so it is," he answered, with pride. "but it was a close race, wasn't it?" when they came back to where charley and nellie stood they found charley rather sulky. "nellie is heavier than nan," said he. "it wasn't a fair race. let us try it alone next time." "i'm willing," answered bert. chapter vi coasting, and what came of it it was a long walk back to the top of the hill, but nan and bert did not mind it. "so you won, did you?" said one of the boys to bert. "good enough." "we are going to try it over again," put in charley. "come on." in the crowd was danny rugg, who had a brand-new sled. "i guess i can beat anybody!" cried danny boastfully. "this new sled of mine is bang-up." "what slang!" whispered nan, to bert. "if i were you i shouldn't race with him." "i'm going to race with charley," answered her twin brother, and took no notice of danny's challenge. bert and charley were soon ready for the test, and away they went amid a cheer from their friends. "i think charley will win this time," said nellie. "and i think that bert will win," answered nan. "oh, you think your brother is wonderful," sniffed nellie, with a shrug of her shoulders. "he is just as good as any boy," said nan quickly. down the hill swept the two sleds, keeping side by side as before. they were but a foot apart, for each owner wished to keep on the hardest part of the slide. "keep on your side, bert bobbsey!" shouted charley warningly. "and you keep on yours, charley mason!" returned bert. all of the others on the hill had stopped coasting to witness the contest, but now with a whoop danny rugg swept forward with his new sled and came down the hill at top speed. the bottom of the hill was barely reached when charley's sled made an unexpected turn and crashed into bert's, throwing bert over on his side in the snow. "what did you do that for?" demanded bert angrily. "i--i--didn't do it," stammered charley. "i guess you turned into me." "no, i didn't." bert arose and began to brush the snow from his clothes. as he did so he heard a rushing sound behind him and then came a crash as danny rugg ran into him. down he went again and his sled had a runner completely broken off. bert was hit in the ankle and badly bruised. "why didn't you get out of the way!" roared danny rugg roughly. "i yelled loud enough." "oh, my ankle!" groaned bert. for the moment the wrecked sled was forgotten. "i didn't touch your ankle," went on the big boy. "you did so, danny--at least, the point of your sled did," answered bert. "you ran into me in the first place," came from charley. "oh, charley, you know better than that." bert tried to stand, but had to sit down. "oh, my ankle!" "it wasn't my fault," said danny rugg, and began to haul his sled away. charley started to follow. "don't leave me, charley," called out bert. "i--i guess i can't walk." charley hesitated. then, feeling in his heart that he was really responsible for running into bert in the first place, he came back and helped bert to his feet. "the sled is broken," said bert, surveying the wreck dismally. "that was danny's fault." "well, then, he ought to pay for having it fixed." "he never pays for anything he breaks, bert,--you know that." slowly and painfully bert dragged himself and his broken sled to the top of the hill. sharp, hot flashes of pain shooting through his bruised ankle. nan ran to meet him. "oh, bert, what is the matter? are you hurt?" she asked. "yes,--danny ran into me, and broke the sled." "it wasn't my fault, i say!" blustered the big boy. "you had a right to get out of the way." "it was your fault, danny rugg, and you will have to have my sled mended," cried bert. throwing down the rope of his own sled, danny advanced and doubled up his fists as if to fight. "don't you talk like that to me," he said surlily. "i don't like it." bert's ankle hurt too much for him to continue the quarrel. he felt himself growing dizzy and he fell back. "let us go home," whispered nan. "i'll ride you home if you can't walk," put in charley, who was growing alarmed. in the end bert had to accept the offer, and home he went, with charley and nan pulling him and with the broken sled dragging on behind. it was all he could do to get into the house, and as a consequence mrs. bobbsey was much alarmed. she took off his shoe and stocking and found the ankle scratched and swollen, and bathed it and bound it up. "you must lie down on the sofa," she said. "never mind the broken sled. perhaps your papa can fix it when he comes home." bert detested playing the part of an invalid, but he soon discovered that keeping the ankle quiet felt much better than trying to walk around upon it. that night mr. bobbsey carried him up to bed, and he remained home for three days, when the ankle became as well as ever. the broken sled was sent to a nearby cabinet maker, and came back practically as good as new. "you must not have anything to do with danny rugg," said mrs. bobbsey to her son. "he is very rough and ungentlemanly." "i'll leave him alone, mamma, if he'll leave me alone," answered bert. during those days spent at home, nan did her best to amuse her brother. as soon as she was out of school she came straight home, and read to him and played games. nan was also learning to play on the piano and she played a number of tunes that he liked to hear. they were so much attached to each other that it did not seem natural for nan to go out unless her twin brother could go out too. the first snow storm had been followed by another, so that in the garden the snow lay deeper than ever. this was a great delight to freddie and flossie, who worked hard to build themselves a snow house. they enlisted the services of sam, the stableman, who speedily piled up for them a heap of snow much higher than their heads. "now, chillun, dar am de house," said the colored man. "all yo' hab got to do is to clear out de insides." and then he went off to his work, after starting the hole for them. flossie wanted to divide the house into three rooms, "dining room, kitchen, and bedroom," as she said, but freddie objected. "'taint big enough," said the little boy. "make one big room and call it ev'rything." "but we haven't got an _ev'rything_," said flossie. "well, then, call it the parlor," said freddie. "when it's done we can put in a carpet and two chairs for us to sit on." it was hard work for such little hands to dig out the inside of the heap of snow, but they kept at it, and at last the hole was big enough for freddie to crawl into. "oh, it's jess _beau_tiful!" he cried, "try it, flossie!" and flossie did try, and said the house was going to be perfect. "only we must have a bay window," she added. "and a curtain, just like mamma." they continued to shovel away, and soon freddie said he could almost stand up in the house. he was inside, shoveling out the snow, while his twin sister packed what he threw out on the outside, as sam had told them to do. "where shall i put the bay window?" asked the little boy, presently. "on this side," answered flossie, pointing with the shovel she held. at once freddie began to dig a hole through the side of the pile of snow. "be careful, or the house will come down!" cried flossie, all at once, and hardly had she spoken when down came the whole top of the snow pile and poor freddie was buried completely out of sight! chapter vii freddie and flossie's snow house "freddie! freddie!" shrieked flossie, when she saw her twin brother disappear. "do come out!" but freddie could not come out, and when, after a few seconds he did not show himself, she ran toward the kitchen door, screaming at the top of her breath. "oh, dinah! dinah! freddie is buried! freddie is buried!" "wot's dat yo' say, flossie?" demanded the cook, coming to the door. "freddie is buried. the ceiling of the snow house came down on him!" "gracious sakes alive, chile!" burst out dinah, and without waiting to put anything on her head she rushed forth into the garden. "gib me dat shovel quick! he'll be stuffocated fo' yo' know it." [illustration: "dat chile dun gwine an' buried himself alive."--p. .] she began to dig away at the pile of snow, and presently uncovered one of freddie's lower limbs. then she dropped the shovel and tugged away at the limb and presently brought freddie to view, just as mrs. bobbsey and nan appeared on the scene. "what in the world is the matter?" questioned mrs. bobbsey, in alarm. "dat chile dun gwine an' buried himself alive," responded the colored cook. "de roof of de snow house cabed in on him, pooh dear! he's 'most stuffocated!" in the meantime freddie was gasping for breath. then he looked at the wreck of the snow house and set up a tremendous roar of dismay. "oh, flossie, it's all spoilt! the bay window an' all!" "never mind, freddie dear," said his mother, taking him. "be thankful that you were not suffocated, as dinah says." "yes, but flossie and me were makin' an _ev'rything_ house, with a parlor, an' a bay window, an' _ev'rything_. i didn't want it to fall down." freddie was still gasping, but now he struggled to the ground. "want to build it up again," he added. "i am afraid you'll get into trouble again, freddie." "no, i won't, mamma. do let us build it up again," pleaded the little fellow. "i kin watch dem from de doah," suggested dinah. "let me help them, mamma," put in nan. "bert is reading a book, so he won't want me for a while." "very well, nan, you may stay with them. but all of you be careful," said mrs. bobbsey. after that the building of the snow house was started all over again. the pile of snow was packed down as hard as possible, and nan made flossie and freddie do the outside work while she crept inside, and cut around the ceiling and the bay window just as the others wanted. it was great sport, and when the snow house was finished it was large enough and strong enough for all of them to enter with safety. "to-night i'll poah some water ober dat house," said sam. "dat will make de snow as hard as ice." this was done, and the house remained in the garden until spring came. later on bert built an addition to it, which he called the library, and in this he put a bench and a shelf on which he placed some old magazines and story papers. in the main part of the snow house freddie and flossie at first placed an old rug and two blocks of wood for chairs, and a small bench for a table. then, when flossie grew tired of the house, freddie turned it into a stable, in which he placed his rocking-horse. then he brought out his iron fire engine, and used the place for a fire-house, tying an old dinner bell on a stick, stuck over the doorway. _dong! dong!_ would go the bell, and out he would rush with his little engine and up the garden path, looking for a fire. "let us play you are a reg'lar fireman," said flossie, on seeing this. "you must live in the fire-house, and i must be your wife and come to see you with the baby." and she dressed up in a long skirt and paid him a visit, with her best doll on her arm. freddie pretended to be very glad to see her, and embraced the baby. but a moment later he made the bell ring, and throwing the baby to her rushed off again with his engine. "that wasn't very nice," pouted flossie. "dorothy might have fallen in the snow." "can't help it," answered freddie. "a fireman can't stop for anything." "but--but--he doesn't have to throw his baby away, does he?" questioned flossie, with wide open eyes. "yes, he does,--_ev'rything_." "but--but supposing he is--is eating his dinner?" "he has to throw it away, flossie. oh, it's awful hard to be a real fireman." "would he have to throw his jam away, and his pie?" "yes." "then i wouldn't be a fireman, not for a--a house full of gold!" said flossie, and marched back into the house with her doll. flossie's dolls were five in number. dorothy was her pride, and had light hair and blue eyes, and three dresses, one of real lace. the next was gertrude, a short doll with black eyes and hair and a traveling dress that was very cute. then came lucy, who had lost one arm, and polly, who had lost both an arm and a leg. the fifth doll was jujube, a colored boy, dressed in a fiery suit of red, with a blue cap and real rubber boots. this doll had come from sam and dinah and had been much admired at first, but was now taken out only when all the others went too. "he doesn't really belong to the family, you know," flossie would explain to her friends. "but i have to keep him, for mamma says there is no colored orphan asylum for dolls. besides, i don't think sam and dinah would like to see their doll child in an asylum." the dolls were all kept in a row in a big bureau drawer at the top of the house, but flossie always took pains to separate jujube from the rest by placing the cover of a pasteboard box between them. with so much snow on the ground it was decided by the boys of that neighborhood to build a snow fort, and this work was undertaken early on the following saturday morning. luckily, bert was by that time well enough to go out and he did his fair share of the labor, although being careful not to injure the sore ankle. the fort was built at the top of a small hill in a large open lot. it was made about twenty feet square and the wall was as high as the boys' heads and over a foot thick. in the middle was gathered a big pile of snow, and into this was stuck a flag-pole from which floated a nice flag loaned by a boy named ralph blake. "let us divide into two parties of soldiers," said ralph. "one can defend the fort and the others can attack it." "hurrah! just the thing!" cried bert. "when shall the battle begin?" the boys talked it over, and it was decided to have the battle come off after lunch. the boys went home full of enthusiasm, and soon the news spread that a real soldiers' battle was to take place at the lot. "oh, bert, can't i go and look on?" asked nan. "i want to go, too," put in flossie. "can't i be a soldier?" asked freddie. "i can make snowballs, and throw 'em, too." "no, freddie, you are too little to be a soldier," answered bert. "but you can all come and look on, if you wish." after lunch the boys began to gather quickly, until over twenty were present. many girls and a few grown folks were also there, who took places out of harm's way. "now, remember," said a gentleman who was placed in charge. "no icy snowballs and no stones." "we'll remember, mr. potter," cried the young soldiers. the boys were speedily divided into two parties, one to attack and one to defend the fort. it fell to bert's lot to be one of the attacking party. without loss of time each party began to make all the snowballs it could. the boys who remained in the fort kept out of sight behind the walls, while the attacking party moved to the back of the barn at the corner of the big lot. "are you all ready?" shouted mr. potter presently. a yell of assent came from nearly all of the young soldiers. "very well, then; the battle may begin." some of the boys had brought horns along, and now a rousing blast came from behind the barn and then from the snow fort. "come on and capture the fort!" cried bert, and led the way, with his arms full of snowballs. there was a grand cheer and up the hill rushed the young soldiers, ready to capture the snow fort no matter what the cost. chapter viii fun on the ice "oh, the fight is going to start!" cried nan, in high excitement. "see them coming up the hill!" "will they shoot?" asked flossie, just a bit nervously. "course they won't shoot," answered freddie. "can't shoot snowballs. ain't got no powder in." the attacking party was still a good distance from the fort when those inside let fly a volley of snowballs. but the snowballs did not reach their mark, and still the others came up the hill. "now then, give it to them!" cried bert, and let fly his first snowball, which landed on the top of the fort's wall. soon the air was full of snowballs, flying one way and another. many failed to do any damage, but some went true, and soon bert received a snowball full in the breast and another in the shoulder. then he slipped and fell and his own snowballs were lost. the attacking party got to within fifty feet of the fort, but then the ammunition gave out and they were forced to retreat, which they did in quick order. "hurrah! they can't take the fort!" cried those inside of the stronghold, and blew their horns more wildly than ever. but their own ammunition was low and they made other snowballs as quickly as they could, using the pile of snow in the middle of the fort for that purpose. back of the barn the attacking party held a consultation. "i've got a plan," said a boy named ned brown. "let us divide into two parties and one move on the fort from the front and the other from the back. then, if they attack one party, the other party can sneak in and climb over the fort wall and capture the flag." "all right, let us do that," said bert. waiting until each boy had a dozen or more snowballs, half of the attacking force moved away along a fence until the rear of the fort was gained. then, with another cheer, all set out for the fort. it was a grand rush and soon the air was once more filled with snowballs, much to the delight of the spectators, who began to cheer both sides. "oh, i hope they get into the fort this time," said nan. "i hope they don't," answered another girl, who had a brother in the fort. inside the fort the boys were having rather a hard time of it. they were close together, and a snowball coming over the walls was almost certain to hit one or another. more than this, the pile of snow around the flag was growing small, so that the flag was in great danger of toppling over. up the two sides of the hill came the invaders, bert leading the detachment that was to attack the rear. he was hit again, but did not falter, and a moment later found himself at the very wall. "get back there!" roared a boy from the fort and threw a large lump of soft snow directly into his face. but bert threw the lump back and the boy slipped and fell flat. then, amid a perfect shower of snowballs, bert and two other boys fairly tumbled into the fort. "defend the flag! defend the flag!" was the rallying cry of the fort defenders, and they gathered around the flag. the struggle was now a hand-to-hand one, in which nothing but soft snow was used, and nearly every boy had his face washed. "get back there!" roared danny rugg, who was close to the flag, but as he spoke two boys shoved him down on his face in the snow, and the next moment bert and another boy of the invading party had the flag and was carrying it away in triumph. "the fort has fallen!" screamed nan, and clapped her hands. "hurrah!" shouted freddie. "the--the forters are beaten, aren't they?" "yes, freddie." a cheer was given for those who had captured the fort. then some of the boys began to dance on the top of the walls, and down they came, one after another, until the fort was in ruins, and the great contest came to an end. "it was just splendid!" said nan to bert, on the way home. "just like a real battle." "only the band didn't play," put in freddie disappointedly. "real soldiers have a band. they don't play fish-horns." "oh, freddie!" cried flossie. "they weren't fish-horns. they were christmas horns." "it's all the same. i like a band, with a big, fat bass-drum." "we'll have the band next time--just for your benefit, freddie," said bert. he was tired out and glad to rest when they got home. more than this, some of the snow had gotten down his back, so he had to dry himself by sitting with his back to the sitting-room heater. "danny rugg was terribly angry that we captured the fort," said he. "he is looking for the boys who threw him on his face." "it served him right," answered nan, remembering the trouble over the broken show window. the second fall of snow was followed by steady cold weather and it was not long before the greater part of lake metoka was frozen over. as soon as this happened nearly all of the boys and girls took to skating, so that sledding and snowballing were, for the time being, forgotten. both nan and bert had new skates, given to them the christmas before, and each was impatient to go on the ice, but mrs. bobbsey held them back until she thought it would be safe. "you must not go too far from shore," said she. "i understand the ice in the middle of the lake, and at the lower end, is not as firm as it might be." freddie and flossie wanted to watch the skating, and nan took them to their father's lumber yard. here was a small office directly on the lake front, where they could see much that was going on and still be under the care of an old workman around the yards. nan could not skate very well, but bert could get along nicely, and he took hold of his twin sister's hand, and away they went gliding over the smooth ice much to their combined delight. "some day i am going to learn how to do fancy skating," said bert. "the dutch roll, and spread the eagle, and all that." "there is mr. gifford," said nan. "let us watch him." the gentleman mentioned was a fine skater and had once won a medal for making fancy figures on the ice. they watched him for a long while and so did many of the others present. "it's beautiful to skate like that," cried nan, when they skated away. "it's just like knowing how to dance everything." "only better," said bert, who did not care for dancing at all. presently nan found some girls to skate with and then bert went off among the boys. the girls played tag and had great fun, shrieking at the top of their lungs as first one was "it" and then another. it was hard work for nan to catch the older girls, who could skate better, but easy enough to catch those of her own age and experience on the ice. the boys played tag, too, and "snapped the whip," as it is termed. all of the boys would join hands in a long line and then skate off as fast as they could. then the boy on one end, called the snapper, would stop and pull the others around in a big curve. this would make the boys on the end of the line skate very fast, and sometimes they would go down, to roll over and over on the ice. once bert was at the end and down he went, to slide a long distance, when he bumped into a gentleman who was skating backwards and over went the man with a crash that could be heard a long distance off. "hi! you young rascal!" roared the man, trying to scramble up. "what do you mean by bowling me over like that?" "excuse me, but i didn't mean to do it," answered bert, and lost no time in getting out of the gentleman's way. the gentleman was very angry and left the ice, grumbling loudly to himself. down near the lower end of mr. bobbsey's lumber yard some young men were building an ice-boat. bert and charley mason watched this work with interest. "let us make an ice-boat," said charley. "i can get an old bed-sheet for a sail, if you will get your father to give you the lumber." "i'll try," answered bert, and it was agreed that the ice-boat should be built during the following week, after school. chapter ix freddie loses himself christmas was now but four weeks away, and the stores of lakeport had their windows filled with all sort of nice things for presents. nan and bert had gazed into the windows a number of times, and even walked through the one big department store of which the town boasted, and they had told freddie and flossie of many of the things to be seen. "oh, i want to see them, too!" cried flossie, and begged her mother to take her along the next time she went out. "i want to go, too," put in freddie. "bert says there are _sixteen_ rocking horses all in a row, with white and black tails. i want to see them." "i am going to the stores to-morrow," answered mrs. bobbsey. "you can go with me, after school. it will be better to go now than later on, when the places are filled with christmas shoppers." the twins were in high glee, and freddie said he was going to spend the twenty-five cents he had been saving up for several months. "let us buy mamma something for christmas," said flossie, who had the same amount of money. "what shall we buy?" that question was a puzzling one. flossie thought a nice doll would be the right thing, while freddie thought an automobile that could be wound up and made to run around the floor would be better. at last both consulted nan. "oh, mamma doesn't want a doll," said nan. "and she ought to have a real automobile, not a tin one." "can't buy a real auto'bile," said freddie. "real auto'biles cost ten dollars, or more." "i'll tell you what to do," went on nan. "you buy her a little bottle of cologne, freddie, and you, flossie, can buy her a nice handkerchief." "i'll buy her a big bottle of cologne," said freddie. "that big!" and he placed his hands about a foot apart. "and i'll get a real lace handkerchief," added flossie. "you'll have to do the best you can," said practical nan, and so it was agreed. when they left home each child had the money tucked away in a pocket. they went in the family sleigh, with sam as a driver. the first stop was at mr. ringley's shoe store, where mrs. bobbsey purchased each of the twins a pair of shoes. it may be added here, that the broken window glass had long since been replaced by the shoe dealer, and his show window looked as attractive as ever. "i heard you had a window broken not long ago," said mrs. bobbsey, when paying for her purchases. "yes, two bad boys broke the window," answered the shoe dealer. "who were they?" "i couldn't find out. but perhaps i'll learn some day, and then i mean to have them arrested," said mr. ringley. "the broken glass ruined several pairs of shoes that were in the window." and then he turned away to wait on another customer. soon the large department store was reached and mrs. bobbsey let freddie and flossie take their time in looking into the several windows. one was full of dolls, which made the little girl gape in wonder and delight. "oh, mamma, what a flock of dolls!" she cried. "must be 'bout ten millions of them, don't you think so?" "hardly that many, flossie; but there are a good many." "and, oh, mamma, what pretty dresses! i wish i had that doll with the pink silk and the big lace hat," added the little girl. "do you think that is the nicest, flossie?" "indeed, indeed i do," answered the little miss. "it's too lovely for anything. can't we get it and take it home?" "no, dear; but you had better ask santa claus to send it to you," continued her mother with a smile. some wooden soldiers and building blocks caught freddie's eye, and for the time being his favorite fire engines were forgotten. "i want wooden soldiers," he said. "can set 'em up in a row, with the sword-man in front, an' the man with the drum." "perhaps santa claus will bring you some soldiers in your stocking, freddie." "stocking ain't big enough--want big ones, like that," and he pointed with his chubby hand. "well, let us wait and see what santa claus can do," said mrs. bobbsey. inside of the store was a candy counter near the doorway, and there was no peace for mrs. bobbsey until she had purchased some chocolate drops for flossie, and a long peppermint cane for freddie. then they walked around, down one aisle and up another, admiring the many things which were displayed. "bert said they had a lavater," said freddie presently. "mamma, i want to go in the lavater." "lavater?" repeated mrs. bobbsey, with a puzzled look. "why, freddie, what do you mean?" "he means the stairs that runs up and down on a big rope," put in flossie. "oh, the elevator," said the mother. "very well, you shall both ride in the elevator." it was great sport to ride to the third story of the store, although the swift way in which the elevator moved made the twins gasp a little. "let us go down again," said freddie. "it's ever so much nicer than climbing the stairs." "i wish to make a few purchases first," answered the mother. she had come to buy a rug for the front hallway, and while she was busy in the rug and carpet department she allowed the twins to look at a number of toys which were located at the other end of the floor. for a while freddie and flossie kept close together, for there was quite a crowd present and they felt a little afraid. but then flossie discovered a counter where all sorts of things for dolls were on sale and she lingered there, to look at the dresses, and hats, and underwear, and shoes and stockings, and chairs, trunks, combs and brushes, and other goods. "oh, my, i must have some of those things for my dolls," she said, half aloud. there was a trunk she thought perfectly lovely and it was marked cents. "not so very much," she thought. when freddie got around to where the elevator was, it was just coming up again with another load of people. as he had not seen it go down he concluded that he must go down by way of the stairs if he wanted another ride. "i'll get a ride all by myself," he thought, and as quickly as he could, he slipped down first one pair of stairs and then another, to the ground floor of the store. then he saw another stairs, and soon was in the basement of the department store. here was a hardware department with a great number of heavy toys, and soon he was looking at a circular railroad track upon which ran a real locomotive and three cars. this was certainly a wonderful toy, and freddie could not get his eyes off of it. in moving around the basement of the store, freddie grew hopelessly mixed up, and when he started to look for the elevator or the stairs, he walked to the storage room. he was too timid to ask his way out and soon found himself among great rows of boxes and barrels. then he made a turn or two and found himself in another room, filled with empty boxes and casks, some partly filled with straw and excelsior. there was a big wooden door to this room, and while he was inside the door shut with a bang and the catch fell into place. "oh, dear, i wish i was back with mamma," he thought, and drew a long and exceedingly sober breath. "i don't like it here at all." just then a little black kitten came toward him and brushed up affectionately. freddie caught the kitten and sat down for a moment to pet it. he now felt sleepy and in a few minutes his eyes closed and his head began to nod. then in a minute more he went sound asleep. long before this happened mrs. bobbsey found flossie and asked her where freddie was. the little girl could not tell, and the mother began a diligent search. the floor-walkers in the big store aided her, but it was of no avail. freddie could not be found, and soon it was time to close up the establishment for the day. almost frantic with fear, mrs. bobbsey telephoned to her husband, telling him of what had occurred and asked him what had best be done. chapter x lost and found when freddie woke up all was very, very dark around him. at first he thought he was at home, and he called out for somebody to pull up the curtain that he might see. but nobody answered him, and all he heard was a strange purring, close to his ear. he put up his hand and touched the little black kitten, which was lying close to his face. he had tumbled back in the straw and this had proved a comfortable couch upon which to take a nap. "oh, dear me, i'll have to get back to mamma!" he murmured, as he struggled up and rubbed his eyes. "what can make it so awful dark? they ought to light the gas. nobody can buy things when it's so dark as this." the darkness did not please him, and he was glad to have the black kitten for a companion. with the kitten in his arms he arose to his feet and walked a few steps. bump! he went into a big box. then he went in another direction and stumbled over a barrel. "mamma! mamma!" he cried out. "mamma, where are you?" no answer came back to this call, and his own voice sounded so queer to him that he soon stopped. he hugged the kitten tighter than ever. he was now greatly frightened and it was all he could do to keep back the tears. he knew it must be night and that the great store must be closed up. "they have all gone home and left me here alone," he thought. "oh, what shall i do?" he knew the night was generally very long and he did not wish to remain in the big, lonely building until morning. still hugging the kitten, he felt his way around until he reached the big wooden door. the catch came open with ease, and once more he found himself in that part of the basement used for hardware and large mechanical toys. but the toy locomotive had ceased to run and all was very silent. only a single gas jet flickered overhead, and this cast fantastic shadows which made the little boy think of ghosts and hobgoblins. one mechanical toy had a very large head on it, and this seemed to grin and laugh at him as he looked at it. "mamma!" he screamed again. "oh, mamma, why don't you come?" he listened and presently he heard footsteps overhead. "who's there?" came in the heavy voice of a man. the voice sounded so unnatural that freddie was afraid to answer. perhaps the man might be a burglar come to rob the store. "i say, who's there?" repeated the voice. "answer me." there was a minute of silence, and then freddie heard the footsteps coming slowly down the stairs. the man had a lantern in one hand and a club in the other. not knowing what else to do, freddie crouched behind a counter. his heart beat loudly, and he had dim visions of burglars who might have entered the big store to rob it. if he was discovered, there was no telling what such burglars might do with him. "must have been the cat," murmured the man on the stairs. he reached the basement floor and swung his lantern over his head. "here, kittie, kittie, kittie!" he called. "meow!" came from the black kitten, which was still in freddie's arms. then the man looked in that direction. "hullo!" he exclaimed, starting in amazement. "what are you doing here? are you alone?" "oh, please, i want my mamma!" cried freddie. "you want your mamma?" repeated the man. "say!" he went on suddenly. "are you the kid that got lost this afternoon, youngster?" "i guess i did get lost," answered freddie. he saw that the man had a kindly face and this made him a bit braver. "i walked around and sat down over there--in the straw--and went to sleep." "well, i never!" cried the man. "and have you been down here ever since?" "yes, sir. but i don't want to stay--i want to go home." "all right, you shall go. but this beats me!" "are you the man who owns the store?" questioned freddie curiously. at this the man laughed. "no; wish i did. i'm the night watchman. let me see, what is your name?" "freddie bobbsey. my papa owns the lumber yard." "oh, yes, i remember now. well, freddie, i reckon your papa will soon come after you. all of 'em are about half crazy, wondering what has become of you." the night watchman led the way to the first floor of the department store and freddie followed, still clutching the black kitten, which seemed well content to remain with him. "i'll telephone to your papa," said the watchman, and going into one of the offices he rang the bell and called up the number of the bobbsey residence. in the meantime mrs. bobbsey and the others of the family were almost frantic with grief and alarm. mr. bobbsey had notified the police and the town had been searched thoroughly for some trace of the missing boy. "perhaps they have stolen freddie away!" said nan, with the tears starting to her eyes. "some gypsies were in town, telling fortunes. i heard one of the girls at school tell about it." "oh, the bad gypsies!" cried flossie, and gave a shudder. the idea that freddie might have been carried off by the gypsies was truly terrifying. mr. bobbsey had been out a dozen times to the police headquarters and to the lake front. a report had come in that a boy looking like freddie had been seen on the ice early in the evening, and he did not know but what the little fellow might have wandered in that direction. when the telephone bell rang mr. bobbsey had just come in from another fruitless search. both he and his wife ran to the telephone. "hullo!" came over the wire. "is this mr. bobbsey's house?" "it is," answered the gentleman quickly. "what do you want? have you any news?" "i've found your little boy, sir," came back the reply. "he is safe and sound with me." "and who are you?" "the night watchman at the department store. he went to sleep here, that's all." at this news all were overjoyed. "let me speak to him," said mrs. bobbsey eagerly. "freddie dear, are you there?" she asked. "yes, mamma," answered freddie, into the telephone. "and i want to come home." "you shall, dear. papa shall come for you at once." "oh, he's found! he's found!" shrieked nan. "aren't you glad, bert?" "of course i am," answered bert. "but i can't understand how he happened to go to sleep in such a lively store as that." "he must have walked around until he got tired," replied nan. "you know freddie can drop off to sleep very quickly when he gets tired." as soon as possible mr. bobbsey drove around to the department store in his sleigh. the watchman and freddie were on the look-out for him, the little boy with the kitten still in his arms. "oh, papa!" cried freddie. "i am so glad you have come! i--i don't want to go to sleep here again!" the watchman's story was soon told, and mr. bobbsey made him happy by presenting him with a two-dollar bill. "the little chap would have been even more lonely if it hadn't been for the kitten," said the man. "he wanted to keep the thing, so i told him to do it." "and i'm going to," said freddie proudly. "it's just the dearest kitten in the world." and keep the kitten he did. it soon grew to be a big, fat cat and was called snoop. by the time home was reached, freddie was sleepy again. but he speedily woke up when his mamma and the others embraced him, and then he had to tell the story of his adventure from end to end. "i do not know as i shall take you with me again," said mrs. bobbsey. "you have given us all a great scare." "oh, mamma, i won't leave you like that again," cried freddie quickly. "don't like to be in the dark 'tall," he added. "oh, it must have been awful," said flossie. "didn't you see any--any ghosts?" "barrels of them," said freddie, nodding his head sleepily. "but they didn't touch me. guess they was sleepy, just like me." and then he dropped off and had to be put to bed; and that was the end of this strange happening. chapter xi the cruise of the "ice bird" the building of the ice boat by bert and charley mason interested nan almost as much as it did the boys, and nearly every afternoon she went down to the lumber yard to see how the work was getting along. mr. bobbsey had given bert just the right kind of lumber, and had a man at the saw-mill saw the sticks and boards to a proper size. he also gave his son some ropes and a pair of old iron runners from a discarded sleigh, so that all charley had to provide was the bed-sheet already mentioned, for a sail. the two boys worked with a will, and by thursday evening had the ice boat completed. they christened the craft the _ice bird_, and bert insisted upon it that his father come and see her. "you have certainly done very well," said mr. bobbsey. "this looks as if you were cut out for a builder, bert." "well, i'd like to build big houses and ships first-rate," answered bert. the sail was rigged with the help of an old sailor who lived down by the lake shore, and on friday afternoon bert and charley took a short trip. the _ice bird_ behaved handsomely, much to the boys' satisfaction. "she's a dandy!" cried bert. "how she can whiz before the wind." "you must take me out soon," said nan. "i will," answered bert. the chance to go out with bert came sooner than expected. on monday morning mrs. mason made up her mind to pay a distant relative a visit and asked charley if he wished to go along. the boy wanted to see his cousins very much and said yes; and thus the ice boat was left in bert's sole charge. "i'll take you out monday afternoon, after school," said bert to his twin sister. "good!" cried nan. "let us go directly school is out, so as to have some good, long rides." four o'clock in the afternoon found them at the lake shore. it was a cloudy day with a fair breeze blowing across the lake. "now you sit right there," said bert, as he pointed to a seat in the back of the boat. "and hold on tight or you'll be thrown overboard." nan took the seat mentioned, and her twin brother began to hoist the mainsail of the _ice bird_. it ran up easily, and caught by the wind the craft began to skim over the surface of the lake like a thing of life. "oh, but this is lovely!" cried nan gleefully. "how fast the boat spins along!" "i wish there were more ice boats around," answered bert. "we might then have a race." "oh, it is pleasure enough just to sail around," said nan. many other boys and girls wished a ride on the ice boat, and in the end bert carried a dozen or more across the lake and back. it was rather hard work tacking against the wind, but the old sailor had taught him how it might be done, and he got along fairly well. when the ice boat got stuck all the boys and girls got off and helped push the craft along. "it is 'most supper time," said nan, as the whistle at the saw-mill blew for six o'clock. "we'll have to go home soon, bert." "oh, let us take one more trip," pleaded her twin brother. the other boys and girls had gone and they were left alone. to please bert, nan consented, and their course was changed so that the _ice bird_ might move down the lake instead of across. it had grown dark and the stars which might have shone in the sky were hidden by heavy clouds. "not too far now, remember," said nan. the wind had veered around and was blowing directly down the lake, so, almost before they knew it, the _ice bird_ was flying along at a tremendous rate of speed. nan had to hold on tight for fear of falling off, and had to hold her hat, too, for fear that would be blown away. "oh, bert, this is too fast!" she gasped, catching her breath. "it's just glorious, nan!" he cried. "just hold on, it won't hurt you." "but--but how are we to get back?" bert had not thought of that, and at the question his face fell a little. "oh, we'll get back somehow," he said evasively. "you had better turn around now." "let us go just a little bit further, nan," he pleaded. when at last he started to turn back he found himself unable to do so. the wind was blowing fiercely and the _ice bird_ swept on before it in spite of all he could do. "bert! bert! oh, why don't you turn around?" screamed nan. she had to scream in order to make herself heard. "i--i can't," he faltered. "she won't come around." nan was very much frightened, and it must be confessed that bert was frightened too. he hauled on the sail and on the steering gear, and at last the _ice bird_ swung partly around. but instead of returning up the lake the craft headed for the western shore, and in a few minutes they struck some lumpy ice and some snow and dirt, and both were thrown out at full length, while the _ice bird_ was tipped up on one side. bert picked himself up without difficulty and then went to nan's aid. she lay deep in the snow, but fortunately was not hurt. both gazed at the tipped-up ice boat in very great dismay. "bert, whatever shall we do now?" asked nan, after a spell of silence. "we'll never get home at all!" "oh, yes, we shall," he said, bravely enough, but with a sinking heart. "we've got to get home, you know." "but the ice boat is upset, and it's so dark i can't see a thing." "i think i can right the ice boat. anyway, i can try." doing his best to appear brave, bert tried to shove the _ice bird_ over to her original position. but the craft was too heavy for him, and twice she fell back, the second time coming close to smashing his toes. "look out, or you'll hurt your foot," cried nan. "let me help you." between them they presently got the craft right side up. but now the wind was blowing directly from the lake, so to get the _ice bird_ out on the ice again was beyond them. every time they shoved the craft out the wind drove her back. "oh, dear, i guess we have got to stay here after all!" sighed bert, at last. "not stay here all night, i hope!" gasped nan. "that would be worse than to stay in the store, as freddie did." it began to snow. at first the flakes were but few, but soon they came down thicker and thicker, blotting out the already darkened landscape. "let us walk home," suggested nan. "that will be better than staying out here in the snow storm." "it's a long walk. if only we had brought our skates." but alas! neither had thought to bring skates, and both pairs were in the office at the lumber yard. "i don't think we had better walk home over the ice," said bert, after another pause. "we may get all turned around and lost. let us walk over to the hopedale road." "i wish we had some crullers, or something," said nan, who was growing hungry. they had each had a cruller on leaving home, but had eaten them up before embarking on the ice-boat voyage. "please don't speak of them, nan. you make me feel awfully hollow," came from her twin brother. and the way he said this was so comical it made her laugh in spite of her trouble. the laugh put them both in better spirits, and leaving the _ice bird_ where she lay, they set off through the snow in the direction of the road which ran from lakeport to the village of hopedale, six miles away. "it will take us over an hour to get home," said nan. "yes, and i suppose we'll catch it for being late," grumbled bert. "perhaps we won't get any supper." "oh, i know mamma won't scold us after she finds out why we were late, bert." they had to cross a pasture and climb a fence before the road was reached. here was an old cow-shed and they stood in the shelter of this for a moment, out of the way of the wind and driving snow. "hark!" cried bert as they were on the point of continuing their journey. "it's a dog!" answered nan. "oh, bert, he is coming this way. perhaps he is savage!" they listened and could hear the dog plainly. he was barking furiously and coming toward them as fast as he could travel. soon they made out his black form looming into view through the falling snow. chapter xii tige--playing theater nan dearly loved the dogs with which she was well acquainted, but she was in great terror of strange animals, especially if they barked loudly and showed a disposition to bite. "bert! bert! what shall we do?" she gasped as she clung to her twin brother's arm. bert hardly knew what to say, for he himself did not like a biting dog. he looked around for a stick or a stone, and espied the doorway to the cow-shed. it was open. "let us get into the shed," he said quickly. "perhaps we can close the door and keep the dog out." into the shed sprang nan and her twin brother after her. the dog was almost upon them when bert banged the door in his face. at once the animal stopped short and began to bark more furiously than ever. "do you--you think he can get in at the window?" faltered nan. she was so scared she could scarcely speak. "i don't know, i'm sure. if you'll stand by the door, nan, i'll try to guard the window." nan threw her form against the door and held it as hard as if a giant were outside trying to force it in. bert felt around the empty shed and picked up the handle of a broken spade. with this in hand he stalked over to the one little window which was opposite the door. "are there any cows here?" asked nan. it was so dark she could see next to nothing. "no cows here, i guess," answered bert. "this building is 'most ready to tumble down." the dog outside was barking still. once in a while he would stop to catch his breath and then he would continue as loudly as ever. he scratched at the door with his paw, which made nan shiver from head to feet. "he is trying to work his way in," she cried. "if he does that, i'll hit him with this," answered her twin brother, and brandished the spade handle over his head. he watched the window closely and wondered what they had best do if the dog leaped straight through and attacked them in the dark. the barking continued for over quarter of an hour. to nan and bert it seemed hours and hours. then came a call from a distance. "hi, tige, what's the matter? have you spotted a tramp in the shed?" "help! help!" called out bert. "call off your dog!" "a tramp, sure enough," said the man who was coming toward the cow-shed. "i am not a tramp," answered bert. "and my sister isn't a tramp, either." "what's that? you've got your sister with you? open the door." "please, we are afraid of the dog," came from nan. "he came after us and we ran into the shed for shelter." "oh, that's it?" the farmer gave a short laugh. "well, you needn't be skeert! tige won't hurt ye none." "are you sure of that?" put in bert. "he seems to be very savage." "i won't let him touch ye." thus assured nan opened the door and followed bert outside. at a word from the farmer tige stopped barking and began to wag his tail. "that dog wouldn't hurt nobody, 'ceptin' he was attacked, or if a person tried to git in my house," said farmer sandborn. "he's a very nice fellow, he is, and likes boys and gals fust-rate; don't ye, tige?" and the dog wagged his tail harder than ever, as if he understood every word. "i--i was so scared," said nan. "may i ask what you be a-doin' on the road all alone and in this snowstorm?" "we are going home," answered bert, and then explained how they had been ice-boating and what had happened on the lake. "i do declare!" cried farmer sandborn. "so the boat up an' run away with ye, did she? contrary critter, eh!" and he began to laugh. "who be you?" "i am bert bobbsey and this is my twin sister nan." "oh, yes, i know now. you're one pair o' the bobbsey twins, as they call 'em over to lakeport. i've heard sary speak o' ye. sary's my wife." the farmer ran his hand through his thick beard. "you can't tramp home in this storm." "oh, we must get home," said nan. "what will mamma say? she will think we are killed, or drowned, or something,--and she isn't over the scare she got when freddie was lost." "i'll take you back to town in my sleigh," said farmer sandborn. "i was going to town for some groceries to-morrow morning, but i might just as well go now, while the roads are open. they'll be all closed up ag'in by daylight, if this storm keeps up." he led the way down the road to his house and they were glad enough to follow. by nan's side walked tige and he licked her hand, just to show that he wanted to make friends with her. "i guess you are a good dog after all," said she, patting his head. "but you did give me _such_ a scare!" both of the twins were very cold and glad enough to warm themselves by the kitchen fire while the farmer hitched up his horse. the farmer's wife wished to give them supper, but this they declined, saying they would get supper at home. but she made each eat a big cookie, which tasted exceedingly good. soon farmer sandborn drove around to the door with his sleigh and in they piled, on the soft straw, with several robes to keep them warm. then the horse set off on a brisk trot for town. "it's a nice enough sleigh ride for anybody," declared bert. and yet they did not enjoy it very much, for fear of what would happen to them when they got home. "where in the world have you been?" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey as she ran to the door to let them in. "we have been looking all over for you. your papa was afraid you had been drowned in the lake." an evening dinner was in waiting for them, and sitting down to satisfy their hunger, they told their story, to which all of the others listened with much interest. "you can be thankful you weren't blown clear to the other end of the lake," said mr. bobbsey. "i think after this you had better leave ice-boating alone." "i know i shall!" declared nan. "oh, i'll be more careful, papa, after this," pleaded bert. "you know i promised to go out again with charley." "well then, don't go when the wind is strong," and bert promised. "i'm so glad the dog didn't bite you," said little flossie. "he might have given you hy--hy_dro_pics." "flossie means hydrophobics," put in freddie. "ain't no hy_dro_pics, is there, bert?" "oh, freddie, you mean hydrophobia!" burst out nan, with a laugh. "no, i mean hydrophobics," insisted the little fellow. "that's what dinah calls them anyway." after the adventure on the ice boat matters ran smoothly with the bobbsey twins for two weeks and more. there was a great deal of snow and as a consequence freddie and flossie stayed home from school most of the time. nan and bert also remained home two separate days, and during those days all of the children had great fun in the attic, where there was a large storeroom, filled with all sort of things. "let us play theater," said nan, who had been to several exhibitions while at home and while visiting. "all right," said bert, falling in with the plan at once. "let us play rip van winkle. i can be rip and you can be the loving wife, and flossie and freddie can be the children." across the storeroom a rope was placed and on this they hung a sliding curtain, made out of a discarded blanket. then at one side they arranged chairs, and nan and flossie brought out their dolls to be the audience. "they won't clap their hands very much," said bert. "but then they won't make any disturbance either." the performance was a great success. it was their own version of rip van winkle, and bert as old rip did many funny things which caused freddie and flossie to roar with laughter. nan as the loving wife recited a piece called "doughnuts and daisies," pretending to be working around the kitchen in the meantime. the climax was reached when bert tried to imitate a thunderstorm in the mountains and pulled over a big trunk full of old clothes and some window screens standing in a corner. the show broke up in a hurry, and when mrs. bobbsey appeared on the scene, wanting to know what the noise meant, all the actors and the doll audience were out of sight. but later, when mamma went below again, bert and nan sneaked back, and put both the trunk and the screens in their proper places. chapter xiii nan's first cake-baking "let's!" cried nan. "yes, let's!" echoed flossie. "i want to help too," put in freddie, "want to make a cake all by my own self." "freddie can make a little cake while we make a big one," said bert. it was on an afternoon just a week before christmas and mrs. bobbsey had gone out to do some shopping. dinah was also away, on a visit to some relatives, so the children had the house all to themselves. it was bert who spoke about cake-making first. queer that a boy should think of it, wasn't it? but bert was very fond of cake, and did quite some grumbling when none was to be had. "it ought to be easy to make a nice big plain cake," said bert. "i've seen dinah do it lots of times. she just mixes up her milk and eggs and butter, and sifts in the flour, and there you are." "much you know about it!" declared nan. "if it isn't just put together right, it will be as heavy as lead." "we might take the recipe out of mamma's cook-book," went on bert; and then the cry went up with which i have opened this chapter. the twins were soon in the kitchen, which dinah had left spotlessly clean and in perfect order. "we mustn't make a muss," warned nan. "if we do, dinah will never forgive us." "as if we couldn't clean it up again," said bert loftily. over the kitchen table they spread some old newspapers, and then nan brought forth the big bowl in which her mother or the cook usually mixed the cake batter. "bert, you get the milk and sugar," said nan, and began to roll up her sleeves. "flossie, you can get the butter." she would have told freddie to get something, too--just to start them all to work--but freddie was out of sight. he had gone into the pantry, where the flour barrel stood. he did not know that nan intended to use the prepared flour, which was on the shelf. the door worked on a spring, so it closed behind him, shutting him out from the sight of the others. taking off the cover of the barrel, freddie looked inside. the barrel was almost empty, only a few inches of flour remaining at the bottom. there was a flour scoop in the barrel, but he could reach neither this nor the flour itself. "i'll have to stand on the bench," he said to himself and pulled the bench into position. then he stood on it and bent down into the barrel as far as possible. the others were working in the kitchen when they heard a strange _thump_ and then a spluttering yell. "it's freddie," said nan. "bert, go and see what he is doing in the pantry." bert ran to the pantry door and pulled it open. a strange sight met his gaze. out of the top of the barrel stuck freddie's legs, with a cloud of flour dust rising around them. from the bottom of the barrel came a succession of coughs, sneezes, and yells for help. "freddie has fallen into the flour barrel!" he cried, and lost no time in catching his brother by the feet and pulling him out. it was hard work and in the midst of it the flour barrel fell over on its side, scattering the flour over the pantry and partly on the kitchen floor. "oh! oh! oh!" roared freddie as soon as he could catch his breath. "oh, my! oh, my!" "oh, freddie, why did you go into the barrel?" exclaimed nan, wiping off her hands and running to him. "did you ever see such a sight before?" freddie was digging at the flour in his eyes. he was white from head to feet, and coughing and spluttering. "wait, i'll get the whisk-broom," said bert, and ran for it. "brush off his hair first, and then i'll wipe his face," came from nan. "here's the wash-rag," put in little flossie, and catching it up, wringing wet, she began to wipe off freddie's face before anybody could stop her. "flossie! flossie! you mustn't do that!" said bert. "don't you see you are making paste of the flour?" the wet flour speedily became a dough on freddie's face and neck, and he yelled louder than ever. the wash-rag was put away, and regardless of her own clean clothes, flossie started in to scrape the dough off, until both nan and bert made her stop. "i'll dust him good first," said bert, and began such a vigorous use of the whisk-broom that everybody began to sneeze. "oh, bert, not so hard!" said nan, and ran to open the back door. "bring him here." poor freddie had a lump of dough in his left ear and was trying in vain to get it out with one hand while rubbing his eyes with the other. nan brushed his face with care, and even wiped off the end of his tongue, and got the lump out of his ear. in the meantime flossie started to set the flour barrel up once more. "don't touch the barrel, flossie!" called bert. "you keep away, or you'll be as dirty as freddie." it was very hard work to get freddie's clothes even half clean, and some of the flour refused to budge from his hair. by the time he was made half presentable once more the kitchen was in a mess from end to end. "what were you doing near the flour barrel?" asked nan. "going to get flour for the cake." "but we don't want that kind of flour, freddie. we want this," and she brought forth the package. "dinah uses this," answered the little boy. "yes, for bread. but we are not going to make bread. you had better sit down and watch bert and me work, and you, flossie, had better do the same." "ain't no chairs to sit down on," said freddie, after a look around. "all full of flour." "i declare, we forgot to dust the chairs," answered nan. "bert, will you clean them?" bert did so, and freddie and flossie sat down to watch the process of cake-making, being assured that they should have the first slices if the cake was a success. nan had watched cake-making many times, so she knew exactly how to go to work. bert was a good helper, and soon the batter was ready for the oven. the fire had been started up, and now nan put the batter in the cake tin. the children waited impatiently while the cake was baking. nan gave freddie another cleaning, and bert cleaned up the pantry and the kitchen floor. the flour had made a dreadful mess and the cleaning process was only half-successful. "'most time for that cake to be done, isn't it?" questioned bert, after a quarter of an hour had passed. "not quite," answered nan. presently she opened the oven door and tried the cake by sticking a broom whisp into it. the flour was just a bit sticky and she left the cake in a little longer. when it came out it certainly looked very nice. the top was a golden brown and had raised beautifully. the cake was about a foot in diameter and nan was justly proud of it. "wished you had put raisins in it," said freddie. "raisins are beautiful." "no, i like plain cake the best," said bert. "i like chocolate," came from flossie. "and i like layer cake, with currant jelly in between," said nan. "but i didn't dare to open any jelly without asking mamma." "let us surprise her with the cake," said bert. "want cake now," protested freddie. "don't want to wait 't all!" but he was persuaded to wait, and the cake was hidden away in the dining-room closet until the hour for the evening meal. when dinah came home she noticed the mussed-up kitchen, but nan begged of her to keep quiet. "all right, honey," said the colored cook. "but i know youse been a-bakin'--i kin smell it in de air." when they sat down to the evening meal all of the children produced the cake in great triumph. "oh, nan, a real cake!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "how nice it looks!" "we've got some real housekeepers around here," said mr. bobbsey. "i'll have to try that sure." when the cake was cut all ate liberally of it. they declared it just right and said it could not be better. even dinah was tickled. "couldn't do no better maself," she declared. "bymeby dinah will be cut out of a job--wid miss nan a-doin' ob de bakin'." "no, dinah, you shall stay even if i do do the baking," answered nan; and went to bed feeling very happy. chapter xiv christmas as the time for christmas drew shorter all of the bobbsey children wondered what santa claus would bring them and what they would receive from their relatives at a distance. freddie and flossie had made out long lists of the things they hoped to get. freddie wished a fireman's suit with a real trumpet, a railroad track with a locomotive that could go, and some building blocks and picture books. flossie craved more dolls and dolls' dresses, a real trunk with a lock, fancy slippers, a pair of rubber boots, and some big card games. "all i want is a set of furs," said nan, not once but many times. "a beautiful brown set, just like mamma's." "and all i want is some good story books, some games, a new pocket-knife, a big wagon, and some money," said bert. "mercy, you don't want much, bert," cried nan. "how much money--a thousand dollars?" "i want money, too," piped in freddie. "want to start a bank account just like papa's." by dint of hard saving bert and nan had accumulated two dollars and ten cents between them, while freddie and flossie had each thirty-five cents. there was a wonderful lot of planning between the twins, and all put their money together, to buy papa and mamma and dinah and sam some christmas presents. freddie and flossie had not yet purchased the cologne and handkerchief before mentioned, and now it was decided to get mr. bobbsey a new cravat, mrs. bobbsey a flower in a pot, dinah a fancy apron, and sam a pair of gloves. nan and bert made the purchases which, after being duly inspected by all, were hidden away in the garret storeroom. as the time for christmas came on flossie and freddie grew very anxious, wanting to know if santa claus would be sure to come. flossie inspected the chimney several times. "it's a dreadfully small place and very dirty," said she. "i am afraid santa claus won't be able to get down with a very big load. and some of his things will get all mussed up." "santa claus can spirit himself wherever he wants to, dear," said mrs. bobbsey, with a quiet smile. "what do you mean by _spirit_ himself, mamma?" "never mind now, flossie; you'll understand that when you grow older." "does mamma mean a ghost?" asked flossie, later on, of nan. "no, flossie; she means the part of a person that lives but can't be seen." "oh, i know," cried the child, brightening. "it's just like when a person is good. then they say it's the _spirit_ of goodness within him. i guess it's the good spirit of santa claus that can't be seen. but we can feel it, can't we? and that's what's best." on the day before christmas the sitting-room door was closed and locked, so that none of the children might enter the room. freddie was very anxious to look through the keyhole, but bert told him that wouldn't be fair, so he stayed away. "we are to hang up our stockings to-night," said nan. "and mamma says we must go to bed early, too." "that's to give santa claus a chance to get around," said freddie. "papa said so. he said santa claus had his hands more than full, with so many boys and girls all over the world to take care of." "santa claus must be a twin, just like you and me," said flossie. "maybe he's a twin a hundred times over." at this freddie roared. "what a funny twin that would be--with each one having the same name!" the stockings were hung up with great care, and freddie and flossie made up their minds to stay awake and watch santa claus at his work. "won't say a word when he comes," said the little boy. "just peek out at him from under the covers." but alas! long before santa claus paid his visit that christmas eve both freddie and flossie were in dreamland, and so were bert and nan. it was flossie who was the first awake in the morning. for the moment after she opened her eyes and sat up she could not remember why she had awakened thus early. but it was for some reason, she was sure of that. "merry christmas!" she burst out, all at once, and the cry awoke freddie. "merry christmas!" he repeated. "merry christmas, ev'rybody!" he roared out, at the top of his lungs. the last call awoke nan and bert, and before long all were scrambling out to see what the stockings might contain. "oh, i've got a doll!" shrieked flossie, and brought forth a wonderful affair of paper. "i have a jumping-jack!" came from freddie, and he began to work the toy up and down in a most comical fashion. there was some small gift for everybody and several apples and oranges besides, and quantities of nuts in the stockings. "we must get the presents for the others," whispered nan to bert and the smaller twins, and soon all were dressed and bringing the things down from the storeroom. it was a happy party that gathered in the dining room. "merry christmas!" said everybody to everybody else, and then mr. bobbsey, who was in the sitting room, blew a horn and opened the folding doors. there, on a large side stand, rested a beautiful christmas tree, loaded down with pretty ornaments and apples and candies, and with many prettily colored candles. around the bottom of the tree were four heaps of presents, one for each of the children. "oh, look at the big doll!" screamed flossie, and caught the present up in her arms and kissed it. "and look at my fireman's suit!" roared freddie, and then, seeing a trumpet, he took it up and bellowed: "bring up the engine! play away lively there!" just like a real fireman. bert had his books and other things, and under them was hidden a real bank book, showing that there had been deposited to his credit ten dollars in the lakeport savings bank. nan had a similar bank book, and of these the twins were very, very proud. bert felt as if he was truly getting to be quite a business man. "oh! oh!" cried nan, as she opened a big box that was at the bottom of her pile of presents, and then the tears of joy stood in her eyes as she brought forth the hoped-for set of furs. they were beautiful, and so soft she could not resist brushing them against her cheek over and over again. "oh, mamma, i think they are too lovely for anything!" she said, rushing up and kissing her parent. "i am sure no girl ever had such a nice set of furs before!" "you must try to keep them nice, nan," answered the mother. "i shall take the very best of care of them," said nan, and my readers may be sure that she did. "and now we have something for you, too," said bert, and brought out the various articles. flossie gave their mamma her present, and freddie gave papa what was coming to him. then nan gave dinah the fancy apron and bert took sam the new gloves. "well this is truly a surprise!" cried mr. bobbsey, as he inspected the cravat. "it is just what i need." "and this flower is beautiful," said mrs. bobbsey as she smelt of the potted plant. "it will bloom a long while, i am sure." dinah was tickled over the apron and sam with his gloves. "yo' chillun am the sweetest in de world," said the cook. "dem globes am de werry t'ing i needed to keep ma hands warm," came from sam. it was fully an hour before the children felt like sitting down to breakfast. before they began the repast mr. bobbsey brought forth the family bible and read the wonderful story of christ's birth to them, and asked the blessing. all were almost too excited to eat. after breakfast all must go out and show their presents to their friends and see what the friends had received. it was truly a happy time. then all went coasting until lunch. "the expressman is coming!" cried bert a little later, and sure enough he drove up to the bobbsey house with two boxes. one was from their uncle daniel bobbsey, who lived at meadow brook, and the other from their uncle william minturn, who lived at ocean cliff. "more presents!" cried nan, and she was right. uncles and aunts had sent each something; and the twins were made happier than ever. "oh, but christmas is just the best day in the whole year," said bert that evening, after the eventful day was over. "wish christmas would come ev'ry week," said freddie. "wouldn't it be _beau_tiful?" "if it did i'm afraid the presents wouldn't reach," said mrs. bobbsey, and then took him and flossie off to bed. chapter xv the children's party the little black kitten that freddie had brought home from the department store was a great friend to everybody in the bobbsey house and all loved the little creature very much. at first freddie started to call the kitten blackie, but flossie said that wasn't a very "'ristocratic" name at all. "i'll tell you what," said bert jokingly, "let's call him snoop," and in spite of all efforts to make the name something else snoop the cat remained from that time to the day of his death. he grew very fat and just a trifle lazy, nevertheless he learned to do several tricks. he could sit up in a corner on his hind legs, and shake hands, and when told to do so would jump through one's arms, even if the arms were quite high up from the floor. snoop had one comical trick that always made both flossie and freddie laugh. there was running water in the kitchen, and snoop loved to sit on the edge of the sink and play with the drops as they fell from the bottom of the faucet. he would watch until a drop was just falling, then reach out with his paw and give it a claw just as if he was reaching for a mouse. another trick he had, but this mrs. bobbsey did not think so nice, was to curl himself on the pillow of one of the beds and go sound asleep. whenever he heard mrs. bobbsey coming up one pair of stairs, he would fly off the bed and sneak down the other pair, so that she caught him but rarely. snoop was a very clean cat and was continually washing his face and his ears. around his neck flossie placed a blue ribbon, and it was amusing to see snoop try to wash it off. but after a while, having spoilt several ribbons, he found they would not wash off, and so he let them alone, and in the end appeared very proud of them. one day, when snoop had been in the house but a few months, he could not be found anywhere. "snoop! snoop!" called freddie, upstairs and down, but the kitten did not answer, nor did he show himself. then flossie called him and made a search, but was equally unsuccessful. "perhaps somebody has stolen him," said freddie soberly. "nobody been heah to steal dat kitten," answered dinah. "he's jess sneaked off, dat's all." all of the children had been invited to a party that afternoon and nan was going to wear her new set of furs. after having her hair brushed, and putting on a white dress, nan went to the closet in which her furs were kept in the big box. "well, i never!" she ejaculated. "oh, snoop! however could you do it!" for there, curled up on the set of furs, was the kitten, purring as contentedly as could be. never before had he found a bed so soft or so to his liking. but nan made him rouse up in a hurry, and after that when she closed the closet she made quite sure that snoop was not inside. the party to be held that afternoon was at the home of grace lavine, the little girl who had fainted from so much rope jumping. grace was over that attack, and was now quite certain that when her mamma told her to do a thing or to leave it alone, it was always for her own good. "mamma knows best," she said to nan. "i didn't think so then, but i do now." the party was a grand affair and over thirty young people were present, all dressed in their best. they played all sorts of games such as many of my readers must already know, and then some new games which the big boys and girls introduced. one game was called hunt the beans. a handful of dried beans was hidden all over the rooms, in out-of-the-way corners, behind the piano, in vases, and like that, and at the signal to start every girl and boy started to pick up as many as could be found. the search lasted just five minutes, and at the end of that time the one having the most beans won the game. "now let us play three-word letters," said nan. and then she explained the game. "i will call out a letter and you must try to think of a sentence of three words, each word starting with that letter. now then, are you ready?" "yes! yes!" the girls and boys cried. "b," said nan. there was a second of silence. "boston baked beans!" shouted charley mason. "that is right, charley. now it is your turn to give a letter." "f," said charley. "five fat fairies!" cried nellie parks. "four fresh fish," put in another of the girls. "nellie has it," said charley. "but i never heard of fat fairies, did you?" and this question made everybody laugh. "my letter is m," said nellie, after a pause. "more minced mushrooms," said bert. "more mean men," said another boy. "mind my mule," said one of the girls. [illustration: at seven o'clock a supper was served.--p. .] "oh, helen, i didn't know you had a mule," cried flossie, and this caused a wild shriek of laughter. "bert must love mushrooms," said nellie. "i do," said bert, "if they are in a sauce." and then the game went on, until somebody suggested something else. at seven o'clock a supper was served. the tables were two in number, with the little girls and boys at one and the big girls and boys at the other. each was decked out with flowers and with colored streamers, which ran down from the chandelier to each corner of both tables. there was a host of good things to eat and drink--chicken sandwiches and cake, with cups of sweet chocolate, or lemonade, and then more cake and ice-cream, and fruit, nuts, and candy. the ice-cream was done up into various fancy forms, and freddie got a fireman, with a trumpet under his arm, and nan a japanese lady with a real paper parasol over her head. bert was served with an automobile, and flossie cried with delight when she received a brown-and-white cow that looked as natural as life. all of the forms were so pleasing that the children did not care to eat them until the heat in the lighted dining room made them begin to melt away. "i'm going to tell dinah about the ice-cream cow," said flossie. "perhaps she can make them." but when appealed to, the cook said they were beyond her, and must be purchased from the professional ice-cream maker, who had the necessary forms. there were dishes full of bonbons on the tables, and soon the bonbons were snapping at a lively rate among the big girls and boys, although the younger folks were rather afraid of them. each bonbon had a motto paper in it and some sort of fancy article made of paper. bert got an apron, which he promptly pinned on, much to the amusement of the girls. nan drew a workman's cap and put it on, and this caused another laugh. there were all sorts of caps, hats, and aprons, and one big bonbon, which went to flossie, had a complete dress in it, of pink and white paper. another had some artificial flowers, and still another a tiny bottle of cologne. while the supper was going on, mr. lavine had darkened the parlor and stretched a sheet over the folding doors, and as soon as the young people were through eating they were treated to a magic-lantern exhibition by the gentleman of the house and one of the big boys, who assisted him. there were all sorts of scenes, including some which were very funny and made the boys and girls shriek with laughter. one was a boy on a donkey, and another two fat men trying to climb over a fence. then came a number of pictures made from photograph negatives, showing scenes in and around lakeport. there were the lake steamer, and the main street, and one picture of the girls and boys rushing out of school at dinner time. the last was voted the best of all, and many present tried to pick themselves out of this picture and did so. after the exhibition was over one of the largest of the girls sat down to the piano and played. by this time some of the older folks drifted in, and they called for some singing, and all joined in half a dozen songs that were familiar to them. then the young folks ran off for their coats and caps and wraps, and bid their host and hostess and each other good-night. "wasn't it splendid?" said nan, on the way home. "i never had such a good time before." "didn't last half long enough," said freddie. "want it to last longer next time." "i wanted my cow to last longer," said flossie. "oh, if only i could have kept it from melting!" chapter xvi a grand sleigh ride for a long while all of the bobbsey children had been begging their parents for a sleigh ride into the country. "the winter will be gone soon, papa," said nan. "won't you take us before the snow is all gone?" "you may as well take them, richard," said mrs. bobbsey. "well, if i do, mary, you must go along," answered mr. bobbsey, and so it was arranged that they should take the ride on the following saturday, weather permitting. you may well suppose that all of the twins were very anxious about the weather after that, for mr. bobbsey said he would not go if it rained or if it snowed very hard. "what does it say in the newspapers?" asked freddie. "they always know what the weather is going to be." "not so far ahead as that," answered his brother. but friday evening the paper said cold and clear, and sure enough, on saturday morning it was as nice as one would wish. from behind masses of thin clouds the sun peeped shyly, lighting up the snow until it shone like huge beds of diamonds. they were to drive to dalton, twelve miles away. mr. bobbsey had learned that the road to dalton was in good condition, and the family had friends there who would be pleased to see them and have them remain to dinner. by half-past nine the big family sleigh was at the door, with sam on the front seat, driving. into the sleigh piled the four children, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey followed. "want to sit by sam and help drive," said freddie, and he was lifted over to the desired position. then off they went, with a crack of the whip and jingling of sleigh-bells that could be heard a long distance. "oh, but isn't this just too splendid for anything!" exclaimed nan, who sat at one side of the seat, with her mamma on the other and flossie between them. "i do love sleigh riding so much!" "see me drive!" cried freddie, who held the very end of the reins, the part dangling from sam's hands. "well, freddie, don't let the team run away," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "i shan't," answered the little fellow soberly. "if they try to run away, i'll whip them good." "you'll never stop them that way," said bert. "you want to talk gently to them." on and on they went, over the smooth snow. the horses were fresh and full of spirit, and mile after mile was passed with a speed that pleased all of the twins very much. they passed several other sleighing parties, and every time this was done the children set up a merry shout which was sure to call forth an equally merry answer. a large part of the ride was through the country, and often the country folks would come to the doors to see them pass. once they met a boy on the road and he asked for a ride to his home, half a mile away. "yes, jump in," said mr. bobbsey, and the boy got in and was taken to his house almost before he knew it. "much obliged," he said on leaving them. "you're fine people, you are," and he took off his hat at parting. "it was nice to give him a ride," said nan. "it didn't cost us anything and he liked it a great deal, i am sure." "we must never forget to do a kindness when we can, nan," said her mamma. before noon dalton was reached and they drove up to the home of mr. ramdell, as their friend was named. immediately bob ramdell, a youth of sixteen, rushed eagerly out to greet bert. "i'm glad you've come," he cried. "i've been watching for you for an hour." "it isn't noon yet," answered bert. all were soon into the house and sam drove the sleigh around to the barn. bob ramdell had a sister susie, who was almost nan's age, and a baby brother called tootsie, although his real name was alexander. susie was glad to see nan and flossie, and all were soon playing with the baby, who was just old enough to be amusing. "i've got a plan on hand," whispered bob to bert, just before dinner was served. "i've been wondering if your father will let us carry it out." "what is it?" questioned bert. "you are not to drive home until late this afternoon. i wonder if your father won't let you go down to long lake with me after dinner, to see the hockey match." "is it far from here?" "about two miles. we can drive down in our cutter. father will let me have the cutter and old rusher, i'm sure." "i'll see about it," said bert. "i'd like to see the hockey match very much." as soon as he got the chance bert questioned his parent about going. "i don't know about this," said mr. bobbsey slowly. "do you think you two boys can be trusted alone with the horse?" "oh, yes, papa. bob has driven old rusher many times." "you must remember, rusher used to be a race horse. he may run away with bob and you." "oh, but that was years ago, papa. he is too old to run away now. please say yes." bert continued to plead, and in the end mr. bobbsey gave him permission to go to the hockey match. "but you must be back before five o'clock," said he. "we are going to start for home at that time." the dinner was a fine one and tasted especially good to the children after their long ride. but bert and bob were impatient to be off, and left the moment they had disposed of their pieces of pie. old rusher was a black steed which, in years gone by, had won many a race on the track. he had belonged to a brother to mr. ramdell, who had died rather suddenly two years before. he was, as bert had said, rather old, but there was still a good deal of fire left in him, as the boys were soon to discover to their cost. the road to long lake was a winding one, up one hill and down another, and around a sharp turn where in years gone by there had been a sand pit. in the best of spirits the two boys started off, bob handling the reins like a veteran driver. bob loved horses, and his one ambition in life was to handle a "spanking team," as he called it. "old rusher can go yet," said bert, who enjoyed the manner in which the black steed stepped out. "he must have been a famous race horse in his day." "he was," answered bob. "he won ever so many prizes." the distance to long lake was covered almost before bert knew it. as the hockey game was not yet begun they spent half an hour in driving over the road that led around the lake. quite a crowd had gathered, some in sleighs and some on foot, and the surface of the lake was covered with skaters. when the hockey game started the crowd watched every move with interest. it was a "hot" game, according to bert, and when a clever play was made he applauded as loudly as the rest. when the game was at an end he was sorry to discover that it was after four o'clock. "we must get home," said he to bob. "i promised to be back by five." "oh, we'll get back in no time," said bob. "remember, rusher has had a good rest." they were soon on the road again, rusher kicking up his heels livelier than before, for the run down to the lake had merely enabled him to get the stiffness out of his limbs. sleighs were on all sides and, as the two boys drove along, two different sleighing parties passed them. "hullo, ramdell!" shouted a young man in a cutter. "got out old rusher, i see. want a race?" "i think i can beat you!" shouted back bob, and in a moment more the two cutters were side by side, and each horse and driver doing his best to win. "oh, bob, can you hold him?" cried bert. "to be sure i can!" answered bob. "just you let me alone and see." "come on!" yelled the stranger. "come on, or i'll leave you behind in no time!" "you'll not leave me behind so quickly," answered bob. "go it, rusher, go it!" he added to his horse, and the steed flew over the smooth road at a rate of speed that filled bert with astonishment. chapter xvii the race and the runaway bert loved to ride and drive, but it must be confessed that he did not enjoy racing. the road was rather uneven, and he could not help but think what the consequences might be if the cutter should strike a deep hollow or a big stone. "don't let rusher run away," he said to his friend. "be careful." bob was by this time having his hands so full that he could not answer. "steady, rusher, steady!" he called out to the steed. "steady, old boy!" but the old race horse was now warmed up to his work and paid no attention to what was said. on and on he sped, until the young man in the other cutter was gradually outdistanced. "told you i could beat you!" flung back bob. "the race is yours," answered the young man, in much disappointment, and then he dropped further back than ever. "better slacken up, bob," said bert. "there is no use in driving so hard now." "i--i can't slacken up," answered bob. "steady, rusher," he called out. "whoa, old fellow, whoa!" but the old race horse did not intend to whoa, and on he flew as fast as his legs would carry him, up the first hill and then onward toward the turn before mentioned. "be careful at the turn, bob!" screamed bert. "be careful, or we'll go over!" "whoa, rusher!" repeated bob, and pulled in on the reins with all of his might. the turn where the sand pit had been was now close at hand. here the road was rather narrow, so they had to drive close to the opening, now more than half filled with drifted snow. bert clung to the cutter while bob continued to haul in on the reins. then came a crash, as the cutter hit a hidden stone and drove straight for the sand pit. "hold on!" cried bob, and the next instant bert found himself flying out of the cutter and over the edge of the road. he tried to save himself by clutching at the ice and snow, but it was useless, and in a twinkling he disappeared into the sand pit! bob followed, while rusher went on more gayly than ever, hauling the overturned cutter after him. down and down went poor bert into the deep snow, until he thought he was never going to stop. bob was beside him, and both floundered around wildly until almost the bottom of the pit was reached. "oh, bob!" "oh, bert! are you hurt?" "don't know as i am. but what a tumble!" "rusher has run away!" "i was afraid he'd do that." for a minute the two boys knew not what to do. the deep snow lay all around them and how to get out of the pit was a serious question. "it's a wonder we weren't smothered," said bob. "are you quite sure no bones have been broken?" "bones broken? why, bob, it was like coming down on a big feather bed. i only hope rusher doesn't do any damage." "so do i." when the boys finally floundered out of the hollow into which they had fallen, they found themselves in snow up to their waists. on all sides of them were the walls of the sand pit, ten to fifteen feet high. "i don't see how we are going to get out of this," said bert dolefully. "we can't climb out." "we'll have to do it," answered bob. "come, follow me." he led the way through the deep snow to where the walls did not seem to be so high. at one spot the rain had washed down part of the soil. "let us try to climb up that slope," said the larger boy and led the way, and bert followed. it was hard work and it made bert pant for breath, for the snow was still up to his waist. but both kept on, and in the end they stood on the edge of the sand pit, opposite to the side which ran along the road. "now we have got to walk around," said bob. "but that will be easy, if we keep to the places where the wind has swept the snow away." at last they stood on the road, and this reached both struck out for dalton, less than a mile away. "i'm afraid i'll catch it, if rusher has smashed up the cutter," said bob as they hurried along. "we did wrong to race," answered bert. "humph! it's no use to cry over spilt milk, bert." "i know that, bob. was the cutter a new one?" "no, but i know father won't want it smashed up." much downhearted the boys kept on walking. bert had not wanted to race, yet he felt he was guilty for having taken part. perhaps his father would have to pay for part of the damage done. "maybe old rusher ran right into town and smashed things right and left," he said to his friend. "it would be just like him," sighed bob. "it will make an awful bill to pay, won't it?" a little further on they came to where a barn and a wagon shed lined the road. under the shed stood a horse and cutter. "my gracious me!" burst out bob. "why--why--is it rusher?" gasped bert. "it is!" shouted his friend. both boys ran up, and as they did so a farmer came from the barn. "oh, mr. daly, did you catch our horse?" "i did, bob," said the farmer. "had a runaway, eh?" "yes, sir. rusher threw us both into the old sand pit. i'm ever so glad you caught him. is the cutter broken?" "not that i noticed. i knew you must have had a spill-out. i saw you going to the lake right after dinner." both boys inspected the cutter and found it in good condition, outside of a few scratches that did not count. old rusher was also all right, for which they were thankful. "it was nice of you to stop the horse," said bert to farmer daly. "oh, i'd do as much for anybody," said the farmer. "that is, if it wasn't too dangerous. rusher wasn't running very fast when i caught him." "he was running fast enough when he threw us out," answered bob. it did not take the boys long to get into the cutter again. "don't let him get away on the road home," sang out farmer daly after them. "no fear of that," answered bob. he was very careful how he let rusher step out. it was growing late, but bert did not urge him on, so it was half-past five before the ramdell house was reached. "you are late after all," said mr. bobbsey, rather displeased. "oh, we've had such an adventure," cried bert. "what happened to you?" questioned mrs. bobbsey quickly. "rusher threw us into a sand pit," answered bert, and then told the whole story. "you can be thankful that you were not hurt," said his mamma. "i am thankful, mamma." "rusher is still full of go," said mrs. ramdell. "i have warned my husband not to let bob drive him." "oh, it was the brush with the other cutter that did it," said bob. "rusher couldn't stand it to let another horse pass him on the road." shortly after this, good-bys were said, and sam brought around the big family sleigh from the barn. into this the whole bobbsey family piled, and off they went, in the gathering gloom of the short winter day. "i've had a lovely time!" called out nan. "so have i had a lovely time," added little flossie. "splendid," came from freddie. "the baby is awful nice to play with." "i've had a good time, too," said bert. "the hockey game was just the best ever, and so was the drive behind rusher, even if we did get dumped out." the drive back to lakeport was enjoyed as much as the drive to dalton in the morning. on the way the children began to sing, and the voices mingled sweetly with the sounds of the sleigh bells. "i shall not forget this outing in a hurry," said nan, as she leaped to the step and ran into the house. "i shan't forget it either," answered bert. "but it turned out differently for me from what i thought it would." chapter xviii a quarrel in the schoolyard three days after the grand sleighing party to dalton, nan came down to breakfast looking very pale and worried. "what is the trouble, nan?" questioned her mamma. "what has happened?" "oh, mamma, i scarcely feel like telling," answered nan. "i am afraid you'll laugh at me." "i fancy you had best tell me," went on mrs. bobbsey. "i saw the ghost last night--or rather, early this morning." "what, the ghost that i saw?" shouted bert. "i think it must have been the same. anyway, it was about that high"--nan raised her hand to her shoulder--"and all pure white." "oh, nan!" shivered freddie. "don't want no ghostses!" "i don't want to see it," put in flossie, and edged closer to her mamma as if fearful the ghost might walk into the dining room that minute. "this is certainly strange," came from mr. bobbsey. "tell us all about it, nan." "oh, papa, you won't laugh?" and nan's face grew very red. "i--i--didn't think of it then, but it must have been very funny," she continued. "it's not very funny to see a ghost, nan," said mrs. bobbsey. "i don't mean that--i mean what i did afterward. you see i was asleep and i woke up all of a sudden, for i thought somebody had passed a hand over my face. when i looked out into the room the ghost was standing right in front of the dresser. i could see into the glass and for the minute i thought there were two ghosts." "oh!" came from flossie. "two! wasn't that simply dreadful!" and she crouched closer than ever to her mamma. "as i was looking, the ghost moved away toward the window and then i saw there was but one. i was so scared i couldn't call anybody." "i believe you," said bert. "it's awful, isn't it?" "this is certainly strange," said mr. bobbsey, with a grave look on his face. "what did you do next, nan?" "you--you won't laugh, papa?" "no." "i thought of my umbrella. it was resting against the wall, close to the bed. i turned over and reached for the umbrella, but it slipped down and made a terrible noise as it struck the floor. then i flung the covers over my head." "what did you want the umbrella for?" questioned freddie, in great wonder. "'twasn't raining." "i thought i could--could punch the ghost with it," faltered nan. at this bert could hold in no longer, and he set up a shout of laughter, which was instantly repressed by mr. bobbsey. "oh, nan, i'm sorry i laughed," said her twin brother, when he could speak. "but the idea of your poking at a ghost with an umbrella!" "it was more than you tried to do," said mr. bobbsey dryly. "that is so." bert grew red in the face. "did you see the ghost after that?" he asked to hide his confusion. "no." "not at all?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no, mamma. i stayed under the covers for about a minute--just like bert did--and when i looked the ghost was gone." "i will have to investigate this," said mr. bobbsey seriously. "it is queer that neither i nor your mamma has seen the ghost." "i ain't seen it," said flossie. "don't want to see it," piped in freddie. dinah, in the kitchen, had heard nan's story and she was almost scared to death. "dat am de strangest t'ing," she said to sam, when he came for his dinner. "wot yo' make of it, hey?" "dunno," said sam. "maybe sumbuddy's gwine to die." the matter was talked over by the bobbsey family several times that day, and mr. bobbsey remained awake nearly all of that night, on the watch for the ghost. the following night mrs. bobbsey watched, and then dinah took her turn, followed by sam, who sat in the upper hall in a rocking chair, armed with a club. but the ghost failed to show itself, and after a week the excitement died down once more. "perhaps you were dreaming, nan," said mrs. bobbsey. "no, i wasn't dreaming, mamma, and bert says he wasn't dreaming either." "it is strange. i cannot understand it at all." "do you believe in ghosts, mamma?" "no, my dear." "but i saw something." "perhaps it was only a reflection. sometimes the street lamps throw strange shadows on the walls through the windows." "it wasn't a shadow," said nan; and there the talk ended, for mrs. bobbsey knew not what to say to comfort her daughter. in some way the news that a ghost had been seen in the bobbsey house spread throughout the neighborhood, and many came to ask about it. even the boys and girls talked about it and asked nan and bert all manner of questions, the most of which the twins could not answer. the "ghost talk," as it was called, gave danny rugg a good chance to annoy both nan and bert. "afraid of a ghost! afraid of a ghost!" he would cry, whenever he saw them. "oh, my, but ain't i afraid of a ghost!" "i think it is perfectly dreadful," said nan one day, on returning from school. her eyes were red, showing that she had been crying. "i'll 'ghost' him, if he yells at us again," said bert. "i'm not going to stand it, so there!" "but what will you do, bert?" "i'll fight him, that's what i'll do." "oh, bert, you mustn't fight." "then he has got to leave you alone--and leave me alone, too." "if you fight at school, you'll be expelled." "i don't care, i'm going to make him mind his own business," said bert recklessly. danny rugg was particularly sore because he had not been invited to grace lavine's party. of all the boys in that neighborhood he was the only one left out, and he fancied it was nan and bert's fault. "they don't like me and they are setting everybody against me," he thought. "i shan't stand it, not me!" two days later he followed bert into the schoolyard, in which a large number of boys were playing. "hullo! how's the ghost?" he cried. "is it still living at your house?" "you be still about that ghost, danny rugg!" cried bert, with flashing eyes. "oh, but wouldn't i like to have a house with a ghost," went on danny tantalizingly. "and a sister who was afraid of it!" "will you be still, or not?" "why should i be still? you've got the ghost, haven't you? and nan is scared to death of it, isn't she?" "no, she isn't." "yes, she is, and so are you and all the rest of the family." and then danny set up his old shout: "afraid of a ghost! afraid of a ghost!" some of the other boys followed suit and soon a dozen or more were crying, "afraid of a ghost!" as loudly as they could. bert grew very pale and his breath came thickly. he watched danny and when he came closer caught him by the arm. "let go!" cried the big boy roughly. "i want you to stop calling like that." "i shan't stop." "i say you will!" bert had hardly spoken when danny struck at him and hit him in the arm. then bert struck out in return and hit danny in the chin. a dozen or more blows followed in quick succession. one struck bert in the eye and blackened that organ, and another reached danny's nose and made it bleed. then the two boys clinched and rolled over on the schoolyard pavement. "a fight! a fight!" came from those looking on, and this was taken up on all sides, while many crowded forward to see what was going on. the school principal, mr. tetlow, was just entering the school at the time. hearing the cry he ran around into the yard. "boys! boys! what does this mean?" he demanded, and forced his way through the crowd to where bert and danny lay, still pummeling each other. "stand up at once and behave yourselves," and reaching down, he caught each by the collar and dragged him to his feet. chapter xix nan's plea bert's heart sank when he saw that it was the school principal who held him by the collar. he remembered what nan had said about fighting and being expelled. "it was bert bobbsey's fault," blustered danny, wiping his bleeding nose on his sleeve. "no, it wasn't," answered bert quickly. "it was his fault." "i say it was your fault!" shouted danny. "he started the fight, mr. tetlow." "he struck first," went on bert undauntedly. "he caught me by the arm and wouldn't let me go," came from danny. "i told him to keep still," explained bert. "he was calling, 'afraid of a ghost!' at me and i don't like it. and he said my sister nan was afraid of it, too." "both of you march up to my office," said mr. tetlow sternly. "and remain there until i come." "my nose is bleeding," whined danny. "you may go and wash your nose first," said the principal. with a heart that was exceedingly heavy bert entered the school and made his way to the principal's office. no one was there, and he sank on a chair in a corner. he heard the bells ring and heard the pupils enter the school and go to their various classrooms. "if i am sent home, what will mamma and papa say?" he thought dismally. he had never yet been sent home for misconduct, and the very idea filled him with nameless dread. his eye hurt him not a little, but to this he just then paid no attention. he was wondering what mr. tetlow would have to say when he came. presently the door opened and danny shuffled in, a wet and bloody handkerchief held to his nose. he sat down on the opposite side of the office, and for several minutes nothing was said by either of the boys. "i suppose you are going to try to get me into trouble," said danny at length. "you're trying to get me into trouble," returned bert. "i didn't start the quarrel, and you know it." "i don't know nothing of the kind, bert bobbsey! if you say i started the fight--i'll--i'll--tell something more about you." "really?" "yes, really." "what can you tell?" "you know well enough. mr. ringley hasn't forgotten about his broken window." "well, you broke that, i didn't." "humph! maybe i can prove that you broke it." "danny rugg, what do you mean?" exclaimed bert. "you know i had nothing to do with that broken window." the big boy was about to say something more in reply when mr. tetlow entered the office. "boys," said he abruptly, "this is a disgraceful affair. i thought both of you knew better than to fight. it is setting a very bad example to the rest of the scholars. i shall have to punish you both severely." mr. tetlow paused and bert's heart leaped into his throat. what if he should be expelled? the very thought of it made him shiver. "i have made a number of inquiries of the other pupils, and i find that you, danny, started the quarrel. you raised the cry of 'afraid of a ghost!' when you had no right to do so, and when bert caught you by the arm and told you to stop you struck him. is this true?" "i--i--he hit me in the chin. i told him to let me go." "he struck me first, mr. tetlow," put in bert. "i am sure all of the boys will say the same." "hem! bert, you can go to your classroom. i will talk to you after school this afternoon." somewhat relieved bert left the office and walked to the classroom, where the other pupils eyed him curiously. it was hard work to put his mind on his lessons, but he did his best, for he did not wish to miss in any of them and thus make matters worse. "what did the principal do?" whispered the boy who sat next to him. "hasn't done anything yet," whispered bert in return. "it was danny's fault," went on the boy. "we'll stick by you." at noontime bert walked home with nan, feeling very much downcast. "oh, bert, what made you fight?" said his twin sister. "i told you not to." "i couldn't help it, nan. he told everybody that you were afraid of the ghost." "and what is mr. tetlow going to do?" "i don't know. he told me to stay in after school this afternoon, as he wanted to talk with me." "if he expels you, mamma will never get over it." "i know that, nan. but--but--i couldn't stand it to have him yelling out, 'afraid of a ghost!'" after that nan said but little. but her thoughts were busy, and by the time they were returning to the school her mind was fully made up. to all of the school children the principal's office was a place that usually filled them with awe. rarely did anybody go there excepting when sent by a teacher because of some infringements of the rules. nan went to school early that afternoon, and as soon as she had left bert and the two younger twins, she marched bravely to mr. tetlow's office and knocked on the door. "come in," said the principal, who was at his desk looking over some school reports. "if you please, mr. tetlow, i came to see you about my brother, bert bobbsey," began nan. mr. tetlow looked at her kindly, for he half expected what was coming. "what is it, nan?" he asked. "i--i--oh, mr. tetlow, won't you please let bert off this time? he only did it because danny said such things about me; said i was afraid of the ghost, and made all the boys call out that we had a ghost at our house. i--i--think, somehow, that i ought to be punished if he is." there, it was out, and nan felt the better for it. her deep brown eyes looked squarely into the eyes of the principal. in spite of himself mr. tetlow was compelled to smile. he knew something of how the bobbsey twins were devoted to each other. "so you think you ought to be punished," he said slowly. "yes, if bert is, for you see, he did it mostly for me." "you are a brave sister to come in his behalf, nan. i shall not punish him very severely." "oh, thank you for saying that, mr. tetlow." "it was very wrong for him to fight----" "yes, i told him that." "but danny rugg did wrong to provoke him. i sincerely trust that both boys forgive each other for what was done. now you can go." with a lighter heart nan left the office. she felt that bert would not be expelled. and he was not. instead, mr. tetlow made him stay in an hour after school each day that week and write on his slate the sentence, "fighting is wrong," a hundred times. danny was also kept in and was made to write the sentence just twice as many times. then mr. tetlow made the two boys shake hands and promise to do better in the future. the punishment was nothing to what bert had expected, and he stayed in after school willingly. but danny was very sulky and plotted all manner of evil things against the bobbseys. "he is a very bad boy," said nan. "if i were you, bert, i'd have nothing more to do with him." "i don't intend to have anything to do with him," answered her twin brother. "but, nan, what do you think he meant when he said he'd make trouble about mr. ringley's broken window? do you imagine he'll tell mr. ringley i broke it?" "how would he dare, when he broke it himself?" burst out nan. "i'm sure i don't know. but if he did, what do you suppose mr. ringley would do?" "i'm sure i don't know," came helplessly from nan. "you can't prove that danny did it, can you?" "no." "it's too bad. i wish the window hadn't been broken." "so do i," said bert; and there the talk came to an end, for there seemed nothing more to say. chapter xx st. valentine's day st. valentine's day was now close at hand, and all of the children of the neighborhood were saving their money with which to buy valentines. "i know just the ones i am going to get," said nan. "i want some big red hearts," put in freddie. "just love hearts, i do!" "i want the kind you can look into," came from flossie. "don't you know, the kind that fold up?" two days before st. valentine's day the children gathered around the sitting-room table and began to make valentines. they had paper of various colors and pictures cut from old magazines. they worked very hard, and some of the valentines thus manufactured were as good as many that could be bought. "oh, i saw just the valentine for freddie," whispered nan to bert. "it had a fireman running to a fire on it." there were a great many mysterious little packages brought into the house on the afternoon before st. valentine's day, and mr. bobbsey had to supply quite a few postage stamps. "my, my, but the postman will have a lot to do to-morrow," said mr. bobbsey. "if this keeps on he'll want his wages increased, i am afraid." the fun began early in the morning. on coming down to breakfast each of the children found a valentine under his or her plate. they were all very pretty. "where in the world did they come from?" cried nan. "oh, mamma, did you put them there?" "no, nan," said mrs. bobbsey. "then it must have been dinah!" said nan, and rushed into the kitchen. "oh, dinah, how good of you!" "'spect da is from st. valentine," said the cook, smiling broadly. "oh, i know you!" said nan. "it's just lubby!" cried freddie, breaking out into his baby talk. "just lubby, dinah! such a big red heart, too!" the postman came just before it was time to start for school. he brought six valentines, three for flossie, two for freddie and one for bert. "oh, nan, where is yours?" cried bert. "i--i guess he forgot me," said nan rather soberly. "oh, he has made some mistake," said bert and ran after the letter man. but it was of no use--all the mail for the bobbseys had been delivered. "never mind, he'll come again this afternoon," said mrs. bobbsey, who saw how keenly nan was disappointed. on her desk in school nan found two valentines from her schoolmates. one was very pretty, but the other was home-made and represented a girl running away from a figure labeled ghost. nan put this out of sight as soon as she saw it. all that day valentines were being delivered in various ways. freddie found one in his cap, and bert one between the leaves of his geography. flossie found one pinned to her cloak, and nan received another in a pasteboard box labeled breakfast food. this last was made of paper roses and was very pretty. the letter man came that afternoon just as they arrived home from school. this time he had three valentines for nan and several for the others. some were comical, but the most of them were beautiful and contained very tender verses. there was much guessing as to who had sent each. "i have received just as many as i sent out," said nan, counting them over. "i sent out two more than i received," said bert. "never mind, bert; boys don't expect so many as girls," answered nan. "i'd like to know who sent that mean thing that was marked ghost," went on her twin brother. "it must have come from danny rugg," said bert, and he was right. it had come from danny, but nan never let him know that she had received it, so his hoped-for fun over it was spoilt. in the evening there was more fun than ever. all of the children went out and dropped valentines on the front piazzas of their friends' houses. as soon as a valentine was dropped the door bell would be given a sharp ring, and then everybody would run and hide and watch to see who came to the door. when the bobbsey children went home they saw somebody on their own front piazza. it was a boy and he was on his knees, placing something under the door mat. "i really believe it is danny rugg!" cried nan. "wait, i'll go and catch him," said bert, and started forward. but danny saw him coming, and leaping over the side rail of the piazza, he ran to the back garden. "stop," called bert. "i know you, danny rugg!" "i ain't danny rugg!" shouted danny in a rough voice. "i'm somebody else." he continued to run and bert made after him. at last danny reached the back fence. there was a gate there, but this was kept locked by sam, so that tramps might be kept out. for the moment danny did not know what to do. then he caught hold of the top of the fence and tried to scramble over. but there was a sharp nail there and on this his jacket caught. "i've got you now!" exclaimed bert, and made a clutch for him. but there followed the sound of ripping cloth and danny disappeared into the darkness, wearing a jacket that had a big hole torn in it. "was it really danny?" questioned nan, when bert came back to the front piazza. "yes, and he tore his coat--i heard it rip." "what do you think of that?" nan pointed to an object on the piazza, half under the door mat. there lay a dead rat, and around its neck was a string to which was attached a card reading, "nan and bert bobbsey's ghost." "this is certainly awful," said bert. the noise on the piazza had brought mrs. bobbsey to the door. at the sight of the dead rat, which freddie had picked up by the tail, she gave a slight scream. "oh, freddie, leave it go!" she said. "it won't hurt you, mamma," said the little boy. "the real is gone out of it." "but--but--how did it get here?" "danny rugg brought it," said bert. "look at the tag." he cut the tag off with his pocket-knife and flung the rat into the garbage can. all went into the house, and mrs. bobbsey and her husband both read what danny rugg had written on the card. "this is going too far," said mr. bobbsey. "i must speak to mr. rugg about this." and he did the very next day. as a result, and for having torn his jacket, danny received the hardest thrashing he had got in a year. this made him more angry than ever against bert, and also angry at the whole bobbsey family. but he did not dare to do anything to hurt them at once, for fear of getting caught. winter was now going fast, and before long the signs of spring began to show on every hand. spring made freddie think of a big kite that he had stored away, in the garret, and one saturday he and bert brought the kite forth and fixed the string and the tail. "there is a good breeze blowing," said bert. "let us go and fly it on roscoe's common." "i want to see you fly the kite," said flossie. "can i go along?" "yes, come on," said bert. flossie had been playing with the kitten and hated to leave it. so she went down to the common with snoop in her arms. "don't let snoop run away from you," said bert. "he might not find his way back home." the common was a large one with an old disused barn at one end. freddie and bert took the kite to one end and freddie held it up while bert prepared to let out the string and "run it up," as he called it. [illustration: the kite went up into the air and snoop with it.--p. .] now, as it happened, the eyes of snoop were fixed on the long tail of the kite, and when it went trailing over the ground snoop leaped from flossie's arms and made a dash for it. the kitten's claws caught fast in the tail, and in a moment more the kite went up into the air and snoop with it. "oh, my kitten!" called out freddie. "snoop has gone up with the kite!" chapter xxi the rescue of snoop, the kitten it was certainly something that nobody had been expecting, and as the kite went higher and higher, and snoop with it, both flossie and freddie set up a loud cry of fear. "snoop will be killed!" exclaimed the little girl. "oh, poor dear snoop!" and she wrung her hands in despair. "let him down!" shrieked freddie. "oh, bert, please let my dear kitten down, won't you?" bert did not hear, for he was running over the common just as hard as he could, in his endeavor to raise the kite. up and up it still went, with poor snoop dangling helplessly at the end of the swaying tail. at last bert ran past the old barn which i have already mentioned. just as he did this he happened to look up at the kite. "hullo, what's on the tail?" he yelled. "is that a cat?" "it's snoop!" called out freddie, who was rushing after his big brother. "oh, bert, do let him down. if he falls, he'll be killed." "well, i never!" ejaculated bert. he stopped running and gradually the kite began to settle close to the top of the barn. poor snoop was swinging violently at the end of the ragged tail. the swinging brought the frightened creature closer still to the barn, and all of a sudden snoop let go of the kite tail and landed on the shingles. "snoop is on the barn!" cried bert, as the kite settled on the grass a few yards away. "oh, snoop! snoop! are you hurt?" cried freddie, running back a distance, so that he might get a view of the barn top. evidently snoop was not hurt. but he was still scared, for he stood on the edge of the roof, with his tail standing straight up. "meow! meow! meow!" he said plaintively. "he is asking for somebody to take him down," said freddie. "aren't you, snoop?" "meow!" answered the black kitten. "oh, dear me, what will you do now?" cried flossie, as she came chasing up. "perhaps i can get to the roof from the inside," said bert, and he darted quickly into the barn. there were a rickety pair of stairs leading to the barn loft and these he mounted. in the loft all was dark and full of cobwebs. here and there were small holes through the roof, through which the water came every time it rained. "snoop! snoop!" he called, putting his mouth close to one of the holes. the kitten turned around in surprise. he hardly knew from whence the voice came, but he evidently knew bert was calling, for he soon came in that direction. as the barn was an old one and not fit to use, bert felt it would do no harm to knock a shingle or two from the roof. looking around, he espied a stout stick of wood lying on the floor and with this he began an attack on the shingles and soon had two of them broken away. "come, snoop!" he called, looking out of the hole. "come here!" but the sound of the blows had frightened the kitten, and snoop had fled to the slope of the roof on the opposite side of the barn. "where is he?" called the boy, to the twins below. "gone to the other side," said freddie. "don't like the noise, i guess." "chase him over here," returned bert. both freddie and flossie tried to do so. but snoop would not budge, but stood on the very edge of the roof, as if meditating a spring to the ground. "don't jump, please don't jump, snoop!" pleaded flossie. "if you jump you'll surely break a leg, or maybe your back!" whether snoop understood this or not, it would be hard to say. but he did not jump, only stayed where he was and meowed louder than ever. "can't you drive him over?" asked bert, after a long wait. "won't come," said freddie. "wants to jump down, i guess." hearing this, bert ran down to the lower floor and outside. "can't you get a ladder?" asked flossie. "perhaps mr. roscoe will lend you one." mr. roscoe lived at the other end of the common. he was a very old and very quiet man, and the majority of the girls and boys in lakeport were afraid of him. he lived all alone and was thought to be queer. "i--i can see," said bert hesitatingly. he ran across the common to mr. roscoe's house and rapped on the door. nobody came and he rapped again, and then a third time. "who's there?" asked a voice from within. "please, mr. roscoe, is that you?" asked bert. "yes." "well, our kitten is on the top of your old barn and can't get down. can you lend me a ladder to get him down with?" "kitten on my barn? how did he get there?" and now the old man opened the door slowly and cautiously. he was bent with age and had white hair and a long white beard. "he went up with a kite," said bert, and explained the case, to which the old man listened with interest. "well! well! well!" exclaimed mr. roscoe, in a high piping voice. "going to take a sail through the air, was he? you'll have to build him a balloon, eh?" "i think he had better stay on the ground after this." "he must be a high-flyer of a cat," and the old man chuckled over his joke. "will you lend me a ladder?" went on bert. "certainly, my lad. the ladder is in the cow-shed yonder. but you'll have to raise it yourself, or get somebody to raise it for you. my back is too old and stiff for such work." "i'll try it alone first," answered the boy. he soon had the long ladder out and was dragging it across the common. it was very heavy and he wondered who he could get to help him raise it. just then danny rugg came along. "what are you doing with old roscoe's ladder?" he asked. bert was on the point of telling danny it was none of his business, but he paused and reflected. he wanted no more quarrels with the big boy. "i am going to get our cat down from the barn roof," he answered. "humph!" "do you want to help me raise the ladder, danny?" "me? not much! you can raise your own ladder." "all right, i will, if you don't want to help me," said bert, the blood rushing to his face. "so that's your cat, is it?" cried danny, looking toward the barn. "i wouldn't have such a black beast as that! we've got a real maltese at our house." "we like snoop very much," answered bert, and went on with his ladder. danny hunted for a stone, and watching his chance threw it at snoop. it landed close to the kitten's side and made snoop run to the other side of the barn roof. "stop that, danny rugg!" cried a voice from the other end of the common, and nan appeared. she had just heard about the happening to snoop and was hurrying to the spot to see if she could be of assistance. "oh, go on with your old cat!" sneered danny, and shuffled off past mr. roscoe's house. the old man had come out to see what bert was going to do with the ladder, and now he came face to face with danny rugg. "well, is it possible!" murmured the old man to himself. "that boy must belong around here after all!" when bert reached the barn he found a dozen boys collected, and several volunteered to assist him in raising the long ladder. it was hard work, and once the ladder slipped, but in the end it rested against the barn roof and then bert went up in a hurry. "come, snoop!" he called, and the kitten came and perched himself on bert's shoulder. when bert came down the ladder those standing around set up a cheer, and freddie and flossie clapped their hands in delight. "oh, i'm so glad you got him back!" said freddie and hugged the kitten almost to death. "what boy was that who threw the stone?" asked mr. roscoe of nan, while bert was returning the ladder to the cow-shed. "that was danny rugg," answered nan. "he is a bad boy." "i know he is a bad boy," said mr. roscoe. "a very bad boy indeed." and then the old man hurried off without another word. what he said meant a good deal, as we shall soon see. chapter xxii the last of the ghost--good-night the rescue of the kitten was the main subject of conversation that evening in the bobbsey household. "i never dreamed he would go up with the kite," said flossie. "after this we'll have to keep him in the house when bert and freddie do their kite-flying." bert had seen danny rugg throw the stone at the kitten and was very angry over it. he had also seen danny talk to nan. "i think he's an awful boy," declared nan. "and mr. roscoe thinks he is bad, too." "he had better stop throwing things or he'll get himself into trouble before long," said bert. "it's queer mr. ringley never heard about the window," whispered his twin sister. "so it is. but it may come out yet," replied the brother. that evening the bobbseys had their first strawberry shortcake of the season. it was a beautiful cake--one of dinah's best--and the strawberries were large and luscious. "want another piece," said freddie, smacking his lips. "it's so good, mamma!" "freddie, i think you have had enough," said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, mamma, just a little piece more!" pleaded freddie, and received the piece, much to his satisfaction. "strawberries is beautiful," he declared. "i'm going to raise a whole lot on the farm this summer." "oh, mamma, are we going to uncle dan's farm this summer?" burst out nan eagerly. "perhaps, nan," was the reply. "i expect a letter very shortly." "meadow brook is a dandy place," said bert. "such a fine swimming hole in the brook!" "oh, i love the flowers, and the chickens and cows!" said flossie. "i like the rides on the loads of hay," said nan. the children talked the subject over until it was time to go to bed. their uncle dan and aunt sarah lived at meadow brook, and so did their cousin harry, a boy a little older than bert, and one who was full of fun and very good-natured in the bargain. bert went to bed with his head full of plans for the summer. what glorious times they could have after school closed if they went to their uncle's farm! it was a full hour before bert got to sleep. the room was quite bright, for the moon was shining in the corner window. the moon made him think of the ghost he had once seen and he gave a little shudder. he never wanted to see that ghost again. bert had been asleep less than an hour when he awoke with a start. he felt sure somebody had touched him on the foot. he opened his eyes at once and looked toward the end of his bed. _the ghost was standing there!_ at first bert could scarcely believe that he saw aright. but it was true and he promptly dove under the covers. then he thought of danny rugg's cry, "afraid of a ghost!" and he felt that he ought to have more courage. "i'm going to see what that is," he said to himself, and shoved back the covers once more. the figure in white had moved toward the corner of the room. it made no noise and bert wondered how it would turn next. "wonder what will happen if i grab it, or yell?" he asked himself. with equal silence bert crawled out of bed. close at hand stood his base-ball bat, which he had used a few days before. it made a formidable club, and he took hold of it with a good deal of satisfaction. "want another piece of strawberry shortcake," came to his ears. "please give me another piece of strawberry shortcake." bert could hardly believe his ears. it was the ghost that was speaking! it wanted strawberry shortcake! "freddie!" he almost shouted. "freddie, is it you?" the ghost did not answer, but turned towards the door leading into the hallway. bert ran after the figure in white and caught it by the arm. the ghost was really freddie, and he was walking in his sleep, with his eyes tightly closed. "well, i declare!" murmured bert. "why didn't we think of this before?" "please let me have another piece of strawberry shortcake, mamma," pleaded the sleep-walker. "just a tiny little piece." bert had heard that it was a bad thing to awaken a sleep-walker too suddenly, so he took freddie's arm very gently and walked the little fellow back to his bedroom and placed him on his bed. then he shook him very gently. "oh!" cried freddie. "oh! wha--what do you want? let me sleep! it isn't time to get up yet." "freddie, i want you to wake up," said bert. "who is talking?" came from across the hallway, in mr. bobbsey's voice. "i'm talking, papa," answered bert. he ran to the doorway of his parents' bedchamber. "i've just found out who the ghost is," he continued. "the ghost?" mr. bobbsey leaped up. "where is it?" "in bed now. it was freddie, walking in his sleep. he was asking for another piece of strawberry shortcake." by this time the whole household was wide awake. "oh, freddie, was it really you?" cried nan, going to the little fellow. "wasn't walking in my sleep," said freddie. "was dreaming 'bout shortcake, that's all. want to go to sleep again," and he turned over on his pillow. "let him sleep," said mrs. bobbsey. "we'll have to consult the doctor about this. he will have to have something for his digestion and eat less before going to bed in the future." and the next day the doctor was called in and gave freddie something which broke up the sleep-walking to a very large extent. "i am glad you caught freddie," said nan, to her twin brother. "if you hadn't, i should always have believed that we had seen a ghost." "glad i don't walk in my sleep," said flossie. "i might tumble downstairs and break my nose." "i shall watch freddie in the future," said mrs. bobbsey, and she did. when bert went to school the next day he met danny rugg and the tall boy glared at him very angrily. "think you are smart, don't you?" said danny. "i'm not going to stand it, bert bobbsey." "oh, bert, come along and don't speak to him," whispered nan, who was with her twin brother. "went and saw ringley, didn't you?" went on danny, edging closer. "keep away, danny rugg," answered bert. "i want nothing to do with you, and i haven't been to see mr. ringley." "yes, you did go and see him," insisted danny. "wasn't he to see my father last night?" "did mr. ringley come to see your father?" asked bert curiously. "yes, he did. and my father--but never mind that now," broke off the tall boy. he had been on the point of saying that his father had given him a severe thrashing. "i'm going to fix you, bert bobbsey." "don't you dare to strike my brother, danny rugg!" put in nan, stepping in between them. how much further the quarrel might have gone, it is impossible to say, for just then mr. tetlow put in an appearance, and danny sneaked off in great haste. when the children came from school they learned that mrs. bobbsey had been down-town, buying some shoes for herself and flossie. "mr. ringley was telling me about his broken window," said she to her husband. "he found out that danny rugg broke it. old mr. roscoe saw danny do it. he didn't know danny at the time, but he has found out since who danny was." "that rugg boy is a bad one," answered mr. bobbsey. "i suppose mr. ringley made the ruggs pay for the window." "oh, yes, and mr. rugg said he was going to correct danny, too." the children heard this talk, but said nothing at the time. but later nan called bert out into the garden. "i see it all," she whispered to her twin brother. "that's why mr. roscoe asked me who danny was, and that's why he said danny was such a bad boy." "i'm glad in one way that danny has been found out," answered bert, "for that clears me." and he was right, for he never heard of the broken window again. the children were still waiting anxiously for a letter from their uncle dan or their aunt sarah. at last a letter came and they listened to it with great delight. "oh, what do you think?" cried nan, dancing up to bert. "we are to go to meadow brook as soon as vacation begins!" "good!" shouted bert, throwing his cap into the air. "won't we have the best times ever was!" and this proved to be a fact. what happened to the bobbsey twins at meadow brook will be told in another book, which i shall call, "the bobbsey twins in the country." the country is a lovely place, especially in the summer time, and all of my young readers can rest assured that the twins enjoyed themselves at meadow brook to the utmost. "i'll be so glad to see cousin harry again," said bert. "and i'll be glad to see aunt sarah," piped in freddie. "she makes such _beau_tiful pies!" "think of the lovely big barn," put in flossie. "it's just like a--a palace to play in on wet days!" "oh, flossie, to compare a barn to a palace!" exclaimed nan. "but it is a nice place after all," she added, after a moment's thought. that evening, to celebrate the good news, the twins gave a little party to half a dozen of their most intimate friends. there were music and singing, and all sorts of games, and a magic-lantern exhibition by one of the boys. all enjoyed it greatly and voted the little party a great success. "good-night! good-night!" said the young folks to each other, when the party broke up. and here let us say good-night, too, for my little story has reached its end. the end * * * * * the famous rover boys series by arthur w. winfield each volume is hailed with delight by boys and girls everywhere. mo. cloth. handsomely printed and illustrated. price, cents per volume. postpaid. the rover boys at college or, the right road and the wrong brimming over with good nature and excitement. the rover boys on treasure isle or, the strange cruise of the steam yacht a search for treasure; a particularly fascinating volume. the rover boys on the farm or, the last days at putnam hall the boys find a mysterious cave used by freight thieves. the rover boys in southern waters or, the deserted steam yacht a trip to the coast of florida. the rover boys on the plains or, the mystery of red rock ranch relates adventures on the mighty mississippi river. the rover boys on the river or, the search for the missing houseboat the ohio river is the theme of this spirited story. the rover boys in camp or, the rivals of pine island at the annual school encampment. the rover boys on land and sea or, the crusoes of seven islands full of strange and surprising adventures. the rover boys in the mountains or, a hunt for fame and fortune the boys in the adirondacks at a winter camp. the rover boys on the great lakes or, the secret of the island cave a story of a remarkable summer outing; full of fun. the rover boys out west or, the search for a lost mine a graphic description of the mines of the great rockies. the rover boys in the jungle or, stirring adventures in africa the boys journey to the dark continent in search of their father. the rover boys on the ocean or, a chase for a fortune from school to the atlantic ocean. the rover boys at school or, the cadets of putnam hall the doings of dick, tom, and sam rover. * * * * * grosset & dunlap--new york the putnam hall series companion stories to the famous rover boys series by arthur m. winfield open-air pastimes have always been popular with boys, and should always be encouraged, as they provide healthy recreation, both for the body and the mind. these books mingle adventure and fact, and will appeal to every manly boy. mo. handsomely printed and illustrated. price, cents per volume, postpaid. the putnam hall encampment or, the secret of the old mill a story full of vim and vigor, telling what the cadets did during the summer encampment. * * * and among other things their visit to a mysterious old mill, said to be haunted. the book has a wealth of healthy fun in it. the putnam hall rebellion or, the rival runaways the boys had good reasons for running away during captain putnam's absence. they had plenty of fun, and several queer adventures. the putnam hall champions or, bound to win out in this new tale the putnam hall cadets show what they can do in various keen rivalries on the athletic field and elsewhere. there is one victory which leads to a most unlooked-for discovery. the putnam hall cadets or, good times in school and out the cadets are lively, flesh-and-blood fellows, bound to make friends from the start. there are some keen rivalries, in school and out, and something is told of a remarkable midnight feast and a hazing that had an unlooked for ending. the putnam hall rivals or, fun and sport afloat and ashore it is a lively, rattling, breezy story of school life in this country, written by one who knows all about its ways, its snowball fights, its baseball matches, its pleasures and its perplexities, its glorious excitements its rivalries, and its chilling disappointments. other volumes in preparation. * * * * * grosset & dunlap - new york the rise in life series by horatio alger, jr. these are copyrighted stories which cannot be obtained elsewhere. they are the stories last written by this famous author. mo. handsomely printed and illustrated. bound in cloth, stamped in colored inks. price. cents per volume. postpaid. the young book agent or, frank hardy's road to success a plain but uncommonly interesting tale of everyday life, describing the ups and downs of a boy book-agent. from farm to fortune: or, nat nason's strange experience nat was a poor country lad. work on the farm was hard, and after a quarrel with his uncle, with whom he resided, he struck out for himself. out for business: or, robert frost's strange career relates the adventures of a country boy who is compelled to leave home and seek his fortune in the great world at large. how he wins success we must leave to the reader to discover. falling in with fortune or, the experiences of a young secretary this is a companion tale to "out for business," but complete in itself, and tells of the further doings of robert frost as private secretary. young captain jack: or, the son of a soldier the scene is laid in the south during the civil war, and the hero is a waif who was cast up by the sea and adopted by a rich southern planter. nelson the newsboy: or, afloat in new york mr. alger is always at his best in the portrayal of life in new york city, and this story is among the best he has given our young readers. lost at sea: or, robert roscoe's strange cruise a sea story of uncommon interest. the hero falls in with a strange derelict--a ship given over to the wild animals of a menagerie. jerry, the backwoods boy or, the parkhurst treasure depicts life on a farm of new york state. the mystery of the treasure will fascinate every boy. jerry is a character well worth knowing. randy of the river or, the adventures of a young deckhand life on a river steamboat is not so romantic as some young people may imagine. there is hard work, and plenty of it, and the remuneration is not of the best. but randy thompson wanted work and took what was offered. his success in the end was well deserved, and perhaps the lesson his doings teach will not be lost upon those who peruse these pages. * * * * * grosset & dunlap, - new york the flag of freedom series by captain ralph bonehill. a favorite line of american stories for american boys. every volume complete in itself, and handsomely illustrated. mo. bound in cloth. stamped in colors. price, cents per volume. postpaid. with custer in the black hills or, a young scout among the indians. tells of the remarkable experiences of a youth who, with his parents, goes to the black hills in search of gold. custer's last battle is well described. a volume every lad fond of indian stories should possess. boys of the fort or, a young captain's pluck. this story of stirring doings at one of our well-known forts in the wild west is of more than ordinary interest. the young captain had a difficult task to accomplish, but he had been drilled to do his duty, and does it thoroughly. gives a good insight into army life of to-day. the young bandmaster or, concert, stage, and battlefield. the hero is a youth with a passion for music, who becomes a cornetist in an orchestra, and works his way up to the leadership of a brass band. he is carried off to sea and falls in with a secret service cutter bound for cuba, and while there joins a military band which accompanies our soldiers in the never-to-be-forgotten attack on santiago. off for hawaii or, the mystery of a great volcano. here we have fact and romance cleverly interwoven. several boys start on a tour of the hawaiian islands. they have heard that there is a treasure located in the vicinity of kilauea, the largest active volcano in the world, and go in search of it. their numerous adventures will be followed with much interest. a sailor boy with dewey or, afloat in the philippines. the story of dewey's victory in manila bay will never grow old, but here we have it told in a new form--as it appeared to a real, live american youth who was in the navy at the time. many adventures in manila and in the interior follow, give true-to-life scenes from this portion of the globe. when santiago fell or, the war adventures of two chums. two boys, an american and his cuban chum, leave new york to join their parents in the interior of cuba. the war between spain and the cubans is on, and the boys are detained at santiago, but escape by crossing the bay at night. many adventures between the lines follow, and a good pen-picture of general garcia is given. * * * * * grosset & dunlap, - new york the frontier series stories of early american exploration and adventure for boys. by captain ralph bonehill the historical background is absolutely correct. mo. well printed and well illustrated. handsomely bound in cloth, stamped in colors. price, cents per volume. postpaid. pioneer boys of the gold fields or, the nugget hunters of ' a tale complete in itself, giving the particulars of the great rush of the gold seekers to california in . in the party making its way across the continent are three boys, one from the country, another from the city, and a third just home from a long voyage on a whaling ship. they become chums, and share in no end of adventures. pioneer boys of the great northwest or, with lewis and clark across the rockies a splendid story describing in detail the great expedition formed under the leadership of lewis and clark, and telling what was done by the pioneer boys who were first to penetrate the wilderness of the northwest and push over the rocky mountains. the book possesses a permanent historical value and the story should be known by every bright american boy. with boone on the frontier or, the pioneer boys of old kentucky relates the true-to-life adventures of two boys who, in company with their folks, move westward with daniel boone. contains many thrilling scenes among the indians and encounters with wild animals. it is excellently told. * * * * * grosset & dunlap, - new york the great newspaper series by howard r. garis the author is a practised journalist, and these stories convey a true picture of the workings of a great newspaper. mo. well printed and finely illustrated. price, cents per volume. postpaid. from office boy to reporter or, the first step in journalism larry dexter, reporter or, strange adventures in a great city larry dexter's great search or, the hunt for a missing millionaire the deep sea series by roy rockwood no manly boy ever grew tired of sea stories--there is a fascination about them, and they are a recreation to the mind. mo. handsomely printed and illustrated. price, cents per volume. postpaid. adrift on the pacific or, the secret of the island cave the cruise of the treasure ship or, the castaways of floating island the rival ocean divers or, the search for a sunken treasure the railroad series by allen chapman ralph is determined to be a "railroad man." he starts in at the foot of the ladder; but is full of manly pluck and "wins out." boys will be greatly interested in his career. mo. handsomely printed and illustrated. price, cents per volume. postpaid. ralph on the overland express or, the trials and triumphs of a young engineer a clean cut picture of railroading of to-day. ralph of the round house or, bound to become a railroad man ralph in the switch tower or, clearing the track * * * * * grosset & dunlap - new york * * * * * transcriber's notes: punctuation normalized. page , v added to chapter v. page , advertisement for the deep sea series, "area" changed to "are a." (they are a recreation) the bobbsey twins at the county fair by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins series," =this book, while produced under wartime conditions, in full compliance with government regulations for the conservation of paper and other essential materials, is complete and unabridged= new york grosset & dunlap publishers made in the united states of america copyright, , by grosset & dunlap _the bobbsey twins at the county fair_ [illustration: "oh, look! freddie's in a race!" cried flossie. _the bobbsey twins at the county fair_ _frontispiece_ (_page _)] contents chapter page i. the broken bridge ii. "there's a snake!" iii. the merry-go-round iv. a missing coat v. sam is worried vi. happy days coming vii. the crying boy viii. angry mr. blipper ix. the big swing x. down a big hole xi. the county fair xii. on the track xiii. in the cornfield xiv. freddie and the pumpkin xv. up in a balloon xvi. on the island xvii. the searching party xviii. on the rocks xix. two little sailors xx. a happy meeting xxi. bert, nan and bob xxii. joyous times the bobbsey twins at the county fair chapter i the broken bridge "aren't you glad, nan? aren't you terrible glad?" "why, of course i am, flossie!" "and aren't you glad, too, bert?" flossie bobbsey, who had first asked this question of her sister, now paused in front of her older brother. she looked up at him smiling as he cut away with his knife at a soft piece of wood he was shaping into a boat for freddie. "aren't you terrible glad, bert?" "i sure am, flossie!" bert answered, with a laugh. "what makes you ask such funny questions?" "well, if you're glad why doesn't you wiggle like i do?" asked flossie, without answering bert. "i feel just like wigglin' and squigglin' inside and outside!" she added. "well, wiggle as much as you please, dear, but don't get your dress dirty, whatever you do," advised nan, with the air of a little mother, for she felt that she must look after her smaller sister, since mrs. bobbsey was not there to do it. "oh, i won't get my dress dirty!" laughed flossie. "'cause if i do----" "'cause if you do you can't go to the picnic!" finished freddie, who was so interested in watching brother bert make the little wooden ship that he forgot all about talking. "i'm just goin' to wiggle standin' up," flossie said, and she did so, squirming about in delight at the fun which was soon to come. "don't forget your 'g' letters!" called nan, shaking her finger at her sister. "you must say 'going' and 'standing' not 'goin',' my dear, or 'standin',' you know." "yes, i know. but when you feel like wigglin'--i mean wiggling," and flossie said the last syllable very loudly, "why, then you don't think about 'g' letters; do you, freddie?" "i don't guess so," he answered, not taking his eyes off the knife that was flashing in bert's hand, making the white slivers of wood scatter over the green grass. "oh, i just can hardly wait till the auto truck comes; can you, nan?" asked flossie, dancing over the lawn like a fairy in a play. "oh, i'm so glad it doesn't rain!" and she looked anxiously up at the sky as if some cloud might float across the wonderful blue and spoil the day of pleasure. "yes, the weather is lovely," agreed nan. "and if you don't think so much about it, flossie, the truck will get here all the sooner." "but i _like_ to think about it!" cried flossie. "it's the same as christmas! the more you think about it the more fun it is! oh, i'm going to look down the road and see if the truck is coming!" down toward the front gate she skipped, the big bow of ribbon on her hair flapping up and down like the wings of some great blue butterfly. "be careful about climbing on the gate!" warned nan. "if you get rusty spots on your white dress they won't come out!" "i'll be careful," flossie promised, calling back over her shoulder, and, as she tripped along she sang: "we're going to a picnic! we're going to a picnic!" "i think i'd better watch her so she won't soil her clothes," said nan, getting up from a bench, where she had been sitting beside the boxes and baskets of lunch. "it would be too bad if she should get her dress dirty and couldn't go." "i'm not going to get my clothes dirty, am i, nan?" asked freddie, as he looked at his white blouse. "i hope not," nan answered. suddenly there was an exclamation from bert, as nan started down the path toward flossie. "ouch!" cried bert. "what's the matter?" nan asked quickly. "cut myself!" "oh! oh, dear!" screamed freddie, who did not like the sight of the red blood which oozed from the end of his brother's finger. "oh, don't get any on my clean blouse, else i can't go to the picnic!" bert, who had popped the cut finger into his mouth as soon as he felt the hurt, now took it out to laugh. "that's all you care about me, freddie!" he joked. "i cut my finger, while making you a little boat, and all you care about is that i mustn't dirty your white blouse! i'll make you a lot more ships--i guess not!" "oh, but i am sorry for you!" freddie declared. "only i do so want to go to the picnic!" "yes, i know," bert went on, seeing that freddie was taking his talk too seriously. "i won't get any blood on you!" "is it much of a cut?" asked nan "do you want me to get the iodine?" their mother had taught the bobbsey twins not to neglect hurts of this kind, and iodine, they knew, was good to "kill the germs," whatever that meant. iodine smarted when put into a cut, but it was better to stand a little smart at first than a big pain afterward, so daddy bobbsey had said. "oh, it isn't much of a cut," bert said. "i guess i don't need any iodine. you'd better go look after flossie. the trucks may be along any time now, and we don't want to keep them waiting." "all right. but you'd better not whittle any more on that boat or you may cut yourself so bad you can't go to the picnic." "let the boat go!" advised freddie. "it's good enough, anyhow, and i want you to go to the picnic, bert." "all right. the little ship is almost finished, anyhow. i just have to make about three more cuts and then i'm done." his finger had stopped bleeding--indeed the cut was a very small one--and bert was soon putting the last touches to the tiny craft which freddie wanted to sail in the little lake at the picnic grounds. just as bert handed the homemade toy to his brother, and when nan reached flossie, in time to stop her from climbing on the gate, a noise of honking horns was heard down the street. "oh, here they come! here come the trucks!" cried flossie, dancing up and down. "get the lunch!" called freddie, to make sure they would not go hungry on the picnic. "i'll go in and tell mother we're going," called nan to bert, who shut up his knife, brushed the whittlings off his clothes, and began to gather up the boxes and baskets of lunch. "watch flossie!" nan added, for there was no telling what the excitable little "fairy" might do at the last moment. "all right," bert answered. "here, freddie!" he called. "don't run with that sharp-pointed boat in your hand. if you fall on it you'll get hurt." "but i'm not going to fall!" said freddie. "you can't tell what you're going to do! go easy!" bert advised, and freddie walked as slowly as he could to the gate where flossie was eagerly gazing down the road. the noise of the auto horns sounded more loudly, and soon two big trucks, filled with children and gay with flags, came into view. boxes had been placed in the trucks for seats, and on these boxes, laughing, shouting, waving their hands and flags, were scores of happy, smiling boys and girls. one of the trucks drew up at the gate of the house where lived the bobbsey twins, the other auto keeping on, as it was well filled. but room had been saved in this one for bert, nan, flossie and freddie. "come on, nan! come on!" cried flossie, still jumping up and down. "tell nan to hurry!" added freddie to his brother. "she's coming," bert said, as he walked down to the gate with the packages of lunch. "hello, bert!" called charlie mason, from the truck. "got enough to eat?" "i guess so," bert answered his chum, holding up the boxes and baskets. "enough for two picnics i should say!" "you can eat a lot when you're off in the woods," added dannie rugg. "it's like camping out." "here comes nan!" exclaimed grace lavine, a particular chum of the older bobbsey girl. nan, having hurried in to tell her mother the trucks had arrived, now hastened down the path, her hair flying in the wind. "have you everything? take good care of flossie and freddie! have a good time, and don't fall into the water!" mrs. bobbsey said, as she waved good-by to her twins while they clambered up into the truck. "we will!" they answered. "good-by, mother! good-by!" "good-by, children!" "honk! honk!" tooted the auto horn. "all aboard!" called nellie parks. "all aboard!" "i want to sit on the end!" declared freddie, struggling to get in this position. "you might fall out going up hill," said bert. "i'll sit there, freddie, and you can sit next me." the little fellow had to be content with this. with children laughing, children singing, children shouting and children smiling, with flags flying and the horn tooting, the big auto started off, having taken aboard the bobbsey twins; and soon the two trucks were out of sight around a turn in the road, bound for pine grove, on the outskirts of the town of lakeport. it was the yearly picnic of one of the lakeport sunday schools. "isn't it a wonderful day?" asked grace of nan. the two friends and nellie were sitting together. "yes, beautiful. we nearly always have a good day for the picnic." "did you bring any olives in your lunch. nan?" "yes, and some dill pickles, too!" "oh, i just love dill pickles!" exclaimed grace, "and we didn't have one in the house." "i'll give you some of mine," offered nan. flossie and freddie were too excited, looking at sights along the road, to talk much, but they were as happy as if they had been chattering away like the others. "did your dog snap bite your finger, bert?" asked dannie rugg. "no, my knife slipped when i was making freddie a boat. say, freddie," he asked the little fellow, "did you lose your boat?" "nope, i have it here," and he held it up. "oh, all right." on rumbled the trucks, raising clouds of dust. on each big auto were several grown folks, officers of the sunday school, who were looking after the children. some were fathers and mothers of the boys and girls. pine grove was several miles outside the town of lakeport, on the shores of a little lake. it was there the yearly picnics of the sunday schools were always held, and the bobbsey twins, as well as the other young people of the town, looked forward with pleasure to the outings. "what you say we get up a ball game?" asked dannie of bert, when they were all settled in their places. "sure we will," bert agreed. "have we got enough fellows?" "if you haven't, some of us girls will play," offered nan. "pooh! girls can't play ball!" sneered charlie mason. "i can! i can bat a ball as far as you!" declared nellie parks. "maybe you can--if you can hit it!" admitted charlie. "i want to play ball!" chimed in freddie. "i know how!" "i guess if you sail your boat it will be all you want to do," said bert, looking at his cut finger to see if it would hinder him from taking part in a game. he decided that it would not. "we'll have lots of fun," said dannie. "if we haven't enough for two nines we'll play a scrub game." "sure!" agreed bert. they were well out in the country now, and almost at the grove. to reach it the trucks had to cross a bridge over a creek that flowed into pine lake, as the body of water was called. the first truck passed over this bridge with a rumble like thunder. as it reached the other side bert saw the driver of it lean from his seat, look back, and shout something to the driver of the truck on which the bobbsey twins rode. what the man said bert could not hear, and as he was wondering about it the second truck started over the bridge. suddenly there was a cracking of wood, a splintering, breaking sound, and the heavy truck, loaded with children, the bobbsey twins among them, seemed to be sinking down. "oh, the bridge is breaking!" screamed grace. "we'll fall in the creek!" added nellie. there was a thundering sound as the auto driver turned on full power, and then, with another loud cracking noise, the truck came to a stop, and seemed to be sinking down through the breaking bridge! chapter ii "there's a snake!" with the first cries of alarm, bert bobbsey had jumped to his feet, one arm had gone out toward his sister nan, and the other toward flossie and freddie. but no boy has arms long enough to reach for three relatives at once, especially when two of them, as flossie and freddie happened to be, were some distance away. bert did, however, manage to put one arm around nan, and he pulled her toward him, though just why he hardly knew. as he did so there was a frightened movement on the part of all the other children aboard the truck, for they seemed to be sliding down toward the front of it. "oh, bert! what has happened?" cried nan. "get hold of flossie and freddie, can't you?" "i'm trying to," he answered. "what's the matter?" flossie called to nan and bert. "we're all slipping down!" and this was just what was happening. the bridge over the stream seemed to have broken in the middle, just as the heavy truck got to that spot, and the auto's front wheels being lower than the rear ones, had slid the load of picnic merrymakers into a heap. "oh! oh!" screamed grace lavine. "what is going to happen?" "you'll be all right if you just keep quiet!" called the driver of the auto in a loud voice. "the bridge has only sagged a little! it isn't going to fall!" this was good news provided it was true. "all of you get off, and do it quietly," advised the driver. "you'll be all right." "are you sure?" asked mrs. simpson, one of the ladies in charge of the children. "oh, yes, ma'am. there's no danger," declared the man. he had jumped from his seat and was looking at the floor of the bridge under the front wheels of the truck. "keep quiet, every one!" ordered mr. blake, one of the gentlemen who had agreed to help the ladies look after the children. "don't scream or cry, and move as quietly as you can. the easier you move the less danger there will be. the bridge hasn't quite broken in two yet." but it was in grave danger of doing that, as mr. blake saw, and he was fearful that a bad accident would soon happen. however, the thing to do now was to get all the children off the truck, over the bridge, and safe on solid ground. after that it might be possible to get the truck over and keep on to the picnic. one by one the children, including the bobbsey twins, started to get off the truck. they moved as carefully as they could, for they felt that they were like skaters on thin ice. the least quick movement might break something. the truck that had gotten safely over the bridge had come to a stop, and children and grown folks were piling off it to see what they could do to save those in danger on the broken bridge. and while the work of rescue is going on i will take a moment or two to tell my new readers something about the bobbsey twins. those of you who have read the other books in this series do not need to be introduced to bert, nan, flossie and freddie. those were the names of the four children. bert and nan were the older twins, and flossie and freddie the younger. you are first told about them in the book called "the bobbsey twins," and in that you learn that the bobbsey family, consisting of mr. and mrs. richard bobbsey and their four children, lived in lakeport, an eastern city on the shore of lake metoka, where mr. bobbsey had a lumber business. in the family, though not exactly members of it, were dinah, the jolly, fat, colored cook, and sam johnson, her husband. then we must not forget snap, the dog, and snoop, the big cat. following the first book are a number of volumes telling of the adventures of the bobbsey twins. they went to the country to visit uncle daniel, and at the seashore they had fun at the home of uncle william. after that the bobbseys enjoyed a trip in a houseboat, they journeyed to a great city, camped on blueberry island, saw the sights of washington and even sailed to sea. as if this was not enough mr. and mrs. bobbsey took their children on a western trip among the cowboys, and just before the present story opens bert and nan, with flossie and freddie, had come back from cedar camp, where they had had some exciting adventures. now it was summer again, and one of the first delights of that season was the sunday school picnic which had started off so well but which seemed likely now to end in an accident. it was too bad that one truck should have gotten safely over the bridge, and that the other had to break through. the second truck was heavier than the first. the first may have cracked the bridge beams and the second one broken them. "careful now, children, careful!" warned mr. blake. "don't jump down! come to the end of the truck and i'll lift you down!" "and as soon as you are down walk to the other side of the bridge; don't run--walk!" ordered the driver. bert remembered that it said this on the programs of the moving picture theaters, and he decided it was good advice. one by one the children made their way up the sloping floor of the truck to the tailboard, and there mr. blake, mrs. simpson, and other men and women helped the little ones down. "oh, i feel like fainting!" sighed grace. "don't be silly!" exclaimed nan. "nothing is going to happen!" it was a good thing nan felt this way, though, as a matter of fact, something dreadful might happen at any moment. if the cracked beams of the bridge should break all the way through, the auto would slide down into the water. and, though the creek was not very deep, still many would be hurt in the crash. the bobbsey twins, being nearest the rear of the auto, were among the first off. they did what the driver told them--walked quietly off the bridge. at the farther end they joined the picnic party that had gotten off the first truck. and there, almost breathless, they watched the work of rescue going on. one by one little boys and girls were lifted down off the truck, and then, when the last had reached safely the far shore, mr. blake, mrs. simpson, and the other men and women made their way carefully to land. "aren't you coming?" asked mr. blake of the truck driver, for the man was still close to his big car, looking at it and the sagging floor of the bridge. "i want to see if i can get this truck off," he answered. "the machine isn't damaged any--it's only the bridge. i guess the load was too heavy for it." "i heard it cracking as i went over," called the driver of the first truck. "i shouted a warning to you, but it was too late." "yes, it was too late to save the bridge, but maybe i can get my truck off," the other driver went on. "anyhow, none of the children is hurt." and this was so--something for which the sunday school officers were very glad, indeed. "if we had some pieces of wood to put under the bridge, to brace it up, maybe you could get the truck over," said the driver of the big auto that was safe on the far shore. "why don't you take fence rails?" asked bert, who felt better, now that his sisters and brother were all right. "yes, we could do that," agreed the driver of the second auto. "come on--give me a hand!" he called to his companion. the two men worked away for a time, and braced up the bridge so that the auto could be driven carefully over it, though it was not easy to get it up the hill made when the bridge had sunk into the shape of the letter v. but finally the empty second truck was safe on the other side of the stream, near the first one, and rails were put across the road to warn other vehicles not to try to cross the bridge. it was safe enough for a person to walk across, but it would not hold up an auto or a horse and wagon. "we may as well go on to the picnic grounds," said mr. blake, when the smaller, frightened children had gotten over their crying. "how we going to get home again if we can't cross the bridge?" asked flossie, looking at the sagging structure. "oh, there's another bridge over the creek, about two miles down," the driver of the second truck said. "that will be all right." soon the children and grown folks were on the autos again, and moving toward the picnic grounds. this time there was not so much merry laughter and singing, for all felt that there had been a narrow escape from a terrible accident. but gloom does not long remain with a party of jolly boys and girls, and by the time they alighted at pine grove each one was in high spirits again. there were plenty of amusements at the picnic grounds. little rustic pavilions here and there formed places where one could sit in the shade and eat lunch. there were swings for those who liked them, and boats for the older ones. a green meadow, not far away, made a fine baseball field, and bert, charlie, and dannie, with some of the older boys, at once made a rush for the field to start a baseball game. "you take care of the lunch, nan," bert begged his older sister. "i'll come back when it's time to eat." "oh, i know that all right!" laughed nan. "can't i play ball?" freddie called, starting to follow bert. "you stay and sail your boat," bert advised. "i made it for you to sail on the lake." "that means i'll have to stay and watch him so he doesn't fall in," sighed nan. "well, you can't sail it all day, freddie. i want to have some fun, too." "you can sail it when i get tired," freddie offered. "i want to go in a big boat--a rowboat!" declared flossie. "i'll take you all for a row after the ball game," bert promised, and nan held this pleasure out to them to get them to do what she wanted. the fun was now in full sway at the picnic grounds. over in the meadow the boys were playing ball and shouting, and out on the little lake were many rowboats containing jolly parties. some of the picnic folks had already started to eat their lunches. "i'm hungry!" declared freddie, seeing some children with sandwiches. "so'm i!" added flossie. "well, we can eat a little," decided nan. she opened one of the smaller boxes, and took out a few sandwiches. "let's go over under that tree and eat," she suggested, and soon they were sitting beneath a big pine tree, where the ground was covered with the smooth, brown needles. flossie had taken only a few bites of her sandwich when she suddenly jumped up and ran to nan. "oh!" cried the little girl. "there's a snake! a snake!" chapter iii the merry-go-round nan, though several years older than flossie, was at first as much frightened by the cry of "a snake!" as was her little sister. though bert had often said only harmless snakes were in the woods around lakeport, nan could not help jumping up with a scream and pulling flossie toward her. "what's the matter?" asked freddie, who had taken his sandwich a little distance away to eat. "a snake! i saw a big snake!" cried flossie again. "where is it?" asked nan, for, as yet, she had caught no sight of any serpent. "i--i almost sat on it," explained flossie, clinging to nan, and looking down over her shoulder. nan glanced toward where her sister had been sitting just before the alarm. she saw no wiggling snake crawling over the ground. "are you sure, flossie?" nan asked. "are you sure you saw a snake?" "course i did. he almost put his head in my lap." "maybe he was hungry and wanted your sandwich," suggested freddie. as he spoke he stepped forward to look at the place flossie had pointed to as being the spot where she had seen the snake. and no sooner did freddie take a step than flossie cried: "there it is again! oh, the snake! the snake! don't let him get me, nan!" nan, too, saw something round and black moving near the place where flossie had been sitting, and, fearing for the safety of her sister, the older bobbsey girl lifted flossie in her arms. but no snake glided across the brown pine needles, and there was no hissing sound nor any forked tongue playing rapidly in and out, as nan had once seen in a little snake bert and charlie mason had caught. "i don't believe there is a snake," nan said, as flossie slipped to the ground. "if there was one it has gone away." "i'll hit him with a stone!" cried freddie, turning to look for a rock. and as he moved flossie cried again: "there it is! i saw it move! that black thing!" this time she pointed so carefully that nan, letting her eye follow along flossie's finger, saw what the little girl meant. and nan laughed. "why, that isn't a snake!" she cried. "it's only a crooked, black tree branch! it does look a little like a snake, but it isn't really one, flossie." "but what made it move?" the little girl asked. "i think it was freddie, though he didn't do it on purpose," went on nan. "take another step, freddie, as you did when you were looking for a stone." freddie moved a little and then they all saw what it was that had caused flossie's fright. a long, dead branch of a tree lay on the ground. the larger end of it was close to where flossie had been sitting with nan, and this end did look somewhat like a snake, with a mouth and eyes. the middle of the stick was covered with pine needles, and the lower end stuck out beyond the needles and dried leaves close to where freddie stood. when the little boy took a step his foot touched the thin end of the branch, and made the thick end, near flossie, move. flossie took this for the swaying of a snake's head, and so she had screamed in fright. "there's your snake--only a tree branch!" laughed nan, as she lifted the dead limb and held it up. "ho! ho!" laughed freddie. "was that it--for sure?" asked flossie. "of course!" answered nan. "come sit down and finish your sandwich. then we'll play until it's time to eat our regular lunch." "well, i'm glad it wasn't a real snake," sighed flossie, as she took her place with her sister beneath the tree. "if it had been a real snake i'd 'a' pegged a rock at it!" boasted freddie. this was not the only fright at the picnic, for a little girl about flossie's age cried when she saw a big frog in a pool, and a little boy ran screaming to his mother because a grasshopper perched on his shoulder. but things like these always happen at picnics, and when the little frights were over even the children themselves laughed at their short-lived terror. after the ball game bert and nan took the smaller bobbsey twins for a row in a boat. everything went well except that freddie, in trying to sail his tiny ship over the side of the rowboat, nearly fell in himself. but bert caught him just in time and pulled him back. then it was time for lunch, and what a good time all the children had, sitting at tables in the little rustic houses, or on the ground, eating from boxes and baskets. the bobbsey twins, with a group of their friends, sat in a little pavilion by themselves. besides the lunch which each child or group of children brought, there was to be ice cream and cake, given by the sunday school. the big freezers had been arranged in a sort of shed, and the cake and cream treat was to be given after the picnic lunches had been eaten. just before the time for this part of the program, mr. and mrs. bobbsey arrived at the grounds, driving over in the auto, as they had promised to do. "well, children, having fun?" asked the father of the bobbsey twins. "a dandy time!" exclaimed bert. "my team won the ball game." "and i 'most fell out of a boat!" boasted freddie. "pooh! that's nothing! i 'most saw a snake!" exclaimed flossie. "a snake!" cried her mother. "it wasn't real," nan hastened to add, and mrs. bobbsey seemed to breathe easier. "well, you have had some excitement as well as fun," observed mr. bobbsey. "excitement!" cried bert. "say, daddy, you ought to have been there when the truck almost smashed through the bridge!" "oh, did that happen?" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "no, but almost," bert went on. "well, it seems to me that everything 'almost' happened," said mrs. bobbsey. "flossie _almost_ saw a snake, freddie _almost_ fell overboard and the truck _almost_ broke the bridge." "oh, the bridge really _is_ broken," nan said. and she told about that accident. mr. and mrs. bobbsey had come to the picnic grounds by another road, and so had not seen the bridge that sagged in the middle. "well, all's well that ends well, so they say," remarked mr. bobbsey, "and we're glad you are having a good time. yes, mr. blake, what is it?" he asked, for mr. blake, had come to where mr. bobbsey was talking to the children, and had called aloud. "do you want to help the ladies dish out the ice cream?" asked mr. blake. "surely!" answered the twins' father. "wait until i take off my coat. dishing out ice cream is rather messy work." he removed his coat, hanging it on the limb of a tree near the shed where the ice cream freezers had been placed. mrs. bobbsey also offered to help, and when it became known that it was time for the ice cream and cake treat the picnic children began gathering at the rustic shed. before the dainties could be served, however, there came from down the road, in the opposite direction from the broken bridge, a low, rumbling sound. "i hope it isn't going to rain," said mrs. morris, as she held a plate of ice cream in one hand. "what makes you think it is?" mrs. bobbsey asked. "didn't you hear that thunder? i can't see the sky, on account of the trees, but i'm afraid it's clouding over." "no, the sun is shining," said the twins' mother. "but i'm sure that is thunder," went on mrs. morris. there was a rumbling sound down the road, and there seemed to be some excitement there, for a number of children who had started toward the ice cream pavilion turned back. "i wonder what it is," mused mrs. bobbsey. "i hope no 'almost' accidents are going to happen." "i'll go see what it is," offered bert. he ran down the road, was gone a little while, and came back, his eyes shining with eagerness. "oh, it's a big merry-go-round!" he cried. "a merry-go-round?" repeated his mother, busy at the ice cream. "yes, a man has a big merry-go-round in pieces on three or four big wagons," bert reported. "something's the matter with the engine--it runs by a steam engine, and something's the matter!" "bert, go call your father," said mrs. bobbsey, for her husband had gone to the far side of the grove to get another ice cream tub from the truck on which they were brought to the picnic. "we don't want any strange men setting up a merry-go-round here. call your father!" chapter iv a missing coat mr. bobbsey came hurrying over to the ice cream pavilion, with bert almost running beside him to keep up with his father. "what's all this, mother?" asked mr. bobbsey, who, with his coat off and his sleeves rolled up, was working hard to help the ladies at the sunday school picnic. "what's all this about a merry-go-round coming here?" "i don't know that it is coming here," answered mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "but some sort of affair is thundering along the road. you can see the crowd of children near it. a merry-go-round some one said. i thought perhaps some men owning one of those traveling affairs had heard about our picnic and had come here to set up a machine. we don't want anything like that." "no," agreed mr. bobbsey with a smile. "we don't. i'll go see about it," and off he went, followed by bert. nan, with flossie and freddie, had already joined the group of children down near the road that extended along one edge of the picnic grove. as bert and his father neared the place, a loud, hissing sound was heard and a white cloud of steam shot into the air, while the little ones screamed and scattered. "what's that?" cried bert. "i hope those youngsters don't go too near!" murmured mr. bobbsey. "the safety valve of his steam engine is blowing off. he's got too much pressure on. it may be dangerous," and mr. bobbsey broke into a run, which bert imitated as well as he could with his shorter legs. however, there was no great danger. as mr. bobbsey had said, the safety valve of a steam engine, on one of the trucks which carried the merry-go-round outfit, was blowing off, and a short, stout man, with a very red face, and a lanky boy, wearing ragged clothes, were working about the engine. "keep back, children! keep back!" called mr. bobbsey, as he reached the road. "this merry-go-round isn't going to be set up here. keep back out of danger!" "that's what i wish they'd do, mister!" said the red-faced man in no very friendly voice. "they're under foot, and some of 'em may get stepped on. i've got trouble enough without a bunch of kids getting in the way." he did not speak very nicely of children, bert thought, and nan was evidently of the same opinion from the way in which she looked at her brother. flossie and freddie thought nothing of this. they were too excited in looking at the merry-go-round outfit. this fun-making machine was loaded on four large trucks, hauled by four sturdy horses each. on one truck was an engine, with a fire in it and smoke and steam coming from it. it was this that seemed to be causing the trouble which the red-faced man and the lanky boy were trying to make better. behind the engine truck, which was in the lead, were three other trucks, and the drivers of the horses kept to their seats, not offering to help the red-faced man. the three trucks were piled high with the frame and roof of the merry-go-round. there were posts, boards, long iron rods, greasy cog wheels and all sorts of queer things. but what interested the children most were the wooden animals that made up the more showy part of the merry-go-round. there were horses, lions, tigers, camels, elephants, zebras, an ostrich and a cow. "oh, i want to ride on the cow!" cried freddie. "i'm going to get on the lion's back!" exclaimed flossie. "no, i want the lion, you can have the cow!" yelled freddie. "i want the lion!" "i had him first! i choosed him first an' he's mine! daddy, can't i have the lion?" begged flossie. "hush, children!" said mr. bobbsey, as freddie opened his mouth to wail that he wanted the king of beasts. "the merry-go-round isn't going to be set up here. no one is going to get a ride." "that's what, mister!" exclaimed the red-faced man. "i'm not going to stop here. i'm on my way to the bolton county fair with this merry-go-round outfit. i'm going to be there for a week or more. just had a little trouble with this engine. i got steam up on it while on the road to see what the matter was." "is it fixed now?" asked mr. bobbsey. "yes, seems to be. here, bob," he called to the lanky boy, "haul the fire now, and we'll let her cool down. i guess she'll work now. got up a good steam pressure, anyhow." the ragged boy did something to the engine, when suddenly a burst of melody struck on the ears of all, and from an organ there was ground out a gay dancing tune. "oh, music!" cried flossie. "where's the hand organ monkey?" freddie wanted to know. "i'm going to get grace and we can dance!" exclaimed nan, for she and her chums did simple little dances at school. "i want to see the monkey!" wailed freddie again. "there isn't any monkey," bert said. "it isn't exactly a hand organ. it's one that works by steam, i imagine," he said. "it's part of the merry-go-round." "that's right. it's a good organ, too," said the ragged, lanky boy, who was working away at the engine, while the red-faced man had started for the front of the truck. hearing the melody the red-faced man turned to the boy and angrily cried: "here! i didn't tell you to turn that music on! shut it off, do you hear!" "my, what a cross man!" said flossie, in what she meant to be a whisper. "hush!" her father said. "shut that organ off! what'd you turn it on for, bob?" grumbled the man. "i didn't turn it on, mr. blipper. it turned itself on--too much steam, i guess." "well, shut it off, do you hear! i don't want to play music when i don't get any money for it. shut it off!" the boy did something to the engine and the organ music died away in a sad wail. "oh, dear!" sighed flossie. "now we can't have any dance," lamented nan. "how long are you going to stop here, mr.--er--did i understand your name was blipper?" asked mr. bobbsey, thinking he might arrange to have the organ played a little while for the children. "blipper is my name--aaron blipper," answered the man. "sole owner and proprietor of blipper's merry-go-round which will exhibit for a week, and maybe more, at the bolton county fair." "my name is bobbsey," went on the father of the twins. "your name and mine have the same first letter, anyhow. i was going to say that if you were going to remain here a while i'd give you a dollar to let the organ play for the children. this is a sunday school picnic." "i guessed it was," said mr. blipper. "well, if you was to give me a dollar i'd have bob turn the music on again. i think a dollar will pay for what coal i burn in the engine. the organ is worked by the engine. i can't turn it by hand, or i'd let bob do that. but i'll play for a dollar." "here you are then," said mr. bobbsey, and he passed over a bill. "turn the organ on, bob!" ordered mr. blipper. "and while we're waiting here get a pail and water the horses. might as well make yourself useful as well as ornamental." to the bobbsey twins it seemed that bob had been making himself busy, if not useful, ever since the merry-go-round had halted near the picnic grounds. the boy turned a handle and once more the organ began grinding out music of one kind or another. it was not very good, of course, but it pleased the children. soon flossie and freddie were dancing on the green grass beside the road, and nan and many of the other children were also enjoying themselves in this way. though it was a sunday school picnic, such simple dances as the children did could not be found fault with by any one. bert and his especial chums did not dance. they walked about the trucks of the merry-go-round, looking at the wooden animals. mainly, however, they were interested in the steam engine which not only turned the machine around, once it was set up, but also played the organ. "i'd like to see this thing going," said charlie mason. "so would i," agreed dannie rugg. "maybe my father will take me to the bolton county fair," remarked bert. "if he does i'll have a ride." then the ragged boy, who had been watering the horses, while the drivers dozed on their high seats, came up with an empty pail. he looked at the engine, changed the organ so that it played a different tune and let some hot water run out of a little faucet. "do you know how to run the engine?" asked bert. "sure i do!" "what's your name?" asked charlie. "bob." "bob what?" dannie wanted to know. "bob guess." "bob guess! that's a queer name," remarked bert. "well, it isn't exactly my real name," the ragged lad went on. "i'm an orphan. i haven't had any real folks in a long time. i was taken out of the asylum by this man, so he says. he adopted me, i reckon, and he said he gave me that name 'cause he had to _guess_ what my real name was. so i'm called bob guess." "a queer name," murmured bert. "but i'd like to know how to work a steam engine." "so'd i!" agreed the other boys. "pooh! it's easy," said bob guess, who seemed to like to show off. for he turned another little faucet, thereby sending out a cloud of steam, and causing charlie mason to jump back. "don't be skeered! it won't hurt you!" laughed bob. "isn't it hot?" "not after it comes from the boiler. look, i can hold my hand right in it," which bob guess did, letting a cloud of steam envelop both his rather dirty hands. "whew!" whistled dannie, in amazement. "i'm going to try it!" said bert, rightly guessing that at a short distance from the faucet the steam cooled off; which was true, as you know if you have ever "felt" of the steam coming from a house radiator on a cold day. but as bert stretched out his hand to test the steam as bob had done, mr. blipper called from where he stood talking to the driver of the last truck. "stop monkeying with that engine, bob!" yelled the red-faced man. "you want to get it all out of kilter again!" "i was only testin' the steam gauge," the boy answered. "well, you let it alone, do you hear, and water the horses." "i have watered 'em!" "well, water 'em some more! i'm not going to stop again till i get to the bolton county fair if i can help it." "he's sort of cross, isn't he?" asked charlie, as bob moved off. "more than that--he's mean!" declared the ragged lad. bert and his chums stood looking at the steam engine and listening to the organ, while nan and the smaller children danced. then up came mr. blipper. "i guess this is a dollar's worth of music," he announced. "i believe so," agreed mr. bobbsey, with a smile. "the children have enjoyed it. thank you!" "um!" grunted mr. blipper. "here you, bob!" he roared. "come and shut off this steam. we're going to travel!" he climbed up on the seat, and bob, after hanging the water pail on a hook beneath the truck, shut off the engine. the organ ceased playing, and the trucks containing the merry-go-round lumbered off. "good-by!" called the bobbsey twins. "good-by!" echoed bob guess. "i wonder if we'll ever see him again," murmured bert. and he was to see the strange lad again, under queer circumstances. "come, children, your ice cream will get cold!" called mrs. bobbsey, who had come from the pavilion to summon the little guests. "ice cream get cold! ha! ha!" laughed grace lavine. "i like mine cold," chuckled dannie rugg. back across the fields ran the merry, laughing children. the sunday school picnic, in spite of the danger at the bridge, had turned out most wonderfully. soon the caravan of the merry-go-round was but a series of faint specks down the dusty road. it was taking a route that would not take it across the broken bridge. the bobbsey twins and their friends sat about eating ice cream and cake, and some of them talked about the strange boy and the organ that was played by steam. "i'm going to have an organ like that when i grow up," said freddie. "an' i'm goin' to help you play it, an' ride on a lion," added flossie, and the others laughed. picnics, however delightful, cannot go on forever, and this one came to an end as the afternoon shadows were falling. mr. bobbsey had been very busy helping his wife and the other ladies, and now, as the time came for him to go home in the small auto in which he and his wife had ridden to the grove, he rolled down his sleeves, and looked about him. "what are you after?" his wife asked. "my coat. i hung it on a tree limb right here, i thought." "yes, i saw you," said nan. "but it isn't here now!" her father went on. "here's some sort of coat," announced bert, picking up one from the ground under a tree near the ice cream pavilion. "that's where i hung my coat," said mr. bobbsey. "and this coat isn't mine. mine was a good, new one. this is an old, ragged one. dear me! i hope my coat hasn't been stolen! it had some money in one pocket, and also some papers i need at the lumber office! where is my coat?" chapter v sam is worried while fathers, mothers, and other relatives were gathering up their own children, or children of whom they had charge, to see that they were safely loaded into the two big trucks to go home from the picnic, the bobbsey twins--at least bert and nan--were searching for their father's coat. flossie and freddie were too small to pay much attention to anything of this sort. the smaller twins were talking about the merry-go-round and starting over again the dispute as to who should ride on the wooden lion. "are you sure you left your coat hanging on the tree limb?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i'm certain of it," her husband answered. "and this old coat never was mine--i wouldn't own it!" he dropped to the ground the ragged garment that had been found lying beneath the tree. "i thought maybe you had hung your coat over by the ice cream shed," went on mrs. bobbsey. "you may have done that and have forgotten about it." "no, i didn't do that," said the father of the bobbsey twins. "i remember hanging my coat on the tree, for i recall noticing what a regular hook, like one on our rack at home, a broken piece of the branch made. my coat was here. but it's gone now, and this old one is left in place of it." there was no question about that. search as mr. and mrs. bobbsey and the children did, over the picnic grounds, the lumberman's coat, with money in one pocket and papers in another, was gone. "who do you s'pose could have taken it?" asked nan, as her father looked about him with a puzzled air. "i don't know," he answered, "unless----" "maybe it was tramps!" interrupted bert. "there weren't any tramps here on our picnic grounds," said mrs. bobbsey. "some of the drivers of the merry-go-round trucks looked like tramps, but they didn't get off their seats, did they?" "not that i noticed," her husband answered. "well, there's no use looking farther. my coat is gone--stolen i'm afraid. this old one is left in its place. i haven't any use for this," and he kicked it to one side. "never mind. it isn't cold. i can ride home without a coat." "there's a lap robe in the auto," mrs. bobbsey said. "you can wrap that about you if you get chilly on the way home." "yes," agreed mr. bobbsey, "i can do that. trot along, bobbsey twins. get into your picnic truck, and we'll see who gets home first." "like little red riding hood and the wolf," laughed flossie. while mr. and mrs. bobbsey walked over to where mr. bobbsey had left the runabout auto in which he and his wife had come to the picnic grounds, bert, nan, and the other children took their places in the big truck. "merrily we roll along--roll along--roll along!" some one started that song as the trucks rumbled out of the picnic grove. on account of the broken bridge a different road home had to be taken; a longer one. having a lighter car than the trucks, mr. bobbsey and his wife could go faster than the loads of merry-makers, and the twins waved good-by to their parents, who were soon lost to sight. "i guess they'll get home first," said nan to bert. "i guess so--i bob guess so!" he added, making a joke on the name of the strange lad who had worked the steam organ of the merry-go-round. "i feel sorry for that boy," said nan. "mr. blipper was so cross and mean to him." "yes, he was cross," agreed bert. "i hope daddy finds his coat," he added. "it's funny to have a coat stolen at a sunday school picnic." "maybe somebody took it by mistake," suggested his sister. "i don't believe they would, and leave an old ragged coat in place of a good one," bert remarked. "maybe not," said nan. the picnic party was rather more quiet on the journey home than it had been on the way to pine grove. the reason was that the children were tired, and some of them sleepy. they sang for a while after leaving the grove, bert and nan starting many melodies in which the others joined. but finally the songs died away, and about the only noise that was heard was the rumble of the big trucks. "do we have to cross any bridges?" asked mrs. morris, of the driver of the auto in which she rode with the bobbsey twins. "one bridge--yes, lady," was the answer. "dear me! i hope it doesn't break down as the white one did to-day," exclaimed the nervous little lady. "no danger. it's a big iron one," said the driver. "i'm glad of that," went on mrs. morris. "i'm always worried when i cross a bridge." but there were no more accidents. the trucks took a little longer returning to lakeport than they had making the trip earlier in the day, for they had to go a roundabout way. but finally the outskirts of the town were reached, and the children began getting off as they neared their homes. "good-by! good-by!" they called one to another. finally the home of the bobbsey twins came in sight in the early summer evening. "good-by, bert and nan!" called their chums. "good-by, flossie and freddie!" "good-by! good-by!" echoed the bobbsey twins. "dad is home ahead of us," remarked bert to nan, as they went up the steps. "how do you know?" asked nan. "because i see the runabout there," and bert pointed toward the garage. "seems to be something wrong," bert went on. "mother is there and so is sam." "let's go see what it is," suggested nan, as dinah came to the door, calling: "am mah honey lambs safe an' sound?" "yes, dinah!" said freddie. "and i'm hungry, too!" "ah spects yo' is, honey! ah spects yo' is!" laughed the jolly, fat cook. "come right in yeah an' hab some cake!" "i'm going to ride on a lion, i am!" stated flossie. "good lan', chile! a lion!" exclaimed dinah, raising her hands in surprise. "yep! a lion!" "oh, mah honey lamb! don't yo' do no sich a thing!" cried dinah. "a lion done eat yo' laigs off!" "'tisn't a real lion. i mean a wooden lion on a merry-go-round like we saw to-day," flossie explained. "oh, a wooden lion!" and dinah laughed. "well, come in yeah, honey lambs, an' i'll feed yo'. ah'll make beliebe yo' all is hungry lions, an' ah'll feed yo'!" and while flossie and freddie went into the house with dinah, bert and nan hurried toward the garage, where they saw their father and mother talking with sam johnson. "i's done suah i put dat lap robe in de auto," said dinah's husband. "i thought you did, sam," said mrs. bobbsey. "yet when mr. bobbsey looked for it, to put around him, as he had no coat, the robe was gone." "are you sure it isn't in the garage, sam?" asked mr. bobbsey. "sartin suah, sah! i done put it in de little auto when yo' all started off, 'case i reckoned it'd be dusty." "well, the lap robe is gone like my coat," said mr. bobbsey. "too bad, for it was a new one." "it suah am too bad!" declared sam. "yo' all has me worried!" "well, you don't need to worry, sam," said mrs. bobbsey kindly. "it isn't your fault. i know you put the robe in the auto, for i saw it when we started. but when i wanted it to wrap around mr. bobbsey, after his coat was taken, and it was cool riding home, the robe was gone." "stolen, mother, do you think?" asked nan. "i wouldn't say that. it may have fallen out on the way." "well, that's two things gone the same day," said mr. bobbsey, who was still in his shirt sleeves, as he had come from the picnic. "my coat and the lap robe. i guess that blipper's merry-go-round, which is to show at the bolton county fair, didn't bring me any good luck." bert and nan were wondering if bob guess or the red-faced man knew anything of their father's coat and the missing lap robe when from the kitchen dinah's voice excitedly called: "come heah! come heah if yo' please, mr. bobbsey! suffin's done gone an' happened!" "oh, dear!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "what's the matter now?" chapter vi happy days coming when dinah called in this fashion, with worry making itself heard in her voice, mrs. bobbsey always hurried to see what the matter was. generally it was something the smaller bobbsey twins had done. and as she knew flossie and freddie were now in the kitchen, mother bobbsey feared one of the smaller children had been hurt. "what is it, dinah?" asked the mother, as she hurried back toward the house. bert and nan, with their father, waiting only a moment, followed mrs. bobbsey. "i should think freddie and flossie would have had enough fun at the picnic not to want to do any more cutting up," remarked nan. "you never can tell what those tykes will do," observed bert. "i don't hear either of 'em yelling, and that's a good sign." but just as he spoke there came a wail from the kitchen, which, by this time, mrs. bobbsey had reached, disappearing within. "that's flossie," said nan. again came the voice of a little child, crying either in fear or in delight at some funny happening, it could not be told which. "there goes freddie, letting off steam," said bert. "i guess it isn't anything very much. freddie always laughs in that squealing way when something tickles him." mr. bobbsey, with the two older twins, entered the kitchen soon after mrs. bobbsey. there stood flossie and freddie before a low kitchen table, one leaf of which was down, so that whatever was under could not be seen very well, on account of the shadow cast by the electric light. and beside flossie and freddie stood dinah. "what's the matter?" asked mr. bobbsey. "dinah says snoop, our cat, has caught some sort of animal and has it under the table," said mrs. bobbsey. "it's a big animal and it's got fur on," declared flossie, greatly excited. "an' it's got yellow eyes and four legs an' it's long--it's as long as my arm!" added freddie, his eyes big with wonder. "oh, it was awful funny!" he went on, squealing with delight. "i saw snoop drag it under the table and i called dinah. didn't i, dinah?" "dat's whut yo' done, honey lamb! ah don't know whut it is snoop has, mis' bobbsey," went on the colored cook, "but it's some sort o' animile!" "and snoop growled, he did, when he dragged it under the table!" exclaimed flossie. "i heard snoop growl, i did! listen!" surely enough the cat growled again, just as a lion or a tiger in the jungle would growl after catching its dinner--only not so loud, of course. "oh!" murmured flossie, making a dive for her mother's skirts. "there! look! i saw its tail!" cried freddie. as he spoke just a flash of some furry animal was seen under the table where snoop had gone to hide. "i hope it isn't a little skunk!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "don't worry!" advised her husband. "if it was a young skunk that snoop had, you'd have known it long before this. and snoop never would try to catch a skunk--snoop would know better." "but what is it? he has something!" insisted mrs. bobbsey. "maybe i can coax snoop out," put in nan. "he minds me better than he does any one else. here, snoop! come on out, nice snoop!" she called in a gentle voice. but snoop only growled in answer, and seemed to be shaking, beneath the table, the unknown animal he had caught and dragged there. "shall i get the rake and pull him out?" asked bert. "no, you might hurt him," replied mr. bobbsey. "go out to the garage and get the big flash lamp from sam. i can shine that under the table and we can see what it is before we do anything. evidently snoop isn't going to come out until he gets ready. and it may be he has a large rat or----" dinah gave a scream. "oh--a rat!" she cried. "maybe it's only a little mouse--i like a funny little mouse," said flossie. "well, i don't," said dinah. "they eats mah food." "maybe it's only a little mole from the garden," went on mr. bobbsey. "it's bigger'n a ground mole!" declared freddie. "i saw it, an' it's long and brown and has legs an' brown eyes that shine." "well, whatever it is it can't be very dangerous," said mr. bobbsey. "if it was, snoop never would have dared to get it. but i don't want to reach under there in the dark and perhaps get bitten and scratched by snoop, or whatever he has. we'll wait for the flash light." bert now came running in with this, sam following when he heard that the cat had something strange under the table in the kitchen. "dey suah am lots ob t'ings happenin' dis day," observed sam. mr. bobbsey flashed the light under the table. the four twins had stooped down to get a better view, and freddie cried: "i see its eyes shining!" "i can see its tail! oh, no, that's snoop's tail!" added flossie. "snoop, what have you there? stop growling and give it to me!" demanded mr. bobbsey, thrusting his hand under the table. "be careful," advised his wife. "it may bite." mr. bobbsey laughed and thrust his hand farther under the table. there was a little scuffle as snoop tried to hold fast to what he had. he clung so hard to it with teeth and claws that he was dragged over the smooth linoleum on the floor. "here's your wild beast!" cried mr. bobbsey, as he arose, and held something covered with brown fur dangling from one hand. "what is it?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "that's not a rat." "no, it's your fur neck piece," her husband said, with a laugh. "oh, i wore it to the picnic, for i thought it would be cool coming home," said mrs. bobbsey, as she took the piece of fur. "and i laid it on the hall table. i forgot about snoop. he must have seen it, thought it was a strange animal, and carried it away with him. oh, snoop!" and she shook her finger at the cat which, now that it had nothing to play with, came out from beneath the table. "it does look like an animal," said nan. and indeed the fur piece did. for it was fashioned with an imitation of an animal's head, with yellow glass eyes. the fur piece was quite long and four little legs were fastened to it. so that it is no wonder a cat, or even a boy or a girl, at first look, would take it for something real. "well, snoop had a good time with it, while it lasted," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "and my fur wouldn't have lasted much longer with him, if he'd started to claw and bite it," remarked mrs. bobbsey. "i'm glad you called me in, dinah." "yessum, ah thought maybe yo'd better see what the cat had, 'cause ah couldn't make out what 'twas," the cook answered. "well, now that the excitement is over, we'd better have supper," said mr. bobbsey. "or did you youngsters have enough at the picnic to last until morning?" "we want to eat now!" decided bert. "that wasn't so much we had at the picnic." "i guess you were extra hungry, from being out of doors all day," his mother said. "well, supper will soon be ready." as they ate they talked over the fun they had had at pine grove, and flossie remarked: "i'm going to ride on a wooden lion, i am--on the merry-go-round. i'm going to ride on the lion." "so'm i," declared freddie. "there are two lions, an' i'm going to ride on one an' flossie on the other one." "where's your merry-go-round?" asked nan. "at the fair--the bolton county fair," said freddie. "i heard that funny red-faced man say so." "but the bolton fair is a long way off," went on nan. "daddy will take us; won't you?" asked flossie. "can't we go to the fair and ride on the merry-go-round?" she teased. "well, i don't know," answered mr. bobbsey slowly. "i suppose it would be a good thing to visit a big county fair, and this is one of the largest." "but we'd have to go and stay for some time," said mrs. bobbsey. "bolton is a long way off. we couldn't go and come the same day." "one ought to spend more than a day at a big fair if he wants to see everything," went on mr. bobbsey. "i never could stay as long as i wanted to when i was a boy. now, i was thinking perhaps we could all go to meadow brook farm for a little visit. from meadow brook it isn't far to the bolton county fair." "oh, let's go!" cried bert and nan. "what about school?" asked their mother. "school doesn't open until later this fall than usual," explained mr. bobbsey. "they are repairing the school house and the work will not be finished in time for the regular fall opening. i know, for the school board buys lumber of me. "so, as long as the children don't have to be back until the middle of october, we could all go to meadow brook, and from there visit the fair. would you like that?" he asked his wife. "i think it would be lovely!" "so do i!" echoed the bobbsey twins. "well, then, we'll think about it," promised their father. "you will have some happy days to think about until it is time to go. and now i think it is time for my little fairy and my brave fireman to go to bed." daddy bobbsey sometimes called the small twins by these pet names. "come on! up to bed!" he called. "we'll talk more about the bolton county fair another day!" as he was carrying the smaller children up to bed, a style of travel the little twins loved, there came a ring at the front door bell. dinah, who answered, came back to say: "dere's a p'liceman outside whut wants to see yo', mr. bobbsey." "a policeman?" "yas, sah!" "a policeman for me?" "yas, sah!" "dear me!" mr. bobbsey murmured. "what can be the matter now!" "oh, daddy!" squealed flossie, at once filled with excitement. "what do you suppose----" began bert, and then stopped in the midst of his speech. "maybe he has found your lost coat," suggested nan, as her father put flossie and freddie down in an easy chair. chapter vii the crying boy there had been so much excitement over the strange "animal" which snoop had under the table that, for a time, the bobbsey twins had forgotten about their father's coat having been taken at the picnic. nor had they remembered about the missing lap robe. but now, as nan said this, every one--except perhaps the smaller twins--thought about the things that were gone. "oh, that's so!" exclaimed bert, following what his sister said. "maybe the policeman has come to bring back your lost coat, daddy!" "i hope he has," said mr. bobbsey. "not only do i not want to lose the coat, for a suit of clothes isn't of much use without a coat, but i don't like to lose the money and papers." "no, sah, mr. bobbsey, de p'liceman didn't hab no coat," said dinah. "he didn't?" remarked mr. bobbsey. "no, sah. he didn't." "well then, i can't imagine what he wants," went on the father of the bobbsey twins. "ask him to come in, dinah." in came the policeman. he was one the children knew, from having often seen him pass the house. "good evening, mr. bobbsey," said the officer, the light flashing on his brass buttons. "i came up to see about a lap robe stolen from your auto." "did you find it?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i'm so glad! and did you find mr. bobbsey's coat, also?" "why, no, mrs. bobbsey, i didn't," answered policeman murphy. "i didn't know about any lost coat. i was just sent up from the police station to inquire about the robbery of a lap robe. somebody telephoned down that a policeman was wanted because a lap robe had been stolen. that's why i came up--because of the telephone message." "telephone!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "i didn't telephone for you, mr. murphy." "neither did i," said mrs. bobbsey. "perhaps it was one of the children," and she looked at bert and nan. the older bobbsey twins shook their heads. flossie and freddie, though they knew how to telephone, would hardly have thought of calling up the police. but they were asked about it. "nope, we didn't do it," flossie said. "though we likes p'licemans; don't we, freddie?" "yeppie," he answered sleepily. "when i grows up i'm goin' be a p'licemans or a firesmans--i forget which." "he's sleepy," laughed the officer. "but what about this, mr. bobbsey? some one must have telephoned." "yes, of course. i wonder if it could have been mr. blipper or that lad who called himself bob guess?" "who are they?" the officer asked. "mr. blipper is a man who owns a merry-go-round he takes to fairs and circuses. he passed the picnic grounds where we were to-day. he's on his way to the bolton county fair. he had with him a boy named bob guess--called that because the lad is an orphan and they had to 'guess' at his name. soon after this blipper and his outfit left, i missed my coat, and, coming home, we found the lap robe gone. i was going to ride after him, but we had a little excitement here, and i haven't had a chance. then you came along and----" the sound of steps was heard on the side porch, and in came sam, quite excited. "'scuse me!" he murmured, as he entered. "oh, de p'liceman done come!" he exclaimed. "he's heah! i'm glad!" "did you expect him?" asked mr. bobbsey. "yes, sah, mr. bobbsey, i did! when de lap robe was gone i t'ought maybe you t'ink i might 'a' been careless like, an' let some chicken t'ieves in. so i telephoned fo' a p'liceman to come an' see if he could cotch de burglar!" "oh, sam, you didn't need to do that!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "we know it wasn't your fault that the lap robe was taken, any more than it was that mr. bobbsey's coat was stolen." "of course not!" echoed her husband. "well, i t'ought better we have a p'liceman," murmured sam. "i don't know what there is for him to do," said mr. bobbsey. "as nearly as i can figure it out, my coat was stolen at the picnic grounds and the lap robe was taken about the same time." "it was," agreed mrs. bobbsey. "and i think that blipper--or perhaps bob guess--had something to do with both thefts." "it might be," replied the officer. "those traveling show people aren't very careful, sometimes. i'll report back to the chief and see what he says. if we get sight of this merry-go-round crowd, mr. bobbsey, we'll stop them and ask them about your coat and the robe." "thank you, i wish you would. but i don't imagine you'll see them. they are on their way to bolton, and we shall be there ourselves next week, so we can make some inquiries." officer murphy left, finding there was nothing he could do. flossie and freddie were carried up to bed, and nan danced about the room, singing: "we're going to the fair! we're going to the fair! we're going to the bolton county fair!" and bert echoed: "maybe we'll find daddy's coat when we get there!" then, tired but happy over their fun at the picnic and too sleepy to worry much over the lost articles, the bobbsey twins at last went to bed. as their parents had said, school would not open as early that fall as in other years, because some rebuilding work was being done in a few of the rooms. so there was time to go to meadow brook, and from there to visit bolton, a few miles away, where the big fair was being held. "do you really think we can go, mother?" asked nan, the next day. "i don't see why not. your father seems to have made up his mind to it." "well, i hope he doesn't change it, as he does sometimes," said bert, with a laugh. "they're going to have airships and a balloon at the fair, charlie mason says, and maybe i can go up in the balloon. wouldn't that be great, nan?" "i'm not going up in any balloon!" "i am!" decided bert, as if that was all there was to it. "an' i'm going to ride on a lion!" cried flossie. "so'm i!" chimed in her brother freddie. uncle daniel bobbsey and his wife sarah, with their son harry, lived at meadow brook farm. the bobbsey twins had been there more than once, as those who have read the other books of this series will remember. and now it was proposed to go there again. "but we'll be at the fair more than we will be at meadow brook, sha'n't we?" asked nan of her father. "well, sort of betwixt and between," he answered, with a laugh. uncle daniel having been written to, said he would be delighted to have his brother and his brother's family come out for the remainder of the summer and early fall. and in about a week all preparations were made. the trip was to be made in the bobbsey's big auto, and would take about a day. by starting early in the morning meadow brook farm could be reached by night. from there it was only a short distance to bolton where, each year, a big fair was held. "and if i see that bob guess i'll make him tell where daddy's coat is!" declared bert. "and the lap robe, too!" added nan. it was a fine, sunny day when the start was made. into the auto piled the bobbsey twins, with boxes and baskets of lunch. "it's like another picnic!" laughed nan, as she saw bert piling away the good things to eat. "hab a good time, honey lambs!" called fat dinah, as she and her husband stood on the steps, waving good-by. "take good care of snoop and snap!" begged nan. "we will!" promised sam. snap, the dog, wanted to come along, but as he could not very well be looked after on this trip he had to be left behind, much to his sorrow. he howled dismally as the auto went down the road. not very much happened on the way to meadow brook. once a tire was punctured and mr. bobbsey had to stop to put on a spare one. but this happened near a garage, so he had a man from there do the work, while he and his wife, with the twins, went into a little grove of trees and ate lunch. "be careful of your coat!" warned mrs. bobbsey, as her husband took it off and hung it on a tree while he built a fire to heat the water for tea. "oh, no one is going to steal this one!" he said. "anyhow, it's an old one. but there's no one here to take it. no mr. blipper or bob guess around now." "well, don't forget, and go off, leaving it hang on the tree," warned his wife. "i won't," said mr. bobbsey. a fire was made, and as mrs. bobbsey was sitting with her back against a stump, comfortably sipping her tea, she heard the sound of crying. as bert and nan, with flossie and freddie, were gathering flowers not far away, mrs. bobbsey could see that it was none of her twins who was sobbing. but the crying kept up, and she looked around to see whence it came. mr. bobbsey was busy packing up the lunch things, for there was enough food left to serve a little tea around five o'clock, since meadow brook farm would not be reached before seven o'clock that evening, on account of the delay over the tire. "who is that crying, dick?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "crying? why, i don't hear--yes, i do, too!" her husband added, as the sound of sobs came to his ears. he looked to make sure his own children were all right and then glanced about. as he did so there came from a little clump of trees, not far from the grove where the bobbseys had eaten lunch, a ragged boy, who seemed in pain or distress, for he was crying very hard. "oh, the poor lad!" said mrs. bobbsey in a kind voice. "go see what the matter is, dick! he is in trouble of some sort! i wonder who he is?" "yes, without doubt, the lad's in trouble. we'll see what we can do," answered the father of the twins. the crying boy walked slowly toward the bobbsey family, and now the twins, hearing his sobs, looked up in wonder from their flower-gathering. chapter viii angry mr. blipper "why, it's bob guess!" cried bert, dropping his bunch of flowers, so excited was he. "it's bob guess!" "so it is!" agreed nan. "and he's crying." there was no doubt of that: it was bob guess, the lad the bobbsey twins had seen working at the merry-go-round engine the day of the sunday school picnic. bob came slowly along, sobbing hard. "what's the matter, bob?" asked bert, who had taken a liking to the ragged chap. for the time being mr. bobbsey's missing coat and the lap robe were forgotten. "why are you crying?" "can we help you?" asked mrs. bobbsey. bob guess ceased sobbing and looked up. he seemed surprised to see the children and their parents. "oh, i--i didn't know anybody was here," he stammered. "that's all right," said mr. bobbsey. "if there's anything we can do to help you---- where's mr. blipper, by the way? there is something i should like to ask him. or perhaps you can tell me." "not now, dick, not now," said mrs. bobbsey in a whisper, with a shake of her head at her husband. she knew what he wanted to ask--about his coat and the robe. "not now; he is too miserable," she went on. "has anything happened?" asked mr. bobbsey, changing his first line of questions. "ye--yes," stammered bob, not sobbing so hard now. "i--i've run away from mr. blipper!" "you've run away!" echoed nan. bob nodded his head vigorously to show that he meant "yes," and he went on: "he treated me mean! there was a lot of hard work setting up the merry-go-round at the bolton fair, and i had more than my share. he wouldn't give me any money--he hardly gave me enough to eat. and i ran away. i'm not done running yet, only i'm so hungry i can't go very fast any more." "you poor boy!" murmured mrs. bobbsey. "is that why you cried--because you were hungry?" "yes--yes'm," murmured bob guess. "well, we have plenty to eat," said mr. bobbsey, with a kindly pat on the shoulder of the ragged boy. "here, we'll give you a lunch, and then maybe you can tell me what i want to know. where is mr. blipper?" "he's back there at the merry-go-round. we had some trouble with the engine. but i guess he has it fixed by now. he's back at the fair grounds. it opens to-morrow. that is, he's there unless he has come chasing after me." "do you think he'd do that?" asked bert. it was quite an exciting adventure, bert thought, to run away and be chased by mr. blipper. "well, he said if i ever ran away he'd run after me and bring me back," answered bob. "anyhow, i've run away, but it isn't as much fun as i thought it'd be. only i can't stand mr. blipper! he's too cross!" "poor boy!" murmured mrs. bobbsey again. "get him something to eat, dick. he must be very hungry!" and bob was, to judge by the manner in which he ate some of the bobbsey's lunch. it was a good thing there was plenty. having eaten all he seemed to care for and drinking two glasses of milk, bob leaned back against a tree stump and said: "now can't i do something to pay you for my meal?" "do something to pay for it?" repeated mrs. bobbsey, wonderingly. "yes, mr. blipper says i've always got to work for my board. sometimes he says i'm not worth my salt." "well, this time there is no need of doing anything for us," said mr. bobbsey. "you are welcome to what you have had to eat. but now what are you going to do?" "i'm going to run away farther if i can," bob guess answered. "hum! i'm not so sure that we ought to let you, now that we know about you," went on the father of the bobbsey twins. "has this mr. blipper any claim on you?" "he says he adopted me and can keep me until i'm twenty-one years old." "he may be right. i don't know about that. it must be looked into. anyhow, i don't feel like letting you run away, bob," went on mr. bobbsey kindly. "i'd like to have a talk with blipper on my own account, and i could ask him about you. did you happen to see----" but before mr. bobbsey could ask what he intended to--about his missing coat and the lap robe--a man from the garage where the automobile had been left to have the tire changed came across the field. "it's a good thing you stopped when you did, mr. bobbsey," said the garage man. "why so?" "because if you had gone on a little farther one of the wheels of your car would have come off, and if you had been going fast, or down-hill, you might have had a bad accident. i found the break when i was putting on the tire, and i came over to ask if you wanted me to fix it." "yes, i suppose so. i'll come and have a look. we don't want to go on if there is any danger." "there is danger. and it will take half a day to mend the break." "half a day!" said mr. bobbsey, as he followed the man, forgetting for the time all about bob and mr. blipper. "that means we'll not get to meadow brook to-night. is there a good hotel in town?" "yes, a very good one not far from my garage." "well then, in case we have to remain, we can stay at the hotel. but wait until i take a look at the broken wheel." mr. bobbsey found that the garage man was right. the automobile was in need of repairs, and had the party gone on, without noticing the break, a bad accident might have happened. "oh, dear!" sighed mrs. bobbsey, when told of the news, "must we stay here all night?" "unless i hire another auto, or you and the children go on by train," said her husband. "i shall have to stay here to bring our car on." "oh, i don't want that! no, we'll stay at the hotel. but what about him?" she asked in a low voice, pointing to bob guess, who was talking to the twins. "that's so. we can't turn him adrift," mr. bobbsey agreed. "well, i'll get a room for him at the hotel. in the morning i can decide what to do. i don't like to send him back to blipper. but if the man has adopted him he has a claim on the boy. we'll see what happens by morning." mrs. bobbsey may have disliked to break the journey and stay at a strange hotel, but the bobbsey twins thought it great fun. the hotel was a small country one, clean and neat, and the bobbseys and bob guess were about the only guests there. "i'm not fit to stop at a hotel," said the ragged boy. "oh, you're all right," said mr. bobbsey. "perhaps i can get you some clothes here. if there isn't a store that sells them i may be able to get you a second-hand suit from the hotel keeper." as it happened, there was no clothing store in the village of montville, where the stop was made. but the hotel proprietor had some clothes of one of his sons who had gone to the city to work. bob was given a partly worn but very good coat and trousers. "he's a nice looking boy when he's dressed well," said mrs. bobbsey, as the lad discarded his old clothes. "yes," agreed her husband. "he has a good, honest face. and yet, when i think of my coat and the lap robe---- but i'll wait until i see blipper." "do you think you will see him?" "yes, i imagine he'll follow this boy. he's a hard worker, bob is, and blipper won't want to lose him. i shouldn't wonder but what he came on after bob." "how will he know where to find him?" asked bert, who heard what his father and mother said. "oh, he can make inquiries along the way. but i'll do what i can for bob." bert and nan, with flossie and freddie, had good times at the country hotel. their rooms were on a long corridor, and the twins raced up and down this, playing tag and other games. no one seemed to mind. at supper bob ate a good meal, but did not talk much. and every time the dining room door opened he looked around quickly, as if fearing to see mr. blipper come in. in the evening mr. bobbsey went down to the garage to see how the men were progressing with the repairs to his car, for they had promised to work all night. bert went with his father. "i guess you'll be able to go on in the morning, mr. bobbsey," the garage man said. "i hope so. my youngsters are anxious to get to meadow brook, and from there go to the bolton county fair." "that's quite a fair. lots of attractions i hear. a merry-go-round, a balloon, airships, and auto races. i'd go myself if i had time." as bert and his father reached the hotel a little later they heard loud talking coming from the sitting room where they had left mrs. bobbsey and the children. the voice of an angry man was saying: "well, i tell you i'm going to have that boy back! he ran away from me! i'm his legally appointed guardian, and i want him back! you come along with me, bob guess!" then mrs. bobbsey said firmly: "mr. blipper, you shall not take this boy away until my husband comes back. mr. bobbsey wants to see you. you can't take bob away like this. i won't let you. if necessary i'll call a policeman. you must wait until my husband comes back!" "i'm not going to wait! i'm going to take that boy now!" cried the angry man, as bert and his father hurried in. chapter ix the big swing mr. bobbsey and bert now looked on a rather sad scene in the hotel sitting room. on one side of the apartment stood mr. blipper, having hold of the coat collar of bob guess. and bob was crying again. on the other side of the room stood mrs. bobbsey with nan, flossie, and freddie close to her. at one end of the room, looking in through the door, was the good-natured but easy-going proprietor of the hotel and some of the servants. "what is going on here?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i'm going away, if that's what you mean!" snapped out mr. blipper in angry tones. "i traced this runaway adopted son of mine here, and i'm taking him back with me. this lady says i can't!" "i told him to wait until you came back," said mrs. bobbsey. "i didn't want him to take poor bob away. i don't believe he has any right to take him." "i don't know who you are!" spluttered the angry mr. blipper. "but you haven't any right to stop me." "this lady is my wife," said mr. bobbsey, and he spoke in such a way that mr. blipper at once lost some of his bluster. "she has the same right that any one has to inquire into something he thinks is wrong." "but this isn't wrong!" cried mr. blipper. "i have a right to this boy. i adopted him legally, i did! i gave him a name when he didn't have any before. bob guess i call him, 'cause i had to guess at his name. i took him out of an orphan asylum and give him a good home!" "home!" cried bob guess. "you didn't give me any _home_! you keep dragging me all over the country with that merry-go-round! i haven't any home except sleepin' in a truck." "you were glad enough to come with me!" sneered mr. blipper. "anyway, i'm sick of it. that's why i ran away." "well, you're going to run back again!" said mr. blipper, grimly, as he gave the boy a shake. "wait a minute," said mr. bobbsey. "have you a legal right to this boy?" "that's what i have. i expected some such question would be asked of me, and i brought along my papers. there they are. you can look 'em over for yourself." he tossed a long envelope containing papers to mr. bobbsey, and the latter looked at the documents. "don't let him take me back!" pleaded bob guess. "i don't like him!" "i don't like you, when it comes to that!" sneered the angry man. "but i'm going to have you back! i have a right to you, and you've got to work for me." "these papers seem to be all right," said mr. bobbsey, slowly. "he is your legal guardian, bob. you had better go with him, and do as he says. but if he treats you cruelly let me know. i am going to the bolton county fair, and when i get there i'll keep my eye on you." "say, who are you, anyhow?" sneered mr. blipper. "my name is bobbsey," answered the children's father. "i live in lakeport. i thought perhaps you might know my name." "how should i know your name?" "it was on some papers in my coat that disappeared from the sunday school picnic grounds the day you had trouble with your engine near the grove." mr. blipper looked first at bob and then at mr. bobbsey. "say!" cried the merry-go-round owner, "maybe you think i know something about your coat." "maybe you do," answered mr. bobbsey, easily. "and the lap robe!" whispered bert. "hush, bert!" warned his mother. "leave this to daddy!" "well, i don't know anything about your coat or a lap robe, either!" declared mr. blipper. "all i know is that bob ran away from me, and now i'm going to run him back!" there seemed no help for it. mr. bobbsey sadly shook his head when the twins and his wife pleaded with him to do something to save bob. "those papers show the boy is adopted," he said. "i can do nothing. but we'll keep our eyes on him. we are going to the fair, and if bob is not kindly treated i'll complain to the children's aid society." "you don't need to worry!" gruffly said mr. blipper. "i'll treat him as well as he deserves." "am i to keep these clothes?" asked bob, as mr. blipper led him away. "of course," said mr. bobbsey. "i bought them for you." "what's that? who's been giving you clothes?" demanded mr. blipper. "don't you think he needed them?" inquired mrs. bobbsey, gently. "well--er--i was going to buy him a new suit after we took in some money at the bolton fair," sheepishly said mr. blipper. "i--i'm much obliged to you folks, though. bob isn't a bad boy when he wants to be good. come on now. i've a rig outside and we can get back to the fair grounds to-night if we hurry." with a sad look at the friends who had been so kind to him, bob followed his adopted father out of the room. he did not cry, but he seemed to want to. "good-by!" called the bobbsey twins. "we'll see you at the fair!" "good-by!" echoed bob guess. the bobbsey twins wondered when they would see him again. it might be thought that the excitement of the runaway boy who was caught again would keep bert and nan awake. flossie and freddie were too young to give the matter much attention. but though the older bobbsey twins felt sorry for the lad, they had the idea that their father would make matters all right concerning him, and so they did not lie awake vainly worrying. they slept soundly, the night passed quietly, and in the morning after an early breakfast the family were on their way again in the automobile which had been mended during the night. "we'll soon be at meadow brook farm, sha'n't we?" asked freddie over and over again. "yes," his mother told him. "and i'm going to milk a cow, i am!" announced flossie. "so'm i!" echoed freddie. "i'm goin' milk two cows, i am!" "i guess you mean you're going to see them milked!" laughed nan. "milking cows would be hard work even for bert." "maybe i could milk a little teeny weeny cow," suggested freddie. "well, we'll have some fun, anyhow!" said nan. and fun they did have! it started almost as soon as they reached the farm of their uncle daniel and aunt sarah. "say, i'm glad you came!" exclaimed harry, as he greeted his four cousins while the older folks were talking among themselves. "i have something fine to show you." "what?" asked bert. "a big swing! you ought to see it! it's out under the apple tree down by the brook!" "oh, i'm going to sail my boat in the brook!" cried freddie, as soon as he heard the mention of water. "an' i'll get rosamond an' give her a ride on your boat!" cried flossie. rosamond was a small doll flossie had brought along. "all right," agreed bert, seeing a chance for the smaller twins to play by themselves while he and nan experimented with the swing. "you get your boat, freddie, and you get your doll, flossie, and we'll all go down to the brook and apple tree together." "be careful, now!" called mrs. bobbsey, as the children ran off. "we will," they promised. and really they meant to, but you know how it often is--things happen that you can't help. "there's the swing!" cried harry, pointing to it dangling from the sturdy limb of the big apple tree. "daddy put it up for me last week. i'm glad you came. we can have lots of fun in it." "we want some swings!" cried freddie. "after a bit," promised nan. "sail your boat now, and give rosamond a ride, flossie, and you shall have some swings after that." the water was more of an attraction for the smaller twins than was the swing, and thus nan, bert and harry had it to themselves. while flossie and freddie played with the doll and the boat, the older children took turns seeing how high they could go. then they would let the "old cat die," that is, stay in the swing, without trying to make it sway, until it came to a dead stop. "i know what we can do!" cried bert, when they were tired of swinging. "what?" asked harry. "we can shinny up the rope like sailors. i can go 'way up to the limb." bert was a sturdy chap, and soon he was "shinnying," or climbing, up the rope like a human monkey. then harry did it, managing to reach the big limb, to which the rope was fastened, more quickly than had bert. "now it's my turn!" exclaimed nan, when the two boys were on the ground again. "pooh! girls can't climb ropes!" declared harry. "yes, i can, too! you watch!" nan was almost as strong as her brother. she caught hold of the rope, and managed to scramble up, though it was hard work. "you can't do it!" laughed harry, when, almost at the top, she paused for a moment. "yes, i can! i can! you just watch!" nan gave a wiggle, another scramble, and then, just as she managed to get one leg over the limb, she slipped. "oh! oh!" she screamed. "i'm going to fall!" but she did not fall. instead, one foot caught in a loop of the rope, and there poor nan hung, half way over the limb, one leg dangling down, and her hands clutching the rope. she could neither get up nor down! she was caught on the limb of the tree! chapter x down a big hole for a few seconds bert and harry were so surprised at what had happened to nan that they could do nothing but stand and stare up at her. as for nan, she also was surprised at the suddenness of her tumble when she was almost perched safely astride the limb to which the rope of the swing was tied. as she felt herself slipping she had clung with all her might, one hand and part of her arm over the branch, another hand grasping the rope, one leg partly up over the limb, and the other leg tangled in the rope. this was what had caused the trouble--the leg getting caught and tangled in a loop of the rope. but for that, nan could have swung this leg up over the limb and so have perched there in safety. "come on down!" cried harry. "don't fall!" begged bert. "oh, nan, be careful! mother'll think i oughtn't to have let you climb up there!" "you didn't--you didn't let--me!" panted nan. "i did it myself!" "well, come on down!" begged harry again. "i--i can't!" half sobbed nan, with a catch in her voice. "i--i'm stuck! go get a ladder--get something to help me. i can't hold on much longer!" "shall we get the tennis net and let you fall into that?" asked bert, starting toward the swing with half an idea that he could climb up the rope and loosen nan. "no, i don't want to fall!" cried his sister. "get a ladder so i can climb down. call daddy!" "i'll call my father!" offered harry. "he's got a long ladder!" "do something! quick!" begged nan desperately. as bert and harry started to run toward the house to summon their fathers and mothers, flossie and freddie, tired of playing with the little boat in the brook, came up to the apple tree. freddie saw nan hanging there, some distance above the ground. "oh, nan's doing circus tricks! nan's doing circus tricks!" cried freddie. "look at her, flossie. nan's doing circus tricks an' i want to do 'em, too!" "no, no, freddie!" screamed nan, as her little brother ran under the limb to which she was desperately clinging. "go away! don't stand under me this way! i might fall on you!" "oh, i'm going to get mother!" exclaimed flossie. "she won't want you to fall, nan!" "well, i--i can't hold on much longer!" sobbed nan. though if she had let go her grasp on the tree limb she would probably not have fallen, for one foot was tangled in the swing rope. however, hanging by one leg high in the air would not have been very pleasant. nan was not enough of a circus performer for that, though she and bert had often done "stunts" on a trapeze in the back yard at home when they gave "shows." however, help was on its way to nan. the excited story told by harry and bert to the two mr. bobbseys started both men into action. they got a long ladder and, having run with it to the tree, placed it up against the limb. then mr. richard bobbsey climbed up, while his brother held steady the foot of the ladder on the ground. "why, nan!" exclaimed her father, as he climbed up to set her free, "what in the world made you do this?" "i--i don't know, daddy! but bert and harry climbed up, and they did it all right. but when i went up something slipped, and i nearly fell, and i grabbed the rope and the branch, and there i was!" "well, it's a good thing you stuck here instead of falling down there," and mr. bobbsey looked to the ground below. "you're all right now. don't cry." but nan could not help crying a little, though she was glad she could feel her father's arms about her. mr. bobbsey soon loosened the little girl's leg from the loop of the rope, and then he carried her down the ladder. "you're just like a fireman, aren't you, daddy?" cried freddie, as his father set nan on the ground. "well, a little, yes," admitted mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "but better not any more of you try those firemen tricks," he warned the children as the ladder was taken down. "i'll have to put the swing away if you climb the rope any more," threatened uncle daniel. "we won't shinny up it any more," promised bert and harry, and their fathers knew that if the boys did not do it nan would not. "i guess we've had enough swinging," said bert. "let's play something else, harry. got any new games?" "we can go down to the pond and fish." "oh, i love to fish!" exclaimed nan. "what kind of fish can you catch in the pond, harry?" "bullfrogs, mostly." "they aren't fish," laughed nan. "well, it's just as much fun," went on the country boy. "i guess i'd better go help mother unpack the trunks," nan said, for she saw the expressman drive up with two trunks that had been sent on ahead. "mother will want me to help her get the things out so we can go to the bolton county fair to-morrow. you're coming, aren't you, harry?" "sure! it'll be great. but now we'll go fishing for bullfrogs. come on, bert!" "i want to fish!" begged freddie, hearing this magic word. "no, you and flossie come with me," directed nan, knowing that the two boys would not have much fun if they had to watch the small children and keep them from tumbling into the pond. "don't want to come with you!" pouted flossie. "we wants to go fishing!" "how would you and freddie like to go after eggs?" asked nan, as she saw her brother and harry making signals to her for her to do her best to keep flossie and freddie from following. "wouldn't you like to gather eggs?" "where do you get the eggs?" asked freddie, who had forgotten. "in the barn. we'll take the eggs out of the nests, and you and flossie can carry the eggs in a little basket to aunt bobbsey." "oh, yes!" cried flossie. "i want to do that!" "so do i!" added freddie. anything flossie wanted to do he generally did also. "all right," said nan, waving to bert and harry to hurry away before the small twins changed their minds. "come with me, and after i help mother unpack the trunk we'll go and get the eggs." as it happened, however, mrs. bobbsey did not need nan's help. aunt sarah said she would aid in getting the things out of the trunks, so nan was allowed to go with flossie and freddie to the barn to gather eggs. what fun it was to climb over the sweet hay, sliding down little hills of it and landing on the barn floor, where more hay made a place like a cushion! what fun it was to look in at the horses chewing their fodder! and when the children poked their heads in the horses stopped eating, to turn around and look to see who was watching them. "oh, i've found some eggs!" suddenly cried flossie, as she spied some of the white objects in a nest in the hay. "pick them up carefully," advised nan. "eggs break very easily." "i want to help pick up the eggs!" cried freddie, hurrying over to his little sister's side. "no, you go find a nest of your own!" exclaimed flossie. "these are my eggs!" "there are plenty of nests," said nan. "you ought each to find two or three. come on, freddie, we'll look for a nest for you. be careful of those eggs, flossie! i guess i'd better help you pick them up and put them in a basket while freddie looks for another nest." so while nan stayed with flossie, freddie started off by himself to look for another nest. and as nan discovered a second nest not far from where flossie had found the first one, it took the sisters some time to pick up all the eggs. this gave freddie more time to himself, and he saw a ladder leading into the upper part of the barn where most of the hay was stored. "i guess maybe i'll find eggs up there," he said. he climbed the ladder, going slowly and carefully, and soon found himself up in the haymow. it was rather dark there, but when he had been in the place a little while freddie could see better. "i guess hens come up here to lay 'cause it's nice and quiet. now i must find some nests and eggs." he walked about over the slippery hay, peering here and there for a cluster of white eggs. suddenly freddie felt himself sliding down. faster and faster he went, feet first, and before he knew it he had slid down into a big hole together with a lot of hay. "nan! nan!" he cried. "come an' get me! i'm down in a hole!" chapter xi the county fair just as nan and flossie finished putting the last of the eggs into their basket they heard freddie's cries for help. surprised and a little frightened, they ran out of that part of the barn where flossie had found the first nest and nan the second. "freddie! freddie!" cried nan. "where are you, freddie?" "down in a hole!" came the muffled answer. "what hole?" nan wanted to know. "tell me where the hole is so i can come and get you out. what hole, freddie?" "maybe it's a dark hole," suggested flossie. "you 'member the verse: 'charcoal! charcoal! put me in a dark hole.' maybe freddie is in a dark hole." "yes, it is dark!" again sounded the muffled voice of the little boy. "i can hear you, nan, but i can't see you. get me out of the dark hole!" nan was puzzled. she, too, could hear freddie calling, but she could not see him. there were so many nooks and corners in the old barn that it was not strange freddie was not easily found. it was a great place for playing hide and go seek, so many dark spots were there in which to crouch, and the seeker might be right alongside of you and not spy you. "how did you get in the hole, freddie?" asked nan, knowing that talking and listening to freddie's answers was the best way to find out where he was. "i was looking for a nest," he said, his voice still muffled and far away, "and i slipped on some hay and went down the hole. there's a lot of hay in the hole with me now, and i'm stuck. i'm about half way down in the hole, nan." then nan began to understand what had taken place. she remembered that once something like this had happened to her. "are you sliding down or standing still, freddie?" she called to her brother. "i was sliding, but i'm standing still now," he answered. "i'm stuck fast in a lot of hay." "well, wiggle as hard as you can," advised nan. "i know where you are. you're in one of the chutes, or wooden tubes, that uncle daniel shoves hay down from the top floor of the barn to the lower floor. you stepped into a hay chute and you're stuck half way down. wiggle, and you'll slide down the rest of the way and you'll be out." so freddie wiggled as hard as he could and, surely enough, he felt himself again sliding down. he was not hurt, for there was soft hay on all sides of him. but it tickled, and it scratched the back of his neck, as well as his hands and face. some of the hay dust got up his nose, too, and made him want to sneeze. he gave one little sneeze--making a queer sound cooped up as he was--and then he cried: "oh, i'm stuck again, nan! i started sliding and now i'm stuck again!" "wiggle some more," advised his sister. she had set down the basket of eggs and was looking toward a dark side of the barn where she could see the lower ends of several wooden chutes. some were for oats and others for hay. she did not know just which wooden chute freddie would slide down. the chutes did not come all the way to the floor, there being room under each one to set a box or bushel basket. "wiggle some more, freddie!" again advised nan. "i will!" came the answer. "i'll wiggle hard and i'll--oh--kerchoo!" that was freddie sneezing, and he sneezed so hard that it did more good than his wiggling, for it sent him sliding down with a mass of hay to the bottom of the chute. "here i am!" he cried, and with a thump he landed on the barn floor, so wrapped and tangled in a clump of hay that he was not in the least hurt. "i'm all--kerchoo--right--kerchoo--nan!" he said, talking and sneezing at the same time. "well, i'm glad we found you, anyhow!" laughed his sister. "how did it happen?" "oh, it just happened," was all freddie could say. "i was looking for eggs, and i slipped. i'm glad i didn't slip in a hen's nest, else i'd 'a' broken a lot of eggs." "i'm glad of that, too," agreed nan. "well, flossie and i are 'way ahead of you. we have found two nests!" "i'm going to find one myself!" declared freddie, and a little later he did. this nest had many eggs in it, for it was used by several hens in turn, so that now the basket was half filled. then, by searching about, the children found more nests and eggs until the basket was quite full. now arose a dispute between flossie and freddie, for each one wanted to carry the basket. nan was afraid either of the little twins might stumble and fall, thereby breaking the eggs. "i know what we'll do," nan said, making up a little plan, as she often had to do to get freddie and flossie into a new way of thinking. "we'll play hide and go seek. i'll go on ahead and hide, and whoever finds me can carry the basket a little way." "oh, that'll be fun!" cried freddie. "come on, flossie! blind your eyes." "don't come until i get ready!" said nan. the children promised they would not. carefully they closed their eyes, covering them with their hands. nan hurried away, walking softly so the twins could not guess which way she was going. and she picked out a hiding place close to the house, right at the foot of the steps, in fact. "whichever one finds me won't have very far to carry the eggs, and they won't be so likely to drop them," thought nan, as she crouched down behind the rain-water barrel. "coop!" cried nan, this being a signal that she was hidden. "ready or not we're coming!" shouted freddie. he and his sister opened their eyes and began running about, eagerly searching. it was some little time before they found nan behind the barrel, and flossie spied her first. "i see you! i see you!" laughed the delighted little girl, and she was so excited over finding nan that she never realized she had only a few steps to carry the basket of eggs. flossie covered those few steps safely, and the eggs were put away in the closet by aunt sarah, later to be made into puddings and cakes for the bobbsey twins. "when are we going to the bolton county fair?" asked bert that evening after supper, when he and harry were resting after their sport in catching bullfrogs. "and i'm going to ride on a lion!" declared freddie. "we might go over to the fair to-morrow," said mr. bobbsey. "do you folks want to go?" he asked his brother and aunt sarah. "i don't believe i'll have time," answered mr. bobbsey's brother. "nor i," said aunt sarah. "i have a lot of cooking to do." "then i'm going to stay at home and help you," offered the mother of the bobbsey twins. "oh, can't we go to the fair?" wailed flossie and freddie, almost ready to cry. "of course you may go!" replied mother bobbsey. "i was going to say that daddy could take you children--harry may go, may he not?" she asked his mother. "oh, yes." "hurray!" cried harry, and bert and nan echoed his cry of joy. so it was arranged that mr. bobbsey would take the children to the bolton county fair, there to see the many wonderful things of which they had dreamed for days and nights. the bolton county fair was one of the largest in that part of the state. every year it was held, and farmers from many miles away brought their largest pumpkins and squashes, and their longest ears of corn, hoping to win prizes with them. the farmers' wives brought samples of their needlework, such as bedquilts, lace or embroidery, and samples of their cooking and preserving. the farm boys and girls made things or raised something to exhibit at the fair. besides this there were new kinds of machinery for the farmers to look at, such as windmills and plows and electrical appliances to be used on the farms. men who raised horses and cattle took their best specimens to the fair to show them for prizes. then there were to be automobile races and horse races, and there were many amusements from the big merry-go-round to the little tents and booths where one could throw baseballs at dolls or toss rings over canes. there were also booths and tents where candy, ice-cream, lemonade and cider were sold, as well as places to eat. "oh, it's wonderful!" cried nan, as she and her brothers, her sister, harry and her father got out of their automobile and walked through the big gates into the fair grounds. "don't you like it, bert?" "sure! it's fine!" "let's go over and look at the airship," proposed harry. "and the balloon," added bert. "do you s'pose i could go up in the balloon?" he asked his father. "no, i don't suppose you could--i wouldn't like you to," said mr. bobbsey. "but why, dad? the balloon is fast to the ground. it can't get away!" "i'm not so sure about that. i don't want you to go up. you'll have plenty of other fun." "i wanted to go up in the balloon," and bert sighed in disappointment. "we'll go look at it, anyhow," suggested harry. "i want a ride on a lion!" insisted freddie. "so do i!" added flossie. "all right, i'll take you children to the merry-go-round," said mr. bobbsey. "you come there and meet us after you finish looking at the balloon and the airship," he said to bert and harry. "i'll stay with you, daddy," said nan. "i want a ride on the merry-go-round, too," and she laughed. they could hear the music of the "carrousel," as a merry-go-round is sometimes called. "come on!" urged flossie and freddie, tugging at their father's hands. he led them over to the crowd that surrounded the machine on which a whirling ride could be had for five cents. "this way! this way for the merry-go-round!" cried a boy's voice. "only five cents a ride! get your tickets and take a ride! on an elephant or a tiger!" "i want a lion!" cried freddie. "all right! this way for your lions!" cried the voice. mr. bobbsey, pushing his way through the crowd with the children, saw bob guess on the merry-go-round. the boy was helping children to their seats on the wooden animals, strapping them safely so they would be ready when the machinery started. the organ kept on playing all the while. "hello, bob!" called nan, as she climbed up on a wooden horse, while flossie and freddie, with their father, looked for lions. the strange boy glanced up in some surprise. but when he saw nan a smile came over his rather sad face. "oh, hello!" he said. "how did you get here?" "we came just now in my father's auto. do you run the merry-go-round?" "i help when mr. blipper isn't here. i take up the tickets after she starts. have you got your tickets?" "yes, daddy bought them. my little brother and sister want to ride on lions." "there's a pair right behind you," said bob guess. nan turned and saw her father just finishing the strapping up of flossie and freddie each on a big wooden lion. the small twins were smiling with delight. "gid-dap!" called flossie to her lion. "you shouldn't say 'gid-dap' to a lion," objected freddie. "what should you say?" asked flossie, turning to look at her brother. "you ought to say--now--er--'scat!'" "that's what you say to a cat!" declared flossie. "well, then say 'boo!' i guess that's what you say to a lion," went on freddie. "say 'boo!'" the little girl looked doubtful. "all right. boo!" cried flossie, after a moment. it was not quite time, however, for the merry-go-round to start. mr. bobbsey made his way along the platform to bob, who stood near nan. "where is mr. blipper?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i want to see him." "he's away to-day, mr. bobbsey," was the answer. "away! oh, i am sorry," was the reply of the bobbsey twins' father. "this is his day off," went on the lad. "will he be here to-morrow?" "yes, sir. but look out now, she's going to start!" chapter xii on the track creaking and squeaking as it slowly started, the merry-go-round began to go faster and faster until it was whirling rapidly, the music of the organ mingling with the shouts of the delighted children. seeing that flossie and freddie were all right, being strapped to their wooden lions, and that nan could look after herself, mr. bobbsey took a seat in one of the gilded cars that were provided for older persons who did not like to sit astride a wooden animal. he watched bob guess making his way around the carrousel collecting the tickets. the boy seemed bright and very business like. "he's a good lad," thought mr. bobbsey. "i wish a better man than mr. blipper had charge of him. i must look into this matter." at one place on the outside of the merry-go-round was a post with an arm extending down from it. into this arm, which was hollow, a boy dropped iron rings, with, now and then, a brass one among them. those whirling about on the carrousel could reach up and pull a ring from the arm, if they were quick and skillful enough. "get the brass ring and have a free ride!" sang out the boy dropping the black, iron rings into the hollow arm. there were, a great many iron rings, but only a few brass ones. of course, every one wanted to get the brass ring, but this went by luck as much as by skill. flossie and freddie were too small to reach over and try for any of the rings. but nan, like the older boys and girls and some of the grown folks, had no trouble in catching rings. "get the brass ring, and have an extra ride!" cried the boy in charge. "i wish i could!" thought nan. once she almost got it. she saw the brass ring gleaming at the end of the arm. a boy two horses ahead of her made a grab for it and missed. so did the girl directly in front of nan. when nan reached for the ring she did not put out her arm far enough, and she, too, missed it. a girl riding on a camel behind nan got it. "oh, dear!" sighed nan. "never mind," said a voice at her side, and she saw bob guess. "here's a brass ring for you. take it and have the next ride free!" "oh, will that be right?" asked nan. "sure it will! i'm in charge of taking the tickets when blipper is away. some one grabbed this ring and dropped it. i picked it up. it's good for a ride. take it. i don't know who dropped it or i'd give it to 'em. you take it!" and nan did. it was not to be dreamed of that flossie and freddie would be content with one ride. they had to stay on for the second. mr. bobbsey got off to buy more tickets. "i don't need a ticket!" nan called to him. "i have the brass ring, daddy!" "oh, you were very lucky!" "bob gave it to me," she explained, telling how it came about. "well, i suppose it is all right to take it," her father said. "bob knows what he is doing." "but i want to get a brass ring my own self," nan said. and she did, though not on the next trip. her father had to buy her a ticket for that. then came the final ride, for though flossie and freddie would have remained and ridden all day, their father knew this was not good for them. and it was on the last ride that nan got her brass ring. "oh, now i can ride again!" she gayly cried. "not now," her father told her. "if you ride, flossie and freddie will want to, and i'm afraid they'll be ill." "but what shall i do with the ring?" asked nan, slipping down off the wooden horse and holding up the brass ring. "it'll be good to-morrow," said bob guess. "you can keep it, or i'll save it here for you." "i guess you'd better keep it, bob," said nan, with a laugh. "i might lose it." "i'll save it for you," promised bob. "i'll look for you to-morrow. get your tickets--your tickets for the merry-go-round!" he cried, as a new crowd surged up to get on. "may we have some pop corn?" asked freddie, when told there were to be no more rides that day. "and ice-cream?" added flossie. "dear me!" laughed mr. bobbsey, "i don't know which will be worse for you. let's look about a bit." "i'm thirsty!" announced flossie. "well, we'll have some lemonade--that will be good for all of us, i think," suggested mr. bobbsey. bert and harry, coming back just then from having been to look at the balloon, were taken to the lemonade stand with the others. if i were to tell you all the things the bobbsey twins saw at the county fair and all they did, it would take a larger book than this to hold it all. so i can only tell you a few of the many things that happened. after drinking the lemonade the children hardly knew at what to look next, there were so many things to see. presently mr. bobbsey said: "you have been among a lot of wooden animals on the merry-go-round, suppose we go see some real, live animals?" "oh, yes!" cried nan. "let's go to see the race horses," suggested bert. "and i want to see cows and pigs!" announced freddie. "and sheeps! i want to see sheeps!" exclaimed flossie. "they're on the way to the racing horse stables," explained harry. "all the live stock is together." there was a race track at the fair grounds and some races had been run off before the bobbseys arrived. more were to take place soon. mr. bobbsey and the other children were so interested in looking at the prize cattle, at great hogs, some weighing nearly a thousand pounds, and at bulls weighing more than this, that they did not notice the absence of freddie bobbsey. that little chap, however, had slipped away and, before he knew it, he was in the stable with the race horses. as many of the stablemen were outside with their animals, some bringing their steeds back from the track and others taking racers over to have a part in the next contest, there were not many persons in the stable when freddie wandered there. "oh, what a nice lot of horses!" he exclaimed, and indeed the racers were among the best of their kind. "i like horses!" went on freddie. one beautiful animal leaned out of its stall and rubbed a velvet nose on freddie's shoulder. "you like me, don't you, horsie?" asked the little chap. the horse whinnied, which might mean anything, but freddie took it for "yes." "i guess maybe you'd like to have me get on your back," he said. "i got on one of uncle dan's horses once. i know how to ride." the horse was in a large box stall, and the door was not hard to open. in walked freddie, and, by standing up on a keg which was in the stall, he managed to scramble up on the back of the horse. to keep from sliding off, though, freddie had to clasp his arms around the neck of the animal. whether the horse took this for a signal to move along, or whether it just "happened," i don't know. but the horse walked out of the stall, across the grass of the paddock, and, as the big gate happened to be open, he walked right out on the race track with freddie clinging to his neck. chapter xiii in the cornfield just about this time a race was going to be run. there were a number of horses, with jockey lads on their backs, waiting for the signal to begin their fast pace around the track. up in the booth, where the judges and the starter were standing to give the signal, everything was in readiness. the people around the race track were all excited, for they wanted to see which horse would win. and then, just as the starter gave the word, and the jockey boys on their horses' backs called to their steeds to run fast, out on the track walked the horse to whose neck freddie was clinging! at first the little fellow had been so startled when the animal to whose back he had scrambled walked out of the barn with him that he had not known what to do. he just clung there. but, finding that the horse was very gentle and did not try to reach back and bite his legs, freddie began rather to like it. "go 'long, nice horsie! go 'long!" called freddie, and he clapped his heels against the sides of the animal. the horse went along all right--fairly out on to the race track, and just as the race was starting! "here! where you going?" "come back with that horse!" "look out! stop him, somebody! that boy will be hurt!" these were only a few of the many cries that rose from the grandstand and the space in front of it when the people saw freddie right in the path of the rushing horses. "ring that bell!" cried one of the judges to the starter. the starter pulled the cord of the big gong which is rung to bring the horses back if they have not made an even start, as very often happens. clang! went the gong. the jockeys on the backs of the horses knew what the ringing of the bell meant. some of them had begun to guide their horses so as not to run into freddie and his mount, but there were so many racers that one or two of them might have bumped into the little fellow. but when the jockeys heard the ringing of the bell they knew it was a false start and they pulled in their steeds and some turned back. but now something else happened. while the horse freddie had climbed up on was kind and gentle, yet he was a race horse. and as soon as he found himself out on the track he must have thought he had been ridden there to take part in a race. at any rate, before freddie could stop him, even if the little bobbsey lad had been able to do this, the horse began to trot around the track. perhaps he thought the ringing of the bell meant for him to start. so away he ran, going faster and faster with poor freddie bobbing up and down, but still clinging to the animal's neck. it was all freddie could do, as there was no saddle horn to grasp. "whoa! whoa!" begged the little chap. "nice horsie! whoa now!" it was not so much fun as freddie had at first thought to take a ride in this way. at the beginning he had an idea that he might some day be a jockey and wear a gayly colored silk blouse. but he never imagined race horses went so fast. "whoa! whoa!" cried freddie again. but his horse did not stop. indeed, it only went faster. "somebody get after that boy!" yelled the starter, leaning from the judges' stand. "he'll be hurt if you don't get him!" "i'll get him!" offered one of the jockeys. he called to his horse and was soon speeding around the track after freddie. and now the horse on whose back the little bobbsey boy was seated, hearing another steed coming after him, began to think it was a race in real earnest, and he commenced to go faster. all the "whoa" shouts freddie uttered were of no use. "go on, tomato! go on!" cried the jockey to his horse. "go on, tomato!" tomato was the name of his animal. the shouts and the screams of the crowd attracted the attention of mr. bobbsey and the other children as they came from the animal tent. and as mr. bobbsey neared the race track he had a glimpse of his little son clinging to a horse and riding very fast, while a jockey on another horse chased him. "oh, look! freddie's in a race!" cried flossie! "oh, maybe freddie will win!" "my goodness! how did this happen?" cried mr. bobbsey. "will he be hurt?" gasped nan. but just then, to the great relief of the bobbsey family, the jockey managed to come up alongside of freddie's galloping horse. the jockey reached over with one hand, caught freddie by the seat of his little trousers, and fairly lifted him off the back of the now excited horse. then, placing freddie on the saddle in front of him, the jockey turned his horse about and rode slowly back to the stand. some of the stablemen then ran out and caught the other horse. "why, freddie! what in the world were you trying to do?" asked his father, when the little boy was placed in his arms. "i--i just wanted a ride," freddie explained. "i got tired of ridin' on wooden lions. i wanted a live horse." "well, he picked a lively one all right!" laughed a man in the crowd. "that horse he rode has won every race, so far." "you must never do such a thing again, freddie," his father told him, when the excitement had died down and the racing was once more started. "never again." "no, i won't," freddie promised. "but when i grow up i'm goin' to ride horses, i am!" "that will be a good while yet," laughed bert. "i'm glad your mother wasn't here," said mr. bobbsey. "she would have almost fainted, i'm sure, if she had seen you out on the race track like a regular jockey." "did i look like a jockey?" freddie asked, eagerly. "well, not exactly," bert said. "you didn't have any silk blouse on." "i'll get dinah to make me one when i go home," freddie declared. "i'll have a red one, i guess, and then if i get tired of ridin' horses i can be a fireman." "well, i think we've had excitement enough for one day," remarked mr. bobbsey. "we'll have something to eat, look around a little more, and then go home." "but we can come back again, can't we?" asked bert. "i haven't seen the balloon go up yet." "yes, we want to see that," added harry. "i'll bring you to the fair again to-morrow or next day," promised mr. bobbsey. "i want to come back myself. i've met a number of men to-day i'd like to talk with further. then i'd like to have a talk with that mr. blipper." that night, at meadow brook farm, mr. bobbsey and his wife, after the children had gone to bed, talked over the strange disappearance of mr. bobbsey's coat and the auto lap robe. "i'm sure that blipper knows something about them," said mrs. bobbsey. "or perhaps that strange bob guess--what an odd name." "it is an odd name," agreed mr. bobbsey, "but it fits, for they don't know what his real name is--at least he says he doesn't. but i don't believe bob had anything to do with the taking of my coat and the robe. i'd like to find out more about the boy. he seems bright, and i feel sorry for him. i must see that man, blipper, and have a talk with him." "wasn't he at his merry-go-round to-day?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no, he had gone off somewhere. but i am going to the fair again with the children, and i'll get at blipper sooner or later." "well, if you go to the fair again, please keep an eye on freddie!" begged the mother of the bobbsey twins. "he's a little tyke when it comes to slipping away and doing strange things." "yes, he is," agreed her husband. but the next day was to prove that flossie could also "slip away," when there was a chance. the bobbsey twins, with harry, were out in the cornfield gathering ears of corn to feed to the hogs and chickens. the corn had been cut and stacked into piles called "shocks," and it was from the stalks in these shocks that the ears of yellow corn were broken off and placed in baskets to be taken to the house. "let's play hide and go seek for a while," suggested nan to her brother and harry. "flossie and freddie are over there by themselves, shelling corn." the smaller twins had been given a little basket, and they were now busy breaking off kernels of corn from some small ears, and dropping the corn into their basket. "for the chickies," flossie had explained. so while the smaller twins were thus "kept out of mischief," as nan said, she, with bert and harry, began a game of hide and go seek. it was lots of fun, dodging in and out among the tall corn shocks, which rose above the children's heads. the game went on for some time, until even bert and harry said they were tired. "well, we'll take the corn up to the house," announced nan. "come, flossie and freddie," she called. freddie came up, carrying the basket of shelled corn, but flossie was not with him. "where's your sister?" asked harry. "who, flossie? oh, she went away. she said she was going home," freddie answered. "she went home a good while ago!" "went home!" echoed nan, with a gasping breath. "why, she never could find the way all by herself. oh, maybe she's lost!" chapter xiv freddie and the pumpkin the cornfield where the bobbsey twins and harry had gone to work and play was a long distance from the farmhouse. nan knew this, and that is why she was frightened when freddie said that flossie had "gone home." "maybe she could find her way," said bert. "she's a smart little girl," added harry. "i wish i had a sister like her." "how long ago did she leave you, freddie?" asked nan. "oh, 'bout maybe three four hours," answered the little boy. "we haven't been here an hour!" exclaimed bert. "well, maybe it was minutes, then," admitted freddie. he did not have a very good idea of time, you see. "if it was only a little while ago she can't have gone very far," said nan. "flossie! flossie!" she called. "where are you?" but there was no answer. bert and harry then took up the call, as they had louder voices than had nan, and even freddie added his shout, but it was of no use. flossie did not answer. "i guess she's too far away," harry stated. "we'd better hurry after her!" said bert. "oh, come on!" cried nan, half sobbing. "mother told me to keep good watch over her, and i didn't! i shouldn't have played hide and go seek!" "it wasn't your fault!" her brother consoled her. "it was as much mine as yours. but we'll find flossie all right. i guess she's home by this time." but when they had hurried to the farmhouse there was no sign of the little girl. mrs. bobbsey became much frightened when told what had happened. "is there any water she could fall into?" she asked aunt sarah. "no, not even a duck pond near the cornfield. she's all right, i'm sure," said the other mrs. bobbsey. "we'll go back to the cornfield and find her hiding, i feel certain." "but she wasn't playing hide and go seek," declared nan. "she wouldn't hide from us." "you can't tell," said aunt sarah, so cheerfully that the others took heart. back they hurried to the field where the big shocks of dried cornstalks stood. the two mr. bobbseys also went along to help in the search. "now show us where you and flossie were playing at shell the corn," said the mother of the twins. "right here," freddie stated, and he pointed to some of the yellow kernels on the ground. the father of the bobbsey twins stooped down and looked at the soft earth. he soon found what he was looking for--the tiny footprints of his little girl. "she went over this way," he said. "come on, we'll pretend we are hunters on the trail. we'll soon find flossie." "oh, this is fun!" laughed freddie. but it was not exactly fun for the others. even nan and bert were worried. the footprints of flossie wandered off among the shocks of corn, and in a few moments they stopped at a place where two or three shocks had been piled together, making a large heap. and then, before any one could say a word, from behind this pile of cornstalks a sleepy voice called, asking: "where are you, freddie?" "there she is! that's flossie!" cried bert. he and his mother made a dash around the big shock and there, lying with her little cloak wrapped around her, was flossie, nestled amid the corn husks, curled up and just awakening from a nap. "oh, flossie! why did you run away?" asked her mother, clasping her little daughter in her arms. "i didn't runned away, i walked!" declared flossie, rubbing her eyes. "what you all lookin' at me for?" she wanted to know. "was i a bad girl, mother?" "not exactly bad, but you frightened us," her father said. "however, we're glad we have found you." flossie had just wandered away by herself, unnoticed by bert, nan, or harry, and, growing tired and sleepy, had nestled in the corn to take a nap. freddie had been so busy shelling corn that he did not notice which way his little sister went. but everything was all right now, and the happy families went back to the farmhouse, the smaller twins being allowed to feed some of their corn to the chickens. true to his promise, mr. richard bobbsey took his children to the bolton county fair the next day, his wife going with him this time. of course harry also went along, for it would not have been polite to leave him at home. as for uncle daniel and aunt sarah, they said they would go to the fair another day. "will you ask mr. blipper about your coat and the missing robe?" asked mrs. bobbsey, on the way to the fair grounds. "yes. and i'll ask him about bob guess, also," her husband answered. "there is something strange about that boy." the bobbsey twins and harry were talking among themselves, while nan also looked after flossie and freddie. "they're going to put the big balloon up to-day," said harry. "they are if the wind doesn't blow too much," bert agreed. "and i'm afraid it's blowing too hard. do you think the wind is blowing too much for them to send the big balloon up?" he anxiously asked his father. mr. bobbsey looked at the sky. "to my mind," he said, "i think there is going to be a storm. i'm afraid the wind will keep on blowing harder all day. of course i don't know how strong a wind it takes to keep a balloon man from going up, but i should say there would be danger in going up to-day." "oh, dear!" exclaimed bert. "i wanted to see the man go up in the balloon!" "so did i!" added harry. "but maybe the wind will die out." however, it did not, and it was still blowing rather hard when the fair grounds were reached. "never mind," said mrs. bobbsey, when she saw how disappointed harry and bert seemed to feel. "if the balloon doesn't go up to-day it will to-morrow, and we can come again. there are plenty of other things to look at besides balloons." "i'd like to go to see some of the big vegetables and the fruits, and look at the patchwork quilts and the lace," said nan. "very well," agreed her father. "we'll go there first, and maybe by that time the wind will have died down. but i hardly think so." truth to tell bert and harry did not care much for the big pumpkins, squashes, and other vegetables. and they hardly looked at the fancy work in which nan and her mother took an interest. "oh, wouldn't this make a dandy jack-o'-lantern!" cried freddie, as he crawled under a railing around a platform, on which were many large vegetables. "look what a big pumpkin!" "freddie, you mustn't go in there," called his mother. "come out. don't touch that big pumpkin." but it was too late! freddie was already on the wooden platform, and he was rolling the pumpkin. it was almost perfectly round, and the little fellow could easily move it. "come away!" called mr. bobbsey, adding his voice to that of his wife. "i want to see if i can lift this pumpkin!" exclaimed freddie. and then, suddenly, the big pumpkin rolled off the platform, toward the back of the tent. "get it, freddie! get it!" cried bert, for he knew the pumpkin was on exhibition in order to take a prize, if possible. it would be too bad if anything happened to it. freddie made a dive for the big, yellow vegetable, but, as it happened, the tent stood on the top of a hill. and as the pumpkin rolled off the platform it slipped under the tent and began going down the grassy hill outside. "whoa! whoa!" called freddie, as he had called to the race horse that had walked out on the track with him. "whoa, pumpkin!" but the pumpkin kept on rolling! the little chap made a dive for it, missed it by a few inches, and then, falling over, he, too, rolled out under the tent and down the hill. freddie was not quite so round as a pumpkin, but he managed to get a good start, and rolled over and over. and as his father, mother, and the others hurried out of the tent they saw freddie and the big yellow vegetable tumbling down the hill together. "oh, look! look!" cried a little girl. "a boy and a pumpkin are having a race! oh, look! how funny! a boy and a pumpkin are having a race!" chapter xv up in a balloon the pumpkin won the race. i suppose you had already guessed that it would. for the pumpkin, being almost perfectly round, could roll down the hill faster than freddie could. so the pumpkin was the first to reach the bottom of the little grassy hill on which stood the tent where the prize fruits and vegetables were on exhibition. and freddie came tumbling after, like jack and jill, you know. and i believe it is a good thing the pumpkin reached the bottom of the hill first, for if freddie had been first the big, heavy pumpkin would have rolled up against him with a bump, and might have hurt him. but freddie, bumping into the pumpkin, as he did, was not hurt at all. "oh, you funny little boy!" cried the little girl who had laughed, as she ran up to freddie, who was now sitting on the grass. "the pumpkin beat you in the rolling race down hill. but maybe you'll win next time." "there isn't going to be any next time," laughed mother bobbsey, as she ran to pick freddie up. "he didn't do that on purpose, little girl." "oh, i thought he did. anyhow, it was funny!" and she laughed again. "yes, it was funny," agreed bert. "and here comes a man after the pumpkin, i guess." "be careful that he doesn't take you and put you on exhibition in the tent," said nan to her little brother. "will he, mother?" asked flossie. "no, of course not. nan is only joking." "the pumpkin isn't hurt any," said harry, helping the man lift it up on his shoulder. "i'm glad of it," the man said. "it has won the prize, and the farmer who owns it wouldn't like it if it should be broken." "let's go over to the merry-go-round," suggested freddie, who did not like so many people looking at him, for quite a crowd had gathered when word of the funny pumpkin race spread. "i want a ride on the merry-go-round." "so do i," added flossie. "and then it will be time for the balloon to go up," added bert. "do you think the wind is too strong?" he asked his father. "well, it is blowing pretty hard, and it's getting worse. i think there is going to be a storm. but i see men working around the balloon, and i think they are going to send it up. perhaps they think they can send it up and let it come down again before the storm." "oh, let's hurry and see it!" cried nan, who was as much interested in the big gas bag as were the boys. "first we'll give flossie and freddie a ride on the merry-go-round, i think," suggested mrs. bobbsey. so they all voted to have a ride, as mr. bobbsey wanted a chance to speak to mr. blipper. but, just as had happened the other time, mr. blipper was not there. bob guess was taking tickets, and when he saw nan he smiled. "i'll get you the brass ring," he promised, and he did. the children liked the lively music, and also the whirling ride on the backs of the wooden animals. even mrs. bobbsey took one ride, but she said that was enough. nan had a special ride, because bob guess had saved for her the brass ring, and when the other children learned that nan was to ride for nothing, of course they wanted an extra ride, for which mr. bobbsey had to pay. "when do you think mr. blipper will be here?" mr. bobbsey asked of bob, as the party was leaving. "i want to talk to him." "i don't know," was the boy's answer. "he doesn't stay at the merry-go-round as much as he used to. he lets me and one of his men run it. he's away a lot." "well, you tell him i want to see him," went on mr. bobbsey. "i shall be here to-morrow and the next day." "i'll tell him," promised bob guess. "now let's go see the balloon," suggested bert. "they're getting ready to send it up!" exclaimed harry, as they neared the place where the big bag, already partly filled with gas, was swaying to and fro. over the bag was a net work of strong cords, and the cords were fastened to the rim of a large square basket. to the basket were tied ropes, and to the ends of these ropes were bags of sand, thus holding the balloon to the ground. "what makes it go up?" asked flossie, as she watched the swaying bag. "gas," explained mr. bobbsey. "they put in the big bag some gas, sometimes one kind and sometimes another, just like the gas in your toy balloons. this gas is so very light--it's not even so heavy as air--that it wants to go up into the air, all by itself. and when it is inside a bag the gas takes the bag up into the air with it." "and the basket too? doesn't it take the basket?" freddie asked. "yes, the basket goes up with the balloon," said mrs. bobbsey. "who goes in the basket?" asked freddie. "oh, the man," his father answered. "do any children go in the balloon?" called out flossie. "any boys or girls?" "oh, no!" quickly said nan, for she did not want her little sister and brother to tease for a ride in a balloon basket. "i'd like a ride in a balloon," murmured freddie. just then the wind began to blow more strongly, and the big gas bag swayed to one side, toward a crowd of people who ran to get out of the way. "get more ropes!" cried one of the balloon men. "get more ropes and sand bags!" "that's right!" shouted another man. "there's going to be a storm. i don't know whether we ought to send the balloon up!" "oh, let her go!" cried several in the crowd. they did not want to be disappointed. bert and harry added their voices to the cries for an ascension. "well, we'll have to tie the balloon down until we get more gas in it," said the first man. "come on now, more ropes and sand bags!" while these were being brought the bobbsey twins and their relatives drew as near to the balloon as they could get, closely looking at it. at times the big bag, partly filled with gas, swayed until it swept the ground. the basket, too, pulled and tugged at the ropes that held it down. "what does the man do when he's in the basket?" freddie asked. "oh, he sits there and rides along up in the clouds," said bert. "i wish i could go up." "does he have anything to eat?" flossie wanted to know. "oh, yes," said nan. "there are things to eat in the basket. see!" and she held flossie up so she could look over the edge and down into the basket. of course freddie had to be lifted up, also. the basket seemed a cosy place. there were blankets in it, for it is often very cold high up in the air where balloons go, though it may be very warm on the earth. and there were boxes and packages containing food and many strange things at which the bobbsey twins wondered. the wind kept blowing harder and harder, and the crowd grew larger as word went around the fair grounds that the balloon was soon to go up. "what about those ropes?" cried the man who was in charge of the balloon. "they're coming," another man told him. "be here right away!" "well, those lads want to hurry if this balloon isn't to go sailing off by itself! my, but the wind is blowing hard! i've a good notion to call this off. i'm afraid we're in for a bad storm." "we can't stop it now," said the second man. "the crowd expects us to go up, and we'll have to go." "well, we'll try it. but we must tie the balloon down and put in more gas. it won't go up very far only half filled as it is." suddenly some voices cried: "one side! one side if you please!" it was the men coming up with ropes to tie the balloon down. mr. and mrs. bobbsey tried to gather the children close to them, to get them out of the way of the men. but, in some manner, flossie and freddie turned to one side, and before they knew it they were separated from their friends. and then flossie and freddie found themselves pushed close up against the balloon basket. "oh, let's get in!" cried freddie. "we'll just sit down for a minute and then get out," agreed flossie. the crowd was so excited, trying to get out of the way of the men with the coils of rope, that no one noticed what the small bobbsey twins did. and so freddie and flossie climbed into the balloon basket and snuggled down in the blankets. "quick now with those ropes!" cried the head man. "she's going to tear loose! feel that wind!" there came a heavy blow, causing the balloon to sway back and forth. "look out!" cried another voice. "there she goes!" almost as he spoke there was a further scramble on the part of the crowd, and the balloon tore loose from the holding ropes before the men had time to put on the new ones. "there she goes!" echoed the crowd. "up goes the balloon!" and up it went, taking flossie and freddie with it! up and up it rose, shooting above the heads of the crowd. "oh, freddie!" cried flossie, "what's going to happen?" "we're going up in a balloon!" shouted freddie, and then he laughed. he thought it was fun. "oh, i want to get down!" screamed flossie. she looked over the edge of the basket, as did her brother, and just then mrs. bobbsey glanced up. "oh, my children! flossie and freddie!" she gasped, pointing. "they're in the balloon!" chapter xvi on the island there was great excitement down on the ground when the cry of mrs. bobbsey told her husband, the other children, and the big crowd that flossie and freddie had been carried away in the balloon. at first some did not believe it, and even mr. bobbsey found it hard to imagine that such a thing could happen. but one look up at the swaying basket dangling from the runaway balloon showed him the faces of flossie and freddie looking down at the earth which seemed to be dropping away from them. "oh, my children! my children! flossie! freddie!" cried mrs. bobbsey, tears streaming down her cheeks, as she raised her hands toward the swiftly rising balloon. "get them down!" "we'll catch 'em if they jump!" "get a ladder!" "have the man in the aeroplane go after them!" these were some of the cries--foolish cries in some cases--that sounded on all sides as flossie and freddie were carried away. for how could any ladder be long enough to reach up to the balloon? "oh, can't we do something?" wailed mrs. bobbsey, holding to her husband. "we'll save them! we'll save flossie and freddie," said mr. bobbsey. nan was crying also, and harry and bert looked at each other with strange faces. they didn't know what to do or say. mr. bobbsey felt the wind blowing stronger and stronger and saw the gathering storm. as he saw how fast the balloon was moving upward and onward, away from the fair grounds, he, too, was much frightened. "how did those children get in there?" asked one of the balloon men. "they must have crawled in the basket when we weren't looking," answered mr. bobbsey. "is there any way of saving my little children?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "now don't you worry," said the balloon man kindly. "they'll be all right if they stay in the basket. the balloon hasn't all its gas in, and it won't blow very far. it will soon come down to the ground." "but won't they be killed?" "no, a balloon comes down very gently when the gas gives out." said the man. "it's almost like a parachute. your children will come down like feathers. we'll get up a searching party and go after them." he knew there was great danger but he did not want to add to mrs. bobbsey's fears. "oh, yes! do something!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "we must save them!" while down below there was all excitement and while a searching party was getting ready to start out to rescue flossie and freddie, the two little children themselves were safe enough in the balloon basket. that is they were safe for the time being, for they could not fall unless they climbed over the side of the basket, and they would hardly do this. they were also safe from banging into anything, for they were now high in the air, well above all trees and buildings, and there were no other balloons or any aeroplanes in sight. at the fair grounds was an aeroplane, but it had not gone up yet, and could not, for the engine was broken, and the man had to mend it before he could make a flight. so as long as flossie and freddie remained in the basket they were safe. they did not even feel the wind blow, for as they were being carried right along in the gale, being a part of it, so to speak, they did not feel it as they had when standing on the ground. but, in spite of all this, flossie's little heart was beating very fast and tears came into her eyes. "oh, freddie!" she half sobbed, "what you s'pose's goin' to happen to us?" "i don't know," he answered. "but anyhow we're up in a balloon and we're having a fine sail. i like a balloon, don't you, flossie?" flossie thought it over for a moment. now that the first fright was passed she rather enjoyed the quiet, easy motion. for there were no bumps as in an automobile, and there was no swaying as on the merry-go-round. it was like flying with the birds, and flossie had always wanted to be a bird. "it is--yes, i guess it is nice," she said. "are we high up?" "not very," freddie answered. "don't look over the edge or you might fall out of the basket," he told his sister, as he saw her getting ready to stand on her tiptoes and peer down. freddie had looked down once, as had flossie, when they first felt themselves going up, and it had made him a little dizzy. he did not want flossie to fall out. "let's see if we can find something to eat," suggested the little boy. "i'm hungry." "so'm i," agreed flossie. this was something new to think about. they poked among the things in the balloon basket. there were funny objects, the uses of which they could only guess at, but there were also some crackers and sandwiches, as well as a bottle of milk, and some water. "oh, we can have a regular camp-out!" laughed flossie. "we'll make believe we're on a steamer." "it'll be lots of fun," agreed freddie. so they ate and were quite happy, while those they had left behind were very much worried and miserable. the wind blew harder and harder, but, as i have said, flossie and freddie did not notice it. soon, however, they began to notice something else, and this was some drops of water. "oh, the balloon's leaking!" cried flossie, as she felt a damp spot on her red cheek. freddie also felt some wet splashes, but he saw at once what they were. "it's raining!" he cried. and so it was. the storm had broken. "raining!" cried flossie. "and we hasn't got any umbrella!" "we don't need one," said the little boy. "the balloon's so big it will be like an umbrella over us." this was partly true. the bag of the balloon bulged out over the heads of the children, keeping off most of the rain. but some blew in sideways over the top of the basket, and the children would have been quite wet had they not wrapped themselves in blankets. these kept them warm and dry, for one of the blankets was of rubber. thus the little bobbsey twins sailed on in a balloon, the first ride of this kind they had ever taken. their first fright was over, but they began wondering what would happen next. suddenly flossie discovered a hole in the bottom of the basket, through which she could look down to the earth. and as she looked she cried: "oh, freddie, we're going down into a lake!" freddie looked and saw what his sister had seen. the balloon was now going down. probably the gas had leaked out, or there may not have been more than enough to carry the balloon a short distance. at any rate it was now falling, and, as the children saw, straight toward a body of water. "shall we fall into the water?" asked flossie. "no--no, i don't guess so," freddie answered. he hoped that was not going to happen. but as he looked down and saw the water seemingly coming nearer and nearer, though of course it was the balloon going down, the little boy did not feel at all sure but they would drop right into the lake. "we'd better hold on hard to the basket," said freddie, after thinking over the best thing to do. "when we get in the lake we can hold on to the basket until somebody comes." this idea made flossie feel a little better. she was glad she had freddie with her, and freddie was glad flossie was with him. down, down the balloon gently dropped. the rain was pouring hard now, splashing into the lake, which was covered in some places with a blanket of fog. then, just when it seemed that flossie and freddie and the balloon would splash into the water, an island loomed in sight. "oh, if we could only land on the island!" cried freddie. and that's just what happened! through the branches of trees the balloon crashed, this helping to stop it more gently. down to the island it fell, the basket banging on the ground. the basket tipped over sideways, spilling flossie and freddie out, but not hurting them as they fell in a pile of dried leaves. some of the things in the basket fell out with them. once the children were out of the balloon it rose a little, was blown along a short distance by the wind, and then, getting tangled in the tree branches, came to a stop. "well, we're all right now," said freddie, as he arose and brushed the leaves from him. "but i'm getting all wet!" sobbed flossie. "i'm soaked!" and so she was, as well as freddie, for it was raining hard. chapter xvii the searching party every one at the fair grounds was anxious to help mr. and mrs. bobbsey get back flossie and freddie, who had been carried off in the runaway balloon. the men who owned the big gas bag were the first to make the right sort of plans. "the balloon is being blown over the lake," said mr. trench, the owner of the big bag. "we must go in that direction." "over the lake!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "oh, if they should fall in!" "the balloon will float on the water," her husband told her. "the children will be all right, i'm sure." "yes, indeed," agreed mr. trench. "don't worry, lady. we'll get your children back. the first thing to do is to go to the lake, and then we can hire a motor-boat there." "i'm going with you!" declared mrs. bobbsey, as she saw the preparations being made for the searching party. "i think you had better stay with bert and nan," said mr. bobbsey. "oh, we'll be all right!" nan hastened to tell her father. "can't harry and i come on the searching party?" asked bert. "no, i would rather not," his father answered. "you stay with your mother and nan." "i simply am coming with you, dick!" said mrs. bobbsey, and when she spoke in that tone her husband knew there was no use trying to get her to change her mind. "very well," agreed mr. bobbsey. "we will go to the lake in my auto. mr. trench knows where we can hire a motor-boat." the lake, a large one, came within a few miles of the fair grounds. the balloon man knew in which direction the water lay, and he had seen the wind carrying the big gas bag toward the water. "bert, you and nan and harry must go back to meadow brook farm," directed mr. bobbsey. "i'll see if i can't hire an auto to take you there, as it is going to storm soon. it's sprinkling now." "we'll take them back," offered a gentleman who had come to the fair with his wife in their auto. "i know where meadow brook farm is. we'll take these children there." "thank you, very much," said mr. bobbsey. "and tell your uncle and aunt what has happened, bert. tell them we expect to be home before night with flossie and freddie." "oh, if we only can be!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "we'll find the little ones all right--never fear!" said mr. trench. "if you're ready now, we'll start." so while nan, bert and harry remained behind in charge of mr. blackford, who had offered to take them home in his automobile, mr. and mrs. bobbsey, with some men who had charge of the balloon, started off to go to the lake, there to hire a boat and search for flossie and freddie. "they're out of sight. how far away they must be!" sighed mrs. bobbsey, as she entered the automobile. she looked up, but could not see the balloon, so fast had it been blown away. "they aren't so far as it seems," declared mr. trench. "it's getting foggy, and it's going to rain hard soon." as bert, nan, and harry were getting in mr. blackford's automobile to go to meadow brook farm, bob guess came hurrying up through the rain. the merry-go-round, as well as other amusements at the fair, had shut down on account of the storm. "where's your father?" asked bob of bert. "i've something to tell him. where is he?" "he's gone off after the balloon. flossie and freddie are in it," nan answered. "whew! those little children taking a balloon ride!" cried bob. "how did they dare?" "it was an accident," harry explained. "they didn't mean to." "well, tell your father i want to see him when he gets back," said bob, as he hurried back to the merry-go-round. "i have something to tell him about mr. blipper." however, bert and nan had other things to think about then than about mr. blipper. they were worried over what might happen to flossie and freddie. meanwhile, mr. and mrs. bobbsey were hastening toward the lake. mr. bobbsey drove his car as fast as he dared through the storm. it was now raining hard. "how long would the balloon stay up in the air?" asked mr. bobbsey of mr. trench. "it all depends. on a hot day, when the sun warms the gas, it would stay up a long time. but when it is cool, like this, and rains, it will not stay up so long. it will come down gently, and i am sure the children will not be hurt." as they drove along they stopped now and then to ask people if they had seen the runaway balloon. many had, and all said it was sailing toward the lake. when the lake was reached and a motor-boat had been found which would take them out on the water, several men said they had seen the big gas bag beginning to go down near hemlock island, the largest island in the lake. "if they have only landed there they may be all right," mrs. bobbsey said. "oh, hurry and get there, dick!" "we'll hurry all we can," her husband told her, as they got into the boat to continue the search. "but this is a bad storm. we must be careful." chapter xviii on the rocks the whole world seemed a very dreary and unhappy place to mr. and mrs. bobbsey as they started off in the motor-boat to look for flossie and freddie. in the first place, if one of the little bobbsey twins had just been lost--plain lost--as flossie was in the cornfield, it would have been sad enough. but when both tots were missing, and when the last seen of them had been a sight of them shooting away in a balloon through a gathering storm, well, it was enough to make any father and mother feel very unhappy. besides this, there was the rain, and as the motor-boat, in charge of captain craig, swung out into the lake, the big, pelting drops came down harder than ever. "oh, what a sad, sad day!" sighed mrs. bobbsey. "and it started off so happily, too!" "perhaps it will end happily," said mr. bobbsey, hopefully. "it will not be night for several hours yet, and before then we may find flossie and freddie. in fact i'm sure we shall!" "i think so, too," declared mr. trench, the owner of the balloon. "that craft of mine wasn't filled with enough gas to go far, and it had to come down soon." "but where would it come down? that's the point!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "if it came down in the lake----" "it's on hemlock island, take my word for it!" growled out captain craig, in whose motor-boat the searching party was riding. it was not because he was cross that his voice had a growling sound. it was just naturally hoarse. he was out on the water so much, often in the cold and rain, that he seemed to have an everlasting cold. "we'll find the balloon and the children, too, on hemlock island," he went on. "half a dozen men i talked to, just before you came, said they saw something big and black, like an airship, swooping down on the island. we'll find 'em there, never fear!" "how far are we from hemlock island?" asked mr. bobbsey of captain craig, when they had been in the motor-boat about fifteen minutes. "oh, a few miles--just a few miles," was the answer. "and how long will it take to get there?" mrs. bobbsey asked. "well, that's hard to say," was the answer. "it might take us a long while, and again it might not take us so long." "why is that?" asked mr. bobbsey, wondering whether bert and nan would be all right, left to themselves as they were. but then they would have their uncle, aunt, and cousin to look after them. "well," went on captain craig, as he steered the boat to one side, "you see it's getting thicker and thicker--i mean the weather. the rain is coming down harder and it's getting foggy, too. i can't very well see where to steer, and i have to run at slow speed. so it will take me longer to get to hemlock island than if it was a clear day and i could run as fast as my boat would go." "well, get there as soon as you can," begged mrs. bobbsey. "i'm sure if flossie and freddie are on the island in all this rain they will be terribly frightened!" "well, they may be--a little," admitted mr. bobbsey. "but flossie and freddie are brave children. they'll make the best of things i'm sure!" the motor-boat went chug-chugging its way across the big lake, not running as fast as it could have done on a fair day. the rain poured down, making a hissing sound in the water. those in the boat wore rubber coats, for captain craig had supplied them at his boathouse before starting out. he owned a boat dock, and also a fishing pier, and supplied pleasure parties with nearly everything they needed for fair weather or stormy. suddenly mrs. bobbsey, who was straining her eyes to peer through the mist and rain, uttered a cry. "there's something!" she called out. "where?" asked her husband, and captain craig leaned forward, his hands gripping the spokes of the steering wheel. "right straight ahead," went on mrs. bobbsey. "something black is looming up in the fog. maybe it's the balloon!" "we can't be anywhere near the island yet," said the captain. "that is unless i'm away off my course. but we'll soon find out what it is." they could all see the black object now, though it looked dim and uncertain, for a fog was settling down over the lake and the mist and vapor, together with the rain, made it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. "it's a boat!" suddenly cried mr. bobbsey. "a large boat." and that is what it was. "ahoy there!" called captain craig in his deep voice. "ahoy there!" "ahoy!" answered the men in the boat. "have you seen anything of a runaway balloon?" asked mr. trench. "mine got away from the bolton county fair, and it had two little children in the balloon basket. have you seen them?" mr. and mrs. bobbsey and all in the motor boat waited anxiously for the answer. captain craig had shut off his engine so its noise would not drown the words of those in the other boat. "we saw something big and black sailing through the air over our heads about an hour ago," was the answer. "we thought it was the aeroplane from the fair grounds." "that was my balloon!" declared mr. trench. "did you see anything of my children?" mrs. bobbsey begged to know. "no. but we couldn't see very well on account of the fog and because the balloon--if that's what it was--kept up pretty high," came the answer. "which way was she heading?" captain craig wanted to know, this being his sailor way of asking which way the balloon was going. "due north," answered one of the men in the other boat, which was a craft containing a number of fishermen. "towards hemlock island," stated another. "well, we're going in the right direction," went on captain craig. "much obliged," he called to the fishermen, as the motor-boat again started off through the fog. soon the vessel that had been hailed was lost to sight in the mist, and again all eyes, including those of mr. and mrs. bobbsey, were strained in looking for a first sight of hemlock island. "are you warm enough?" asked mr. bobbsey of his wife, wrapping the rubber coat more closely about her. "oh, yes. i'm not thinking of myself," she answered, with a sigh. "i am worried about my darlings!" "i think they'll come out of it all right," said her husband. "flossie and freddie, as well as bert and nan, have been in many a scrape, but the bobbsey luck seems to hold good. they always get out all right." "yes. and i hope they will this time," answered mrs. bobbsey, trying to appear more cheerful. for a while they ran along in silence, every one peering out into the rain and the mist striving to catch sight, if not of the balloon, at least of the shore of hemlock island. "my, but this fog is getting thicker and thicker!" exclaimed captain craig. "i'll have to go a bit slower yet." he cut down the speed of the engine until the boat was moving at less than half speed. but even this did not save her from an accident which came a short time later. suddenly, as they were cruising along, every eye on the lookout for a sight of the island, there came a violent crash. all in the boat were thrown forward. "gracious!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, as she struggled to regain her seat. "what have we struck?" mr. bobbsey asked. "we've struck hemlock island," said captain craig grimly. "we've fairly bumped into it. i ought to have known i was somewhere near it. we've fairly rammed it, and we're on the rocks!" "'on the rocks!'" repeated mrs. bobbsey. "are we in danger?" "that's what i'm going to find out," said the captain. "at least we can't sink, for we're right on shore," and as he spoke the fog blew away for a moment, showing a bleak shore of rocks with hemlock trees a little way up from the beach. "yes, sir, we ran plumb on the rocks!" muttered captain craig, as he stood up and tried to peer through the fog that was now closing in again. chapter xix two little sailors now it is time for us to inquire what was happening to freddie and flossie, the two smaller bobbsey twins. they had fallen out of the balloon basket when the big gas bag was blown down on hemlock island in the storm. but flossie and freddie had toppled out on piles of soft, dried leaves, so they were not hurt. but, as flossie had said, she was soaking wet. "we ought to have umbrellas," said freddie, as he felt the drops of rain pelting down. "if we had umbrellas this would be fun, 'cause we aren't hurt from our balloon ride." "no, we aren't hurt," agreed flossie, "'ceptin' i'm jiggled up a lot." "so'm i," freddie stated. "i'm jiggled, too!" "and we hasn't got any umbrella, and i'm gettin' wetter'n wetter!" half sobbed flossie. indeed it was raining harder, and as the fog was closing in on the children they could not see very far on any side of them. it was not the first time the small bobbsey twins had been lost together, nor the first time they had been in trouble. and, as he had done more than once, freddie began to think of some way by which he could comfort flossie. the little boy was hungry, and he felt that if he could get something to eat it would make him feel better. and surely what made him feel better ought to make flossie happier if she had some of the same. "are you hungry, flossie?" he asked. "yes, i am," answered the little girl. "well, let's eat some more of the things that were in the balloon basket," proposed her brother. "they tumbled out when we did. i can see some of 'em mixed up with the blankets and other things." when the bumping of the balloon basket had spilled out flossie and freddie it had also toppled out the supply of food and the tools and instruments the balloon men had intended using on their sail through the air. "let's get 'em before the rain soaks 'em all up," suggested flossie, for the rain was now pouring down on everything. "i guess that balloon won't be any good any more," said freddie, as he looked at the big gas bag, now almost empty and tangled in the trees and bushes. "no, i guess we won't ever get another ride in it," agreed flossie. that part was true enough; but, later, the balloon men took the bag from the island, mended the holes in it, and went up in many a flight from other fair grounds. gathering up some of the spilled food gave flossie and freddie something to do, and, for a time, they forgot about the rain pouring down. but it was the kind of rain one could not easily forget for very long, and after putting some tin boxes of crackers under an overhanging stump, to keep the food dry, and after eating some, flossie exclaimed: "oh, i don't like it to be so wet!" then she wept a little. freddie did not like it, either, but he made up his mind he must be brave and not cry. not that flossie could not be brave, too, but she didn't just then happen to think of it. "i know what we can do!" freddie exclaimed. "we can wrap the rubber blanket around us, and that will be like an umbrella--almost!" "oh, yes!" cried flossie! "that will keep us from getting wet!" and the rubber blanket turned out to be a fairly good umbrella. it was large enough for flossie and freddie to put over their shoulders and walk under. and it was while they were thus walking through the woods, wondering what would happen next and if their father and mother would ever find them, that freddie saw something. "oh, flossie! there's a house!" he shouted. "where?" demanded the little girl. "right over there! among the trees! down near the shore!" freddie pointed and flossie, looking, saw dimly through the fog the outlines of some sort of building. "let's go there and they can telephone to daddy that we're here," said flossie. "i guess we're all right now. and maybe bert and nan will wish they'd come on a balloon ride with us." "maybe," agreed freddie, as he tramped along with his sister under the rubber blanket toward the building on the shore of the lake. but alas for the hopes of the children! when they reached the place they found that what freddie had thought was a house was only an old empty cabin. it had once been used by campers or by fishermen, and at one time may have been a cosy place. but now the glass in the windows was broken, the door hung sagging by one hinge, and inside there was a rusty stove which showed no signs of a warm, cheerful fire. "there's nobody here," said flossie sadly, after they had looked inside and had seen that the shack was deserted. "well, but it doesn't rain so hard inside as it does outside," remarked freddie. "let's go in. this blanket makes me tired." the rubber covering was rather heavy for the little children, and they were glad to step inside the cabin. even though the roof leaked in places, there were spots where it did not. picking out one of these spaces, freddie moved some boxes over to it, and he and his sister sat down, tired and wet, but feeling better now that they were within some sort of shelter. "this isn't a very nice place," flossie observed, looking around. "no. but it's better'n being outside," stated freddie. "and maybe there's a bed in the next room." the cabin consisted of two rooms, the door between them being shut. "i'm going to look," freddie went on. "no, don't!" begged flossie, clutching freddie by the sleeve. "why not?" he asked. "don't you want me to look in that room and see if there's a bed? 'cause maybe we'll have to stay all night." "don't look!" begged flossie "maybe--maybe mr. blipper is in there!" "mr. blipper?" echoed freddie. "what would he be doing here? he's at his merry-go-round." "no, he isn't at his merry-go-round," insisted flossie. "'cause we was there and he wasn't there when daddy wanted to ask him about the coat and the lap robe. maybe mr. blipper's in that room, and i don't like him--he's so cross!" "yes, he's cross," agreed freddie. "and he was mean to bob guess. but maybe mr. blipper isn't in that room. i'm going to look!" but freddie never did. he got down off the old box he was using for a seat, under a part of the roof that didn't leak, when flossie gave a cry, and pointed out-of-doors. "look!" she exclaimed. "is somebody coming?" freddie wanted to know. "no, but i see a boat," flossie went on. "we can get in the boat and row back on the fair grounds and we'll be all right." freddie looked to where she pointed and saw a rowboat drawn up on the shore. "if it's got oars in we could row," he said, for both he and his little sister knew something of handling boats, their father having taught them. "let's go down and look," proposed flossie. "it isn't raining so hard now." the big drops were not, indeed, pelting down quite so fast, but it was still far from dry. getting under the rubber blanket again, the children ran out of the cabin and toward the boat. they were delighted to find oars in it, and, seeing that the rowboat was in good shape, freddie got in. "ouch!" he exclaimed as he sat down on a wet seat. "here, wait a minute before you sit there, flossie. i'll put the rubber blanket down to sit on." the inside of the rubber blanket was dry, and freddie put the wet side down on the wooden seat. this gave the children something more comfortable to sit on than a wet piece of wood. "we'll each take an oar and row," proposed freddie, for he and flossie were sitting on the same seat. this was the only way to use the same rubber blanket. loosening the rope by which the boat was made fast to a stump on shore, freddie pushed out into the lake. the rain had almost stopped now, and the children were feeling happier. "now we'll row home," announced freddie. "had we better go back and get some of the crackers we left under the stump?" asked flossie. "maybe it's a long way to the fair grounds or to meadow brook farm, and we might get hungry." "oh, i guess we'll soon be home," said freddie, hopefully. "come on and row, flossie." together they rowed the boat out from shore. but they could not make the heavy craft go very fast. there was water in the bottom, probably from the rain and perhaps because the boat leaked. but freddie and flossie did not think about this, even though their feet were getting wet. or, at least, wetter. their feet were already wet from having tramped about in the heavy rain. "we'll soon be home now," said freddie again. they were some little distance out from the shore, two brave but tired and miserable little sailors, when, all at once, it began to rain again. "oh, dear!" cried flossie, letting go her oar, "i'm getting all soaked again!" "don't you care," advised her brother. "keep on rowing!" but flossie cried, shook her head, and would not pick up the oar. freddie could not row the boat alone, and he did not know what to do. down pelted the rain, harder than before. "i want to go back where we were!" sobbed flossie. "back to the cabin. maybe we can build a fire in the stove and get warm! i'm cold!" "all right; we'll go back!" agreed freddie. he was beginning to fear it was not so easy to row home as he had hoped. down came the rain, and with it came a fog. soon the children were enveloped in the white mist, and they could see only a little distance from the boat in which they sat. "come on! row!" called freddie to his sister. "we'll row back to the cabin." "how do you know where it is?" flossie asked, as she took up the oar again. "oh, i guess i can find it," said her brother. "you hold your oar still in the water and i'll pull on mine and turn us around." he knew how to do this quite well, and soon the boat was turned, and the children were again pulling as hard as they could pull. it was by good luck and not by any skill of theirs that they soon reached land again. they might, for all they knew about it, have rowed out into the middle of the lake. but soon a bumping sound told them they had reached shore, and freddie scrambled out and held the boat while flossie made her way to land. "is it the same place?" she asked, as freddie reached for the rubber blanket. "yes, i can see the old cabin. we'll go up there and get warm." up the little hill, through the rain, trudged the children, getting what shelter they could under the blanket. even freddie was beginning to lose heart now, for he could see that darkness was coming on, and they were far from home. the rain, too, was pouring down harder than ever. "oh, dear! oh, dear!" sighed flossie. "don't cry!" begged her brother. "i'll make a fire and we'll eat some more crackers. i'll go get them from under the stump." "i'll go with you," declared flossie, firmly, "i'm not going to stay alone." together they pulled out some of the lunch they had found in the balloon basket. back to the shack they went, and freddie was looking about for some matches in the old cabin when flossie suddenly called out: "hark! i hear something!" chapter xx a happy meeting mr. and mrs. bobbsey and the friends who had gone with them in captain craig's motor-boat to search for the runaway balloon, waited anxiously after they had run on the rocks for what was to happen next. "is there any danger?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no, lady, there doesn't seem to be--that is, if you mean danger of sinking," said captain craig. "as i remarked at first, we're plumb fast on the rocks. but maybe if we were to get out and thus lighten the boat, she would float off the rocks and we could keep on." "that's a good idea!" declared mr. bobbsey. "we must keep on, no matter what happens, and find those children!" "i think we'll find them!" declared mr. trench, and he seemed so much in earnest that mrs. bobbsey asked: "when?" "very soon now," answered the balloon man. "if my gas bag came down here on hemlock island--that's where we are now--it won't take long to search all over it and find your flossie and freddie. that's what i think." "but first let me see how badly the boat is damaged," went on the captain. "i'm afraid it's in bad shape." "can't we get away from here?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "that is, i mean, after we find the children? i wouldn't go until we have found them!" she exclaimed. "it all depends on what shape my boat is in," went on the captain. "as soon as you are all out i'll take a look." the searching party stood about in the rain on the shore of hemlock island under the dripping trees, the drops splashing on their rubber coats, while captain craig looked over his boat. he took some little time to do this, and at last he shook his head in gloomy fashion. "well?" asked mr. bobbsey. "not well--bad!" answered the captain. "we can't go on until the boat is mended. she isn't as badly smashed as i thought, and it doesn't leak much, which is a good thing. but i can't use the engine to drive her along until it's fixed. we'll have to stay on the island until i get help, i guess." "how are we going to get help in all this rain and fog?" mr. bobbsey wanted to know. "there used to be some campers' huts here," said the captain. "maybe some of those fellows left a rowboat. i could go over to the mainland in that and get help. some of you can come with me if you like." "i'm not going to!" announced mrs. bobbsey. "i'm going to stay here and find flossie and freddie!" "so am i, my dear!" added mr. bobbsey. "well, then, let's look around for a boat. if i find one i'll go for help in it, and you can stay here," said captain craig. he made his own damaged craft fast close to the shore, and then the searching party set off through the woods to look for a cabin, a rowboat, and for the missing children. "it ought to be easy to see that balloon, it's so big," said captain craig. "i can spot that balloon of mine as soon as any one, i guess," said mr. trench. "this isn't the first time i've hunted for it. you never can tell exactly where a balloon will come down." through the underbrush, between trees, and in the dripping rain and swirling fog, the searching party tramped on. suddenly one of the men gave a cry. "i see something!" he shouted. "is it my children?" mrs. bobbsey asked, her voice trembling with eagerness. "no, i think it's the balloon," was the answer. and the balloon it was. draped over bushes and trees was the big gas bag, now almost emptied of the vapor that had lifted it and carried it away from the fair grounds with flossie and freddie in the basket. "oh, but where are my little ones--my bobbsey twins?" cried the mother. "they must be somewhere around here," said captain craig. and then, thrilling the hearts of all, came two young voices, calling: "daddy! mother! here we are! oh, we're so glad you came! here we are!" out of the woods rushed flossie and freddie, to be caught up in the arms of mother and daddy bobbsey. "we--we were in the hut!" breathlessly explained flossie. "and i heard a noise, and i said for freddie to hark, and he harked, and then we heard talking and we ran out and--and here we are!" "yes, darlings, here you are!" cried mrs. bobbsey, tears running down her cheeks. "but, oh, why did you ever do it? why did you get into the balloon?" "oh, jest 'cause," answered freddie. and they all laughed at his answer. chapter xxi bert, nan, and bob while this happy meeting and reunion was taking place on hemlock island and while the smaller bobbsey twins were thus made happy by finding their father and mother again, bert and nan were very unhappy back at meadow brook farm. they had safely reached the home of their uncle and aunt, being taken there in mr. blackford's automobile. "oh, dear me, what dreadful news!" exclaimed aunt sarah, when told about flossie and freddie having been carried away in the balloon. "shall we ever see those dear children again?" "of course we shall, mother!" said uncle daniel, with a laugh. "don't worry, flossie and freddie will be all right." and of course flossie and freddie were, in the end, only bert and nan and their uncle, aunt, and cousin did not know that then, so of course they worried. the storm which had been only threatening when bert and his sister had been sent home from the fair grounds now broke, and it rained hard. at meadow brook, as on most farms, little could be done when it rained, and the children saw uncle daniel and aunt sarah sitting around talking in low tones. "i just wish i could do something!" gloomily remarked bert, as he stood with his face pressed against the window, down which the rain drops were chasing each other. "so do i," echoed nan. "i think they might have let us help them look for flossie and freddie." "i guess your father and mother knew best," said harry. "and i think the balloon will come down soon in all this rain. it sure is pouring!" and it was. the storm kept up all day, and in the afternoon, when nan was on the verge of tears and bert had almost made up his mind to go back alone to the fair grounds and see if he could hear any news, there came a knock at the back door. "there's some one!" cried nan, jumping from her chair. "maybe it's flossie and freddie come back!" added bert. "they wouldn't knock at the back door," observed his aunt. "harry, go and see who it is. maybe it's good news." harry returned in a few moments to say: "it's that boy from the merry-go-round, bob guess. he wants to see your father, bert." "well, dad isn't here, and----" "i told him, and then he said he wants to see some of us--my father i think he means. he has something to tell." "bring him in here," advised uncle daniel, who was trying to read the paper, though half the time he had it upside down, for he was thinking too much about poor flossie and freddie to pay attention to anything else. bob guess came in, dripping wet, though not as ragged as when bert and nan had first seen him. "what's the matter?" asked uncle daniel in his jolly voice. "can't you do any business at the fair on account of the rain?" "no. and i don't want ever to do any more business at the fair," answered bob, in such strange tones that they all looked at him. "don't you like the merry-go-round any more?" bert asked. "oh, it isn't that," said bob. "it's that man blipper. i can't stand him any longer! he blamed me for poor business to-day, and it wasn't my fault at all. in the first place, all the people went over to see the balloon go up. hardly anybody took rides on our machine. then the children--i mean your little brother and sister," he said to nan, "got carried off, and everybody got scared for fear something would happen to their children, and they wouldn't even let 'em ride on the merry-go-round. and then the rain came down, and blipper seemed to blame me for that." "he isn't a very fair sort of man, even if he has his machine at a county fair," joked uncle daniel. "he's terribly ugly," blurted out bob guess. "and i think he's worse than that!" "what do you mean?" asked bert. "well, i think he takes things that don't belong to him," went on bob. "your father lost a coat some time ago, didn't he?" the strange boy asked the older bobbsey twins. "yes, at our sunday school picnic," answered nan. "and a lap robe was taken from our auto about the same time," added bert. "that's what i thought," said bob. "well, would you know any of your father's papers if you saw them?" he asked, as he began to fumble in his pocket. "i mean would you know his writing on a letter, or something like that?" "of course i know my father's writing!" declared bert. "well, look at this!" said bob guess suddenly. he held out an envelope, torn open at one end as if the letter had been taken out. "that's father's writing!" exclaimed bert. "this is a letter he wrote to mr. clarkson who buys lumber from dad. i know, for i've been in the office when he called. i guess my father must have been in a hurry and he addressed this letter himself with a pen, and didn't wait for his typewriter to do it. that's my father's writing!" "well," said bob slowly, "i found that letter in the tent where mr. blipper and i live. we sort of camp out at the different fair grounds where we set up the merry-go-round," he added. "i have to live with mr. blipper. he claims i'm his adopted son, but i don't like him for an adopted father. anyhow, i saw this letter drop out of his coat. he didn't see it, and i picked it up." "was it my father's coat?" asked nan. "that i don't know," bob answered. "i never saw your father wearing his coat. but mr. blipper used to have an old ragged coat, and right after we had that breakdown at the sunday school picnic grounds he had a new coat. "i asked him where he got it, 'cause i thought maybe he'd get me one, i was so ragged, and he said it wasn't any of my affair where he got his coats. then the next day i noticed he had a new robe as a blanket for his bed. i asked him about that, too, 'cause i had only a ragged quilt, and he told me to keep still. "so when you folks asked me if i had seen your father's coat and the lap robe i didn't know for sure, and, anyhow, i was afraid to say anything. but i'm not afraid any more." "why not?" asked uncle daniel. "'cause," answered bob, "i heard mr. blipper and his partner, a man named hardy, quarreling to-day. first it started over bad business on account of the rain and nobody riding on the merry-go-round because the balloon was going up. then i heard my name mentioned and the quarrel grew worse. mr. hardy said mr. blipper didn't have any right to treat me as mean as he does. mr. blipper said he'd do as he pleased, and then mr. hardy said if he did he'd tell on mr. blipper." "what did he mean--tell on him?" asked bert. "i don't know, exactly," answered bob guess. "it was all sort of queer. maybe mr. hardy meant he was going to tell about mr. blipper taking your father's coat and the lap robe." "i'm sure mr. blipper must have daddy's coat," declared nan. "this letter dropped from the pocket, and there was money and there were other papers, too." "i don't know anything about them," murmured bob. "well, i know something!" cried bert. "and that is this! what mr. hardy said he was going to tell on blipper about was you, bob guess!" "me?" cried the strange boy. "yes, you! i don't believe you belong to mr. blipper at all!" chapter xxii joyous times bob guess could, for a moment, only stare at bert after this strange remark. "what do you mean?" asked the boy from the merry-go-round. "don't i have to stay with mr. blipper if i don't want to?" "i don't believe you do," went on bert. "i heard my father and mother talking about it," he explained to the others. "my father said he was going to find out if mr. blipper had really adopted you. and if you stay here until my father comes back he'll have this mr. blipper arrested for taking his coat. just you stay here, bob!" "i'd like to," sighed the unhappy lad. "i don't like blipper. and if i go back now, after having run away again, he'll beat me!" "we won't let him!" exclaimed aunt sarah. "here, i'll get you some dry clothes. harry has a suit you can wear. and then we'll see about this blipper man!" as she started to leave the room to get some dry clothing for bob guess, who was soaking wet, there was a noise and some excitement out in the yard. then nan caught the sound of a voice she well knew. "oh, it's flossie!" she cried. "it's flossie! they've found them!" instantly there was a mad rush for the door, and a little later into the warm, comfortable farmhouse came mr. and mrs. bobbsey with the missing twins--poor little wet twins, but happy for all that. "oh, hurray!" cried bert, grabbing hold of harry and dancing around the room with him. "now everything's all right!" "oh, what happened to you?" asked nan through her tears, as she kissed first freddie and then flossie and then both the twins at the same time. "well, we found them!" said mr. bobbsey to uncle daniel. "where?" "on hemlock island, where the balloon came down. the motor-boat we got to go across the lake was also wrecked on the same island. and flossie and freddie started out in a rowboat to come to shore, but they got lost in the fog and had to turn back. and they heard us on the island and came to us." "how did you get off if your motor-boat was wrecked?" asked bert. "oh, captain craig managed to patch it up, and it got us back to the mainland. we went back to where we had started from--captain craig's dock--and then we came on here in my auto. oh, what a day this has been!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, sinking wearily into a chair. "but it all ends happily," said his wife. "oh, here's bob guess!" she exclaimed, as she noticed the strange boy. "yes, and he knows where your missing coat is, and the lap robe, too!" exclaimed bert. "blipper has 'em!" "my, everything is happening at once!" laughed mother bobbsey. "but we must get flossie and freddie to bed. they have had a hard day!" "don't want to go to bed!" declared freddie. "want to see bob. did you bring the merry-go-round?" he asked. "as if he hadn't troubles enough!" exclaimed nan. finally the smaller bobbsey twins were induced to take off their damp clothes and go to bed, where they fell asleep almost as soon as their heads touched the pillows. they were very weary, for they had had an exciting trip, though they did not really think so at the time. when all the stories had been told of how the children had been found on the island, how the motor-boat had been repaired, and of the trip back to the mainland safely made, mr. bobbsey turned to bob guess. "now we can give you a little attention," he said. "what's your trouble?" so bob told the same story he had related to bert and nan. "i always thought there was something wrong about blipper!" declared the father of the bobbsey twins. "now i know it! we'll get after blipper in the morning. you stay here to-night, bob. we'll call you bob guess for the present, but i think we can find a better name for you soon. i think we shall all feel better for a little rest." "and something to eat," added aunt sarah. "i'm sure you must be starved!" "i am!" admitted mother bobbsey. "i couldn't eat when i was worrying about flossie and freddie, but now that they are safe i could eat two meals at once!" there was a merry party around the farmhouse supper table, while the little bobbsey twins slept peacefully upstairs, probably dreaming about their trip in the balloon. the storm was over the next day, and after talking to several newspaper reporters who came to meadow brook farm to get the story of the wonderful trip of flossie and freddie, daddy bobbsey started for the fair grounds with bert and bob guess. they stopped in the village to get a policeman and also a lawyer. "if blipper wants to put up a fight we'll be ready for him," said mr. bobbsey. but when the fair grounds were reached there was no blipper to be found. in the night he had packed up his merry-go-round and had traveled on, leaving no word as to where he was going. "i don't care where he's gone!" said the partner, mr. hardy. "i'm through with him. we've broken up the partnership. i sold my share to him. i don't care to have anything to do with such a man. he's a thief!" "perhaps you can tell us about this boy--bob guess," suggested mr. bobbsey. "yes, i can. i told blipper i'd tell, after i found out he'd taken a coat and a robe that didn't belong to him. he carted them away with him too, so if they're yours there's no use looking for them," he added to mr. bobbsey. "oh, well, i gave them up for lost some time ago," said the lumber dealer. "i managed to get copies of the papers that were in my pockets, and i wouldn't wear the coat again, anyhow. but what about bob?" then mr. hardy told the story. mr. blipper had found bob, a little chap, wandering about the streets of a big city. the boy, it seemed, lived with an italian who said he had once known bob's father and mother who had been dead some time. "i don't know how blipper managed it, but he got the boy away from the italian," said mr. hardy, "and gave out that he had adopted bob guess as his son. but i knew better, though i didn't see much use in telling about it. in fact, i didn't know who to tell. i didn't know who would look after bob if blipper didn't, in his own rough way. so i kept still, though after blipper and i quarreled, i threatened to tell. and now i have." "i'll see if we can find bob's relatives," said mr. bobbsey. "if we can't, why, i think he will be provided for." "oh, i'm so glad!" exclaimed bob. "i'd rather belong to anybody but blipper!" and, a few days later, inquiries having been made, it was found that bob's father and mother had died in a distant city and that, there being no one to look after the poor boy, the italian had taken him in. then, in some manner, blipper got him and treated him harshly. bob was only a small boy when mr. blipper got control of him, and the merry-go-round man told a wrong story about having taken the lad from an orphan asylum. if bob had been in an asylum he would have been well treated, and no person would have been allowed to take him away until they had been looked up, to make sure the boy would be well cared for. mr. blipper forged, or made out himself, the papers showing that bob was his adopted son, and bob was too small to know any better when mr. blipper told him this and also told how he had been taken from an asylum. bob had only a dim remembrance of the italian who looked after him for a time, following the death of the boy's father and mother. the italian was much kinder than mr. blipper had been. "how would you like to come and live on this farm with me?" asked uncle daniel, when it became evident that bob had no folks living. "do you mean forever?" asked the boy, delight showing in his eyes. "yes, forever. come here as my son. i'll adopt you properly. harry always wanted a brother, and now he can have one. will you come?" "will i come?" cried bob. "i'll come--_twice_!" he laughed. "then it's settled," said uncle daniel. "and from now on your name will be bob bobbsey!" and so it was. "and daddy never found his coat after all!" said nan, when, several days later, they were talking over the wonderful things that had happened. "no, but i found a brother!" laughed harry, who was very happy to have bob live with him. the whole adventure had been a lot of fun, but more good times awaited them which will be related in "the bobbsey twins camping out." and then came happy days and joyous times for all. though blipper's merry-go-round had been taken away from the fair grounds, there were enough other amusements. mr. trench even got his balloon back, had it mended, and the regular man went up in it several times to the great delight of the crowds. but you may be sure mrs. bobbsey watched flossie and freddie very closely, to see that they did not get near the big basket. the little brother and sister were objects of curiosity wherever they went on the fair grounds, for the newspapers had published stories of their strange trip, all alone, in a balloon to hemlock island. "when i grow up," declared freddie, "i'm going to run an airship." "well, i'm never going to run a merry-go-round; i've had enough of them!" declared bob guess--or, to give him the name he was to have from then on, bob bobbsey. "well, we certainly had plenty of adventures at the bolton county fair," remarked bert, when the exhibition came to a close. "yes, indeed!" cried all of the others. and here let us say good-by. the end note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustration. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) the bobbsey twins at home by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins." new york grosset & dunlap publishers [illustration: "oh, will she have to stay there forever?" asked freddie. _the bobbsey twins at home_] copyright, , by grosset & dunlap. the bobbsey twins at home printed in the united states of america contents chapter page i. tommy todd's story ii. a sudden stop iii. snap and snoop iv. home again v. tommy's troubles vi. school days vii. the school play viii. snoop in trouble ix. nan bakes a cake x. in the lumber yard xi. a queer play-house xii. tommy is rewarded xiii. the first frost xiv. after chestnuts xv. the storm xvi. the first snow xvii. on the hill xviii. bert's snowshoes xix. through the ice xx. lost in a storm xxi. the strange man xxii. happy days the bobbsey twins at home chapter i tommy todd's story "mother, how many more stations before we'll be home?" "oh, quite a number, dear. sit back and rest yourself. i thought you liked it on the train." "i do; but it's so long to sit still." the little fellow who had asked the question turned to his golden-haired sister, who sat in the seat with him. "aren't you tired, flossie?" he asked. "yes, freddie, i am!" exclaimed flossie. "and i want a drink of water." "dinah will get it for you," said mother bobbsey. "my! but you are a thirsty little girl." "deed an' dat's whut she am!" exclaimed a fat, good-natured looking colored woman, smiling at the little girl. dinah was the bobbsey family cook. she had been with them so long that she used to say, and almost do, just what she pleased. "dis am de forty-sixteen time i'se done bin down to de end ob de car gittin' miss flossie a drink ob watah. an' de train rocks so, laik a cradle, dat i done most upsot ebery time. but i'll git you annuder cup ob watah, flossie lamb!" "and if you're going to upset, and fall down, dinah, please do it where we can see you," begged freddie. "nothing has happened since we got on this train. do upset, dinah!" "yes, i want to see it, too," added flossie. "here, freddie, you can have my place at the window, and i'll take yours on the outside. then i can see dinah better when the car upsets her." "no, i want to sit here myself, flossie. you wanted the window side, and now you must stay there." "no, i don't want to. i want to see dinah upset in the aisle. mamma, make freddie let me sit where i can see dinah fall." "well, ob all t'ings!" gasped the fat, colored cook. "if you chilluns t'ink dat i'se gwine t' upsot mahse'f so yo' kin see suffin t' laugh at, den all i'se got t' say is i ain't gwine t' do it! no, sah! not fo' one minute!" and dinah sat up very straight in her seat. "children, be nice now," begged mother bobbsey. "i know you are tired with the long ride, but you'll soon hear the brakeman call out 'lakeport'; and then we'll be home." "i wish i were home now," said freddie. "i want to get my dog snap out of the baggage car, and have some fun with him. i guess he's lonesome for me." "and he's lonesome for me, too!" cried flossie. "he's as much my dog as he is yours, freddie bobbsey. isn't he, mother?" "yes, dear, of course. i don't know what's the matter with you two children. you never used to dispute this way." "i guess the long train ride is tiring them," said papa bobbsey, looking up from the paper he was reading. "anyhow, half of snoop, our black cat, is mine then," said freddie. "isn't she, mother?" "yes. and now please don't talk like that any more. look out of the window and watch the trees shoot past." "oh, i'm going to see snoop!" exclaimed flossie, suddenly. "so'm i," added freddie. and in a moment the two children were bending over a basket which was in the seat with dinah. in the basket was snoop, the big black cat. she always traveled that way with the bobbseys. and she seemed very comfortable, for she was curled up on the blanket in the bottom of the basket. snoop opened her eyes as freddie and flossie put their fingers through cracks and stroked her as well as they could. "i wish snap was in here with us," said freddie, after a bit. "i hope he gets a drink of water." "oh, i want a drink of water!" exclaimed flossie, suddenly. "i forgot i was thirsty. mother, can't i have a drink?" she went on. "oh, yes, dear. i suppose so. i'll get it for you." "no, let dinah get it so she'll upset," begged flossie. "i'll get it for you, flossie," offered freddie. "dinah might get hurt." "dat's de li'l gen'man," said the fat cook, smiling. "he lubs ole dinah." "i love you too, dinah," said flossie, patting the black hand that had done many kind acts for the twins. "but i _do_ want a drink, and you know you _would_ look funny if you upset here in the car." "yes, i spects i would, chile," laughed dinah. "may i get flossie a drink?" asked freddie. "you may both go down to the end of the car where the water-cooler is," said mrs. bobbsey. "the train is slowing down now, and going to stop, i think, so you won't fall. but be careful." flossie and freddie started toward the end of the long car, but their sister nan, who with her brother bert was a few seats away, went with them, to make sure nothing would happen. "i'm not thirsty any more," flossie said, after having had two cups of cold water. "no, but you will be in half an hour, i'm sure," laughed nan. "every one seems to get thirsty on a railroad journey. i do myself," and she took some water after freddie had had enough. the train now came to a stop, and flossie and freddie hurried back to their seat to look out at the station. hardly were they both crowded close to the window before there was the sound of shouting and laughing, and into the car came rushing a number of children. with them were two ladies who seemed to be in charge. there were boys and girls--about twenty all together--and most of them made rushes for the best seats, while some hurried down to the tank to get drinks of ice-water. "i had that cup first!" cried one. "you did not! i had it myself," said another. "that's my seat by the window!" shouted a third. "it is not! i had it first, you can see where i left my hat! oh, my hat's gone!" a boy exclaimed. "i threw it on the floor, i wanted to sit here myself," said a big girl with red curls. "children! children! you must be quiet!" called one of the ladies. the train started again, all the other passengers watching the queer children who were making such a confusion. "oh, see the cow!" cried a tall boy. "it's the last cow you'll see for a year, fellows, so take a good look at her," he added as the train passed along a field. "no more good times for a long while," sighed a boy who had a seat near freddie and flossie. "i wish i could live in the country always." flossie and freddie looked at him. his clothes were patched here and there, but they were clean. and his face and hands were clean, which could not be said of all the other children, though some of them showed that they had tried to make themselves neat. "the country is the best place," he said, and he looked at the two smaller bobbsey twins as though he would like to speak to them. "i'm going to be a farmer when i grow up," he went on, after a pause. "he--he's a nice boy," whispered flossie to her brother. "i'm going to speak to him. we can talk about the country." "wait a minute," advised freddie. "maybe mother wouldn't want us to talk to strangers." flossie looked back to where her father and mother were sitting. mrs. bobbsey was speaking to one of the ladies who had come in the car with the noisy children. "are you taking part of an orphan asylum on an outing?" flossie heard her mother ask. "no. these are some 'fresh air' children. they have been out in the country for two weeks, and now we are taking them home. poor things! i wish we could have kept them longer out in the green fields and woods, but there are others waiting for their chance to go. "you see," she went on, and flossie and freddie listened carefully, "some kind people give us money so that the poor children of the city may have a little time in the country during the hot weather. we board them out at different farmers' houses. this company of children has been on two different farms near branchville, where we just got on the train. some of the little ones are from sanderville." this was a large city not far from lakeport, a smaller city where the bobbsey twins lived. "others are from lakeport," went on the lady, speaking to mrs. bobbsey. "indeed!" exclaimed freddie's mother. "i did not know there was a fresh air society in our city." "it has only just been formed," said the lady, who was a miss carter. "we haven't much money left, i'm sorry to say." "then you must let me give you some," said mr. bobbsey. "and i will get some friends of mine to give money also. our own children enjoy it so much in the country that i want to see others have a good time, too." then he and mrs. bobbsey began to talk about ways of helping poor children, and flossie and freddie did not listen any more. besides, just then the train was passing along a field in which were many horses, some of which raced alongside the cars, and that interested the twins. "oh, look at 'em run!" cried the fresh air boy who sat in front of the smaller bobbsey twins. "don't they go fast?" the other fresh air youngsters crowded to their windows to look out, and some tried to push their companions away so they might see better. then a number all wanted a drink of water at the same time, and the two ladies who were in charge of the children were kept busy making them settle down. the quiet, neat boy about whom flossie had whispered to her brother, turned around in his seat and, looking at freddie, asked: "were you ever on a farm?" "yes," answered freddie, "we just came from our uncle dan's farm, at meadow brook. we were there 'most all summer. now we're going back home." "where do you live, and what's your name?" asked the strange boy. "my name's freddie bobbsey, and this is my sister flossie," was the answer. "we're twins. up there, in that other seat, are my brother and sister, bert and nan. they're twins too, but they're older'n we are. we live in lakeport." "you do?" cried the boy in surprise. "why, that's where i live! my name is tommy todd." "that's a nice name," put in flossie politely. "i don't know any one of that name in lakeport though. where does your father live?" tommy todd did not answer at once, and freddie was surprised to see tears in the eyes of the strange boy. "i--i guess you folks don't ever come down to our part of lakeport," he said. "we live down near the dumps. it isn't very nice there." freddie had heard of the "dumps." it was on the farther side of the city, a long distance from his nice home. once, when he was very little, he had wandered away and been lost. a policeman who found him had said freddie was near the "dumps." freddie remembered that very well. afterward, he heard that the "dumps" was a place where the ashes, tin cans, and other things that people threw away were dumped by the scavengers. so freddie was sure it could not be a very nice place. "i live out near the dumps, with my grandmother," went on tommy todd. "we've a grandmother too," said flossie. "we go to see her at christmas. we've two grandmas. one is my mother's mother, and the other is my father's mother. that's my papa and my mother back there," and flossie pointed to where mr. and mrs. bobbsey were talking to the fresh air lady. "doesn't your father live with you and your grandmother?" asked freddie. "i--i haven't any father," said tommy, and once more the tears came into his eyes. "he was lost at sea. he was a captain on a ship, and it was wrecked." "oh, please tell us about it!" begged freddie. "i just love stories about the ocean; don't you, flossie?" "yes, i do." "i'm going to be a sea captain when i grow up," said freddie. "tell us about your father, tommy." so while the train rushed on tommy todd told his sad little story. chapter ii a sudden stop "i don't remember my father very well," said tommy todd. "i was real little when he went away. that was just after my mother died. my grandmother took care of me. i just remember a big man with black hair and whiskers, taking me up in his arms, and kissing me good-bye. that was my father, my grandmother told me afterward." "what made him go away from you?" asked flossie. "didn't he like to stay at home?" "i guess maybe he did," said tommy. "but he couldn't stay. he was a sea captain on a ship, you know." "of course!" cried freddie. "don't you know, flossie? a sea captain never stays at home, only a little while. he has to go off to steer the ship across the ocean. that's what i'm going to do." "i don't want you to," returned flossie, as she nestled up closer to her brother. "i want you to stay with me. if you have to go so far off to be a sea captain couldn't you be something else and stay at home? couldn't you be a trolley-car conductor?" "well, maybe i could," said freddie slowly. "but i'd rather be a sea captain. go on, tommy. tell us about your father." "well, i don't know much," went on tommy todd. "i don't remember him so very well, you know. then my grandmother and i lived alone. it was in a better house than we have now, and we had more things to eat. i never get enough now when i'm home, though when i was on the fresh air farm i had lots," and, sighing, tommy seemed sad. "my father used to write letters to my grandmother--she is his mother," he explained. "when i got so i could understand, my grandmother read them to me. my father wrote about his ship, and how he sailed away up where the whales are. sometimes he would send us money in the letters, and then grandma would make a little party for me. "but after a while no more letters came. my grandmother used to ask the postman every day if he didn't have a letter for her from my father, but there wasn't any. then there was a piece in the paper about a ship that was wrecked. it was my father's ship." "what's wrecked?" asked flossie. "it means the ship is all smashed to pieces; doesn't it?" asked freddie of tommy. "that's it; yes. my father's ship was in a storm and was smashed on the rocks. everybody on it, and my father too, was drowned in the ocean, the paper said. that's why i like the country better than the ocean." "i used to like the ocean," said flossie slowly. "we go down to ocean cliff sometimes, where uncle william and aunt emily and cousin dorothy live. but i don't like the ocean so much now, if it made your father drown." "oh, well, there have to be shipwrecks i s'pose," remarked tommy. "but, of course, it was awful hard to lose my father." he turned his head away and seemed to be looking out of the window. then he went on: "after grandmother read that in the paper about my father's ship sinking she cried, and i cried too. then she wrote some letters to the company that owned the ship. she thought maybe the papers were wrong, about the ship sinking, but when the answers came back they said the same thing. the men who owned the ship which my father was captain of, said the vessel was lost and no one was saved. no more letters came from my father, and no more money. then grandmother and i had to move away from the house where we were living, and had to go to a little house down by the dumps. it isn't nice there." "does your grandma have any money now?" asked flossie. "a little. she sews and i run errands for the groceryman after school, and earn a little. but it isn't much. i was glad when the fresh air folks took me to the farm. i had lots to eat, and my grandmother had more too, for she didn't have to feed me. she is going to the fresh air farm some day, maybe." "that will be nice," said flossie. "we're going to uncle dan's farm again next year, maybe, and perhaps your grandma can come there." "i don't believe so," returned tommie. "but anyhow i had fun, and i weigh two pounds more than 'fore i went away, and i can run errands faster now for mr. fitch." "why, he's our grocery man!" cried freddie. "do you work for him, tommy?" "sometimes, and sometimes i work for mr. schmidt, a butcher. but i don't earn much. when i get through school i'll work all the while, and earn lots of money. then i'm going to hire a ship and go to look for my father." "i thought you said he was drowned in the ocean!" exclaimed flossie. "well, maybe he is. but sometimes shipwrecked people get picked up by other vessels and carried a long way off. and sometimes they get on an island and have to stay a long time before they are taken off. maybe that happened to my father." "oh, maybe it did!" cried freddie. "that would be great! just like robinson crusoe, flossie! don't you remember?" "yes, mother read us that story. i hope your father is on robinson crusoe's island," she whispered to tommy. "i'll tell you what we'll do," said freddie to the new boy. "when i get home, i'll take all the money in my bank, and help you buy a ship. then we'll both go off together, looking for the desert island where your father is; will you?" "yes," said tommy, "i will, and thank you." "i'm coming, too," said flossie. "no. girls can't be on a ship!" said freddie. "yes they can too! can't they, tommy?" "well, my mother was once on the ship with my father, i've heard my grandma say." "there, see!" cried flossie. "of course i'm coming! i'll do the cooking for you boys." "oh, well, if you want to cook of course that's different," said freddie, slowly, as he thought about it. "i'm going to ask my father how much i got saved up," he went on to tommy. "and how much it costs to buy a ship. he'll know for he sells lumber. you wait here and i'll ask him." freddie slipped from the seat into the aisle of the car. flossie stayed to talk to tommy. bert and nan were looking at a magazine which mrs. bobbsey had bought for them, and she and her husband were still talking to the fresh air lady. scattered about the car, the fresh air children were talking and laughing, telling each other of the good times they had had in the country. all of them were sorry to go back to the city again. "papa," began freddie, as he reached the seat where mr. and mrs. bobbsey sat, "how much money have i saved up? and how much does a ship cost? 'cause tommy todd and i are going off to look for his father who is lost on a desert island, and we want to bring him home. does it take much money?" mr. bobbsey looked at his little boy, wondering what he meant, and he was just going to answer him, and say it took much more money than freddie had saved to buy a ship, when, all at once, the train came to such a sudden stop that freddie was nearly thrown off his feet. his father caught him just in time. "oh!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "i hope there has been no accident!" "if dey is i'se gwine t' git out quick!" cried dinah. "come on, chilluns. i'se got de cat!" and she started to run for the door, carrying the basket holding snoop. "be quiet," said mr. bobbsey. "nothing much seems to have happened. we didn't hit anything, anyhow." some of the fresh air children were excited, and the two ladies in charge hurried here and there quieting them. bert bobbsey, who was with his sister nan, looked out a window. "oh, see!" he cried. "a lot of men with guns are standing along the track. they stopped the train, i guess. they must be robbers! i'm going to hide my money!" several women heard bert speak of robbers, and they screamed. "bert, don't be foolish!" said mr. bobbsey. "i dare say it isn't anything. i'll go out and see what it means." "i'll come with you," said a man in the seat behind mr. bobbsey. several other passengers also left the train. and while they are out seeking the cause of the sudden stop i'll tell my new readers something about the bobbsey twins, so that they may feel better acquainted with them. those of you who have read the other books in this series, beginning with the first, "the bobbsey twins," know enough about the children already. but others do not. there were two sets of bobbsey twins. bert and nan were about ten years old. both were tall and slim, with dark hair and eyes. flossie and freddie, who were about five years of age, were short and fat, and had light hair and blue eyes. the bobbseys lived in an eastern city called lakeport, near lake metoka, on the shore of which mr. bobbsey had a large lumber yard. once this had caught fire, and freddie had thought he could put the blaze out with his little toy fire engine. ever since then mr. bobbsey had called the little chap "fireman." dinah johnson was the bobbsey's cook. she had been with them many years. and sam, her husband, worked around the house, carrying out ashes, cutting the grass, and such things as that. besides these, the bobbsey family consisted of snap, the big dog who once had been in a circus and could do tricks, and snoop, the black cat. these pets were taken along wherever the bobbsey twins went on their summer vacations. for the bobbseys used to spend each summer either in the mountains or at the seashore. the second book tells about the good time they had in the country while the third one tells of their adventures at the shore. "the bobbsey twins at school," is the name of the fourth book, and in that i had the pleasure of telling you the many good times they had there. later on they went to "snow lodge" and helped solve a mystery, while on the houseboat, _bluebird_, where they spent one vacation, they found a "stowaway," and, if you want to know what that is, i advise you to read the book. "the bobbsey twins at meadow brook," is the name of the book just before this present one. on the farm of uncle daniel bobbsey the twins had had a most glorious time, and they were on their way home in the train when the fresh air children got aboard, and tommy todd told the story about his lost father. then had come the sudden stop, and bert had seen the men with guns outside the train. "i tell you they _are_ robbers, nan," bert whispered to his sister. "look, one of 'em has a mask on his face." "that's so," agreed nan. "oh, i wonder what it is!" "don't be afraid!" exclaimed bert. "i guess they won't come in this car. father won't let them." by this time flossie and freddie had also seen the masked men with their guns standing along the track, and freddie cried: "oh, look! it's just like hallowe'en. they've got false faces on!" many in the car laughed at this. chapter iii snap and snoop the train on which the bobbsey twins were coming back from the country had now been stopping for several minutes. there was no sign of a station on either side of the track, as could be told by those who put their heads out of the opened windows. and mr. bobbsey had not come back. "i wonder if anything has happened," remarked mrs. bobbsey. "i'll go and find out, mother," offered bert, getting up from his seat. "no, indeed, i can't let you!" his mother answered. "your father would not like it. he may be back any moment." "i don't believe anything much has happened, ma'am," said a man across the aisle from mrs. bobbsey. "i can see some men up near the engine, but they are talking and laughing." "then they aren't robbers," said freddie to his older brother bert, "'cause robbers wouldn't laugh." "well, if they're not train robbers why have they guns and false faces on?" asked bert. "maybe they're just making believe--same as when we have pretend-plays," put in flossie. "do you pretend, and make believe?" asked tommy todd, of the two younger twins. "oh, yes, lots of times," freddie said. "we have heaps of fun that way; don't you?" "sometimes," answered tommy in a low voice. "sometimes i pretend i have gone off in a ship, and that i've found my father. i make believe that he and i are sailing together. and oh! how i wish it would come true!" "maybe it will--some day," said flossie softly, as she patted tommy's hand which was on the back of the seat in front of her. "i must go out and see what is keeping your father," said mrs. bobbsey at last. "something must have happened. you children stay here with dinah. nan and bert, you look after flossie and freddie." but there was no need for mrs. bobbsey to leave the car for, just then, her husband came in. he was smiling, and that seemed to show that nothing very serious was the matter. "what is it?" asked bert. "are the men playing a game?" freddie demanded. "is the train off the track?" asked one of the fresh air boys. "i hopes it is--that is, if nobody is hurt, 'cause then we won't have to go home, and maybe we can go back to the country." "no, the train isn't off the track," answered mr. bobbsey. "it's a hold-up by masked robbers." "there! what'd i tell you?" cried bert to his brother and sisters. "i _knew_ they were masked robbers." "but only make-believe," went on mr. bobbsey, still smiling. "this is a hold-up, or stopping of the train, and a pretend robbery for moving pictures." "moving pictures!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "yes. there is a man up front, near the engine, with a moving picture camera. with him are some men and women, actors and actresses, dressed up--some like passengers, such as we are, and others like robbers, with false faces on. they wanted the train to stop so they could get a picture of that, for it would be a funny movie of a train robbery without a train to be seen." "and did they actually stop the train?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes. they held up a red flag and the engineer stopped. but it was all right, for he knew it was going to be done. it was all arranged for ahead of time. now, if you like, you may come out and see them take moving pictures." "well, who would have thought that!" cried bert. "i was sure the men with masks on were robbers. and they're only taking a moving picture." "i'd like to see it in a theatre afterward," said nan. "don't you remember what fun it was when we were in the movies this summer?" "were you in them, really?" asked tommy as he followed the twins out of the car. "yes, we acted a little," said bert. "there was a make-believe battle being taken near our uncle's farm. we went to watch. they fired cannon and guns, and had horses----" "and the men and horses were shot!" interrupted freddie. "only pretend, of course, but i was there and i was in the movies too. i acted and so did nan. and i fell in the brook and the man made a moving picture of me doing that!" "did they really?" asked one of the fresh air ladies of mrs. bobbsey. "yes, the children were in the moving pictures a little this summer," explained freddie's mother. "it was all unexpected, but we did not mind, for it was all outdoors. it was fun for them." those of you who have read the book before this one will remember how freddie and the others really did act before the camera. "say, i'd like to do that!" cried tommy with shining eyes as he heard what the bobbseys had done. "it must have been great!" "it was fun," freddie said. by this time they were out of the train, walking up toward the engine. about it were men and women, and the children saw a man with a black box on three legs grinding away at a crank. "he's taking the moving pictures," said bert. "why--why!" exclaimed flossie as she came closer. "it's the same man who took our pictures at meadow brook!" "so it is," agreed nan. "it's mr. weston." "yes, he's the same one," said mr. bobbsey. "i told him you children were on the train and he asked me to fetch you up to see him." when mr. weston had finished taking the pictures of the actors and actresses who had to pretend they were being robbed by the masked men, he spoke to the bobbsey twins. "don't you want to act for the movies again?" he asked, laughing. "oh, yes!" cried flossie and freddie. "i'm afraid we haven't time now," said mrs. bobbsey with a smile. "we shall get home late, as it is. when is the train going to start again?" "pretty soon," answered mr. weston. a few more pictures were taken and then the engineer blew the whistle. the moving picture people got in a big automobile to ride away. "all aboard!" called the conductor, waving his hand to the engineer who was looking from the window of his cab. "all aboard!" "come on!" cried mr. bobbsey, and he and the twins, as well as the fresh air children, were soon in the car again, speeding on toward lakeport. "that's the first time i ever saw moving pictures taken," said tommy todd. "we go to moving picture shows lots of times," said flossie. "i like 'em, 'specially when they have fairy plays." "i like 'em too," replied tommy. "only i don't get to see 'em very often. there aren't very many nickels lying loose around our house. sometimes i only make five cents in a whole day." "oh, i didn't find out how much money there was in my bank," said freddie. "i was just doing it when the train stopped. wait a minute, tommy, and i'll ask my father." back once more the chubby little "fireman" went to where his father sat, and again he asked the question about the money, and about buying a ship to search for the lost sea captain. "what's all this?" asked mr. bobbsey in surprise. "who is this tommy todd?" "he's one of the fresh air boys," answered freddie. "there he is in the seat ahead of flossie." "he is one of our nicest boys," put in miss carter, the fresh air lady. "i was so glad we could send him out to the farm. he lives with his grandmother on the outskirts of the city near the dumps, and, though the home is a very poor one, mrs. todd keeps it very neat. she sews for a living." "tommy's father was lost at sea, and tommy and i are going to rescue him from a desert island," cried freddie eagerly. "how much money have i in my bank, daddy?" "was his father really shipwrecked?" asked mr. bobbsey of miss carter. "i believe he was, yes. before then tommy and his grandmother lived well. we help them all we can, but there are so many poor." "tommy can run errands," put in freddie. "he works for mr. fitch, our grocer, after school. he's strong, tommy is. he gained two pounds in the country. maybe you could hire him to run errands for you, daddy, and pay him money." "he really is a very good boy," said miss carter. "if you could give him any work it would be a charity." "i'll see about it when we get home," said mr. bobbsey. "and you say the grandmother does sewing?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i must look her up, and perhaps i can give her work. we won't forget the todds." "but can i help tommy buy a ship and go to look on the desert island for his father?" freddie demanded. "i'll see about it," promised mr. bobbsey, with a smile. the train rumbled on. some passengers got off, and others came on board. the fresh air children got drinks of water until there was none left in the tank. some of them crawled under the seats, and one little fat girl got stuck, and a brakeman had to come in and raise the seat so she could get out. others raced up and down the aisles until the two ladies in charge of them did not know what to do. mr. and mrs. bobbsey helped as much as they could. "the children don't mean to be troublesome," said miss carter, "but they don't very often have a chance to have real fun like this, and they make the most of it. thank goodness we'll soon be home." a little later the brakeman called: "lakeport! lakeport!" "oh, here we are!" cried the bobbsey twins. "come!" shouted flossie. "hurry!" urged freddie. "don't forget snoop, dinah," said nan. "i'll hurry up to the baggage car and get snap," said bert, for the dog had to ride there. "can i help you carry any bundles?" asked tommy todd of mrs. bobbsey. "i get out here, too." "oh, yes, so you do. well, you might carry that basket if it isn't too heavy for you. but please be careful of it for it has flowers in it." "yes'm, i'll be careful," and tommy slipped the handle of the basket over his arm. the bobbseys got out, as did some of the fresh air children, and other passengers. fat dinah carried the basket in which lay snoop, the black cat. she had awakened now, and was stretching out her claws. "i guess snoop will be glad to get out," said flossie, putting her fat little finger in the basket to rub her pet. snoop purred her thanks. the baggageman loosed snap's chain, and let him jump out of the baggage car to bert, who led him down the platform. there was another dog in the car, and his master came for him, following bert. and then something happened. the other dog, who it appeared had been growling at snap all the while the two were in the car, now made a rush to get at him. perhaps he only wanted to make friends, but it looked as though he wanted to bite. snap did not like this so he barked at the other dog. then the other dog became frightened and ran away, pulling loose from his master. straight toward dinah, who was carrying snoop in the basket, ran the other dog. his master called him to come back but he would not. then snap, seeing his enemy run, naturally ran after him, pulling the chain out of bert's hand. "go 'way! go 'way!" cried dinah. but the strange dog ran right into her, upsetting her. down she fell. the basket slipped from her arm, and the cover flew off, letting out snoop. the black cat, seeing a strange dog, ran down the platform as fast as she could. so with snap chasing the other dog, and with the bobbsey twins yelling, and with men and boys shouting, there was so much excitement that mr. and mrs. bobbsey did not know what to do. chapter iv home again "come back, snap!" cried bert. "come back!" "run after him," begged nan. "i'll get snoop!" shouted freddie. "and i'll help you," offered flossie, hurrying along as fast as her fat little legs would take her. freddie was already half-way down the platform after the black cat. "come back, children! come back!" begged mother bobbsey. "oh, richard!" she called to her husband, "get the children!" "all right," he answered, but he could hardly keep from laughing, it was all so funny. dinah still sat where she had fallen, after being knocked over by the strange dog, and there was a look of wonder on her face, as if she did not quite understand how it had all happened. "i beg your pardon. i'm sure i'm very sorry for what has happened," said the man whose dog had caused all the trouble by rushing at snap. "oh, you couldn't help it," returned mrs. bobbsey. "richard," she again called to her husband, "do look after flossie and freddie. i'm afraid they'll be hurt." "i'll help get them, and the cat too!" offered tommy todd. "i like cats and dogs," he added, and, carefully setting down the basket of flowers, he, too, ran down the platform. by this time snap, chasing after the strange dog, was half-way across the street in front of the railroad station, but snoop, the black cat, was not in sight. flossie and freddie, having come to the end of the platform, stopped, for they had been told not to cross a street without looking both ways for wagons or automobiles. and it was while they had thus come to a stop that their father came up to them. "don't go any farther," said mr. bobbsey. "but we want to get snoop!" cried freddie. "and snap will be lost, too," said flossie, ready to cry. "that's all right. we'll get them both. snap won't go far. i'll bring him back. where's your whistle, bert?" bert had followed his father, while nan stayed with her mother to help get dinah up. dinah was so fat that once she sat down flat on the platform she could hardly get up alone. it was not often, of course, that she sat down that way. this time it was an accident. so while mrs. bobbsey and nan were helping up the fat cook, bert gave his father a tin whistle he carried for calling snap when the big dog was far away. mr. bobbsey blew a loud blast on the whistle. snap, who was now running down the street after the strange dog, turned and looked back. but he did not come toward the station. "come here, snap!" called mr. bobbsey. "come here at once!" and he said it in such a way that snap knew he must come. again the whistle was blown and snap, with a last bark at the dog which had made so much trouble, turned and came running back. "i wish you could call _my_ dog back as easily as you called yours," said the man who owned the animal snap had been chasing. "but i guess i had better go after him myself," he added. "your dog and mine don't seem to get along well together, and i think it's rover's fault. but he has never traveled in a train before, and perhaps he was frightened." "our dog and cat like to ride in a train," said flossie, patting the head of snap, who was wagging his tail. "oh, but we've got to find snoop!" cried freddie, who had, for the moment, forgotten about the black cat. "come on flossie." the two younger bobbsey twins were about to set off on a search for their pet when they saw tommy todd coming toward them, with the black cat in his arms. "i've found her for you," he said, smiling. "she's all right, only a little scared i guess, 'cause her heart's beating awful fast." "thank you, little man," said mr. bobbsey. "oh, snoop! did the bad dog bite you?" asked flossie, putting her arms around the cat as tommy held her. "no, she isn't bitten," said freddie, as he looked carefully at snoop. "where did you find her, tommy?" "she was hiding behind some boxes down by the express office. i saw her go that way when the two dogs ran across the street, so i looked there for her. she didn't want to come out but i coaxed her. i like cats and they always come to me." "that's 'cause you're kind to them," said flossie. "come on now, snoop, you must go back into your basket until we get home." "and don't run away again, either, snap!" said bert to the dog, shaking a finger at him. snap seemed to understand and to be a bit sorry for what he had done. he drooped his tail, and when a dog does that he is either ashamed or afraid. "oh, don't be cross with him," begged nan, who had come along now, after having helped her mother get dinah to her feet. "don't make him feel bad, bert, after we've had such a nice time in the country." "all right, i won't," laughed bert. "it's all right, old fellow," he said to snap. "i guess you didn't mean it." this time snap wagged his tail, which showed that he felt much happier. "let me take snoop," begged flossie of tommy, and the "fresh air boy," as the twins called him, handed over the black cat. they all walked back to where dinah and mrs. bobbsey were waiting. snoop was put in her basket, where she curled up as if glad to be away from the noise and excitement. the fresh air children had gone their various ways and tommy set off down the street toward his poor home, which, as he had said, was down near the "dumps." "wait a minute!" called mr. bobbsey after him. "give me your address, tommy. mrs. bobbsey wants to come and see your grandmother." "oh!" exclaimed tommy, and he seemed rather surprised. "well, i live on lombard street." "what number?" asked mr. bobbsey, taking out a note book and pencil. "there isn't any number on our house," said tommy. "maybe there was once, but it's gone now. but it's the last house on the street, the left hand side as you go toward the dumps." "all right," said mr. bobbsey. "i guess we can find you. but that's a long way to walk from here. aren't you going to take a car?" "no--no, sir," answered tommy. "i don't mind walking." "maybe he hasn't the car fare," whispered mrs. bobbsey. "just what i was thinking myself," answered her husband. "here, tommy," he went on. "here's a quarter. use it to ride home, and get yourself an ice cream soda. it's warmer here than out on the fresh air farm," and he held out the money. "the ice cream will cool you off." "oh, i--i don't want to take it," said tommy. "i don't mind the walk." "come on, take it!" insisted mr. bobbsey. "you can run some errands for me later on, and earn it, if you like that better." "yes, i'll do that," said tommy, and this time he took the money. "i'll run errands for you whenever you want me to," he added, as he started toward the street car. "all right," said mr. bobbsey with a laugh. "and tell your grandmother that we will get her more sewing to do." "she'll be glad to hear that," tommy said. he was quite a little man, though no older than bert. "and i won't forget about taking my saved-up money to buy a ship, so you and i can go and get your father from the desert island," said freddie, as tommy got on the car. "and i'm coming too," added flossie. "you said i could cook." "you ought to take dinah along to cook," laughed nan. "maybe we will; sha'n't we, freddie?" asked his little sister. "well, if we can get a ship big enough for her and us we will," freddie decided. "but i haven't got much money, and dinah needs lots of room." with snap and snoop now safe, the bobbseys and dinah got in a carriage and left the station to drive to their home. on the way they saw the man whose dog had barked at snap. the man had the animal by a chain and was leading him along. snap growled as he looked out and saw him. "be quiet, sir!" ordered bert. "yes, be nice and quiet like snoop," said flossie. "there's our house!" cried freddie, as they turned a corner. "why, it's been painted!" he added, in surprise. "oh, so it has!" exclaimed nan. "yes, i had it painted while you were at meadow brook," returned mr. bobbsey. "do you like it?" he asked his wife. "yes, it's a lovely color. but i'd like it anyhow for it's _home_. it was nice in the country, but i'm glad to be home again." "so are we!" cried flossie. "we'll have lots of fun here; sha'n't we, freddie?" "that's what we will!" "home again! home again!" gaily sang nan as her father opened the front door, and they all went in. "we're all at home again!" chapter v tommy's troubles "oh, there's johnnie wilson!" cried freddie bobbsey. "i'm going to call to him to come into our yard." "yes, and there's alice boyd," added flossie. "i'm going to play with her. she's got a new doll. come on over, alice!" she called. "and you come over, too, johnnie!" shouted freddie. a boy and a girl came running across the street to the bobbsey house. the two smaller twins and their little friends were soon having a good time in the yard. it was the morning after the family had come home from meadow brook. "did you have a good time in the country?" asked alice of flossie. "oh, didn't we just though! it was--_scrumptious_!" "and false-face robbers stopped the train coming home," added freddie. "only it was make-believe." "i wish i'd been there," said johnnie, after freddie had told about it. "we went up to a lake this summer. nothing much happened there except i fell in and most drowned." "i call _that_ something," said freddie. "i fell in a brook, but it wasn't deep." "the lake's awful deep," went on johnnie. "it hasn't any bottom." "it's got to have a bottom, or all the water would drop out, and then it wouldn't be a lake," said freddie. "well, maybe it has," admitted his friend. "anyhow, the bottom's awful far down. i didn't get to it and i was in the water a good while. it's a awful deep lake." "it isn't as deep as the ocean," freddie said, "and i'm going on the ocean in a ship." "are you? when?" asked johnnie. "when tommy todd and i start to look for his father. his father is lost at sea on a desert island, like robinson crusoe, and we're going to find him." "take me along!" begged johnnie. "i'm not afraid of the ocean, even if it's deeper'n the lake. take me with you." freddie thought about it carefully. "well, you may come if the ship is big enough," he said. "i promised to let flossie come. she's going to cook. oh, no, dinah's going to cook. i forgot about that. we'll have to get a bigger ship, i guess, so's to make room for dinah. i guess you may come, johnnie. i haven't counted how much money i've saved up, but i will soon." "is tommy dodd going to help buy the ship?" asked johnnie. "his name isn't _dodd_, it's _todd_," explained freddie. "but he can't put in much money i guess, 'cause he's poor. he's a fresh air boy, but he's nice. he runs errands for mr. fitch, the grocer. we met tommy on the train." "then if you put in the most money to buy the ship more'n half of it will be yours," said johnnie, "and you can take as many as you like." "no, half of the ship is going to be tommy's," insisted the little bobbsey twin, "'cause it's his father we're going after, you see." "that's so," admitted johnnie. "well, i'm coming anyhow. i'll put in some money to buy things to eat." "that'll be nice," said freddie. "i forgot about eating. i'm hungry now. i think dinah is making cookies. let's go 'round to the kitchen to see." flossie and alice were up on the side porch, playing with their dolls, when freddie and johnnie ran around to the back door. surely enough, dinah was making cookies, and she gave the boys some. "do you think we'd better save any of these for the time when we go on the ship?" asked johnnie, as he took a bite out of his second cookie. "no, i don't guess so," replied freddie. "we won't go for a week or two anyhow, and the cookies wouldn't keep that long. anyhow, dinah will make more. say, i'll tell you what let's do!" "what?" "go down to the lake and sail our boats." "all right. but i don't want to fall in." "we'll go down to my father's lumber yard, and if we fall in, near the edge, we can yell and some of the men will pull us out. come on!" mrs. bobbsey said freddie might go, if he would be sure to be careful. he was often allowed to visit his father's lumber yard, for it was known he would be safe there. and johnnie's mother said he might go also. so the little fellows trudged away, leaving the girls to play dolls on the porch. freddie and johnnie had fun at the edge of the lake. they each had a small sailboat, and, holding the strings, which were fast to the toy vessels, the boys let the wind blow the boats out a way and then hauled them in again. after a while, however, they grew tired of this, and freddie said: "let's go up to the office to see my father. he likes me to come to see him, and maybe he'll give us five cents for ice cream cones." "that'll be nice," said johnnie. mr. bobbsey was very busy, for he had a great deal of work to do after having spent so much time in the country that summer. but he was glad to see the boys. "well, how's my little fireman this morning?" he asked, catching freddie up in his arms. "have you put out any fires yet?" "not yet. we've been playing boats." "and how are you, johnnie?" went on mr. bobbsey, as he patted freddie's playmate on the back. "oh, i'm all right. i'm going in the ship with freddie to help find tommy todd's father who's on a desert island." "oh, you are; eh? well speaking of tommy, that looks like him out there now." mr. bobbsey pointed to the outside office. there stood the boy freddie and flossie had talked to on the train. he was speaking to one of the clerks, who did not seem to want to let him inside the railing. "that's all right," called mr. bobbsey. "he may come in. what is it, tommy?" he asked kindly, as the clerk stepped aside. "i've come to do the errands, to earn the quarter you gave me yesterday," said the fresh air boy, as he came in. "oh, there's no hurry about that," returned mr. bobbsey. "i don't know what errands i want done to-day." "well, i'd like to do some," tommy said. "i'd like to earn that money, and then, maybe, you'd have some more errands for me to run, afterward, so i could earn more money. i need it very much, and mr. fitch hasn't any work for me to-day. i want to do all i can before school opens," tommy went on, "'cause it gets dark early in the afternoon now, and my grandmother doesn't like to have me out too late." "that's right. how is your grandmother, tommy?" "she--she's sick," was the answer, and tommy's voice sounded as though he had been crying, or was just going to do so. "sick? that's too bad!" "that's why i want some more errands to do, so i can earn money for her. she was hungry when i got home yesterday, and i spent that money you gave me--all but the five cents for car fare--to buy her things to eat. there wasn't anything in the house." "oh, come now! that's too bad!" said mr. bobbsey. "we must look into this. here, freddie, you and johnnie and tommie go down to the corner and get some ice cream. it's a hot day," and he held out some money to tommy. "i'll let you carry it," he said, "as the other boys might lose it. get three ten cent plates of cream." tommy seemed to hang back. "could i have this one ten cent piece all for myself?" he asked. "why, of course you may. there is a dime for each of you. don't you like ice cream?" "oh, yes indeed. but i'd rather save this for my grandmother. i'm not very warm." "now look here!" said mr. bobbsey with a laugh. "you spend that money for yourself and for freddie and johnnie. i'll see that your grandmother is taken care of. i'm going to telephone to my wife, now, to go down to see her." "oh, all right, thank you!" cried tommy. and then, when he had hurried off down to the ice cream store with freddie and johnnie, mr. bobbsey called up his wife at home and asked her to see mrs. todd. mrs. bobbsey went to the little house on lombard street at once. she found tommy's grandmother to be a nice woman, but quite ill from having worked too hard during the hot weather. she was very feeble. "but i must keep a home for tommy," she said to mrs. bobbsey. "his father, my son, was lost at sea, and tommy is all i have now. i don't mind the hard work when i'm well, but i don't feel good now." "don't worry," said mrs. bobbsey. "we'll get you well and strong again, and then you can keep a home for tommy." mrs. todd told very much the same story tommy had told--that her son, tommy's father, had sailed away to sea, and after many days a passing vessel had sighted the wreck of his. broken lifeboats were floating about the surface of the ocean, but no one alive was found in them. as there was no trace of captain todd or any of the sailors, every one believed they had all been drowned. "tommy seems to think his father may be alive," said mrs. bobbsey. mrs. todd sighed. "i sometimes used to think that myself," she said. "but now i have given up hope. it is over five years, and if my son were alive he would have sent me some word before now. i wish he would come back, for then he would look after tommy and me." it was not a nice place where tommy lived with his grandmother, but mrs. todd did her best to keep the house neat and clean. mrs. bobbsey called in a doctor, and also sent a woman to nurse mrs. todd until she grew better, which she did in a few days. then she could keep on with her sewing, by which she earned enough for her and tommy to live on. but it was not a very good living they made, and they often did not have enough to eat. "i'll give you some of my sewing to do," promised mrs. bobbsey, "and so will some ladies i know." so, for a time at least, mrs. todd was to be taken care of. when she grew better she had as much work as she could do. but this was some time after the day when tommy called at mr. bobbsey's office. that day, after the three boys had eaten their ice cream, tommy went back to the lumber yard, and mr. bobbsey told him that mrs. bobbsey had gone to see mrs. todd. "and haven't you any errands i could do for you to-day?" asked tommy. "not to-day, tommy. but i may have later. don't worry about working out that twenty-five cents. i won't forget you, and you'll find your grandmother being taken care of when you get home." "i'll not forget about the ship we're going to buy either," promised freddie, as he and johnnie parted company from tommy. "all right; and thank you." nan and bert, that day, had gone over to play with ned barton and ellen moore, children who lived near them, and they had a good time. "we want to have all the fun we can while we're at home here," said nan, "for school will soon open." "yes, and i'll be sort of glad," said bert. "we're going to have a football team this year." "we'll come to see you play; won't we, ellen?" said nan. "yes, but i like baseball better than football." as nan and bert reached home, after visiting with their little friends, they heard screams from the side porch where flossie and alice had been playing dolls. "oh, make him come back with it! make him come back!" cried flossie. "something has happened!" exclaimed bert, running around to the side of the house, followed by nan. chapter vi school days bert saw his sister and her playmate, alice boyd, standing on the porch, looking very much frightened. alice had her doll held tightly in her arms, but flossie's doll could not be seen. "what's the matter?" bert asked. "it's a dog! a strange dog!" cried flossie. "oh, dear! he----" "did he bite you?" nan asked quickly. "if he did----" "no, he didn't bite me," answered the little girl. "but he ran up on the porch and took my best doll away in his mouth. now he's gone around to the back yard, and i'm afraid he'll bite her. i called to him to come back, but he wouldn't." "was it some dog snap was playing with?" asked bert. "no, it was a new dog. i'd never seen him before. oh, dear! he'll bite my doll!" "it won't hurt her to be bitten a little," said bert with a laugh. "you can't hurt dolls." "you can so!" sobbed flossie, who was crying real tears now. "and i don't want my best doll bitten." "don't laugh at her, bert," said nan in a low voice. "try to get her doll back for her." "i will," promised bert. "which way did the dog go, flossie? tell me." "he went around back of the house." "maybe he thought your doll was a bone, and he's going to bury it," bert said. "was she a thin doll, flossie; thin like a bone?" "no, she wasn't! she was a nice fat doll, with red cheeks! and i want her back. oh dear!" "i'll get her for you," bert said again. "i'm glad the dog didn't take my doll," broke in alice. "i'll let you play with mine, flossie." "thank you, but i--i want my own dear doll!" and flossie sobbed harder than before. "never mind, brother bert will get her from the dog," said nan. "don't cry." "i--i can't help it," flossie said, though she did try to stop crying. bert ran around the corner of the house. then he laughed so loudly that nan knew it must be all right and she said: "come on, flossie and alice. we'll go and see what bert has found." they found bert looking at the strange dog, who was standing in front of snoop. and snoop had her back arched up round; her tail was as large as a sausage, and her fur stuck out all sorts of ways, while she made a hissing sound like a steam radiator. "what's the matter, bert?" asked nan. "why, i guess the strange dog was running through our yard with flossie's doll in his mouth when snoop saw him and ran at him," said bert. "snoop doesn't like strange dogs, and she must have made quite a fuss at this one, for he dropped the doll. i'll get her for you, flossie." the little twin's doll lay on the grass where the dog had dropped it when the cat chased after him. for all i know he may have thought it was a bone and have wanted to bury it. bert picked up the doll from the grass. "there she is, flossie," he said. "not hurt a bit, and as good as ever." "thank you," flossie answered, hugging her doll close in her arms. "now we can go on playing, alice." they went back on the porch, and the strange dog gave a bark. this seemed to make snoop angry, for she hissed louder than ever and made her tail even larger than before. then she walked toward the dog. but he did not wait even to rub noses with her, as snap did. with a howl the dog ran back and jumped over the fence. "snoop drove him away," laughed nan. "she is as good at driving strange dogs away as snap would be. wasn't it funny the dog should go up on the porch, and take flossie's doll?" "it was better to do that than bite her," said bert. when freddie came back from the lumber yard that day he told of tommy's visit, and mrs. bobbsey told of having helped his grandmother. mrs. bobbsey also told what mrs. todd had said of her missing son, who was shipwrecked. "bert, please hand me down my bank," said freddie to his brother after supper. "what for?" bert asked. "i must count my money and see if i have enough to help buy a ship for tommy todd. he and i are going off in a ship to look for his father." "now look here, freddie," said mr. bobbsey. "i want you to have all the fun you can, and play with tommy whenever you can, and i want you to be kind and to help people. i also wish, as much as you, that we could find tommy's father, if he is still alive. but you must not run off to sea without telling us." sometimes freddie, and flossie too, used to get queer ideas about what they wanted to do, and once or twice they had run away together. once it was to go to the circus, away on the other side of the city, and again it was to follow a hand-organ man and a monkey. freddie's father, hearing him talk so much about getting a ship in which to search for mr. todd, thought the little boy might be too much in earnest and would really go off where he ought not. "so don't start off on any voyage without telling us," said mr. bobbsey. "i won't," promised freddie. "first i must see how much money i have saved up." his bank was a kind that could be opened and closed, and for some time freddie and flossie were busy counting the pennies. "well, how much have you?" asked bert. "flossie says there are only fifty-six cents," freddie answered, "but i counted seventy. flossie can't count as high as i can, anyhow." "i can so!" cried the fat little girl. "now children, be nice," begged mother bobbsey. "i'll count the money for you," offered bert. "seventy-nine cents," he told freddie, after he had finished. "and here's a penny of mine i'll give you. that makes eighty cents." "is that 'most enough to buy a ship, daddy?" asked the little fellow. "oh no, my dear boy. you'll need lots more money than that. so keep on saving, and don't go off without letting us know." "all right," freddie said with a sigh. "do you think i'll have enough saved in a week?" "i can tell you better when the week is up," laughed mr. bobbsey. "school begins in a week," said nan. "you can't go off on a ship when you have to go to school, freddie." "that's so. well, i'll keep on saving, and when school is out again tommy and i will go off in the ship to find his father." the bobbsey twins had as much fun as they could in the week of vacation that remained. they and their playmates met together and went on little walks in the woods, or rowed on the river. bert and nan were allowed to go out in a safe boat, near their father's lumber dock, and flossie and freddie were allowed to go also, for they sat very still, and never tried to change seats when the boat was out in the water. this is very dangerous to do, and often boats are upset that way. then, one morning, as freddie awoke in his little bed, he heard his mother calling: "come on, little fireman. time to get up!" "is there a fire?" asked freddie, eagerly. "no, but school begins to-day and you don't want to be late. come on then, get up. you too, flossie." "aren't nan and bert going?" asked freddie. "yes, but they were up long ago. i let you two little twins sleep longer. but now it is time to get up." after breakfast flossie and freddie started for school together. they were in the same class, and had just left the kindergarten. so flossie and freddie set off together, ahead of nan and bert. the smaller twins had to do this because their legs were shorter than either nan's or bert's and they could not walk as fast. "ding-dong!" rang the school bell, calling the bobbsey twins and other children back to their lessons, after the long, summer vacation. "oh, there's susie simmon!" cried flossie, as she saw a girl she knew. "i'm going to walk with her, freddie." "all right. i see jimmie brooks. i'll go with him." the four little ones hurried along together, talking of the fun they had had that summer. a little behind came nan and bert. with them walked ellen moore and ned barton, who lived near the bobbsey house. there were merry times in the school yard before it was time for the last bell to ring. the boys and girls played tag, and ran about. some boys had tops and spun them, or played marbles. the girls did not bring their dolls or toys to school, and the reason for this is that girls don't have pockets in their dresses. or, if they do have a pocket, it is too small to hold more than a handkerchief. i think the girls ought to get together and insist on having pockets made in their dresses. it isn't fair for the boys to have so many. "ding-dong!" rang the bell again. "come in, children!" called the teacher, and in went the bobbsey twins and the others. "oh look, freddie! there goes tommy todd!" whispered flossie to her brother, as they marched to their room. the teacher heard flossie, and said: "you must not whisper in school." "i won't any more," promised flossie. "i haven't been in school for so long that i forgot," and all the other children laughed. tommy todd was in a class ahead of flossie and freddie. he looked across at them and smiled, for the teacher did not mind any one's smiling in school. but when one whispered it disturbed those who wanted to study their lessons. it was almost time for the morning recess, and flossie and freddie were saying their lessons, when from the next room, where bert and nan sat, came a sound of laughter. then sounded a loud bark--"bow-wow!" "oh, it's a dog!" exclaimed flossie aloud, before she thought. "that sounds like our snap!" said freddie, almost at the same time. "children, you must be quiet!" called the teacher. just then the door between the two rooms was pushed open, and in walked snap, wagging his tail. he looked at the teacher, he looked at the other children, and then, with a joyful bark, he ran up to flossie and freddie. chapter vii the school play "snap! snap!" cried freddie, as he left his seat and put his arms around the dog's neck. "good dog, snap!" snap liked to be petted, and he wagged his tail faster than before and barked. flossie saw a queer look on her teacher's face, and the little girl said: "snap, you must be quiet. you musn't bark in school any more than we must whisper. i didn't want to speak out loud," she said to the teacher, "but i had to, or snap wouldn't hear me." "oh, that part's all right, my dear," the teacher said kindly. "but how did your dog get here?" "i--i don't know," answered flossie, while freddie kept on petting snap. just then the door of the other school room, in which nan and bert studied, opened, and the teacher from there came in. she was a new one. "is that dog here?" she asked. then she could see that snap was there. the children in flossie's room were laughing now. some of the pupils from the other room were standing in the doorway behind the teacher, looking in. "whose dog is that?" the new teacher asked. "he's ours, if you please," said bert. "did you bring him to school?" "no, ma'am. he must have got loose," answered nan. "he was chained up when we left for school this morning, and he must have got lonesome and come to find us." "well, he found you all right," said flossie's teacher with a laugh. "the doors are open, because it is so warm," she said to the new teacher, "so snap had no trouble in getting in. he never came to school before, though." "he's like mary's little lamb, isn't he?" asked freddie. "well, he must be put out," said the new teacher, smiling. "of course it wasn't the fault of you children that he came in. but you had better take him home i think, bert. and see that he is well chained. i'll excuse you from class long enough to take your dog home. now, children, go back to your seats." "say, bert," whispered ned barton, "i'll help you take snap home if you want me to." "no, indeed!" laughed the new teacher. "one boy is enough to have out of the class at a time. i think bert can manage the dog alone." "yes ma'am, i can," said bert. "come on, snap!" snap barked and wagged his tail again. he was happy as long as he was with one of the children. "our dog can do tricks," said freddie. "make him do a trick, bert, before you take him home. snap used to be in a circus," freddie told the teacher, "and he can turn somersaults. don't you want to see him do a trick, teacher?" "oh, yes, please let him," begged flossie. the other children looked eager, and the teacher smiled. the new teacher had gone back to her classroom with her pupils, except bert, who had stayed to look after snap. "well, as it is almost time for recess, i don't mind if bert makes snap do one or two tricks," flossie's teacher said, smiling. "but only two. school isn't just the place for dogs." "ready snap!" called bert. "march like a soldier!" "you may take my blackboard pointer for a gun," the teacher said. snap stood up on his hind legs, and in one paw he held the long pointer. then he marched around the room as nearly like a soldier as a dog can march. the children laughed and clapped their hands. "now turn a somersault!" ordered bert. this snap did, too. this was one of his best tricks. over and over he went around the school room, outside the rows of desks. this made the children laugh more than before. "i think that will be enough, thank you, bert," the teacher said. "you had better take the dog home now." bert did so, and saw to it that snap was well chained. "we like to see you," said bert as he was leaving to go back to his class, "but you must not come to school after us, snap." at recess, which was nearly over when bert got back to school, the children talked and laughed about snap's visit. "i wish your dog would come to school every day," said alice boyd to flossie. "yes, wouldn't it be fun to have him do tricks," cried johnnie wilson. but snap did not get loose again, and he soon got used to having the children away most of the day. but how glad he was when they came home, and he could romp and play with them! one day flossie's teacher said to the class: "now, children, you have been very good this week, and you have known your lessons well, so i think it is time we had a little fun." "oh, are you going to let snap come to school again?" asked edna blake. "no, hardly that," the teacher answered with a smile, "but we shall have a little play. i'll fix some curtains across the platform where my desk stands, and that will be the stage. you children--at least some of you--will be the actors and actresses. it will be a very simple little play, and i think you can do it. if you do it well perhaps we may give our play out on the large platform in the big room before the whole school." "we had a play in uncle dan's barn once in the country," said flossie. "i was in it, too," spoke up freddie, "and i fell down in a hen's nest and got all eggs." even the teacher laughed at this. "well, we hope you'll not fall in any hen's nest in our little school play," said the teacher. she picked out flossie, freddie, alice boyd, johnnie wilson and some others to be in the play, and they began to study their parts. the play was to be called "mother goose and her friends," and the children would take the parts of the different characters so well known to all. the teacher was to be mother goose herself, with a tall peaked hat, and a long stick. "and will you ride on the back of a goosey-gander?" freddie asked. "it's that way in the book." "no, i hardly think i shall ride on the back of a gander," answered the teacher. "but we will have it as nearly like mother goose as we can. you will be little boy blue, freddie, for you have blue eyes." "and what can i be?" asked flossie. "i think i'll call you little miss muffet." "only i'm not afraid of spiders," flossie said. "that is i'm not afraid of them if they don't get on me. one can come and sit down beside me and i won't mind." "i guess for the spider we'll get a make-believe one, from the five-and-ten-cent store," said miss earle, the teacher. "now i'll give out the other parts." there were about a dozen children who were to take part in the little play. they were to dress up with clothes which they could bring from home. freddie had a blue suit, so he looked exactly like boy blue. one friday afternoon the little play was given in the school room. the teacher had strung a wire across in front of her platform, and had hung a red curtain on this. flossie, freddie and the other players were behind the curtain, while the remaining children sat at their desks to watch the play. "are you all ready now?" asked miss earle of the children behind the curtain. "all ready! i'm going to pull the curtain back in a minute. remember you are to walk out first, freddie, and you are to make a bow and then look to the left, then to the right and say: 'oh, i wonder where she can be?' then along comes flossie, as little miss muffet, and she asks you whom you are looking for." "yes, and then i say i'm looking for mary, who had a little lamb, for i lent her my horn, and she went away with it to help bo-peep find her sheep; and now i can't blow my horn to get the cows out of the corn," freddie said. "that's it!" exclaimed the teacher in a whisper, for they had all talked in low voices behind the curtain, so the other children would not hear them. "you remember very well, freddie. now we will begin." the curtain was pulled back, and freddie walked out from one side where some boxes had been piled up to look like a house. "oh, i wonder where she can be," said freddie, looking to the left and to the right. "where can she be?" "whom are you looking for?" asked flossie, coming out from the other side of the platform. "for mary, who had a little lamb," went on freddie. "i lent her my horn and----" but just then there was a crash, and down tumbled the pile of boxes that was the make-believe house, and with them tumbled johnnie wilson, who was dressed up like little jack horner. "oh, i've hurt my thumb! i've hurt my thumb!" he cried. "now i can't pull the plum out of the pie!" chapter viii snoop in trouble some of the children laughed. some screamed. others looked as if they wanted to cry. of course the play came to an end almost before it had started. "oh johnnie, why did you do that?" cried miss earle, hurrying out in her mother goose dress, and picking up the little fellow. "how did it happen?" johnnie had started to cry, but, finding that he was not hurt much except on his thumb, he stopped his tears, and said: "i climbed up on the pile of boxes so i could see better, and they fell over with me." "they weren't put there to be climbed on," the teacher said with a smile. "i'm glad it is no worse. you came on the stage before it was your turn, johnnie. now we'll try it over again." by this time the other children had become quieter, having seen that nothing much had happened. the janitor was sent for and he put the boxes up again, this time nailing them together so they would not fall over. "but you must not climb on top of them again," said miss earle. "no'm, i won't," promised johnnie. "now start over again, freddie," the teacher told the little blue-eyed chap, and once more he walked out and pretended to look for mary. then flossie walked out, and this time the play went off very well. mother goose came on when it was her turn and she helped boy blue and miss muffet look for mary and the lost horn. it was finally found in jack horner's pie, which was a big one made of a shoe box. and johnnie, as jack horner, pulled out the horn instead of a plum. his sore thumb did not bother him much. "well, did you like the play?" the teacher asked the other children, who had only looked on. "it was fine!" they all said. "we'd like to see it again." "well, perhaps you may," returned miss earle. "would you like to act it before the whole school?" she asked of flossie, freddie and the other little actors and actresses. "yes, teacher!" they said in a chorus. "then you shall." a week later the play was given on the large stage in the big room where there was a real curtain and real scenery. the little mother goose play went off very well, too, for the children knew their parts better. and johnnie wilson did not fall down off a pile of boxes. the only thing which happened, that ought not to, was when flossie sang a little song miss earle wrote for her. when she had finished, flossie, seeing nan out in the audience, stepped to the edge of the stage and asked: "did i sing that all right, nan?" for nan had been helping her little sister learn the piece. every one laughed when flossie asked that, for, of course, she should not have spoken, but only bowed. but it was all right, and really it made fun, which, after all, was what the play was for. "we'll have to get up a play ourselves, nan," said bert to his sister when school was out, and the mother goose play had ended. "i like to act." "so do i," said nan. "i'd like a play about soldiers and pirates," went on bert. "i know something about pirates," cried tommy todd. "my father used to tell me about them." "say, you'd do fine for a pirate!" cried bert "you know a lot about ships and things; don't you?" "well, a little," said tommy. "i remember some of the things my father told me when he was with us. and my grandmother knows a lot. her husband was a sailor and she has sailed on a ship." "then we'll ask her how to be pirates when we get ready for our play," bert decided. "how is your grandma?" nan inquired. "well, she's a little better," said tommy, "but not very well. she has to work too hard, i guess. i wish i were bigger so i wouldn't have to go to school. then i could work." "do you still run errands for mr. fitch?" asked bert. "i do when he has any. and i did some for your father. he says i have earned the quarter he gave me, and i'm glad, for i don't want to owe any money. i'm hoping your father will have more errands for me to do after school. i'm going to stop in and ask him on saturday. i like saturdays for then i can work all day." "don't you like to play?" asked nan. "oh, yes, of course. but i like to earn money for my grandmother too, so she won't have to work so hard." bert and nan felt sorry for tommy, and bert made up his mind he would ask his father to give the fresh air boy some work to do so he could earn money. it was now october, and the weather was beautiful. the bobbsey twins had much fun at home and going to and from school. the leaves on the trees were beginning to turn all sorts of pretty colors, and this showed that colder weather was coming. "we'll have lots of fun this winter," said bert one day, as he and his brother and sisters went home from school together, kicking their way through the fallen leaves. "we'll go coasting, make snow men and snow forts and go skating." "i'm going to have skates this year. mother said so," cried freddie. "you're too little to skate," declared bert. "oh, i'll show him how, and hold him up," offered nan. "skating is fun." "it isn't any fun to fall in the ice water though," flossie said. "well, we won't go skating until the ice is good and thick," said bert, "then we won't break through and fall in." when the children reached the house they found mrs. bobbsey and dinah busy taking the furniture out of the parlor, and piling it in the sitting room and dining room. "what's the matter?" asked bert in surprise. "are we going to move?" "no. but your father has sent up a man to varnish the parlor floor, and we have to get the chairs and things out of his way," said mrs. bobbsey. "an' yo' chilluns done got t' keep outen dat parlah when de varnish-paint is dryin'," said dinah, shaking her finger at the twins. "ef yo' done walks on de varnished floors when dey's not dry, yo' all will stick fast an' yo' can't get loose." "that's right," laughed the children's mother. "you will have to keep out of the parlor while the floors are drying." the bobbsey twins watched the painter put the varnish on the floor. the varnish was like a clear, amber paint and made the floor almost as shiny as glass, so it looked like new. "there!" exclaimed the painter when he had finished. "now don't walk on the floor until morning. then the varnish will be dry and hard, and you won't stick fast. don't any of you go in." "we won't," promised the twins. then they had to study their lessons for school the next day, and, for a time, they forgot about the newly varnished floor. it was after supper that flossie asked if nan could not pop a little corn to eat. "yes," answered mother bobbsey. "a little popped corn will not be harmful, i think. i'll get the popper." nan shelled some of the white kernels of corn into the wire popper, and shook it over the stove. pretty soon: pop! pop! poppity-pop-pop! was heard, and the small kernels burst into big ones, as white as snow. nan was just pouring the popped corn out into a dish when there sounded through the house a loud: "meaou!" "what's that?" asked flossie. "it sounded like snoop," said bert. "it is snoop!" declared freddie. "meaou!" was cried again, and in such a queer way that the children knew their cat was in some kind of trouble. "snoop! where are you?" called nan. "meaou! meaou!" came the answer. "she's down cellar and wants to come up," bert said. but when the cellar door was opened no cat popped up, as snoop always did if she happened to be shut down there. then they heard her crying voice again. "oh, i know where she is!" exclaimed mother bobbsey. "where?" asked the children. "in the parlor--on the newly varnished floor! that's what makes her voice sound so funny--it's the empty room." "well, if snoop is in the parlor she's stuck fast! that's what's the matter!" cried bert. "oh! oh!" exclaimed freddie. "our cat caught fast!" "poor snoop!" wailed flossie. "we must help her!" nan said. the whole family hurried to the parlor. there, in the light from the hall, they saw the cat. snoop was indeed in trouble. she stood near the parlor door, all four feet held fast in the sticky varnish, which, when half dry, is stickier than the stickiest kind of fly-paper. snoop, in wandering about the house as she pleased, which she always did, had come to the parlor. the door had been left open so the varnish would dry more quickly, and snoop had gone in, not knowing anything about the sticky floor. the big black cat had taken a few steps and then, her paws having become covered with the sticky varnish, she had become stuck fast, just far enough inside the room so she could not be reached from the door. "oh, will she have to stay stuck there forever?" asked freddie. "pull her loose, mother!" begged flossie. "if you step on the floor to get her, you'll stick fast too," warned bert. "wait a minute, children," said mrs. bobbsey. "i must think what is best to do. i wish your father were home." snoop, seeing her friends near, must have known she would now be taken care of, for she stopped meaouing. chapter ix nan bakes a cake "come on, snoop! come on out!" called flossie to the pet, black cat. snoop tried to raise first one paw, and then the other to come to her little mistress, but the sticky varnish held her fast. "you'll have to pull her loose, mother," said bert. "it's the only way." "i guess she's stuck so fast that if you pulled her up you'd pull her paws off and leave them sticking to the floor," observed nan. "oh, don't do that!" begged freddie. "we don't want a cat without any paws." "don't worry, dear," his mother said. "i'll not pull snoop's paws off. but i wonder how i'm going to get her loose. i don't want to step in there and make tracks with my shoes all over the newly varnished floor. "snoop has made some marks as it is," went on mrs. bobbsey, "but perhaps the painter can go over them with his brush in the morning so they won't show. we ought to have shut snoop up, i suppose. let me see now, how can i get her loose?" "telephone to papa," suggested bert. "he'll know of a way." "i believe i will do that," mrs. bobbsey said. mr. bobbsey had gone down to the office that evening to look over some books and papers about his lumber business, and he had not yet come back. in a few minutes mrs. bobbsey was talking to him over the telephone. "what's that?" cried mr. bobbsey. "snoop stuck fast on the varnished floor? i'll be home at once. it won't hurt her, but of course we must get her loose. don't worry, and tell the twins not to worry. i'll make it all right." and this is how mr. bobbsey did it. when he got home he found a can of turpentine which had been left by the painter. turpentine will soften varnish or paint and make it thin, just as water will make paste soft. mr. bobbsey laid a board on the floor from the door-sill over close to where poor snoop was held fast. then he poured a little turpentine around each of the four feet of the cat, where her paws were held fast in the varnish. in a little while the varnish had softened, and mr. bobbsey could lift snoop up and hand her to his wife. then he took up the board, and washed from snoop's paws what remained of the varnish. she was all right now, and purred happily as flossie and freddie took turns holding her. "but the floor is spoiled--or that part is where you poured the turpentine," said mrs. bobbsey. "the painter will varnish that part over when he comes in the morning," said mr. bobbsey. "then we must keep snoop out of the way until it dries." and this was done. the floor was gone over again with the varnish brush, and the marks of snoop's paws did not show. nor did the cat again go into the parlor until the floor was hard and dry. "mother," asked nan one day, about a week after snoop had been stuck fast in the varnish, "may i have a little party?" "a party, nan?" "yes, just a few boys and girls from my class in school. the parlor looks so nice now, with the new floor, that i'd like to give a party. may i?" "well, yes, i guess so," answered mrs. bobbsey. "how many would you invite?" "about a dozen. we could have sandwiches, ice cream and cake. i could bake a cake myself." "well, you might try. i have showed you how to make a simple cake, that is not too rich for little stomachs. you might bake a sponge cake, and put icing on top. yes, i think you may have a party, nan." "oh, thank you, mother. now i'll write the invitations." "i'll help you," offered flossie. "i'm afraid, dear, you can't write quite well enough," said nan with a smile. "but you may seal the envelopes for me, and put on the postage stamps." "oh, i like to do that!" cried flossie. "the sticky stuff on the stamps tastes so nice on your tongue." "it is better to wet the envelope flaps and the sticky side of the stamps with a damp cloth or a sponge than with your tongue," said mother bobbsey. "i'll show you the way." so when nan had written out the invitations on some cards, she and flossie put them in envelopes. then mrs. bobbsey gave them each a little sponge, which they dampened in water, and with that they moistened the sticky places, both of the stamps and the envelopes. and so the invitations were made ready to mail. "have you invited any boys to the party?" asked bert. "yes, some," answered nan. "but only a few." "then i'll come," he said. "i don't like a party with just nothing but girls." "and i'll help nan bake her cake," offered flossie. "so will i," added freddie. "i like to clean out the cake dishes, and eat the sweet dough and the icing." "oh, i want to do some of that, too!" cried flossie. "i can see what kind of a time you're going to have making your cake!" laughed bert, "with those two youngsters hanging around." "oh, i'll take care of them," said nan, smiling. "goin' t' bake a cake, is yo'?" asked dinah, when nan came out in the kitchen the next saturday, which was the date of the party. "don't yo' all t'ink yo'd bettah let me make it fo' yo'?" "no, thank you, dinah, i want to make it myself," said nan. "i want to show the girls and boys that i know how to make a cake almost, if not quite, as well as you and mother make them." "well, honey, ef yo' makes a cake as good as yo' ma, den yo' will suttinly be a fine cook," returned dinah. "fo' yo' ma is suah a prime cake-maker!" "oh, i don't suppose the cake will be as good as mother's," said nan, "but still i'll never learn if i don't try." so nan began her cake. flossie and freddie were playing out in the yard, but when they saw nan in the kitchen, in they came, running. "i'm going to help!" cried freddie. "so'm i," added his sister. "well, there's not much you can do," said nan, "except to hand me the things i need. first i'm going to get everything together on the table, and then i won't have to fuss around, and get in dinah's way." "oh, yo' won't be in mah way, honey-lamb!" said the loving old colored woman. "jest make yo'se'f right t' home." nan got from the pantry the eggs, the flour, the sugar, and the other things that were needed to make a sponge cake. then when she had the brown bowl ready in which the cake batter would be mixed she sat down on a high stool at the table, with flossie on one side and freddie on the other. "now, flossie, you hand me an egg," said nan, and flossie picked one up from the dish. she was handing it over to her sister, but her chubby fingers slipped and--crack! went the egg down on the floor, breaking, of course. "oh dear!" cried flossie. "now the cake is spoiled!" "oh, no, not because one egg is broken," said nan. "but still we must be more careful. perhaps i had better handle the eggs myself." "you had if you want any cake," called bert, looking in through the window on his way to play ball with ned barton and charley mason. "oh, i guess we'll make out all right," laughed nan. she broke the eggs into the dish, and then she let flossie and freddie take turns in handing her the flour, sugar, and other things she needed; things that could not be broken if little hands dropped them. but nothing more was dropped, though nan herself did spill a little flour on the floor. "is this batter right now, dinah?" nan asked, when she had stirred up the cake mixture with a long spoon. the cook looked in the brown bowl. "jest a leetle mo' flour," she said, "den it'll be stiff enough an' ready fo' de oven. an' after it's baked yo' kin mix up de sugar-icin' t' go on de top." nan stirred in more flour and then poured the batter into a pan to be baked in the oven of the stove. she carried the pan carefully across the kitchen. "don't fall and spill it," called flossie. "i'll try not to," nan said. just then into the kitchen with a rush came snap. he saw nan with a pan in her hands, and he must have thought she had something for him to eat, for with a joyful bark he made straight for her. "oh, hold him back! don't let him come near me or i'll spill my cake before it's baked!" cried nan. "hold snap, flossie--freddie!" "we will!" cried the smaller twins. both of them made a rush for snap, and caught him by the collar. but the dog thought this was some funny game, and, wagging his tail, he pulled the two children across the slippery oilcloth of the kitchen floor. "hold him back! hold him!" begged nan. she was almost at the oven now. if she could get the cake safely in it she would be all right, for snap would not go near the stove. "we--we can't hold him!" panted freddie. "he's pulling us too--too hard!" snap, indeed, was dragging the little bobbsey twins right across the room toward nan, who was moving slowly toward the stove. she could not move fast for fear of spilling the cake batter, or dropping the pan. "dinah! dinah!" called flossie, to the colored cook who had gone into the dining room for a moment. "come quick, or nan won't have any cake. snap wants it!" i don't suppose that the dog really wanted the cake batter, though he liked sweet things. but he thought nan had his dinner in the pan. however, before he could get near enough to her to "jiggle" her arm, and make her drop the pan, dinah came in. "heah, you snap!" cried the cook with a laugh. "yo' done got t' git outen dish yeah kitchen when cake-bakin' am goin' on!" she reached for snap's collar, and, as dinah was very strong, she managed to hold the big dog, who was barking and wagging his tail faster than ever. he thought they were all playing with him. "hurry, honey!" called dinah to nan. "snap's pullin' away from me a little." nan reached the oven, and put the cake in, closing the door. "there!" she cried. "now it's all right, and you can let go of snap!" "an' he'd bettah git outdoors where he kin romp around t' suit hisse'f," added dinah. "kitchens ain't no place fo' dogs when bakin's goin' on." so snap was put outside, with a nice bone to gnaw, and he did not feel unhappy. flossie and freddie cleaned out the brown bowl, on the sides and bottom of which were bits of the sweet cake batter. and after nan had mixed up sugar and water to make icing to go on top of the cake, the two little twins cleaned out that dish also. finally nan's cake was done. it was taken from the oven, being a lovely brown in color, and, after it had cooled, the icing was put on top. then the cake was put away for the party. everyone, whom nan had invited, came that night. there were more than a dozen, counting the bobbsey twins, and they all had a good time. they played a number of games, ending with hide-and-go-seek. freddie wanted to "blind" and look for the others, so they let him do it. one after another the others stole away on tiptoe, while freddie stood with his head in a corner that he might not see where they hid. each boy and each girl picked out a place where he thought freddie would not see him. "ready or not i'm coming," called the little boy at last. then he opened his eyes and started to look for the hidden children. the piano in the parlor stood out a little way from the wall, and freddie thought that would be a good place for some one to hide. he thrust his head behind it, to see if any one was back of it, there being just about room enough for him to do his. no one was there, but when freddie tried to pull his head out again it would not come. "oh! oh!" he cried, and his voice sounded queer, coming from behind the piano. "oh. i'm stuck! i'm caught fast just like snoop, only worse! papa! mamma! come and get me out of the piano!" chapter x in the lumber yard from all sorts of hiding places came running the boys and girls who had been playing hide-and-seek. freddie's voice told every one that he was in trouble. "oh, freddie!" cried flossie, who had hidden under the couch in the dining room. "what's the matter? where's your head?" for she saw only her brother's little fat legs and plump body near the piano. "where's your head, freddie?" she cried. "it's in behind here!" the chubby little fellow replied. "i can't get it out from behind the piano! my ears stick out so far they catch on the edge of the piano." by this time nan had come from her hiding place, and she made her way through the crowd of children who were looking in wonder at the sight of freddie so caught. "oh, freddie, how did it happen?" asked nan. "don't ask him how it happened," said bert. "let's get him out, and he'll tell us afterward." "yes, do get me out!" begged freddie. bert and nan took hold of their little brother and tried to pull him out backward. but he seemed stuck quite fast. "can't you push yourself out?" asked bert. "i'll try," said freddie bravely. so he pushed backward as hard as he could, while bert and nan pulled. "let me help, too!" begged flossie. "i want to get freddie out!" but there was no room for flossie to get hold of her brother. nan and bert pulled once more, while freddie himself pushed, but his head was still held fast between the back of the piano and the wall of the room. "oh! oh! can't you get me loose?" wailed the little "fireman." "we'd better call mother!" cried nan. but there was no need of this for mrs. bobbsey came hurrying into the room just then. she had heard freddie's cries while she was upstairs, and, guessing that something was wrong, she had come to see what it was. "oh freddie!" she exclaimed as soon as she saw what had happened. "you poor little boy!" "oh, please get me out, mamma!" he begged. "i will, in just a minute. now stand still, and don't push or squirm any more, or you'll hurt yourself." then mrs. bobbsey, instead of trying to pull or push freddie out, just shoved on the piano, moving it a little way out from the wall, for it had little wheels under it, and, as the floor was smooth, it rolled easily. "there, now you can pull your head out," said mrs. bobbsey, and, surely enough, freddie could. the trouble had been, just as he had said, his ears. his head went in between the piano and wall all right, but when he went to pull himself loose, after seeing that no one was hiding there, his ears sort of bent forward and caught him. "i--i'll never do that again!" freddie said, his face very red, as he straightened up. "no, i wouldn't if i were you," returned his mother with a smile. "never put your head or your arm in any place unless you are sure you can get it out again. sometimes a cat will put her head in a tin can to get whatever there may be in it to eat. and the edges of the tin catch on her ears just as yours were caught, freddie. so be careful after this." freddie promised that he would, and then the hiding game went on. only freddie, you may be sure, did not look behind the piano again, and no one hid there. "oh, your party was perfectly lovely, nan!" said the girls and boys when they had finished their games, and had eaten the good things mrs. bobbsey set on the table. "wasn't the cake good?" asked freddie, looking as though he wanted a second piece. "indeed it was, dear," said ellen moore. "we helped nan make it," declared flossie. "didn't we, nan?" "oh, yes, you helped _some_--by cleaning out the dishes." "and snap nearly made nan spill the cake when she was putting it in the oven," went on freddie. "only we helped hold him; didn't we, nan?" "yes, you certainly helped there." at last the party was over, and nan's cake, as well as the other good things, was all eaten up. then the children went home. about a week after this the postman left some letters at the home of the bobbsey twins. mrs. bobbsey smiled when she read one, and when bert and nan, flossie and freddie came home from school their mother said to them: "i have a surprise for you. see if you can guess what it is." "freddie and i are going to have a party!" guessed flossie. "no, dear. no more parties right away." "we're going on a visit!" guessed nan. "no indeed. we just came back from one." "then some one is coming here," guessed bert. "that's it," his mother answered. "uncle william minturn and aunt emily, from ocean cliff, are coming to pay us a little visit." "and is cousin dorothy coming, too?" nan asked. "yes, they will all be here in a few days now." "oh, i'm so glad!" cried nan, clapping her hands. "we shall have _such_ fun!" "and can i have fun with you, too?" asked flossie. "yes, dear," nan promised. "i wish dorothy were a boy," put in bert. "of course i like her, but i can't have any fun with her. i wish cousin harry would come on from meadow brook. then we _could_ have a good time." "you had a good time with harry this summer," suggested mrs. bobbsey. "i like dorothy," said freddie, "and i'm glad she's coming 'cause i want to ask her something very much." "what is it?" inquired bert "it's a secret," and freddie looked very wise and important. a few days later mr. and mrs. minturn and their daughter dorothy came from the seashore to pay a visit to the bobbsey family. of course bert was glad to see dorothy, and was very nice to her, taking his cousin and nan down to the store to buy some ice cream. but as bert was a boy, and liked to play boys' games, dorothy was better suited to nan and flossie than she was to bert. freddie, however, seemed to be especially pleased that his cousin from the seashore had come on a visit. he watched his chance to have a talk with her alone, and the first thing he asked was: "dorothy, do you know where i can get a ship to go sailing on the ocean?" "go sailing on the ocean!" cried dorothy. "what for, freddie?" "to find tommy todd's shipwrecked father. he wants to find him awful bad, and i promised to help. i was going to save up to buy a ship, but daddy says it takes a long time. and i thought maybe as you lived near the ocean you could get a ship for us. "it needn't be very large, 'cause only tommy and flossie and dinah, our cook, and i will go in it. but we'd like to go soon, for tommy's grandmother is poor, and if we could find his father he might bring her some money." "oh, you funny little boy!" cried dorothy. "to think of going off in a ship! i never heard of such a thing!" "well, we're going!" said freddie. "so if you hear of a ship we can get you tell me; will you, dorothy?" "yes, my dear, i will. is that what you've been trying to ask me ever since we got here?" "yes. i didn't want nan and bert to hear. you won't tell them; will you?" "no, freddie. i'll keep your secret." but of course dorothy knew there was no ship which so little a boy as freddie could get in order to go sailing across the sea. but she did not want him to feel disappointed, and she knew better than to laugh at him. freddie was very much in earnest. dorothy minturn spent two happy weeks with the bobbsey twins. she and they had many good times, and more than once freddie asked the seashore cousin if she had yet found a ship for him and tommy. at last dorothy thought it best to tell freddie that there were no ships which she could get for him. "well, that's too bad," said freddie, after thinking about it for several seconds. "if i can't buy a ship, and if you can't get one for me, dorothy, i know what i can do." "what?" she asked. "i can make one. my papa has lots of boards in his lumber yard. i'll go down there and make a ship for tommy and me." the next day freddie asked his mother if he might not go down to his father's yard. as the way was safe, and as he had often gone before, mrs. bobbsey said he might go this time. off trudged freddie, with some nails in one pocket and pieces of string in another. "i can use a stone for a hammer," he said, "and nail some boards together to make a ship. that's what i'll do." freddie first went to his father's office, which he always did, so mr. bobbsey would know his son was at the yard. this time it happened that mr. bobbsey was very busy. he looked at freddie for a moment, and then said: "now freddie, do you see where james is sitting by that pile of shingles?" and he pointed across the yard. "yes, i see," freddie answered. he knew james very well. he was the day watchman in the lumber yard, and he walked around here and there, seeing that everything was all right. "well, you go over to james and tell him i said he was to look after you," went on mr. bobbsey. "you may play about, but keep near james, and you'll be all right. when you get tired come back here." "all right," said freddie. he and the other bobbsey children often came to their father's yard to have good times, and james, or some of the men, was always told to look after the twins, if mr. bobbsey happened to be busy. "hello, james," called freddie, as he walked over to the watchman. "hello!" answered the man cheerfully. "what are you doing here?" "i've come to have some fun and play with you." "all right," answered james. "what shall we play first?" chapter xi a queer play-house freddie bobbsey thought for a minute. he and james had played numbers of games on other days when freddie was allowed to come to his father's lumber yard. this time freddie wanted to think of something new. "do you want me to tell you a story?" asked the watchman, for this was one of the "games." james knew many fine stories, for he had used to live in the woods, and had chopped down big trees, which were afterward sawed into boards, such as were now piled about the lumber yard. freddie always liked to have the old watchman tell tales of what had happened in the woods, but this time the little chap said: "thank you, no, james. i want to do some thing else." "all right, freddie. shall we play steamboat, and shall i be the whistle?" this was another fine game, in which freddie got upon a pile of lumber and pretended it was a steamboat, while on the ground, down below, the watchman made a noise like a whistle, and pretended to put wood on the make-believe fire to send the steamboat along. "no, i don't want to play steamboat," freddie said. "but this game has a boat in it. did you ever build a ship to go sailing in?" "no, freddie. i never did. do you want to play that game?" "yes but i want to make a _real_ boat. you see tommy todd's father is lost at sea, and we are going to look for him. so i want to make a ship. there's lumber enough, i guess." "i guess there is," said james, looking around at the many piles of boards in mr. bobbsey's yards. "there's enough lumber, freddie, but i don't know about making a ship. how big would it have to be?" "well, big enough to hold me and tommy and my sister flossie and dinah, our cook. dinah's very fat you know, james, and we'll have to make the ship specially big enough for her. will you help me?" "why yes, i guess so, freddie. that game will be as good as any to play, and i can do it sitting down, which is a comfort." "oh, but it's going to be a _real_ ship!" declared freddie. "i've got the nails to put it together with, and string for the sails. i can use a stone for a hammer," and he began to look about on the ground for one. james scratched his head as he saw the bent and crooked nails freddie had piled up on a bundle of shingles near by. then the watchman glanced at the tangle of string. "as soon as i find a stone for a hammer we'll start," freddie said. "you can get out the boards." james wanted to be kind and amuse freddie all he could, for he liked the little boy. but to pull boards out of the neat piles in mr. bobbsey's lumber yard was not allowed, unless the boards were to be put on a wagon to be carted off and sold. "i'll tell you what we'd better do, freddie," said the watchman at last. "what?" freddie asked. "we'd better make a little ship first. that will be easy and we can make it like a big one. then we'll have something to go by--a sort of pattern, such as your mother uses when she makes a dress for your little sister." "oh yes!" cried freddie. "that's what we'll do--make a little pattern ship first. it will be easier." "much easier," said james. "now i'll find some small pieces of board for you, and----" but just then one of the workmen in the yard called to the watchman to come and help him pile some lumber on a wagon. "wait just a minute, freddie," said james. "i'll be back soon and help you." "all right," answered freddie. he sat down on a pile of shingles, and thought of the time when he and tommy todd should set off on their ship to find the shipwrecked mr. todd. the watchman was gone longer than he expected. freddie grew tired of waiting for him, and finally said to himself: "i'm going to look for some wood myself. i guess i can find it." he looked for some on the ground, but, though there were many chips, and broken pieces, there was none of the kind freddie thought would be good for a toy ship--the pattern after which the real one would be made. "i guess i'll climb up on one of these piles of lumber," thought freddie, "and see if there are any small pieces of board on top. it is easy to climb up." this was true enough, and once or twice before freddie had made his way to the top of a pile. each stack of lumber was made in a sort of slanting fashion, so that the back of it was almost like a pair of steps. lumber is piled this way to let the rain run off better. freddie went up the back part of a pile, some distance away from the bundles of shingles where he had been talking to james. "this is an easy place to climb," freddie said to himself. "i hope i shall find what i want on top." step by step he went up the pile of lumber, until he was at the top. but, to his disappointment, he found there nothing which he could bring james to use in making a small ship. the boards were all too long and wide. "i might bring one down, and have james cut it smaller with his knife," said freddie, speaking aloud. "that's what i'll do." he lifted up one of the boards. as he did so the little boy noticed that the pile of lumber was swaying a little from side to side as he moved about. "i guess i'd better get down off here," freddie said. "this is too jiggily." he had been told to keep off "jiggily" lumber piles, as they were not safe. freddie dragged to the edge the board he had picked out for the watchman to make smaller. the little boy was just going to slide it over the edge of the pile to the ground, when, all at once freddie felt himself falling. "oh dear!" he cried. "something is going to happen!" and something did happen. the lumber pile with freddie on top, was falling over. freddie did not know what to do; whether or not to jump. he looked down, but neither james nor any other man was in sight; and the office, where freddie's father was working, was far on the other side of the yard. "oh dear!" cried freddie again. and then, with a crash, the top of the lumber pile slid over, carrying freddie with it. a cloud of dust arose and the little bobbsey chap could see nothing for a few seconds. and when he did open his eyes, after feeling himself come down with a hard bump, he found himself in a queer little house. it really was a sort of house in which freddie found himself--a little play-house, almost. the lumber had fallen about him in such a way that freddie had not been hurt or squeezed by it in the least. the boards had piled up over his head, in a peak, like the peaked roof of a real house. other boards were on the sides and in front, and there freddie was, in a queer play-house that had made itself when the lumber slid over. "well!" thought freddie, "this is funny! but i wonder how i can get out." it was not dark in the queer play-house, for light came in between the cracks among the boards and planks. but though the cracks and openings were large enough to let in the light, they were not large enough to let freddie get out. the little boy pushed here and there, but the lumber was too heavy for him to move. then he happened to think that if he did move one board it might loosen others which would fall down on his head. "i'm in a little house," thought freddie, "and i guess i'd better call my father to come and get me out. he'll know how to lift off the boards. i'll call daddy or james." freddie began to call. but as several lumber wagons were rattling up and down the yard just then, the little boy's voice was not heard. james, having finished helping the man load his wagon, came back to where he had left freddie. "well, shall we start to make a little ship now?" asked the watchman. but no freddie was in sight near the shingle pile. "humph! he got tired of waiting, i guess," thought james, "and went back to his father's office. well, if he comes back i'll help him. he's a queer little chap, wanting to build a ship. a queer little chap." and james never thought of going to look for freddie, for the lumber pile, which had fallen and made itself into a sort of play-house was some distance away from the bundle of shingles. so james sat there in the sun, waiting, and, far off, freddie was calling for help. for he wanted to get out, very much. chapter xii tommy is rewarded freddie bobbsey was a wise little chap, even if he was only about five years old, and when he found that he was shut up in the queer play-house, and could not get out, he did not cry. he stopped calling for help, when he found no one answered him, and sat down to think what was best to do. "it would be nice in here, if flossie could be with me to play," he said to himself. "but she couldn't get in unless some way was opened, or unless one of the cracks was made bigger. there ought to be a door and some windows to this place. then we could go in and out, and have fun. and we ought to have something to eat, too," freddie went on. but there was nothing to eat under the pile of lumber, and freddie had not thought to put a piece of cake or an apple in his pocket as he sometimes did when he went to visit his father. that morning he had thought of nothing much but about making a ship to go sailing with tommy todd to look for tommy's father. and all freddie had put in his pockets were the nails and bits of string. he could not eat them, and, anyhow, they were back by the pile of shingles where he had been talking to james. "maybe james will come and find me after a bit," freddie thought. "i'll just stay here and wait." he called as loudly as he could once or twice more, but no one answered him. freddie made himself as easy as he could in the queer little lumber play-house, and, as it was warm with the sun shining down, pretty soon he felt sleepy. how long he slept freddie did not know, but, all of a sudden he was awakened by hearing a scratching sound near his ear. some one was scratching away at the lumber. "who is there?" freddie cried, sitting up. no one answered but freddie again heard the scratching. "oh--oh!" he exclaimed, shrinking back in one corner. "i wonder if that is a big rat? rats scratch and gnaw." once more came the funny sound, and then freddie heard: mew! mew! "oh! now i know that isn't a rat!" cried the little boy. "rats can scratch, but rats can't mew. only cats can do that! here, pussy!" he called. "come in and see me!" once more there was a scratching and a mewing and up through one of the larger cracks same a big gray cat, that lived in the lumber yard. freddie knew her quite well, for he had often seen her in his father's office. "oh sawdust!" he called joyfully. sawdust was the cat's name; a very good name for a lumber yard cat, i think. "i'm so glad it's you, sawdust!" cried freddie. the big cat came up to freddie, and rubbed against his legs. the little boy rubbed her back and the cat's tail stood up stiff and straight, like the flag pole in front of mr. bobbsey's office. "i thought you were a rat, sawdust," went on freddie. "but i'm glad you weren't. i like you!" the cat purred again. she seemed to like freddie, too. soon she curled up beside him, and freddie put his arm around her. and, before he knew it he was asleep again, and so was sawdust. she had found her way into the queer play-house while wandering about the lumber yard as she often did, taking walks, i suppose, to make sure there were no mice or rats about. it was not long after this that mr. bobbsey left the office to go over to one part of his lumber yard to see about some boards a man wanted to buy. on the way freddie's father passed the place where james, the watchman, was sitting by the shingles. "well, did freddie bother you much?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i'll look after him now, as i'm not so busy." "why no, he didn't bother me, mr. bobbsey," said the watchman. "he wanted to build a toy boat, and he brought some nails and string. i had to go over to help jason load his wagon, and when i came back, having left freddie to hunt for some boards, he wasn't here. didn't he go back to the office?" "why no, he didn't!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, in some alarm. "i haven't seen him. i wonder where he can have gone?" they looked up and down the rows between the piles of lumber, but no freddie could be seen. "perhaps he went home," said james. "you could find out by calling mrs. bobbsey on the telephone." "so i could, yes. but if i asked if freddie were home she would want to know why i asked, and why he wasn't here with me--that is, if he wasn't at home. then she would worry for fear something had happened to him. no, i'll have to find out in some other way." "i could take a walk down past the house," the watchman said. "i could look in and see if freddie was there. if he wasn't, we'd know he was somewhere around the yard yet." "well, you might do that," mr. bobbsey said. he himself was a little worried now. "but don't let mrs. bobbsey see you," he went on to james. "if she did she'd want to know what you were doing away from the yard. just walk past the house. if freddie is at home he'll be out in the yard playing. if you don't see him let me know. meanwhile, i'll be searching around here for him, and i'll get some of the men to look with me." "all right," agreed james, hurrying off. while he was gone mr. bobbsey looked around the many lumber piles near the bundles of shingles where freddie had last been seen. but no little boy was in sight, being, as we know, fast asleep, with the big yard cat, under the pile of boards which had fallen in the shape of a little play-house. "this is queer," thought mr. bobbsey. "freddie never goes home by himself after he has come to see me without telling me that he is going. i wonder where he is." mr. bobbsey looked and called freddie's name, but the little fellow, being sound asleep, did not hear. then mr. bobbsey told several of his men about the little lost boy, and they began searching for him. no one thought of looking under the pile of boards, for there were many such in the yard. and so freddie remained hidden. when he was not to be found mr. bobbsey grew more and more anxious, and he hoped that james would come back to say that freddie was safe at home. but when the watchman came back he said: "your other children are playing in the yard of your house, mr. bobbsey. bert, nan and flossie are there. but freddie isn't with them." "maybe he is in the house, getting something to eat," said mr. bobbsey. "no, i hardly think so," answered james, "for when i was going past the house, on the other side of the street so they wouldn't see me, a little boy, who plays with freddie, came running along. he called to nan, this other little boy did, to know where freddie was." "and what did nan say?" "she said freddie was down at the lumber yard." "then he can't have gone home, or nan would know it. he must be around here somewhere. i--i hope he didn't go near the lake. and yet he might, with his idea of boats." "oh, i don't believe he would do _that_, mr. bobbsey," said james. "we'll find him." mr. bobbsey and the men scattered through the lumber yard, looking on all sides of the many piles. but still no one thought of looking under the boards that had slid off the stack upon which freddie had climbed. for it did not seem as though any one could be beneath them. "well, i don't know what to do," said mr. bobbsey, after a bit. "i guess i'll blow the big fire whistle, and get all the men from the shops and every place to help us look. this is too bad!" besides the lumber yard mr. bobbsey owned a mill, or shop, where boards were made into doors, windows and other parts of houses. many men worked in this shop. all this while freddie was peacefully sleeping under the lumber, with sawdust curled up near him, purring happily. finally, freddie awakened again, and as he sat up and rubbed his eyes he could not, for a moment, remember where he was: then he looked down and saw sawdust, and he said: "oh, i'm in my little lumber play-house yet. i must get out. where did you get in, sawdust? maybe i can get out the way you came in. show me where it was." sawdust mewed. perhaps she knew that freddie was in trouble, though she did not quite understand all that he said. at any rate the big cat walked over toward a large crack, and squeezed her way through it to the outside. "that's too small for me," said freddie, for he could not get even one foot through the opening. "i'll have to find a bigger place." he looked all over but there was none. then he called out as loudly as he could: "papa! mamma! help me! i'm under the lumber!" freddie paused to listen. he heard some one walking past the pile of lumber. the little boy called as hard as he could: "get me out! get me out!" then, suddenly, a voice asked: "who are you and where are you?" "i'm freddie bobbsey," was the answer. "i'm down under the lumber and i can't get out. please help me. who are you?" "of course i'll help you, freddie," was the answer. "i'm tommy todd. i just happened to pass through the lumber yard. i'm going to ask your father if he has any errands for me to do, as it's saturday and there is no school. but i'll get you out first, freddie." "oh tommy! i'm so glad you came. please get me out!" but to get freddie out from under the lumber was too hard for little tommy todd. "i'll run and tell your father, freddie," tommy said. "don't be afraid. he'll soon get you out." "i'm not afraid," freddie said. tommy ran up to mr. bobbsey, who was just getting ready to blow the big mill whistle and call out all the men, more than a hundred of them, to help search for the missing boy. "oh mr. bobbsey!" cried tommy. "freddie can't get out and i can't get him out." "where is he? tell me quickly!" "he's under a pile of lumber. i'll show you!" tommy quickly led the way, mr. bobbsey, james and some other men following. when they reached the pile of lumber that had slid over freddie's head the men carefully but quickly lifted away the boards, and the little boy could come out. "oh freddie!" cried his father. "i was so worried about you! what happened?" then freddie told of having climbed up on the lumber pile, and of its having toppled over with him, but not hurting him in the least. "it was just like a play-house," he said. "and i heard a scratching and thought it was a rat. but it was sawdust." "i saw the cat come out from under the lumber," said tommy. "but i did not know freddie was there until i heard him calling. i was coming to you to ask if you had any work for me this saturday, as there isn't any school. i need to work to earn money for my grandmother." "work? of course i can give you work," said mr. bobbsey, who had freddie in his arms. "you deserve a good reward for finding freddie for us, and you shall have it. i'm glad i didn't have to call out all the men, for if i had blown the big whistle mrs. bobbsey would have heard it, and she would have thought there was a fire." so tommy todd was rewarded for having found where the lost freddie was. the fresh air boy was given some easy work to do, for which he was well paid, and besides this, mr. bobbsey gave the grandmother five dollars to buy the food and the clothing which she needed very much. "i'm glad i happened to come past the lumber pile where you were," said tommy a little later, when he was taking freddie home, for mr. bobbsey sent tommy along to see that the little chap did not get lost again. "i'm glad, too," said freddie. "i'm not going to climb up on lumber piles any more. but we've got to make that boat, tommy, and sail off to find your father." "yes, i wish we could find him, but i'm afraid we can't. anyhow it will be winter soon and it isn't any fun going to sea in the winter, so my grandmother says. maybe we'd better wait until it's summer again before we think of the ship." "well, maybe we had, tommy." chapter xiii the first frost mrs. bobbsey was quite surprised when tommy brought freddie home, and she was more surprised when she heard what had happened, and how freddie had been caught under the lumber. "dear me, i am glad they found you, freddie!" she cried, kissing him. "and so tommy found you; did he?" asked nan, smiling at the boy whom they had met in the train the day the fresh air children came home from the country. "yes," tommy answered. "i was going on an errand for my grandmother, and the shortest way was through the lumber yard. i thought it would be a good chance to ask your father for work. and i am to have it--every saturday and on some other days after school." "you'll earn a lot of money," freddie said, "and then we can build our ship." "he can't get that idea out of his head," remarked bert to nan. "oh, he's anxious to help tommy find his father," nan answered. "i wish it would happen, but i'm afraid he never will be found." having seen that freddie was safe at home, tommy hurried back to the lumber yard office. then he went on a number of errands for mr. bobbsey. the twins' father said, that night, he had seldom met such a bright and willing boy. "tommy will grow up to be a fine man, i'm sure," said mr. bobbsey. one day, a little while after freddie had been lost under the lumber pile, he and flossie were standing in the school yard at recess, alice boyd came up to them. "want some candy?" she asked, holding out some in a paper. "thanks," said freddie, taking some. "where did you get it?" flossie inquired, as she took a piece. "my sister and i made it," answered alice. "how do you make candy?" inquired freddie. "oh, you just put some sugar and water on the stove in a tin dish," alice answered, "and when it boils you pour it out on a buttered pan--you butter the pan just as you butter a slice of bread." "why do you butter the pan?" demanded flossie. "so the candy won't stick to it. candy is awful sticky. our dog got a lump in his mouth, and it stuck to his teeth so he couldn't open his jaws." "i wouldn't give a dog candy," declared freddie. "i'd rather eat it myself." "oh, well, we didn't 'zactly _give_ the candy to our dog," said alice. "a lump of it fell on the floor, and he grabbed it up before we could stop him. anyhow, we didn't want the candy after it had rolled on the floor." flossie and freddie ate the sweet stuff alice handed them, and thought it very good. that afternoon when flossie reached home from school, she marched out into the kitchen and said: "dinah, i'm going to make some candy!" "make candy, honey lamb! how yo' all gwine t' make candy?" "oh, you just put some sugar and water on the stove to boil, and when it boils you butter a pan like a slice of bread, and pour the candy in it so it won't stick. and if a lump falls on the floor--a lump of candy i mean--that belongs to snap. though i hope it doesn't make his jaws stick together so they'll never come open, or he can't bark. but i'm going to make some candy." "now look yeah!" said dinah. "does yo' ma know yo' is gwine t' do dish yeah candy business?" "no, dinah, but i'll tell her when she comes home," for on coming in from school flossie had been told that her mother was not in. "yo'll tell her when she comes home?" cried the old colored cook. "yo' won't need t' _tell_ her, honey lamb. she'll done know dat yo' all has been up t' suffin queer. make candy! oh mah gracious! i done guess you'd bettah not!" "oh, please, dinah! it's easy. you can help me." dinah gave in, as she usually did, and got out some sugar, some water and a saucepan for the little girl. dinah knew flossie was too little to be trusted alone around the stove, so she stood near herself. "let me pour in the water," begged flossie, and she was allowed to do this. then the sugar and water in the saucepan was soon bubbling on top of the stove. flossie buttered a pan, getting almost as much butter on her fingers as she did on the tin, but dinah gave her a wash rag, so that was all right. letting the candy boil, dinah went about her kitchen work, while flossie sat in a chair near the stove watching. pretty soon the door bell rang, and dinah went to answer it. flossie stayed in the kitchen looking at the steaming pan of candy until she heard a voice calling to her from the yard. "flossie! flossie! come on out and play!" it was stella janson, a little girl who lived next door. "i can't come out right away, stella," answered flossie. "i'm making candy and i have to watch it. you sit down on the porch and when the candy is done i'll bring some out to you." flossie went to the door to tell this to the little girl, and then she saw that stella had a new doll. "oh, isn't she pretty!" cried flossie. "i must see her!" forgetting all about the candy boiling on the stove, flossie went out on the porch. there she and stella took turns holding the doll. all this while dinah was at the front door. a peddler had rung the bell, and it took the colored cook some little time to tell him her mistress did not want to buy a new kind of piano polish. all at once dinah gave a cry and quickly closed the door. "sumfin's burnin'! sumfin's burnin'!" she shouted as she hurried back to the kitchen. at the same time stella, who was out on the porch with flossie, began to sniff the air. "what's that funny smell?" she asked. flossie also sniffed. "oh, it's my candy burning!" she cried. "my nice candy! i forgot all about it!" she and dinah ran into the kitchen at the same time. over the stove black smoke was curling up from the saucepan of candy. "oh, oh!" cried flossie. "keep away, honey lamb--don't touch it!" cried dinah. "it's hot! i'll lift it off!" she was just doing that, using an iron holder so she would not burn her hand, when freddie came rushing in, dragging after him his toy fire engine with which he had been playing out in the yard. "fire! fire!" cried freddie. "fire! fire! i'm a fireman! i put out fires! look out!" freddie's fire engine, though a toy, squirted real water, from a real little rubber hose. the little fireman pointed the hose at dinah, who was carrying the smoking and burning pan of candy over to the sink. "fire! fire! pour on water! pour on water!" shouted freddie. "look out dere, honey lamb! don't squirt no watah on me!" cried dinah. but freddie had started the pump of his engine, and a stream of water squirted all over dinah. "oh mah good landy!" cried the fat cook. "stop it, freddie! stop it! dish yeah am awful! it suttinly am turrible!" luckily for dinah, freddie had been playing so long out in the yard with his engine that there was only a little water left in it. when this had squirted out there was no more until he filled the tank again. "oh my!" cried dinah, as she went on over to the sink, and set down the smoking pan of candy. "oh my!" "is the house on fire?" freddie demanded. "no, it isn't," said flossie. "it's just my nice candy that burned. oh dear! and i did want it _so_ much!" "never mind, i'll make some mo', honey lamb!" promised dinah, wiping her face on her apron. "but don't yo' squirt no mo' watah on me, freddie pet." "no, i won't, dinah," he promised. "but i saw the smoke coming out of the kitchen, and i knew there was a fire." "it wasn't 'zactly a fire," said stella. "but i guess the candy burned up. it's as bad as when we dropped all of ours on the floor." but good-natured dinah made another pan of the sweet stuff for flossie. this did not burn, and it was soon turned out into the buttered tin to cool. and when it was cool flossie, freddie and stella ate it. mrs. bobbsey only laughed when flossie told her what had happened, but she said she thought the little girl had better not try to make any more candy until she was a little older. the weather was getting colder day by day now. the children had red cheeks when they went to school, and they ran and romped along to keep warm. "it will soon be cold enough to have a frost," said mr. bobbsey. "yes," said his wife, "i wouldn't be surprised if we had one to-night. i have brought in my geraniums and other plants." "a frost!" cried bert. "good! that means the chestnuts will crack out of their burrs. we'll go chestnutting!" the next morning bert hopped out of bed earlier than usual. he looked from the window. the ground was white, and so was the roof of the porch. "oh, it's snow!" cried freddie, who also got up. "no, it's just frost," bert said. "the first frost of the winter. now we'll get ready to have some fun. i'm glad to-day is saturday. no school, and we can go after chestnuts!" "hurrah!" cried freddie. "may i come, bert?" "yes, we'll all go!" chapter xiv after chestnuts bert, nan, flossie and freddie all came down to breakfast together. "well, well!" exclaimed mother bobbsey, smiling at the children. "what does this mean? saturday morning, and you are all up as early as though it were a school day. you haven't looked at the wrong date on the calendar; have you?" "no, mother," answered freddie. "but we're going after chestnuts, and we must get to the woods early." "so the squirrels won't get all the nuts, bert says," put in nan. "but we'll leave some for them; won't we?" asked flossie. "i wouldn't want the squirrels to go hungry." "i guess there'll be enough for all of us," said bert. "but there will be a lot of fellows after the nuts this morning, on account of the frost which has cracked open the prickly burrs, and let the nuts fall out. so if we want to get our share we'll have to start soon. nan and i will look after flossie and freddie, mother." mrs. bobbsey thought for a moment. "yes, i guess it will be all right," she said. "the woods are safe, and there are no snakes this time of year." "i'm not afraid of snakes," exclaimed freddie. "they only stick out their tongues at you." "some snakes bite," said bert. "but, as mother says, there are none in the woods now. when it gets cold snakes crawl inside hollow logs and go to sleep. so get ready to go after chestnuts!" the bobbsey twins finished their breakfast, and while bert found some old salt bags which he put in his pocket to hold his chestnuts, flossie and freddie went out to the kitchen where dinah was working. "dinah, where is the biggest basket you have?" asked freddie. "and i want the next biggest!" exclaimed flossie. "mah goodness, honey lambs! what am all de meanin' ob big baskets?" asked the colored cook. "we're going after chestnuts," explained freddie, "and we want something to put them in. here's just the basket i want," and he took a big one, that dinah used sometimes when she went to market. "i'll take this one," said flossie, as she picked up one in which sam, dinah's husband, used to bring in kindling wood for the fire. "well, if yo' honey lambs brings dem baskets home full ob chestnuts yo' shore will hab a lot," laughed dinah. flossie and freddie, with their big baskets, went out in the side yard where nan and bert were waiting for them. "oh, look at what those children have!" nan exclaimed. "you two surely don't expect to fill those baskets with chestnuts; do you?" she asked, laughing. "of course we do," said freddie, very seriously. "no, no!" cried bert. "those baskets are too big. there aren't that many chestnuts in the woods, and, if there were, and you filled the baskets you couldn't carry them home. get smaller baskets, or do as nan and i do--take salt bags. they're easier to carry, and you can stuff them in your pocket while you're going to the woods." flossie and freddie still thought the big baskets would be best, but their mother told them to do as bert said, and finally the four twins started off down the road, each one carrying a cloth salt bag. about a mile from the bobbsey home was a patch of woodland, in which were a number of chestnut trees. "oh, look! there goes charley mason!" called nan to bert as they were walking along the road. "i believe he's going chestnutting, too." "it looks so," returned bert. "i say, charley!" he called, "are you going to the woods?" "yes," came the answer. "come along with us," cried bert. "all right," charley answered. "i promised to call for nellie parks and her brother george, though." "we'll stop and get them on our way past their house," said nan, "and then we'll all go on together." "it will be a regular party; won't it?" cried freddie. "it surely will," laughed nan. "only we haven't anything to eat," said flossie. "we can eat chestnuts," declared freddie. "too many of them, raw, before they are boiled or roasted, aren't good for you," said nan. "so be careful." charley mason crossed the street to join the bobbsey twins, and a little later they reached the house where nellie parks and her brother lived. these two were on the steps waiting. "oh, hello, nan!" cried nellie. "i didn't expect to see you. charley said he'd stop for us, but i'm glad you did, too. the bobbseys are going with us, mother," nellie called back to her mother who was looking out of a window. "it's a regular chestnutting party," said flossie. "only we haven't anything to eat," added freddie, and all the others laughed. "that's so!" exclaimed nellie's brother george, who was older than any of the others. "it isn't much of a party, even to go after chestnuts, unless you have something to eat. wait a minute." he hurried back into the house, and soon came out with a pasteboard box. "what's in there?" asked his sister. "lunch for the chestnutting party," george answered. "now you won't have to worry, flossie and freddie." "that's nice!" said the two little twins in a chorus. together the children walked down the street, past mr. bobbsey's lumber yard, and then they were out in a part of the city where there were very few houses. it was almost like the country. a little later they came to the woods. the woods were on both sides of a broad road, and before the children reached the clump of trees they could see other boys and girls scurrying around, poking in among the leaves on the ground to get the nuts which had fallen down when the frost cracked open the burrs. "i hope they'll leave some for us," said nellie parks. "oh, i guess there will be plenty," returned her brother. the bobbsey twins and their friends hurried into the woods. flossie and freddie were the first to begin poking among the leaves with sticks which they picked up. "have you found any nuts yet?" asked freddie, after a minute or two. "oh yes, i've got one!" cried flossie. "i've got two--three--a whole lot," and she showed some brown things in her fat little hand. "let's see," called bert, and when flossie held them out to him he laughed and said: "those aren't chestnuts. they are acorns. you have been looking under an oak tree, flossie. you must look under a chestnut tree." "aren't these all chestnut trees?" asked freddie. "oh, no," replied bert, whose father had told him something of the different kinds of trees, from which lumber is made. "there are oak, hickory, maple and elm trees in these woods. here, i'll show you a chestnut tree." he pointed one out to the little twins, showing them how they could always tell it afterward by the leaves and bark. "look there for chestnuts and maybe you'll find some," said bert. flossie threw away the acorns, and she and freddie began poking in among the leaves again, while the others went to different trees. freddie soon called: "i've found some! i've found some!" he hurried over to bert with some shiny brown nuts in his hand. each nut had a little "tail" fastened to it. "yes, those are chestnuts," bert said. "now see whether you or flossie will fill a bag first." "i've got a whole lot of nuts!" flossie cried. "oh, such a lot. come on freddie and--ouch! oh dear!" she suddenly cried. "what is it?" asked nan, quickly running over to her little sister. "did you hurt yourself?" "something stuck me in the fingers," flossie answered, holding up her chubby hand. "maybe it's a snake," said freddie. "no, it's only chestnut burr stickers," said nan. "i'll get them out for you, flossie. after this, open the burrs with a stick. oh, look here!" she cried, as she glanced down at the ground. "flossie _has_ found a whole lot of nuts in a pile!" they all came over to look at flossie's find. surely enough, there were a number of the brown nuts in a little hollow in the ground. "how did they get there?" asked nellie. "some squirrel or chipmunk must have gathered them in a heap, ready to carry to its nest," said george. "well, we'll just take them, as it will save us the trouble of hunting for them. put them in your bag, flossie." "but won't the squirrel be hungry?" asked the little girl. "well, don't take quite all of them. but there are lots of chestnuts this fall, and the squirrels can find and gather them more easily than we can. take them, flossie." "i'll give freddie some too," she said, and the two small bobbsey twins divided most of the nuts between them. by this time nan, bert and nellie had also found some of the nuts under different trees, though none were nicely piled up like those flossie happened upon. the nuts were down under the dried leaves, which had fallen from the trees earlier in the season. by brushing the leaves to one side with a stick the nuts could be seen. "this is too slow for me," said george parks at last. "i want to pick nuts up faster than this." "how can you do it?" asked charley mason. "by shaking some down from a tree. let's find a tree that has a lot of nuts on it, and shake it. then the nuts will fall down, and they won't get under the leaves. we can easily pick them up then." "good!" cried bert bobbsey. "we'll do it." they searched through the woods until they found just the tree they wanted. looking up they could see the burrs clinging to the branches. the frost had opened the burrs and the brown nuts could be seen, just ready to fall. "if there was a good wind," said george, "that would blow the nuts down: but, as there isn't, we must shake the tree." "it's too big to shake," remarked nan. "why, you never could shake that tree. i can't even reach around it." "you can't shake it by standing on the ground and pushing against it," said george. "i'll climb up among the branches and shake them. i've often done it." "how are you going to climb such a big tree, when you can't get your arms around it?" bert demanded. "i'll show you," answered george. "do you see this little thin tree, growing close to the big chestnut?" "yes," bert answered. "well, i'm going to climb up the little tree until i get high enough to step from it into the branches of the big one," went on george. "then we'll have plenty of nuts." "and after we pick up all we want, can we eat?" asked freddie. there was a laugh at this. "hungry already; are you?" asked george. "well, it does give one an appetite to come out on a crisp, cold day like this. yes, after we gather up the nuts i'm going to shake down we'll see what mother put in the box." george started to climb up the small tree. this was easy for him to do, for he could put his hands and legs around it. up and up he went, just as you boys have often climbed trees. he was about ten feet from the ground when bert suddenly saw the little tree beginning to bend over. "look out, george!" bert called. "that tree is going to break with you!" george looked down. and, just as he did so, there was a sharp, cracking sound and the tree broke and bent suddenly over. george fell toward the ground. nan, flossie and nellie were screaming. chapter xv the storm "look out there, george!" "jump over this way--away from the rocks!" bert and charley called loudly to the boy who had climbed the little tree which broke with him. but george seemed to know what he was doing. as soon as he felt the tree going over he sprang out to one side, and came down, feet first, on a pile of leaves that were almost as soft and springy as a pile of hay in the meadow. "hurt yourself?" asked bert. "not a bit--no. i'm all right," george answered. "oh dear!" cried nan. "i thought sure you'd break your leg or arm or something." "so did i," said nellie. "are you sure you're all right, george?" "of course i am. i'll show you by climbing another tree." george who had not even fallen down walked over toward the chestnut tree again. "well, pick out a good one to climb this time," bert said, and george did. he first shook the next little tree that grew near the big chestnut, and made sure that it was not rotten, which was the trouble with the first one he had gone up. this time everything was all right. george climbed up, and stepped from the small tree out on the branches of the one where the shiny, brown nuts hung all ready to be shaken down. and when george shook the branches of the chestnut tree, down came the nuts in a shower. "oh, what a lot!" cried freddie, dancing about in glee. "and one--one struck me right on the end of my nose!" laughed flossie. "a chestnut on my nose! ho! ho!" "well, it's a good thing it wasn't a cocoa-nut!" cried george. "pick 'em up now!" this the children did. it was better than poking around among the leaves for the nuts, as those george jarred down lay on top, and could easily be seen. the salt bags which the bobbsey twins had brought with them, and the bags nellie and charley carried, were soon filled with nuts. nellie picked up nuts for her brother, who was in the tree shaking them down, and bert said: "we'll all give george a share of ours, as he can't pick up any while he's in the tree." "he can have half of mine," offered freddie. "oh, no, little man, not as many as that," laughed george. "i wish he'd come down pretty soon," murmured flossie, after a bit. "why, are you tired of picking up nuts?" asked nan, with a smile. "no, not 'zactly," flossie answered, "but i'm hungry, and----" "oh, i see! and you remember that george brought the lunch," said nellie. "well, i guess we can all eat now. come on down, george, and we'll eat the picnic lunch." "all right," her brother answered, and a little later he slid down the small tree. the bags of nuts were laid aside, george being given a share of the others, and then nellie and nan set out the lunch on top of a flat stump, which was like a little table. mrs. parks had put sandwiches, cake and apples in the box, and there was enough for all. the children ate the lunch and had a good time, sitting around the stump-table. then flossie said: "i'm thirsty! i want a drink!" "hum. well, i'm afraid my mother didn't put any drinking water in the box," said george, looking carefully. "well, i can drink milk," flossie said. "there's no milk, either," answered george, while the others laughed. "there's a spring of water over there," said charley mason, pointing off through the trees. "we could get some water if we had a cup." "i can make a cup out of paper," bert said. "we learned how in school the other day." with some of the waxed paper which was in the lunch box bert made a pretty good cup. then when the thin skim of ice on top of the spring was broken, water could be dipped up, and every one had a nice drink. flossie had two cupfuls, she was so thirsty. they played tag and some other games under the trees after the lunch, and then, having gathered a few more nuts, they started back through the woods toward lakeport. as flossie came near the little hollow in the ground where she had found the pile of nuts she cried out: "oh, look at the little squirrel! he's trying to find the nuts i took. oh, i'm so sorry i took them." "that isn't a squirrel, it's a chipmunk," said bert. "you can tell it's a chipmunk by the stripes down its back. it does seem to be looking for the nuts though; eh, charley?" "well, maybe he is," said george. "here, i'll toss him a few. but there are lots more in the woods he can get, so he won't starve." from his bag george threw a few nuts to the chipmunk. but the little fellow was not as tame as some squirrels to be seen in the city parks, for they will perch on your shoulder and eat nuts from your hand. the chipmunk, however, made a loud, chattering noise, with a sort of whistle in between and scampered up a tree like a flash of sunshine. "oh, he's gone!" cried flossie, who liked to watch the lively little chap. "yes; he doesn't like company," said bert. shouting and laughing, the bobbsey twins reached home with their chestnuts. "my, you did get a lot!" said their mother, as she looked into the opened bags. "i never thought you would get so many." "there are many chestnuts this year," bert said. "now we will have some fun roasting and boiling them to-night." they gathered about the fire after supper, and laid the chestnuts they wanted to roast on top of the stove. nan and flossie boiled theirs, but bert and freddie said they liked theirs best roasted. all at once one of freddie's chestnuts burst with a loud pop, and the pieces flew all over the kitchen. "oh my!" cried the little fellow. "what made it do that? was there a fire cracker in it?" before any one could answer him another nut burst, and a piece of it hit dinah on the end of her shiny, black nose. "what am dat all?" she cried. "who am frowin' t'ings at me? was dat yo', freddie lamb?" "no, dinah. it was a chestnut--one of mine. but i don't see what makes 'em pop that way, like corn." "did you make any holes in your chestnuts, or cut a little slit in the shell?" asked bert of his brother. "no. do you have to do that?" "you do unless you want your chestnuts to burst. you see," explained bert, "there is water inside a chestnut, especially a new one. and when you put a nut on top of the hot stove the water is boiled and turned to steam, just as it is in the tea kettle. then if the steam can't find any way to get out, as it swells it just bursts the shell of the nut and sends the pieces flying. that's what happened to yours, freddie. i stuck a fork in each one of mine, and the little holes, made by the fork, let out the steam. look here." freddie went over to the stove to look at the nuts bert was roasting. surely enough, from the tiny holes in each one steam was puffing, almost as if from a little toy engine. "when all the steam gets out and the nut dries, it begins to roast," said bert. "you must take yours off the stove and fix them that way, freddie. i meant to tell you about it, but i forgot." "bang!" went another nut, bursting, and dinah held a pan up in front of her face. "i don't want t' git shot no mo'!" she said. bert helped freddie fix the chestnuts, putting little holes in them, and then there was no more trouble. they roasted nicely, and when they were cool the children peeled off the dried shells and ate the nuts. nan and flossie boiled theirs in salt water, for salt seems to give the chestnuts a better flavor. in fact, salt is good with almost all kinds of nuts. the twins "traded" their chestnuts, flossie and nan giving some of their boiled ones for the roasted ones of bert and freddie. "i think we are going to have a storm," said mr. bobbsey as he came in toward bedtime, having gone to the store for mrs. bobbsey. "what sort of storm?" asked bert. "a snow storm, i think. it feels that way, and the wind is rising. it's going to blow hard." "i hope it doesn't blow the house over," said freddie. "i think you are safe," answered his father, laughing. when the bobbsey twins went to bed that night they could hear the wind moaning and howling around the house. it gave them a "shivery" sort of feeling, and they were glad to cuddle down in their warm beds. soon they were asleep. but about the middle of the night bert and freddie, who slept in the same room, were awakened by a loud noise. "what was it?" asked freddie in a whisper. "the wind banging a shutter, i guess," bert answered. "it woke me up. but go to sleep again, freddie boy." just then the banging noise sounded again. "yes, it was a shutter," said bert. "it has blown loose. i can hear daddy getting up to fasten it." "it certainly is going to be a hard storm," bert and freddie heard their father say to their mother. "it's beginning to snow." "oh goodie!" whispered freddie. "did you hear that, bert?" "i certainly did." "we'll have some fun to-morrow," freddie went on. "i can go coasting." "yes, but go to sleep now," bert advised. "i can't, the wind makes so much noise," freddie answered. the wind was certainly howling and moaning loudly around the corner of the house. suddenly there was a big crash on the roof of the kitchen extension near the windows of the room where freddie and bert slept. then, after the first crash, came another. something smashed through the glass in the window nearest freddie's bed and there was a thumping sound on the floor. "oh! oh!" cried freddie throwing off the covers and jumping out. "the house is blowing down! the house is blowing down!" chapter xvi the first snow there was noise enough from the howling wind to make almost any one believe the house really was tumbling down after the crash which seemed to have broken in the window of the boys' room. "what's the matter in there, bert?" called mr. bobbsey. "the house is falling down!" cried freddie. "i'm afraid, daddy! i want to come in with you." "well, come along, sonny," called mrs. bobbsey. freddie ran out into the hall, where there was a dim light burning. bert felt the cold wind blowing in on him through the broken window. he could also feel flakes of snow on his face. "something really is the matter in here, dad!" he called. "i guess the house is all right, but our window is broken." "did you hear that, flossie?" asked nan of her little sister, who was sleeping with her. but they were both awake now. "the wind was so strong that it blew in bert's window." "oh, what a terrible storm," whispered flossie, covering her head with the clothes. "i don't like it." by this time bert had slipped on his bath robe and had gone out into the hall. his father was coming along and, having turned on the electric light in the room where the two boys slept, he saw what had happened. both large panes of glass in one window were broken. the shattered glass lay on the carpet and the snow was blowing in, for the white flakes were coming down fast now. and there were also a number of bricks on the floor. "oh! oh!" cried freddie, who had come back with his father. "some one threw bricks through our window. was that jack frost?" "i guess it was north wind," answered mr. bobbsey. "what happened?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "the wind blew the top of the chimney off," replied her husband, "and some of the bricks crashed through bert's window. not much damage done, but the wind and snow are coming in." "we can't sleep in our room!" cried freddie. "what are we going to do?" "i'll close the shutters and fasten a blanket over the window," said mr. bobbsey. "that will keep out nearly all the snow. what little wind blows in will not hurt--fresh air in the bedroom is a good thing." mr. bobbsey closed the shutters, and tacked a blanket over the place where the glass was broken out of the window. then, after he had taken away the bricks and swept up the broken glass so bert and freddie would not cut their feet on it, the boys went back to bed again. it was some little time, though, before they could get to sleep, as the wind seemed to howl ever so much louder now that there was no glass in part of the window to keep out the sound. "is it snowing yet?" asked freddie in a whisper of his brother, after they had been in bed for some time. "i'll look," offered the older twin. he slipped out of bed and to the window that had not been broken. "yes, it's snowing hard," he said. "good!" said freddie. "we'll have some fine sleighrides." it was quite cold in the boys' room, with the glass out of the window, for the wind blew through the blanket and shutters. but no more snow came in and the north wind did not knock any more bricks off the chimney. it was only a few loose ones that had come down, anyhow. most of the chimney was all right. it was the first snow-storm of the season, and when the bobbsey twins awakened in the morning the ground was white and the flakes were still falling. "oh, what good times we'll have!" cried nan. "i'm glad i have my rubber boots!" said flossie. "i can go wading in the deep drifts." "not until the storm stops some," said mother bobbsey. it was sunday, and the storm kept up all day so hard that the smaller bobbsey twins could not go to sunday school, though nan and bert managed to get there. and, as it was sunday, the glass-man could not come to fix the broken window. but the shutters were kept closed, and with a blanket over the holes it was not so bad. bert and freddie liked to sleep in a cool room, and never had any heat turned on in their sleeping apartment. their window was always open a little way, except on the very coldest nights. the next day a man came to put the fallen bricks back on the chimney, and another man put new glass in the boys' window, so the damage from the storm was soon mended. the storm was over now, though it was cold, and the snow still covered the ground. then the bobbsey twins had great sport. they got out their sleds and went coasting on the hill not far from their house, and when they were tired of this they played in the snow in their yard. flossie and freddie rolled two big snow balls, so large that they were almost as big as the twins themselves, and finally the balls had in them so much snow that neither freddie nor flossie could push them around the yard. "i'll take them and make them into a snow man for you," offered bert. he put one snow ball on top of the other, charley mason helping him lift it, and then they made a third, smaller ball for the man's head. pieces of coal made eyes and nose for the snow man, and nan gave bert a bit of her red hair ribbon which, when fastened on the snow face, made it look exactly as if the snow man was sticking out his tongue at you. his arms were made of long rolls of snow, and one was crossed on his chest, holding a broom. an old hat of mr. bobbsey's on top of the snow man's head made him look quite natural. "now you can finish the rest of him," said bert to flossie and freddie. "get some more pieces of coal, and put them down the front." "what for?" flossie asked. "they will look like buttons on his overcoat," answered bert. "oh, let's do it!" cried freddie. they did, and when they had finished putting a row of pieces of coal down the front of the snow man, they looked just as bert had said they would--like buttons on a coat. "now let's make a little snow image, and he will be the snow man's little boy," said freddie, after a bit. "oh, that will be nice!" cried flossie. the little twins rolled some smaller balls of snow, and, putting them together, as they had seen bert do, they soon had a little snow boy, which stood beside the big snow man. while the smaller bobbsey twins were doing this bert and charley were making a snow fort in the back yard. and when it was finished some other boys came along and there was a snow battle. bert and charley, inside the fort, threw snowballs at the other boys outside. and every time they threw, bert and charley would dodge down behind the walls of the fort, so they were not hit very often. but finally so many boys crowded around the snow fort, throwing balls from all sides at bert and charley, that they could not throw back fast enough, and they had to give up. "whoop! come on, capture the fort!" cried ned barton. over the walls swarmed the boys, and bert and charley were taken "prisoners." of course it was only in fun, and only soft snowballs, which hurt no one, were used, and all had a good time. then other boys took a turn inside the fort, while their chums threw snowballs at them from outside the walls, and the game went on this way, by turns. "i'm glad it snowed," said jimmie heath. "so am i," added bert. "we can have such fun. i say, why not build a snow house?" he asked, after they had become tired of playing fort. "the snow is just right for packing." "all right--a snow house!" cried the other boys. "we'll make one!" they made a big pile of snow, using some of that which was in the walls of the fort. when the pile was large enough they began to dig out a place inside. this was to be the hollow part of the house, or the main room where they would stay. some boys worked at the outside walls, making them straight and smooth, while others took away the snow that bert and charlie dug from the inside. the roof of the snow house was rounding, just like those of the snow houses made by the eskimos in the arctic region. and finally, when bert and charley had the inside scooped out enough for more boys to get in, they all entered and sat about on some boxes which bert found in the cellar. the snow house was enjoyed by the boys and the bobbsey twins for some days. but the sun was melting the snow a little every day, and one afternoon, when flossie and freddie came home from school early, and went out to play in the snow house, something happened. before long flossie went to the kitchen to ask dinah for some cookies to have a make-believe party in the snow house, and when the cook had given them to her, and the little girl was about to come out, she looked from the window and saw a strange sight. snap was playing about the yard with another dog. all of a sudden snap gave a jump, right on top of the snow house, and he was so heavy, and the roof was so thin, that it caved in. snap, with a bark, jumped away and ran off with the other dog, but freddie was held fast by the pile of snow which fell on him, as he was inside. "oh! oh!" cried the little fellow, his voice muffled by the pile of snow. "help me out! help me out! i'm buried under the snow house! help me out! oh, flossie!" chapter xvii on the hill "dinah! dinah!" called flossie, dropping to the floor the cookies she had gotten to take out to the snow house. "oh, dinah! look at freddie!" dinah hurried to the window. "freddie?" she asked. "freddie? where am freddie? i can't see him, so how kin i look at him, flossie lamb?" "oh, you can't see him!" wailed flossie, "but you can hear him, can't you?" dinah listened. "help me out! help me out!" freddie was crying. his voice was rather faint, for he was under the snow, and it sounded as though he were down in the cellar. but though the snow roof had fallen in when snap jumped on it, there was a sort of little cave, or hollow around his head so freddie could call out. "don't you hear him?" asked flossie, who was so excited she did not know what to do. "don't you hear him, dinah?" "yes, i _heahs_ him all right," replied the colored cook, "but i can't _see_ him, honey lamb." "he's under the snow! in the snow house!" flossie went on. "the roof fell on him because snap jumped on it when i came in here to get the cookies. oh, dinah, will you help get him out?" "git freddie lamb out? course i will! in de snow house wid de roof fell in on him! oh mah land ob massy!" cried dinah. "it's jest laik it done happened once befo' when bert made a bigger house." she caught up a big spoon, which she used to stir the pancakes, and rushed out to the yard, flossie running after her. up to the big pile of snow, which did not look much like a house now, ran the cook. then, just as she might have stirred a cake with the big spoon, she began digging in the snow. it was almost as good as a shovel. in a little while freddie's head was uncovered, and then it was easy to get him out. he wasn't hurt a bit, only a little scared, and he laughed when dinah and flossie brushed the snow off him. "but you can't brush out what's down my neck, inside my coat," he said, squirming about. "it's cold, and it tickles." "snow down inside your clo'hes!" exclaimed dinah. "den yo' got t' come right in de house an' hab it tucken out. you'll ketch cold ef yo' don't." "maybe you could get it out if you stood me on my head and wiggled me," freddie said, after thinking about it. "could you try that, dinah?" "try what, honey lamb?" "take hold of my feet, you and flossie, and stand me on my head. then the snow will run down from under my coat and i won't have to go in and undress. i don't want to do that. i want to build the snow house up again." dinah laughed. "ho! ho!" she said. "i'm not gwine t' do such t'ing as dat! no, sah! yo' come, in de house an' git dry t'ings on," and with that she caught freddie up under one arm and marched him into the house, where he soon changed into dry clothes. "now you can go out to play again," his mother said, "but don't go in any snow houses unless you are sure the roof is thick enough to keep from falling in on you. the sun is so warm now, i don't believe it will be safe to make snow houses. play at something else." "all right, mother, we will," promised flossie and freddie. they took the cookies which flossie had forgotten about in the excitement and, after eating them, the two children made another snow man; for the first one, and his "little boy" as they called him, had melted into mere lumps. for about a week the weather was warm, and most of the first snow melted. then came another storm, which covered the ground deep with white flakes, and once more the coasting hill was lively with the shouting, laughing and merry boys and girls. flossie and freddie, as well as nan and bert, spent as much time on the coasting hill as their mother would let them. after school every day they were out with their sleds, and on saturday they were only home for their meals. bert and charley mason had made a bob-sled, by fastening two sleds together with a long plank. this they covered with a piece of carpet. on this eight or nine boys or girls could sit, while bert or charley steered the bob down the hill by a wheel fastened to the front sled. on the back sled was a bell to warn other coasters out of the way, and sometimes, when there were not many on the hill, freddie was allowed to sit on the rear sled and ring the bell. he liked that. flossie and freddie each had sleds of their own, and they rode down on them alone, on one side of the hill where the smaller boys and girls kept by themselves. "for," said alice boyd, "we don't want to get run over by the big bob." "i guess not!" cried johnnie wilson. "some day we'll make a bob ourselves, freddie." "that's what we will." the bobbsey twins were coasting one day after school, when freddie saw, walking up the hill, tommy todd, the fresh air boy. tommy looked tired, for he had just been doing some errands for mr. bobbsey. "hello, tommy!" called freddie. "why don't you get your sled and have a coast? it's lots of fun." "yes, i guess it is," said tommy, with a smile. "then go and get your sled," said freddie again. "no, i don't believe i will," tommy said. and he said it in such a queer way that nan bobbsey whispered to bert: "i don't believe he has a sled, and he doesn't want to say so." "i guess that's right," bert replied. "i'll offer him a ride on our bob." "that will be nice," nan said. "he can have my place," for she had been coasting with her brother. "wouldn't you like to ride down with us?" asked bert, of tommy. "wouldn't i though?" cried tommy, his eyes shining. "well, i guess i would!" "come on, then," cried bert. "he can ride on my sled, too," said freddie. "and on mine!" added flossie. "i guess your sleds are too small," bert said, with a smile, for tommy was even bigger than bert, and bert could not fit on the sleds of his younger brother and sister any more. "thank you, just the same," said tommy to the little bobbsey twins. "i'll go down on the big bob. but i'll pull your sleds up the hill for you." "that will be nice," declared flossie. "i like riding down hill, but i don't like walking up, and pulling my sled." room was made for tommy on the big bob-sled and he was soon gliding down the long hill, bert steering. once or twice the smaller boys or girls, on their little sleds, would edge over toward that part of the hill where the big boys and girls, with their sleds or bob-sleds, were coasting. "keep out of the way, little folks!" warned bert. "there's room enough for you on your own side, and you might be hurt." "and you two be careful," said nan to flossie and freddie. "stay on your own side." the two small twins said they would do so. "now for a last coast!" cried bert, when tommy had been given a number of rides on the bob-sled. "it's time to go home to supper." "maybe we can come out after supper," said nan. "there's going to be a lovely moon, and coasting by moonlight is fine." "maybe we can," bert said. "come on, tommy," he called. "this is our last coast before supper." "all right," tommy answered. he had walked up the hill, pulling after him the sleds of flossie and freddie, who liked to have him help them in this way. "last coast, little ones!" bert called to the small twins. "then it's time to go home." "whose turn is it to steer?" asked charley mason. "yours, i guess," bert answered. "tommy, you can sit right behind charley and watch how he does it. then next time you come out on this hill we'll let you steer." "thanks!" exclaimed tommy. he had been anxious to take hold of the wheel himself, but he did not like to ask. on the bob-sled the boys and girls took their seats. bert was on the back sled, to push off and ring the bell. "all ready?" he called. "all ready," answered charley. bert gave a push and the bob-sled started down hill. on either side were other bob-sleds and single sleds, while farther off, to the right, were streams of smaller boys and girls. clang! clang! went the bell, as bert rang it. the bob-sled was about half-way down the hill when nan, sitting next to tommy, who was behind charley, gave a cry. "oh, look!" nan exclaimed. "flossie and freddie! they're going to get right in our way! steer out, charley!" the little bobbseys, in taking their last coast, had come too near the part of the hill where the big sleds were. "flossie! freddie!" cried nan. "look out! steer away!" but they did not seem able to do it. "i guess we won't run into them," charley said. he was trying as hard as he could to keep to one side. all at once the bob-sled struck a lump of ice, and the front sled jumped into the air. charley mason was jarred so hard that he rolled off. the bob-sled swayed from side to side when no one was steering it. then flossie and freddie, on their sleds, steered right over in the way of the bob-sled. they could not help it, they said afterward, and that was probably true, for they did not know much about steering sleds. "oh!" cried nan. "we'll run right over them." but tommy todd, who was sitting behind charley, slid forward as the other boy rolled off, and now tommy grasped the steering wheel with all his might. he twisted it around, to send the bob-sled away from flossie and freddie, who were almost under the runners now. bert, who saw what was about to happen, was ringing the bell as hard as he could. the other boys were yelling and the girls were screaming. "flossie! freddie! fall off your sleds! roll out of the way!" yelled nan. chapter xviii bert's snowshoes for a moment it seemed as though there would be an accident, in which not only flossie and freddie, but some of those on the big bob-sled as well, would be hurt. but tommy todd seemed to know just what to do. "it's all right!" he cried. "stay on your sleds, freddie and flossie. i can steer out of your way." and tommy did. but the only way he could avoid hitting the two little twins was to steer the big bob-sled into a bank of soft snow on one side of the hill. this he did, and though he, nan and some of those sitting in front were covered with a shower of the white flakes, no one was hurt. flossie and freddie kept on down the hill on their sleds, scared but not in the least harmed. "say, it's a good thing you grabbed that steering wheel when you did," said bert to tommy, as they all got off the bob-sled. "i should say so!" cried ned barton. "i didn't know you could steer, tommy." "i didn't know it myself until i tried," tommy said, with a smile, as he dug some snow out of his ear. "i knew i just _had_ to steer, though, when i saw charley fall off. we didn't want to run over flossie and freddie." "it's a good thing you sat so close to the steering wheel," put in nan. "you grabbed it just in time." flossie and freddie came walking up the hill, and charley, who had picked himself up, came walking down. he had not been hurt by his fall. "flossie--freddie, what made you steer over to our side?" asked bert. "we couldn't help it," said freddie. "our sleds just did it themselves," went on flossie. "did you think we were going to run into you?" "no, but we almost ran into _you_!" exclaimed nan. "you must be more careful or mother won't let you come out on the hill again." "well, we're tired of coasting now, anyhow," freddie said. "we're going home." most of the others made ready to go home also, for it was nearly supper time. "that was a fine thing you did--saving my little brother and sister from getting hurt, tommy," said bert, as he walked along, pulling the bob-sled after him. "i'll tell my father and mother what you did." "oh, that wasn't anything," tommy said, "anybody would have done the same if he had been in my place." "yes, but not everybody would have steered as quickly as you did. you surely can steer a bob! the next time you come out on the hill i'll let you steer a lot." "thanks," answered tommy. mr. bobbsey was very much pleased that night when he learned how good tommy had been. "i must keep an eye on that boy," he said. "i think he will make a good man. i'll help him all i can. he is so anxious to run errands and do work about the lumber yard to earn money. how is his grandmother?" mr. bobbsey asked his wife. "have you been to see her lately?" "yes, but she isn't very well. she can't sew as much as she used to, but some ladies and myself are looking after her. oh, i don't like to think of the danger flossie and freddie were in on that hill!" "oh, well, maybe they wouldn't have been hurt much," said bert. "just the same, i think they would be safer on a little hill of their own," said mr. bobbsey. "can't you find one for them, bert?" "yes, i guess i could make a hill in the back yard for them." "make a hill? why, bert bobbsey, nobody can _make_ a hill!" cried freddie. "it just has to _grow_." "well, i think i can make one. just wait," was what bert said. the next saturday he was busy in the back yard with some boards, a hammer and some nails. "what are you doing?" asked freddie, who had gotten up later than usual that morning. "making a little hill for you and flossie." "you can't do it," said freddie. "nobody can _make_ a hill!" but he watched what his brother was doing. bert set some posts in the ground, though it was hard to dig, for the earth was frozen. but the posts did not have to go in very deep. from the top of the posts to the ground bert next slanted two long boards, bracing them on the under side with shorter posts. then he made a little platform by nailing boards from the tops of the first two posts to two others which he placed a little back of them. "why say, that does begin to look like a hill!" exclaimed freddie, for the slanting boards were just like a slanting hill of earth. "only you can't slide down on that 'cause it hasn't any snow on," he said. "well, it's easy enough to shovel some snow on, and pack it down hard," answered bert. "you get your shovel and begin." freddie was delighted to do this, and was soon tossing up on the slanting boards shovelful after shovelful of snow. when bert had finished nailing the platform on top of the posts, which were about seven feet high, he helped freddie pile on the snow. when flossie came out, after her brothers had been working for some time, the little girl cried: "oh, how did that hill get in our yard?" for by this time all the wood had been covered with the snow freddie and bert had piled on. "bert _made_ the hill," said freddie, proudly. "i didn't think he could do it, but he did. i thought hills had to grow." "it's nice," said flossie. "but how are we going to walk up to the top to slide down?" the hill bert had built was steep. he had made it that way as it had to be short, and he wanted the little coasters to get a "good start." "i'll fix it so you can get to the top," bert said. he got some boxes and piled them up, like steps. on these flossie and freddie could get on the little square platform which was at the top of the wooden hill, now covered with snow. they could pull their sleds up after them. at the foot of the hill bert, with flossie and freddie to help him, smoothed out the snow all the way across the yard, packing it hard so the sleds would glide over it easily. "to-night we'll put some water on and let it freeze," bert said. "then you'll have a dandy hill, all your own, and you'll be in no danger from our big bob." "that's fine!" cried freddie. "may we slide down it now?" asked flossie. "yes," bert told her. she had the first coast. there was only room for one at a time on the hill bert made, so they had to take turns. flossie sat on her sled on top of the little platform, and pushed herself off. down she went with a whizz, half way across the yard. "oh, it's fine!" she cried. "i want to coast again!" "it's freddie's turn now," said bert, and down went freddie. then the bobbsey twins had lots of fun on the "made" hill. they invited johnnie wilson and alice boyd over to coast with them, and the four little ones had a grand time. "and they are in no danger, that is the nicest part of it," mrs. bobbsey said. "i don't have to worry about them now. i'm so glad you built the hill, bert." "i'm going to build something else," said bert. "what?" asked nan. "snowshoes," was his answer. "what are snowshoes?" freddie demanded "shoes made so you can walk on top of the soft snow instead of sinking down in it," bert replied. "of course i can't make the kind the indians and hunters make, which look something like lawn tennis rackets, but i know how to make another kind. i saw a picture of them in a book." but before bert started to make his snowshoes he made the little hill better for coasting. that night he poured water on the snow that covered it, and, as the weather was cold, the water and snow froze into a glaring stretch of ice. and my! how flossie and freddie did whizz down the hill on their sleds then. it was perfectly safe, though, for bert had put little strips of wood on the edges of the wooden hill, so the sleds would not slide off to one side. when charley mason came over to see bert one day he found his friend busy in the barn with some barrel staves, old skate straps, a hammer, nails and other things. "what are you doing?" asked charley. "making snowshoes," bert answered. "i'm using barrel staves. they are long and broad, and if i can fasten them to my feet with straps i can walk along on top of the snow, and not sink in." "i don't believe barrel staves will make very good snowshoes," charley said. "just you wait," answered bert. he fastened the straps to the middle of the pieces of barrel, and then strapped the strips of wood to his shoes. "now watch me!" bert cried. back of the barn was a field covered deep with snow. it had not been trampled down. "i'm going to walk out there," bert said. he shuffled across the floor of the barn. he could only lift his feet up a little way, for if he raised them too far the barrel staves would have become criss-crossed and have tripped him. so bert had to shuffle along just like a chinese laundryman who wears those funny straw slippers without any heels. charley opened the back door of the barn for bert, who stepped out into the snow. he shuffled along a little way, and did very well, for the broad, smooth pieces of wood under his feet did not sink down in the snow, which had a hard crust on top. "see! what did i tell you?" cried bert to charley. "i'm walking on the snow all right!" but just as he said that a queer thing happened. he came to a place where the shining sun had made the snow very soft. in spite of the barrel staves, first one of bert's feet sank down and then the other. a funny look came over his face. "what's the matter?" asked charley, who was watching him. "i--i'm stuck!" cried bert. "i can't get my feet up! the staves are caught under the snow, and i can't move! come and pull me out!" chapter xix through the ice charley was laughing so hard at the queer look on bert's face, and at the funny way in which bert stood in the snow, that, at first, he did not make a move to go to his chum's help. then bert cried again: "i am stuck i tell you, charley! come on and help me. i can't lift my feet." "can't you, really?" charley asked. "no. the front edges of the barrel staves have slipped under the snow and it's packed on them so i can't raise them." "all right, i'll help you," said charley, still laughing. he waded out to where bert was stuck. charley's feet sank down deep in the soft snow. "i ought to have a pair of those shoes myself," he said, floundering along. "well, don't stop to make them now," said bert. "help me first." but even with charley's help it was impossible to pull up bert's feet with the queer wooden shoes on. they had got stuck sideways in the deep snow. finally charley said. "oh, take 'em off, bert! loosen the straps and then you can pull your feet free, and lift up the barrel staves afterward." "i guess that is the only way," bert agreed, and he did it. once his feet were clear of the staves, it was easy enough to raise them up and then he could wade back to the barn, carrying the staves. "i won't try to go on the soft snow again," he said as he sat down on a box and once more fastened the snowshoes to his feet. "do you mean to say you're going to try it again?" asked charley. "i surely am," answered bert. "i'm not going to give up, just because i got stuck once. why don't you make you a pair of these shoes? there are some more barrel staves, and i'll get you the straps." "i believe i will," charley said, and set to work at once. then he and bert walked together over the hard frozen snow. as long as they stayed on this, where there was a crust, they were all right. they did not go where the snow was soft, and so they got along very well. freddie saw what his brother and charley were doing, and he cried out: "i want a pair of snowshoes, too!" "you're too little," bert said. but later on he and charley made freddie a pair, cutting the long barrel staves in two pieces. but freddie did not find it as easy as his brother had found it, and he tripped and fell down in the snow, so the older boys had to pick him up. then the small twin gave up the use of snowshoes. "i like riding down hill better," he said. winter had now set in, with all its cold and snow, around lakeport, and there were many days of fine coasting. flossie and freddie stayed on the hill bert had made for them in the yard, but nan and bert, with their friends, went to the big hill, and used the bob-sled. then came a thaw and the coasting was spoiled. there were puddles of water all about, and one day coming home from school freddie slipped and fell right into a puddle which was rather muddy. "oh, freddie!" cried flossie, who was walking with him. "your clothes are all spoiled!" "well, i--i couldn't help it," freddie said, looking down at the dripping mud and water. "i didn't see the slippery place." "you must hurry home as soon as you can, and change into dry things, freddie," said nan, who was on the other side of the street with ellen moore and nellie parks. nan had seen her little brother fall. "run," nan went on, "i'll hold your hand so you won't fall again." freddie gave his books to flossie to carry, and he hurried on with nan, running so he would be warmer and not take cold, for though the snow was melting it was still winter. as nan and freddie reached the house, they heard several persons talking in the parlor. "oh, there's company!" cried nan. "they mustn't see you, freddie, looking like this. i'll take you up the back stairs and change your clothes myself, or get dinah to. come on." but just as nan and freddie were about to slip past the parlor door mrs. bobbsey came out to see who had come in, and with her came a boy about bert's age. at the sight of him freddie cried: "why, it isn't company. it's cousin harry!" "oh, freddie! what happened to you?" his mother asked. "i--i fell down in a puddle," said the little boy. "but i couldn't help it, mother. oh, harry, i'm glad you've come!" freddie went on. "we can slide down hill---- oh, no, we can't either," he said quickly. "all the snow is melted. but bert made a hill in our back yard and when it snows again we'll have lots of fun on it. did uncle daniel and aunt sarah come?" "yes, we're here," said aunt sarah herself, coming to the door. "oh, but mercy, child! what happened?" "fell in a mud puddle," answered freddie. "where's uncle dan?" "in there, talking to daddy," replied mrs. bobbsey. "but don't stand here talking, freddie. cousin harry will excuse you until you change your clothes." "of course," answered harry. "where's bert?" he asked of nan. "coming along with charley mason. they're just down the street. i hurried on with freddie." "i guess i'll go to meet him," said harry. "i'll see you when i come back, freddie, and be sure you're good and dry." "i will," promised the little chap, as his mother led him upstairs. "how long can cousin harry stay, mother?" freddie asked. "oh, about a week i guess." "i hope he can stay until there's more snow." uncle daniel, with aunt sarah and harry, had come from meadow brook to pay a visit in lakeport, just as cousin dorothy had come from the seashore some time before. a little later, when freddie had on dry clothes, he and bert, with harry and charley, went out in the barn to play. nan had to go to the store for her mother. freddie's hope that snow would come soon was not to be gratified--at least right away. the weather remained warm for nearly a week, and what little snow was left melted. bert and charley had no chance to show harry how they could walk on the barrel-stave shoes. but harry noticed how they were made, and said when he went back to meadow brook he was going to make a pair for himself. then one night the weather suddenly turned cold. it was a cold "snap," as mr. bobbsey said, and certainly there was "snap" to it, for the cold made the boards of the house crack and snap like a toy pistol. "my, but it's cold!" exclaimed nan, as she came down to breakfast. "just what we want!" cried bert. "eh, harry?" "sure. this will make skating all right. do you think the lake will be frozen over?" "we can soon find out," bert said. "i'll telephone down to dad's office and ask. one of the men can look out of the window and tell. if it is frozen we'll take our skates down and have some fun." "i didn't bring any skates," harry said. "i've some extra pairs," said bert "i guess one of 'em will fit you." he called up his father's bookkeeper on the telephone, and word came back over the wire that lake metoka was frozen solidly, and that already some boys were out on it, gliding along. "hurrah!" cried bert, when he heard this. "talk about good luck! and to-day's saturday, too!" a pair of skates was found to fit harry and the two larger boys, with freddie trailing along behind, soon went down to the lake. they were well wrapped up to keep out the cold. nan said she would come down later with flossie. "i have to practise my music first," said nan. bert and harry were good skaters, and freddie did very well too, for his age. but he could cut none of the "fancy figures" as did his brother and cousin. freddie was satisfied to glide around with some of the smaller boys he knew. "will you be all right, if harry and i have a race down at the lower end of the lake?" asked bert, after a bit. "course i will," said freddie. "well, then we'll leave you for a little while. but don't go over near the point," warned bert. "it isn't frozen so solidly there. the ice is thin and you may go through. keep away from the point." "i will," promised freddie. the point was where some land curved out into the lake, making a sort of little cove, and as this was a sheltered place the ice had not frozen so thick there. bert and harry raced away, to see who would first get to a certain point, while freddie stayed with his little chums. pretty soon, however, freddie felt cold. "i'm going in my father's office to get warm," he said to johnnie wilson who was with him. "come on." the two little chaps were soon in the warm office of the lumber yard. freddie saw tommy todd come in, having been on an errand to the post-office for mr. bobbsey. "hello, tommy!" called freddie, who was warming his hands at the stove. "why don't you go skating?" "haven't any skates," was the answer, and tommy smiled. he was poor, and did not have any of the playthings other boys had, but for all that he was not cross or gloomy. "besides, if i did have a pair i couldn't go. i have to work to-day," tommy went on. "oh, i could let you have some time off to go skating, if you wanted to," said mr. bobbsey. "well, i would like it, if i had the skates," tommy said. "but, as i haven't, i'll stay and run errands for you." "you could take my skates, while i'm getting warm," freddie said. "i guess i'll be quite a while getting warm, too, for it's awful cold out." "your skates are too small, i'm afraid," said tommy. "bert has an extra pair. i heard him say so when he gave those to harry," put in freddie. "couldn't tommy take them, daddy?" "why, yes, i think so. if you want to go up to the house after them i'll telephone mrs. bobbsey to have them ready for you," the lumber merchant said to his errand boy. "oh, yes, sir, i should like it! i haven't skated for a long time." mr. bobbsey telephoned, and a little later tommy was gliding about the frozen lake on a pair of bert's skates, which, however, were quite good. bert had laid them aside when he had been given a pair of shoe hockeys. "well, i'm warm enough now," said freddie to johnnie, after a bit. "shall we go out and skate some more?" johnnie was willing and out they went. it seemed a little warmer now, for the sun was up higher. many skaters were on the lake. all at once freddie saw tommy skating over toward the place which bert had spoken of as not being safe. "tommy! tommy!" cried freddie. "don't go there. the ice is too thin!" but he was too late. straight toward the point tommy glided and the next minute there was a cracking of the ice and tommy went down out of sight. chapter xx lost in a storm "oh, tommy's in! tommy's in!" cried freddie, as he saw what had happened. "oh, he'll be drowned!" "let's see if we can get him out!" shouted johnnie. "no, we mustn't go near that place. it's dangerous--bert said so!" said freddie. "i'll run and tell my father. he'll know what to do." and this, really, was the wise thing to do, for such little boys as freddie and johnnie could not do much toward getting tommy out of the cold water. some other skaters, seeing what had happened, were gliding toward the big hole which had opened in the ice, and more boys or girls might have fallen in had not a man, who was skating near them, warned them away. "keep back!" shouted the man. "if you go too near, the ice will give way with you. i'll see if i can get him out." by this time tommy's head was to be seen above the water. he knew how to swim, but one cannot do much swimming in ice-cold water, and with skates on one's feet, besides wearing heavy clothing. poor tommy was in a sad plight. "help! help!" he called. "yes, i'll help you as soon as i can," answered the man. "i must get a plank to put down on the ice, though, so it will bear my weight." a plank on thin ice acts just as bert's snowshoes did on the snow, it holds a person up, keeping him from breaking through. while the man was running toward the piles of lumber in mr. bobbsey's yard, which was on the edge of the lake, freddie and johnnie, not stopping to take off their skates, ran toward the office where freddie's father was. by this time the men in the lumber office, looking out on the lake, had seen that something was wrong. and they guessed what sort of accident it was. some of them ran out, and mr. bobbsey followed them. "oh, daddy!" cried freddie, when he saw his father. "he's in!" "who? not bert or harry, i hope!" "no, it's tommy todd--you know the boy----" "yes, yes! i know him. he went through the ice, did he? here, men, get a rope to throw to him. the ice is too thin to go close enough to reach his hand. we must pull him out with a rope." there were ropes in the office, to be used in tying loads of lumber on the delivery wagons, and mr. bobbsey caught up a coil and ran toward the place where tommy was struggling in the water. by this time the man who had warned the other skaters away had found two planks. he carried them as near to the edge of the hole through which tommy had fallen as was safe. then mr. bobbsey came with the rope. he walked out on the planks and called to tommy. "catch hold of the rope, tommy, and we'll pull you out!" shouted mr. bobbsey. he tossed one end of the rope to the boy in the water, but it fell short. pulling it back to him mr. bobbsey tossed it again. this time a coil fell near tommy's hand. he grasped it and then mr. bobbsey and the other man, who was mr. randall, pulled tommy out on the solid ice. poor tommy could hardly breathe. "we must get him to a warm place at once!" cried mr. bobbsey. "i'll carry him to my office. there's a roaring hot fire there, and if we wrap him well in blankets we may keep him from getting cold." in his arms mr. bobbsey carried the dripping lad. luckily tommy had kept his lips closed when he fell into the water, and he knew enough not to breathe when his head was under, so he had not swallowed too much water. but he was wet through, and ice-cold. mr. randall first warned the other boys and girls about going too near the hole, then he stuck one of the planks up near it, with a piece of rag on it as a danger signal. beside the warm fire in the lumber office tommy was undressed and wrapped in warm blankets. one of the men made some hot cocoa, and when tommy drank this he felt much better. "but you can't put on your clothes for a long time--not until they are well dried," said mr. bobbsey. "i guess bert has an extra suit that will fit you. i'll telephone to my wife and have her send it here." sam, who was dinah's husband, came a little later with an old suit of bert's, and mrs. bobbsey sent word that tommy was to keep it, as bert did not need it any longer. "but it's a fine suit for me," said tommy, when he was dressed in it. "i guess it was lucky i fell in the water--i got some nice clothes by it." "but don't fall in again even for that," said mr. bobbsey with a laugh. "you may take cold yet." but tommy did not. one of mr. bobbsey's friends happened to stop at the office on business, and, having a closed automobile, he offered to take tommy home, so the boy would not have to go out in the cold air after his unexpected bath in the lake. bert and harry, on coming back after their race to the lower end of the lake, were surprised to learn what had happened to tommy. and when he had had enough of skating bert said he would go and see if tommy had reached home safely, and if mrs. todd needed anything. bert and harry, who went with him, found tommy sitting near the fire in the humble home near the city dumps. "i'm glad i don't live here," said harry, as he looked around before entering the house. "i am too," added bert. "it isn't very nice. i suppose when tommy's father was alive they had things much nicer." tommy smiled at his two boy callers. "this isn't working," he said. "and i ought to be at work, for it's saturday and i do most of my errands then. but grandmother thought i ought to get warmed through before going out again." "i guess that's right," said bert. "how is your grandmother? father told me to ask." "she isn't very well," tommy answered. "in fact, she had to go to bed after i came home. she says she feels sick." "maybe she ought to have a doctor," said bert. "don't let her hear you say that," whispered tommy. "she's in the next room, and she doesn't like to think of calling in a doctor. she says she hasn't any money to pay him." "but that's not right," bert began. "she ought to----" just then harry nudged his cousin, and winked his eye in a way bert understood. so bert did not finish what he had started to say. instead he remarked: "is there anything we can do for you, tommy?" "no, thank you, i guess not," answered the other. "i'm all right now, and i don't believe i'll take cold." when bert and harry were outside and on their way home, bert asked: "what did you punch me for in there?" "i didn't want you to talk so much about a doctor. i guess they haven't any money to pay one." "no, i guess they haven't." "but what's the matter with my paying for one to make a visit?" asked harry. "dad gave me some money to spend when i came on this visit, and i have most of it left. you've been doing all the treating. and you gave tommy that suit; so i want to pay for a doctor's visit." "we'll ask mother about it," said bert. "i guess it would be better to have a doctor see mrs. todd." mrs. bobbsey said it was very kind of harry to think of using his pocket money to pay for a doctor for the sick. "but you will not need to," she said. "there are physicians paid by the city to visit the poor. but i think we will have our own dr. young call and see her. the city physicians have enough to do in the winter when there is so much illness. i'll send dr. young, and pay him myself." afterward dr. young told mrs. bobbsey that mrs. todd was not dangerously ill. she needed a tonic, perhaps, and this he gave her. "but what she needs, most of all," he said, "is to get into a better house. it is not healthful down there. and she needs more and better food." "then i'll look after her," said mrs. bobbsey. "i belong to a club, the ladies of which are glad to help the poor. we will make mrs. todd our special case. i'll see what we can do about getting her into a better house, too. she is a very good woman and mr. bobbsey says he never had a better errand boy than tommy." mrs. bobbsey and the members of her club did many things for mrs. todd and tommy. they planned to have them move into another house, but as the weather was very cold they decided that it was better for mrs. todd that she should wait a bit before making the change. mrs. bobbsey often sent good food to tommy's grandmother. sometimes bert or nan took the basket, and, when the weather was nice, flossie and freddie were allowed to go. one saturday afternoon about a week after the country visitors had gone home, when dinah had finished baking bread, cake and pies, mrs. bobbsey said: "i wish mrs. todd had some of these good things. but i haven't time to go down there to-day, and bert and nan are away." "let us go, mother," begged flossie. "freddie and i can carry the basket easily." "well, i suppose you could," said mrs. bobbsey slowly. "it isn't very cold out to-day, though it looks as if it would snow. but perhaps it won't until you get back. you know the way to mrs. todd's now, and it isn't too far for you. but hurry back." the little twins promised, and were soon on their way. they had often gone on long walks by themselves, for they knew their way fairly well about the city, and down toward tommy's house there were few wagons or automobiles, so it was safe for them. carrying the basket of good things flossie and freddie were soon at the place where mrs. todd lived. "you are good little ones to come so far to bring an old woman something to eat," said mrs. todd, with a smile, when she opened the door. "come in and sit by the fire to get warm." "we can't stay very long," said flossie. but she and freddie stayed longer than they meant to, for mrs. todd knew many stories and she told the little twins two or three as they sat by the fire. "oh, it's snowing--snowing hard!" said freddie suddenly, as he looked out of the window when mrs. todd had finished a story about a little red hen. "then we must hurry home," said flossie. they put on their wraps and overshoes and, bidding mrs. todd good-bye, off they went. but they had no sooner got outdoors than they found themselves in a bad storm. the wind was blowing hard, and the white flakes were swirling all around them. "why--why, i can hardly see!" cried flossie. "it's just like a fog." "and--and it's hard to breathe," said freddie. "the wind blows right down my mouth." "we could walk backwards and then it wouldn't," said flossie, and they tried that for a while. the children had been out in storms before, but they could not remember ever having been in one where the snow was so thick. as flossie had said, she could hardly see because there were so many flakes coming down. "take hold of my hand, freddie, and don't let go," said flossie to her brother. "we don't want to get lost." along the street they walked as best they could, sometimes going backward so the wind would not blow in their faces so hard, and when they walked with their faces to the wind they held down their heads. "are we 'most home?" asked flossie after a while. "well, i don't see our house," replied freddie. "we've come far enough to be there, too." they walked on a little farther and then freddie stopped. "what's the matter?" asked flossie. "i can't see any houses, or anything," answered her brother. "i--i guess we've come the wrong way, flossie. i don't know where we are." "do you mean we--we're lost, freddie?" "i'm afraid so." chapter xxi the strange man the two bobbsey twins stood in the snowstorm, looking at each other. though they were both brave they were rather worried now, for they did not know which way to go to get home. if there had been no snow it would have been easy, but the white flakes were so thick that they could hardly see ten feet ahead of them. "what are we going to do, freddie?" flossie asked. "well, i don't know," he answered. "i guess we'll just have to keep on walking until we come to a house, and then we can ask which way our home is. maybe somebody in the house will take us home." "but we can't see any houses. how can we ask?" said flossie, and her voice was trembling. indeed, the storm was so thick that no houses were in sight. there might have been some near by, but the children could not see any. nor were any persons to be seen passing along the street. if there had been, one of them might easily have set the twins right. but the truth of it was that flossie and freddie had taken the wrong turn in coming out of mrs. todd's house, and instead of walking toward their home they had, in the confusion of the storm, walked right away from it. every step they took put them farther and farther away from their own house. and now, as they learned later, they were on the far edge of the city of lakeport, beyond the dumps, on what was called the "meadows." in summer this was a swamp, but with the ground frozen as it was it was safe to walk on it. but no houses were built on it, and there were only a few lonely paths across this meadow stretch. in the summer a few men cut a coarse kind of hay that grew on the meadows, but as hay-cutting is not done in winter no one now had any reason for going to the meadows. "well, we mustn't stand still," said flossie, after a bit. "why not?" asked freddie. "can't you stand still when you're tired?" "not in a snowstorm," flossie went on with a shake of her head. "if you stand still or lie down you may go to sleep, and when you sleep in the snow you freeze to death. don't you remember the story mother read to us?" "yes," answered freddie. "but i don't feel sleepy now, so it's all right to stand still a minute while i think." "what are you thinking about?" asked his sister. "i'm trying to think which way to go. do you know?" flossie looked all about her. it was snowing harder than ever. however, it was not very cold. indeed, only that they were lost, the bobbsey twins would have thought it great fun to be out in the storm. they were well wrapped up, and they had on high rubbers, so they were not badly off except for being lost. that was not any fun, of course. "do you know where we are?" asked freddie of his sister. "no," she answered, "i don't. it doesn't look as if we were on any street at all. look at the tall grass all around us." standing up through the snow was the tall meadow grass that had not been cut. freddie looked at it. "oh, now i know where we are!" he cried. "we're down on the meadows. bert brought me here once when he was looking for muskrats. he didn't get any, but i remember how tall the grass grew. now i know where we are." "all right, then you can take me home," flossie said. "we're not lost if you know where we are." "but i don't know which way our house is," freddie went on, "and i can't see to tell with all these flakes coming down. i'll have to wait until it stops." "s'posin' it doesn't stop all night?" asked flossie. "oh, i guess it will," said freddie. "anyhow, we know where we are. let's walk on and maybe we'll get off the meadows and on to a street that leads to our house." flossie was glad to walk, as it was warmer than when standing still; and so she and freddie went on. they did not know where they were going, and, as they found out afterward, they went farther and farther from their home and the city with every step. "oh, look!" suddenly cried flossie. "what is it?" asked her brother, stumbling over a little pile of snow as he hurried up beside his sister, who had gone on ahead of him. "did you find the right path, flossie? but then i don't believe you did. i don't believe anybody, not even santa claus himself, could find a path in this snow storm." "yes he could," insisted flossie. "santa claus can do anything. he could come right down out of the sky now, in his reindeer sleigh, and take us home, if he wanted to." "well, then," said freddie, shaking his head as a snowflake blew into his ear and melted there with a ticklish feeling, "i just wish he _would_ come and take us home. i'm--i'm getting tired, flossie." "so'm i. but i did see something, freddie," and the little girl pointed ahead through the drifting flakes. "it wasn't the path, though." "what'd you see?" demanded freddie, rubbing his eyes so he could see more clearly. "that!" and flossie pointed to a rounded mound of snow about half as high as her head. it was right in front of her and freddie. "oh, it's a little snow house!" cried freddie. "that's what i thought it was," flossie went on. "some one must have been playing out here on the meadows, and made this little house. it's awful small, but maybe if we curl up and stick our legs under us, we can get inside out of the storm." "maybe we can!" cried freddie. "let's try." the children walked around the pile of snow, looking for the hole, such as they always left when they built snow houses. "the front door is closed," said freddie. "i guess they shut it after them when they went away." "maybe they're inside now," remarked flossie. "if we knocked maybe they would let us in. only it will be awful crowded," and she sighed. she was very cold and tired, and was worried about being lost. it was no fun, and she would have been glad to go inside the little snow house, even though some one else were in it also. "there's no place to knock," freddie said, as he looked about on every side of the round pile of snow. "and there's no door-bell. the next time i make a snow house, flossie, i'm going to put a front door-bell on it." "that'll be nice," his sister said. "but, freddie, never mind about the door-bell now. let's get inside. i'm awful cold!" "so'm i. and another snowflake just went into my ear. it makes me wiggle when it melts and runs down inside." "i like to wiggle," flossie said. "i'm going to open my ears real wide and maybe a snowflake will get in mine. does it feel funny?" "terribly funny. but you can't open your ears any wider than they are now, flossie. they're wide open all the while--not like your eyes that you can open and shut part way." "maybe i can open my ears wider," flossie said. "i'm going to try, anyhow." she stood still in the snow, wrinkling her forehead and making funny "snoots" as freddie called them, trying to widen her ears. but she gave it up finally. "i guess i can't get a snowflake to tickle me," she said with a sigh. "you can have the next one that goes into my ear," offered freddie. "but they melt so soon and run down so fast that i don't see how i am going to get them out." "never mind," said flossie. "i can get a snowflake in my ear when i get home. just now let's see if we can't get inside this little house. if the door is frozen shut, maybe you can find a stick and poke it open. look for a stick, freddie." "all right, i will," and freddie began kicking away at the snow around his feet, hoping to turn up a stick. this he soon did. "i've found one!" he cried. "now we can get in and away from the storm. i'll make a hole in the snow house!" with the stick, which was a piece of flat board, freddie began to toss and shovel aside the snow. the top part came off easily enough, for the flakes were light and fluffy. but underneath them there was a hard, frozen crust and this was not so easily broken and tossed aside. but finally freddie had made quite a hole, and then he and flossie saw something queer. for, instead of coming to the hollow inside of the snow house, the little boy and girl saw a mass of sticks, dried grass and dirt. over this was the snow, and it was piled up round, like the queer houses the eskimos make in the arctic regions. "oh, look!" cried flossie. "it isn't a snow house at all. it's just a pile of sticks." "maybe it's a stick house, with snow on the outside," freddie said. "i'm going to dig a little deeper." he did so, tossing aside the grass, sticks and dirt. flossie was watching him, and suddenly the two children saw something moving down in the hole that freddie had dug. presently a furry nose was thrust out, and two bright, snapping eyes looked at them. "oh, see! what is it?" cried flossie. freddie dropped his stick shovel, and stumbled back. flossie went with him. the sharp, furry nose was thrust farther out, and then they could see that it was the head of some animal, looking at them from inside the snow-covered stick house. "some one lives there after all," whispered flossie. "is it a--a bear, freddie? if it is, we'd better run." "bears don't live in houses like this," said her brother. "they sleep all winter in hollow logs." "well, what is it then?" flossie questioned, "will it come after us?" but the little animal seemed satisfied to look out of the hole in its house to see who had done the mischief. then it began pulling the sticks and grass back into place with its paws and jaws. "oh, i know what it is!" freddie cried. "it's a muskrat. they live in these mounds on the meadows. bert told me so. this one's house looked extra big because it was all covered with snow. there wouldn't be room for us inside there, flossie." "i'm glad of it," answered the little girl. "i wouldn't want to crawl in with a lot of rats." "muskrats are nice," freddie said. "bert told me so." "well, i don't like 'em!" declared flossie. "come on, freddie. let's get away from here. that muskrat might chase us for breaking in his house, though we didn't mean to do any harm. come on, freddie," and the two little ones went on once more. the storm was growing worse, and it was getting dark now with the heavy clouds up above. "say, freddie," said flossie, after a bit, "i'm tired. why don't we holler?" "holler?" asked freddie, trying to turn his overcoat collar closer around his neck. "what do we want to holler for?" "for help," answered flossie. "don't you know, in books and stories, every time people get lost they holler for help?" "oh, that's right," freddie said. "i forgot about that. well, we can holler." the twins shouted as loudly as they could, but their voices were not very strong, and the wind was now blowing so hard that even if any one had been near at hand he could hardly have heard the little ones calling. "help! help!" shouted flossie and freddie together several times. they listened, but all they could hear was the howling of the wind and the swishing of the snowflakes. "well, let's walk on some more," said freddie, after a bit. "no use standing here." "and it isn't much use walking on," returned flossie; and her voice trembled. "we don't know where we're going." still she followed as freddie trudged on. "you walk behind me, flossie," he said, "and that will keep some of the wind off you." "thank you, freddie," was flossie's answer. "but i'd rather walk by the side of you. you--you can hold my hand better then." hand in hand the twins went on. the wind seemed to blow all ways at once, and always in the faces of the tots. all at once, as freddie made a stop to get his breath, he gave a shout. "what's the matter?" asked flossie. "do you see something?" "yes, i guess it's a house," freddie answered. "look!" he pointed to something that loomed up black in the midst of the cloud of snowflakes. "i guess we'll be all right now," flossie said. "we'll go in there and ask our way home." but when they reached the black object they found that it was only an old shed which had been used to store some meadow hay. the door of the shed was shut, but freddie tried to open it. "we can go in there to get warm," he said, "if i can open it." "i'll help you," said flossie. the two were struggling with the latch of the door when they saw some black object coming toward them out of the storm. "oh, maybe it's a cow," said flossie. "it's a man," cried freddie, and so it proved. a tall, nice-looking man, his black beard white with snow, walked toward the children. "well, well!" he cried. "what does this mean? such little tots out in this storm!" "we're lost!" said flossie. the strange man laughed. "lost? so am i!" he cried. "it isn't the first time, either. i've been lost a whole lot worse than this. now, as we're lost together, we'll see if we can't get found together. here, we'll go in out of the storm a minute and you can tell me about yourselves." with one pull of his strong arms he opened the shed door and went inside with flossie and freddie. chapter xxii happy days "this is better," said the man, as he closed the door to keep out the wind and snow. "this isn't exactly a warm house, but it will do until we get our breath. now tell me how you came to be lost." "we were out taking some things to a poor lady," said freddie, "and she told us some nice stories." "one was about a little red hen," put in flossie. "yes," went on freddie. "and when we saw it was snowing we came out in a hurry and took the wrong turn, i guess. we couldn't see any houses, and we hollered and nobody heard us, and then i saw this meadow grass and i knew where we were." "so this is the meadows?" asked the strange man. "yes, sir, this is the meadows," said freddy. "we know we're on the meadows but we don't know where our house is," said flossie. "we live in lakeport, and we're the bobbsey twins." "the bobbsey twins; eh?" returned the man. "well, that's a nice name, i'm sure." "and there are two more twins at home," went on freddie. "they are nan and bert, and they're older than we are." "they aren't lost," explained flossie, carefully. "i'm glad of that," the man said. "and i don't believe you'll be lost much longer." "do you know where our house is?" asked freddie. "no, not exactly," the man answered. "didn't you say you were lost, too?" asked flossie. "yes, i did, little girl. i was lost. but now that you have told me where i am, i think i am found. and i think, too, that i can help you find your home. so you live in lakeport. that's where i'm going." "how did you come to get out on these meadows?" asked freddie. "well, this is how it happened," the man said. "i was on my way to lakeport, but, by mistake, i got off the train at belleville. that's the station just below here. i did not want to wait for the next train so i hired a man with an automobile to take me on to lakeport. but about a mile from here one of the tires of the automobile burst so the man could not take me any farther. then i said i'd walk, as i thought i knew the road. i used to live in lakeport about five years ago. i started off, but the storm came up, and i lost my way. the first i knew i found myself out in this big field which you say is the meadows." "that's what they call it," freddie said. "well then, now i know where i am and i know what to do. do you think you can walk along with me?" "oh, we're not tired now," said freddie. "we've had a nice rest in here. but do you know the way to our house?" "i know the way to lakeport. i had forgotten about these meadows. you see it was a good many years ago and i did not live in lakeport long before i went away. but now i know where i am. when i lived in your city i used to come out here to hunt muskrats. if i am not mistaken this shed is near a path that leads to a road by which we can get to a trolley car. i don't know whether or not the trolleys are running, but maybe we can find an automobile." "if you could find a telephone and telephone to my father's lumber yard office he would come in his automobile to get us," said flossie. "well, perhaps i can do that," the man said. "come along now, we'll start." out into the storm again went the bobbsey twins. it was snowing as hard as ever, but they were not afraid now, for they each had hold of the man's hands, and they felt sure he would get them safely home. "are you all right now?" asked the man, as he walked along in the snow, kicking away the flakes in a cloud such as a plow might throw on either side. "yes, we're all right now," freddie said. "but we'll be righter when we get home." "so mamma won't worry," added flossie. "mothers worry when their children are lost." "that's too bad," said the man. "it isn't good for mothers to worry. but i'll get you home as soon as i can. you two youngsters have had quite a time of it, but i am glad to see you are brave and did not cry." "flossie's got some tears on her face," reported freddie, looking over at his sister. "i have not!" cried flossie. "those are melted snowflakes. i wanted to get some in my ear, so they'd make a funny, tickly feeling," she went on, "but there wouldn't any fall in. some sat on my cheeks, though, and melted, and it's those what you see, freddie bobbsey, and not tears at all! i hardly ever cry, so there!" "you cried when i busted your doll," freddie said. "well, that was a good while ago," flossie insisted, "and i was only a little girl. i hardly ever cry since i've growed up." "no, i guess that's right," freddie said. "she's 'bout as brave as me," he went on to the man. "i'm sure she is, and i'm glad to hear that. you are both brave little tots, and i'm glad i found you. whew!" he exclaimed, as the wind blew a cloud of snowflakes into his face, "this storm is getting worse. i'll have some melted-snow tears on my own cheeks, i think." the strays kept on through the drifting snow, and, all the while, it was getting harder and harder for flossie and freddie to walk. the piles of snow were up to their knees in some places, and though the man easily forced his way through them, because he was big and strong, it was not so easy for the little bobbsey twins to do so. pretty soon they came again to the rounded pile of snow that the two tots had mistaken for a little house. the white flakes had covered the hole freddie had made with his stick. "let's stop and see if the muskrat is home yet," proposed the little boy. "what muskrat?" asked the man. "the one that lives in here. i started to dig in so flossie and i could get out of the storm, and the muskrat put his head out and looked at us. i guess he was surprised." "we were surprised, too," said flossie. "at first i thought it was a little bear." "ha! ha!" laughed the man. "and so you dug into a muskrat's meadow-house to get out of the storm? well, that was a good idea, but i guess if you had gone in the muskrats would have run out. but it was a good thing you found the shed, and i'm glad i also found it. we will soon be home, i hope." they lingered a moment, as freddie wished to see if the muskrat would come out; but the creature was, very likely, away down deep in his house of sticks and mud, eating the sweet, tender roots of the plants he had stored away before winter set in. once more the man led the bobbsey twins onward. pretty soon flossie began to lag behind. her little feet went more and more slowly through the piles of snow, and once she choked back a sob. she wanted to cry, but she had said she was brave and scarcely ever shed tears, and she was not going to do it now. still, she was so tired and cold and altogether miserable that she did not know what to do. freddie, too, was hardly able to keep on, but he would not give up. at last, however, the man looked down at the two little ones, and he noticed that they were really too tired to go farther. he stopped and said: "come! this will never do. i must carry you a bit to rest your legs. wouldn't you like that?" "yes, i would," answered flossie. "but you can't carry both of us; can you?" "well, i can try," said the man. "let me think a minute, though. i think i will strap one of you on my back with my belt, and take the other in my arms in front. that will be the best way." "oh, i want to ride on your back!" cried flossie. "no, little girl, i think it will be best for your brother to do that. i will carry you in my arms in front. that will rest you both." the man had a wide, big belt around his waist, and, taking this off, he put it over his shoulders, buckling it so that there was a loop hanging down his back. he put freddie in this loop, astride, so the little boy could clasp his arms around the man's neck. then, telling him to hold on tightly, and picking flossie up in his arms, the man started off once more through the snow. "this is fun!" cried freddie, as he nestled his head down on the man's neck, keeping the snowflakes out of his eyes. "i like it, too," flossie said, cuddling up in the man's strong arms. "are we too heavy for you?" asked freddie. "'cause if we are you only need to carry us a little way, until we're rested, and then we can walk." "but i'm not rested yet," flossie said quickly. she liked to be carried this way. it made her think of the time when her father used to carry her when she was a little tot. "don't be afraid. i can carry you for some time yet," the man said with a laugh, as he walked on through the drifts. "you can put me down now, if you like," freddie said, after a bit. "i'm kinder cold, and if i walk i'll be warmer." "well, perhaps you will," the man replied. "and i can walk, too," added flossie. "my legs are all right now." "i don't believe you will have to walk much farther," went on the man. "i think the path is near here, and then it will be easier for you." the man soon found the path, though it was not easy to see, and, walking along that, they came to a road. a little later the bobbsey twins and the man heard a bell ringing. "that's a trolley-car!" cried the man. "now we're all right." and so they were. the trolley was one that ran between belleville and lakeport, and a little later the two children and the kind man were sitting in the warm electric car, speeding toward their home. "i think i'd better get out at the nearest telephone, to let your folks know you are all right," the man said. "they will be worrying, and if we can't get another car we may find an automobile." the car conductor knew where there was a telephone in a drug store that they passed a little later, and the man called up mr. bobbsey at the lumber office. mr. bobbsey and the strange man talked a while over the telephone, and then the man, coming back to where the twins were just finishing their glasses of hot chocolate which he had bought for them, said: "your father is going to send the automobile for you, so we will stay here until it comes. i told him where we were." "was he worried?" asked flossie. "yes, very much," the man answered. "bert, your brother, went out to look for you but could not find you, and your father was just about to start out." "well, we're all right now," said freddie, "and we thank you very much." "oh, that's all right," said the man, with a laugh. "in finding you i found myself, for i was lost, too." in about half an hour mr. bobbsey's automobile came along, he himself being in it. he jumped out and hurried into the drug store. "flossie! freddie!" he cried. "we were _so_ worried about you! what happened?" "oh, we just got lost," said freddie, calmly, "and this nice man found us." "we found each other," said the stranger, with a smile, "and now that i have done all i can, i think i will go on my way. i came to lakeport to find my mother and my son. they'll be surprised to see me for they think that i am dead." "you don't say so!" cried mr. bobbsey. "where does your mother live?" "somewhere in lakeport. at least she and my son did the last i heard, though they may have moved. perhaps you can direct me. my name is henry todd, and i am looking for a mrs. james todd and her grandson, tommy todd. i am a sea captain, and i was wrecked a number of years ago. it was on a lonely island and----" "say!" cried freddie, so excited that he slipped right off the soda-water counter seat. "say! are you--are you tommy todd's father?" "yes, that's who i am," the man said. "but what do you know of tommy?" "why, we'd been leaving a basket of things at his house--with tommy's grandmother. then we went out in the storm and got lost," freddie cried in much excitement. "oh, if you are tommy's father we won't have to buy a ship and go off to the desert island looking for you, like robinson crusoe. oh, how glad he'll be that you have come back!" "and how glad i'll be when i see him and my mother!" cried mr. todd. "but you spoke of taking her some food. is my mother poor, and in want?" he asked mr. bobbsey. "she is poor, but not exactly in want. my wife and i and some friends have been looking after her. your boy, tommy, runs errands for me." "well, well! tommy must be getting to be quite a boy now. and to think it was your children whom i found and who told me where i was, so none of us were lost. it is very strange! and can you tell me where my mother lives?" "i can, and i'll take you there. it is not a very nice house, but we have a better one for her. only she did not want to move in this cold weather." "i can not thank you enough for being kind to my mother and my son," said mr. todd. "but now i shall be able to look after them. i have plenty of money and they need want for nothing now." in the automobile, going back to lakeport through the storm, mr. todd told mr. bobbsey and flossie and freddie his story. he had sailed away, just as tommy todd had said, some years before. the vessel of which he was captain was wrecked, and he and some other sailors got to an island where the natives were kind to them. but for many years no other ship came that way. so mr. todd could not get home nor could he send any word, though he very much wanted to do so. in that time he found some pearls which were very valuable. so, when finally a ship did pass the island and take off the wrecked sailors, mr. todd had more money than he had when he started out. for the pearls were very valuable. as soon as mr. todd reached a place where he could send word to his aged mother that he was alive and safe he did so. but in some manner the message was never received. as soon as he had sent the message mr. todd started out himself to get home. finally, he reached the united states and took a train for lakeport. but, as he had told flossie and freddie, he got off at the wrong station, and had come on in an automobile. then came the accident to the tire and the storm, and the rest you know--how mr. todd and the bobbsey twins met at the old shed on the meadows. "well, that is quite a wonderful story," said mr. bobbsey. "i'm sure your mother and son will be wild with joy to see you again. they have long thought you dead." "i suppose so," said mr. todd. "the papers said my vessel was lost with all on board, and it did seem so when i could send no word." "only tommy and i thought maybe you _might_ be like robinson crusoe," said freddie, "and we were going in a ship to look for you on the island, only i haven't money enough saved up in my bank." "bless your heart!" said mr. todd. "i think this is what we will do," said mr. bobbsey. "we will stop at your mother's house, get her and tommy, and bring you all to my house." "oh, that is too much trouble!" said mr. todd. "no, not at all. i want you to have a happy time, and we shall be happy with you." the automobile was stopped at the house by the dumps. "i will go in first," said mr. bobbsey, "and tell your mother and boy that i have good news for them. if she were to see you too suddenly, your mother, who has not been well, might be taken ill again. i will prepare her for the good news." you can imagine how happy tommy and his grandmother were when they learned that mr. todd was alive. and when the shipwrecked sailor entered the house tommy fairly threw himself into his father's arms, while mr. todd kissed him and kissed his mother in turn. oh! they were very happy. "we found him!" cried freddie. "and he found us! and now everybody found everybody else and nobody's lost!" freddie was very much excited. "only i'm hungry," said flossie. the todds and mr. bobbsey and the twins were soon at the bobbsey home, talking over what had happened. mrs. bobbsey became worried when flossie and freddie did not come home after the storm started, and she sent bert to mrs. todd's house after them. but they had already left, and had become lost. "well, now freddie and i won't have to get a ship and go looking for you," said tommy, as he sat close to his father. "no, indeed. all our troubles are over now." and so they were. mr. todd had plenty of money to look after his mother and son and a few days later he rented a nice house into which they moved. he said he was never going to sea again. then began happy days for those who had spent so many unhappy ones. tommy no longer had to run errands for mr. bobbsey, to get money to help support his grandmother. he often came to play with bert, nan, flossie and freddie, and the bobbsey twins never grew tired of hearing mr. todd tell of how he was shipwrecked. the winter wore on. christmas came. and what a happy one it was for the todd family, as well as for the bobbsey twins! "we had as much fun at home this winter as we did in the summer at meadow brook," said nan. winter or summer, these lively children manage to have a good time. their next adventure will be called "the bobbsey twins in a great city." now as they gathered in the living room freddie said, "i'm glad we found mr. todd." "and he found us," added flossie. snap, the big dog, thumped his tail on the floor in front of the fire. snoop, the black cat, purred in her sleep. outside the snow was falling and freddie cried: "now we can have more coasting!" "and there'll be more skating, too," said bert. "but i'm not going to fall in again," said tommy todd. and now, as every one is happy, we will say good-bye to the bobbsey twins. * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. page : "acros" changed to "across". (came running across) page : "enevelope" changed to "envelope". (envelope flap) page : "everyone one," changed to "everyone,". (everyone, whom) page : "ah" changed to "all". ("all right,") page : "bead" changed to "head". (scratched his head) varied hyphenation and spacing in snowstorm and snowball/snow ball retained. the bobbsey twins at school by laura lee hope contents chapter page i. a circus train . . . . . . . . ii. snoop is gone . . . . . . . . iii. a queer dog . . . . . . . . . iv. home in an auto . . . . . . . v. snap does tricks . . . . . . . vi. danny rugg is mean . . . . . . vii. at school . . . . . . . . . . viii. bert sees something . . . . . ix. off to the woods . . . . . . . x. a scare . . . . . . . . . . . xi. danny's trick . . . . . . . . xii. the children's party . . . . . xiii. an unpleasant surprise . . . . xiv. a coat button . . . . . . . . xv. thanksgiving . . . . . . . . . xvi. mr. tetlow asks questions. . . xvii. the first snow . . . . . . . . xviii. a night alarm . . . . . . . . xix. who was smoking? . . . . . . . xx. a confession . . . . . . . . . xxi. the fat lady's letter . . . . xxii. snap and snoop . . . . . . . the bobbsey twins at school chapter i a circus train "mamma, how much longer have we got to ride?" asked nan bobbsey, turning in her seat in the railroad car, to look at her parents, who sat behind her. "are you getting tired?" asked nan's brother bert. "if you are i'll sit next to the window, and watch the telegraph poles and trees go by. maybe that's what tires you, nan," he added, and his father smiled, for he saw that bert had two thoughts for himself, and one for his sister. "no, i'm not tired of the scenery," answered the brownhaired and browneyed girl, "but you may sit next the window, bert, if you like." "thanks!" he exclaimed as he scrambled over to the place his sister gave up. "are you tired, dearie?" asked mrs. bobbsey, leaning forward and smoothing out her daughter's hair with her hand. "if you would like to sit with me and put your head in my lap, papa can go to another seat and--" "oh, no, mamma, i'm not as tired as that," and nan laughed. "i was just wondering how soon we'd be home." "i'd rather be back at the seashore," said bert, not turning his gaze from the window, for the train was passing along some fields just then, and in one a boy was driving home some cows to be milked, as evening was coming on. bert was wondering if one of the cows might not chase the boy. bert didn't really want to see the boy hurt by a cow, of course, but he thought that if the cow was going to take after the boy, anyhow, he might just as well see it. but the cows were very well-behaved, and went along slowly. "yes, the seashore was nice," murmured nan, as she leaned her head back on the cushioned seat, "but i'm glad to be going home again. i want to see some of the girls, and--" "yes, and i'll be looking for some of the boys, too," put in bert. "but school will soon begin, and that's no fun!" mr. and mrs. bobbsey smiled at each other, and mr. bobbsey, taking out a timetable, looked to see how much longer they would be on the train. "it's about an hour yet," he said to nan, and she sighed. really she was more tired than she cared to let her mother know. just ahead of the two bobbsey children were another set of them. i say "set" for the bobbsey children came "in sets." there were two pairs of twins, bert and nan, nearly nine years of age, and flossie and freddie, almost five. and, whereas the two older children were rather tall and slim, with dark brown hair and eyes, the littler twins were short and fat, and had light hair and blue eyes. the two pairs of twins were quite a contrast, and many persons stopped to look at them as they passed along the street together. "no, sir," went on bert musingly, "school's no fun, and it starts about a week after we get home. no chance to have a good time!" "we've had fun all summer," replied his sister. "i rather like school." "mamma, are we going to school this year?" asked flossie, as she looked back with a quick turning of her head that set her yellow curls to dancing. "if we are, i'm going to sit with flossie--can't i?" asked freddie, kneeling in the seat so that he could face back to his father and mother. indeed his request was not strange, since the two younger twins were always together even more so than their brother and sister. "yes, i think you and freddie will start school regularly this term," said mrs. bobbsey, "and, if it can be arranged, you may sit together. we'll see about that. be careful, freddie, don't put your head out of the window," she cautioned quickly, for the little chap had turned in his seat again, and was leaning forward to see a horse galloping about a field, kicking up its heels at the sound of the puffing engine. "it's my turn to sit by the window, anyhow," said flossie. "it is not! we haven't passed a station yet," disputed freddie. "oh, we have so!" cried his little sister. "freddie bobbsey!" and she pointed her finger at him. "children--children," said mrs. bobbsey, reprovingly. "are you two taking turns?" asked bert, smiling with an older brother's superior wisdom. "yes," answered flossie, "he was to have the seat next to the window until we came to a station, and then it's to be my turn until we pass another station, and we have passed one, but he won't change over." "well, it was only a little station, anyhow," asserted freddie, "and it came awful quick after the last one. it isn't fair!" "there's a seat up ahead for you, bert," suggested mr. bobbsey, as a gentleman got up, when the train approached a station. "you can sit there, and let flossie or freddie take your place." "all right," answered bert goodnaturedly, as he got up. the train rolled on, the two younger twins each having a window now, and nan occupying the seat with her little brother. for a time there was quietness, until mrs. bobbsey said to her husband: "hadn't you better get some of the satchels together, richard, and tell dinah what she is to carry?" "i think i will," he answered, as he went up the car aisle a little way to where a very fat colored woman sat. she was dinah, the bobbsey cook, and they took her with them always when going away for the summer. now they were on their way to their city house, and of course dinah came back, too. "mamma, i'm thirsty," said flossie, after a bit. "please may i get a drink?" "i want one, too," said freddie quicky. "come on, flossie, we'll both go down to the end of the car where the water cooler is." "there's no cup," nan said. "i went a little while ago, but a lady let me take her glass." "and if there was a cup, i would rather they didn't use it," said mrs. bobbsey. "one never knows who has last handled a public cup." "but i want a drink," insisted flossie, a bit fretfully, for she was tired from the long journey. "i know it, dear," said her mamma gently, "and i'm getting out the silver cup for you. only you must be very careful of it, and not drop it, for it is solid silver and will dent, or mar, easily." she was searching in her bag, and presently took out a very valuable drinking cup, gold lined and with much engraving on it. the cup had been presented to flossie and freddie on their first birthday, and bore each of their names. they were very proud of it. "now be careful," warned mrs. bobbsey, as she held out the cup. "hold on to the seats as you walk along." "i'll carry the cup," said freddie. "i'm the biggest." "you are not!" declared his sister quickly. "i'm just as big." "well, anyhow, i'm a boy," went on freddie, and flossie could not deny this. "and boys always carries things," her brother went on. "i'll carry the cup." "very well, but be careful of it," said his mother with a smile, as she handed it to him. the two children went down the aisle of the car. they stopped for a moment at the seat where dinah was. "is snoop all right?" asked freddie, peering into a box that was made of slats, with spaces between them for air. "'deed an' he am, honey," said dinah with a smile, laughing so that she shook all over her big, fleshy body. "i 'specs he's lonesome; aren't you, snoop?" asked flossie, poking her finger in one of the cracks, to caress, as well as she could, a fat, black cat. the cat, like dinah the cook, went with the bobbseys on all their summer outings. "well, maybe he am lonesome," admitted dinah, with another laugh, "but he's been real good. he hadn't yowled once--not once!" "he'll soon be out of his cage; won't you, snoop?" said freddie, and then he and his sister went on to the water cooler. near it they saw something else to look at. this was the sight of a very, very fat lady who occupied nearly all of one seat in the end of the car. she was so large that only a very little baby could have found room beside her. "look--look at her," whispered flossie to freddie, as they paused. the fat woman's back was toward them, and she seemed to be much interested in looking out of the window. "she is fat," admitted freddie. "did you ever see one so big before?" "only in a circus," said flossie. "she'd make make two of dinah," went on her brother. "she would not," contradicted flossie quickly. "'cause dinah's black, and this lady is white." "that's so," admitted freddie, with smile. "i didn't think of that." a sway of the train nearly made flossie fall, and she caught quickly at her brother. "look out!" he cried. "you 'mos knocked the cup down." "i didn't mean to," spoke flossie. "oh, there goes my hat! get it, freddie, before someone steps on it!" her brother managed to get the hat just as it was sliding under the seat where the fat lady sat. after some confusion the hat was placed on flossie's head, and once more she and her brother moved on toward the water cooler. it was getting dusk now, and some of the lamps in the car had been lighted. freddie, carrying the cup, filled it with water at the little faucet, and, very politely, offered it to his sister first. freddie was no better than most boys of his age, but he did not forget some of the little polite ways his mamma was continually teaching him. one of these was "ladies first," though freddie did not always carry it out, especially when he was in a hurry. "do you want any more?" he asked, before he would get himself a drink. "just a little," said flossie. "the silver cup doesn't hold much." "no, i guess it's 'cause there's so much silver in it," replied her brother. "it's worth a lot of money, mamma said." "yes, and it's all ours. when i grow up i'm going to have my half made into a bracelet." "you are?" said freddie slowly. "if you do there won't be enough left for me to drink out of." "well, you can have your share of it made into a watch, and drink out of a glass." "that's so," agreed freddie, his face brightening. he gave his sister more water, and then took some himself. as he drank his eyes were constantly looking at the very fat lady who filled so much of her seat. she turned from the window and looked at the two children, smiling broadly. freddie was somewhat confused, and looked down quickly. just then the train gave another lurch and freddie suddenly spilled some of the water on his coat. "oh, look what you did!" cried flossie. "and that's your best coat!" "i--i couldn't help it," stammered freddie. "never mind, little boy," said the fat lady. "it's only clean water. come here and i'll wipe it off with my handkerchief. i'd come to you, only i'm so stout it's hard enough for me to walk anyhow, and when the train is moving i simply can't do it." freddie and flossie went to her seat, and with a handkerchief, that flossie said afterward was almost as big as a table cloth, the fat lady wiped the water off freddie's coat. the little boy held the silver cup in his hand, and feeling, somehow, that he ought to repay the fat lady's kindness in some way, after thanking her, he asked: "would you like a drink of water? i can bring it to you if you would." "thank you," she answered. "what a kind little boy you are! i saw you give your sister a drink first, too. yes, i would like a drink. i've been wanting one some time, but i didn't dare get up to go after it." "i'll get it!" cried freddie, eager to show what a little man he was. he made his way to the cooler without accident, and then, moving slowly, taking hold of the seat on the way back, so as not to spill the water, he brought the silver cup brimful to the fat lady. "oh, what a beautiful cup," she said, as she took it. "and it cost a lot of money, too," said flossie. "it's ours--our birthday cup, and when i grow up i'm going to have a bracelet made from my half." "that will be nice," said the fat lady, as she prepared to drink. but she never got more than a sip of the water freddie had so kindly brought her, for, no sooner did her lips touch the cup than there was a grinding, shrieking sound, a jar to the railway coach, and the train came to such a sudden stop that many passengers were thrown from their seats. flossie and freddie sat down suddenly in the aisle, but they were so fat that they did not mind it in the least. as surprised as he was, freddie noticed that the fat lady was so large that she could not be thrown out of her seat, no matter how suddenly the train stopped. the little bobbsey boy saw the water from the cup spill all over the fat lady, and she held the silver vessel in her big, pudgy hand, looking curiously at it, as though wondering what had so quickly become of the water. "it's a wreck--the train's off the track!" a man exclaimed. "we've hit something!" cried another. "it's an accident, anyhow," said still a third, and then every one seemed to be talking at once. mr. bobbsey came running down the aisle to where flossie and freddie still sat, dazed. "are you hurt?" he cried, picking them both up together, which was rather hard to do. "no--no," said freddie slowly. "oh, papa, what is it?" asked flossie, wondering whether she was going to cry. "i don't know, my dear. nothing serious, i guess. the engineer must have put the brakes on too quickly. i'll look out and see." knowing that his children were safe, mr. bobbsey put them down and led them back to where his wife was anxiously waiting. "they're all right," he called. "no one seems to be hurt." bert bobbsey looked out of the window. though darkness had fallen there seemed to be many lights up ahead of the stopped train. and in the light bert could see some camels, an elephant or two, a number of horses, and cages containing lions and tigers strung out along the track. "why--why, what's this--a circus?" he asked. "look, nan! see those monkeys!" "why, it is a circus--and the train must have been wrecked!" exclaimed his sister. "oh mamma, what can it be?" a brakeman came into the car where the bobbseys were. "there's no danger," he said. "please keep your seats. a circus train that was running ahead of us got off the track, and some of the animals are loose. our train nearly ran into an elephant, and that's why the engineer had to stop so suddenly. we will go on i soon." "a circus, eh?" said mr. bobbsey. "well, well! this is an adventure, children. we've run into a circus train! let's watch them catch the animals." chapter ii snoop is gone "papa, do you think a tiger would come in here?" asked freddie, remembering all the stories of wild animals he had heard in his four years. "or a lion?" asked flossie. "of course not!" exclaimed nan. "can't you see that all the wild animals are still in their cages?" "maybe some of 'em are loose," suggested freddie, and he almost hoped so, as long as his father was there to protect him. "i guess the circus men can look after them," said bert. "may i get off, father, and look around?" "i'd rather you wouldn't, son. you can't tell what may happen." "oh, look at that man after the monkey!" cried nan. "yes, and the monkey's gone up on top of the tiger's cage," added bert. "say, this is as good as a circus, anyhow!" some of the big, flaring lights, used in the tents at night, had been set going so the circus and railroad men could see to work, and this glare gave the bobbseys and other passengers on the train a chance to see what was going on. "there's a big elephant!" cried freddie. "see him push the lion's cage around. elephants are awful strong!" "they couldn't push a railroad train," said flossie. "they could too!" cried her little brother, quickly. "they could not. could they, papa?" "what?" asked mr. bobbsey, absentmindedly. "could an elephant push a railroad train?" asked flossie. "i know they could," declared freddie. "couldn't they, papa?" "now, children, don't argue. look out of the windows," advised their mother. and while the circus men are trying to catch the escaped animals i will tell you something more about the bobbseys, and about the other books, before this one, relating to their doings. mr. richard bobbsey, and his wife mary, the parents of the bobbsey twins, lived in an eastern city called lakeport, on lake metoka. mr. bobbsey was in the lumber business, and the yard, with its great piles of logs and boards, was near the lake, on which the twins often went in boats. there was also a river running into the lake, not far from the saw mill. their house was about a quarter of a mile away from the lumber yard, on a fashionable street, and about it was a large lawn, while in the back sam johnson, the colored man of all work, and the husband of dinah, had a fine garden. the bobbseys had many vegetables from this garden. there was also a barn near the house, and in this the children had many good times. flossie and freddie played there more than did nan and bert, who were growing too old for games of that sort. as i have said, bert and nan were rather tall and thin, while flossie and freddie were short and fat. mr. bobbsey used often to call flossie his "fat fairy," which always made her laugh. and freddie had a pet name, too. it was "fat fireman," for he often played that he was a fireman; putting out makebelieve fires, and pretending he was a fire engine. once or twice his father had taken him to see a real one, and this pleased freddie very much. in the first book of this series, called "the bobbsey twins," i told you something of the fun the four children had in their home town. they had troubles, too, and danny rugg, one of the few bad boys in lakeport, was the cause of some. also about a certain broken window; what happened when the twins went coasting, how they had a good time in an ice boat, and how they did many other things. snoop, the fat, black kitten, played a part in the story also. the bobbsey twins were very fond of snoop, and had kept him so many years that i suppose he ought to be called cat, instead of a kitten, now. after the first winter's fun, told of in the book that began an account of the doings of the bobbseys, the twins and their parents went to the home of uncle daniel bobbsey, and his wife, aunt sarah, in meadow brook. in the book called "the bobbsey twins in the country," i wrote down many of the things that happened during the summer. if they had fun going off to the country, taking snoop with them, of course, they had many more good times on arriving at the farm. there was a picnic, jolly times in the woods, a fourth of july celebration, and though a midnight scare alarmed them for a time, still they did not mind that. but, though the twins liked the country very much, they soon had a chance to see something of the ocean, and in the third book of the series, called "the bobbsey twins at the seashore," my readers will find out what happened there. there was fun on the sand, and more fun in the water, and once the little ones got lost on an island. a great storm came up, and a ship was wrecked, and this gave the twins a chance to see the life savers, those brave men who risk their lives to help others. then came closing days at ocean cliff, the home of uncle william and aunt emily minturn at sunset beach. school was soon to open, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey were anxious to get back to their town home, for flossie and freddie were to start regular lessons now, even though it was but in the kindergarten class. so goodbyes were said to the ocean, and though dorothy minturn cried a little when her cousins nan and flossie, and bert and freddie, had to leave, still she said she hoped they would come again. and so the bobbseys were on their way home in the train when the circus accident happened that brought them to a stop. "and so we nearly ran into an elephant, eh?" said mr. bobbsey to the brakeman, who had brought in the news. "yes, sir. our engineer stopped just in time." "if we had hit him we'd gone off the track," said freddy. "no, we wouldn't," declared flossie, who seemed bound to start a dispute. perhaps she was so tired that she was fretful. "say, can't you two stop disputing all the while?" asked bert, in a low voice. "you make papa and mamma nervous." "well, an elephant is big, anyhow," said freddie. "so he is, little fat fireman," said nan, "come and sit with me, and we can see the men catch the monkeys." the work of getting the escaped animals back into their cages was going on rapidly. some of the passengers went out to watch, but the bobbseys stayed in their seats, mr. bobbsey thinking this best. the catching of the monkeys was the hardest work, but soon even this was accomplished. the wait seemed very tiresome when there was nothing more to watch, and mr. bobbsey looked about for some railroad man of whom he could inquire how much longer delay there would be. the conductor came through the car. "when will we start?" asked mr. bobbsey. "not for some time, i'm afraid," spoke the tickettaker. "the wreck is a worse one than i thought at first, and some of the cars of the circus train are across the track so we can't get by. we may be here two hours yet." "that's too bad. where are we?" "just outside of whitewood." "oh, that's near home!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "why can't we get out, richard, walk across the fields to the trolley line, and take that home? it won't be far, and we'll be there ever so much quicker." "well, we could do that, i suppose," said her husband, slowly. "that's what a number of passengers did," said the conductor. "there's no danger in going out now--all the animals are back in their cages." "then that's what we'll do, children," said their father. "gather up your things, and we'll take the trolley home. the moon is coming up, and it will soon be light." "i'm hungry," said freddie, fretfully. "so am i," added his twin sister. "well, i have some crackers and cookies in my bag," replied mrs. bobbsey. "you can eat those on the way. nan, go tell dinah that we're going to take a trolley. we can each carry something." "i'll carry snoop," exclaimed freddie. he hurried down the aisle to where the cook was now standing, intending to get the box containing his pet cat. "where's snoop, dinah?" he asked. "heah he am!" she said, lifting up the slatbox. "he ain't made a sound in all dis confusion, nuther." the next moment freddie gave a cry of dismay: "snoop's gone!" he wailed. "he broke open the box and he's gone! oh, where is snoop?" "ma sakes alive!" cried dinah. the box was empty! a hurried search of the car did not bring forth the black pet. mr. and mrs. bobbsey, and some of the passengers, joined in the hunt. but there was no snoop, and a slat that had pulled loose from one side of the box showed how he had gotten out. "most likely snoop got frightened when the train stopped so suddenly, and broke loose," said mr. bobbsey. "we may find him outside." "i--i hope an elephant didn't step on him," said flossie, with a catch in her breath. "ohooo! maybe a tiger or a lion has him!" wailed freddie. "oh, snoop!" "be quiet, dear, we'll find him for you," said mrs. bobbsey, as she opened her satchel to get out some cookies. then she remembered something. "freddie, where is that silver cup?" she asked. "you had it to get a drink. did you give it back to me?" "no, mamma, i--i" "he gave the fat lady a drink from it," spoke flossie, "and she didn't give it back." "the train stopped just as she was drinking," went on freddie. "i sat down on the floor--hard, and i saw the water spill on her. the fat lady has our silver cup! oh, dear!" "and she's gone--and snoop is gone!" cried flossie. "oh! oh!" "is that so--did you let her take your cup, freddie?" asked his papa. freddie only nodded. he could not speak. "that fat lady was with the circus," said one of the men passengers. "maybe you can see her outside." "i'll look," said mr. bobbsey, quickly. "that cup is too valuable to lose. come, children, we'll see if we can't find snoop also, and then we'll take a trolley car for home." chapter iii a queer dog papa bobbsey first looked for some of the circus men of whom he might inquire about the fat lady. there was much confusion, for a circus wreck is about as bad a kind as can happen, and for some time mr. bobbsey could find no one who could tell him what he wanted to know. meanwhile mrs. bobbsey kept the four children and dinah with her, surrounding their little pile of baggage off to one side of the tracks. some of the big torches were still burning, and the full moon was coming up, so that there was plenty of light, even if it was night. "oh, but if we could only find snoop!" cried freddie. "here, snoop! snoop!" he called. "i had much rather find the fat lady, and get back your lovely silver cup," said mrs. bobbsey. "i hope she hasn't taken it away with her." "she had it in her hand when the train, stopped with such a jerk," explained flossie. "oh, but mamma, don't you want us to find snoop--dear snoop?" "of course i do. but i want that silver cup very much, too. i hope your father finds it." "but there never could be another snoop," cried flossie. "could there, freddie? and we could get another silver cup." "don't be silly," advised bert, rather shortly. "oh, don't talk that way to them," said nan. "they do love that cat so. never mind, flossie and freddie. i'm sure we'll find him soon. here comes papa." mr. bobbsey came back, looking somewhat worried. "did you find her?" asked mrs. bobbsey anxiously. "no," he replied, with a shake of his head. "she was the circus fat lady all right. it seems she missed the showtrain, and came on in ours. and, when we stopped she got out, and went up ahead. part of the circus train, carrying the performers, was not damaged and that has gone on. the fat lady is with that, so one of the men said." "and, very likely, she has carried off our silver cup," exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "oh dear! can you find her later, richard?" "i think so. but it will take some time. the circus is going to danville--that's a hundred miles from here. but i will write to the managers there, and ask them to get our cup from the fat lady." "but where is snoop?" asked freddie, with much anxiety. "i don't know, my dear," answered mr. bobbsey. "i asked the circus men if they had seen him, but they were too busy to remember. he may be running around some where. but we can't wait any longer. we must get home. i'll speak to one of the switchmen, who stay around here, and if they see snoop i'll have them keep him for us. we'll come back tomorrow and inquire." "but we want snoop now!" exclaimed freddie, fretfully. "i'm afraid we can't get him," said mrs. bobbsey, gently. "come, children, let's go home now, and leave it to papa. oh, to think of your lovely silver cup being gone!" "snoop is worse," said flossie, almost crying. "i--i'm sorry i let the fat lady take the cup," spoke freddie. "oh, you meant all right, my dear," said his mamma, "and it was very kind of you. but we really ought to start. we may miss a trolley. come, dinah, can you carry all you have?" "'deed an' i can, mrs. bobbsey. but i suah am sorry 'bout dat ar' snoop." "oh, it wasn't your fault, dinah," said nan quickly. "he is getting to be such a big cat that he can easily push the slats off his box, now. we must make it stronger next time." flossie and freddie wondered if there would be a "next time," for they feared snoop was gone forever. they did not worry so much about the silver cup, valuable as it was. with everyone in the little party carrying something, the bobbsey family set off across, the fields toward the distant trolley line that would take them nearly home. the moon was well up now, and there was a good path across the fields. nan and bert were talking about the wreck, and recalling some of the funny incidents of catching the circus animals. flossie and freddie were wondering whether they would ever see their pet cat again. they had had him so long that he seemed like one of the family. "maybe he ran off and joined the circus," said flossie. "maybe," spoke her brother. "but he can't do any tricks, so they won't want him in a show." "he can so do tricks! he can chase his tail and almost grab it." "that isn't a trick." "it is so--as much as standing on your head." "children--children--i don't know what i'll do with you if you don't stop that constant bickering," said mrs. bobbsey. "you must not dispute so." "well, mamma, but isn't chasing your tail a trick?" asked flossie. "freddie says it isn't." "well, it isn't a circus trick, anyhow," declared her brother. "i meant a circus trick." "well, snoop is a good cat, anyhow," went on flossie, "and i wish we had him back." "oh, so do i!" exclaimed freddie, and thus that little dispute ended. they were walking along through a little patch of woods now, when bert, who was the last one in line, suddenly called out: "something is coming after us!" "coming after us? what do you mean?" asked nan quickly, as she hurried to her father's side. "i mean i've been listening for two or three minutes now, to some animal following after us along the path. some big animal, too." flossie and freddie both ran back and took hold of their mother's hands. "don't scare the children, bert," said mr. bobbsey, a bit sternly. "did you really hear something?" "yes, father. it's some animal walking behind us. listen and you can hear it your self." they all listened. it was very quiet. then from down the hard dirt path they all heard the "pitpat, pitpat" of the footsteps of some animal. it was coming on slowly. for a moment mr. bobbsey thought of the wild animals of the circus. in spite of what the men had said perhaps one of the beasts might have escaped from its cage. the others in the little party evidently thought the same thing. mrs. bobbsey drew her children more closely about her. "'deed an' if it's one ob dem elephants," said dinah, "an' if he comes fo' me i'll jab mah hat pin in his long nose--dat's what i will!" "it can't be an elephant," said mr. bobbsey. "one of the big beasts would make more noise than that. it may be one of the monkeys--i don't see how they could catch them all--they were so lively and full of mischief." "oh, if it's a monkey, may we keep it?" begged flossie. "i just love a monkey." "mercy, child! what would we do with it around the house?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "richard, can you see what it is?" mr. bobbsey peered down the road. "i can see something," he said. "it's coming nearer." "oh dear!" cried nan, trembling with fear. just then a bark sounded--a friendly bark. "it's a dog!" said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i'm so glad it wasn't an elephant," and she hugged freddie and flossie. "pooh! i wasn't afraid!" cried freddie. "if it had been an elephant i--i'd give him a cookie, and maybe he'd let me ride home on his back." the animal barked louder now, and a moment later he came into sight on a moonlit part of the path. the children could see that it was a big, shaggy white dog, who wagged his tail in greeting as he walked up to them. "oh, what a lovely dog!" cried nan. "i wonder where he belongs?" the fine animal came on. bert snapped his fingers, boy-fashion. instantly the dog stood up on his hind legs and began marching about in a circle on the path. "oh, what a queer dog!" cried flossie. "oh i wish he was ours!" chapter iv home in an auto down on his four legs dropped the big white dog, and with another wag of his fluffy tail he came straight for flossie. "be careful!" warned mamma bobbsey. "he won't hurt her!" declared bert. "that's a good dog, anyone can tell that. here, doggie; come here!" he called. but the dog still advanced toward flossie, who shrank back a bit timidly. "you never can tell what dogs will do," said mrs. bobbsey. "it is best to be careful." "i guess he knew what flossie said to him," spoke up freddie. "he knows we like dogs." the dog barked a little, and, coming up to where flossie was, again stood on his hind legs. "that's a queer trick," said mr. bobbsey. "i guess this dog has been trained. he probably belongs around here." "i wish he belonged to us," sighed nan. like flossie and freddie she, too, loved animals. "maybe we can keep him if we don't find snoop?" suggested freddie. "oh, papa, will you get snoop back?" and freddie's voice sounded as though he was going to cry. "yes, yes, of course i will," said mr. bobbsey quickly. he did not want the children to fret now, with still quite a distance yet to go home, and that in a trolley car. there were bundles to carry, weary children to look after, and mrs. bobbsey was rather tired also. no wonder papa bobbsey thought he had many things to do that night. "come along, children," called mrs. bobbsey, "it is getting late, and we are only about half way to the trolley. oh dear! if that circus had to be wrecked i wish it could have waited until our train passed." "are you very tired?" asked her husband. "i can take that valise." "indeed you'll not. you have enough." "lemme have it, massa bobbsey," pleaded dinah. "i ain't carryin' half enough. i's pow'ful strong, i is." "nonsense, dinah!" said mr. bobbsey. "i can manage, and your arms are full." "i--i wish she had snoop," said freddie, but he was so interested in watching the queer dog that he half forgot his sorrow over the lost cat. the dog seemed to have made great friends with flossie. she was patting him on the head now, for the animal, after marching about on his hind legs, was down on all fours again. "oh, mamma, he's awful nice!" exclaimed flossie. "he's just as gentle, and he's soft, like the little toy lamb i used to have." "indeed he does seem to be a gentle dog," said mrs. bobbsey. "but come along now. don't pet him any more, or he may follow us. flossie, and whoever owns him would not like it. come on." "forward--march!" called freddie, strutting along the moonlit path as much like a soldier as he could imitate, tired as he was. the bobbseys and their faithful dinah started off again toward the distant trolley that would take them to their home. the dog sat down and looked after them. "i--i wish he was ours," said flossie wistfully, waving her hand to the dog. the bobbseys had not gone on very far before nan, looking back, called out: "oh, papa, that dog is following us!" "he is?" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "that's queer. he must have taken a sudden liking to us. but i guess he'll go back where he belongs pretty soon. are you getting tired, little fat fireman? and you, my fat fairy?" "oh, no, papa," laughed flossie. "i sat down so much in the train that i'm glad to stand up now." "so am i," said freddie, who made up his mind that he would not say he was tired if his little sister did not. and yet, truth to tell, the little fat fireman was very weary. on and on went the bobbsey family, and soon bert happened to look back, and gave a whistle of surprise. "that dog isn't going home, papa," he said. "he's still after us, and look! now he's running." they all glanced back on hearing this. surely enough the big white dog was running after them, wagging his tail joyfully, and barking from time to time. "this will never do!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "whoever owns him may think we are trying to take him away. i'll drive him back. go home! go back, sir!" exclaimed papa bobbsey in stern tones. the dog stopped wagging his tail. then he sat down on the path, and calmly waited. mr. bobbsey walked toward him. "oh, don't--don't whip him, papa!" exclaimed flossie. "i don't intend to," said mr. bobbsey. "but i must be stern with him or he will think i'm only playing. go back!" he cried. the dog stretched out on the path, his head down between his fore paws. "he--he looks--sad," said freddie. "maybe he hasn't any home, papa." "oh, of course a valuable dog like that has a home," declared bert. "but maybe they didn't treat him kindly, and he is looking for a new one," suggested nan, hopefully. "he doesn't seem illtreated," spoke mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i do wish he'd go back, so we could go on." mr. bobbsey pretended to pick up a stone and throw it at the dog, as masters sometimes do when they do not want their dogs to follow them. this dog only wagged his tail, as though he thought it the best joke he had ever known. "go back! go back, i say!" cried papa bobbsey in a loud voice. the dog did not move. "i guess he won't follow us any more," went on mr. bobbsey. "hurry along now, children. we are almost at the trolley." he turned away from the dog, who seemed to be asleep now, and the family went on. for a minute or two, as nan could tell by looking back, the dog did not follow, but just as the bobbseys were about to make a turn in the path, up jumped the animal and came trotting on after the children and their parents, wagging his tail so fast that it seemed as if it would come loose. "is he coming?" asked flossie. "he certainly is," answered bert, who was in the rear. "i guess he wants us to take him home with us." "oh, let's do it!" begged flossie. "please, papa," pleaded freddie. "we haven't got snoop now, so let us have a dog. and i'm sure we could teach him to do tricks--he's so smart." "and so he's coming after us still!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "well, well, i don't know what to do," and he came to a stop on the path. "couldn't we take him home just for tonight?" asked nan, "and then in the morning we could find out who owns him and return him." "oh, please do," begged freddie and flossie, impulsively. "but how can we take him on a trolley car?" asked mr. bobbsey. "the conductor would not let us." "maybe he would--if he was a kind man," suggested freddie. "we could tell him how it was, and how we lost our cat." "and our silver cup," added flossie. "well, certainly the dog doesn't seem to want to go home," said mr. bobbsey, after he had tried two or three times more to drive the animal back. but it would not go. "go on a little farther," suggested mrs. bobbsey. "by the time we get to the trolley he may get tired, and go back. and if we want to lose him i think we can, by getting on the car quickly." "but we don't want to lose him!" cried freddie. "no, no!" said flossie. "we want to keep him. he can run along behind the trolley car. i'll ask the motorman to go slow, papa." "my! this has been a mixedup day!" sighed mr. bobbsey. "i really don't know what to do." the dog seemed to think that he was one of the family, now. he came up to flossie and freddie and let them pat him. his tail kept wagging all the while. "well, we'll see what happens where we get to the trolley," decided mr. bobbsey, thinking that there would be the best and only place to get rid of the dog. "come along, children." freddie and flossie came on, the dog between them, and this seemed to suit the fine animal. he had found friends, now, he evidently thought. mr. bobbsey wondered why so valuable a dog would leave its home. and he was very much puzzled as to what he should do if the children insisted on keeping the animal, and if it came aboard the trolley car. "there's the car!" exclaimed bert, as they went around another turn in the path and came to a road. down it could be seen the headlight of an approaching trolley, and also the twin lamps of an oncoming automobile. "look out for the auto, children!" cried mrs. bobbsey. they stood at the side of the road, and as the auto came up the man in it slowed down his machine. it was a big car and he was alone in it. "well, i declare!" exclaimed the autoist, as his engine stopped. "if it isn't the bobbsey family--twins and all! what are you doing here, mr. bobbsey?" "why, it's mr. blake!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, seeing that the autoist was a neighbor, and a business friend of his. "oh, our train was held back by a circus wreck, so we walked across the lots to the car. we're homeward bound from the seashore." "well, well! a circus wreck, eh? where did you get the dog?" "oh, he followed us," said mrs. bobbsey. "and we're going to keep him, too!" exclaimed flossie. "and take him in the trolley with us," added her little brother. "well, well!" exclaimed mr. blake. "say, now, i have a better plan than that," he went on. "why should you folks go home in a trolley, when i have this big empty auto here? pile in, all of you, and i'll get you there in a jiffy. come, dinah, i see you, too." "yes, sah, massa blake, i'se heah! can't lose ole dinah!" "but we lost our cat, snoop!" said flossie regretfully. "and we nearly ran over an elephant," added freddie, bound that his sister should not tell all the news. "well, get in the auto," invited mr. blake. "do you really mean it?" asked mr. bobbsey. "perhaps we are keeping you from going somewhere." "indeed not. pile in, and you'll soon be home." "can we bring the dog, too?" asked flossie. "yes, there's plenty of room for the dog," laughed mr. blake. "lift him in." but the strange dog did not need lifting. he sprang into the tonneau of the auto as soon as the door was opened. mr. and mrs. bobbsey lifted in flossie and freddie, and nan and bert followed. then in got papa and mamma bobbsey and mr. blake started off. "this is lovely," said mrs. bobbsey with a sigh of relief. she was more tired than she had thought. "it certainly is kind of you, mr. blake," said papa bobbsey. "i'm only too glad i happened to meet you. are you children comfortable?" "yep!" chorused freddie and flossie. "and the dog?" "we're holding him so he won't fall out," explained flossie. she and her little brother had the dog between them. on went the auto, and with the telling of the adventures of the day the journey seemed very short. soon the bobbsey home was reached. there were lights in it, for sam, the colored man, had been telephoned to, to have the place opened for the family. sam came out on the stoop to greet them and his wife dinah. "here we are!" cried papa bobbsey. "come, flossie freddie we're home." flossie and freddie did not answer. they were fast asleep, their heads on the shaggy back of the big dog. chapter v snap does tricks "we'll have to carry them in," said mr. bobbsey, as he looked in the rear of the auto, and saw his two little twins fast asleep on the dog's back. "i'll take 'em," said sam kindly. "many a time i'se carried 'em in offen de porch when dey falled asleep. i'll carry 'em in." and he did, first taking flossie, and then freddie. then he and dinah brought in the bundles and valises, while nan and bert and mr. and mrs. bobbsey followed, having bidden goodnight to mr. blake, and thanking him for the ride. "where--where are we?" asked flossie, rubbing her eyes and looking around the room which she had not seen in some months. "an'--an' where's our dog?" demanded freddie. "oh, bless your hearts--that dog!" cried mamma bobbsey. "sam took him out in the barn. you may see him in the morning, if he doesn't run away in the night." the twins looked worried over this suggestion, until sam said: "oh, i locked him up good an' proper in a box stall; 'deed an' i did, mrs. bobbsey. he won't get away tonight." "that's--good," murmured freddie, and then he fell asleep again. soon the little twins were undressed and put to bed; nan and bert soon followed, but mr. and mrs. bobbsey stayed up a little later to talk over certain matters. "it's good to be home again," said mr. bobbsey, as he looked about the rooms of the town house. "yes, but we had a delightful summer," spoke his wife, "and the children are so well. the country was delightful, and so was the seashore. but i think i, too, am glad to be back. it will be quite a task, though, to get the children ready for school. flossie and freddie will go regularly now, i suppose, and with nan and bert in a higher class, it means plenty of work." "i suppose so," said her husband. "but dinah is a great help," went on mrs. bobbsey, for she did not mean to complain. flossie and freddie had tried a few days in the kindergarten class at school, but flossie said she did not like it, and, as freddie would not go without her, their parents had taken them both out in the spring. "there will be plenty of time to start them in the fall," said mrs. bobbsey, and so it had been arranged. and now the four twins were all to attend the same school, which would open in about a week. flossie and freddie were both up early the next morning, and, scarcely halfdressed, they hurried out to the barn. "whar yo' chillers gwine?" demanded dinah, as she prepared to get breakfast. "out to see our dog," answered freddie. "is sam around?" "yes, he's out dere somewheres, washin' de carriage. but don't yo' let dat dog bite yo'." "we won't," said freddie. "he wouldn't bite anyhow," declared flossie. sam opened the box stall for them, and out bounced the big white dog, barking in delight, and almost knocking down the twins, so glad was he to see them. "what shall we call him?" asked freddie. "maybe we'd better name him snoop, like our cat. i guess snoop is gone forever." "no, we mustn't call him snoop," said flossie, "for some day our cat might come back, and he'd want his own name again. we'll call our dog snap, 'cause see how bright his eyes snap. then if our cat comes back we'll have snoop and snap." "that's a good name," decided freddie, after thinking it over. "snoop and snap. i wonder how we can make this dog stand on his hind legs like he did before?" "bert snapped his fingers and he did it," suggested flossie. "but maybe he'll do it now if you just ask him to." freddie tried to snap his fingers, but they were too short and fat. then he patted the dog an the head and said: "stand up!" at once the dog, with a bark, did so. he sat up on his hind legs and then walked around. both the children laughed. "i wonder if he can do any other tricks?" asked flossie. "i'm going to try," said her brother. "what trick do you want him to do?" "make him lie down and roll over." "all right," spoke freddie. "now, snap, lie down and roll over!" he called. at once the fine animal did so, and then sprang up with a bark, and a wag of his tail, as much as to ask: "what shall i do next?" "oh, isn't he a fine dog!" cried flossie. "i wonder who taught him those tricks?" "let's see if he can do any more," said freddie. "there's a barrel hoop over there. maybe he'll jump through it if we hold it up." "oh, let's do it!" cried flossie, as she ran to get the hoop. snap barked at the sight of it, and capered about as though he knew just what it was for, and was pleased at the chance to do more of his tricks. the hoop was a large one, and freddie alone could not hold it very steady. so flossie took hold of one side. as soon as they were in position, freddie called: "come on now, snap. jump!" snap barked, ran back a little way, turned around and came racing straight for the twins. at that moment sam johnson came up running, a stick in his hand. "heah! heah!" shouted the colored man, "you let dem chillers alone, dog! go 'way, i tells yo'!" "that's all right, sam," said freddie. "don't scare him. he's our new dog snap, and he's going to do a trick," for the colored gardener had supposed the dog was running at flossie and freddie to bite them. snap paid no attention to sam, but raced on. when a short distance from where flossie and freddie held the hoop, snap jumped up into the air, and shot straight through the wooden circle, landing quite a way off. "mah gracious sakes alive!" gasped sam. "dat's a reg'lar circus trick--at's what it am!" he scratched his head in surprise, and the stick he had picked up, intending to drive away the dog with, stuck straight out. in a moment snap raced up, and jumped over the stick. "oh, look!" cried flossie. "another trick!" exclaimed freddie. "mah gracious goodness!" cried sam. "dat suah am wonderful!" snap ran about barking in delight. he seemed happy to be doing tricks. "let's go tell papa," said freddie. "he'll want to know about this." "oh, i do hope he lets us keep him," said flossie. mr. bobbsey had not yet gone to his lumber office. he listened to what the little twins had to tell them about snap, who lay on the lawn, seeming to listen to his own praises. "a trick dog; eh?" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "i wonder who owns him?" "maybe he escaped from the circus," suggested bert, who came out just then to see how his pigeons were getting along. "that's it!" cried mr. bobbsey. "i wonder i did not think of it before. the dog must have escaped from the wrecked circus train, and he followed us, not knowing what else to do. that accounts for his tricks." "but we can keep him; can't we?" begged flossie. "hum! i'll have to see about that," said mr. bobbsey slowly. "i suppose the circus people will want him back, for he must be valuable. perhaps some clown trained him." "but if we can't have snoop, our cat, we ought to have a dog," asserted freddie. "i'll try to get snoop back," said mr. bobbsey. "i'll have one of my men go down to the place where the wreck was, today, and inquire of the railroad men. he may be wandering about there." "poor snoop!" said nan, coming out to feed some of her pet chickens, that sam had looked after all summer. "and while you are about it," suggested mrs. bobbsey, who was on the front porch, "i wish, richard, that you would see if you can locate that fat lady, and get back the children's silver cup." "i will," replied mr. bobbsey. "i will have to write to them anyhow, about the dog, and at the same time i'll ask about the cup. though i don't believe the fat lady meant to keep it." "oh, no," said mrs. bobbsey. "probably she just held it, in the excitement over the wreck, and she may have left it in the car. but please write about it." "i will," promised mr. bobbsey, as he started for the office, while the twins gathered about the new dog, who seemed ready to do more tricks. chapter vi danny rugg is mean that afternoon a small fire broke out in mr. bobbsey's lumber yard. the alarm bell rang, and mrs. bobbsey, hearing it, and knowing by the number that the blaze must be near her husband's place of business, came hurrying down stairs. "oh, i must go and see how dangerous it is," she said to dinah. "it is too bad to have it happen just after mr. bobbsey comes back from his summer vacation." "'deed it am!" cried the fat, colored cook. "but maybe it am only a little fire, mrs. bobbsey." "i'm sure i hope so," was the answer. as mrs. bobbsey was hurrying down the front walk flossie and freddie saw her. "where are you going, mamma?" they called. "down to papa's office," she answered. "there's a fire near his place, and--" "oh, a fire! then i'm going!" cried freddie. "fire! fire! ding, dong! turn on the water!" and he raced about quite excitedly. "oh, i don't know," said mrs. bobbsey, in doubt. "where are nan and bert?" she asked. "they went down to the lake," said flossie. "oh, mamma, do take us to the fire with you. we'll bring snap along." "sure," said freddie. "hi, snap!" he called. the trick dog came rushing from the stable, barking and wagging his tail. "well, i suppose i might as well take you," said mrs. bobbsey. "but you must stay near me. we'll leave snap home, though." "oh, no!" cried freddie. "he might get lost," said mrs. bobbsey. that was enough for freddie. he did not want the new pet to get lost, so he did not make a fuss when sam came hurrying up to lock snap in the stable. poor snap howled, for he wanted very much to go with the children. the fire was, as i have said, a small one, in part of the planing mill. but the engines puffed away, and spurted water, and this pleased freddie. flossie stayed close to her mother, and mrs. bobbsey, once she found out that the main lumber yard was not in danger, was ready to come back home. but freddie wanted to stay until the fire was wholly out. mr. bobbsey came from his office to give some directions to the firemen, and saw his wife and the two twins. then he took charge of them, and led them as close to the blaze as was safe. "it will soon be out," he said. "it was only some sawdust that got on fire." "i wish i could squirt some water!" sighed freddie. "what's that? do you want to be a fireman?" asked one of the men in a rubber coat and a big helmet. he smiled at mr. bobbsey, whom he knew quite well. "yes, i do," said freddie. "then come with me, and i'll let you help hold the hose," said the fireman. "i'll look after him," he went on, to mrs. bobbsey, and she nodded to show that freddie could go. what a good time the little fellow had, standing beside a real fireman, and helping throw real water on a real fire! freddie never forgot that. of course the fire was almost out, and it was only one of the small hose lines that the fireman let the little fellow help hold, but, for all that, freddie was very happy. "did you write to the circus people today about our silver cup, and that trick dog?" asked mrs. bobbsey of her husband, that night. "i declare, i didn't!" he exclaimed. "the fire upset me so that it slipped my mind. i'll do it the first thing tomorrow. there is no special hurry. how is the dog, by the way?" "oh, he's just lovely!" cried flossie. "and i do hope we can keep him forever!" exclaimed freddie. "'specially since snoop is gone." "did you hear anything about our cat?" asked nan, of her father. "no. i sent a man to the railroad company, but no stray cat had been found. i am afraid snoop is lost, children." "oh dear!" cried flossie. the next day, having learned from the railroad company where the circus had gone after the wreck, mr. bobbsey sent a letter to the manager, explaining about the lost silver cup, and the found circus dog. he asked that the fat lady be requested to write to him, to let him know if she had taken the cup by accident, and mr. bobbsey also wanted to know if the circus had lost a trick dog. "there!" he exclaimed as he sent the letter to be mailed, "now we'll just have to wait for an answer." nan and bert, and flossie and freddie were soon having almost as much fun as they had had at the seashore and in the country. their town playmates, who had come back from their vacations, called at the bobbsey home, and made up games and all sorts of sports. "for," said grace lavine, with whom nan sometimes played, "school will soon begin, and we want to have all the fun we can until then." "let's jump rope," proposed nan. "all right," agreed grace. "here comes nellie parks, and we'll see who can jump the most." "no, you mustn't do that," said nan. "don't you remember how you once tried to jump a hundred, and you fainted?" "indeed i do," said grace. "i'm not going to be so silly as to try that again. we'll only jump a little." soon nan and her chums were having good time in the yard. charley mason, with whom bert sometimes played, came over, and the two boys went for a row on the lake, in bert's boat. some little friends of flossie and freddie came over, and they had fun watching snap do tricks. for the circus dog, as he had come to be called, seemed to be able to do some new trick each day. he could "play dead," and "say his prayers," besides turning a back somersault. the little twins, who seemed to claim more share in snap than did nan and bert, did not really know how many tricks their pet could do. "maybe you'll have to give him back to the circus," said willie flood, one of freddie's chums. "well, if we do, papa may buy him, or get another dog like him," spoke flossie. a few days after this, when bert was out in the front yard, watering the grass with a hose, along came danny rugg. now danny went to the same school that bert did, but few of the boys and none of the girls, liked danny, because he was often rough, and would hit them or want to fight, or would play mean tricks on them. still, sometimes danny behaved himself, and then the boys were glad to have him on their baseball nine as he was a good hitter and thrower, and he could run fast. "hello, bert!" exclaimed danny, leaning on the fence. "i hear you have a trick circus dog here." "who told you?" asked bert, wondering what danny would say next. "oh, jack parker. he says you found him." "i didn't," spoke bert, spraying a bed of geranium flowers. "he followed us the night of the circus wreck." "well, you took him all the same. i know who owns him, too; and i'm going to tell that you've got him." "oh, are you?" asked bert. "well, we think he belongs to the circus, and my father has written about it, so you needn't trouble yourself." "he doesn't belong to any circus," went on danny. "that dog belongs to mr. peterson, who lives over in millville. he lost a trick dog, and he adverstised for it. he's going to give a reward. i'm going to tell him, and get the money." "you can't take our dog away!" cried freddie, coming up just then. "don't you dare do it, danny rugg." "yes, i will!" exclaimed the mean boy, who often teased the smaller bobbsey twins. "you won't have that dog after today." "don't mind him, freddie," said bert in a low voice. "he's trying to scare you." "oh, i am eh?" cried danny. "i'll show you what i'm trying to do. i'll tell on you for keeping a dog that don't belong to you, and you'll be arrested--all of you." freddie looked worried, and tears came into his eyes. bert saw this, and was angry at danny for being so mean. "don't be afraid, freddie," said bert, "look, i'll let you squirt the hose, and you can pretend to be a fireman." "oh, fine!" cried freddie, in delight, as he took the nozzle from his older brother. just how it happened neither of them could tell, but the stream of water shot right at danny rugg, and wet him all over in a second. "hi there!" he cried. "stop that! i'll pay you back for that, fred bobbsey," and he jumped over the fence and ran toward the little fellow. chapter vii at school freddie saw danny coming, and did the most natural thing in the world. he dropped the hose and ran. and you know what a hose, with water bursting from the nozzle will sometimes do if you don't hold it just right. well, this hose did that. it seemed to aim itself straight at danny, and again the rough boy received a charge of water full in the face. "ha! ha! here! you quit that!" he gasped. "i'll fix you for that!" the water got in his eyes and mouth, and for a moment he could not see. but with his handkerchief he soon had his eyes cleared, and then he came running toward bert. danny rugg was larger than bert, and stronger, and, in addition, was a bullying sort of chap, almost always ready to fight some one smaller than himself. but what bert lacked in size and strength he made up in a bold spirit. he was not at all afraid of danny, even when the bully came rushing at him. bert stood his ground manfully. he had taken up the hose where freddie had dropped it, and the water was spurting out in a solid stream. freddie, having gotten a safe distance away, now turned and stood looking at danny. danny, too, had halted and was fairly glaring at bert, who looked at him a bit anxiously. more than once he and the bully had come to blows, and sometimes bert had gotten the best of it. still he did not like a fight. "i'll get you yet, freddie bobbsey!" cried danny, shaking his fist at the little fellow. whereupon freddie turned and ran toward the house. danny saw that he could not catch him in time, and so he turned to bert. "you put him up to do that--to douse me with water!" cried danny angrily. "i did not," said bert quietly. "it was just an accident. i'm sorry." "you are not! i say you did that on purpose or you told freddie to, and i'm going to pay you back!" "i tell you it was an accident," insisted bert. "but if you want to think freddie did it on purpose i can't stop you." "well, i'm going to hit you just the same," growled danny, and he stepped toward bert. "you'd better look out," said bert, with just a little smile. "there's still a lot of water in this hose," and he brought the nozzle around in front, ready to squirt on danny if the bad boy should come too near. danny came to a stop. "don't you dare put any more water on me!" cried the bully. "if you do, i'll--" he doubled up his fists and glared at bert. "then don't you come any nearer if you don't want to get wet," said bert. "this hose might sprinkle you by accident, the same as it did when freddie had it," he added. "huh! i know what kind of an accident that was!" spoke danny, with a sneer. "you'd better get out of the way," went on bert quietly. "i want to sprinkle that flower bed near where you are, and if you're there you might get wet, and it wouldn't my fault." "i'll fix you!" growled danny, springing forward. bert got ready with the hose, and there might have been more trouble, except that sam, the colored man, came out on the lawn. he saw that something out of the ordinary was going on, and breaking into a run he called out: "am anything de mattah, massa bert? am yo' habin' trouble wif anybody?" "well, i guess it's all over now," said bert, as he saw danny turn and walk toward the gate. "if yo' need any help, jest remembah dat i'm around," spoke sam, with a wide grin that showed his white teeth in his black, but kindly face. "i'll be right handy by, massa bert, yes, i will!" "all right," said bert, as he went on watering the flowers. "huh! you needn't think i'm afraid of you!" boasted danny, but he kept on out of the gate just the same. sam went back to his work, of weeding the vegetable garden and bert watered the flowers. pretty soon freddie came back. "did--did danny do anything to you?" the little fellow wanted to know. "no, freddie, but the hose did something to him," said bert. "oh, did it wet him again?" "that's what it did." "ha! ha!" laughed freddie. "i wish i'd been here to see it, bert." "well, why did you run?" "oh, i--i thought maybe--mamma might want me," answered freddie, but bert understood, and smiled. then he let freddie finish watering the flowers, after which freddie played he was a fireman, saving houses from burning by means of the hose. snap, the trick dog came running out, followed by flossie, who had just been washed and combed, her mother having put a clean dress on her. "oh, freddie," said the little girl, "let's make snap do some tricks. see if he will jump over the stream of water from the hose." "all right," agreed her little brother. "i'll squirt the water out straight, and you stand on one side of it and call snap over. then he'll jump." flossie tried this, but at first the dog did not seem to want to do this particular trick. he played soldier, said his prayers, stood on his hind legs, and turned a somersault. but he would not jump over the water. "come, snap, snap!" called flossie. "jump!" snap raced about and barked, and seemed to be having all sorts of fun, but jump he would not until he got ready. then, when he did freddie accidentally lowered the nozzle and snap was soaked. but the dog did not mind the water in the least. in fact he seemed to like it, for the day was warm, and he stood still and let freddie wet him all over. then snap rolled about on the lawn, freddie and flossie taking turns sprinkling. and, as might be expected, considerable water got on the two children, and when snap shook himself, as he often did, to get some of the drops off his shaggy coat, he gave flossie and her clean dress a regular shower bath. nan, coming from the house saw this. she ran up to flossie, who had the hose just then, crying: "flossie bobbsey! oh, you'll get it when mamma sees you! she cleaned you all up and now look at yourself!" "she can't see--there's no looking glass here," said freddie, with a laugh. "and you're just as bad!" cried nan. "you'd both better go in the house right away, and stop playing with the hose." "we're through, anyhow," said freddie. "you ought to see snap jump over the water." "oh, you children!" cried nan, with a shake of her head. she seemed like a little mother to them at times, though she was only four years older. mrs. bobbsey was very sorry to see flossie so wet and bedraggled, and said: "you should have known better than to play with water with a clean dress on, flossie. now i must punish you. you will have to stay in the house for an hour, and so will freddie." poor little bobbsey twins! but then it was not a very severe punishment, and really some was needed. it was hard when two of their little playmates came and called for them to come out. but mrs. bobbsey insisted on the two remaining in until the hour was at an end. then, when they had on dry garments, and could go out, there was no one with whom to play. "i'm not going to squirt the hose ever again," said freddie. "neither am i," said his sister. "never, never!" snap didn't say anything. he lay on the porch asleep, being cooled off after his sport with the water. "i--i wish we had our cat, snoop, back," said flossie. "then we wouldn't have played in the water." "that's so," agreed freddie. "i wonder where he can be?" they asked their father that night if any of the railroad men had seen their pet, but he said none had, and added: "i'm afraid you'll have to get along without snoop. he seems to have disappeared. but, anyhow, you have snap." "but some one may come along and claim him," said freddie. "that danny rugg says he belongs to mr. peterson in millville, father," said bert. "well, i'll call mr. peterson up on the telephone tomorrow, and find out," spoke mr. bobbsey. "that much will be settled, at any rate." "did you hear anything from the circus people about the fat lady?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes, but no news," was her husband's answer. "the circus has gone to cuba and porto rico for the winter, and i will have to write there. it will be some time before we can expect an answer, though, as i suppose the show will be traveling from place to place and mail down there is not like it is up here. but we may find the fat lady and the cup some day." "and snoop, too," put in nan. "yes, snoop too." one fact consoled the bobbseys in their trouble over their lost pet and cup. this was the answer received by mr. bobbsey from mr. peterson. that gentleman had lost a valuable dog, but it was a small poodle, and unlike big snap. so far no one had claimed the trick dog, and it seemed likely that the children could keep him. they were very glad about this. "oh dear!" exclaimed bert, one afternoon a few days following the fun with the hose, "school begins monday. only three more days of vacation!" "i think you have had a long vacation," returned mrs. bobbsey, "and if freddie and flossie are going to do such tricks as they did the other day, with the hose, i, for one, shall be glad that you are in school." "i like school," said nan. "there are lot of new girls coming this term, i hear." "any new fellows?" asked bert, more interested. "i don't know. there is a new teacher in the kindergarten, though, where flossie and freddie will go. nellie parks has met her, and says she's awfully nice." "that's good," spoke flossie. "i like nice teachers." "well, i hope you and freddie will get along well," said mamma bobbsey. "you are getting older you know, and you must soon begin to study hard." "we will," they promised. the school bell, next monday morning, called to many rather unwilling children. the long vacation was over and class days had begun once more. the four bobbseys went off together to the building, which was only a few blocks from their home. mr. tetlow was the principal, and there were half a dozen lady teachers. "hello, nan," greeted grace lavine. "may i sit with you this term?" "oh, i was going to ask her," said nellie parks. "well, i was first," spoke grace, with a pout. "we'll be in the room where there are three seated desks," said nan with a smile. "maybe we three can be together." "oh, we'll ask teacher!" cried nellie. "that will be lovely!" "i'm going to sit with freddie," declared flossie. "we're to be together--mamma said so." "of course, dear," agreed nan. "i'll speak to your teacher about it." bert was walking in the rear with charley mason, when danny rugg came around a corner. "i know what i'm going to do to you after school, bert bobbsey!" called the bully. "you just wait and see." "all right--i'll wait," spoke bert quietly. "i'm not afraid." by this time they were at the school, and it was nearly time for the last bell to ring. danny went off to join some of his particular chums, shaking his fist at bert as he went. chapter viii bert sees something lessons were not very well learned that first day in school, but this is generally the case when the fall term opens after the summer vacation. just as were the bobbsey twins, nearly all the other pupils were thinking of what good times they had had in the country, or at the seashore, and in consequence little attention was paid to reading, spelling, arithmetic and geography. but principal tetlow and his teachers were prepared for this, and they were sure that, in another day or so, the boys and girls would settle down and do good work. many of the children were in new rooms and different classes, and this did not make them feel so much "at home" as before vacation. nan bobbsey's first duty, after reporting to her new teacher, was to go to the kindergarten room, and ask the teacher there if flossie and freddie might sit together. "you see," nan explained, "this is really their first real school work. they attended a few times before, but did not stay long." "i see," spoke the pretty kindergarten instructor with a laugh, "and we must make it as pleasant for them this time as we can, so they will want to stay. yes, my dear, flossie and freddie may sit together, and i'll look after them as much as i can. but, oh, there are such a lot of little tots!" and she looked about the room that seemed overflowing with small boys and girls. some were playing and talking, telling of their summer experiences. others seemed frightened, and stood against the wall bashfully, little girls holding to the hands of their little brothers. nan looked for freddie and flossie. she saw her little sister trying to comfort a small girl who was almost ready to cry, while freddie, like the manly little fellow he was, had taken charge of a small chap in whose eyes were two large tears, just ready to fall. it was his first day at school. "oh, i am sure your little twin brother and sister will get along all right," said the kindergarten teacher, with a smile to nan, as she saw what flossie and freddie were doing. "they are too cute for anything--the little dears!" "and they are very good," said nan, "only of course they do--things--sometimes." "they wouldn't be real children if they didn't," answered the teacher. this was during a recess that had come after the classes were first formed. on her way back to her room, to see if she could arrange to sit with grace and nellie at one of the new big desks, nan saw her brother bert. he looked a little worried, and nan asked at once: "what is the matter, bert? haven't you got a nice teacher?" "oh, yes, she's fine!" exclaimed bert "there's nothing the matter at all." "yes there is," insisted nan. "i can tell by your face. it's that danny rugg; i'm sure. oh, bert, is he bothering you again?" "well, he said he was going to." "then why don't you go straight and tell mr. tetlow? he'll make danny behave. i'll go tell him myself!" "don't you dare, nan!" cried bert. "all the fellows would call me 'sissy,' if i let you do that. never mind, i can look out for my self. i'm not afraid of danny." "oh, bert, i hope you don't get into fight." "i won't, nan--if i can help it. at least i won't hit first, but if he hits me--" bert looked as though he knew what he would do in that case. "oh dear!" cried nan, "aren't you boys just awful!" however, she made up her mind that if danny got too bad she would speak to the principal about him, whether her brother wanted her to or not. "he won't know it," thought nan. she had no trouble in getting permission from her teacher for herself and her two friends to sit together, and soon they had moved their books and other things to one of the long desks that had room for three pupils. meanwhile flossie and freddie got along very well in the kindergarten. at first, just as the others did, they gave very little attention to what the teacher wanted them to learn, but she was very patient, and soon all the class was gathered about the sand table, in the little low chairs, making fairy cities, caves, and even makebelieve seashore places. "this is like the one where we were this summer," said flossie, as she made a hole in her sand pile to take the place of the ocean. "if i had water and a piece of wood i could show you where there was a shipwreck," she said to the girl next to her. "that isn't the way it was," spoke freddie, from the other side of the room. "there was more sand at the seashore than on this whole table--yes, on ten tables like this." "there was not!" cried flossie. "there was too!" insisted her brother. "children--children!" called the teacher. "you must not argue like that--ever--in school, or out of it. now we will sing our worksong, and after that we will march with the flags," and she went to the piano to play. all the little ones liked this, and the dispute of flossie and freddie was soon forgotten. bert kept thinking of what might happen between himself and danny rugg when school was out, and when his teacher asked him what the pilgrim fathers did when they first came to settle in new england bert looked up in surprise, and said: "they fought." "fought!" exclaimed the teacher. "the book says they gave thanks." "well, i meant they fought the--er--the indians," stammered bert. poor bert was thinking of what might take place between himself and the bully. "well, yes, they did fight the indians," admitted the teacher, "but that wasn't what i was thinking of. i will ask you another question in history." but i am not going to tire you with an account of what went on in the classrooms. there were mostly lessons there, such as you have yourselves, and i know you don't care to read about them. bert did not see danny rugg at the noon recess, when the bobbsey twins and the other children went home for lunch. but when school was let out in the afternoon, and when bert was talking to charley mason about a new way of making a kite, danny rugg, accompanied by several of his chums, walked up to bert. it was in a field some distance from the school, and no houses were near. "now i've got you, bert bobbsey!" taunted danny, as he advanced with doubledup fists. "what did you want to squirt the hose on me that time for?" "i told you it was an accident," said bert quietly. "and i say you did it on purpose. i said i'd get even with you, and now i'm going to." "i don't want to fight, danny," said bert quietly. "huh! he's afraid!" sneered jack westly, one of danny's friends. "yes, he's a coward!" taunted danny. "i'm not!" cried bert stoutly. "then take that!" exclaimed danny, and he gave bert a push that nearly knocked him down. bert put out a hand to save himself and struck danny, not really meaning to. "there! he hit you back!" cried one boy. "yes, go on in, now, dan, and beat him!" said another. "oh, i'll fix him now," boasted danny, circling around bert. bert was carefully watching. he did not mean to let danny get the best of him if he could help it, much as he did not like to fight. danny struck bert on the chest, and bert hit the bully on the cheek. then danny jumped forward swiftly and tried to give bert a blow on the head. but bert stepped to one side, and danny slipped down to the ground. as he did so a white box fell from his pocket. bert knew what kind of a box it was, and what was in it, and he knew now, what had stained danny's fingers so yellow, and what made his clothes have such a queer smell. for the box had in it cigarettes. danny saw where it had fallen, and picked it up quickly. then he came running at bert again, but a boy called: "look out! here comes mr. tetlow, the principal!" this was a signal for all the boys, even bert, to run, for, though school was out, they still did not want to be caught at a fight by one of the teachers, or mr. tetlow. "anyhow, you knocked him down, bert," said charley mason, as he ran on with bert. "you beat!" "he did not--i slipped," said danny. "i can fight him, and i will, too, some day." "i'm not afraid of you," answered bert. mr. tetlow did not appear to have seen the fight that amounted to so little. perhaps he pretended not to. chapter ix off to the woods whether danny rugg was afraid the principal had seen him trying to force a fight on bert, or whether the unexpected fall that came to him, caused it, no one knew, but certainly, for the next few days, danny let bert alone. when he passed him he scowled, or shook his fist, or muttered something about "getting even," but this was all. perhaps it was the thought of what bert had seen fall from danny's pocket that made the bully less anxious to keep up the quarrel. at any rate, bert was left alone and he was glad of it. he was not afraid, but he liked peace. the school days went on, and the classes settled down to their work for the long winter term. and the thought of the snow and ice that would comparatively soon be with them, made the bobbsey twins rejoice. "charley mason and i are going to make a dandy big bob this year," said bert one day. "it's going to carry ten fellows." "and no girls?" asked nan with a smile. she was walking along behind her brother, with grace and nellie. "sure, we'll let you girls ride once in a while," said charley, as he caught up to his chum. "but you can't steer." "i steered a bob once," said grace, who was quite athletic for her age. "it was danny rugg's, too." "pooh! his is a little one alongside the one charley and i are going to make!" exclaimed bert. "ours will be hard to steer, and it's going to have a gong on it to tell folks to get out of the way." "that's right," agreed charley. "and we'd better start it right away, bert. it may soon snow." "it doesn't feel so now," spoke nan. "it is very warm. it feels more like ice cream cones." "and if you'll come with me i'll treat you all to some," exclaimed nellie parks, whose father was quite well off. "i have some of my birthday money left." "oh, but there are five of us!" cried nan, counting. "that is too much--twenty-five cents, nellie." "i've got fifty, and really it is very hot today." it was warm, being the end of september, with indian summer near at hand. "well, let's go to johnson's," suggested nellie. "they have the best cream." "oh, here comes flossie and freddie!" exclaimed nan. "we don't want to take them, nellie. that means--" "of course i'll take them!" exclaimed nellie, generously. "i've got fifty cents, i told you." "i'll give them each a penny and let them run along home," offered bert. "no, i'm going to treat them, too," insisted nellie. "come on!" she called to the little twins, "we're going to get ice cream cones, it's so warm." "oh, goodie!" cried flossie. "i was just wishing for one." "so was i," added her brother. "and i'll ask you to my party next week," the little girl went on. "i'm going to have one on my birthday." "oh, are you really, flossie?" asked nan. "i hadn't heard about it." "yep--i am. mamma said i could, but she told me not to tell. i don't care, i wanted nellie to know, as she's going to treat us to cones." "and it's half my party, 'cause my birthday's the same day," explained freddie. "so you can come to my party at the same time, nellie." "thank you, dear, i shall. now let's hurry to the store, for it's getting warmer all the while." the ice cream in the funny little cones was much enjoyed by all. bert and charley walked on together eating, and talking of the bob sled they were going to make. they passed danny rugg, who looked rather enviously at them. "hey, charley," called danny, "come here, i want to speak to you." "i'm busy now," answered charley. "bert and i have something to do." "so have i. i've got a dandy plan." "well, i'll see you later," spoke charley. he had once been quite friendly with danny, but he grew not to like his ways, and so became more chummy with bert, who was very glad, for he liked charley. the two boys went on to bert's barn, where they were going to build the bob sled. the girls, with flossie and freddie, went on the bobbsey lawn, where there were some easy chairs. they sat in the shade of the trees, and freddie had snap do some of his tricks for the visitors. "can he jump through a hoop, covered with paper as they do in the circus?" asked nellie. "oh, we never thought to try that," said freddie. "i'm going to make one," and, filled with this new idea, he hurried into the house. "dinah," he said, "i want some paper and paste." "land sakes, chile! what yo' gwine t' do now?" asked the colored cook. "make a kite, an' take snoop up in de air laik yo' brother bert done once?" "no, we're not going to do that," answered the little boy. "we're going to cover a hoop with paper, and make snap jump through it, like in a circus." "mah goodness mustard pot!" cried dinah. "what will yo' all be up to next?" "i don't know," answered freddie. "but will you make me some paste, dinah? and you know we haven't got snoop, anyhow, so we couldn't send him up on a kite tail," added freddie. "deah me! yo' chilluns done make me do de mostest wuk!" complained dinah, but she laughed, which showed that she did not really mean it, and set at mixing some flour and water for the paste. flossie and freddie insisted on making the paper covered hoop themselves. they started, but they got so much of the sticky stuff on their hands and faces that nan feared they would soil their clothes, so she insisted on being allowed to do the pasting for them. "but we can help, can't we?" asked freddie. "yes," said nan. even for nan covering a hoop with paper was not as easy as she thought it would be. grace and nellie helped, but sometimes the wind would blow the paper away just as they were ready to fold it around the rim of the hoop. then the paste would get on the girls' hands. "what are you doing?" asked bert, as he and charley came from the barn. they had to stop work on their job, as they could not find a long enough plank. they decided to get one from mr. bobbsey's lumber yard, later. "we're going to have snap do the circus trick of jumping through a paper hoop," explained nan. "only we can't seem to get the hoop made." "i'll do it," offered bert, and as he and charley had often pasted paper on their kite frames they had better luck, and soon the hoop was ready. "come, snap!" called freddie, it having been settled that he and flossie were to hold the hoop for the dog to leap through. snap, always ready for fun, jumped up from the grass where he had been sleeping, and frisked about, barking loudly. "now you hold him there, charley," directed bert, pointing to a spot back of where freddie and flossie stood. "then i'll go over here and call him. he'll come running, and when he gets near enough, freddie, you and flossie hold up the paper hoop. he'll go right through it." it worked out just as the children had planned. snap raced away from charley, when he heard bert calling. he ran right between flossie and freddie, who raised the hoop just in time. "rip! tear!" burst the paper, and snap sailed through the hoop just as he probably had often done in the circus, perhaps from the back of a horse. "oh, that was fine!" cried flossie. "let's make another hoop!" "let's make a lot of 'em, and have a circus with snap, and charge money to see him, and then we can buy a lot of ice cream for our party!" said freddie. "oh, yes!" agreed his sister. well, they did make more hoops, and snap seemed to enjoy jumping through them. but when mrs. bobbsey heard about the circus plans she decided it would make too much confusion. "besides, you have to help me get ready for your party," she said to the two little twins. this took their mind off the proposed circus, but for several days after that they had much fun making hoops for snap to jump through. bert and charley got a long plank from the lumber yard, and spent much time after school in the bobbsey barn, working over their bob sled. it was harder than they had thought it would be, and they had to call in some other boys to help them. mr. bobbsey, too, gave his son some advice about how to build it. flossie and freddie liked it very much in school. the kindergarten teacher was very kind, and took an interest in all her pupils. "oh, mamma!" cried flossie, coming in one day from school, "i've learned how to make a house." "and i can make a lantern, and a chain to hang it on, and i can put it in front of flossie's house!" exclaimed freddie. "and, please, mother, may i have some bread and jam. i'm awful hungry." "yes, dear, go ask dinah," said mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "and then you may show me how you make houses and lanterns and a chain. are they real?" "no," said flossie, "they're only paper, but they look nice." "i'm sure they must," said their mother. after each of the twins had been given a large slice of bread and butter and jam, they showed the latest thing they had learned at school. flossie did manage to cut out a house, that had a chimney on it, and a door, besides two windows. freddie took several little narrow strips of paper, and pasting the ends together, made a lot of rings. each ring before being pasted, was slipped into another, and soon he had a paper chain. to make the lantern he used a piece of paper made into a roll, with slits all around the middle of it where the light would have come out had there been a candle in it. and the handle was a narrow slip of paper pasted over the top of the lantern. "very fine indeed," said mamma bobbsey. "run out now to play. if you stay in the house too much you will soon lose all the lovely tan you got in the country, and at the seashore." "children," said the principal to the bobbseys and all the others in school the next day, "i have a little treat for you. tomorrow will be a holiday, and, as the weather is very warm, we will close the school at noon, and go off in the woods for a little picnic." "oh, good!" cried a number of the boys and girls, and, though it was against the rules to speak aloud during the school hours, none of the teachers objected. "but i expect you all to have perfect marks from now until friday," mr. tetlow went on. "you may bring your lunches to school with you friday morning, if your parents will let you, and we will leave here at noon, and go to ward's woods." it was rather hard work to study after such good news, but, somehow, the pupils managed it. finally friday came, and nearly every boy and girl came to school with a basket or bundle holding his or her lunch. mrs. bobbsey put up two baskets for her children, nan taking one and bert the other. "oh, we'll have a lovely time!" cried freddie, dancing about on his little fat legs. twelve o'clock came, and with each teacher at the head of her class, and mr. tetlow marching in front of all, the whole school started off for the woods. chapter x a scare the way to the woods where the little school outing was to be held ran close to the road on which the bobbsey house stood. as freddie and flossie, with nan and bert, marched along with the others, freddie cried out: "oh, i hope we see mamma, and then we can wave to her." "yes, and maybe she'll come with us," suggested flossie. "wouldn't that be nice?" "pooh!" exclaimed bert. "mamma's too busy to come to a picnic today. she's expecting company." "yes," added nan, "the minister and his wife are coming, and mamma's cooking a lot of things." "why, does a minister eat more than other folks?" asked freddie. "if they does, i'm going to be a minister when i grow up." "i thought you were going to be a fireman," said bert. "well, i can be a fireman week days and a minister on sundays," said the little fellow, thus solving the problem. "but do they eat so much, nan?" "no, of course not, only mamma wants to be polite to them, so she has a lot of things cooked up, so that if they don't like one thing they can have another. folks always give their best to the minister." "then i'm surely going to be one, too," declared flossie. "i like good things to eat. i hope our minister isn't very hungry, 'cause then there'll be some left for us when we come home from this picnic." "why, flossie!" cried nan. "we have a lovely lunch with us; plenty, i'm sure." "well, i'm awful hungry, nan," said the little girl. "besides, sammie jones, and his sister julia, haven't any lunch at all. i saw them, and they looked terrible hungry. couldn't we give them some of ours; if we have so much at home?" "of course we could, and it is very kind of you to think of them," said nan, as she patted her little sister on her head. "i'll look after sammie and julia when we get to the grove." in spite of what nan and bert had said about mrs. bobbsey being very busy, flossie and freddie looked anxiously in the direction of their house as they walked along. but no sight of their mother greeted them. they did see a friend, however, and this was none other than snap, their new dog, who, with many barks and wags of his fluffy tail, ran out to meet his little masters and mistresses. "here, snap! snap!" called freddie. "come on, old fellow!" and the dog leaped all about him. "let's take him to the picnic with us," suggested flossie. "we can have lots of fun." "and he can eat the scraps," said nan. "shall we, bert?" "i don't care. but maybe mr. tetlow wouldn't like it." "you ask him, bert," pleaded flossie. "tell him snap will do tricks to amuse us." bert goodnaturedly started ahead to speak to the principal, who was talking with some of the teachers, planning games for the little folk. flossie and freddie were patting their pet, when danny rugg, and one of his friends came along. "that dog can't come to our picnic!" said danny, with a scowl. "he might bite some of us." "snap never bites!" cried freddie. "of course not," said flossie. "well, he can't come to this picnic!" spoke danny, angrily. "go on home!" he cried, sharply, stooping to pick up a stone. snap growled and showed his teeth. "there!" cried danny. "i told you he'd bite." "he will not, danny rugg!" exclaimed nan, who had gone up front for a minute to speak to some of the older girls. "he only growled because you acted mean to him. now you leave him alone, or i'll tell mr. tetlow on you." "pooh! think i care? i say no dog can come to our picnic. go on home!" and with raised hand danny approached snap. again the dog growled angrily. he was not used to being treated in this way. "look out, danny rugg," said nan, severely, "or he may jump on you, and knock you down. he wouldn't bite you, though, mean as you are, unless i told him to do so." "i'm not afraid of you!" cried danny, more angry than before. "i'll get a stick and then we'll see what will happen," and he looked about for one. "don't let danny beat snap!" pleaded flossie, tears coming into her eyes. "i won't," said nan, looking about anxiously for bert. she saw him coming back, and felt better. by this time danny had found a club, and was coming back to where flossie, freddie and nan, with some of their friends, were walking along, snap in their midst. "i'll make that dog go home now!" cried danny. "i'm not going to get bitten, and have hyperfobia, or whatever you call it. i'll tell mr. tetlow if you don't make him go home." "oh, don't be so smart!" exclaimed bert, stepping out from behind a group of girls. "i've told mr. tetlow myself that snap is following us, and he said to let him come along. so you needn't take the trouble, danny rugg. and if you try to hit our dog i'll have something more to say," and bert stepped boldly forth. "huh! i'm not afraid of you," sneered danny, but he let the club drop, and walked off with his own particular chums. "did mr. tetlow say snap could come?" asked freddie, anxiously. "yes. he said he'd be good to drive away the cows if they bothered us," answered bert, with a smile. after this little trouble, the bobbseys and their friends went on toward the grove in the woods where the picnic was to be held. there was laughing and shouting, and much fun on the way, in which snap shared. boys and girls would run to one side or the other of the path to gather late flowers. some would pick up odd stones, or pine cones, and others would find curious little creeping or crawling things which they called their friends to see. each teacher had charge of her special class, but she did not look too closely after them, for it was a day to be happy and free from care, with no thought of school or lessons. "we'll make snap do some tricks when we get to the grove," said flossie. "yes, we'll have a little circus," added her brother. "can he stand on his head?" one girl wanted to know. "well, he can turn a somersault, and he's on his head for a second while he's doing that," explained freddie, proudly. "can he roll over and over?" a boy wanted to know. "we had a dog, once, that could." "snap can, too," said flossie. "roll over, snap!" she ordered, and the dog, with a bark, did so. the children laughed and some clapped their hands. they thought snap was about the best dog they had ever seen. no accidents happened on the way to the grove, except that one little boy tried to cross a brook on some stones, instead of the plank which the others used. he slipped in and got his feet wet, but as the day was warm no one worried much. finally the grove was reached. it was in a wooded valley, with hills on either side, and a cold, clear spring of water at one end, where everyone could get a drink. and that always seems to be what is most wanted at a picnic--a drink of water. mr. tetlow called all the children together, before letting them go off to play, and told them at what time the start for home would be made, so that they would not be late in coming back to the meeting place. "and now," he said, "have the best fun you can. play anything you wish--school games if you like--but don't get too warm or excited. and don't go too far away. you may eat your luncheon when you like." "then let's eat ours now," suggested flossie. "i'm awful hungry." "so am i," said freddie. so nan and bert decided that the little ones might at least have a sandwich and a piece of cake. nor did they forget the two little jones children, who had no lunch. the bobbseys were well provided and soon sammie and julia were smiling and happy as they sat beneath a tree, eating. then came all sorts of games, from tag and jumping rope, to blindman's bluff and hide-and-seek. snap was made to do a number of tricks, much to the amusement of the teachers and children. danny rugg, and some of the older boys, got up a small baseball game, and then danny, with one or two chums, went off in a deeper part of the woods. bert heard one of the boys ask another if he had any matches. "i know what they're going to do," whispered bert to nan. "what?" she asked. "smoke cigarettes. i saw danny have a pack." nan was much shocked, but she did not see anything. she was glad bert did not smoke. bert went off with some boys to see if they could catch any fish in the deeper part of the brook, about half a mile from the picnic grove, and nan, with one or two girls about her own age, took a little walk with flossie and freddie to gather some late wild flowers that grew on the side of one of the hills. they found a number of the blossoms, and were making pretty bouquets of them, when freddie, who had gone on a little ahead of the rest, came running back so fast that he nearly rolled to the bottom of the hill, so fat and chubby was he. "what's the matter? what is it?" asked nan, catching her brother just in time. "up there!" he gasped. "it's up there! a great big black one!" "a big black what--bug?" asked nan, ready to laugh. "no! a big black snake! i almost stepped on it." "a snake! oh, dear!" screamed the girls. "call mr. tetlow!" said flossie. "he's got a book about snakes, and he'll know what to do." "come on!" cried nellie parks. "i'm going to run!" "so am i!" added grace lavine. "oh, it may chase us!" in fright the children turned, freddie looking back at the spot where he thought he had seen the snake. chapter xi danny's trick nan bobbsey stood for a moment, she hardly knew why. perhaps she wanted to see the big snake of which freddie spoke. it certainly was not because she liked reptiles. then she thought she saw something long and black wiggling toward her, and, with a little exclamation of fright, she, too, turned to follow the others. but, as she did so, she saw their dog snap come running up the hill, barking and wagging his tail. he seemed to have lost the children for a moment and to be telling them how glad he was that he had found them again. straight up the hill, toward where freddie had said the snake was, rushed snap. "here! come back! don't go there!" cried nan. "no, don't let him--he may be bitten!" added flossie. "come here, snap!" but snap evidently did not want to mind. on up the hill he rushed, pausing now and then to dig in the earth. nearer and nearer he came to where the little bobbsey boy had said the snake was hiding in the grass and bushes. "oh, snap! snap!" cried freddie. "don't go there!" but snap kept on, and freddie, afraid lest his pet dog be bitten, caught up a stone and threw it at the place. his aim was pretty good, but instead of scaring away the snake, or driving back snap, the fall of the stone only made snap more eager to see what was there that his friends did not want him to get. with a loud bark he rushed on, and the children, turning to look, saw something long and black, and seemingly wiggling, come toward them. "oh, the snake! the snake!" cried nan. "run! run!" shouted grace. "come on!" exclaimed nellie parks, in loud tones. "freddie! freddie!" called flossie, afraid lest her little brother be bitten. snap rushed at the black thing so fiercely that he turned a somersault down the hill, and rolled over and over. but he did not mind this, and in an instant was up again. once more he rushed at the black object, but the children did not watch to see what happened, for they were running away as fast as they could. then freddie, anxious as to what would become of snap if he fought a snake, looked back. he saw a strange sight. the dog had in his mouth the long, black thing, and was running with it toward the bobbseys and their friends. "oh, nan! nan! look! look!" cried freddie. "snap has the snake! he's bringing it to us!" "oh, he mustn't do that!" shouted nan. "it may bite him or us." "run! run faster!" shrieked grace. but even though it was down hill the children could not run as fast as snap, and he soon caught up to them. running on a little way ahead he dropped the black thing. but instead of wiggling or trying to bite, it was i very still. "it--it's dead," said nan. "snap has killed it." freddie was braver now. he went closer. "why--why!" he exclaimed. "it isn't a snake at all! it's only an old black root of a tree, all twisted up like a snake! look, nan--flossie!" taking courage, the girls went up to look. snap stood over it, wagging his tail as proudly as though he had captured a real snake. as freddie had said, it was only a tree root. "but it did look a lot like a snake in the grass," said the little fellow. "it must have," agreed nan. "it looked like one even when snap had it. but i'm glad it wasn't." "so am i," spoke grace, and nellie made like remark. snap frisked about, barking as though to ask praise for what he had done. "he is a good dog," observed freddie, hearing which the animal almost wagged his tail off. "and if it had been a real snake he'd have gotten it; wouldn't you?" went on the little boy. if barks meant anything, snap said, with all his heart, that he certainly would--that not even a dozen snakes could frighten a big dog like him. the children soon got over the little scare, and went back up the hill again to gather more flowers. snap went with them this time, running about here and there. "if there are any real snakes," said freddie, "he'll scare them away. but i guess there aren't any." "i hope not," said nan, but she and the others kept a sharp lookout. however, there was no further fright for them, and soon, with their hands filled with blossoms the bobbseys and the others went back to the main party. some of the teachers were arranging games with their pupils, and nan, flossie and freddie joined in, having a good time. then, when it was almost time to start for home, mr. tetlow blew loudly on a whistle he carried to call in the stragglers. "where's bert?" asked flossie, looking about for her older brother. "i guess he hasn't come back from fishing yet," said nan. "come, flossie and freddie, i have a little bit of lunch left, and you might as well eat it, so you won't be hungry on the way home." the littler bobbsey twins were glad enough to do this. then they had to have a drink, and nan went with them to the spring, carrying a glass tumbler she had brought. "this isn't like our nice silver cup that the fat lady took in the train," said freddie, as he passed the glass of water very carefully to flossie. "no," she said, after she had taken her drink. "i wonder if papa will ever get that back?" "he said, the other day," remarked nan, as she got some water for freddie, "that he hadn't heard from the circus yet. but i think he will. it isn't like snoop, our cat. we don't know where he is, but we're pretty sure the fat lady has the cup." "poor snoop!" cried freddie, as he thought of the fine black cat. "maybe some of the railroad men have him." "maybe," agreed flossie. when they got back to where the teachers and principal were, bert and the boys who bad gone fishing had returned. they had one or two small fish. "i'm going to have mamma cook them for my supper," said bert, proudly holding up those he had caught. "they're too small--there won't be anything left of them after they're cleaned," said nan, who was quite a little housekeeper. "oh, yes, there will," declared her brother. "i'm going fishing again tomorrow and, catch more." mr. tetlow was going about among the teachers, asking if all their pupils were on hand, ready for the march back. danny rugg and some of his close friends were missing. "they ought not to have gone off so far," said mr. tetlow, as he blew several times on the whistle. soon danny and the other boy, were seen coming from a distant part of the grove. one of the boys, harry white, looked very pale, and not at all well. "what is the matter?" asked mr. tetlow, and he looked curiously at danny and the others, and sniffed the air as though he smelled something. "i--i guess i ate too many--apples," said harry, in a faint voice. "we found an orchard, and--" "i told you not to go into orchards, and take fruit," said mr. tetlow, severely. "the man said we could," remarked danny. "we asked him." "then you should not have eaten so many," said mr. tetlow. "i can't see how ripe apples, which are the only kind there are this time of year--could make you ill unless you ate too many," and he looked at danny and harry sharply. but they did not answer. the march home was not as joyful as the one to the grove had been, for most of the children were tired. but they all had had a fine time, and there were many requests of the teachers to have another picnic the next week. "oh, we can't have them every week, my dears," said miss franklin, who had charge of flossie, freddie and some others in the kindergarten class. "besides, it will soon be too cool to go out in the woods. in a little while we will have ice and snow, and thanksgiving and christmas." "that will be better than picnics," said freddie. "i'm going to have a new sled." "i'm going to get a new doll, that can walk," declared flossie, and then she and the others talked about the coming holidays. at school several days in the following week little was talked of except the picnic, the snake scare from the old tree root, the catching of the fish, and the illness of harry white, for that boy was quite sick by the time town was reached, and mr. tetlow called a carriage to send him home. "and i can guess what made him sick too," said bert to nan, privately. "what?" she asked. "smoking cigarettes." "how do you know?" "because when i and some of the other fellows were fishing we saw danny and his crowd smoking in the woods. they offered us some, but we wouldn't take any. harry said he was sick then, but danny only laughed at him." "that danny rugg is a bad boy," said nan, severely. but she was soon to see how much meaner danny could be. workmen had recently finished putting some new water pipes, and a place for the children to drink, in the school yard, and one morning, speaking to the whole school, mr. tetlow made a little speech, warning the children not to play with the faucets, and spray the water about, as some had done, in fun. "whoever is caught playing with the faucets in the yard after this will be severely punished," he said. as it happened, flossie and freddie were not at school that day, freddie having a slight sore throat. his mother kept him home, and flossie would not go without him. so they did not hear the warning, and bert and nan did not think to tell the smaller children of it. two days later freddie was well enough to go back to class, and flossie accompanied him. it was at the morning recess when, as freddie went to get a drink at one of the new faucets, danny saw him. a gleam of mischief came into the eyes of the school bully. "want to see the water squirt, freddie?" asked danny. "that's a new kind of faucet. it squirts awful far." "does it?" asked freddie, innocently. "how do you make it?" he had no idea it was forbidden fun. "just put your thumb over the hole, and turn the water on," directed danny. "you, too, flossie. it won't hurt you." danny looked all around, thinking he was unobserved as he gave this bad advice. naturally, freddie and flossie, being so young, suspected nothing. they covered the opening of the faucet with their thumbs, and turned on the water. it spurted in a fine spray, and they laughed in glee. that they wet each other did not matter. danny, seeing the success of his trick, walked off as he saw mr. tetlow coming. the bobbsey twins were so intent on spurting the water that they did not observe the principal until he was close to them. then they started as he called out sharply: "freddie! flossie! stop that! you know that it is forbidden! go to my office at once and i will come and see you later. you will be punished for this!" with tears in their eyes the little twins obeyed. they could not understand it. chapter xii the children's party when mr. tetlow, a little later, entered his office he found flossie and freddie standing by one of the windows, looking out on the other children marching to their classrooms. they had cried a little, but had stopped now. "i am very sorry to have to punish you two twins," said the principal, "but i had given strict orders that no one was to play with that water. why did you do it?" "because," answered flossie. "danny rugg told us to," added freddie. "he said it was a new kind of faucet." "now be careful," warned mr. tetlow. often before he had heard pupils say that someone else told them to break certain rules. "are you sure about this?" he asked. "yes! sir," said freddie, eagerly. "danny told us to do it." "but didn't you know it was forbidden?" "no, sir," answered flossie. "why, i spoke of it in all the rooms." "we wasn't here yesterday or the day before," said flossie. "freddie was sick." mr. tetlow began to understand. "i will look this up," he said, "and if find--" he was interrupted by a boy from one of the higher classes coming in with a note from his teacher. she wanted a new box of chalk. "when you go back, george," said the principal to the boy, as he gave him what the teacher had sent for, "go to miss hegan's class, and have her send danny rugg to me. flossie and freddie say he told them to spray water with one of the new faucets." "yes, sir, he did!" exclaimed george. "i heard him, but i didn't think they would do it. he did tell them." at this unexpected information mr. tetlow was much surprised. "if that is the case, danny is the one to be punished," he said. "i am sorry, flossie and freddie, that i suspected you. you may go back to your class, and i will write your teacher a note, saying you may go out half an hour ahead of the others to make up for coming to my office. but, after this, no matter whether anyone tells you or not, don't spray the water." "no, sir, we won't!" exclaimed the bobbsey twins, now happy again. danny rugg was punished by being kept in after school for several days, and mr. tetlow sent home a note to his father, explaining what a mean trick the bully had played. "i wish i had heard danny telling you that--just to get you in trouble," said bert, when he was told of what had happened. "i'd have fixed him." "oh, don't get into any more fights," begged nan. bert did not come to blows with danny over this latest trouble, but he did tell the bully, very plainly, what he thought of him, and said if danny ever did a thing like that again that he would not get off so easily. "oh, i'm not afraid of you," sneered danny. lessons and fun made up many school days for the bobbsey twins. and, as the fall went on, lessons grew a little harder. even freddie and flossie, young as they were, had little tasks to do that kept them busy. but they liked their school and the teacher, and many were the queer stories they brought home of the happenings in the classroom. it was now toward the end of october, and the weather was getting cooler, though during the day it was still very warm at times. the twins, as did their friends, looked forward to the coming of winter and the christmas holidays. thanksgiving, too, would be a time of rejoicing and of good things to eat, and this occasion was to be made more of than usual this time, for some boys and girls the bobbseys had met in the country and at the seashore were to be invited to spend a few days in lakeport. but before this there was another event down on the program. this was to be a party for flossie and freddie, the occasion being their joint birthdays. "and we're going to have candy!" cried freddie, when the arrangements were talked over. "and ice cream"--added flossie--"a whole freezer full; aren't we, mamma?" "well, i guess a small freezer full won't be any too much," said mrs. bobbsey, smiling. "but i hope none of you eat enough to make yourselves ill." "we won't," promised freddie and flossie. there were busy times in the home of the twins the next few days, for though nan and bert's birthdays were not to be observed, still they were to have their part in the jolly celebration. invitations were sent out, on little sheets of note paper, adorned with flowers, and in cute little envelopes. flossie and freddie took them to the post-office themselves. "my! what a lot of mail!" exclaimed the clerk at the stamp window, as he saw the children dropping the invitations into the slot. "uncle sam will have to get some extra men to carry that around, i guess. what's it all about?" "we're going to have a party," said flossie, proudly. just then danny rugg came into the post-office. "a party; eh?" he sneered. "i'm coming to it, i am; and i'm going to have two plates of ice cream." "you are not!" cried freddie. "my mamma wouldn't let a boy like you come to our party." "'specially not after what you did--telling us to play in the water," added freddie. "you can't come!" "yes, i can," insisted danny, just to tease the children. for a moment flossie and freddie almost believed him, he seemed so much in earnest about it. "you can't come you haven't any invitation," said flossie, suddenly. "i'll take one of those you put in the box," went on the mean boy. "he won't dare--will he?" and freddie appealed to the mail clerk. "i should say not!" said the man at the stamp window. "if he does uncle sam will be after him." "well, i'm coming to that party all the same!" insisted danny, with a grin on his freckled face. flossie and freddie were so worried about him that they told their mother, but she assured them that danny would not come to spoil their fun. finally the afternoon and evening of the party arrived, for the little folks were to come just before supper, play some games, eat, and then stay until about nine o'clock. flossie and freddie had been dressed in their prettiest clothes, and nan and bert also attired for the affair. the ice cream had come from the store, all packed in ice and salt, and dinah had set it out on the back stoop, where it would be cooler. dinah was very busy that day. she hurried about here and there, helping mrs. bobbsey. sam, her husband, also had plenty to do. "i 'clar t' gracious goodness!" dinah exclaimed, "i suah will get thin ef dish yeah keeps up! i ain't set down a minute dis blessed day. my feet'll drop off soon i 'specs." "will they, really, dinah?" asked freddie. "and can we watch 'em fall?" "bress yo' hearts, honeys!" exclaimed the colored cook, "i didn't mean it jest dat way. but suffin's suah gwine t' happen--i feels it in mah bones!" and something was to happen, though not exactly what dinah expected. finally all was in readiness for the guests. the good things to eat were in the kitchen, all but the ice cream, which, as i have said, was out on the back porch. flossie and freddie had gone to the front door nearly a dozen times to see if any of the guests were in sight. snap, as a special favor, had been allowed to stay in the house that afternoon, for the twins were going to make him do tricks for their friends. there came a ring at the door bell. "here they come! here they come!" cried flossie. "let me answer, too," cried freddie, and they both hurried through the front hall to greet the first guest at their party. chapter xiii an unpleasant surprise quickly, after the first guests had arrived came the others. nellie parks, grace lavine friends of nan, and willie porter and his sister sadie, came first, and freddie and flossie let them in, the porter children being some of their bestliked playmates. all the children wore their best clothes, and for a time they were a bit stiff and unnatural, standing shyly about in corners, against the walls, or sitting on chairs. the boys seemed to all crowd together in one part of the room, and the girls in another. flossie and freddie, nan and bert, were so busy answering the door that they did not notice this at first. but aunt sarah, their mother's sister, who had come over to help mrs. bobbsey, looking in the parlor and library, saw what the trouble was. "my!" she cried, with a goodnatured laugh, as she noticed how "stiff" the children were. "this will never do. you're not that way at school, i don't believe. come, be lively. mix up--play games. pretend this is recess at school, and make as much noise as you like." for a moment the boys and girls did not know what to think of this invitation. but just then snap, the circus dog, came in the room, and, with a bark of welcome, he turned a somersault, and then marched around on his hind legs, carrying a broomstick like a gun--pretending he was a soldier. bert had given it to him. then how the children laughed and clapped their hands! and snap barked so loudly--for he liked applause that there was noise enough for even jolly aunt sarah. after that there was no trouble. the boys and girls talked together and soon they were playing games, and having the best kind of fun. for some of the games simple prizes had been offered and it was quite exciting toward the end to see who would win. flossie and freddie thought they had never had such a good time in all their lives. nan and bert were enjoying themselves, too, with their friends, who were slightly older than those who had been asked for the younger bobbsey twins. "going to jerusalem," was one game that created lots of enjoyment. a number of chairs were placed in the centre of the room, and the boys and girls marched around them while mrs. bobbsey played the piano. but there was one less chair than there were players, so that when the music would suddenly stop, which was a signal for each one who could, to sit down, someone was sure to be left. then this one had to stay out of the game. then a chair would be taken away, so as always to have one less than the number of players, and the game went on. it was great fun, scrambling to see who would get a seat, and not be left without one, and finally there was but one chair left, while grace lavine and john blake marched about. mrs. bobbsey kept playing quite some time, as the two went around and around that one chair. everyone was laughing, wondering who would get a seat and so win the game, when, all at once, mrs. bobbsey stopped the music. she had her back turned so it would be perfectly fair. grace and john made a rush for the one chair, but grace got to it first, and so she won. "well, i'm glad you did, anyhow," said john, politely. other games were "peanut races" and "potato scrambles." in the first each player had a certain number of peanuts and they had to start at one end of the room, and lay the nuts at equal distances apart across to the other side, coming back each time to their pile of peanuts to get one. sometimes a boy would slip, he was in such a hurry, or a girl would drop her peanuts, and this made fun and confusion. nan won this race easily. in the potato scramble several rows of potatoes were made across the room. each player was given a large spoon, and whoever first took up all his or her potatoes in the spoons one at a time, and piled them up at the far end of the room, won the game. in this charley mason was successful, and won the prize--a pretty little pin for his tie. the afternoon wore on, and, almost before the children realized it the hour for supper had arrived. they were not sorry, either, for they all had good appetites. "come into the dining room, children," invited mrs. bobbsey. and oh! such gasps of pleased surprise as were heard when the children saw what had been prepared for them! for mr. and mrs. bobbsey, while not going to any great expense, and not making the children's party too fanciful, had made it beautiful and simple. the long table was set with dishes and pretty glasses. there were flowers in the centre, and at each end, and also blooms in vases about the room. then, from the centre chandelier to the four corners of the table, were strings of green smilax in which had been entwined carnations of various colors. the lights were softly glowing on the pretty scene, and there were prettily shaded candles to add to the effect. but what caught the eyes of all the children more than anything else were two large cakes--one at either end of the table. on each cake burned five candles, and on one cake was the name "flossie," while the other was marked "freddie." the names were in pink icing on top of the white frosting that covered the birthday cakes. "oh! oh! oh!" could be heard all about the room. "isn't that too sweet for anything!" "i guess they are sweet!" piped up freddie in his shrill little voice, "'cause dinah put lots of sugar in 'em; didn't you, dinah?" and he looked at dinah, who had thrust her laughing, black, goodnatured face into the dining room door. "dat's what i did, honey! dat's what i did!" she exclaimed. "if anybody's got a toofache he'd better not eat any ob dem cakes, 'cause dey suah am sweet." how the children laughed at that! "all ready, now, children, sit down," said mrs. bobbsey. "your names are at your plates." there was a little confusion getting them all seated, as those on one side of the table found that their name cards were on the other side. but flossie and freddie, and nan and bert, helped the guests to find their proper places and soon everyone was in his or her chair. "can't snap sit with us, too?" asked freddie, looking about for his pet, who had done all his tricks well that evening. "no, dear," said mrs. bobbsey. "snap is a good dog, but we don't want him in the dining room when we are eating. it gives him bad habits." "then can't i send him out some cakes?" asked flossie, for snap had almost as large a "sweet tooth" as the children themselves. "yes, as it is your birthday, i suppose you can give him some of your good things," said mamma bobbsey. "here, dinah!" called freddie to the cook, as he piled a plate full of cakes. "please give these to snap." "land sakes goodness me alive!" cried dinah. "dat suah am queer. feedin' a dog jest laik a human at a party. i can't bring mahself to it, nohow." "i'll take 'em out to him," said her husband. then the feast began, and such a feast as it was! mrs. bobbsey, knowing how easily the delicate stomachs of children can be upset, had wisely selected the food and sweets, and she saw to it that no one ate too much, though she was gently suggestive about it instead of ordering. "don't eat too much," advised freddie to some of the friends who sat near him. "we've got a lot of ice cream coming. save room for that." "that's so--i almost forgot," spoke jimmie black. a little later mrs. bobbsey said to dinah: "i think you may bring in the cream now, and i will help you serve it." "yes, ma'am." "oh, goodie!" cried freddie. "ice cream's coming!" and he waved his spoon above his head. "freddie--freddie!" said his mother, in gentle reproof. dinah went out on the back stoop, looked around and came running back to the dining room, where mrs. bobbsey was. dinah's eyes were big with wonder and surprise. "mrs. bobbsey! mrs. bobbsey!" she cried. "suffin's done gone an' happened!" "what is it?" asked mamma bobbsey, quickly. "is anyone hurt?" "no'm, but dat ice cream freezer hate jest gone and walked right off de back stoop, an' it ain't dere at all, nohow! de ice cream is all gone!" the children looked at one another with pained surprise showing on their faces. the ice cream was gone! chapter xiv a coat button astonishment, surprise and disappointment were so great for a few seconds after the discovery that the best part of the party--the ice cream--was gone, that no one knew, what to say. then flossie burst out with: "are you sure, dinah? maybe it fell off the porch." "deed an' it didn't, honey gal. i done looked eberywhar fo' dat freezer, an' it's jest gone complete." "maybe snap took it," suggested freddie, as a last hope. "once he took my book and hid it. snap, did you take the ice cream?" snap barked and wagged his tail, looking rather pained at being asked such a question. "no, indeedy, snap couldn't take off a big freezer like dat," declared dinah. "it wasn't snap." "then who could it have been?" asked nan. everyone had stopped eating while this talk went on. "who could have taken our ice cream?" "dat's what i don't know, honey," answered the colored cook. "dat's why i comed in heah to tell yo' mamma. i 'spects, mrs. bobbsey, dat we'd better phonograph fo' de police." "phonograph--i guess you mean telephone; don't you, dinah?" asked mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "yes'm, dat's what i done mean. or else maybe we kin send mah man sam down to de station house fo' 'em." "no, i had better telephone, in case it is necessary. but perhaps i had better take a look out there. perhaps the man from the store may have set the cream off to one side." "no'm, he didn't do dat. i took p'ticlar notice where he set it. dere's a wet ringmark on de porch where de freezer was, 'count of de salty water leakin' out. an' dat wet ringmark am all dat's left ob de cream, dar now!" and dinah, standing with her hands on her hips, looked at the startled children, whose mouths were just ready for the ice cream. "well, i'm going to have a look, anyhow," said bert. "come on, charley. maybe, after all, that danny rugg is up to some of his tricks." "i'm with you, bert!" cried charley. "but we ought to have some sort of a light. it's dark out." "i'll get my little pocket electric light," said bert. he had one, and it gave a good light. he went to his room for it. flossie and freddie did not know what to do. that their lovely party should be spoiled by the missing ice cream seemed too bad to be true. "mamma, if we can't find this ice cream, can't we buy more?" flossie wanted to know. "the girls just want some--so bad!" "and the boys, too," added freddie. "oh, i guess we'll manage to get some fo you, if we can't find this," answered mrs. bobbsey. "we may have to wait a little while for it, though." "well, we'll have a look," said bert, as he came down with his little electric lamp. some of his own particular chums, including charley mason, followed him out to the back porch, dinah was in her kitchen, looking behind tables, under the sink, in the pantry and all about, hoping that, somehow or other, the freezer might have gotten in there. but it was not to be found. "well, here's where it stood," said bert, as he looked at the round, wet mark on the porch where the freezer had set. he flashed his torch on it, and then cried out: "and look, boys, here are some spots of water that must have leaked from the wooden tub that holds the tin freezer. see, the water has dripped down on each step! this is the way they carried off our ice cream." the others could see a trail of water drops leading from the stoop down the steps and along the stone walk at the side of the bobbsey house. "now we can follow and see just where they took our cream!" cried bert. "this is the way indians used to trail the white settlers." "let me come!" cried freddie, hearing this. "i want to help hunt whoever took our ice cream." "no, you'd better stay back there," said bert. "why?" his little brother wanted to know. "because it might be--tramps--who have it, and there'd be trouble," said bert. "wait until i get my cap pistol!" cried freddie. "i can scare a tramp with that." "no, you go back there, and stay in the house," went on bert. "if we find tramps have it, we'll get a policeman." "it might be that a tramp did steal up on the steps, and lift off the freezer," said mrs. bobbsey. "bert, be careful," she called to her son, who set off in the darkness with his chums, flashing his electric light from time to time. "i'll look out!" he called back. for some distance it was easy to see which way the ice cream freezer had been carried, for there were the marks of the dripping water. then these stopped about the middle of the sidewalk, and seemed to go over in the grass. "we can't see 'em now," spoke charley. "that's too bad." "well, we'll keep on this way in a straight line," suggested bert. "maybe they took the freezer down back of our berry bushes to eat the cream." "i hope they left some," said john anderson, in a mournful sort of voice. hurrying on after bert, the boys looked eagerly about in the darkness for a sign of the missing ice cream. there were not many chances of them finding it, for though bert's electric torch gave a brilliant light for a short distance, it was not very large. "what's over there?" asked charley, pausing and pointing to a patch of blackness. "an old barn, that we used to use before we had our new one built," answered bert. "why?" "well, maybe they took the ice cream in there to eat it," went on charley. "is it open?" "yes, it's never locked. say, we'll take a look in there, anyhow!" exclaimed bert. "come on, fellows!" he led the way, the others following. as they approached the big, deserted barn frank black exclaimed in a whisper: "i see a light!" "so do i!" added will evans. "and it's moving around," spoke charley mason. "it's them, all right," decided bert. "the tramps who took our ice cream are in there, all right!" "what makes you think they are tramps?" asked will. "well, i'm not sure, of course," admitted bert. "but we can soon tell. come on!" "are you--are you going up there?" asked charley. "sure! why not? i think we can scare em away." the other boys hesitated. some of them were older than bert, and when they saw that he was determined to go on, they made up their minds that they would not let him go alone. "all right--go ahead--we're with you," said charley. bert and the others advanced. as they walked on they could see the light in the barn more plainly. and, as they stopped for a moment they could hear voices talking in low tones. "more than one," whispered charley. "yes, three or four," said bert. they walked ahead again, when suddenly charley stepped on a stick that broke with a loud snap. in an instant the light in the barn went out, and then could be heard the footsteps of several persons running away. "there they are!" shouted bert, dashing forward. "come on, fellows! we'll get 'em now!" "that's right!" cried charley. "come on, surround 'em!" of course this was all said for effect, as the boys had no idea of trying to capture the tramps, or whoever it was that had taken the ice cream. but bert thought that they could scare the thieves away, for the latter could not tell, in the darkness, how many, nor who were after them. flashing his light, bert dashed ahead, followed by the others. into the big barn they went, and, just as they entered the main part, they had a glimpse of someone running out of a side door. "there they go!" cried charley. "we can catch 'em!" "no, let 'em go," advised bert. "here's our ice cream. let's see if there's any left. if there is we'll take it back to the party. we might get into trouble if we went after those fellows." by the gleam of the electric light they could all see the freezer of cream in the middle of the barn floor, near some upturned boxes. a hasty look showed that only a little had been taken out. "there's plenty left!" said bert. "we surprised 'em just in time. now let's get beck to the house." it was rather a triumphant procession that went back to the home of the bobbsey twins, carrying the recovered ice cream freezer. and such a shout of delight from flossie, freddie and the others as greeted the boys! "is there any left?" asked freddie. "plenty," said bert. "and did you catch the bad tramps?" flossie wanted to know. "they got away," her brother said. "but never mind, we scared them before they had a chance to eat much." "i 'clar t' goodness sakes alive!" gasped dinah, when she saw the ice cream freezer carried into her kitchen, "yo' am suttinly a smart boy, massa bert--dat's what yo' suah am!" "oh, well, the others helped me find it," said bert, modestly. as dinah and mrs. bobbsey were dishing out the cream, the colored cook uttered a cry. "look out!" she exclaimed. "dere's suffin black in dere, mrs. bobbsey. maybe it's a stone dem careless tramps put in. wait 'till i gits it out." with a longhandled spoon dinah fished for the black thing, and got it. she put it in a dish, with a small portion of the ice cream, and when the latter had melted, bert, who was inspecting the object, gave a cry of surprise. "why, it's a button--a coat button!" he exclaimed. "a button? how in the world could that get in there?" asked his mother. "unless you boys dropped it in when you were carrying the cream." bert and the other boys quickly looked at their coats. there were no buttons missing. "an' it suah wasn't in when de cream come heah," said dinah. "i knows, fo i took off de kiver an' looked in t' see how hard it were froze. dat button got in since!" "yes, and i think i know how, too!" exclaimed bert. "how?" asked freddie. "it was dropped in by whoever took the freezer. they must have been eating the cream right out of the can, and maybe they dropped the button in. i'll save it." "what for?" asked nan, wonderingly. "i may be able to find out by it, who took the freezer," went on bert. "i'm going to look at the coats of all the fellows in school next week, and if i find one with the button like this missing, i'll know what to think." "be careful not to accuse anyone wrongly," cautioned his mother. bert put the button carefully away, and the party guests were soon eating their ice cream, and discussing the disappearance of the freezer and the finding of it by the boys. then with the playing of more games, and the singing of songs, the affair came to a close, and goodnights were said. "we've had a lovely time!" said the boys and girls to flossie and freddie, as they left. "glad you did--come again," invited the small bobbsey twins. even snap seemed to have enjoyed himself. and when the house was settling down to quietness for the night, and when dinah and mrs. bobbsey were picking up the dishes, the circus dog marched around like a soldier, with a stick for a gun, and one of the fancy caps, that came in the "surprise" packets, on his head. when bert went to bed that night he laid the button found in the ice cream where he would be sure to see it in the morning. "i'm going to find out whose coat that came off of," he said to himself. the little bobbsey twins slept late the next morning, and so did nan, but bert was up early. "i'm going over to the barn, and see if i can tell by looking around it, how many were at our freezer," he said. but there was nothing there to help him in his search. some old boxes, placed in a sort of circle, showed where the ones who had taken the ice cream, had rested to eat it. "they must have had spoons with them," said bert to himself, as he looked about, "that shows they came all prepared to take our ice cream. so they must have known it was going to be here. well, i'll see whose coat has a button missing." it took bert some days to look carefully at the coats of the various boys in school, who might have been guilty of taking the cream. for a time he had no luck, and then, one afternoon, as he noticed danny rugg wearing a coat he seldom had on, bert walked slowly up to him, clasping the button, with his hand, in his pocket. his heart beat fast as he noticed that from the middle of danny's coat a button was gone. and a glance at the others showed bert that they were just like the one found in the ice cream freezer. "i see you've lost a button, danny," said bert, slowly. "hey?" exclaimed the bully, with a start. "i see you've lost a button," repeated bert. "yes, i guess it dropped off. maybe it's home somewhere," said danny. "no, it isn't--it's here!" exclaimed bert, suddenly holding the button out to him. chapter xv thanksgiving for a moment danny rugg just stared at bert. then the bully swallowed a sort of lump that came in his throat, and said: "that isn't my button." "isn't it?" asked bert, politely. "why, it just matches the others on your coat, and it's got a few threads in the holes, and there are some threads in your coat, just where the button was pulled off. i guess it's your button, all right, danny." danny did not say anything. he looked from the button to bert, and then at the space on his coat where a button should have been, but where one was missing. "well--well," he stammered. "maybe it is off my coat, but--but how did you get it, bert bobbsey?" "i found it," was the answer. "don't you want it back?" he held it out to danny, who took it slowly. "well," went on bert, with a queer little smile at his enemy, "why don't you ask me where i found it, danny?" "huh! i don't care where you found it. i s'pose you picked it up around the school yard, where i lost it, playing tag with the fellows." "no, you didn't lose it there," went on bert, still smiling. "you have another guess coming, danny." "pooh! i don't care where you found it," and danny was about to turn away. "wait a minute," said bert. "suppose i say that this button was found in our freezer of ice cream, that you and some other boys took off our stoop the night of flossie's and freddie's party, danny? what about that?" "it isn't--i didn't--you can't prove anything about me, bert bobbsey, and if you go around telling that i took your ice cream, i--" but danny did not know what else to say. he was confused and his face was white and red by turns, for he realized that bert had good proof of what he said. "better go slow," advised bert, calmly. "i don't intend to go around telling what you did. i just want to let you know that i am sure you took our ice cream. "i--i" began danny. "you're only trying to fool me!" he exclaimed. "that button wasn't in it at all!" "wasn't it?" asked bert, quietly. "well, you just ask charley mason, or any of the fellows who were at the party, what we found in the freezer, and see what they say." danny had nothing to reply to this. thrusting the button in his pocket he walked off. bert was sure he had found the boy who had taken the ice cream. later, from a boy who had been friends with danny for some time, but whose father, afterward, decided that his son was getting into bad company, and made him cease playing with the school bully, bert learned that danny had planned to take the ice cream freezer off the porch. he and several boys did this, carrying it to the old barn. they had provided themselves with large spoons, and were having a good time, eating the cream, when they heard the approach of bert and his friends, and fled, leaving the cream behind. it was during a dispute as to who should have the right to first dip into the freezer that danny and a boy named jake harkness had a struggle, and in this danny lost a button which fell into the ice cream without anyone knowing it. the coat danny wore that night he did not put on again for some time, but when he did bert saw the missing button. danny knew that he had been found out, and for a time he had little to say. but bert was boy enough not to be able to keep altogether quiet over his discovery. from time to time he would ask danny: "lost any more buttons, lately?" "you let me alone!" danny would reply, surlily. of course this made talk, the boys wanting to know what it meant, and at last the story came out. this made danny so angry that he picked several quarrels with bert. on his part bert tried to avoid them, but at last he could stand it no longer, and he and danny came to blows again, danny striking first. bert had been brought up with the idea that fighting, unless it could absolutely be avoided, was not gentlemanly, but in this case he could not get out of it. he and danny went at each other with their fists clenched, a crowd of other boys looking on, and urging one or the other to do their best, for both danny and bert had friends, though bert was the best liked. danny struck bert several times, and bert hit back, once hitting danny in the eye. bert's lip was cut, and when the fight was over both boys did not look very nice. but everyone said bert had the best of it. "oh, bert!" exclaimed his mother, when he came home after the trouble with danny. "you've been fighting!" "yes, mother, i have," he admitted. "i'm sorry, but i couldn't help it. danny rugg hit me first. i couldn't run away, could i?" it was a hard question for a mother to answer. no mother likes to think her son a coward, and that was what the boys would have called bert had he not stood up to danny. "i--i just had to!" continued bert. "and i beat him, anyhow, mother." mrs. bobbsey cried a little, and then she made the best of it, and bathed bert's cut lip and bruised forehead. she told his father about it, too, and mr. bobbsey, after hearing the account, asked: "who won?" "well, bert says he did?" "um. well, i've no doubt but what he did. he's getting quite strong." "oh, richard!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, in dismay. "well, boys will er--have their little troubles," said her husband. "i'm sorry bert had to fight, but i'm glad he wasn't a coward. but he mustn't fight any more." then mr. bobbsey sat down to read the evening paper. the weather was getting cooler. several nights there had been heavy frosts, and for some time the papers had been saying that it was going to snow, but the white flakes did not sift down from the sky. thanksgiving was approaching. it was the end of the fall term of school, and there were to be examinations to see who would pass into the next higher classes for the winter season. of course in the case of freddie and flossie, who were still in the kindergarten, the examinations were not very hard, but they were soon to go into the regular primary class, where they would learn to read. and both the twins were very anxious for this. bert and nan had somewhat harder lessons to do, and they had to answer more difficult questions in the examinations. but i am glad to say that all of the bobbsey twins were promoted, and freddie and flossie came home very proud to tell that when they went back again, after the thanksgiving holidays, they would be in the primer reading book. and such preparations as went on for thanksgiving! dinah was busy from morning until night, and when the little twins made inquiries about the turkey they were to have mr. bobbsey said it would be the biggest he could buy. "an' i'se gwine t' stuff him wif chestnuts an' oysters," said dinah. "i tells you what, chilluns, yo' all am suttinly gwine to hab one grand feed." "i wish everybody was," said flossie, a bit wistfully. "i hope our cat snoop, wherever he is, has plenty of milk, and some nice turkey bones." "i guess he will have," said mamma bobbsey, gently. "i hope all the poor children in our school have enough to eat," said freddie. "mr. tetlow said for us to bring what we could for them." "and you never told me!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "why didn't you? i would have sent something." neither bert nor nan had thought to mention at home that a collection would be taken at the school for the poor families in the town. but as soon as mrs. bobbsey heard what freddie said she telephoned to her husband. mr. bobbsey went to see mr. tetlow, and from him learned that there were a number of families who would not have a very happy thanksgiving. then the lumber merchant gave certain orders to his grocer and butcher, and if a number of poor people were not well supplied with food that gladsome season, it was not the fault of mr. bobbsey. but i am getting a little ahead of my story. a few days before thanksgiving mrs. bobbsey, with a letter in her hand, came to where the four twins were in the sitting room, talking over what they wanted for christmas. "guess who are coming to spend thanksgiving with us!" cried mamma bobbsey, as she waved the letter in the air. "uncle bobbsey!" guessed nan. "uncle minturn," said bert. the little twins guessed other friends and relatives, and finally mrs. bobbsey said: "yes, your uncle bobbsey and uncle minturn are coming, and so are your aunts, and cousin harry, cousin dorothy and also hal bingham, whom you met at the seashore." "oh, what a jolly thanksgiving it will be!" cried the bobbsey twins. chapter xvi mr. tetlow asks questions thanksgiving was celebrated in the bobbsey home as it never had been before. i am afraid if i told you all that went on, of the big, brownroasted turkey, of the piles of crisp turkey, of the pumpkin and mince pies, of the nuts and candies, of the big dishes of cranberry sauce, and the plum pudding that dinah carried in high above her head--i am afraid if i told you of all these things there would be trouble. for i am sure you would all be writing to me to ask where the bobbseys lived, so that you might go and see them, and perhaps spend christmas with them. not that they would not be glad to have you, but they have so many friends that their house is sure to be filled over the holidays. so i will simply say that there was the grandest time ever, and let it go at that. uncle and aunt bobbsey--uncle and aunt minturn, from the country and seashore, came, with cousin dorothy and cousin harry then, also, hal bingham arrived, and the bobbsey twins took great delight in showing their former playmates about lakeport. "isn't it lonesome at the seashore now?" asked nan of dorothy, as she walked with her cousin about the busy streets of the town. "not at all," answered dorothy. "the sea is never lonesome for me. it always seems to be telling me something, winter or summer. "i love it in the summer," said nan, "but in the winter it seems so cold and cruel." "that is because you do not know it as well as i do," said dorothy. hal, harry, and bert had fine times together. there was no skating, and the little flurry of snow there had been was not enough for coasting, but they had other fun. "do your ducks miss our duck downy?" asked freddie of his cousin harry. "well, i guess they do," was the laughing answer, for freddie and flossie had a pet duck which they took about with them almost as faithfully as they did snoop. "how is downy, anyhow?" asked harry. "he's fine," answered the little fellow. "want to see him?" and he took his cousin out to the barn where downy had a pen all to himself. "snoop's gone," said freddie, "and so is our silver cup, but maybe we'll get that back. it's in a circus." "in a circus!" cried harry. "i should think your cat might be in a circus, but not a silver cup." "we don't know where snoop is," went on freddie, "'cause he got away at the time of the circus wreck," and he explained about it. "but we are almost sure the circus fat lady has our cup." the thanksgiving holidays came to an end at last and, much to the regret of the bobbseys, their visitors, old and young, had to go back to their homes. "but you'll come again at christmas, won't you?" asked flossie as she said goodbye. "we'll try," said her uncle bobbsey. "but maybe there won't be room, with santa claus and all his reindeers." "oh, we'll make room for you," spoke freddie. "santa claus won't stay long." with a merry peal of laughter the visitors went off to the station, waving farewells. then came rather a quiet time at the bobbsey house, as there always is when visitors go. there seems to be a sort of loneliness, when company leaves, no matter how many there are in the family, nor what fun there is. but the feeling soon passes. "well, we'll soon be at school again," said bert, a day or so before the opening of the winter term. "i wish we'd get some snow. then it would be more fun." "yes," said freddie. "we could build snow forts and have snowball fights. i wish it would snow hard." "so do i, so we could ride down hill," said nan. "is your big bob nearly done, bert?" "no, charley and i have quite a lot of things to do on it yet, but we're going to work every night after school now, and it will soon be finished." "i'm going to have skates for christmas," announced freddie. "i hope the lake will be frozen over by then." "i guess it will be," returned bert. "it's getting colder every night." the bobbseys were back at school. for a time nan and bert, who were in a higher grade, did not like it so well, as they had a strange teacher, and lessons, too, were more difficult. but they were not children who gave up easily, and soon they were at the head of their class as usual. their teacher, too, was much nicer than they had thought at first. they had considered her stern, but it was only her way, and soon wore off. as for freddie and flossie, they had advanced but little except in reading, and this opened a new world to them. "we'll soon be reading books," boasted freddie, on his way home one day. "and i'm going to read all about firemen, soldiers and indians." "oh, i'm not," said flossie. "i'm going to read how to be a nurse, so i can take care of you when you're hurt." "that will be nice," said freddie. one day, at recess, bert saw jim osborne motioning to him in a secret sort of fashion. "come on with us," said jim, who was a new boy in school. "danny rugg and some of the rest of us are going to have some sport." "what doing?" asked bert. "smoking cigarettes back of the coal house. i've got a whole pack." "no; i don't smoke," said bert quietly. "bah! you're afraid!" sneered jim. "cigarettes can't hurt you. it's only cigars and pipes that do." "yes, i admit i am afraid," said bert. "i'm afraid of getting sick. besides, i promised my mother i wouldn't smoke until i was twenty-one, and i'm not going to tell a story. anyhow, i've got an uncle who smokes, and he says cigarettes are worse than a pipe or cigars, and he ought to know." "aw, come on!" urged jim. "no," said bert firmly, and he would not go. jim went off with danny and some of the other boys, and they were laughing among themselves. bert felt that they were laughing at him, but he did not mind. there was to be an examination of the school by some of the members of the board of education late that afternoon, and, directly after recess, mr. tetlow went to each room to tell the pupils and teachers to get ready for it, and to put certain work on the blackboards, so it could be seen. when the principal got to the room where danny rugg and his particular chums sat, mr tetlow, sniffing the air suspiciously, said: "i smell smoke!" "i have been noticing it, too," said the lady teacher. "perhaps the furnace does not work properly." "it isn't that kind of smoke," went on mr. tetlow. "it is tobacco smoke. have any of you boys been smoking during recess?" he asked sternly, looking across the room. no one answered. danny, jim, and some of the others seemed to be studying their geography lessons very hard. "i just want to say a word about cigarette smoking," went on mr. tetlow, "for that is usually how a boy begins. of smoking in general, when a boy gets to be a man, i have nothing to say. some say it is injurious, and others not, in moderation. but there can be no doubt that for a growing boy to smoke is very harmful. again i ask if anyone here has been smoking?" no one replied. the guilty boys bent deep over their books and did not look up. "well, i am sure someone here has," said mr. tetlow. "i can smell it plainly." he walked down the aisles, looking sharply from one boy to another. if he was sure who were the guilty ones he gave no sign. "and i want to add," said mr. tetlow, "that not only is cigarette smoking harmful to the smoker, but it is dangerous. many fires have been caused in that way. if i find out who of my pupils have been smoking around the school they will be severely punished." chapter xvii the first snow there was considerable talk among the boys in danny's room after mr. tetlow departed. and it was noticed that danny and some of his particular friends looked around with rather frightened faces, over their shoulders, as they talked among themselves. what they said could not be heard, for they spoke in whispers. "i hope you weren't one of those boys, bert," said nan, as she passed her brother on the way home from school that afternoon. "if you were--" "you needn't worry," he said, with a smile. "i'm not ready to smoke yet." "nor ever, i hope," said nan, as she turned up her little nose. "it--it smells so." nothing more was heard of the smoking matter for several days, and it was about forgotten, when something else came to claim the attention of the bobbsey twins and their friends. it was toward the close of school one afternoon, when all the pupils were wishing the hands of the clock would point to letting-out time, that nan, looking from the window, and away from her arithmetic book, saw a few white flakes of snow sifting lazily down. at once she was all attention, and her lesson was forgotten. "oh!" she thought, "it's snowing! and it looks as if it would be a big storm. oh, i'm so glad!" nan did not know all the trouble and misery a big snow storm can cause, so she may be forgiven for wishing for one. she only saw the side of it that meant fun for her and her friends. the flakes were coming down faster now, and there was about them something which seemed to tell that this storm would be more than a mere flurry or squall, and that it would keep up for some time, making big drifts. but now a number of other pupils in the room had noticed the storm, and eyes were out of doors rather than on books. the teacher saw that she was not getting the attention of her class, and she understood the reason. "now, boys and girls," she said gently, "you can have a good time in the snow after you get out of here. so please give attention to your lessons for a few minutes more. then you will be finished. nan bobbsey, you may go to the board and do the third example." but nan was thinking so much of the fun she might have riding down hill, or snowballing with her friends, that she got the example wrong, and had to go to her seat. nor was bert any more successful. bert was busy thinking about putting a bell and a steering wheel on the new bob he and charley had made, and when he was asked how many times two and a half went into ten he answered: "three." he was thinking how many times he would ring the bell on the bob when he came to a street crossing. when the bobbsey twins, little and big, came out of school the snow was coming down more thickly. the flakes were not so large, but there were more of them, and they blew here and there in the wind, drifting into piles that would make the shoveling off of walks hard the next day. there were just about enough of the white crystals on the ground, when the school children came out to make a few snowballs, and this they at once proceeded to do. danny rugg, who had not forgiven bert for the many times the bobbsey lad had gotten the best of him, threw a ball at freddie. but bert was on the watch, and managed to jump up and catch the white missile in his hand. then he threw it at danny, striking him on the neck. "here! where you throwin'?" demanded danny, in angry tones. "the same place you are," replied bert, not a bit afraid. "good weather for ice cream, danny," he added, and danny went off in an angry fashion. other boys and girls too, threw the snowballs, but it was in goodnatured fun, and no one was hurt. some rough boys did use hard snowballs, but they were soon left to play among themselves, while the others amused themselves with soft and fluffy missiles, which, breaking as they hit, scattered the white stuff all over, harming no one. the girls, while they played at this sport, also indulged in washing the faces of each other. with handsful of snow they rubbed the ears and cheeks of their chums so that there came a healthy glow to the skin. one or two children, who lived near the school, ran in their yards as soon as the classes were dismissed, and brought out their sleds. but the snow was too thin to pack well and at best the coasting was not good. "but it soon will be," declared bert, as he and charley walked along. "we must finish our bob in a hurry." "all right. we'll work on it late tonight." and so the sound of hammer, plane and saw was heard in the old barn, where the sled was being built, until nearly ten o'clock. "she ought to go very fast!" exclaimed charley, as they paused to look at their sled. "i'm sure she will," agreed bert. "and we'll put some carpet on the top of the main board, for a cushion for some of the girls." his chum agreed that this would be a good plan, and so the bob was made very attractive for the girls. bert and charley took the big sled out for a private trial on a little hill behind the barn without telling anyone about it. they slid down very swiftly, and as they were walking up again bert said: "i think we have a fast one all right, charley." "i'm sure we have," was the answer. "it will pass anything on the main hill," went on bert, and his friend believed him. the storm kept up all night, and in the morning there was snow enough to suit anyone. bert laughed as he looked out of the window and saw it. "there'll be coasting now all right!" he cried, as he saw the big stretch of white over the fields and on the hills. "we can have bob sled races, too." "can't we come?" asked flossie. "we like sled rides," added freddie. "you may come part of the time," answered bert. "but big sleds aren't for little folks like you." not far from the bobbsey home was a long hill that was most excellent for coasting. it was on this that charley and bert had decided to test their new sled on a long stretch. as they hauled it from the barn where it had been made, and started to pull it to the hill, there were many laughs at the odd homemade affair. for bert and charley had done most of the work themselves, and it was rather rough. "she'll never coast!" cried one boy, with a laugh. he was quite a friend of danny's. "here comes the sled that can, though!" cried another, and danny himself came into view, pulling a fine, new, big bob after him. "that's the fastest one on the hill," boasted another lad who was helping danny pull his sled. "well, i think ours is fast, too," said bert calmly. "do you want to race?" asked danny with a sharp glance at bert. "i don't mind," was the answer. it was after school, following the first snow, and the hill was just right for coasting. "come on! come on!" cried a number of boys and girls, as they heard what went on between danny and bert. "there's going to be a race on the big hill between the big bobs." there was much excitement. the sleds were the two largest owned by anyone in the neighborhood, and both were fine ones. danny had bought his, but bert and charley had made theirs, and so, though it was not so fancy, it was stronger. most eyes were on danny's sled, for it was painted in bright colors, and brightly varnished. it had a red cushion of carpet on the top, and places at the side to rest one's feet. the bob of bert and charley was built just the same, but it was painted in homemade fashion, and the carpet seat was an old and faded one. but it had a new gong and a fine big steering wheel. "all ready for the race," cried danny, as he got his sled in position. "who's going down with me?" a number of boys came forward. "who's going with bert and me?" asked charley, and several others stepped forward. "go ahead, if you want to come in last!" sneered danny, as he got his sled in place. "i'll tell 'em you're coming, bert." "all right," was the cool answer. "get in, boys!" soon both sleds were filled, and all was ready for the big race--the first of the season. chapter xviii a night alarm "are you all ready?" called danny to bert, looking over at the homemade bob, and there was something like contempt in his tone. "all ready," answered bert. "i'll start as soon as you give the word." "we ought to have someone to shove us off," suggested danny. "it won't be fair if one or the other gets a headstart." "hi! he's afraid already!" cried charley mason. "he knows we're going to beat!" "i am not!" retorted danny. "it will be a walkover for me once i start. but i don't want bert bobbsey saying i took advantage of him, after the race is over." "you needn't be afraid--i won't say so--i won't have to," replied bert. "all the same i think it would be better if we each had a push. i want to be fair, too." "hey, bert!" called a shrill voice, as the elder bobbsey lad was looking about for some on the hill to whom he might appeal. "can't i ride down with you, bert?" it was freddie who called, and he came running up, anxious to take part in the exciting race. "no, freddie, not this time," explained bert kindly. "i want only large boys with me in the race. i'll give you a ride afterward." "after i beat him, he means," sneered danny. "come on, let's race if we're going to," called some of the boys on danny's sled. "yes; don't stay here all day." "get a move on!" "we'll beat, anyhow, what's the use of racing?" there were only a few of things that those on the big new sled of danny's, called to those on bert's bob. on their part bert's friends voiced such remarks as: "we're not so strong on looks, but we'll get there first!" "we're going to give danny a tow to the bottom of the hill!" "he won't know he's moving, once bert's sled gets started going!" "well, what are we going to do?" asked danny at last. "shall we shove off ourselves?" just then there came along two large boys, frank cobb, and his particular chum, irving knight. "what's going on here; a race?" asked frank. "it looks that way," said irving. "oh, will you push us off?" begged bert, appealing to frank, whose father worked in mr. bobbsey's lumber yard. "sure we will," answered frank goodnaturedly. "take the other sled, irving," he said to his chum, "and we'll give 'em an even start. then we'll see which beats, and may the best sled win!" "that's what i say!" cried irving. the two larger boys took their places behind the bobs. they slowly shoved them to the edge of the hill, held them there a moment, and, at a nod to each other, shoved them down evenly. "hurray!" cried the crowd of other coasters. "there they go!" "and danny's ahead!" said some of his friends. "no, bert's sled is!" shouted his admirers. as a matter of fact, though, both sleds were even at the start. on and on they went very swiftly, for the hill had been worn smooth. then bert saw his bob getting ahead a little, and he felt that he was going to win easily. but he was glad too soon, for, a little later, danny's sled shot ahead, and for some distance was in the lead. "can't you beat him, bert?" whispered charley mason, who sat just behind his chum. "i hope so," was the answer. "but i can't really do anything. we just have to depend on the sled, you know." "steer a little more over to the left," suggested another boy. "it looks smoother there." "i will," said bert, and he turned the steering wheel of his bob while luke morton, in the rear, pulled hard on the bell, making it clang out a loud warning. "look out where you're going, bert bobbsey!" warned danny, looking back. "you're coming over on my side of the hill!" "no i'm not. i'm away from the middle even," said bert. "besides, i'm behind you." "i know you are, and you're going to stay there; but i don't want you to run into me." bert thought of the time, the winter before, when danny had run into him, and broken his sled, but he said nothing. he did not want that kind of an accident to be repeated if he could help it. on, on and on dashed the big bobs, with the crowd on the hill, and a number of coasters scattered along the way, watching anxiously. as soon as bert had steered over to the left his sled began to go faster, as the snow was packed better there. he was fast catching up to danny, when one of the boys on that bob, looking back, saw it, and warned the steersman. "he's coming, danny," he cried. "oh, he is; eh? well, he won't pass me," and danny steered his sled over directly in front of bert's, almost causing bert to collide with him. "shame!" cried some watchers. "that wasn't fair!" "let him keep on his own side then," warned danny. but this mean trick did danny little good for, though bert was forced to go to the right, to avoid crashing into danny, he, most unexpectedly, found good coasting there, and he shot ahead until his sled was even with that of the bully's. "better look out, danny," warned the boy sitting directly back of him. "he's crowding us fast." "oh, it's only a spurt. we'll soon be at the bottom of the hill and win." on and on came bert's bob, the flier. it was a little ahead of danny's now, and the latter, seeing this, steered over, thinking the going was better there. "look out!" warned bert. "who's crowding over now?" "well, i've got a right here!" snarled danny. but bert knew his rights also, and would not give away. he held to his place, and danny dared not come too close. then, as bert found himself on smooth, hardpacked snow, he steered as straight as he could. more and more ahead of danny he went, until he was fully in front of him. "we're going to win! we're going to win!" cried bert's friends. "we're going to win the race!" danny was wild with anger. he steered his sled over sharply, hoping to get on the same track as was bert and so pass him. but it was not to be. danny took too sudden a turn, and the next instant his bob overturned, spilling everyone off. there was a cry of surprise at the accident, and some of those on bert's sled looked back. bert himself looked straight ahead as a steersman always should. "danny's upset!" cried charley. "i'm sorry!" said bert. "now he'll claim the race wasn't fair." and that is what danny did when he picked himself up, and walked down to meet bert, whose bob got safely to the foot of the hill, and so won the race. "aw, i'd have beaten if you hadn't gotten in my way so i had to steer over," cried danny. "don't talk that way now," said irving, who, with frank cobb had come to the end of the hill. "bert beat you fair and square." "aw, well," grumbled danny. "i'll race over again, if you like," offered bert. "yes, and do the same thing," grumbled danny. "i will not. i know my sled is the best." but few others, save those who hoped for a ride on it, agreed with the bully, and bert's homemade bob was held to be champion of the hill. then came many more coasts, bert giving nan and flossie and freddie, and a number of their little girl and boy friends, several rides. until late that evening the coasting kept up, and bert and charley were congratulated on all sides for the fine bob they had made. and what fun bert had home after supper, telling of how he had won the race! it was in the middle of the night, when the bobbsey household was awakened by the ringing of fire bells. they all heard the alarm, and as papa bobbsey counted the number, he said to his wife: "that must be near here. guess i'll look. it's a windy night and a fire in my lumber yard would be very bad." as he went to the window he saw a glare on the sky in the direction of the lake. "it is near here!" he said. "the engines are going past our house! i'd better take a look." "can i come?" asked the little "fat fireman" from his cot. "take me, papa!" chapter xix who was smoking? mr. bobbsey laughed, though he was worried about the fire. it seemed so odd for freddie to want to go out in the cold, dark night. "not this time, my fat fireman!" said freddie's papa. "it may be only a pile of rubbish on fire. i'll tell you about it when i come back." "where does it seem to be?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "down near the lake," answered her husband. "i'm afraid, he added in a lower voice, that it may be our boathouse. it seems to be about there." "oh, i hope not!" she exclaimed. "still, better that than our own house." "if it's near the lake, papa," said flossie who heard part of what her father said, "it will be easy to put it out, for there is plenty of water." "pooh! engines have their own water!" exclaimed freddie, who had rather hazy notions as to how fire engines work. he was getting over his disappointment about not being allowed to go with his father, and had again cuddled down in his warm crib. another engine dashed by the bobbsey house, and the ringing of the alarm bell increased. the voices and footsteps of many persons, as they rushed on to the blaze, could also be heard, and there resounded the cry of: "fire! fire! fire!" bert, who had been aroused with the others of the household, was dressing in his room. he felt that his father would let him go to the fire. at any rate he intended to be all ready when he made his request, so as not to cause delay. "are you going, bert?" asked nan, as from her room, next to that of her brother, she heard him moving around. "i am, if father will take me," he said. "it's too cold for me!" nan exclaimed with a shiver, as she went back in bed again. she had gotten up to peer from the window at the red glare in the sky. from the third floor, where dinah slept, the colored cook now called down: "am anybody sick, mrs. bobbsey? what am de mattah down dere?" "it's a fire, dinah!" answered her mistress. "oh good land a'massy! don't tell me dat!" she cried. "sam! sam! wake up. de house is on fire an' you'se got t' sabe me!" "no, no, dinah!" cried mrs. bobbsey, to calm the cook. "it isn't this house. it's down by the lake. if you look out of your window you can see it." dinah hurried across to her window, and evidently saw the reflection of the blaze, for she exclaimed: "thank goodness it ain't yeah! mah goodness, but i suah was skarit fo' a minute!" by this time mr. bobbsey had dressed, and had started downstairs. bert came out of his room, also ready for the street. "may i come, father?" he asked. "well, i declare!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, in surprise. "so you got dressed too, did you?" "yes, sir. may i come?" mr. bobbsey hesitated a moment, and then, with a smile, said: "well, i suppose so, since you are all ready. i'm taking bert," he called to his wife. "freddie, you'll have to be the fat fireman while i'm gone, and look after the house." "that's what i will," said freddie, "and if any sparks fly over here i'll throw the bath room sponge on 'em!" "good!" cried mr. bobbsey, and then, he and bert hurried out. the fire was now larger, as they could see when they got out in the street. there was no wind and the flames went straight up in the air. there were not many buildings down by the lake, only some boat shelters and places like that. the bobbsey's boathouse was a fine large one, having recently been made bigger as mr. bobbsey was thinking of buying a new motor boat. mr. bobbsey and his son hurried on, following the crowd that filled the street leading to the lake. several gentlemen knew the lumber merchant, and called to him. "i guess you're glad this isn't your lumber yard," said one. "yes, indeed," was the answer. "i had a little fire there once, and i don't want another. but i'm afraid this is some of my property just the same." "is that so?" "yes, it looks to be my boathouse." "so it does!" cried another man. "oh, father!" cried bert. "our nice boathouse!" "well, the firemen may save it," said mr. bobbsey. "we will hope so, anyhow," he added. they had not gone on much farther before mr. bobbsey and bert could see that it was indeed their boathouse on fire. one side was all ablaze, and the flames were slowly, but surely, eating their way over the whole place. but two engines were now pumping streams of water on the fire, and they might put it out before too much damage was done. mr. bobbsey rushed forward, and, as the policemen and firemen knew him, they let him get close to the boathouse. "you stay here, bert," said mr. bobbsey to his son. "where are you going?" bert wanted to know. "i'm going to see if we can save any of the boats." there was a sailing craft, a number of rowboats, and a small gasoline launch in the boathouse. they had been stored away for the winter. "come on, men!" cried mr. bobbsey, as he saw some of his workmen in the crowd. "help me save the boats!" all rushed forward willingly, and, as there was part of the place where the flames had not yet reached, they could make their way into the house. they began lowering the boats into the icy water, while the firemen played the several lines of hose on the flames. the third engine was now working, and so much water was pumped that even a larger fire could not have stood it for very long. the blaze began to die down, and when mr. bobbsey and his men were about to lower the gasoline launch into the icy water the chief ran up, saying: "you don't need to do that! we've got the fire under control now. it will soon be out." "are you sure?" asked the lumber merchant. "yes. you can see for yourself. leave the boat there. it will be all right." mr. bobbsey looked, and was satisfied that the larger part of the boathouse would be saved. so he and his men stopped their work; and went outside to cool off. a little later the fire was practically out, but one engine continued to throw water on the smouldering sparks. the crowd began to leave now, for there was nothing more to see, and it was cold. "my!" exclaimed bert as his father came back to where he had left his son, "it didn't take long to settle that fire." "no, we have a good fire department," replied mr. bobbsey. the fire chief came up to mr bobbsey, who expressed his thanks for the quick work of the firemen. "have you any idea what started the fire, mr. bobbsey?" asked the chief. "was the boathouse in use?" "no," was the answer. "it had been closed for the winter some time ago--in fact as soon as the carpenters finished making the changes. no one was in it as far as i know." "then how do you account for this?" asked the chief, as he held out a box partly filled with cigarettes. "i picked these up in the living room," he went on, for the boathouse had one room carpeted, and fitted with chairs and tables, and electric lights where the family often spent evenings during summer. "you found those cigarettes in the living room of the boathouse?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i did; and the question is who was smoking?" went on the chief. "in my opinion the end of a cigarette thrown aside, or perhaps a lighted match dropped in some corner, started this fire. who was smoking?" chapter xx a confession the chief handed mr. bobbsey the half-emptied cigarette box. mr. bobbsey turned it over and over in his hand, as though trying to learn to whom it belonged. "they are something i never use," he said. "i don't suppose we could tell, from this, who had it?" "no," and the chief shook his head. "it's a common kind, and a good many of the stores sell 'em. a good many of the boys smoke 'em, too--that's the worst of it," and he looked at bert a bit sharply. "oh, you needn't be afraid for my boy!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey hastily. "i have bert's promise that he won't smoke until he's man, and perhaps he won't want to then." "good!" exclaimed the chief heartily; "that's what i like to hear. but it's as certain as guns is, and nothing more certain than them, that some one was smoking in your boathouse, and set fire to it. and i wish we could find out who it was." "so do i!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "if only to teach them a lesson on how dangerous it is to be careless. well, i suppose we can't do anything more," and he sighed, for half the beautiful boathouse was in ruins. mr. bobbsey and bert were soon at home, telling the news to the folks. freddie's eyes opened wide in surprise as he listened to the account of how the firemen had put out the fire. "oh, i wish i could have been there!" he cried. "i could have helped." "what caused the fire?" asked mrs. bobbsey of her husband, when the children had gone to bed again. "some boys--or some one else smoking cigarettes, the chief thinks. we found a half-emptied box." in her room nan heard the word "cigarettes" and she wondered if her brother could be at fault, for she remembered he had told her how once some boys had asked him to go off in secret and smoke. mr. bobbsey was up early, for he wanted to see by daylight what damage the fire had done, and he also wanted to see the insurance company about the loss. the beautiful boathouse looked worse in the daylight than it had at night, and the neat living room, where some of the bobbseys had spent many happy hours, while others of them were out in the boats, was in ruins. the fire chief came down while mr. bobbsey was there, and they talked matters over. the chief said he would send one of his men around to the different stores that sold cigarettes, to try and learn if boys had purchased any that afternoon, for it was against the law to sell cigarettes to anyone under sixteen years of age. one afternoon danny's father, mr. rugg, came home unexpectedly, and, wanting something that was out in his barn went to get it. as he entered the place he heard a scramble of feet, some excited whispers, and then silence. he was sure that some one was in the place and had run to hide. "who's there?" called mr. rugg sharply. there was no answer, but he listened and was sure he heard some one in the little room where the harness was kept. he walked over to the door, and tried to open it. some one on the inside was holding it, but mr. rugg gave a strong pull, and the door flew open. to the surprise of mr. rugg he saw his son danny, and a number of boys, hiding there, and the smell of cigarette smoke was very strong. "danny!" exclaimed his father sternly, "what does this mean?" "we--were--playing!" stammered danny. "playing hide and seek." "and to play that is it necessary to smoke?" mr. rugg asked sharply. "we--we aren't smoking," answered danny. "not now, but you have been. i can smell it plainly. go into the house, danny, and these other boys must go home. if i find them smoking in my barn again i shall punish them. you might have set it on fire." danny had nothing to say, indeed, there was little he could say. he had been caught in the act. the other boys slunk off, and danny went into the house, his father following. "danny, i am very sorry to learn this," said mr. rugg. "i did not know that you smoked--a boy of your age!" "well, i never smoked much. lots of the fellows smoke more than i do." "that is no excuse. it is a bad habit for a boy. you may go to your room. i will consider your case later." from then on mr. rugg did some hard thinking. he began "putting two and two together" as the old saying has it. he remembered the bobbsey boathouse fire. on that occasion danny had come in late, and there had been the smell of smoke on his clothes. mr. rugg went to his son's room. a search showed a number of empty cigarette boxes, and cigarette pictures, and the boxes were all of the same kind--the kind that had been found in the halfburned boathouse. danny was accused by his father of having been smoking in the boathouse just before the fire, and danny was so miserable, and so surprised at being caught in the barn, that he made a full confession. tearfully he told the story, how he and some other boys, finding the boat house unlocked, for some unknown reason, had gone in, and smoked to their heart's content. they did not mean to cause the fire, and had no idea that they were to blame. one of the boys was made ill by too much smoking, and they all hurried away. but they must have left a smouldering stump of cigarette in some corner, or a carelessly thrown match, that started the blaze. then, when the fire bells sounded, and they learned what had happened, danny and all the boys promised each other that they would keep the secret. "well, danny, i can't tell you how sorry i am," said mr. rugg, when the confession was over. "sorry not only that mr. bobbsey's boathouse was burned, but because you have deceived me, and your good mother, and smoked in secret. i feel very badly about it." danny did, too, for though he was not a very good boy, his heart was in the right place, and with a little more care he might have been a different character. there was, however, hope for him. "you must be punished for this," went on mr. rugg, "and this punishment will be that you are not to have the motor boat i promised you for next summer. perhaps it will be a lesson to you." danny wept bitterly, for he had counted very much on having this boat. but it was a good lesson to him. mr. rugg also told the fathers of the other boys whom he caught with his son, and these boys were punished in different ways. mr. rugg also informed mr. bobbsey how the boathouse had been set afire, and expressed his sorrow. and so the mystery was cleared up. chapter xxi the fat lady's letter "well," remarked nan bobbsey, a few days after it had become known that danny rugg was to blame for the fire in the boathouse, "i wish we could find out, as easily as we found out about danny, who has our cat snoop." "so do i," added flossie. "poor snoop! i do miss him so much." "so do i!" exclaimed freddie. "but snap is a nice dog, and i guess i like dogs better than cats, anyhow." "why, freddie bobbsey!" cried nan. "don't you love snoop any more?" "oh, yes, 'course i do, but then he isn't here to be loved, and snap is." "yes, i guess that does make a difference," admitted nan. "i wonder if papa wouldn't let us go down to the railroad office and inquire once more about him? maybe, as it's getting cold weather now, snoop will come in from the fields where he may have been staying ever since the railroad wreck." "let's ask," cried freddie, always ready for action. it was saturday, and there was no school. bert had gone off coasting on his new bob, but nan did not want to go, her mother having asked her to stay and help with the dusting. but now the little bit of housework was over, and nan was free. "we'll go down to papa's office," she said to flossie and freddie, "and ask him if we can go to the railroad. i know one of the ticket agents and he can tell us of whom to ask about our cat." mrs. bobbsey had no objections, and soon, with flossie and freddie at her side, nan set off for her father's office in the lumber yard. the smaller twins were delighted. "and maybe we can find our silver cup, too," suggested freddie, as they trudged along in the snow, now and then stopping to make a white ball, which he threw at the fence or telegraph pole. "the fat lady has our cup--i'm sure of that," said flossie. "well, we can ask papa if he has heard from the circus people," suggested nan. mr. bobbsey was rather surprised to see his three children come into the office, but he was glad to meet them, for it made a break in his day's work. after a little thought he said they might go to the railroad office to inquire about snoop. nan and her brother and sister went in a trolley car, and were soon at the depot. but to their disappointment there was no news of snoop. the fat, black cat seemed to have completely disappeared. "i've had the switchmen and trackmen keep a lookout for some time past," the agent told nan, for mr. bobbsey did a large business in shipping lumber over the railroad, and many of the men were his friends. "one of the switchmen near where the wreck was, caught a lot of cats, that must have been living out in the fields all summer," went on the agent, "but they were all sorts of colors. none was pure black, so i knew they could not be yours. i'm sorry." "yes, so are we," replied nan. "well, i guess snoop is lost for good. he has been away a long time now." on the way back to mr. bobbsey's office, the trolley car got off the track, on account of so much snow on the rails, and the children spent some time watching the men get it back, the electricity from the wire and rails making pretty flashes of blue fire. "what luck?" asked mr. bobbsey, as the three came in his private office, their faces shining and red with the glow of winter. "none," said nan sadly. "snoop is gone." "have you heard from the circus fat lady yet, papa?" asked flossie. "yes, we want our cup back," added her brother. "no word yet," answered mr. bobbsey. "that circus is traveling all over cuba, and the letters i sent never seem to catch up to them. however, i am sending one on ahead now, to a city where they will soon give a show. the fat lady will find it there waiting for her, and she may answer then." and with this the children had to be content. getting back home, flossie and freddie took out their sleds and went for a coast on a small hill, not far from their home. this was where the smaller children had their fun, leaving the larger hill for the bigger girls and boys. "well, after this i think we all need something to cheer us up," said papa bobbsey, who came home from the office early that day. "oh, have you got something good?" asked nan, for she saw a queer little twinkle in her father's eyes, and she knew that this generally meant a treat of some kind. "i have some good news, if you would like to hear it," he said, as he drew a letter from his pocket. "is it to tell that some of our friends are coming to see us?" asked bert. "well, yes, i think you will call it a visit from a friend--at least part of it," said papa bobbsey. "now listen. this is a letter from the fat lady in the circus." "what!" cried flossie, "--the one who has our cup?" "the same," said mr. bobbsey with a smile. "and she has more than your cup. listen," and he read the letter. it was too long to put it all in here, but it went on to say how the fat lady really had the valuable silver cup belonging to the twins. "they loaned it to me to drink from," she wrote, "and when the train stopped so suddenly, there was so much confusion that i put it in my valise by mistake. i have had it ever since and have been wondering how i could send it back to you. the circus went to cuba soon after that, and has been traveling around that island ever since. i have only just received your last letter asking me about the cup, or i would have answered before. if you will send me directions how to ship the cup to you i shall be very glad to return it." "oh goodie!" cried freddie. "we'll have our nice cup again!" "is that all in the letter, papa?" asked flossie. "no, not quite," he said. "i'll read a little more," and he read: "when our circus was wrecked we lost a valuable trick dog. he could play soldier, say his prayers, turn somersaults, and do a number of tricks. the ringmaster feels very badly about losing him, and has tried to locate him, but without success. if you should hear of anyone near you having such a dog we would be much obliged if you would send him to us as he belongs to the circus." there was a moment of silence after mr. bobbsey read this, and then freddie said: "why that must be snap--our pet dog! oh, papa you won't give him back to the circus; will you?" chapter xxii snap and snoop all of the bobbsey twins--nan, bert, flossie and freddie--looked so serious over the prospect of losing snap that mr. bobbsey had to laugh. he just couldn't help it. "well, i don't see anything to make fun over," said nan, with a little pout. "why, you all act as though you had lost your best friend--or were going to." "well, snap is one of our best friends, aren't you snap?" said freddie. "still, if he belongs to the circus i don't see but what i'll have to send him back," went on mr. bobbsey, slowly. at this flossie burst into tears, and mrs. bobbsey, putting her arms about the little girl, said to her husband: "are you in earnest richard? don't tease the child." "i'm not, mary. the fat lady wrote just that. i believe the dog we have does belong to the circus." "then we'll have to give him up i suppose," and mrs. bobbsey sighed, for she had grown very much attached to the fine animal. "well, we won't have to send him back right away," said mr. bobbsey. "i will have to get more particulars. but i did not finish the fat lady's letter." "what! is there more news in it?" asked nan. "listen," said mr. bobbsey, as he went on reading: "we are sorry about losing our trick dog," the fat lady wrote, "but i picked up a big black cat when i walked out of the train. i brought him to cuba with me, and i am teaching him tricks. he may be as valuable as our dog was." "a black cat!" cried nan. "it's our snoop!" shouted freddie, "yes, that's it! the fat lady has our cat as well as our cup. oh, papa, make her give back our snoop!" mr. bobbsey laughed. "you see how it is," he said. "she has our cat, and we have their dog. we'll have to give up our dog to get our cat." the bobbsey twins had not thought of this before. they looked strangely at one another. "papa!" cried freddie, jumping up and down in his excitement, "can't we keep both--the circus dog and our cat? oh, do please, let us." "but maybe snap would fight snoop," said flossie. "we wouldn't want that." freddie thought for a moment. "i don't believe he would," he said at last. "well," said papa bobbsey, after a bit, "i'll see what i can do. i'll write to the fat lady, telling her how to ship your silver cup, and also how to send snoop. and i'll ask if we can buy snap. how will that do?" "fine!" cried all the bobbsey twins at once, and they made a rush for mr. bobbsey, hugging and kissing him. the letter was sent to the fat lady, and then came a time of anxious waiting. never before had the children seemed to care so much for snap. one day a letter came, saying that the silver cup had been sent, and also snoop, the cat. "but what about snap, papa?" asked nan. "does she say the circus will sell him?" "no, the man who owns him is away for a few days. when he comes back he will let me know. but, anyhow, you will have your cup and cat back." "but we want snap, too!" said flossie. several more days passed. they lengthened into a week, and still no news came from where the circus was: all the bobbsey twins could hope was that their cat and cup were on the way, and that the man who owned snap would consent to sell him. the twins did not feel much like having fun. there was a warm spell, and all the snow had melted. one day an express wagon stopped in front of the bobbsey house. it was a saturday, and there was no school, and, as it happened, all four of the twins were in. "two boxes for you, mrs. bobbsey," said the driver, as he opened his receipt book. "i'll bring them in while you sign." the man came up the walk with two boxes. one was small, and the other larger, with slats on one end. and from this box came a peculiar noise. "listen!" cried bert. "it's a cat!" shouted freddie. "it's snoop--our snoop!" cried flossie. quickly the boxes were carried into the house. bert got a hammer and screw driver and soon had opened the one containing the black cat. snap, the dog, walked slowly into the room. "oh dear!" cried flossie as she saw him, "now maybe they'll fight!" "i'll hold snap," volunteered freddie. "come on, snoop! come out!" cried bert, as he pried off the last slat. "meouw!" cried snoop, as he came slowly out of the box in which he had ridden from cuba. out walked the black cat. he looked about him strangely for a moment, and then began to purr, and rubbed up against flossie's legs. they all looked anxiously at snap. the dog glanced at the cat, stretched lazily and wagged his tail. snoop came over to him, and the two animals sniffed at each other, mrs. bobbsey holding snap by the collar. then, to the surprise of all, snoop rubbed against the legs of the dog, and, on his part, snap, wagging his tail in friendly, welcoming fashion, put out his red tongue and licked snoop's fur. "he's kissing snoop! he's kissing snoop!" cried freddie. "yes, they love each other!" exclaimed flossie. "they are not going to fight! oh, how glad i am!" and she danced in delight. "oh, if only we can keep snap now," said nan, while mrs. bobbsey, satisfied that the two animals would be friends, had opened the other express box. it contained the twins' silver cup, so long missing. mr. bobbsey came home soon after that his face was smiling. "oh, papa!" flossie greeted him, "snoop came, and snap kissed him!" "may we keep snap, papa?" asked freddie. "yes," was mr. bobbsey's answer. "i have a letter from the circus man, and he will sell snap to me. i have already sent the money. and there is another letter from the fat lady, telling about some of the new tricks she taught snoop, so you can make him do them." "oh! oh! oh!" cried the bobbsey twins in firelight, as they looked at their two pets. "what lots of things have happened since we came back from the seashore," said nan, little later. "i wonder if the rest of the winter will be as lively as this first part has been?" "maybe," said bert with a smile. and whether it was or not you may learn by reading the next volume of this series, to be called: "the bobbsey twins at snow lodge," in which we will once more hear of the doings of flossie, freddie nan and bert. after reading the fat lady's second letter the twins got snoop to do some of the tricks the cat had learned. he was not as smart at them as snap was at his, but then cats never do learn to do tricks as well as do dogs. still everyone agreed that the fat lady had done her training well. as for snap, he and snoop became firmer friends every day, and often the cat went to sleep on snap's back, or between his forepaws as he lay stretched out in front of the fire. and the silver cup, which, with snoop, had gone on such a long journey, was put back in its place on the mantle, to be admired by all. now my little story has come to an end, but i hope you children who have read it will care to hear more of the bobbsey twins and the things they did. so i will say goodbye for a while, trusting to meet you all again. [illustration: flossie and freddie raised the hoop just in time.] the bobbsey twins at school by laura lee hope contents chapter i. a circus train ii. snoop is gone iii. a queer dog iv. home in an auto v. snap does tricks vi. danny rugg is mean vii. at school viii. bert sees something ix. off to the woods x. a scare xi. danny's trick xii. the children's party xiii. an unpleasant surprise xiv. a coat button xv. thanksgiving xvi. mr tetlow asks questions xvii. the first snow xviii. a night alarm xix. who was smoking? xx. a confession xxi. the fat lady's letter xxii. snap and snoop the bobbsey twins at school chapter i a circus train "mamma, how much longer have we got to ride?" asked nan bobbsey, turning in her seat in the railroad car, to look at her parents, who sat behind her. "are you getting tired?" asked nan's brother bert. "if you are i'll sit next to the window, and watch the telegraph poles and trees go by. maybe that's what tires you, nan," he added, and his father smiled, for he saw that bert had two thoughts for himself, and one for his sister. "no, i'm not tired of the scenery," answered the brown-haired and brown-eyed girl, "but you may sit next the window, bert, if you like." "thanks!" he exclaimed as he scrambled over to the place his sister gave up. "are you tired, dearie?" asked mrs. bobbsey, leaning forward and smoothing out her daughter's hair with her hand. "if you would like to sit with me and put your head in my lap, papa can go to another seat and--" "oh, no, mamma, i'm not as tired as that," and nan laughed. "i was just wondering how soon we'd be home." "i'd rather be back at the seashore," said bert, not turning his gaze from the window, for the train was passing along some fields just then, and in one a boy was driving home some cows to be milked, as evening was coming on bert was wondering if one of the cows might not chase the boy. bert didn't really want to see the boy hurt by a cow, of course, but he thought that if the cow was going to take after the boy, anyhow, he might just as well see it. but the cows were very well-behaved, and went along slowly. "yes, the seashore was nice," murmured nan, as she leaned her head back on the cushioned seat, "but i'm glad to be going home again. i want to see some of the girls, and--" "yes, and i'll be looking for some of the boys, too," put in bert. "but school will soon begin, and that's no fun!" mr. and mrs. bobbsey smiled at each other, and mr. bobbsey, taking out a time-table, looked to see how much longer they would be on the train. "it's about an hour yet," he said to nan, and she sighed. really she was more tired than she cared to let her mother know. just ahead of the two bobbsey children were another set of them. i say "set" for the bobbsey children came "in sets." there were two pairs of twins, bert and nan, nearly nine years of age, and flossie and freddie, almost five. and, whereas the two older children were rather tall and slim, with dark brown hair and eyes, the littler twins were short and fat, and had light hair and blue eyes. the two pairs of twins were quite a contrast, and many persons stopped to look at them as they passed along the street together. "no, sir," went on bert musingly, "school's no fun, and it starts about a week after we get home. no chance to have a good time!" "we've had fun all summer," replied his sister. "i rather like school." "mamma, are we going to school this year?" asked flossie, as she looked back with a quick turning of her head that set her yellow curls to dancing. "if we are, i'm going to sit with flossie--can't i?" asked freddie, kneeling in the seat so that he could face back to his father and mother. indeed his request was not strange, since the two younger twins were always together, even more so than their brother and sister. "yes, i think you and freddie will start school regularly this term," said mrs. bobbsey, "and, if it can be arranged, you may sit together. we'll see about that. be careful freddie, don't put your head out of the window," she cautioned quickly, for the little chap had turned in his seat again, and was leaning forward to see a horse galloping about a field, kicking up its heels at the sound of the puffing engine. "it's my turn to sit by the window, anyhow," said flossie. "it is not! we haven't passed a station yet," disputed freddie. "oh, we have so!" cried his little sister. "freddie bobbsey!" and she pointed her finger at him. "children--children," said mrs. bobbsey reprovingly. "are you two taking turns?" asked bert, smiling with an older brother's superior wisdom. "yes," answered flossie, "he was to have the seat next to the window until we came to a station, and then it's to be my turn until we pass another station, and we have passed one, but he won't change over." "well, it was only a little station, anyhow," asserted freddie, "and it come awful quick after the last one. it isn't fair!" "there's a seat up ahead for you, bert," suggested mr. bobbsey, as a gentleman got up, when the train approached a station. "you can sit there, and let flossie or freddie take your place." "all right," answered bert good-naturedly, as he got up. the train rolled on, the two younger twins each having a window now, and nan occupying the seat with her little brother. for a time there was quietness, until mrs. bobbsey said to her husband: "hadn't you better get some of the satchels together, richard, and tell dinah what she is to carry?" "i think i will," he answered, as he went up the car aisle a little way to where a very fat colored woman sat. she was dinah, the bobbsey cook, and they took her with them always when going away for the summer. now they were on their way to their city house, and of course dinah came back, too. "mamma, i'm thirsty," said flossie, after a bit. "please may i get a drink?" "i want one, too," said freddie quickly, "come on, flossie, we'll both go down to the end of the car where the water cooler is." "there's no cup," nan said. "i went a little while ago, but a lady let me take her glass." "and if there was a cup, i would rather they didn't use it," said mrs. bobbsey. "one never knows who has last handled a public cup." "but i want a drink," insisted flossie, a bit fretfully, for she was tired from the long journey. "i know it, dear," said her mamma gently, "and i'm getting out the silver cup for you. only you must be very careful of it, and not drop it, for it is solid silver and will dent, or mar, easily." she was searching in her bags and presently took out a very valuable drinking cup, gold lined and with much engraving on it. the cup had been presented to flossie and freddie on their first birthday, and bore each of their names. they were very proud of it. "now be careful," warned mrs. bobbsey, as she held out the cup. "hold on to the seats as you walk along." "i'll carry the cup," said freddie. "i'm the biggest." "you are not!" declared his sister quickly. "i'm just as big." "well, anyhow, i'm a boy," went on freddie, and flossie could not deny this. "and boys always carries things," her brother went on. "i'll carry the cup." "very well, but be careful of it," said his mother with a smile, as she handed it to him. the two children went down the aisle of the car. they stopped for a moment at the seat where dinah was. "is snoop all right?" asked freddie, peering into a box that was made of slats, with spaces between them for air. "'deed an' he am, honey," said dinah with a smile, laughing so that she shook all over her big, fleshy body. "i 'spect he's lonesome; aren't you, snoop?" asked flossie, poking her finger in one of the cracks, to caress, as well as she could, a fat, black cat. the cat, like dinah the cook, went with the bobbseys on all their summer outings. "well, maybe he am lonesome," admitted dinah, with another laugh, "but he's been real good. he hain't yowled once--not once!" "he'll soon be out of his cage; won't you, snoop?" said freddie, and then he and his sister went on to the water cooler near by they saw something else to look at this was the sight of a very, very fat lady who occupied nearly all of one seat in the end of the car. she was so large that only a very little baby could have found room beside her. "look--look at her." whispered flossie to freddie, as they paused. the fat woman's back was toward them, and she seemed to be much interested in looking out of the window. "she is fat," admitted freddie. "did you ever see one so big before?" "only in a circus," said flossie "she'd make--make two of dinah," went on her brother. "she would not," contradicted flossie quickly. "cause dinah's black, and this lady is white." "that's so," admitted freddie, with a smile. "i didn't think of that." a sway of the train nearly made flossie fall, and she caught quickly at her brother. "look out!" he cried. "you 'most knocked the cup down." "i didn't mean to," spoke flossie. "oh, there goes my hat! get it, freddie, before someone steps on it!" her brother managed to get the hat just as it was sliding under the seat where the fat lady sat. after some confusion the hat was placed on flossie's head, and once more she and her brother moved on toward the water cooler. it was getting dusk now, and some of the lamps in the car had been lighted. freddie, carrying the cup, filled it with water at the little faucet, and, very politely, offered it to his sister first. freddie was no better than most boys of his age, but he did not forget some of the little polite ways his mamma was continually teaching him. one of these was "ladies first," though freddie did not always carry it out, especially when he was in a hurry. "do you want any more?" he asked, before he would get himself a drink. "just a little," said flossie. "the silver cup doesn't hold much." "no, i guess it's 'cause there's so much silver in it," replied her brother. "it's worth a lot of money, mamma said." "yes, and it's all ours. when i grow up i'm going to have my half made into a bracelet." "you are?" said freddie slowly. "if you do there won't be enough left for me to drink out of." "well, you can have your share of it made into a watch, and drink out of a glass." "that's so," agreed freddie, his face brightening. he gave his sister more water, and then took some himself. as he drank his eyes were constantly looking at the very fat lady who filled so much of her seat. she turned from the window and looked at the two children, smiling broadly. freddie was somewhat confused, and looked down quickly. just then the train gave another lurch and freddie suddenly spilled some of the water on his coat. "oh, look what you did!" cried flossie "and that's your best coat!" "i--i couldn't help it," stammered freddie. "never mind, little boy," said the fat lady. "it's only clean water. come here and i'll wipe it off with my handkerchief. i'd come to you, only i'm so stout it's hard enough for me to walk anyhow, and when the train is moving i simply can't do it." freddie and flossie went to her seat, and with a handkerchief, that flossie said afterward was almost as big as a table cloth, the fat lady wiped the water off freddie's coat. the little boy held the silver cup in his hand, and feeling, somehow, that he ought to repay the fat lady's kindness in some way after thanking her, he asked: "would you like a drink of water? i can bring it to you if you would." "thank you," she answered. "what a kind little boy you are! i saw you give your sister a drink first, too. yes, i would like a drink. i've been wanting one some time, but i didn't dare get up to go after it." "i'll get it!" cried freddie, eager to show what a little man he was. he made his way to the cooler without accident, and then, moving slowly, taking hold of the seat on the way back, so as not to spill the water, he brought the silver cup brimful to the fat lady. "oh, what a beautiful cup," she said, as she took it. "and it cost a lot of money, too," said flossie. "it's ours--our birthday cup, and when i grow up i'm going to have a bracelet made from my half." "that will be nice," said the fat lady, as she prepared to drink. but she never got more than a sip of the water freddie had so kindly brought her, for, no sooner did her lips touch the cup than there was a grinding, shrieking sound, a jar to the railway coach, and the train came to such a sudden stop that many passengers were thrown from their seats. flossie and freddie sat down suddenly in the aisle, but they were so fat that they did not mind it in the least. as surprised as he was, freddie noticed that the fat lady was so large that she could not be thrown out of her seat no matter how suddenly the train stopped the little bobbsey boy saw the water from the cup spill all over the fat lady, and she held the silver vessel in her big, pudgy hand, looking curiously at it, as though wondering what had so quickly become of the water. "it's a wreck--the train's off the track!" a man exclaimed. "we've hit something!" cried another. "it's an accident, anyhow," said still a third, and then every one seemed to be talking at once. mr. bobbsey came running down the aisle to where flossie and freddie still sat, dazed. "are you hurt?" he cried, picking them both up together, which was rather hard to do. "no--no," said freddie slowly. "oh, papa, what is it?" asked flossie, wondering whether she was going to cry. "i don't know, my dear. nothing serious, i guess. the engineer must have put the brakes on too quickly. i'll look out and see." knowing that his children were safe, mr. bobbsey put them down and led them back to where his wife was anxiously waiting. "they're all right," he called. "no one seems to be hurt." bert bobbsey looked out of the window. though darkness had fallen there seemed to be many lights up ahead of the stopped train. and in the light bert could see some camels, an elephant or two, a number of horses, and cages containing lions and tigers strung out along the track. "why--why, what's this--a circus?" he asked. "look, nan! see those monkeys!" "why, it is a circus--and the train must have been wrecked!" exclaimed his sister. "oh mamma, what can it be?" a brakeman came into the car where the bobbseys were. "there's no danger," he said. "please keep your seats. a circus train that was running ahead of us got off the track, and some of the animals are loose. our train nearly ran into an elephant, and that's why the engineer had to stop so suddenly. we will go on soon." "a circus; eh?" said mr. bobbsey. "well, well! this is an adventure, children. we've run into a circus train! let's watch them catch the animals." chapter ii snoop is gone "papa, do you think a tiger would come in here?" asked freddie, remembering all the stories of wild animals he had heard in his four years. "or a lion?" asked flossie. "of course not!" exclaimed nan. "can't you see that all the wild animals are still in their cages?" "maybe some of 'em are loose," suggested freddie, and he almost hoped so, as long as his father was there to protect him. "i guess the circus men can look after them," said bert. "may i get off, father, and look around?" "i'd rather you wouldn't, son. you can't tell what may happen." "oh, look at that man after the monkey!" cried nan. "yes, and the monkey's gone up on top of the tiger's cage," added bert. "say, this is as good as a circus, anyhow!" some of the big, flaring lights, used in the tents at night, had been set going so the circus and railroad men could see to work, and this glare gave the bobbseys and other passengers on the train a chance to see what was going on. "there's a big elephant!" cried freddie. "see him push the lion's cage around. elephants are awful strong!" "they couldn't push a railroad train," said flossie. "they could too!" cried her little brother, quickly. "they could not. could they, papa?" "what?" asked mr. bobbsey, absent-mindedly. "could an elephant push a railroad train?" asked flossie. "i know they could," declared freddie. "couldn't they, papa?" "now, children, don't argue. look out of the windows," advised their mother. and while the circus men are trying to catch the escaped animals i will tell you something more about the bobbseys, and about the other books, before this one, relating to their doings. mr. richard bobbsey, and his wife mary, the parents of the bobbsey twins, lived in an eastern city called lakeport, on lake metoka. mr. bobbsey was in the lumber business, and the yard, with its great piles of logs and boards, was near the lake, on which the twins often went in boats. there was also a river running into the lake, not far from the saw mill. their house was about a quarter of a mile away from the lumber yard, on a fashionable street, and about it was a large lawn, while in the back sam johnson, the colored man of all work, and the husband of dinah, had a fine garden. the bobbseys had many vegetables from this garden. there was also a barn near the house, and in this the children had many good times. flossie and freddie played there more than did nan and bert, who were growing too old for games of that sort. as i have said, bert and nan were rather tall and thin, while flossie and freddie were short and fat. mr. bobbsey used often to call flossie his "fat fairy," which always made her laugh. and freddie had a pet name, too. it was "fat fireman," for he often played that he was a fireman; putting out make-believe fires, and pretending he was a fire engine. once or twice his father had taken him to see a real fire, and this pleased freddie very much. in the first book of this series, called "the bobbsey twins," i told you something of the fun the four children had in their home town. they had troubles, too, and danny rugg, one of the few bad boys in lakeport, was the cause of some. also about a certain broken window; what happened when the twins went coasting, how they had a good time, in an ice boat, and how they did many other things. snoop, the fat, black kitten, played a part in the story also. the bobbsey twins were very fond of snoop, and had kept him so many years that i suppose he ought to be called a cat, instead of a kitten, now. after the first winter's fun, told of in the book that began an account of the doings of the bobbseys, the twins and their parents went to the home of uncle daniel bobbsey, and his wife, aunt sarah, in meadow brook. in the book called "the bobbsey twins in the country," i wrote down many of the things that happened during the summer. if they had fun going off to the country, taking snoop with them, of course, they had many more good times on arriving at the farm. there was a picnic, jolly times in the woods, a fourth of july celebration, and though a midnight scare alarmed them for a time, still they did not mind that. but, though the twins liked the country very much, they soon had a chance to see something of the ocean, and in the third book of the series, called "the bobbsey twins at the seashore," my readers will find out what happened there. there was fun on the sand, and more fun in the water, and once the little ones got lost an an island. a great storm came up, and a ship was wrecked, and this gave the twins a chance to see the life savers, those brave men who risk their lives to help others. then came closing days at ocean cliff, the home of uncle william and aunt emily minturn at sunset beach. school was soon to open, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey were anxious to get back to their town home, for flossie and freddie were to start regular lessons now, even though it was but in the kindergarten class. sa good-byes were said to the ocean, and though dorothy minturn cried a little when her cousins nan and flossie, and bert and freddie, had to leave, still she said she hoped they would come again. and so the bobbseys were on their way home in the train when the circus accident happened that brought them to a stop. "and so we nearly ran into an elephant; eh?" said mr. bobbsey to the brakeman, who had brought in the news. "yes, sir. our engineer stopped just in time." "if we had hit him we'd gone off the track," said freddie. "no, we wouldn't," declared flossie, who seemed bound to start a dispute. perhaps she was so tired that she was fretful. "say, can't you two stop disputing all the while?" asked bert, in a low voice. "you make papa and mamma nervous." "well, an elephant is big, anyhow," said freddie. "so he is, little fat fireman," said nan, "come and sit with me, and we can see the men catch the monkeys." the work of getting the escaped animals back into their cages was going on rapidly. some of the passengers went out to watch, but the bobbseys stayed in their seats, mr. bobbsey thinking this best. the catching of the monkeys was the hardest work, but soon even this was accomplished. the wait seemed very tiresome when there was nothing more to watch, and mr. bobbsey looked about for some railroad man of whom he could inquire how much longer delay there would be. the conductor came through the car. "when will we start?" asked mr. bobbsey. "not for some time, i'm afraid," spoke the ticket-taker. "the wreck is a worse one than i thought at first, and some of the cars of the circus train are across the track so we can't get by. we may be here two hours yet." "that's too bad. where are we?" "just outside of whitewood." "oh, that's near home!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "why can't we get out, richard, walk across the fields to the trolley line, and take that home? it won't be far, and we'll be there ever so much quicker." "well, we could do that, i suppose," said her husband, slowly. "that's what a number of passengers did," said the conductor. "there's no danger in going out now--all the animals are back in their cages." "then that's what we'll do, children," said their father. "gather up your things, and we'll take the trolley home. the moon is coming up, and it will soon be light." "i'm hungry," said freddie, fretfully. "so am i," added his twin sister. "well, i have some crackers and cookie in my bag," replied mrs. bobbsey. "you can eat those on the way. nan, go tell dinah that we're going to take a trolley. we can each carry something." "i'll carry snoop," exclaimed freddie. he hurried down the aisle to where the cook was now standing, intending to get the box containing his pet cat "where's snoop, dinah?" he asked. "heah he am!" she said, lifting up the slat-box. "he ain't made a sound in all dis confusion, nuther." the next moment freddie gave a cry of dismay: "snoop's gone!" he wailed. "he broke open the box and he's gone! oh, where is snoop?" "ma sakes alive!" cried dinah. the box was empty! a hurried search of the car did not bring forth the black pet. mr. and mrs. bobbsey, and some of the passengers, joined in the hunt. but there was no snoop, and a slat that had pulled loose from one side of the box showed how he had gotten out. "most likely snoop got frightened when the train stopped so suddenly, and broke loose," said mr. bobbsey. "we may find him outside." "i--i hope an elephant didn't step on him," said flossie, with a catch in her breath. "oh--o--o--o! maybe a tiger or a lion has him!" wailed freddie. "oh, snoop!" "be quiet, dear, we'll find him for you," said mrs. bobbsey, as she opened her satchel to get out some cookies. then she remembered something. "freddie, where is that silver cup?" she asked. "you had it to get a drink. did you give it back to me?" "no, mamma, i--i--" "he gave the fat lady a drink from it," spoke flossie, "and she didn't give it back." "the train stopped just as she was drinking," went on freddie. "i sat down on the floor--hard, and i saw the water spill on her. the fat lady has our silver cup! oh, dear!" "and she's gone--and snoop is gone!" cried flossie. "oh! oh!" "is that so--did you let her take your cup, freddie?" asked his papa. freddie only nodded. he could not speak. "that fat lady was with the circus," said one of the men passengers. "maybe you can see her outside." "i'll look," said mr. bobbsey, quickly "that cup is too valuable to lose. come, children, we'll see if we can't find snoop also, and then we'll take a trolley car for home." chapter iii a queer dog papa bobbsey first looked for some of the circus men of whom he might inquire about the fat lady. there was much confusion, for a circus wreck is about as bad a kind as can happen, and for some time mr. bobbsey could find no one who could tell him what he wanted to know. meanwhile mrs. bobbsey kept the four children and dinah with her, surrounding their little pile of baggage off to one side of the tracks. some of the big torches were still burning, and the full moon was coming up, so that there was plenty of light, even if it was night. "oh, but if we could only find snoop!" cried freddie. "here, snoop! snoop!" he called. "i had much rather find the fat lady, and get back your lovely silver cup," said mrs. bobbsey. "i hope she hasn't taken it away with her." "she had it in her hand when the train stopped with such a jerk," explained flossie. "oh, but mamma, don't you want us to find snoop--dear snoop?" "of course i do. but i want that silver cup very much, too. i hope your father finds it." "but there never could be another snoop," cried flossie. "could there, freddie? and we _could_ get another silver cup." "don't be silly," advised bert, rather shortly. "oh, don't talk that way to them," said nan. "they do love that cat so. never mind, flossie and freddie. i'm sure we'll find him soon. here comes papa." mr. bobbsey came back, looking somewhat worried. "did you find her?" asked mrs. bobbsey anxiously. "no," he replied, with a shake of his head. "she was the circus fat lady all right. it seems she missed the show-train, and came on in ours. and, when we stopped she got out, and went up ahead. part of the circus train, carrying the performers, was not damaged and that has gone on. the fat lady is with that, so one of the men said." "and, very likely, she has carried off our silver cup," exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "oh dear! can you find her later, richard?" "i think so. but it will take some time. the circus is going to danville--that's a hundred miles from here. but i will write to the managers there, and ask them to get our cup from the fat lady." "but where is snoop?" asked freddie, with much anxiety. "i don't know, my dear," answered mr. bobbsey. "i asked the circus men if they had seen him, but they were too busy to remember. he may be running around some where. but we can't wait any longer. we must get home. i'll speak to one of the switchmen, who stay around here, and if they see snoop i'll have them keep him for us. we'll come back to-morrow and inquire." "but we want snoop now!" exclaimed freddie, fretfully. "i'm afraid we can't get him," said mrs. bobbsey, gently. "come, children, let's go home now, and leave it to papa. oh, to think of your lovely silver cup being gone!" "snoop is worse," said flossie, almost crying. "i--i'm sorry i let the fat lady take the cup," spoke freddie. "oh, you meant all right, my dear," said his mamma, "and it was very kind of you. but we really ought to start. we may miss a trolley. come, dinah, can you carry all you have?" "'deed an' i can, mrs. bobbsey. but i suah am sorry 'bout dat ar' snoop." "oh, it wasn't your fault, dinah," said nan quickly. "he is getting to be such a big cat that he can easily push the slats off his box, now. we must make it stronger next time." flossie and freddie wondered if there would be a "next time," for they feared snoop was gone forever. they did not worry so much about the silver cup, valuable as it was. with everyone in the little party carrying something, the bobbsey family set off across the fields toward the distant trolley line that would take them nearly home. the moon was well up now, and there was a good path across the fields. nan and bert were talking about the wreck, and recalling some of the funny incidents of catching the circus animals. flossie and freddie were wondering whether they would ever see their pet cat again. they had had him so long that he seemed like one of the family. "maybe he ran off and joined the circus," said flossie. "maybe," spoke her brother. "but he can't do any tricks, so they won't want him in a show." "he can so do tricks! he can chase his tail and almost grab it." "that isn't a trick." "it is so--as much as standing on your head." "children--children--i don't know what i'll do with you if you don't stop that constant bickering," said mrs. bobbsey. "you must not dispute so." "well, mamma, but isn't chasing your tail a trick?" asked flossie. "freddie says it isn't." "well, it isn't a circus trick, anyhow," declared her brother. "i meant a circus trick." "well, snoop is a good cat, anyhow," went on flossie, "and i wish we had him back." "oh, so do i!" exclaimed freddie, and thus that little dispute ended. they were walking along through a little patch of woods now, when bert, who was the last one in line, suddenly called out: "something is coming after us!" "coming after us? what do you mean?" asked nan quickly, as she hurried to her father's side. "i mean i've been listening for two or three minutes now, to some animal following after us along the path. some big animal, too." flossie and freddie both ran back and took hold of their mother's hands. "don't scare the children, bert," said mr. bobbsey, a bit sternly. "did you really hear something?" "yes, father. it's some animal walking, behind us. listen and you can hear it yourself." they all listened. it was very quiet. then from down the hard dirt path they all heard the "pit-pat, pit-pat" of the footsteps of some animal. it was coming on slowly. for a moment mr. bobbsey thought of the wild animals of the circus. in spite of what the men had said perhaps one of the beasts might have escaped from its cage. the others in the little party evidently thought the same thing. mrs. bobbsey drew her children more closely about her. "'deed an' if it's one ob dem elephants," said dinah, "an' if he comes fo' me i'll jab mah hat pin in his long nose--dat's what i will!" "it can't be an elephant," said mr. bobbsey. "one of the big beasts would make more noise than that. it may be one of the monkeys--i don't see how they could catch them all--they were so lively and full of mischief." "oh, if it's a monkey, may we keep it?" begged flossie. "i just love a monkey." "mercy, child! what would we do with it around the house?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "richard, can you see what it is?" mr. bobbsey peered down the road. "i can see something," he said. "it's coming nearer." "oh dear!" cried nan, trembling with fear. just then a bark sounded--a friendly bark. "it's a dog!" said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i'm so glad it wasn't--an elephant," and she hugged freddie and flossie. "pooh! i wasn't afraid!" cried freddie. "if it had been an elephant i--i'd give him a cookie, and maybe he'd let me ride home on his back." the animal barked louder now, and a moment later he came into sight on a moonlit part of the path. the children could see that it was a big, shaggy white dog, who wagged his tail in greeting as he walked up to them. "oh, what a lovely dog!" cried nan, "i wonder where he belongs?" the fine animal came on. bert snapped his fingers, boy-fashion. instantly the dog stood up on his hind legs and began marching about in a circle on the path. "oh, what a queer dog!" cried flossie. "oh i wish he was ours!" chapter iv home in an auto down on his four legs dropped the big white dog, and with another wag of his fluffy tail he came straight for flossie. "be careful!" warned mamma bobbsey. "he won't hurt her!" declared bert. "that's a good dog, anyone can tell that. here, doggie; come here!" he called. but the dog still advanced toward flossie, who shrank back a bit timidly. "you never can tell what dogs will do," said mrs. bobbsey. "it is best to be careful." "i guess he knew what flossie said to him," spoke up freddie. "he knows we like dogs." the dog barked a little, and, coming up to where flossie was, again stood on his hind legs. "that's a queer trick," said mr. bobbsey. "i guess this dog has been trained. he probably belongs around here." "i wish he belonged to us," sighed nan. like flossie and freddie she, too, loved animals. "maybe we can keep him if we don't find snoop," suggested freddie. "oh, papa, will you get snoop back?" and freddie's voice sounded as though he was going to cry. "yes, yes, of course i will," said mr. bobbsey quickly. he did not want the children to fret now, with still quite a distance yet to go home, and that in a trolley car. there were bundles to carry, weary children to look after, and mrs. bobbsey was rather tired also. no wonder papa bobbsey thought he had many things to do that night. "come along, children," called mrs. bobbsey, "it is getting late, and we are only about half way to the trolley. oh dear! if that circus had to be wrecked i wish it could have waited until our train passed." "are you very tired?" asked her husband. "i can take that valise." "indeed you'll not. you have enough." "lemme hab it, massa bobbsey," pleaded dinah. "i ain't carryin' half enough. i's pow'ful strong, i is." "nonsense, dinah!" said mr. bobbsey. "i can manage, and your arms are full." "i--i wish she had snoop," said freddie, but he was so interested in watching the queer dog that he half forgot his sorrow over the lost cat. the dog seemed to have made great friends with flossie. she was patting him on the head now, for the animal, after marching about on his hind legs, was down on all fours again. "oh, mamma, he's awful nice!" exclaimed flossie. "he's just as gentle, and he's soft, like the little toy lamb i used to have." "indeed he does seem to be a gentle dog," said mrs. bobbsey. "but come along now. don't pet him any more, or he may follow us, flossie, and whoever owns him would not like it. come on." "forward--march!" called freddie, strutting along the moonlit path as much like a soldier as he could imitate, tired as he was. the bobbseys and their faithful dinah started off again toward the distant trolley that would take them to their home. the dog sat down and looked after them. "i--i wish he was ours," said flossie wistfully, waving her hand to the dog. the bobbseys had not gone on very far before nan, looking back, called out: "oh, papa, that dog is following us!" "he is?" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "that's queer. he must have taken a sudden liking to us. but i guess he'll go back where he belongs pretty soon. are you getting tired, little fat fireman? and you, my fat fairy?" "oh, no, papa," laughed flossie. "i sat down so much in the train that i'm glad to stand up now." "so am i," said freddie, who made up his mind that he would not say he was tired if his little sister did not. and yet, truth to tell, the little fat fireman was very weary. on and on went the bobbsey family, and soon bert happened to look back, and gave a whistle of surprise. "that dog isn't going home, papa," he said. "he's still after us, and look! now he's running." they all glanced back on hearing this. surely enough the big white dog was running after them, wagging his tail joyfully, and barking from time to time. "this will never do!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "whoever owns him may think we are trying to take him away. i'll drive him back. go home! go back, sir!" exclaimed papa bobbsey in stern tones. the dog stopped wagging his tail. then he sat down on the path, and calmly waited. mr. bobbsey walked toward him. "oh, don't--don't whip him, papa!" exclaimed flossie. "i don't intend to," said mr. bobbsey. "but i must be stern with him or he will think i'm only playing. go back!" he cried. the dog stretched out on the path, his head down between his fore paws. "he--he looks--sad," said freddie. "maybe he hasn't any home, papa." "oh, of course a valuable dog like that has a home," declared bert. "but maybe they didn't treat him kindly, and he is looking for a new one," suggested nan, hopefully. "he doesn't seem ill-treated," spoke mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i do wish he'd go back, so we could go on." mr. bobbsey pretended to pick up a stone and throw it at the dog, as masters sometimes do when they do not want their dogs to follow them. this dog only wagged his tail, as though he thought it the best joke he had ever known. "go back! go back, i say!" cried papa bobbsey in a loud voice. the dog did not move. "i guess he won't follow us any more," went on mr. bobbsey. "hurry along now, children. we are almost at the trolley." he turned away from the dog, who seemed to be asleep now, and the family went on. for a minute or two, as nan could tell by looking back, the dog did not follow, but just as the bobbseys were about to make a turn in the path, up jumped the animal and came trotting on after the children and their parents, wagging his tail so fast that it seemed as if it would come loose. "is he coming?" asked flossie. "he certainly is," answered bert, who was in the rear. "i guess he wants us to take him home with us." "oh, let's do it!" begged flossie. "please, papa," pleaded freddie. "we haven't got snoop now, so let us have a dog. and i'm sure we could teach him to do tricks--he's so smart." "and so he's coming after us still!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "well, well, i don't know what to do," and he came to a stop on the path. "couldn't we take him home just for tonight?" asked nan, "and then in the morning we could find out who owns him and return him." "oh, please do," begged freddie and flossie, impulsively. "but how can we take him on a trolley car?" asked mr. bobbsey. "the conductor would not let us." "maybe he would--if he was a kind man," suggested freddie. "we could tell him how it was, and how we lost our cat--" "and our silver cup," added flossie. "well, certainly the dog doesn't seem to want to go home," said mr. bobbsey, after he had tried two or three times more to drive the animal back. but it would not go. "go on a little farther," suggested mrs. bobbsey. "by the time we get to the trolley he may get tired, and go back. and if we want to lose him i think we can, by getting on the car quickly." "but we don't want to lose him!" cried freddie. "no, no!" said flossie. "we want to keep him. he can run along behind the trolley car. i'll ask the motorman to go slow, papa." "my! this has been a mixed-up day!" sighed mr. bobbsey. "i really don't know what to do." the dog seemed to think that he was one of the family, now. he came up to flossie and freddie and let them pat him. his tail kept wagging all the while. "well, we'll see what happens when we get to the trolley," decided mr. bobbsey, thinking that there would be the best and only place to get rid of the dog. "come along, children." freddie and flossie came on, the dog between them, and this seemed to suit the fine animal. he had found friends, now, he evidently thought. mr. bobbsey wondered why so valuable a dog would leave its home. and he was very much puzzled as to what he should do if the children insisted on keeping the animal, and if it came aboard the trolley car. "there's the car!" exclaimed bert, as they went around another turn in the path and came to a road. down it could be seen the headlight of an approaching trolley, and also the twin lamps of an oncoming automobile. "look out for the auto, children!" cried mrs. bobbsey. they stood at the side of the road, and as the auto came up the man in it slowed down his machine. it was a big car and he was alone in it. "well, i declare!" exclaimed the autoist, as his engine stopped. "if it isn't the bobbsey family--twins and all! what are you doing here, mr. bobbsey?" "why, it's mr. blake!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, seeing that the autoist was a neighbor, and a business friend of his. "oh, our train was held back by a circus wreck, so we walked across the lots to the car. we're homeward bound from the seashore." "well, well! a circus wreck, eh? where did you get the dog?" "oh, he followed us," said mrs. bobbsey. "and we're going to keep him, too!" exclaimed flossie. "and take him in the trolley with us," added her little brother. "well, well!" exclaimed mr. blake. "say, now, i have a better plan than that," he went on. "why should you folks go home in a trolley, when i have this big empty auto here? pile in, all of you, and i'll get you there in a jiffy. come, dinah, i see you, too." "yes, sah, massa blake, i'se heah! can't lose ole dinah!" "but we lost our cat, snoop!" said flossie, regretfully. "and we nearly ran over an elephant," added freddie, bound that his sister should not tell all the news. "well, get in the auto," invited mr. blake. "do you really mean it?" asked mr. bobbsey. "perhaps we are keeping you from going somewhere." "indeed not. pile in, and you'll soon be home." "can we bring the dog, too?" asked flossie. "yes, there's plenty of room for the dog," laughed mr. blake. "lift him in." but the strange dog did not need lifting. he sprang into the tonneau of the auto as soon as the door was opened. mr. and mrs. bobbsey lifted in flossie and freddie, and nan and bert followed. then in got papa and mamma bobbsey and mr. blake started off. "this is lovely," said mrs. bobbsey with a sigh of relief. she was more tired than she had thought. "it certainly is kind of you, mr. blake," said papa bobbsey. "i'm only too glad i happened to meet you. are you children comfortable?" "yep!" chorused freddie and flossie. "and the dog?" "we're holding him so he won't fall out," explained flossie. she and her little brother had the dog between them. on went the auto, and with the telling of the adventures of the day the journey seemed very short. soon the bobbsey home was reached. there were lights in it, for sam, the colored man, had been telephoned to, to have the place opened for the family. sam came out on the stoop to greet them and his wife dinah. "here we are!" cried papa bobbsey. "come, flossie--freddie--we're home." flossie and freddie did not answer. they were fast asleep, their heads on the shaggy back of the big dog. chapter v snap does tricks "we'll have to carry them in," said mr. bobbsey, as he looked in the rear of the auto, and saw his two little twins fast asleep on the dog's back. "i'll take 'em," said sam kindly. "many a time i'se carried 'em in offen de porch when dey falled asleep. i'll carry 'em in." and he did, first taking flossie, and then freddie. then he and dinah brought in the bundles and valises, while nan and bert and mr. and mrs. bobbsey followed, having bidden good-night to mr. blake, and thanking him for the ride. "where--where are we?" asked flossie, rubbing her eyes and looking around the room which she had not seen in some months. "an'--an' where's our dog?" demanded freddie. "oh, bless your hearts--that dog!" cried mamma bobbsey. "sam took him out in the barn. you may see him in the morning, if he doesn't run away in the night." the twins looked worried over this suggestion, until sam said: "oh, i locked him up good an' proper in a box stall; 'deed an' i did, mrs. bobbsey. he won't get away to-night." "that's--good," murmured freddie, and then he fell asleep again. soon the little twins were undressed and put to bed. nan and bert soon followed, but mr. and mrs. bobbsey stayed up a little later to talk over certain matters. "it's good to be home again," said mr. bobbsey, as he looked about the rooms of the town house. "yes, but we had a delightful summer," spoke his wife, "and the children are so well. the country was delightful, and so was the seashore. but i think i, too, am glad to be back. it will be quite a task, though, to get the children ready for school. flossie and freddie will go regularly now, i suppose, and with nan and bert in a higher class, it means plenty of work." "i suppose so," said her husband. "but dinah is a great help," went on mrs. bobbsey, for she did not mean to complain. flossie and freddie had tried a few days in the kindergarten class at school, but flossie said she did not like it, and, as freddie would not go without her, their parents had taken them both out in the spring. "there will be plenty of time to start them in the fall," said mrs. bobbsey, and so it had been arranged. and now the four twins were all to attend the same school, which would open in about a week. flossie and freddie were both up early the next morning, and, scarcely half-dressed, they hurried out to the barn. "whar yo' chillens gwine?" demanded dinah, as she prepared to get breakfast. "out to see our dog," answered freddie. "is sam around?" "yes, he's out dere somewheres, washin' de carriage. but don't yo' let 'at dog bite yo'." "we won't," said freddie. "he wouldn't bite anyhow," declared flossie. sam opened the box stall for them, and out bounced the big white dog, barking in delight, and almost knocking down the twins, so glad was he to see them. "what shall we call him?" asked freddie. "maybe we'd better name him snoop, like our cat. i guess snoop is gone forever." "no, we mustn't call him snoop," said flossie, "for some day our cat might come back, and he'd want his own name again. we'll call our dog snap, 'cause see how bright his eyes snap. then if our cat comes back we'll have snoop and snap." "that's a good name," decided freddie, after thinking it over. "snoop and snap. i wonder how we can make this dog stand on his hind legs like he did before?" "bert snapped his fingers and he did it," suggested flossie. "but maybe he'll do it now if you just ask him to." freddie tried to snap his fingers, but they were too short and fat. then he patted the dog on the head and said: "stand up!" at once the dog, with a bark, did so. he sat up on his hind legs and then walked around. both the children laughed. "i wonder if he can do any other tricks?" asked flossie. "i'm going to try," said her brother. "what trick do you want him to do?" "make him lie down and roll over." "all right," spoke freddie "now, snap, lie down and roll over!" he called. at once the fine animal did so, and then sprang up with a bark, and a wag of his tail, as much as to ask: "what shall i do next?" "oh, isn't he a fine dog!" cried flossie. "i wonder who taught him those tricks?" "let's see if he can do any more," said freddie. "there's a barrel hoop over there. maybe he'll jump through it if we hold it up." "oh, let's do it!" cried flossie, as she ran to get the hoop. snap barked at the sight of it, and capered about as though he knew just what it was for, and was pleased at the chance to do more of his tricks. the hoop was a large one, and freddie alone could not hold it very steady. so flossie took hold of one side. as soon as they were in position. freddie called: "come on now, snap. jump!" snap barked, ran back a little way, turned around and came racing straight for the twins. at that moment sam johnson came up running, a stick in his hand. "heah! heah!" shouted the colored man. "you let dem chillens alone, dog! go 'way, i tells yo'!" "that's all right, sam," said freddie. "don't scare him. he's our new dog snap, and he's going to do a trick," for the colored gardener had supposed the dog was running at flossie and freddie to bite them. snap paid no attention to sam, but raced on. when a short distance from where flossie and freddie held the hoop, snap jumped up into the air, and shot straight through the wooden circle, landing quite a way off. "mah gracious sakes alive!" gasped sam, "dat's a reg'lar circus trick--dat's what it am!" he scratched his head in surprise, and the stick he had picked up, intending to drive away the dog with, stuck straight out. in a moment snap raced up, and jumped over the stick. "oh, look!" cried flossie. "another trick!" exclaimed freddie. "mah gracious goodness!" cried sam. "dat suah am wonderful!" snap ran about barking in delight. he seemed happy to be doing tricks. "let's go tell papa," said freddie. "he'll want to know about this." "oh, i do hope he lets us keep him," said flossie. mr. bobbsey had not yet gone to his lumber office. he listened to what the little twins had to tell them about snap, who lay on the lawn, seeming to listen to his own praises. "a trick dog; eh?" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "i wonder who owns him?" "maybe he escaped from the circus," suggested bert, who came out just then to see how his pigeons were getting along. "that's it!" cried mr. bobbsey. "i wonder i did not think of it before. the dog must have escaped from the wrecked circus train, and he followed us, not knowing what else to do. that accounts for his tricks." "but we can keep him; can't we?" begged flossie. "hum! i'll have to see about that," said mr. bobbsey slowly. "i suppose the circus people will want him back, for he must be valuable. perhaps some clown trained him." "but if we can't have snoop, our cat, we ought to have a dog," asserted freddie. "i'll try to get snoop back," said mr. bobbsey. "i'll have one of my men go down to the place where the wreck was, to-day, and inquire of the railroad men. he may be wandering about there." "poor snoop!" said nan, coming out to feed some of her pet chickens, that sam had looked after all summer. "and while you are about it," suggested mrs. bobbsey, who was on the front porch, "i wish, richard, that you would see if you can locate that fat lady, and get back the children's silver cup." "i will," replied mr. bobbsey. "i will have to write to them anyhow, about the dog, and at the same time i'll ask about the cup. though i don't believe the fat lady meant to keep it." "oh, no," said mrs. bobbsey. "probably she just held it, in the excitement over the wreck, and she may have left it in the car. but please write about it." "i will," promised mr. bobbsey, as he started for the office, while the twins gathered about the new dog, who seemed ready to do more tricks. chapter vi danny rugg is mean that afternoon a small fire broke out in mr. bobbsey's lumber yard. the alarm bell rang, and mrs. bobbsey, hearing it, and knowing by the number that the blaze must be near her husband's place of business, came hurrying down stairs. "oh, i must go and see how dangerous it is," she said to dinah. "it is too bad to have it happen just after mr. bobbsey comes back from his summer vacation." "'deed it am!" cried the fat, colored cook. "but maybe it am only a little fire, mrs. bobbsey." "i'm sure i hope so," was the answer. as mrs. bobbsey was hurrying down the front walk flossie and freddie saw her. "where are you going, mamma?" they called. "down to papa's office," she answered "there's a fire near his place, and--" "oh, a fire! then i'm going!" cried freddie. "fire! fire! ding, dong! turn on the water!" and he raced about quite excitedly. "oh, i don't know," said mrs. bobbsey, in doubt. "where are nan and bert?" she asked. "they went down to the lake," said flossie. "oh, mamma, do take us to the fire with you. we'll bring snap along." "sure," said freddie. "hi, snap!" he called. the trick dog came rushing from the stable, barking and wagging his tail. "well, i suppose i might as well take you," said mrs. bobbsey. "but you must stay near me. we'll leave snap home, though." "oh, no!" cried freddie. "he might get lost," said mrs. bobbsey. that was enough for freddie. he did not want the new pet to get lost, so he did not make a fuss when sam came hurrying up to lock snap in the stable. poor snap howled, for he wanted very much to go with the children. the fire was, as i have said, a small one, in part of the planing mill. but the engines puffed away, and spurted water, and this pleased freddie. flossie stayed close to her mother, and mrs. bobbsey, once she found out that the main lumber yard was not in danger, was ready to come back home. but freddie wanted to stay until the fire was wholly out. mr. bobbsey came from his office to give some directions to the firemen, and saw his wife and the two twins. then he took charge of them, and led them as close to the blaze as was safe. "it will soon be out," he said. "it was only some sawdust that got on fire." "i wish i could squirt some water!" sighed freddie. "what's that? do you want to be a fireman?" asked one of the men in a rubber coat and a big helmet. he smiled at mr. bobbsey, whom he knew quite well. "yes, i do," said freddie. "then come with me, and i'll let you help hold the hose," said the fireman. "i'll look after him," he went on, to mrs. bobbsey, and she nodded to show that freddie could go. what a good time the little fellow had, standing beside a real fireman, and helping throw real water on a real fire! freddie never forgot that. of course the fire was almost out, and it was only one of the small hose lines that the fireman let the little fellow help hold, but, for all that, freddie was very happy. "did you write to the circus people to-day about our silver cup, and that trick dog?" asked mrs. bobbsey of her husband that night. "i declare, i didn't!" he exclaimed. "the fire upset me so that it slipped my mind. i'll do it the first thing to-morrow. there is no special hurry. how is the dog, by the way?" "oh, he's just lovely!" cried flossie. "and i do hope we can keep him forever!" exclaimed freddie. "'specially since snoop is gone." "did you hear anything about our cat?" asked nan, of her father. "no. i sent a man to the railroad company, but no stray cat had been found. i am afraid snoop is lost, children." "oh dear!" cried flossie. the next day, having learned from the railroad company where the circus had gone after the wreck, mr. bobbsey sent a letter to the manager, explaining about the lost silver cup, and the found circus dog. he asked that the fat lady be requested to write to him, to let him know if she had taken the cup by accident, and mr. bobbsey also wanted to know if the circus had lost a trick dog. "there!" he exclaimed as he sent the letter to be mailed, "now we'll just have to wait for an answer." nan and bert, and flossie and freddie were soon having almost as much fun as they had had at the seashore and in the country. their town playmates, who had come back from their vacations, called at the bobbsey home, and made up games and all sorts of sports. "for," said grace lavine, with whom nan sometimes played, "school will soon begin, and we want to have all the fun we can until then." "let's jump rope," proposed nan. "all right," agreed grace. "here comes nellie parks, and we'll see who can jump the most." "no, you mustn't do that," said nan, "don't you remember how you once tried to jump a hundred, and you fainted?" "indeed i do," said grace. "i'm not going to be so silly as to try that again. we'll only jump a little." soon nan and her chums were having a good time in the yard. charley mason, with whom bert sometimes played, came over, and the two boys went for a row on the lake, in bert's boat. some little friends of flossie and freddie came over, and they had fun watching snap do tricks. for the circus dog, as he had come to be called, seemed to be able to do some new trick each day. he could "play dead," and "say his prayers," besides turning a back somersault. the little twins, who seemed to claim more share in snap than did nan and bert, did not really know how many tricks their pet could do. "maybe you'll have to give him back to the circus," said willie flood, one of freddie's chums. "well, if we do, papa may buy him, or get another dog like him," spoke flossie. a few days after this, when bert was out in the front yard, watering the grass with a hose, along came danny rugg. now danny went to the same school that bert did, but few of the boys and none of the girls, liked danny, because he was often rough, and would hit them or want to fight, or would play mean tricks on them. still, sometimes danny behaved himself, and then the boys were glad to have him on their baseball nine as he was a good hitter and thrower, and he could run fast. "hello, bert!" exclaimed danny, leaning on the fence. "i hear you have a trick circus dog here." "who told you?" asked bert, wondering what danny would say next. "oh, jack parker. he says you found him." "i didn't," spoke bert, spraying a bed of geranium flowers. "he followed us the night of the circus wreck." "well, you took him all the same. i know who owns him, too; and i'm going to tell that you've got him." "oh, are you?" asked bert. "well, we think he belongs to the circus, and my father has written about it, so you needn't trouble yourself." "he doesn't belong to any circus," went on danny. "that dog belongs to mr. peterson, who lives over in millville. he lost a trick dog, and he advertised for it. he's going to give a reward. i'm going to tell him, and get the money." "you can't take our dog away!" cried freddie, coming up just then. "don't you dare do it, danny rugg." "yes, i will!" exclaimed the mean boy, who often teased the smaller bobbsey twins. "you won't have that dog after to-day." "don't mind him, freddie," said bert in a low voice. "he's trying to scare you." "oh, i am eh?" cried danny. "i'll show you what i'm trying to do. i'll tell on you for keeping a dog that don't belong to you, and you'll be arrested--all of you." freddie looked worried, and tears came into his eyes. bert saw this, and was angry at danny for being so mean. "don't be afraid, freddie," said bert. "look, i'll let you squirt the hose, and you can pretend to be a fireman." "oh, fine!" cried freddie, in delight, as he took the nozzle from his older brother. just how it happened neither of them could tell, but the stream of water shot right at danny rugg, and wet him all over in a second. "hi there!" he cried. "stop that! i'll pay you back for that, fred bobbsey," and he jumped over the fence and ran toward the little fellow. chapter vii at school freddie saw danny coming, and did the most natural thing in the world. he dropped the hose and ran. and you know what a hose, with water bursting from the nozzle will sometimes do if you don't hold it just right. well, this hose did that. it seemed to aim itself straight at danny, and again the rough boy received a charge of water full in the face. "ha--ha--here! you quit that!" he gasped. "i'll fix you for that!" the water got in his eyes and mouth, and for a moment he could not see. but with his handkerchief he soon had his eyes cleared, and then he came running toward bert. danny rugg was larger than bert, and stronger, and, in addition, was a bullying sort of chap, almost always ready to fight someone smaller than himself. but what bert lacked in size and strength he made up in a bold spirit. he was not at all afraid of danny, even when the bully came rushing at him. bert stood his ground manfully. he had taken up the hose where freddie had dropped it, and the water was spurting out in a solid stream. freddie, having gotten a safe distance away, now turned and stood looking at danny. danny, too, had halted and was fairly glaring at bert, who looked at him a bit anxiously. more than once he and the bully had come to blows, and sometimes bert had gotten the best of it. still he did not like a fight. "i'll get you yet, freddie bobbsey!" cried danny, shaking his fist at the little fellow. whereupon freddie turned and ran toward the house. danny saw that he could not catch him in time, and so he turned to bert. "you put him up to do that--to douse me with water!" cried danny angrily. "i did not," said bert quietly. "it was just an accident. i'm sorry---" "you are not! i say you did that on purpose--or you told freddie to, and i'm going to pay you back!" "i tell you it was an accident," insisted bert. "but if you want to think freddie did it on purpose i can't stop you." "well, i'm going to hit you just the same," growled danny, and he stepped toward bert. "you'd better look out," said bert, with just a little smile. "there's still a lot of water in this hose," and he brought the nozzle around in front, ready to squirt on danny if the bad boy should come too near. danny came to a stop. "don't you dare put any more water on me!" cried the bully. "if you do, i'll----" he doubled up his fists and glared at bert. "then don't you come any nearer if you don't want to get wet," said bert. "this hose might sprinkle you by accident, the same as it did when freddie had it," he added. "huh! i know what kind of an accident that was!" spoke danny, with a sneer. "you'd better get out of the way," went on bert quietly. "i want to sprinkle that flower bed near where you are, and if you'll there you might get wet, and it wouldn't be my fault." "i'll fix you!" growled danny, springing forward. bert got ready with the hose, and there might have been more trouble, except that sam, the colored man, came out on the lawn. he saw that something out of the ordinary was going on, and breaking into a run he called out: "am anyt'ing de mattah, massa bert? am yo' habin' trouble wif anybody?" "well, i guess it's all over now," said bert, as he saw danny turn and walk toward the gate. "if yo' need any help, jest remembah dat i'm around," spoke sam, with a wide grin that showed his white teeth in his black, but kindly face. "i'll be right handy by, massa bert, yes, i will!" "all right," said bert, as he went on watering the flowers. "huh! you needn't think i'm afraid of you!" boasted danny, but he kept on out of the gate just the same. sam went back to his work, of weeding the vegetable garden and bert watered the flowers. pretty soon freddie came back. "did--did danny do anything to you?" the little fellow wanted to know. "no, freddie, but the hose did something to him," said bert. "oh, did it wet him again?" "that's what it did." "ha! ha!" laughed freddie. "i wish i'd been here to see it, bert." "well, why did you run?" "oh, i--i thought maybe--mamma might want me," answered freddie, but bert understood, and smiled. then he let freddie finish watering the flowers, after which freddie played he was a fireman, saving houses from burning by means of the hose. snap, the trick dog came running out, followed by flossie, who had just been washed and combed, her mother having put a clean dress on her. "oh, freddie," said the little girl, "let's make snap do some tricks. see if he will jump over the stream of water from the hose." "all right," agreed her little brother. "i'll squirt the water out straight, and you stand on one side of it and call snap over. then he'll jump." flossie tried this, but at first the dog did not seem to want to do this particular trick. he played soldier, said his prayers, stood on his hind legs, and turned a somersault. but he would not jump over the water. "come, snap, snap!" called flossie. "jump!" snap raced about and barked, and seemed to be having all sorts of fun, but jump he would not until he got ready. then, when he did, freddie accidentally lowered the nozzle and snap was soaked. but the dog did not mind the water in the least. in fact he seemed to like it, for the day was warm, and he stood still and let freddie wet him all over. then snap rolled about on the lawn, freddie and flossie taking turns sprinkling. and, as might be expected, considerable water got on the two children, and when snap shook himself, as he often did, to get some of the drops off his shaggy coat, he gave flossie and her clean dress a regular shower bath. nan, coming from the house saw this. she ran up to flossie, who had the hose just then, crying: "flossie bobbsey! oh, you'll get it when mamma sees you! she cleaned you all up, and now look at yourself!" "she can't see--there's no looking glass here," said freddie, with a laugh. "and you're just as bad!" cried nan. "you'd both better go in the house right away, and stop playing with the hose." "we're through, anyhow," said freddie. "you ought to see snap jump over the water." "oh, you children!" cried nan, with a shake of her head. she seemed like a little mother to them at times, though she was only four years older. mrs. bobbsey was very sorry to see flossie so wet and bedraggled, and said: "you should have known better than to play with water with a clean dress on, flossie. now i must punish you. you will have to stay in the house for an hour, and so will freddie." poor little bobbsey twins! but then it was not a very severe punishment, and really some was needed. it was hard when two of their little playmates came and called for them to come out. but mrs. bobbsey insisted on the two remaining in until the hour was at an end. then, when they had on dry garments, and could go out, there was no one with whom to play. "i'm not going to squirt the hose ever again," said freddie. "neither am i," said his sister. "never, never!" snap didn't say anything. he lay on the porch asleep, being cooled off after his sport with the water. "i--i wish we had our cat, snoop, back," said flossie. "then we wouldn't have played in the water." "that's so," agreed freddie. "i wonder where he can be?" they asked their father that night if any of the railroad men had seen their pet, but he said none had, and added: "i'm afraid you'll have to get along without snoop. he seems to have disappeared. but, anyhow, you have snap." "but some one may come along and claim him," said freddie. "that danny rugg says he belongs to mr. peterson in millville, father," said bert. "well, i'll call mr. peterson up on the telephone to-morrow, and find out," spoke mr. bobbsey. "that much will be settled, at any rate." "did you hear anything from the circus people about the fat lady?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes, but no news," was her husband's answer. "the circus has gone to cuba and porto rico for the winter, and i will have to write there. it will be some time before we can expect an answer, though, as i suppose the show will be traveling from place to place and mail down there is not like it is up here. but we may find the fat lady and the cup some day." "and snoop, too," put in nan. "yes, snoop too." one fact consoled the bobbseys in their trouble over their lost pet and cup. this was the answer received by mr. bobbsey from mr. peterson. that gentleman had lost a valuable dog, but it was a small poodle, and unlike big snap. so far no one had claimed the trick dog, and it seemed likely that the children could keep him. they were very glad about this. "oh dear!" exclaimed bert, one afternoon a few days following the fun with the hose, "school begins monday. only three more days of vacation!" "i think you have had a long vacation," returned mrs. bobbsey, "and if freddie and flossie are going to do such tricks as they did the other day, with the hose, i, for one, shall be glad that you are in school." "i like school," said nan, "there are a lot of new girls coming this term, i hear." "any new fellows?" asked bert, more interested. "i don't know. there is a new teacher in the kindergarten, though, where flossie and freddie will go. nellie parks has met her, and says she's awfully nice." "that's good," spoke flossie. "i like nice teachers." "well, i hope you and freddie will get along well," said mamma bobbsey. "you are getting older you know, and you must soon begin to study hard." "we will," they promised. the school bell, next monday morning, called to many rather unwilling children. the long vacation was over and class days had begun once more. the four bobbseys went off together to the building, which was only a few blocks from their home. mr. tetlow was the principal, and there were half a dozen lady teachers. "hello, nan," greeted grace lavine. "may i sit with you this term?" "oh, i was going to ask her," said nellie parks. "well, i was first," spoke grace, with a pout. "we'll be in the room where there are three seated desks." said nan with a smile. "maybe we three can be together." "oh, we'll ask teacher!" cried nellie. "that will be lovely!" "i'm going to sit with freddie," declared flossie. "we're to be together--mamma said so." "of course, dear," agreed nan. "i'll speak to your teacher about it." bert was walking in the rear with charley mason, when danny rugg came around a corner. "i know what i'm going to do to you after school, bert bobbsey!" called the bully. "you just wait and see." "all right--i'll wait," spoke bert quietly. "i'm not afraid." by this time they were at the school, and it was nearly time for the last bell to ring. danny went off to join some of his particular chums, shaking his fist at bert as he went. chapter viii bert sees something lessons were not very well learned that first day in school, but this is generally the case when the fall term opens after the summer vacation. just as were the bobbsey twins, nearly all the other pupils were thinking of what good times they had had in the country, or at the seashore, and in consequence little attention was paid to reading, spelling, arithmetic and geography. but principal tetlow and his teachers were prepared for this, and they were sure that, in another day or so, the boys and girls would settle down and do good work. many of the children were in new rooms and different classes, and this did not make them feel so much "at home" as before vacation. nan bobbsey's first duty, after reporting to her new teacher, was to go to the kindergarten room, and ask the teacher there if flossie and freddie might sit together. "you see," nan explained, "this is really their first real school work. they attended a few times before, but did not stay long." "i see," spoke the pretty kindergarten instructor with a laugh, "and we must make it as pleasant for them this time as we can, so they will want to stay. yes, my dear, flossie and freddie may sit together, and i'll look after them as much as i can. but, oh, there are such a lot of little tots!" and she looked about the room that seemed overflowing with small boys and girls. some were playing and talking, telling of their summer experiences. others seemed frightened, and stood against the wall bashfully, little girls holding to the hands of their little brothers. nan looked for freddie and flossie. she saw her little sister trying to comfort a small girl who was almost ready to cry, while freddie, like the manly little fellow he was, had charge of a small chap in whose eyes were two large tears, just ready to fall. it was his first day at school. "oh, i am sure your little twin brother and sister will get along all right," said the kindergarten teacher, with a smile to nan, as she saw what flossie and freddie were doing. "they are too cute for anything--the little dears!" "and they are very good," said nan, "only of course they do--things--sometimes." "they wouldn't be real children if they didn't," answered the teacher. this was during a recess that had come after the classes were first formed. on her way back to her room, to see if she could arrange to sit with grace and nellie at one of the new big desks, nan saw her brother bert. he looked a little worried, and nan asked at once: "what is the matter, bert? haven't you got a nice teacher?" "oh, yes, she's fine!" exclaimed bert. "there's nothing the matter at all." "yes there is," insisted nan. "i can tell by your face. it's that danny rugg; i'm sure. oh, bert, is he bothering you again?" "well, he said he was going to." "then why don't you go straight and tell mr. tetlow? he'll make danny behave. i'll go tell him myself!" "don't you dare, nan!" cried bert. "all the fellows would call me 'sissy,' if i let you do that. never mind, i can look out for my self. i'm not afraid of danny." "oh, bert, i hope you don't get into a fight." "i won't, nan--if i can help it. at least i won't hit first, but if he hits me---" bert looked as though he knew what he would do in that case. "oh dear!" cried nan, "aren't you boys just awful!" however, she made up her mind that if danny got too bad she would speak to the principal about him, whether her brother wanted her to or not. "he won't know it," thought nan. she had no trouble in getting permission from her teacher for herself and her two friends to sit together, and soon they had moved their books and other things to one of the long desks that had room for three pupils. meanwhile flossie and freddie got along very well in the kindergarten. at first, just as the others did, they gave very little attention to what the teacher wanted them to learn, but she was very patient, and soon all the class was gathered about the sand table, in the little low chairs, making fairy cities, caves, and even make-believe seashore places. "this is like the one where we were this summer," said flossie, as she made a hole in her sand pile to take the place of the ocean. "if i had water and a piece of wood i could show you where there was a shipwreck," she said to the girl next to her. "that isn't the way it was," spoke freddie, from the other side of the room. "there was more sand at the seashore than on this whole table--yes, on ten tables like this." "there was not!" cried flossie. "there was too!" insisted her brother. "children--children!" called the teacher. "you must not argue like that--ever--in school, or out of it. now we will sing our work-song, and after that we will march with the flags," and she went to the piano to play. all the little ones liked this, and the dispute of flossie and freddie was soon forgotten. bert kept thinking of what might happen between himself and danny rugg when school was out, and when his teacher asked him what the pilgrim fathers did when they first came to settle in new england bert looked up in surprise, and said: "they fought." "fought!" exclaimed the teacher. "the book says they gave thanks." "well, i meant they fought the--er--the indians," stammered bert. poor bert was thinking of what might take place between himself and the bully. "well, yes, they did fight the indians," admitted the teacher, "but that wasn't what i was thinking of. i will ask you another question in history." but i am not going to tire you with an account of what went on in the classrooms. there were mostly lessons there, such as you have yourselves, and i know you don't care to read about them. bert did not see danny rugg at the noon recess, when the bobbsey twins and the other children went home for lunch. but when school was let out in the afternoon, and when bert was talking to charley mason about a new way of making a kite, danny rugg, accompanied by several of his chums, walked up to bert. it was in a field some distance from the school, and no houses were near. "now i've got you, bert bobbsey!" taunted danny, as he advanced with doubled-up fists. "what did you want to squirt the hose on me that time for?" "i told you it was an accident," said bert quietly. "and i say you did it on purpose. i said i'd get even with you, and now i'm going to." "i don't want to fight, danny," said bert quietly. "huh! he's afraid!" sneered jack westly, one of danny's friends. "yes, he's a coward!" taunted danny. "i'm not!" cried bert stoutly. "then take that!" exclaimed danny, and he gave bert a push that nearly knocked him down. bert put out a hand to save himself and struck danny, not really meaning to. "there! he hit you back!" cried one boy. "yes, go on in, now, dan, and beat him!" said another "oh, i'll fix him now," boasted danny, circling around bert. bert was carefully watching. he did not mean to let danny get the best of him if he could help it, much as he did not like to fight. danny struck bert on the chest, and bert hit the bully on the cheek. then danny jumped forward swiftly and tried to give bert a blow on the head. but bert stepped to one side, and danny slipped down to the ground. as he did so a white box fell from his pocket. bert knew what kind of a box it was, and what was in it, and he knew now, what had stained danny's fingers so yellow, and what made his clothes have such a queer smell. for the box had in it cigarettes. danny saw where it had fallen, and picked it up quickly. then he came running at bert again, but a boy called: "look out! here comes mr. tetlow, the principal!" this was a signal for all the boys, even bert, to run, for, though school was out, they still did not want to be caught at a fight by one of the teachers, or mr. tetlow. "anyhow, you knocked him down, bert," said charley mason, as he ran on with bert. "you beat!" "he did not--i slipped," said danny. "i can fight him, and i will, too, some day." "i'm not afraid of you," answered bert. mr. tetlow did not appear to have seen the fight that amounted to so little. perhaps he pretended not to. chapter ix off to the woods whether danny rugg was afraid the principal had seen him trying to force a fight on bert, or whether the unexpected fall that came to him, caused it, no one knew, but certainly, for the next few days, danny let bert alone. when he passed him he scowled, or shook his fist, or muttered something about "getting even," but this was all. perhaps it was the thought of what bert had seen fall from danny's pocket that made the bully less anxious to keep up the quarrel. at any rate, bert was left alone and he was glad of it. he was not afraid, but he liked peace. the school days went on, and the classes settled down to their work for the long winter term. and the thought of the snow and ice that would comparatively soon be with them, made the bobbsey twins rejoice. "charley mason and i are going to make a dandy big bob this year," said bert one day. "it's going to carry ten fellows." "and no girls?" asked nan with a smile. she was walking along behind her brother with grace and nellie. "sure, we'll let you girls ride once in a while," said charley, as he caught up to his chum. "but you can't steer." "i steered a bob once," said grace, who was quite athletic for her age. "it was danny rugg's, too." "pooh! his is a little one alongside the one charley and i are going to make!" exclaimed bert. "ours will be hard to steer, and it's going to have a gong on it to tell folks to get out of the way." "that's right," agreed charley. "and we'd better start it right away, bert. it may soon snow." "it doesn't feel so now," spoke nan. "it is very warm. it feels more like ice cream cones." "and if you'll come with me i'll treat you all to some," exclaimed nellie parks, whose father was quite well off. "i have some of my birthday money left." "oh, but there are five of us!" cried nan, counting. "that is too much--twenty-five cents, nellie." "i've got fifty, and really it is very hot to-day." it was warm, being the end of september, with indian summer near at hand. "well, let's go to johnson's," suggested nellie. "they have the best cream." "oh, here comes flossie and freddie!" exclaimed nan. "we don't want to take them, nellie. that means---" "of course i'll take them!" exclaimed nellie, generously. "i've got fifty cents, i told you." "i'll give them each a penny and let them run along home," offered bert. "no, i'm going to treat them, too," insisted nellie. "come on!" she called to the little twins, "we're going to get ice cream cones, it's so warm." "oh, goodie!" cried flossie. "i was just wishing for one." "so was i," added her brother. "and i'll ask you to my party next week," the little girl went on. "i'm going to have one on my birthday." "oh, are you really, flossie?" asked nan. "i hadn't heard about it." "yep--i am. mamma said i could, but she told me not to tell. i don't care, i wanted nellie to know, as she's going to treat us to cones." "and it's half my party, 'cause my birthday's the same day," explained freddie. "so you can come to my party at the same time, nellie." "thank you, dear, i shall. now let's hurry to the store, for it's getting warmer all the while." the ice cream in the funny little cones was much enjoyed by all. bert and charley walked on together eating, and talking of the bob sled they were going to make. they passed danny rugg, who looked rather enviously at them. "hey, charley," called danny, "come here, i want to speak to you." "i'm busy now," answered charley. "bert and i have something to do." "so have i. i've got a dandy plan." "well, i'll see you later," spoke charley, he had once been quite friendly with danny, but he grew not to like his ways, and so became more chummy with bert, who was very glad, for he liked charley. the two boys went on to bert's barn, where they were going to build the bob sled. the girls, with flossie and freddie, went on the bobbsey lawn, where there were some easy chairs. they sat in the shade of the trees, and freddie had snap do some of his tricks for the visitors. "can he jump through a hoop, covered with paper as they do in the circus?" asked nellie. "oh, we never thought to try that," said freddie. "i'm going to make one," and, filled with this new idea, he hurried into the house. "dinah," he said, "i want some paper and paste." "land sakes, chile! what yo' gwine t' do now?" asked the colored cook. "make a kite, an' take snoop up in de air laik yo' brother bert done once?" "no, we're not going to do that," answered the little boy. "we're going to cover a hoop with paper, and make snap jump through it, like in a circus." "mah goodness mustard pot!" cried dinah. "what will yo' all be up to next?" "i don't know," answered freddie. "but will you make me some paste, dinah? and you know we haven't got snoop, anyhow, so we couldn't send him up on a kite tail," added freddie. "deah me! yo' chilluns done make me do de mostest wuk!" complained dinah, but she laughed, which showed that she did not really mean it, and set at mixing some flour and water for the paste. flossie and freddie insisted on making the paper covered hoop themselves. they started, but they got so much of the sticky stuff on their hands and faces that nan feared they would soil their clothes, so she insisted on being allowed to do the pasting for them. "but we can help, can't we?" asked freddie. "yes," said nan. even for nan covering a hoop with paper was not as easy as she thought it would be. grace and nellie helped, but sometimes the wind would blow the paper away just as they were ready to fold it around the rim of the hoop. then the paste would get on the girls' hands. "what are you doing?" asked bert, as he and charley came from the barn. they had to stop work on their job, as they could not find a long enough plank. the decided to get one from mr. bobbsey's lumber yard, later. "we're going to have snap do the circus trick of jumping through a paper hoop," explained nan. "only we can't seem to get the hoop made." "i'll do it," offered bert, and as he and charley had often pasted paper on their kite frames they had better luck, and soon the hoop was ready. "come, snap!" called freddie, it having been settled that he and flossie were to hold the hoop for the dog to leap through. snap, always ready for fun, jumped up from the grass where he had been sleeping, and frisked about, barking loudly. "now you hold him there, charley," directed bert, pointing to a spot back of where freddie and flossie stood. "then i'll go over here and call him. he'll come running, and when he gets near enough, freddie, you and flossie hold up the paper hoop. he'll go right through it." it worked out just as the children had planned. snap raced away from charley, when he heard bert calling. he ran right between flossie and freddie, who raised the hoop just in time. "rip! tear!" burst the paper, and snap sailed through the hoop just as he probably had often done in the circus, perhaps from the back of a horse. "oh, that was fine!" cried flossie. "let's make another hoop!" "let's make a lot of 'em, and have a circus with snap, and charge money to see him, and then we can buy a lot of ice cream for our party!" said freddie. "oh, yes!" agreed his sister. well, they did make more hoops, and snap seemed to enjoy jumping through them. but when mrs. bobbsey heard about the circus plans she decided it would make too much confusion. "besides, you have to help me get ready for your party," she said to the two little twins. this took their mind off the proposed circus, but for several days after that they had much fun making hoops for snap to jump through. bert and charley got a long plank from the lumber yard, and spent much time after school in the bobbsey barn, working over their bob sled. it was harder than they had thought it would be, and they had to call in some other boys to help them. mr. bobbsey, too, gave his son some advice about how to build it. flossie and freddie liked it very much in school. the kindergarten teacher was very kind, and took an interest in all her pupils. "oh, mamma!" cried flossie, coming in one day from school, "i've learned how to make a house." "and i can make a lantern, and a chain to hang it on, and i can put it in front of flossie's house!" exclaimed freddie. "and, please, mother, may i have some bread and jam. i'm awful hungry." "yes, dear, go ask dinah," said mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "and then you may show me how you make houses and lanterns and a chain. are they real?" "no," said flossie, "they're only paper, but they look nice." "i'm sure they must," said their mother. after each of the twins had been given a large slice of bread and butter and jam, they showed the latest thing they had learned at school. flossie did manage to cut out a house, that had a chimney on it, and a door, besides two windows. freddie took several little narrow strips of paper, and pasting the ends together, made a lot of rings. each ring before being pasted, was slipped into another, and soon he had a paper chain. to make the lantern he used a piece of paper made into a roll, with slits all around the middle of it where the light would have come out had there been a candle in it. and the handle was a narrow slip of paper pasted over the top of the lantern. "very fine indeed," said mamma bobbsey. "run out now to play. if you stay in the house too much you will soon lose all the lovely tan you got in the country, and at the seashore." "children," said the principal to the bobbseys and all the others in school the next day, "i have a little treat for you. to-morrow will be a holiday, and, as the weather is very warm, we will close the school at noon, and go off in the woods for a little picnic." "oh, good!" cried a number of the boys and girls, and, though it was against the rules to speak aloud during the school hours, none of the teachers objected. "but i expect you all to have perfect marks from now until friday," mr. tetlow went on. "you may bring your lunches to school with you friday morning, if your parents will let you, and we will leave here at noon, and go to ward's woods." it was rather hard work to study after such good news, but, somehow, the pupils managed it. finally friday came, and nearly every boy and girl came to school with a basket or bundle holding his or her lunch. mrs. bobbsey put up two baskets for her children, nan taking one and bert the other. "oh, we'll have a lovely time!" cried freddie, dancing about on his little fat legs. twelve o'clock came, and with each teacher at the head of her class, and mr. tetlow marching in front of all, the whole school started off for the woods. chapter x a scare the way to the woods where the little school outing was to be held ran close to the road on which the bobbsey house stood. as freddie and flossie, with nan and bert, marched along with the others, freddie cried out: "oh, i hope we see mamma, and then we can wave to her." "yes, and maybe she'll come with us," suggested flossie. "wouldn't that be nice?" "pooh!" exclaimed bert "mamma's too busy to come to a picnic to-day. she's expecting company." "yes," added nan, "the minister and his wife are coming, and mamma's cooking a lot of things." "why, does a minister eat more than other folks?" asked freddie. "if they does, i'm going to be a minister when i grow up." "i thought you were going to be a fireman," said bert. "well, i can be a fireman week days and a minister on sundays," said the little fellow, thus solving the problem. "but do they eat so much, nan?" "no, of course not, only mamma wants to be polite to them, so she has a lot of things cooked up, so that if they don't like one thing they can have another. folks always give their best to the minister." "then i'm surely going to be one, too," declared flossie. "i like good things to eat. i hope our minister isn't very hungry, 'cause then there'll be some left for us when we come home from this picnic." "why, flossie!" cried nan. "we have a lovely lunch with us; plenty, i'm sure." "well, i'm awful hungry, nan," said the little girl. "besides, sammie jones, and his sister julia, haven't any lunch at all. i saw them, and they looked terrible hungry. couldn't we give them some of ours; if we have so much at home?" "of course we could, and it is very kind of you to think of them," said nan, as she patted her little sister on her head. "i'll look after sammie and julia when we get to the grove." in spite of what nan and bert had said about mrs. bobbsey being very busy, flossie and freddie looked anxiously in the direction of their house as they walked along. but no sight of their mother greeted them. they did see a friend, however, and this was none other than snap, their new dog, who, with many barks and wags of his fluffy tail, ran out to meet his little masters and mistresses. "here, snap! snap!" called freddie. "come on, old fellow!" and the dog leaped all about him. "let's take him to the picnic with us," suggested flossie. "we can have lots of fun." "and he can eat the scraps," said nan. "shall we, bert?" "i don't care. but maybe mr. tetlow wouldn't like it." "you ask him, bert," pleaded flossie. "tell him snap will do tricks to amuse us." bert good-naturedly started ahead to speak to the principal, who was talking with some of the teachers, planning games for the little folk. flossie and freddie were patting their pet, when danny rugg, and one of his friends came along. "that dog can't come to our picnic!" said danny, with a scowl. "he might bite some of us." "snap never bites!" cried freddie. "of course not," said flossie. "well, he can't come to this picnic!" spoke danny, angrily. "go on home!" he cried, sharply, stooping to pick up a stone. snap growled and showed his teeth. "there!" cried danny. "i told you he'd bite." "he will not, danny rugg!" exclaimed nan, who had gone up front for a minute to speak to some of the older girls. "he only growled because you acted mean to him. now you leave him alone, or i'll tell mr. tetlow on you." "pooh! think i care? i say no dog can come to our picnic. go on home!" and with raised hand danny approached snap. again the dog growled angrily. he was not used to being treated in this way. "look out, danny rugg," said nan, severely, "or he may jump on you, and knock you down. he wouldn't bite you, though, mean as you are, unless i told him to do so." "i'm not afraid of you!" cried danny, more angry than before. "i'll get a stick and then we'll see what will happen," and he looked about for one. "don't let danny beat snap!" pleaded flossie, tears coming into her eyes. "i won't," said nan, looking about anxiously for bert. she saw him coming back, and felt better. by this time danny had found a club, and was coming back to where flossie, freddie and nan, with some of their friends, were walking along, snap in their midst. "i'll make that dog go home now!" cried danny. "i'm not going to get bitten, and have hyperfobia, or whatever you call it. i'll tell mr. tetlow if you don't make him go home." "oh, don't be so smart!" exclaimed bert, stepping out from behind a group of girls. "i've told mr. tetlow myself that snap is following us, and he said to let him come along. so you needn't take the trouble, danny rugg. and if you try to hit our dog i'll have something more to say," and bert stepped boldly forth. "huh! i'm not afraid of you," sneered danny, but he let the club drop, and walked off with his own particular chums. "did mr. tetlow say snap could come?" asked freddie, anxiously. "yes. he said he'd be good to drive away the cows if they bothered us," answered bert, with a smile. after this little trouble, the bobbseys and their friends went on toward the grove in the woods where the picnic was to be held. there was laughing and shouting, and much fun on the way, in which snap shared. boys and girls would run to one side or the other of the path to gather late flowers. some would pick up odd stones, or pine cones, and others would find curious little creeping or crawling things which they called their friends to see. each teacher had charge of her special class, but she did not look too closely after them, for it was a day to be happy and free from care, with no thought of school or lessons. "we'll make snap do some tricks when we get to the grove," said flossie. "yes, we'll have a little circus," added her brother. "can he stand on his head?" one girl wanted to know. "well, he can turn a somersault, and he's on his head for a second while he's doing that," explained freddie, proudly. "can he roll over and over?" a boy wanted to know. "we had a dog, once, that could." "snap can, too," said flossie. "roll over, snap!" she ordered, and the dog, with a bark, did so. the children laughed and some clapped their hands. they thought snap was about the best dog they had ever seen. no accidents happened on the way to the grove, except that one little boy tried to cross a brook on some stones, instead of the plank which the others used. he slipped in and got his feet wet, but as the day was warm no one worried much. finally the grove was reached. it was in a wooded valley, with hills on either side, and a cold, clear spring of water at one end, where everyone could get a drink. and that always seems to be what is most wanted at a picnic--a drink of water. mr. tetlow called all the children together, before letting them go off to play, and told them at what time the start for home would be made, so that they would not be late in coming back to the meeting place. "and now," he said, "have the best fun you can. play anything you wish--school games if you like--but don't get too warm or excited. and don't go too far away. you may eat your luncheon when you like." "then let's eat ours now," suggested flossie. "i'm awful hungry." "so am i," said freddie. so nan and bert decided that the little ones might at least have a sandwich and a piece of cake. nor did they forget the two little jones children, who had no lunch. the bobbseys were well provided and soon sammie and julia were smiling and happy as they sat beneath a tree, eating. then came all sorts of games, from tag and jumping rope, to blind-man's bluff and hide-and-seek. snap was made to do a number of tricks, much to the amusement of the teachers and children. danny rugg, and some of the older boys, got up a small baseball game, and then danny, with one or two chums, went off in a deeper part of the woods. bert heard one of the boys ask another if he had any matches. "i know what they're going to do," whispered bert to nan. "what?" she asked. "smoke cigarettes. i saw danny have a pack." nan was much shocked, but she did not say anything. she was glad bert did not smoke. bert went off with some boys to see if they could catch any fish in the deeper part of the brook, about half a mile from the picnic grove, and nan, with one or two girls about her own age, took a little walk with flossie and freddie to gather some late wild flowers that grew on the side of one of the hills. they found a number of the blossoms, and were making pretty bouquets of them, when freddie, who had gone on a little ahead of the rest, came running back so fast that he nearly rolled to the bottom of the hill, so fat and chubby was he. "what's the matter? what is it?" asked nan, catching her brother just in time. "up there!" he gasped. "it's up there! a great big black one!" "a big black what--bug?" asked nan, ready to laugh. "no, a big black snake! i almost stepped on it." "a snake! oh, dear!" screamed the girls. "call mr. tetlow!" said flossie. "he's got a book about snakes, and he'll know what to do." "come on!" cried nellie parks. "i'm going to run!" "so am i!" added grace lavine. "oh, it may chase us!" in fright the children turned, freddie looking back at the spot where he thought he had seen the snake. chapter xi danny's trick nan bobbsey stood for a moment, she hardly knew why. perhaps she wanted to see the big snake of which freddie spoke. it certainly was not because she liked reptiles. then she thought she saw something long and black wiggling toward her, and, with a little exclamation of fright, she, too, turned to follow the others. but, as she did so, she saw their dog snap come running up the hill, barking and wagging his tail. he seemed to have lost the children for a moment and to be telling them how glad he was that he had found them again. straight up the hill, toward where freddie had said the snake was, rushed snap. "here! come back! don't go there!" cried nan. "no, don't let him--he may be bitten!" added flossie. "come here, snap!" but snap evidently did not want to mind. on up the hill he rushed, pausing now and then to dig in the earth. nearer and nearer he came to where the little bobbsey boy had said the snake was hiding in the grass and bushes. "oh, snap! snap!" cried freddie. "don't go there!" but snap kept on, and freddie, afraid lest his pet dog be bitten, caught up a stone and threw it at the place. his aim was pretty good, but instead of scaring away the snake, or driving back snap, the fall of the stone only made snap more eager to see what was there that his friends did not want him to get. with a loud bark he rushed on, and the children, turning to look, saw something long and black, and seemingly wiggling, come toward them. "oh, the snake! the snake!" cried nan. "run! run!" shouted grace. "come on!" exclaimed nellie parks, in loud tones. "freddie! freddie!" called flossie, afraid lest her little brother be bitten. snap rushed at the black thing so fiercely that he turned a somersault down the hill, and rolled over and over. but he did not mind this, and in an instant was up again. once more he rushed at the black object, but the children did not watch to see what happened, for they were running away as fast as they could. then freddie, anxious as to what would become of snap if he fought a snake, looked back. he saw a strange sight. the dog had in his mouth the long, black thing, and was running with it toward the bobbseys and their friends. "oh, nan! nan! look! look!" cried freddie. "snap has the snake! he's bringing it to us!" "oh, he mustn't do that!" shouted nan. "it may bite him or us." "run! run faster!" shrieked grace. but even though it was down hill the children could not run as fast as snap, and he soon caught up to them. running on a little way ahead he dropped the black thing. but instead of wiggling or trying to bite, if was very still. "it--it's dead," said nan. "snap has killed it." freddie was braver now. he went closer. "why--why!" he exclaimed. "it isn't a snake at all! it's only an old black root of a tree, all twisted up like a snake! look, nan--flossie!" taking courage, the girls went up to look. snap stood over it, wagging his tail as proudly as though he had captured a real snake. as freddie had said, it was only a tree root. "but it did look a lot like a snake in the grass," said the little fellow. "it must have," agreed nan. "it looked like one even when snap had it. but i'm glad it wasn't." "so am i," spoke grace, and nellie made a like remark. snap frisked about, barking as though to ask praise for what he had done. "he is a good dog," observed freddie, hearing which the animal almost wagged his tail off. "and if it had been a real snake he'd have gotten it; wouldn't you?" went on the little boy. if barks meant anything, snap said, with all his heart, that he certainly would--that not even a dozen snakes could frighten a big dog like him. the children soon got over the little scare, and went back up the hill again to gather more flowers. snap went with them this time, running about here and there. "if there are any real snakes," said freddie, "he'll scare them away. but i guess there aren't any." "i hope not," said nan, but she and the others kept a sharp lookout. however, there was no further fright for them, and soon, with their hands filled with blossoms the bobbseys and the others went back to the main party. some of the teachers were arranging games with their pupils, and nan, flossie and freddie joined in, having a good time. then, when it was almost time to start for home, mr. tetlow blew loudly on a whistle he carried to call in the stragglers. "where's bert?" asked flossie, looking about for her older brother. "i guess he hasn't come back from fishing yet," said nan. "come, flossie and freddie, i have a little bit of lunch left, and you might as well eat it, so you won't be hungry on the way home." the littler bobbsey twins were glad enough to do this. then they had to have a drink, and nan went with them to the spring, carrying a glass tumbler she had brought. "this isn't like our nice silver cup that the fat lady took in the train," said freddie, as he passed the glass of water very carefully to flossie. "no," she said, after she had taken het drink. "i wonder if papa will ever get that back?" "he said, the other day," remarked nan, as she got some water for freddie, "that he hadn't heard from the circus yet. but i think he will. it isn't like snoop, our cat. we don't know where he is, but we're pretty sure the fat lady has the cup." "poor snoop!" cried freddie, as he thought of the fine black cat. "maybe some of the railroad men have him." "maybe," agreed flossie. when they got back to where the teachers and principal were, bert and the boys who had gone fishing had returned. they had one or two small fish. "i'm going to have mamma cook them for my supper," said bert, proudly holding up those he had caught. "they're too small--there won't be anything left of them after they're cleaned," said nan, who was quite a little housekeeper. "oh, yes, there will," declared her brother "i'm going fishing again to-morrow, and catch more." mr. tetlow was going about among the teachers, asking if all their pupils were on hand, ready for the march back. danny rugg and some of his close friends were missing. "they ought not to have gone off so far." said mr. tetlow, as he blew several times on the whistle. soon danny and the other boys were seen coming from a distant part of the grove. one of the boys, harry white, looked very pale, and not at all well. "what is the matter?" asked mr. tetlow, and he looked curiously at danny and the others, and sniffed the air as though he smelled something. "i--i guess i ate too many--apples," said harry, in a faint voice. "we found an orchard, and---" "i told you not to go into orchards, and take fruit," said mr. tetlow, severely. "the man said we could," remarked danny. "we asked him." "then you should not have eaten so many," said mr. tetlow. "i can't see how ripe apples which are the only kind there are this time of year--could make you ill unless you ate too many," and he looked at danny and harry sharply. but they did not answer. the march home was not as joyful as the one to the grove had been, for most of the children were tired. but they all had had a fine time, and there were many requests of the teachers to have another picnic the next week. "oh, we can't have them every week, my dears," said miss franklin, who had charge of flossie, freddie and some others in the kindergarten class. "besides, it will soon be too cool to go out in the woods. in a little while we will have ice and snow, and thanksgiving and christmas." "that will be better than picnics," said freddie. "i'm going to have a new sled." "i'm going to get a new doll, that can walk," declared flossie, and then she and the others talked about the coming holidays. at school several days in the following week little was talked of except the picnic, the snake scare from the old tree root, the catching of the fish, and the illness of harry white, for that boy was quite sick by the time town was reached, and mr. tetlow called a carriage to send him home. "and i can guess what made him sick too," said bert to nan, privately. "what?" she asked. "smoking cigarettes." "how do you know?" "because when i and some of the other fellows were fishing we saw danny and his crowd smoking in the woods. they offered us some, but we wouldn't take any. harry said he was sick then, but danny only laughed at him." "that danny rugg is a bad boy," said nan, severely. but she was soon to see how much meaner danny could be. workmen had recently finished putting some new water pipes, and a place for the children to drink, in the school yard, and one morning, speaking to the whole school, mr. tetlow made a little speech, warning the children not to play with the faucets, and spray the water about, as some had done, in fun. "whoever is caught playing with the faucets in the yard after this will be severely punished," he said. as it happened, flossie and freddie were not at school that day, freddie having a slight sore throat. his mother kept him home, and flossie would not go without him. so they did not hear the warning, and bert and nan did not think to tell the smaller children of it. two days later freddie was well enough to go back to class, and flossie accompanied him. it was at the morning recess when, as freddie went to get a drink at one of the new faucets, danny saw him. a gleam of mischief came into the eyes of the school bully. "want to see the water squirt, freddie?" asked danny. "that's a new kind of faucet. it squirts awful far." "does it?" asked freddie, innocently. "how do you make it?" he had no idea it was forbidden fun. "just put your thumb over the hole, and turn the water on," directed danny. "you, too, flossie. it won't hurt you." danny looked all around, thinking he was unobserved as he gave this bad advice. naturally, freddie and flossie, being so young, suspected nothing. they covered the opening of the faucet with their thumbs, and turned on the water. it spurted in a fine spray, and they laughed in glee. that they wet each other did not matter. danny, seeing the success of his trick, walked off as he saw mr. tetlow coming. the bobbsey twins were so intent on spurting the water that they did not observe the principal until he was close to them. then they started as he called out sharply: "freddie! flossie! stop that! you know that it is forbidden! go to my office at once and i will come and see you later, you will be punished for this!" with tears in their eyes the little twins obeyed. they could not understand it. chapter xii the children's party when mr. tetlow, a little later, entered his office he found flossie and freddie standing by one of the windows, looking out on the other children marching to their classrooms. they had cried a little, but had stopped now. "i am very sorry to have to punish you two twins," said the principal, "but i had given strict orders that no one was to play with that water. why did you do it?" "because," answered flossie. "danny rugg told us to," added freddle. "he said it was a new kind of faucet." "now be careful," warned mr. tetlow. often before he had heard pupils say that someone else told them to break certain rules. "are you sure about this?" he asked. "yes, sir," said freddie, eagerly, "danny told us to do it." "but didn't you know it was forbidden?" "no, sir," answered flossie. "why, i spoke of it in all the rooms." "we wasn't here yesterday or the day before," said flossie. "freddie was sick." mr. tetlow began to understand. "i will look this up," he said, "and if i find---" he was interrupted by a boy from one of the higher classes coming in with a note from his teacher. she wanted a new box of chalk. "when you go back, george," said the principal to the boy, as he gave him what the teacher had sent for, "go to miss hegan's class, and have her send danny rugg to me. flossie and freddie say he told them to spray water with one of the new faucets." "yes, sir, he did!" exclaimed george. "i heard him, but i didn't think they would do it. he did tell them." at this unexpected information mr. tetlow was much surprised. "if that is the case, danny is the one to be punished," he said. "i am sorry, flossie and freddie, that i suspected you. you may go back to your class, and i will write your teacher a note, saying you may go out half an hour ahead of the others to make up for coming to my office. but, after this, no matter whether anyone tells you or not, don't spray the water." "no, sir, we won't!" exclaimed the bobbsey twins, now happy again. danny rugg was punished by being kept in after school for several days, and mr. tetlow sent home a note to his father, explaining what a mean trick the bully had played. "i wish i had heard danny telling you that--just to get you in trouble," said bert, when he was told of what had happened. "i'd have fixed him." "oh, don't get into any more fights," begged nan. bert did not come to blows with danny over this latest trouble, but he did tell the bully, very plainly, what he thought of him, and said if danny ever did a thing like that again that he would not get off so easily. "oh. i'm not afraid of you," sneered danny. lessons and fun made up many school days for the bobbsey twins. and, as the fall went on, lessons grew a little harder. even freddie and flossie, young as they were, had little tasks to do that kept them busy. but they liked their school and the teacher, and many were the queer stories they brought home of the happenings in the classroom. it was now toward the end of october, and the weather was getting cooler, though during the day it was still very warm at times. the twins, as did their friends, looked forward to the coming of winter and the christmas holidays. thanksgiving, too, would be a time of rejoicing and of good things to eat, and this occasion was to be made more of than usual this time, for some boys and girls the bobbseys had met in the country and at the seashore were to be invited to spend a few days in lakeport. but before this there was another event down on the program. this was to be a party for flossie and freddie, the occasion being their joint birthdays. "and we're going to have candy!" cried freddie, when the arrangements were talked over. "and ice cream"--added flossie--"a whole freezer full; aren't we, mamma?" "well, i guess a small freezer full won't be any too much," said mrs. bbbbsey, smiling. "but i hope none of you eat enough to make yourselves ill." "we won't," promised freddie and flossie. there were busy times in the home of the twins the next few days, for though nan and bert's birthdays were not to be observed, still they were to have their part in the jolly celebration. invitations were sent out, on little sheets of note paper, adorned with flowers, and in cute little envelopes. flossie and freddie took them to the post-office themselves. "my! what a lot of mail!" exclaimed the clerk at the stamp window, as he saw the children dropping the invitations into the slot. "uncle sam will have to get some extra men to carry that around, i guess. what's it all about?" "we're going to have a party," said flossie, proudly. just then danny rugg came into the post office. "a party; eh?" he sneered. "i'm coming to it, i am; and i'm going to have two plates of ice cream." "you are not!" cried freddie. "our mamma wouldn't let a boy like you come to our party." "'specially not after what you did--telling us to play in the water," added freddie. "you can't come!" "yes, i can," insisted danny, just to tease the children. for a moment flossie and freddie almost believed him, he seemed so much in earnest about it. "you can't come--you haven't any invitation," said flossie, suddenly. "i'll take one of those you put in the box," went on the mean boy. "he won't dare--will he?" and freddie appealed to the mail clerk. "i should say not!" said the man at the stamp window. "if he does uncle sam will be after him." "well, i'm coming to that party all the same!" insisted danny, with a grin on his freckled face. flossie and freddie were so worried about him that they told their mother, but she assured them that danny would not come to spoil their fun. finally the afternoon and evening of the party arrived, for the little folks were to come just before supper, play some games, eat, and then stay until about nine o'clock. flossie and freddie had been dressed in their prettiest clothes, and nan and bert also attired for the affair. the ice cream had come from the store, all packed in ice and salt, and dinah had set it out on the back stoop, where it would be cooler. dinah was very busy that day. she hurried about here and there, helping mrs. bobbsey. sam, her husband, also had plenty to do. "i 'clar t' gracious goodness!" dinah exclaimed, "i suah will get thin ef dish yeah keeps up! i ain't set down a minute dis' blessed day. my feet'll drop off soon i 'spect." "will they, really, dinah?" asked freddie. "and can we watch 'em fall?" "bress yo' hearts, honeys!" exclaimed the colored cook, "i didn't mean it jest dat way. but suffin's suah gwine t' happen--i feels it in mah bones!" and something was to happen, though not exactly what dinah expected. finally all was in readiness for the guests. the good things to eat were in the kitchen, all but the ice cream, which, as i have said, was out on the back porch. flossie and freddie had gone to the front door nearly a dozen times to see if any of the guests were in sight. snap, as a special favor, had been allowed to stay in the house that afternoon, for the twins were going to make him do tricks for their friends. there came a ring at the door bell. "here they come! here they come!" cried flossie. "let me answer, too," cried freddie, and they both hurried through the front hall to greet the first guest at their party. chapter xiii an unpleasant surprise quickly, after the first guests had arrived came the others. nellie parks, grace lavine friends of nan, and willie porter and his sister sadie, came first, and freddie and flossie let them in, the porter children being some of their best-liked playmates. all the children wore their best clothes, and for a time they were a bit stiff and unnatural, standing shyly about in corners, against the walls, or sitting on chairs. the boys seemed to all crowd together in one part of the room, and the girls in another. flossie and freddie, nan and bert, were so busy answering the door that they did not notice this at first. but aunt sarah, their mother's sister, who had come over to help mrs. bobbsey, looking in the parlor and library, saw what the trouble was. "my!" she cried, with a good-natured laugh, as she noticed how "stiff" the children were. "this will never do. you're not that way at school, i don't believe. come, be lively. mix up--play games. pretend this is recess at school, and make as much noise as you like." for a moment the boys and girls did not know what to think of this invitation. but just then snap, the circus dog, came in the room, and, with a bark of welcome, he turned a somersault, and then marched around on his hind legs, carrying a broomstick like a gun--pretending he was a soldier. bert had given it to him. then how the children laughed and clapped their hands! and snap barked so loudly--for he liked applause--that there was noise enough for even jolly aunt sarah. after that there was no trouble. the boys and girls talked together and soon they were playing games, and having the best kind of fun. for some of the games simple prizes had been offered and it was quite exciting toward the end to see who would win. flossie and freddie thought they had never had such a good time in all their lives. nan and bert were enjoying themselves, too, with their friends, who were slightly older than those who had been asked for the younger bobbsey twins. "going to jerusalem," was one game that created lots of enjoyment. a number of chairs were placed in the centre of the room, and the boys and girls marched around them while mrs. bobbsey played the piano. but there was one less chair than there were players, so that when the music would suddenly stop, which was a signal for each one who could, to sit down, someone was sure to be left. then this one had to stay out of the game. then a chair would be taken away, so as always to have one less than the number of players, and the game went on. it was great fun, scrambling to see who would get a seat, and not be left without one, and finally there but one chair left, while grace lavine and john blake marched about. mrs. bobbsey kept playing quite some time, as the two went around and around that one chair. everyone was laughing, wondering who would get a seat and so win the game, when, all at once, mrs. bobbsey stopped the music. she had her back turned so it would be perfectly fair. grace and john made a rush for the one chair, but grace got to it first, and so she won. "well, i'm glad you did, anyhow," said john, politely. other games were "peanut races" and "potato scrambles." in the first each player had a certain number of peanuts and they had to start at one end of the room, and lay the nuts at equal distances apart across to the other side, coming back each time to their pile of peanuts to get one. sometimes a boy would slip, he was in such a hurry, or a girl would drop her peanuts, and this made fun and confusion. nan won this race easily. in the potato scramble several rows of potatoes were made across the room. each player was given a large spoon, and whoever first took up all his or her potatoes in the spoon, one at a time, and piled them up at the far end of the room, won the game. in this charley mason was successful, and won the prize--a pretty little pin for his tie. the afternoon wore on, and, almost before the children realized it the hour for supper had arrived. they were not sorry, either, for they all had good appetites. "come into the dining room, children," invited mrs. bobbsey. and oh! such gasps of pleased surprise as were heard when the children saw what had been prepared for them! for mr. and mrs bobbsey, while not going to any great expense, and not making the children's party too fanciful, had made it beautiful and simple. the long table was set with dishes and pretty glasses. there were flowers in the centre, and at each end, and also blooms in vases about the room. then, from the centre chandelier to the four corners of the table, were strings of green smilax in which had been entwined carnations of various colors. the lights were softly glowing on the pretty scene, and there were prettily shaded candles to add to the effect. but what caught the eyes of all the children more than anything else were two large cakes--one at either end of the table. on each cake burned five candles, and on one cake was the name "flossie," while the other was marked "freddie." the names were in pink icing on top of the white frosting that covered the birthday cakes. "oh! oh! oh!" could be heard all about the room. "isn't that too sweet for anything!" "i guess they are sweet!" piped up freddie in his shrill little voice, "'cause dinah put lots of sugar in 'em; didn't you, dinah?" and he looked at dinah, who had thrust her laughing, black, good-natured face into the dining room door. "dat's what i did, honey! dat's what i did!" she exclaimed. "if anybody's got a toofache he'd better not eat any ob dem cakes, 'cause dey suah am sweet." how the children laughed at that! "all ready, now, children, sit down," said mrs. bobbsey. "your names are at your plates." there was a little confusion getting them all seated, as those on one side of the table found that their name cards were on the other side. but flossie and freddie, and nan and bert, helped the guests to find their proper places and soon everyone was in his or her chair. "can't snap sit with us, too?" asked freddie, looking about for his pet, who had done all his tricks well that evening. "no, dear," said mrs. bobbsey. "snap is a good dog, but we don't want him in the dining room when we are eating. it gives him bad habits." "then can't i send him out some cakes?" asked flossie, for snap had almost as large a "sweet tooth" as the children themselves. "yes, as it is your birthday, i suppose you can give him some of your good things," said mamma bobbsey. "here, dinah!" called freddie to the cook, as he piled a plate full of cakes. "please give these to snap." "land sakes goodness me alive!" cried dinah. "dat suah am queer. feedin' a dog jest laik a human at a party. i can't bring mahself to it, nohow." "i'll take 'em out to him," said her husband. then the feast began, and such a feast at it was! mrs. bobbsey, knowing how easily the delicate stomachs of children can be upset, had wisely selected the food and sweets, and she saw to it that no one ate too much, though she was gently suggestive about it instead of ordering. "don't eat too much," advised freddie to some of the friends who sat near him. "we've got a lot of ice cream coming. save room for that." "that's so--i almost forgot," spoke jimmie black. a little later mrs. bobbsey said to dinah: "i think you may bring in the cream now, and i will help you serve it." "yes, ma'am." "oh, goodie!" cried freddie. "ice cream's coming!" and he waved his spoon above his head. "freddie--freddie" said his mother, in gentle reproof. dinah went out on the back stoop, looked around and came running back to the dining room, where mrs. bobbsey was. dinah's eyes were big with wonder and surprise. "mrs. bobbsey! mrs. bobbsey!" she cried. "suffin's done gone an' happened!" "what is it?" asked mamma bobbsey, quickly. "is anyone hurt?" "no'm, but dat ice cream freezer hab jest gone and walked right off de back stoop, an' it ain't dere at all, nohow! de ice cream is all gone!" the children looked at one another with pained surprise showing on their faces. the ice cream was gone! chapter xiv a coat button astonishment, surprise and disappointment were so great for a few seconds after the discovery that the best part of the party--the ice cream--was gone, that no one knew what to say. then flossie burst out with: "are you sure, dinah? maybe it fell off the porch." "deed an' it didn't, honey gal. i done looked eberywhar fo' dat freezer, an' it's jest gone complete." "maybe snap took it," suggested freddie, as a last hope. "once he took my book and hid it. snap, did you take the ice cream?" snap barked and wagged his tail, looking rather pained at being asked such a question. "no, indeedy, snap couldn't take off a big freezer like dat," declared dinah. "it wasn't snap." "then who could it have been?" asked nan. everyone had stopped eating while this talk went on. "who could have taken our ice cream?" "dat's what i don't know, honey," answered the colored cook. "dat's why i comed in heah to tell yo' mamma. i 'spects, mrs. bobbsey, dat we'd better phonograph fo' de police." "phonograph--i guess you mean telephone; don't you, dinah?" asked mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "yes'm, dat's what i done mean. or else maybe we kin send mah man sam down to de station house fo' 'em." "no, i had better telephone, in case it is necessary. but perhaps i had better take a look out there. perhaps the man from the store may have set the cream off to one side." "no'm, he didn't do dat. i took p'ticlar notice where he set it. dere's a wet ring-mark on de porch where de freezer was, 'count of de salty water leakin' out. an' dat wet ring-mark am all dat's left ob de cream, dar now!" and dinah, standing with her hands on her hips, looked at the startled children, whose mouths were just ready for the ice cream. "well, i'm going to have a look, anyhow," said bert. "come on, charley. maybe, after all, that danny rugg is up to some of his tricks." "i'm with you, bert!" cried charley. "but we ought to have some sort of a light. it's dark out." "i'll get my little pocket electric light," said bert. he had one, and it gave a good light. he went to his room for it. flossie and freddie did not know what to do. that their lovely party should be spoiled by the missing ice cream seemed too bad to be true. "mamma, if we can't find this ice cream, can't we buy more?" flossie wanted to know "the girls just want some--so bad!" "and the boys, too," added freddie. "oh, i guess we'll manage to get some for you, if we can't find this," answered mrs. bobbsey. "we may have to wait a little while for it, though." "well, we'll have a look," said bert, as he came down with his little electric lamp. some of his own particular chums, including charley mason, followed him out to the back porch. dinah was in her kitchen, looking behind tables, under the sink, in the pantry and all about, hoping that, somehow or other, the freezer might have gotten in there. but it was not to be found. "well, here's where it stood," said bert, as he looked at the round, wet mark on the porch where the freezer had set. he flashed his torch on it, and then cried out: "and look, boys, here are some spots of water that must have leaked from the wooden tub that holds the tin freezer. see, the water has dripped down on each step! this is the way they carried off our ice cream." the others could see a trail of water drops leading from the stoop down the steps and along the stone walk at the side of the bobbsey house. "now we can follow and see just where they took our cream!" cried bert. "this is the way indians used to trail the white settlers." "let me come!" cried freddie, hearing this. "i want to help hunt whoever took our ice cream." "no, you'd better stay back there," said bert. "why?" his little brother wanted to know. "because it might be--tramps--who have it, and there'd be trouble," said bert. "wait until i get my cap pistol!" cried freddie. "i can scare a tramp with that." "no, you go back there, and stay in the house," went on bert. "if we find tramps have it, we'll get a policeman." "it might be that a tramp did steal up on the steps, and lift off the freezer," said mrs. bobbsey. "bert, be careful," she called to her son, who set off in the darkness with his chums, flashing his electric light from time to time. "i'll look out!" he called back. for some distance it was easy to see which way the ice cream freezer had been carried, for there were the marks of the dripping water. then these stopped about the middle of the sidewalk, and seemed to go over in the grass. "we can't see 'em now," spoke charley. "that's too bad." "well, we'll keep on this way in a straight line," suggested bert. "maybe they took the freezer down back of our berry bushes to eat the cream." "i hope they left some," said john anderson, in a mournful sort of voice. hurrying on after bert, the boys looked eagerly about in the darkness for a sign of the missing ice cream. there were not many chances of them finding it, for though bert's electric torch gave a brilliant light for a short distance, it was not very large. "what's over there?" asked charley, pausing and pointing to a patch of blackness. "an old barn, that we used to use before we had our new one built," answered bert. "why?" "well, maybe they took the ice cream in there to eat it," went on charley. "is it open?" "yes, it's never locked. say, we'll take a look in there, anyhow!" exclaimed bert "come on, fellows!" he led the way, the others following. as they approached the big, deserted barn frank black exclaimed in a whisper: "i see a light!" "so do i!" added will evans. "and it's moving around," spoke mason. "it's them, all right," decided bert. "the tramps who took our ice cream are in there, all right!" "what makes you think they are tramps?" asked will. "well, i'm not sure, of course," admitted bert. "but we can soon tell. come on!" "are you--are you going up there?" asked charley. "sure! why not? i think we can scare 'em away." the other boys hesitated. some of them were older than bert, and when they saw that he was determined to go on, they made up their minds that they would not let him go alone. "all right--go ahead--we're with you," said charley. bert and the others advanced. as they walked on they could see the light in the barn more plainly. and, as they stopped for a moment they could hear voices talking in low tones. "more than one," whispered charley. "yes, three or four," said bert. they walked ahead again, when suddenly charley stepped on a stick that broke with a loud snap. in an instant the light in the barn went out, and then could be heard the footsteps of several persons running away. "there they are!" shouted bert, dashing forward. "come on, fellows! we'll get 'em now!" "that's right!" cried charley. "come on, surround 'em!" of course this was all said for effect, as the boys had no idea of trying to capture the tramps, or whoever it was that had taken the ice cream. but bert thought that they could scare the thieves away, for the latter could not tell, in the darkness, how many, nor who were after them. flashing his light, bert dashed ahead, followed by the others. into the big barn they went, and, just as they entered the main part, they had a glimpse of someone running out of a side door. "there they go!" cried charley. "we can catch 'em!" "no, let 'em go," advised bert. "here's our ice cream. let's see if there's any left. if there is we'll take it back to the party. we might get into trouble if we went after those fellows." by the gleam of the electric light they could all see the freezer of cream in the middle of the barn floor, near some upturned boxes. a hasty look showed that only a little had been taken out. "there's plenty left!" said bert. "we surprised 'em just in time. now let's get back to the house." it was rather a triumphant procession that went back to the home of the bobbsey twins, carrying the recovered ice cream freezer. and such a shout of delight from flossie, freddie and the others as greeted the boys! "is there any left?" asked freddie. "plenty," said bert. "and did you catch the bad tramps?" flossie wanted to know. "they got away," her brother said. "but never mind, we scared them before they had a chance to eat much." "i 'clar t' goodness sakes alive!" gasped dinah, when she saw the ice cream freezer carried into her kitchen, "yo' am suttinly a smart boy, massa bert--dat's what yo' suah am!" "oh, well, the others helped me find it," said bert, modestly. as dinah and mrs. bobbsey were dishing out the cream, the colored cook uttered a cry. "look out!" she exclaimed. "dere's suffin black in dere, mrs. bobbsey. maybe it's a stone dem careless tramps put in. wait 'till i gits it out." with a long-handled spoon. dinah fished for the black thing, and got it. she put it in a dish, with a small portion of the ice cream, and when the latter had melted, bert, who was inspecting the object, gave a cry of surprise. "why, it's a button--a coat button!" he exclaimed. "a button? how in the world could that get in there?" asked his mother. "unless you boys dropped it in when you were carrying the cream." bert and the other boys quickly looked at their coats. there were no buttons missing. "an' it suah wasn't in when de cream come heah," said dinah. "i knows, fo i took off de kiver an' looked in t' see how hard it were froze. dat button got in since!" "yes, and i think i know how, too!" exclaimed bert. "how?" asked freddie. "it was dropped in by whoever took the freezer. they must have been eating the cream right out of the can, and maybe they dropped the button in. i'll save it." "what for?" asked nan, wonderingly. "i may be able to find out by it, who took the freezer," went on bert. "i'm going to look at the coats of all the fellows in school next week, and if i find one with the button like this missing, i'll know what to think." "be careful not to accuse anyone wrongly," cautioned his mother. bert put the button carefully away, and the party guests were soon eating their ice cream, and discussing the disappearance of the freezer and the finding of it by the boys. then with the playing of more games, and the singing of songs, the affair came to a close, and good-nights were said. "we've had a lovely time!" said the boys and girls to flossie and freddie, as they left. "glad you did--come again," invited the small bobbsey twins. even snap seemed to have enjoyed himself. and when the house was settling down to quietness for the night, and when dinah and mrs. bobbsey were picking up the dishes, the circus dog marched around like a soldier, with a stick for a gun, and one of the fancy caps, that came in the "surprise" packets, on his head. when bert went to bed that night he laid the button found in the ice cream where he would be sure to see it in the morning. "i'm going to find out whose coat that came off of," he said to himself. the little bobbsey twins slept late the next morning, and so did nan, but bert was up early. "i'm going over to the barn, and see if i can tell by looking around it, how many were at our freezer," he said. but there was nothing there to help him in his search. some old boxes, placed in a sort of circle, showed where the ones who had taken the ice cream, had rested to eat it. "they must have had spoons with them," said bert to himself, as he looked about. "that shows they came all prepared to take our ice cream. so they must have known it was going to be here. well, i'll see whose coat has a button missing." it took bert some days to look carefully at the coats of the various boys in school, who might have been guilty of taking the cream. for a time he had no luck, and then, one afternoon, as he noticed danny rugg wearing a coat he seldom had on, bert walked slowly up to him, clasping the button, with his hand, in his pocket. his heart beast fast as he noticed that from the middle of danny's coat a button was gone. and a glance at the others showed bert that they were just like the one found in the ice cream freezer. "i see you've lost a button, danny," said bert, slowly. "hey?" exclaimed the bully, with a start. "i see you've lost a button," repeated bert. "yes, i guess it dropped off. maybe it's home somewhere," said danny. "no, it isn't--it's here!" exclaimed bert, suddenly holding the button out to him. chapter xv thanksgiving for a moment danny rugg just stared at bert. then the bully swallowed a sort of lump that came in his throat, and said: "that isn't my button." "isn't it?" asked bert, politely. "why, it just matches the others on your coat, and it's got a few threads in the holes, and there are some threads in your coat, just where the button was pulled off. i guess it's your button, all right, danny." danny did not say anything. he looked from the button to bert, and then at the space on his coat where a button should have been, but where one was missing. "well--well," he stammered. "maybe it is off my coat, but--but how did you get it, bert bobbsey?" "i found it," was the answer. "don't you want it back?" he held it out to danny, who took it slowly. "well," went on bert, with a queer little smile at his enemy, "why don't you ask me _where_ i found it, danny?" "huh! i don't care where you found it. i s'pose you picked it up around the school yard, where i lost it, playing tag with the fellows." "no, you didn't lose it there," went on bert, still smiling. "you have another guess coming, danny." "pooh! i don't care where you found it," and danny was about to turn away. "wait a minute," said bert. "suppose i say that this button was found in our freezer of ice cream, that you and some other boys took off our stoop the night of flossie's and freddie's party, danny? what about that?" "it isn't--i didn't--you can't prove anything about me, bert bobbsey, and if you go around telling that i took your ice cream, i--i---" but danny did not know what else to say. he was confused and his face was white and red by turns, for he realized that bert had good proof of what he said. "better go slow," advised bert, calmly. "i don't intend to go around telling what you did. i just want to let you know that i am sure you took our ice cream." "i--i---" began danny. "you're only trying to fool me!" he exclaimed. "that button wasn't in it at all!" "wasn't it?" asked bert, quietly. "well, you just ask charley mason, or any of the fellows who were at the party, what we found in the freezer, and see what they say." danny had nothing to reply to this. thrusting the button in his pocket he walked off. bert was sure he had found the boy who had taken the ice cream. later, from a boy who had been friends with danny for some time, but whose father, afterward, decided that his son was getting into bad company, and made him cease playing with the school bully, bert learned that danny had planned to take the ice cream freezer off the porch. he and several boys did this, carrying it to the old barn. they had provided themselves with large spoons, and were having a good time, eating the cream, when they heard the approach of bert and his friends, and fled, leaving the cream behind. it was during a dispute as to who should have the right to first dip into the freezer that danny and a boy named jake harkness had a struggle, and in this danny lost a button which fell into the ice cream without anyone knowing it. the coat danny wore that night he did not put on again for some time, but when he did bert saw the missing button. danny knew that he had been found out, and for a time he had little to say. but bert was boy enough not to be able to keep altogether quiet over his discovery. from time to time he would ask danny: "lost any more buttons, lately?" "you let me alone!" danny would reply, surlily. of course this made talk, the boys wanting to know what it meant, and at last the story came out. this made danny so angry that he picked several quarrels with bert. on his part bert tried to avoid them, but at last he could stand it no longer, and he and danny came to blows again, danny striking first. bert had been brought up with the idea that fighting, unless it could absolutely be avoided, was not gentlemanly, but in this case he could not get out of it. he and danny went at each other with their fists clenched, a crowd of other boys looking on, and urging one or the other to do their best, for both danny and bert had friends, though bert was the best liked. danny struck bert several times, and bert hit back, once hitting danny in the eye. bert's lip was cut, and when the fight was over both boys did not look very nice. but everyone said bert had the best of it. "oh, bert!" exclaimed his mother, when he came home after the trouble with danny. "you've been fighting!" "yes, mother, i have," he admitted. "i'm sorry, but i couldn't help it. danny rugg hit me first. i couldn't run away, could i?" it was a hard question for a mother to answer. no mother likes to think her son a coward, and that was what the boys would have called bert had he not stood up to danny. "i--i just had to!" continued bert. "and i beat him, anyhow, mother." mrs. bobbsey cried a little, and then she made the best of it, and bathed bert's cut lip and bruised forehead. she told his father about it, too, and mr. bobbsey, after hearing the account, asked: "who won?" "well, bert says he did?" "um. well, i've no doubt but what he did. he's getting quite strong." "oh, richard!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, in dismay. "well, boys will--er--have their little troubles," said her husband. "i'm sorry bert had to fight, but i'm glad he wasn't a coward. but he mustn't fight any more." then mr. bobbsey sat down to read the evening paper. the weather was getting cooler. several nights there had been heavy frosts, and for some time the papers had been saying that it was going to snow, but the white flakes did not sift down from the sky. thanksgiving was approaching. it was the end of the fall term of school, and there were to be examinations to see who would pass into the next higher classes for the winter season. of course in the case of freddie and flossie, who were still in the kindergarten, the examinations were not very hard, but they were soon to go into the regular primary class, where they would learn to read. and both the twins were very anxious for this. bert and nan had somewhat harder lessons to do, and they had to answer more difficult questions in the examinations. but i am glad to say that all of the bobbsey twins were promoted, and freddie and flossie came home very proud to tell that when they went back again, after the thanksgiving holidays, they would be in the primer reading book. and such preparations as went on for thanksgiving! dinah was busy from morning until night, and when the little twins made inquiries about the turkey they were to have. mr. bobbsey said it would be the biggest he could buy. "an' i'se gwine t' stuff him wif chestnuts an' oysters," said dinah. "i tells you what, chilluns, yo' all am suttinly gwine to hab one grand feed." "i wish everybody was," said flossie, a bit wistfully. "i hope our cat snoop, wherever he is, has plenty of milk, and some nice turkey bones." "i guess he will have," said mamma bobbsey, gently. "i hope all the poor children in our school have enough to eat," said freddie. "mr. tetlow said for us to bring what we could for them." "and you never told me!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "why didn't you? i would have sent something." neither bert nor nan had thought to mention at home that a collection would be taken it the school for the poor families in the town. but as soon as mrs. bobbsey heard what freddie said she telephoned to her husband. mr. bobbsey went to see mr. tetlow, and from him learned that there were a number of families who would not have a very happy thanksgiving. then the lumber merchant gave certain orders to his grocer and butcher, and if a number of poor people were not well supplied with food that gladsome season, it was not the fault of mr. bobbsey. but i am getting a little ahead of my story. a few days before thanksgiving mrs. bobbsey, with a letter in her hand, came to where the four twins were in the sitting room, talking over what they wanted for christmas. "guess who are coming to spend thanksgiving with us!" cried mamma bobbsey, as she waved the letter in the air. "uncle bobbsey!" guessed nan. "uncle minturn," said bert. the little twins guessed other friends and relatives, and finally mrs. bobbsey said: "yes, your uncle bobbsey and uncle minturn are coming, and so are your aunts, and cousin harry, cousin dorothy and also hal bingham, whom you met at the seashore." "oh, what a jolly thanksgiving it will be!" cried the bobbsey twins. chapter xvi mr. tetlow asks questions thanksgiving was celebrated in the bobbsey home as it never had been before. i am afraid if i told you all that went on, of the big, brown-roasted turkey, of the piles of crisp celery, of the pumpkin and mince pies, of the nuts and candies, of the big dishes of cranberry sauce, and the plum pudding that dinah carried in high above her head--i am afraid if i told you of all these things there would be trouble. for i am sure you would all be writing to me to ask where the bobbseys lived, so that you might go and see them, and perhaps spend christmas with them. not that they would not be glad to have you, but they have so many friends that their house is sure to be filled over the holidays. so i will simply say that there was the grandest time ever, and let it go at that. uncle and aunt bobbsey--uncle and aunt minturn, from the country and seashore, came, with cousin dorothy and cousin harry. then, also, hal bingham arrived, and the bobbsey twins took great delight in showing their former playmates about lakeport. "isn't it lonesome at the seashore now?" asked nan of dorothy, as she walked with her cousin about the busy streets of the town. "not at all," answered dorothy. "the sea is never lonesome for me. it always seems to be telling me something, winter or summer." "i love it in the summer," said nan, "but in the winter it seems so cold and cruel." "that is because you do not know it as well as i do," said dorothy. hal, harry, and bert had fine times together. there was no skating, and the little flurry of snow there had been was not enough for coasting, but they had other fun. "do your ducks miss our duck downy?" asked freddie of his cousin harry. "well, i guess they do," was the laughing answer, for freddie and flossie had a pet duck which they took about with them almost as faithfully as they did snoop. "how is downy, anyhow?" asked harry. "he's fine," answered the little fellow. "want to see him?" and he took his cousin out to the barn where downy had a pen all to himself. "snoop's gone," said freddie, "and so is our silver cup, but maybe we'll get that back. it's in a circus." "in a circus!" cried harry. "i should think your cat might be in a circus, but not a silver cup." "we don't know where snoop is," went on freddie, "'cause he got away at the time of the circus wreck," and he explained about it. "but we are almost sure the circus fat lady has our cup." the thanksgiving holidays came to an end at last and, much to the regret of the bobbseys, their visitors, old and young, had to go back to their homes. "but you'll come again at christmas; won't you?" asked flossie as she said good-bye. "we'll try," said her uncle bobbsey. "but maybe there won't be room, with santa claus and all his reindeers." "oh, we'll make room for you," spoke freddie. "santa claus won't stay long." with a merry peal of laughter the visitors went off to the station, waving farewells. then came rather a quiet time at the bobbsey house, as there always is when visitors go. there seems to be a sort of loneliness, when company leaves, no matter how many there are in the family, nor what fun there is. but the feeling soon passes. "well, we'll soon be at school again," said bert, a day or so before the opening of the winter term. "i wish we'd get some snow. then it would be more fun." "yes," said freddie. "we could build snow forts and have snowball fights. i wish it would snow hard." "so do i, so we could ride down hill," said nan, "is your big bob nearly done, bert?" "no, charley and i have quite a lot of things to do on it yet, but we're going to work every night after school now, and it will soon be finished." "i'm going to have skates for christmas," announced freddie. "i hope the lake will be frozen over by then." "i guess it will be," returned bert. "it's getting colder every night." the bobbseys were back at school. for a time nan and bert, who were in a higher grade, did not like it so well, as they had a strange teacher, and lessons, too, were more difficult. but they were not children who gave up easily, and soon they were at the head of their class as usual. their teacher, too, was much nicer than they had thought at first. they had considered her stern, but it was only her way, and soon wore off. as for freddie and flossie, they had advanced but little except in reading, and this opened a new world to them. "we'll soon be reading books," boasted freddie, on his way home one day. "and i'm going to read all about firemen, soldiers and indians." "oh, i'm not," said flossie. "i'm going to read how to be a nurse, so i can take care of you when you're hurt." "that will be nice," said freddie. one day, at recess, bert saw jim osborne motioning to him in a secret sort of fashion. "come on with us," said jim, who was a new boy in school. "danny rugg and some of the rest of us are going to have some sport." "what doing?" asked bert. "smoking cigarettes back of the coal house. i've got a whole pack." "no; i don't smoke," said bert quietly. "bah! you're afraid!" sneered jim. "cigarettes can't hurt you. it's only cigars and pipes that do." "yes, i admit i am afraid," said bert "i'm afraid of getting sick. besides, i promised my mother i wouldn't smoke until i was twenty-one, and i'm not going to tell a story. anyhow, i've got an uncle who smokes, and he says cigarettes are worse than a pipe or cigars, and he ought to know." "aw, come on!" urged jim. "no," said bert firmly, and he would not go. jim went off with danny and some of the other boys, and they were laughing among themselves. bert felt that they were laughing at him, but he did not mind. there was to be an examination of the school by some of the members of the board of education late that afternoon, and, directly after recess, mr. tetlow went to each room to tell the pupils and teachers to get ready for it, and to put certain work on the blackboards, so it could be seen. when the principal got to the room where danny rugg and his particular chums sat, mr tetlow, sniffing the air suspiciously, said: "i smell smoke!" "i have been noticing it, too," said the lady teacher. "perhaps the furnace does not work properly." "it isn't that kind of smoke," went on mr. tetlow. "it is tobacco smoke. have any of you boys been smoking during recess?" he asked sternly, looking across the room. no one answered. danny, jim, and some of the others seemed to be studying their geography lessons very hard. "i just want to say a word about cigarette smoking," went on mr. tetlow, "for that is usually how a boy begins. of smoking in general, when a boy gets to be a man, i have nothing to say. some say it is injurious, and others not, in moderation. but there can be no doubt that for a growing boy to smoke is very harmful. again i ask if anyone here has been smoking?" no one replied. the guilty boys bent deep over their books and did not look up. "well, i am sure someone here has," said mr. tetlow. "i can smell it plainly." he walked down the aisles, looking sharply from one boy to another. if he was sure who were the guilty ones he gave no sign. "and i want to add," said mr. tetlow, "that not only is cigarette smoking harmful to the smoker, but it is dangerous. many fires have been caused in that way. if i find out who of my pupils have been smoking around the school they will be severely punished." chapter xvii the first snow there was considerable talk among the boys in danny's room after mr. tetlow departed. and it was noticed that danny and some of his particular friends looked around with rather frightened faces, over their shoulders, as they talked among themselves. what they said could not be heard, for they spoke in whispers. "i hope you weren't one of those boys, bert," said nan, as she passed her brother on the way home from school that afternoon. "if you were--" "you needn't worry," he said, with a smile. "i'm not ready to smoke yet." "nor ever, i hope," said nan, as she turned up her little nose. "it--it smells so." nothing more was heard of the smoking matter for several days, and it was about forgotten, when something else came to claim the attention of the bobbsey twins and their friends. it was toward the close of school one afternoon, when all the pupils were wishing the hands of the clock would point to letting-out time, that nan, looking from the window, and away from her arithmetic book, saw a few white flakes of snow sifting lazily down. at once she was all attention, and her lesson was forgotten. "oh!" she thought, "it's snowing! and it looks as if it would be a big storm! oh, i'm so glad!" nan did not know all the trouble and misery a big snow storm can cause, so she may be forgiven for wishing for one. she only saw the side of it that meant fun for her and her friends. the flakes were coming down faster now, and there was about them something which seemed to tell that this storm would be more than a mere flurry or squall, and that it would keep up for some time, making big drifts. but now a number of other pupils in the room had noticed the storm, and eyes were out of doors rather than on books. the teacher saw that she was not getting the attention of her class, and she understood the reason. "now, boys and girls," she said gently, "you can have a good time in the snow after you get out of here. so please give attention to your lessons for a few minutes more. then you will be finished. nan bobbsey, you may go to the board and do the third example." but nan was thinking so much of the fun she might have riding down hill, or snowballing with her friends, that she got the example wrong, and had to go to her seat. nor was bert any more successful. bert was busy thinking about putting a bell and a steering wheel on the new bob he and charley had made, and when he was asked how many times two and a half went into ten he answered: "three." he was thinking how many times he would ring the bell on the bob when he came to a street crossing. when the bobbsey twins, little and big, came out of school the snow was coming down more thickly. the flakes were not so large, but there were more of them, and they blew here and there in the wind, drifting into piles that would make the shoveling off of walks hard the next day. there were just about enough of the white crystals on the ground, when the school children came out to make a few snowballs, and this they at once proceeded to do. danny rugg, who had not forgiven bert for the many times the bobbsey lad had gotten the best of him, threw a ball at freddie. but bert was on the watch, and managed to jump up and catch the white missile in his hand. then he threw it at danny, striking him on the neck. "here! where you throwin'?" demanded danny, in angry tones. "the same place you are," replied bert, not a bit afraid. "good weather for ice cream, danny," he added, and danny went off in an angry fashion. other boys and girls too, threw the snowballs, but it was in good-natured fun, and no one was hurt. some rough boys did use hard snowballs, but they were soon left to play among themselves, while the others amused themselves with soft and fluffy missiles, which, breaking as they hit, scattered the white stuff all over, harming no one. the girls, while they played at this sport, also indulged in washing the faces of each other. with handsful of snow they rubbed the ears and cheeks of their chums so that there came a healthy glow to the skin. one or two children, who lived near the school, ran in their yards as soon as the classes were dismissed, and brought out their sleds. but the snow was too thin to pack well, and at best the coasting was not good. "but it soon will be," declared bert, as he and charley walked along. "we must finish our bob in a hurry." "all right. we'll work on it late to-night." and so the sound of hammer, plane and saw was heard in the old barn, where the sled was being built, until nearly ten o'clock. "she ought to go very fast!" exclaimed charley, as they paused to look at their sled. "i'm sure she will," agreed bert. "and we'll put some carpet on the top of the main board, for a cushion for some of the girls." his chum agreed that this would be a good plan, and so the bob was made very attractive for the girls. bert and charley took the big sled out for a private trial on a little hill behind the barn without telling anyone about it. they slid down very swiftly, and as they were walking up again bert said: "i think we have a fast one all right, charley." "i'm sure we have," was the answer. "it will pass anything on the main hill," went on bert, and his friend believed him. the storm kept up all night, and in the morning there was snow enough to suit anyone. bert laughed as he looked out of the window and saw it. "there'll be coasting now all right!" he cried, as he saw the big stretch of white over the fields and on the hills. "we can have bob sled races, too." "can't we come?" asked flossie. "we like sled rides," added freddie. "you may come part of the time," answered bert. "but big sleds aren't for little folks like you." not far from the bobbsey home was a long hill that was most excellent for coasting. it was on this that charley and bert had decided to test their new sled on a long stretch. as they hauled it from the barn where it had been made, and started to pull it to the hill, there were many laughs at the odd homemade affair. for bert and charley had done most of the work themselves, and it was rather rough. "she'll never coast!" cried one boy, with a laugh. he was quite a friend of danny's. "here comes the sled that can, though!" cried another, and danny himself came into view, pulling a fine, new, big bob after him. "that's the fastest one on the hill," boasted another lad who was helping danny pull his sled. "well, i think ours is fast, too," said bert calmly. "do you want to race?" asked danny with a sharp glance at bert. "i don't mind," was the answer. it after school, following the first snow, and the hill was just right for coasting. "come on! come on!" cried a number of boys and girls, as they heard what went on between danny and bert. "there's going to be a race on the big hill between the big bobs." there was much excitement. the sleds were the two largest owned by anyone in the neighborhood, and both were fine ones. danny had bought his, but bert and charley had made theirs, and so, though it was not so fancy, it was stronger. most eyes were on danny's sled, for it was painted in bright colors, and brightly varnished. it had a red cushion of carpet on the top, and places at the side to rest one's feet. the bob of bert and charley was built just the same, but it was painted in home-made fashion, and the carpet seat was an old and faded one. but it had a new gong and a fine big steering wheel. "all ready for the race," cried danny, as he got his sled in position. "who's going down with me?" a number of boys came forward. "who's going with bert and me?" asked charley, and several others stepped forward. "go ahead, if you want to come in last!" sneered danny, as he got his sled in place "i'll tell 'em you're coming, bert." "all right," was the cool answer. "get on, boys!" soon both sleds were filled, and all was ready for the big race--the first of the season. chapter xviii a night alarm "are you all ready?" called danny to bert, looking over at the home-made bob, and there was something like contempt in his tone. "all ready," answered bert. "i'll start as soon as you give the word." "we ought to have someone to shove us off," suggested danny. "it won't be fair if one or the other gets a head-start." "hi! he's afraid already!" cried charley mason. "he knows we're going to beat!" "i am not!" retorted danny. "it will be a walk-over for me once i start. but i don't want bert bobbsey saying i took advantage of him, after the race is over." "you needn't be afraid--i won't say so--i won't have to," replied bert. "all the same i think it would be better if we each had a push. i want to be fair, too." "hey, bert!" called a shrill voice, as the elder bobbsey lad was looking about for some on the hill to whom he might appeal. "can't i ride down with you, bert?" it was freddie who called, and he came running up, anxious to take part in the exciting race. "no, freddie, not this time," explained bert kindly. "i want only large boys with me in the race. i'll give you a ride afterward." "after i beat him, he means," sneered danny. "come on, let's race if we're going to," called some of the boys on danny's sled. "yes; don't stay here all day." "get a move on!" "we'll beat, anyhow, what's the use of racing?" there were only a few of things that those on the big new sled of danny's, called to those on bert's bob. on their part bert's friends voiced such remarks as: "we're not so strong on looks, but we'll get there first!" "we're going to give danny a tow to the bottom of the hill!" "he won't know he's moving, once bert's sled gets started going!" "well, what are we going to do?" asked danny at last. "shall we shove off ourselves?" just then there came along two large boys, frank cobb, and his particular chum, irving knight. "what's going on here; a race?" asked frank. "it looks that way," said irving. "oh, will you push us off?" begged bert, appealing to frank, whose father worked in mr. bobbsey's lumber yard. "sure we will," answered frank good-naturedly. "take the other sled, irving," he said to his chum, "and we'll give 'em an even start. then we'll see which beats, and may the best sled win!" "that's what i say!" cried irving. the two larger boys took their places behind the bobs. they slowly shoved them to the edge of the hill, held them there a moment, and, at a nod to each other, shoved them down evenly. "hurray!" cried the crowd of other coasters. "there they go!" "and danny's ahead!" said some of his friends. "no, bert's sled is!" shouted his admirers. as a matter of fact, though, both sleds were even at the start. on and on they went very swiftly, for the hill had been worn smooth. then bert saw his bob getting ahead a little, and he felt that he was going to win easily. but he was glad too soon, for, a little later, danny's sled shot ahead, and for some distance was in the lead. "can't you beat him, bert?" whispered charley mason, who sat just behind his chum. "i hope so," was the answer. "but i can't really do anything. we just have to depend on the sled, you know." "steer a little more over to the left," suggested another boy. "it looks smoother there." "i will," said bert, and he turned the steering wheel of his bob, while luke morton, in the rear, pulled hard on the bell, making it clang out a loud warning. "look out where you're going, bert bobbsey!" warned danny, looking back. "you're coming over on my side of the hill!" "no i'm not. i'm away from the middle, even," said bert, "besides, i'm behind you." "i know you are, and you're going to stay there; but i don't want you to run into me." bert thought of the time, the winter before, when danny had run into him, and broken his sled, but he said nothing. he did not want that kind of an accident to be repeated if he could help it. on, on and on dashed the big bobs, with the crowd on the hill, and a number of coasters scattered along the way, watching anxiously. as soon as bert had steered over to the left his sled began to go faster, as the snow was packed better there. he was fast catching up to danny, when one of the boys on that bob, looking back, saw it, and warned the steersman. "he's coming, danny," he cried. "oh, he is; eh? well, he won't pass me," and danny steered his sled over directly in front of bert's, almost causing bert to collide with him. "shame!" cried some watchers. "that wasn't fair!" "let him keep on his own side then," warned danny. but this mean trick did danny little good for, though bert was forced to go to the right, to avoid crashing into danny, he, most unexpectedly, found good coasting there, and he shot ahead until his sled was even with that of the bully's. "better look out, danny," warned the boy sitting directly back of him. "he's crowding us fast." "oh, it's only a spurt. we'll soon be at the bottom of the hill and win." on and on came bert's bob, the _flier_. it was a little ahead of danny's now, and the latter, seeing this, steered over, thinking the going was better there. "look out!" warned bert "who's crowding over now?" "well, i've got a right here!" snarled danny. but bert knew his rights also, and would not give away. he held to his place, and danny dared not come too close. then, as bert found himself on smooth, hard-packed snow, he steered as straight as he could. more and more ahead of danny he went, until he was fully in front of him. "we're going to win! we're going to win!" cried bert's friends. "we're going to win the race!" danny was wild with anger. he steered his sled over sharply, hoping to get on the same track as was bert and so pass him. but it was not to be. danny took too sudden a turn, and the next instant his bob overturned, spilling everyone off. there was a cry of surprise at the accident, and some of those on bert's sled looked back. bert himself looked straight ahead as a steersman always should. "danny's upset!" cried charley. "i'm sorry!" said bert "now he'll claim the race wasn't fair." and that is what danny did when he picked himself up, and walked down to meet bert, whose bob got safely to the foot of the hill, and so won the race. "aw, i'd have beaten if you hadn't gotten in my way so i had to steer over," cried danny. "don't talk that way now," said irving, who, with frank cobb had come to the end of the hill. "bert beat you fair and square." "aw, well--" grumbled danny. "i'll race over again, if you like," offered bert. "yes, and do the same thing," grumbled danny. "i will not. i know my sled is the best." but few others, save those who hoped for a ride on it, agreed with the bully, and bert's home-made bob was held to be champion of the hill. then came many more coasts, bert giving nan and flossie and freddie, and a number of their little girl and boy friends, several rides. until late that evening the coasting kept up, and bert and charley were congratulated on all sides for the fine bob they had made. and what fun bert had home after supper, telling of how he had won the race! it was in the middle of the night, when the bobbsey household was awakened by the ringing of fire bells. they all heard the alarm, and as papa bobbsey counted the number, he said to his wife: "that must be near here. guess i'll look. it's a windy night and a fire in my lumber yard would be very bad." as he went to the window he saw a glare on the sky in the direction of the lake. "it _is_ near here!" he said. "the engines are going past our house! i'd better take a look." "can i come?" asked the little "fat fireman" from his cot. "take me, papa!" chapter xix who was smoking? mr. bobbsey laughed, though he was worried about the fire. it seemed so odd for freddie to want to go out in the cold, dark night. "not this time, my fat fireman!" said freddie's papa, "it may be only a pile of rubbish on fire. i'll tell you about it when i come back." "where does it seem to be?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "down near the lake," answered her husband. "i'm afraid," he added in a lower voice, "that it may be our boathouse. it seems to be about there." "oh, i hope not!" she exclaimed. "still, better that than our own house." "if it's near the lake, papa," said flossie, who heard part of what her father said, "it will be easy to put it out, for there is plenty of water." "pooh! engines have their own water!" exclaimed freddie, who had rather hazy notions as to how fire engines work. he was getting over his disappointment about not being allowed to go with his father, and had again cuddled down in his warm crib. another engine dashed by the bobbsey house, and the ringing of the alarm bell increased. the voices and footsteps of many persons, as they rushed on to the blaze, could also be heard, and there resounded the cry of: "_fire! fire! fire!_" bert, who had been aroused with the others of the household, was dressing in his room. he felt that his father would let him go to the fire. at any rate he intended to be all ready when he made his request, so as not to cause delay. "are you going, bert?" asked nan, as from her room, next to that of her brother, she heard him moving around. "i am, if father will take me," he said, "it's too cold for me!" nan exclaimed with a shiver, as she went back in bed again. she bad gotten up to peer from the window at the red glare in the sky. from the third floor, where dinah slept, the colored cook now called down: "am anybody sick, mrs. bobbsey? what am de mattah down dere?" "it's a fire, dinah!" answered her mistress. "oh good land a'massy! don't tell me dat!" she cried. "sam! sam! wake up. de house is on fire an' you'se got t' sabe me!" "no, no, dinah!" cried mrs. bobbsey, to calm the cook. "it isn't this house. it's down by the lake. if you look out of your window you can see it." dinah hurried across to her window, and evidently saw the reflection of the blaze, for she exclaimed: "thank goodness it ain't yeah! mah goodness, but i suah was skarit fo' a minute!" by this time mr. bobbsey had dressed, and had started downstairs. bert came out of his room, also ready for the street. "may i come, father?" he asked. "well, i declare!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, in surprise. "so you got dressed too, did you?" "yes, sir. may i come?" mr. bobbsey hesitated a moment, and then with a smile, said: "well, i suppose so, since you are all ready. i'm taking bert," he called to his wife. "freddie, you'll have to be the fat fireman while i'm gone, and look after the house." "that's what i will," said freddie, "and if any sparks fly over here i'll throw the bathroom sponge on 'em!" "good!" cried mr. bobbsey, and then, he and bert hurried out. the fire was now larger, as they could see when they got out in the street. there was no wind and the flames went straight up in the air. there were not many buildings down by the lake, only some boat shelters and places like that. the bobbsey's boathouse was a fine large one, having recently been made bigger as mr. bobbsey was thinking of buying a new motor boat. mr. bobbsey and his son hurried on, following the crowd that filled the street leading to the lake. several gentlemen knew the lumber merchant, and called to him. "i guess you're glad this isn't your lumber yard," said one. "yes, indeed," was the answer. "i had a little fire there once, and i don't want another. but i'm afraid this is some of my property just the same." "is that so?" "yes, it looks to be my boathouse." "so it does!" cried another man. "oh, father!" cried bert. "our nice boathouse!" "well, the firemen may save it," said mr. bobbsey. "we will hope so, anyhow," he added. they had not gone on much farther before mr. bobbsey and bert could see that it was indeed their boathouse on fire. one side was all ablaze, and the flames were slowly, but surely, eating their way over the whole place. but two engines were now pumping streams of water on the fire, and they might put it out before too much damage was done. mr. bobbsey rushed forward, and, as the policemen and firemen knew him, they let him get close to the boathouse. "you stay here, bert," said mr. bobbsey to his son. "where are you going?" bert wanted to know. "i'm going to see if we can save any of the boats." there was a sailing craft, a number of rowboats, and a small gasoline launch in the boat-house. they had been stored away for the winter. "come on, men!" cried mr. bobbsey, as he saw some of his workmen in the crowd. "help me save the boats!" all rushed forward willingly, and, as there was part of the place where the flames had not yet reached, they could make their way into the house. they began lowering the boats into the icy water, while the firemen played the several lines of hose on the flames. the third engine was now working, and so much water was pumped that even a larger fire could not have stood it for very long. the blaze began to die down, and when mr. bobbsey and his men were about to lower the gasoline launch into the icy water the chief ran up, saying: "you don't need to do that! we've got the fire under control now. it will soon be out." "are you sure?" asked the lumber merchant. "yes. you can see for yourself. leave the boat there. it will be all right." mr. bobbsey looked, and was satisfied that the larger part of the boathouse would be saved. so he and his men stopped their work, and went outside to cool off. a little later the fire was practically out, but one engine continued to throw water on the smouldering sparks. the crowd began to leave now, for there was nothing more to see, and it was cold. "my!" exclaimed bert as his father came back to where he had left his son, "it didn't take long to settle that fire." "no, we have a good fire department," replied mr. bobbsey. the fire chief came up to mr. bobbsey, who expressed his thanks for the quick work of the firemen. "have you any idea what started the fire, mr. bobbsey?" asked the chief. "was the boathouse in use?" "no," was the answer. "it had been closed for the winter some time ago--in fact as soon as the carpenters finished making the changes. no one was in it as far as i know." "then how do you account for this?" asked the chief, as he held out a box partly filled with cigarettes. "i picked these up in the living room," he went on, for the boathouse had one room carpeted, and fitted with chairs and tables, and electric lights where the family often spent evenings during summer. "you found those cigarettes in the living room of the boathouse?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i did; and the question is who was smoking?" went on the chief. "in my opinion the end of a cigarette thrown aside, or perhaps a lighted match dropped in some corner, started this fire. who was smoking?" chapter xx a confession the chief handed mr. bobbsey the half-emptied cigarette box. mr. bobbsey turned it over and over in his hand, as though trying to learn to whom it belonged. "they are something i never use," he said. "i don't suppose we could tell, from this, who had it?" "no," and the chief shook his head. "it's a common kind, and a good many of the stores sell 'em. a good many of the boys smoke 'em, too--that's the worst of it," and he looked at bert a bit sharply. "oh, you needn't be afraid for my boy!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey hastily. "i have bert's promise that he won't smoke until he's a man, and perhaps he won't want to then." "good!" exclaimed the chief heartily. "that's what i like to hear. but it's as certain as guns is, and nothing more certain than them, that some one was smoking in your boat-house, and set fire to it. and i wish we could find out who it was." "so do i!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "if only to teach them a lesson on how dangerous it is to be careless. well, i suppose we can't do anything more," and he sighed, for half the beautiful boathouse was in ruins. mr. bobbsey and bert were soon at home, telling the news to the folks. freddie's eyes opened wide in surprise as he listened to the account of how the firemen had put out the fire. "oh, i wish i could have been there!" he cried. "i could have helped." "what caused the fire?" asked mrs. bobbsey of her husband, when the children had gone to bed again. "some boys--or some one else smoking cigarettes, the chief thinks. we found a half-emptied box." in her room nan heard the word "cigarettes" and she wondered if her brother could be at fault, for she remembered he had told her how once some boys had asked him to go off in secret and smoke. mr. bobbsey was up early, for he wanted to see by daylight what damage the fire had done, and he also wanted to see the insurance company about the loss. the beautiful boat-house looked worse in the daylight than it had at night, and the neat living room, where some of the bobbseys had spent many happy hours, while others of them were out in the boats, was in ruins. the fire chief came down while mr. bobbsey was there, and they talked matters over. the chief said he would send one of his men around to the different stores that sold cigarettes, to try and learn if boys had purchased any that afternoon, for it was against the law to sell cigarettes to anyone under sixteen years of age. one afternoon danny's father, mr. rugg, came home unexpectedly, and, wanting something that was out in his barn went to get it. as he entered the place he heard a scramble of feet, some excited whispers, and then silence. he was sure that some one was in the place and had run to hide. "who's there?" called mr. rugg sharply. there was no answer, but he listened and was sure he heard some one in the little room where the harness was kept. he walked over to the door, and tried to open it. some one on the inside was holding it, but mr. rugg gave a strong pull, and the door flew open. to the surprise of mr. rugg he saw his son danny, and a number of boys, hiding there, and the smell of cigarette smoke was very strong. "danny!" exclaimed his father sternly, "what does this mean?" "we--were--playing!" stammered danny. "playing hide and seek." "and to play that is it necessary to smoke?" mr. rugg asked sharply. "we--we aren't smoking," answered danny. "not now, but you have been. i can smell it plainly. go into the house, danny, and these other boys must go home. if i find them smoking in my barn again i shall punish them. you might have set it on fire." danny had nothing to say, indeed, there was little he could say. he had been caught in the act. the other boys slunk off, and danny went into the house, his father following. "danny, i am very sorry to learn this," said mr. rugg. "i did not know that you smoked--a boy of your age!" "well, i never smoked much. lots of the fellows smoke more than i do." "that is no excuse. it is a bad habit for a boy. you may go to your room. i will consider your case later." from then on mr. rugg did some hard thinking. he began "putting two and two together" as the old saying has it. he remembered the bobbsey boathouse fire. on that occasion danny had come in late, and there had been the smell of smoke on his clothes. mr. rugg went to his son's room. a search showed a number of empty cigarette boxes, and cigarette pictures, and the boxes were all of the same kind--the kind that had been found in the half-burned boathouse. danny was accused by his father of having been smoking in the boathouse just before the fire, and danny was so miserable, and so surprised at being caught in the barn, that he made a full confession. tearfully he told the story, how he and some other boys, finding the boathouse unlocked, for some unknown reason, had gone in, and smoked to their heart's content. they did not mean to cause the fire, and had no idea that they were to blame. one of the boys was made ill by too much smoking, and they all hurried away. but they must have left a smouldering stump of cigarette in some corner, or a carelessly-thrown match, that started the blaze. then, when the fire bells sounded, and they learned what had happened, danny and all the boys promised each other that they would keep the secret. "well, danny, i can't tell you how sorry i am," said mr. rugg, when the confession was over. "sorry not only that mr. bobbsey's boathouse was burned, but because you have deceived me, and your good mother, and smoked in secret. i feel very badly about it." danny did, too, for though he was not a very good boy, his heart was in the right place, and with a little more care he might have been a different character. there was, however, hope for him. "you must be punished for this," went on mr. rugg, "and this punishment will be that you are not to have the motor boat i promised you for next summer. perhaps it will be a lesson to you." danny wept bitterly, for he had counted very much on having this boat. but it was a good lesson to him. mr. rugg also told the fathers of the other boys whom he caught with his son, and these boys were punished in different ways. mr. rugg also informed mr. bobbsey how the boathouse had been set afire, and expressed his sorrow. and so the mystery was cleared up. chapter xxi the fat lady's letter "well," remarked nan bobbsey, a few days after it had become known that danny rugg was to blame for the fire in the boathouse, "i wish we could find out, as easily as we found out about danny, who has our cat snoop." "so do i," added flossie. "poor snoop! i do miss him so much." "so do i!" exclaimed freddie. "but snap is a nice dog, and i guess i like dogs better than cats, anyhow." "why, freddie bobbsey!" cried nan, "don't you love snoop any more?" "oh, yes, 'course i do, but then he isn't here to be loved, and snap is." "yes, i guess that does make a difference," admitted nan. "i wonder if papa wouldn't let us go down to the railroad office and inquire once more about him? maybe, as it's getting cold weather now, snoop will come in from the fields where he may have been staying ever since the railroad wreck." "let's ask," cried freddie, always ready for action. it was saturday, and there was no school. bert had gone off coasting on his new bob, but nan did not want to go, her mother having asked her to stay and help with the dusting. but now the little bit of housework was over, and nan was free. "we'll go down to papa's office," she said to flossie and freddie, "and ask him if we can go to the railroad. i know one of the ticket agents and he can tell us of whom to ask about our cat." mrs. bobbsey had no objections, and soon, with flossie and freddie at her side, nan set off for her father's office in the lumber yard. the smaller twins were delighted. "and maybe we can find our silver cup, too," suggested freddie, as he trudged along in the snow, now and then stopping to make a white ball which he threw at the fence or telegraph pole. "the fat lady has our cup--i'm sure of that," said flossie. "well, we can ask papa if he has heard from the circus people," suggested nan. mr. bobbsey was rather surprised to see his three children come into the office, but he was glad to meet them, for it made a break in his day's work. after a little thought he said they might go to the railroad office to inquire about snoop. nan and her brother and sister went in a trolley car, and were soon at the depot. but to their disappointment there was no news of snoop. the fat, black cat seemed to have completely disappeared. "i've had the switchmen and trackmen keep a lookout for some time past," the agent told nan, for mr. bobbsey did a large business in shipping lumber over the railroad, and many of the men were his friends. "one of the switchmen near where the wreck was, caught a lot of cats, that must have been living out in the fields all summer," went on the agent, "but they were all sorts of colors. none was pure black, so i knew they could not be yours. i'm sorry." "yes, so are we," replied nan. "well, i guess snoop is lost for good. he has been away a long time now." on the way back to mr. bobbsey's office the trolley car got off the track, on account of so much snow on the rails, and the children spent some time watching the men get it back, the electricity from the wire and rails making pretty flashes of blue fire. "what luck?" asked mr. bobbsey, as the three came in his private office, their faces shining and red with the glow of winter. "none," said nan sadly. "snoop is gone." "have you heard from the circus fat lady yet, papa?" asked flossie. "yes, we want our cup back," added her brother. "no word yet," answered mr. bobbsey. "that circus is traveling all over cuba, and the letters i sent never seem to catch up to them. however, i am sending one on ahead now, to a city where they will soon give a show. the fat lady will find it there waiting for her, and she may answer then." and with this the children had to be content. getting back home, flossie and freddie took out their sleds and went for a coast on a small hill, not far from their home. this was where the smaller children had their fun, leaving the larger hill for the bigger girls and boys. "well, after this i think we all need something to cheer us up," said papa bobbsey, who came home from the office early that day. "oh, have you got something good?" asked nan, for she saw a queer little twinkle in her father's eyes, and she knew that this generally meant a treat of some kind. "i have some good news, if you would like to hear it," he said, as he drew a letter from his pocket. "is it to tell that some of our friends are coming to see us?" asked bert. "well, yes, i think you will call it a visit from a friend--at least part of it," said papa bobbsey. "now listen. this is a letter from the fat lady in the circus." "what!" cried flossie--"the one who has our cup?" "the same," said mr. bobbsey with a smile. "and she has more than your cup. listen," and he read the letter. it was too long to put it all in here, but it went on to say how the fat lady really had the valuable silver cup belonging to the twins. "they loaned it to me to drink from," she wrote, "and when the train stopped so suddenly, there was so much confusion that i put it in my valise by mistake. i have had it ever since and have been wondering how i could send it back to you. the circus went to cuba soon after that, and has been traveling around that island ever since. i have only just received your last letter asking me about the cup, or i would have answered before. if you will send me directions how to ship the cup to you i shall be very glad to return it." "oh goodie!" cried freddie. "we'll have our nice cup again!" "is that all in the letter, papa?" asked flossie. "no, not quite," he said. "i'll read a little more," and he read: "'when our circus was wrecked we lost a valuable trick dog. he could play soldier, say his prayers, turn somersaults, and do a number of tricks. the ringmaster feels very badly about losing him, and has tried to locate him, but without success. if you should hear of anyone near you having such a dog we would be much obliged if you would send him to us, as he belongs to the circus.'" there was a moment of silence after bobbsey read this, and then freddie said: "why that must be snap--our pet dog! oh, papa you won't give him back to the circus; will you?" chapter xxii snap and snoop all of the bobbsey twins--nan, bert, flossie and freddie--looked so serious over the prospect of losing snap that mr. bobbsey had to laugh. he just couldn't help it. "well, i don't see anything to make fun over," said nan, with a little pout. "why, you all act as though you had lost your best friend--or were going to." "well, snap _is_ one of our best friends, aren't you snap?" said freddie. "still, if he belongs to the circus i don't see but what i'll have to send him back," went on mr. bobbsey, slowly. at this flossie burst into tears, and mrs. bobbsey, putting her arms about the little girl, said to her husband: "are you in earnest richard? don't tease the child." "i'm not, mary. the fat lady wrote just that. i believe the dog we have does belong to the circus." "then we'll have to give him up i suppose," and mrs. bobbsey sighed, for she had grown very much attached to the fine animal. "well, we won't have to send him back right away," said mr. bobbsey. "i will have to get more particulars. but i did not finish the fat lady's letter." "what! is there more news in it?" asked nan. "listen," said mr. bobbsey, as he went on reading: "'we are sorry about losing our trick dog,' the fat lady wrote, 'but i picked up a big black cat when i walked out of the train. i brought him to cuba with me, and i am teaching him tricks. he may be as valuable as our dog was.'" "a black cat!" cried nan. "it's our snoop!" shouted freddie, "yes, that's it! the fat lady has our cat as well as our cup! oh, papa, make her give back our snoop!" mr. bobbsey laughed. "you see how it is," he said. "she has our cat, and we have their dog. we'll have to give up our dog to get our cat." the bobbsey twins had not thought of this before. they looked strangely at one another. "papa!" cried freddie, jumping up and down in his excitement, "can't we keep both--the circus dog and our cat? oh, do please, let us." "but maybe snap would fight snoop," said flossie. "we wouldn't want that." freddie thought for a moment. "i don't believe he would," he said at last. "well," said papa bobbsey, after a bit, "i'll see what i can do. i'll write to the fat lady, telling her how to ship your silver cup, and also how to send snoop. and i'll ask if we can buy snap. how will that do?" "fine!" cried all the bobbsey twins at once, and they made a rush for mr. bobbsey, hugging and kissing him. the letter was sent to the fat lady, and then came a time of anxious waiting. never before had the children seemed to care so much for snap. one day a letter came, saying that the silver cup had been sent, and also snoop, the cat. "but what about snap, papa?" asked nan. "does she say the circus will sell him?" "no, the man who owns him is away for a few days. when he comes back he will let me know. but, anyhow, you will have your cup and cat back." "but we want snap, too!" said flossie. several more days passed. they lengthened into a week, and still no news came from where the circus was: all the bobbsey twins could hope was that their cat and cup were on the way, and that the man who owned snap would consent to sell him. the twins did not feel much like having fun. there was a warm spell, and all the snow had melted. one day an express wagon stopped in front of the bobbsey house. it was a saturday, and there was no school, and, as it happened, all four of the twins were in. "two boxes for you, mrs. bobbsey," said the driver, as he opened his receipt book. "i'll bring them in while you sign." the man came up the walk with two boxes. one was small, and the other larger, with slats on one end. and from this box came a peculiar noise. "listen!" cried bert. "it's a cat!" shouted freddie. "it's snoop--our snoop!" cried flossie. quickly the boxes were carried into the house. bert got a hammer and screw driver and soon had opened the one containing the black cat. snap, the dog, walked slowly into the room. "oh dear!" cried flossie as she saw him, "now maybe they'll fight!" "i'll hold snap," volunteered freddie. "come on, snoop! come out!" cried bert, as he pried off the last slat. "meouw!" cried snoop, as he came slowly out of the box in which he had ridden from cuba. out walked the black cat. he looked about him strangely for a moment, and then began to purr, and rubbed up against flossie's legs. they all looked anxiously at snap. the dog glanced at the cat, stretched lazily and wagged his tail. snoop came over to him, and the two animals sniffed at each other, mrs. bobbsey holding snap by the collar. then, to the surprise of all, snoop rubbed against the legs of the dog, and, on his part, snap, wagging his tail in friendly, welcoming fashion, put out his red tongue and licked snoop's fur. "he's kissing snoop! he's kissing snoop!" cried freddie. "yes, they love each other!" exclaimed flossie. "they are not going to fight! oh, how glad i am!" and she danced in delight. "oh, if only we can keep snap now," said nan, while mrs. bobbsey, satisfied that the two animals would be friends, had opened the other express box. it contained the twins' silver cup, so long missing. mr. bobbsey came home soon after that. his face was smiling. "oh, papa!" flossie greeted him, "snoop came, and snap kissed him!" "may we keep snap, papa?" asked freddie. "yes," was mr. bobbsey's answer. "i have a letter from the circus man, and he will sell snap to me. i have already sent the money. and there is another letter from the fat lady, telling about some of the new tricks she taught snoop, so you can make him do them." "oh! oh! oh!" cried the bobbsey twins in delight, as they looked at their two pets. "what lots of things have happened since we came back from the seashore," said nan, a little later. "i wonder if the rest of the winter will be as lively as this first part has been?" "maybe," said bert with a smile. and whether it was or not you may learn by reading the next volume of this series, to be called: "the bobbsey twins at snow lodge," in which we will once more hear of the doings of flossie, freddie, nan and bert. after reading the fat lady's second letter the twins got snoop to do some of the tricks the cat had learned. he was not as smart at them as snap was at his, but then cats never do learn to do tricks as well as do dogs. still everyone agreed that the fat lady had done her training well. as for snap, he and snoop became firmer friends every day, and often the cat went to sleep on snap's back, or between his forepaws as he lay stretched out in front of the fire. and the silver cup, which, with snoop, had gone on such a long journey, was put back in its place on the mantle, to be admired by all. now my little story has come to an end, but i hope you children who have read it will care to hear more of the bobbsey twins and the things they did. so i will say good-bye for a while, trusting to meet you all again. the end the bobbsey twins in the country by laura lee hope contents i. the invitation ii. the start iii. snoop on the train iv. a long ride v. meadow brook vi. frisky vii. a country picnic viii. fun in the woods ix. fourth of july x. a great day xi. the little gardeners xii. tom's runaway xiii. picking peas xiv. the circus xv. the chariot race xvi. the flood xvii. a town afloat xviii. the fresh-air camp xix. sewing school xx. a midnight scare xxi. what the well contained xxii. little jack horner--good-bye the bobbsey twins in the country chapter i the invitation "there goes the bell! it's the letter carrier! let me answer!" freddie exclaimed. "oh, let me! it's my turn this week!" cried flossie. "but i see a blue envelope. that's from aunt sarah!" the brother cried. meanwhile both children, freddie and flossie, were making all possible efforts to reach the front door, which freddie finally did by jumping over the little divan that stood in the way, it being sweeping day. "i beat you," laughed the boy, while his sister stood back, acknowledging defeat. "well, dinah had everything in the way and anyhow, maybe it was your turn. mother is in the sewing room, i guess!" flossie concluded, and so the two started in search of the mother, with the welcome letter from aunt sarah tight in freddie's chubby fist. freddie and flossie were the younger of the two pairs of twins that belonged to the bobbsey family. the little ones were four years old, both with light curls framing pretty dimpled faces, and both being just fat enough to be good-natured. the other twins, nan and bert, were eight years old, dark and handsome, and as like as "two peas" the neighbors used to say. some people thought it strange there should be two pairs of twins in one house, but nan said it was just like four-leaf clovers, that always grow in little patches by themselves. this morning the letter from aunt sarah, always a welcome happening, was especially joyous. "do read it out loud," pleaded flossie, when the blue envelope had been opened in the sewing room by mrs. bobbsey. "when can we go?" broke in freddie, at a single hint that the missive contained an invitation to visit meadow brook, the home of aunt sarah in the country. "now be patient, children," the mother told them. "i'll read the invitation in just a minute," and she kept her eyes fastened on the blue paper in a way that even to freddie and flossie meant something very interesting. "aunt sarah wants to know first how we all are." "oh, we're all well," freddie interrupted, showing some impatience. "do listen, freddie, or we won't hear," flossie begged him, tugging at his elbow. "then she says," continued the mother, "that this is a beautiful summer at meadow brook." "course it is. we know that!" broke in freddie again. "freddie!" pleaded flossie. "and she asks how we would like to visit them this summer." "fine, like it--lovely!" the little boy almost shouted, losing track of words in his delight. "tell her we'll come, mamma," went on freddie. "do send a letter quick won't you, mamma?" "freddie bobbsey!" spoke up flossie, in a little girl's way of showing indignation. "if you would only keep quiet we could hear about going, but--you always stop mamma. please, mamma, read the rest," and the golden head was pressed against the mother's shoulder from the arm of the big rocking chair. "well, i was only just saying--" pouted freddie. "now listen, dear." the mother went on once more reading from the letter: "aunt sarah says cousin harry can hardly wait until vacation time to see bert, and she also says, 'for myself i cannot wait to see the babies. i want to hear freddie laugh, and i want to hear flossie "say her piece," as she did last christmas, then i just want to hug them both to death, and so does their uncle daniel.'" "good!--goody!" broke in the irrepressible freddie again. "i'll just hug aunt sarah this way," and he fell on his mother's neck and squeezed until she cried for him to stop. "i guess she'll like that," freddie wound up, in real satisfaction at his hugging ability. "not if you spoil her hair," flossie insisted, while the overcome mother tried to adjust herself generally. "is that all?" flossie asked. "no, there is a message for bert and nan too, but i must keep that for lunch time. nobody likes stale news," the mother replied. "but can't we hear it when bert and nan come from school?" coaxed flossie. "of course," the mother assured her. "but you must run out in the air now. we have taken such a long time to read the letter." "oh, aren't you glad!" exclaimed flossie to her brother, as they ran along the stone wall that edged the pretty terrace in front of their home. "glad! i'm just--so glad--so glad--i could almost fly up in the air!" the boy managed to say in chunks, for he had never had much experience with words, a very few answering for all his needs. the morning passed quickly to the little ones, for they had so much to think about now, and when the school children appeared around the corner flossie and freddie hurried to meet nan and bert, to tell them the news. "we're going! we're going!" was about all freddie could say. "oh, the letter came--from aunt sarah!" was flossie's way of telling the news. but it was at the lunch table that mrs. bobbsey finished the letter. "'tell nan,'" she read, "'that aunt sarah has a lot of new patches and tidies to show her, and tell her i have found a new kind of jumble chocolate that i am going to teach her to make.' there, daughter, you see," commented mrs. bobbsey, "aunt sarah has not forgotten what a good little baker you are." "chocolate jumble," remarked bert, and smacked his lips. "say, nan, be sure to learn that. it sounds good," the brother declared. just then dinah, the maid, brought in the chocolate, and the children tried to tell her about going to the country, but so many were talking at once that the good-natured colored girl interrupted the confusion with a hearty laugh. "ha! ha! ha! and all you-uns be goin' to de country!" "yes, dinah," mrs. bobbsey told her, "and just listen to what aunt sarah says about you," and once more the blue letter came out, while mrs. bobbsey read: "'and be sure to bring dear old dinah! we have plenty of room, and she will so enjoy seeing the farming.'" "farming! ha! ha! dat i do like. used to farm all time home in virginie!" the maid declared. "and i likes it fuss-rate! yes, dinah'll go and hoe de corn and" (aside to bert) "steal de watermelons!" the prospects were indeed bright for a happy time in the country, and the bobbseys never disappointed themselves when fun was within their reach. chapter ii the start with so much to think about, the few weeks that were left between vacation and the country passed quickly for the bobbseys. as told in any first book, "the bobbsey twins," this little family had a splendid home in lakeport, where mr. bobbsey was a lumber merchant. the mother and father were both young themselves, and always took part in their children's joys and sorrows, for there were sorrows sometimes. think of poor little freddie getting shut up all alone in a big store with only a little black kitten, "snoop," to keep him from being scared to death; that was told of in the first book, for freddie went shopping one day with his mamma, and wandered off a little bit. presently he found himself in the basement of the store; there he had so much trouble in getting out he fell asleep in the meantime. then, when he awoke and it was all dark, and the great big janitor came to rescue him--oh!--freddie thought the man might even be a giant when he first heard the janitor's voice in the dark store. freddie often got in trouble, but like most good little boys he was always saved just at the right time, for they say good children have real angels watching over them. nan, bert, and flossie all had plenty of exciting experiences too, as told in "the bobbsey twins," for among other neighbors there was danny rugg, a boy who always tried to make trouble for bert, and sometimes almost succeeded in getting bert into "hot water," as dinah expressed it. of course nan had her friends, as all big girls have, but bert, her twin brother, was her dearest chum, just as freddie was flossie's. "when we get to the country we will plant trees, go fishing, and pick blackberries," nan said one day. "yes, and i'm going with harry out exploring," bert announced. "i'm just going to plant things," prim little flossie lisped. "i just love melons and ice cream and--" "ice cream! can you really plant ice cream?" freddie asked innocently, which made the others all laugh at flossie's funny plans. "i'm going to have chickens," freddie told them. "i'm going to have one of those queer chicken coops that you shut up tight and when you open it it's just full of little 'kippies.'" "oh, an incubator, you mean," nan explained. "that's a machine for raising chickens without any mother." "but mine are going to have a mother," freddie corrected, thinking how sad little chickens would be without a kind mamma like his own. "but how can they have a mother where there isn't any for them?" flossie asked, with a girl's queer way of reasoning. "i'll get them one," freddie protested. "i'll let snoop be their mamma." "a cat! the idea! why, he would eat 'em all up," flossie argued. "not if i whipped him once for doing it," the brother insisted. then nan and bert began to tease him for whipping the kitten after the chickens had been "all eaten up." so the merry days went on until at last vacation came! "just one more night," nan told flossie and freddie when she prepared them for bed, to help her very busy mother. bert assisted his father with the packing up, for the taking of a whole family to the country meant lots of clothes, besides some books and just a few toys. then there was bert's tool box--he knew he would need that at meadow brook. the morning came at last, a beautiful bright day, a rare one for traveling, for a fine shower the evening before had washed and cooled things off splendidly. "now come, children," mr. bobbsey told the excited youngsters. "keep track of your things. sam will be ready in a few minutes, and then we must be off." promptly sam pulled up to the door with the family carriage, and all hurried to get in. "oh, snoop, snoop!" cried freddie. "he's in the library in the box! dinah, get him quick, get him!" and dinah ran back after the little kitten. "here you is, freddie!" she gasped, out of breath from hurrying. "you don't go and forget poor snoopy!" and she climbed in beside sam. then they started. "oh, my lan' a-massy!" yelled dinah presently in distress. "sam johnson, you jest turn dat hoss around quick," and she jerked at the reins herself. "you heah, sam? quick, i tells you. get back to dat house. i'se forgot to bring--to bring my lunch basket!" "oh, never mind, dinah," mrs. bobbsey interrupted. "we will have lunch on the train." "but i couldn't leab dat nice lunch i got ready fo' de chillen in between, missus," the colored woman urged. "i'll get it quick as a wink. now, sam, you rush in dar quick, and fetch dat red and white basket dat smells like chicken!" so the good-natured maid had her way, much to the delight of bert and freddie, who liked nothing so well as one of dinah's homemade lunches. the railroad station was reached without mishap, and while mr. bobbsey attended to getting the baskets checked at the little window in the big round office, the children sat about "exploring." freddie hung back a little when a locomotive steamed up. he clung to his mother's skirt, yet wanted to see how the machine worked. "that's the fireman," bert told him, pointing to the man in the cab of the engine. "fireman!" freddie repeated. "not like our firemen. i wouldn't be that kind," he had always wanted to be a fireman who helps to put out fires. "oh, this is another kind," his father explained, just then coming up in readiness for the start. "i guess snoop's afraid," freddie whispered to his mother, while he peeped into the little box where snoop was peacefully purring. glad of the excuse to get a little further away, freddie ran back to where dinah sat on a long shiny bench. "say, chile," she began, "you hear dat music ober dar? well, a big fat lady jest jumped up and down on dat machine and it starts up and plays swanee ribber." "that's a weighing machine," nan said with a laugh. "you just put a penny in it and it tells you how much you weigh besides playing a tune." "lan' o' massy! does it? wonder has i time to try it?" "yes, come on," called bert. "father said we have plenty of time," and at the word dinah set out to get weighed. she looked a little scared, as if it might "go off" first, but when she heard the soft strain of an old melody coming out she almost wanted to dance. "now, ain't dat fine!" she exclaimed. "wouldn't dat be splendid in de kitchen to weigh de flour, freddie?" but even the interesting sights in the railroad station had to be given up now, for the porter swung open a big gate and called: "all aboard for meadow brook!" and the bobbseys hurried off. chapter iii snoop on the train "i'm glad dinah looks nice," flossie whispered to her mother, when she saw how beautiful the parlor car was. "and isn't freddie good?" the little girl remarked anxiously, as if fearing her brother might forget his best manners in such a grand place. freddie and bert sat near their father on the big soft revolving chairs in the pullman car, while nan and flossie occupied the sofa at the end near their mother. dinah sat up straight and dignified, and, as flossie said, really looked nice, in her very clean white waist and her soft black skirt. on her carefully parted hair she wore a neat little black turban. bert always laughed at the number of "parts" dinah made in her kinky hair, and declared that she ought to be a civil engineer, she could draw such splendid maps even on the back of her head. the grandeur of the parlor car almost overcame freddie, but he clung to snoop in the pasteboard box and positively refused to let the kitten go into the baggage car. dinah's lunch basket was so neatly done up the porter carried it very carefully to her seat when she entered the train, although lunch baskets are not often taken in as "pullman car baggage." "i'm going to let snoop out!" whispered freddie suddenly, and before anyone had a chance to stop him, the little black kitten jumped out of the box, and perched himself on the window sill to look out at the fine scenery. "oh!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, "the porter will put him off the train!" and she tried to catch the now happy little snoop. "no, he won't," mr. bobbsey assured her. "i will watch out for that." "here, snoop," coaxed nan, also alarmed. "come, snoop!" but the kitten had been captive long enough to appreciate his liberty now, and so refused to be coaxed. flossie came down between the velvet chairs very cautiously, but as soon as snoop saw her arm stretch out for him, he just walked over the back of the highest seat and down into the lap of a sleeping lady! "oh, mercy me!" screamed the lady, as she awoke with snoop's tail whisking over her face. "goodness, gracious! what is that?" and before she had fully recovered from the shock she actually jumped up on the chair, like the funny pictures of a woman and a mouse. the people around could not help laughing, but freddie and the other bobbseys were frightened. "oh, will they kill snoop now?" freddie almost cried. "dinah, please help me get him!" by this time the much scared lady had found out it was only a little kitten, and feeling very foolish she sat down and coaxed snoop into her lap again. mr. bobbsey hurried to apologize. "we'll have to put him back in the box," mr. bobbsey declared, but that was easier said than done, for no sooner would one of the bobbseys approach the cat than snoop would walk himself off. and not on the floor either, but up and down the velvet chairs, and in and out under the passengers' arms. strange to say, not one of the people minded it, but all petted snoop until, as bert said, "he owned the car." "dat cat am de worst!" dinah exclaimed. "'pears like it was so stuck up an' fine dar ain't no place in dis 'yere pullin' car good 'nough fer him." "oh, the porter! the porter!" bert cried. "he'll surely throw snoop out of the window." "snoop! snoop!" the whole family called in chorus, but snoop saw the porter himself and made up his mind the right thing to do under the circumstances would be to make friends. "cat?" exclaimed the good-looking colored man. "scat! well, i declare! what you think of that?" freddie felt as if he were going to die, he was so scared, and flossie's tears ran down her cheeks. "will he eat him?" freddie blubbered, thinking of some queer stories he had heard like that. mr. bobbsey, too, was a little alarmed and hurried to reach snoop. the porter stooped to catch the offending kitten, while snoop walked right up to him, sniffed his uniform, and stepped upon the outstretched black hand. "well, you is a nice little kitten," the porter admitted, fondling snoop in spite of orders. "oh, please, mr. porter, give me my cat!" cried freddie, breaking away from all restraint and reaching snoop. "yours, is it? well, i don't blame you, boy, for bringing dat cat along. an' say," and the porter leaned down to the frightened freddie, "it's against orders, but i'd jest like to take dis yer kitten back in de kitchen and treat him, for he's--he's a star!" and he fondled snoop closer. "but i didn't know it was wrong, and i'll put him right back in the box," freddie whimpered, not quite understanding the porter's intention. "well, say, son!" the porter exclaimed as mr. bobbsey came up. "what do you say if you papa let you come back in de kitchen wid me? den you can jest see how i treat de kitty-cat!" so freddie started off after the porter, who proudly carried snoop, while mr. bobbsey brought up the rear. everybody along the aisle wanted to pet snoop, who, from being a little stowaway was now the hero of the occasion. more than once freddie stumbled against the side of the big seats as the cars swung along like a reckless automobile, but each time his father caught him by the blouse and set him on his feet again, until at last, after passing through the big dining car, the kitchen was reached. "what you got dar? somethin' fer soup?" laughed the good-natured cook, who was really fond of cats and wouldn't harm one for the world. soon the situation was explained, and as the porters and others gathered around in admiration, snoop drank soup like a gentleman, and then took two courses, one of fish and one of meat, in splendid traveler fashion. "dat's de way to drink soup on a fast train," laughed the porter. "you makes sure of it dat way, and saves your clothes. ha! ha! ha!" he laughed, remembering how many men have to have their good clothes cleaned of soup after a dinner on a fast train. reluctantly the men gave snoop back to freddie, who, this time, to make sure of no further adventures, put the popular black kitten in his box in spite of protests from the admiring passengers. "you have missed so much of the beautiful scenery," nan told freddie and her father when they joined the party again. "just see those mountains over there," and then they sat at the broad windows gazing for a long time at the grand scenery as it seemed to rush by. chapter iv a long ride the train was speeding along with that regular motion that puts many travelers to sleep, when freddie curled himself on the sofa and went to sleep. "poor little chap!" mr. bobbsey remarked. "he is tired out, and he was so worried about snoop!" "i'm glad we were able to get this sofa, so many other people like a rest and there are only four sofas on each car," mrs. bobbsey explained to dinah, who was now tucking freddie in as if he were at home in his own cozy bed. the air cushion was blown up, and put under the yellow head and a shawl was carefully placed over him. flossie's pretty dimpled face was pressed close to the window pane, admiring the big world that seemed to be running away from the train, and bert found the observation end of the train very interesting. "what a beautiful grove of white birch trees!" nan exclaimed, as the train swung into a ravine. "and see the soft ferns clinging about them. mother, the ferns around the birch tree make me think of the fine lace about your throat!" "why, daughter, you seem to be quite poetical!" and the mother smiled, for indeed nan had a very promising mind. "what time will we get there, papa?" bert asked, returning from the vestibule. "in time for dinner aunt sarah said, that is if they keep dinner for us until one o'clock," answered the parent, as he consulted his watch. "it seems as if we had been on the train all night," flossie remarked. "well, we started early, dear," the mother assured the tired little girl. "perhaps you would like one of dinah's dainty sandwiches now?" a light lunch was quickly decided on, and dinah took flossie and nan to a little private room at one end of the train, bert went with his father to the smoking room on the other end, while the mother remained to watch freddie. the lunch was put up so that each small sandwich could be eaten without a crumb spilling, as the little squares were each wrapped separately in waxed paper. there was a queer alcohol lamp in the ladies room, and other handy contrivances for travelers, which amused flossie and nan. "dat's to heat milk fo' babies," dinah told the girls, as she put the paper napkins carefully on their laps, and got each a nice drink of icewater out of the cooler. meanwhile bert was enjoying his lunch at the other end of the car, for children always get hungry when traveling, and meals on the train are only served at certain hours. two other little girls came into the compartment while flossie and nan were at lunch. the strange girls wore gingham aprons over their fine white dresses, to keep the car dust off their clothes, and they had paper caps on their heads like the favors worn at children's parties. seeing there was no stool vacant the strangers darted out again in rather a rude way, nan thought. "take you time, honeys," dinah told her charges. "if dey is very hungry dey can get ice cream outside." "but mother never lets us eat strange ice cream," flossie reminded the maid. "and maybe they can't either." soon the lunch was finished, and the bobbseys felt much refreshed by it. freddie still slept with snoop's box close beside him, and mrs. bobbsey was reading a magazine. "one hour more!" bert announced, beginning to pick things up even that early. "now we better all close our eyes and rest, so that we will feel good when we get to meadow brook," mrs. bobbsey told them. it was no task to obey this suggestion, and the next thing the children knew, mother and father and dinah were waking them up to get them ready to leave the train. "now, don't forget anything," mr. bobbsey cautioned the party, as hats and wraps were donned and parcels picked up. freddie was still very sleepy and his papa had to carry him off, while the others, with some excitement, hurried after. "oh, snoop, snoop!" cried freddie as, having reached the platform, they now saw the train start off. "i forgot snoop! get him quick!" "dat kitten again!" dinah exclaimed, with some indignation. "he's more trouble den--den de whole family!" in an instant the train had gotten up speed, and it seemed snoop was gone this time sure. "snoop!" cried freddie, in dismay. just then the kind porter who had befriended the cat before, appeared on the platform with the perforated box in his hand. "i wanted to keep him," stammered the porter, "but i knows de little boy 'ud break his heart after him." and he threw the box to mr. bobbsey. there was no time for words, but mr. bobbsey thrust a coin in the man's hand and all the members of the bobbsey family looked their thanks. "well, i declare, you can't see anybody," called out a good-natured little lady, trying to surround them all at once. "aunt sarah!" exclaimed the bobbseys. "and uncle dan!" "and harry!" "hello! how do? how are you? how be you?" and such kissing and handshaking had not for some time entertained the old agent at the meadow brook station. "here at last!" uncle daniel declared, grabbing up freddie and giving him the kind of hug freddie had intended giving aunt sarah. the big wagon from the bobbsey farm, with the seats running along each side, stood at the other side of the platform, and into this the bobbseys were gathered, bag and baggage, not forgetting the little black cat. "all aboard for meadow brook farm!" called bert, as the wagon started off along the shady country road. chapter v meadow brook "oh, how cool the trees are out here!" flossie exclaimed, as the wagon rumbled along so close to the low trees that bert could reach out and pick horse-chestnut blossoms. "my, how sweet it is!" said dinah, as she sniffed audibly, enjoying the freshness of the country. freddie was on the seat with uncle dan and had snoop's box safe in his arms. he wanted to let the cat see along the road, but everybody protested. "no more snoop in this trip," laughed mr. bobbsey. "he has had all the fun he needs for to-day." so freddie had to be content. "oh, do let me get out?" pleaded nan presently. "see that field of orange lilies." "not now, dear," aunt sarah told her. "dinner is spoiling for us, and we can often walk down here to get flowers." "oh, the cute little calf! look!" bert exclaimed from his seat next to harry, who had been telling his cousin of all the plans he had made for a jolly vacation. "look at the billy-goat!" called freddie. "see, see, that big black chicken flying!" flossie cried out excitedly. "that's a hawk!" laughed bert; "maybe it's a chicken hawk." "a children hawk!" flossie exclaimed, missing the word. then everybody laughed, and flossie said maybe there were children hawks for bad girls and boys, anyway. aunt sarah and mrs. bobbsey were chatting away like two schoolgirls, while dinah and the children saw something new and interesting at every few paces old billy, the horse, took. "hello there, neighbor," called a voice from the field at the side of the road. "my horse has fallen in the ditch, and i'll have to trouble you to help me." "certainly, certainly, peter," answered uncle daniel, promptly jumping down, with mr. bobbsey, bert, and harry following. aunt sarah leaned over the seat and took the reins, but when she saw in what ditch the other horse had fallen she pulled billy into the gutter. "poor peter!" she exclaimed. "that's the second horse that fell in that ditch this week. and it's an awful job to get them out. i'll just wait to see if they need our billy, and if not, we can drive on home, for martha will be most crazy waiting with dinner." uncle daniel, mr. bobbsey, and the boys hurried to where peter burns stood at the brink of one of those ditches that look like mud and turn out to be water. "and that horse is a boarder too!" peter told them. "last night we said he looked awful sad, but we didn't think he would commit suicide." "got plenty of blankets?" uncle daniel asked, pulling his coat off and preparing to help his neighbor, as all good people do in the country. "four of them, and these planks. but i couldn't get a man around. lucky you happened by," peter burns answered. all this time the horse in the ditch moaned as if in pain, but peter said it was only because he couldn't get on his feet. harry, being light in weight, slipped a halter over the poor beast's head. "i could get a strap around him!" harry suggested, moving out cautiously on the plank. "all right, my lad, go ahead," peter told him, passing the big strap over to bert, who in turn passed it on to harry. it was no easy matter to get the strap in place, but with much tugging and splashing of mud harry succeeded. then the ropes were attached and everybody pulled vigorously. "get up, ginger! get up, ginger!" peter called lustily, but ginger only seemed to flop in deeper, through his efforts to raise himself. "guess we'll have to get billy to pull," uncle daniel suggested, and mr. bobbsey hurried back to the road to unhitch the other horse. "don't let billy fall in!" exclaimed nan, who was much excited over the accident. "can't i go, papa?" freddie pleaded. "i'll stay away from the edge!" "you better stay in the wagon; the horse might cut up when he gets out," the father warned freddie, who reluctantly gave in. soon billy was hitched to the ropes, and with a few kind words from uncle daniel the big white horse strained forward, pulling ginger to his feet as he did so. "hurrah!" shouted freddie from the wagon. "billy is a circus horse, isn't he, uncle dan?" "he's a good boy," the uncle called back patting billy affectionately, while mr. bobbsey and the boys loosened the straps. the other horse lay on the blankets, and peter rubbed him with all his might, to save a chill as he told the boys. then, after receiving many thanks for the help given, the bobbseys once more started off toward the farm. "hot work," uncle daniel remarked to the ladies, as he mopped his forehead. "i'm so glad you could help peter," aunt sarah told him, "for he does seem to have so much trouble." "all kinds of things happen in the country," harry remarked, as billy headed off for home. at each house along the way boys would call out to harry, asking him about going fishing, or berrying, or some other sport, so that bert felt a good time was in store for him, as the boys were about his own age and seemed so agreeable. "nice fellows," harry remarked by way of introducing bert. "they seem so," bert replied, cordially. "we've made up a lot of sports," harry went on, "and we were only waiting for you to come to start out. we've planned a picnic for to-morrow." "here we are," called uncle daniel as billy turned into the pretty driveway in front of the bobbseys' country home. on each side of the drive grew straight lines of boxwood, and back of this hedge were beautiful flowers, shining out grandly now in the july sun. "hello, martha!" called the visitors, as the faithful old servant appeared on the broad white veranda. she was not black like dinah, but looked as if she was just as merry and full of fun as anyone could be. "got here at last!" she exclaimed, taking dinah's lunch basket. "glad to see you, martha," dinah told her. "you see, i had to come along. and snoop too, our kitty. we fetched him." "the more the merrier," replied the other, "and there's lots of room for all." "starved to death!" harry laughed, as the odor of a fine dinner reached him. "we'll wash up a bit and join you in a few minutes, ladies," uncle daniel said, in his polite way. the horse accident had given plenty of need for a washing up. "got snoop dis time," freddie lisped, knocking the cover off the box and petting the frightened little black cat. "hungry, snoopy?" he asked, pressing his baby cheek to the soft fur. "bring the poor kitty out to the kitchen," martha told him. "i'll get him a nice saucer of fresh milk." and so it happened, as usual, snoop had his meal first, just as he had had on the pullman car. soon after this martha went outside and rang a big dinner bell that all the men and boys could hear. and then the first vacation dinner was served in the long old-fashioned dining room. chapter vi frisky although they were tired from their journey, the children had no idea of resting on that beautiful afternoon, so promptly after dinner the baggage was opened, and vacation clothes were put on. bert, of course, was ready first; and soon he and harry were running down the road to meet the other boys and perfect their plans for the picnic. nan began her pleasures by exploring the flower gardens with uncle daniel. "i pride myself on those zinnias," the uncle told nan, "just see those yellows, and those pinks. some are as big as dahlias, aren't they?" "they are just beautiful, uncle," nan replied, in real admiration. "i have always loved zinnias. and they last so long?" "all summer. then, what do you think of my sweet peas?" so they went from one flower bed to another, and nan thought she had never before seen so many pretty plants together. flossie and freddie were out in the barnyard with aunt sarah. "oh, auntie, what queer little chickens!" flossie exclaimed, pointing to a lot of pigeons that were eagerly eating corn with the chickens. "those are harry's homer pigeons," the aunt explained. "some day we must go off to the woods and let the birds fly home with a letter to dinah and martha." "oh, please do it now," freddie urged, always in a hurry for things. "we couldn't to-day, dear," aunt sarah told him. "come, let me show you our new little calf." "let me ride her?" freddie asked, as they reached the animal. "calfs aren't for riding, they're for milk," flossie spoke up. "yes, this one drinks plenty of milk," aunt sarah said, while frisky, the calf, rubbed her head kindly against aunt sarah's skirts. "then let me take her for a walk," freddie pleaded, much in love with the pretty creature. "and they don't walk either," flossie persisted. "they mostly run." "i could just hold the rope, couldn't i, aunt sarah?" "if you keep away from the barnyard gate, and hold her very tight," was the consent given finally, much to freddie's delight. "nice frisky," he told the calf, petting her fondly. "pretty calf, will you let snoop play with you?" frisky was sniffing suspiciously all the time, and aunt sarah had taken flossie in the barn to see the chickens' nests. "come, frisky, take a walk," suggested freddie, and quite obediently the little cow walked along. but suddenly frisky spied the open gate and the lovely green grass outside. without a moment's warning the calf threw her hind legs up in the air, then bolted straight for the gate, dragging freddie along after her. "whoa, frisky! whoa!" yelled freddie, but the calf ran right along. "hold tight, freddie!" called flossie, as she and aunt sarah appeared on the scene. "whoa, whoa!" yelled the little boy constantly, but he might as well have called "get app," for frisky was going so fast now that poor little freddie's hands were all but bleeding from the rough rope. "look out, freddie! let go!" called aunt sarah as she saw frisky heading for the apple tree. the next minute frisky made a dash around the tree, once, then again, winding the rope as she went, and throwing freddie out with force against the side of the terrace. "oh," freddie moaned feebly. "are you dead?" cried flossie, running up with tears in her eyes. "oh," moaned the boy again, turning over with much trouble as aunt sarah lifted him. "oh," he murmured once more, "oh--catch--frisky!" "never mind her," aunt sarah said, anxiously. "are you hurt, dear!" "no--not--a bit. but look! there goes frisky! catch her!" "your poor little hands!" flossie almost cried, kissing the red blisters. "see, they're cut!" "firemen have to slide on ropes!" freddie spoke up, recovering himself, "and i'm going to be a fireman. i was one that time, because i tried to save somebody and didn't care if i got hurted!" "you are a brave little boy," aunt sarah assured him. "you just sit here with sister while i try to get that naughty frisky before she spoils the garden." by this time the calf was almost lost to them, as she plunged in and out of the pretty hedges. fortunately bert and harry just turned in the gate. "runaway calf! runaway calf!" called the boys. "stop the runaway!" and instantly a half-dozen other boys appeared, and all started in pursuit. but frisky knew how to run, besides she had the advantage of a good start, and now she just dashed along as if the affair was the biggest joke of her life. "the river! the river!" called the boys "she'll jump in!" and indeed the pretty meadow brook, or river, that ran along some feet lower than the bobbseys' house, on the other side of the highway, was now dangerously near the runaway calf. there was a heavy thicket a few feet further up, and as the boys squeezed in and out of the bushes frisky plunged into this piece of wood. "oh, she's gone now, sure!" called harry "listen!" sure enough there was a splash! frisky must be in the river! it took some time to reach the spot where the fall might have sounded from, and the boys made their way heavy-hearted, for all loved the pretty little frisky. "there's footprints!" bert discovered emerging from the thick bush. "and they end here!" harry finished, indicating the very brink of the river. "she's gone!" "but how could she drown so quickly?" bert asked. "guess that's the channel," tom mason, one of the neighbors' boys, answered. "listen! thought i heard something in the bushes!" bert whispered. but no welcome sound came to tell that poor frisky was hiding in the brushwood. with heavy hearts the boys turned away. they didn't even feel like talking, somehow. they had counted on bringing the calf back in triumph. when flossie and freddie saw them coming back without frisky they just had to cry and no one could stop them. "i tried to be a fireman!" blubbered freddie. "i didn't care if the rope hurted my hands either!" "if only i didn't go in to see the chickens nests," flossie whimpered, "i could have helped freddie!" "never you mind, little 'uns," dinah told them. "dinah go and fetch dat frisky back to-morrer. see if she don't. you jest don't cry no more, but eat you supper and take a good sleep, 'cause we're goin' to have a picnic to-morrer you knows, doesn't youse?" the others tried to comfort the little ones too, and uncle daniel said he knew where he could buy another calf just like frisky, so after a little while freddie felt better and even laughed when martha made the white cat fluffy and snoop play ball in the big long kitchen. "i'm goin' to pray frisky will come back," nan told her little brother when she kissed him good-night, "and maybe the dear lord will find her for you." "oh, yes, nannie, do ask him," pleaded freddie, "and tell him--tell him if he'll do it this time, i'll be so good i won't never need to bother him any more." freddie meant very well, but it sounded strange, and made aunt sarah say, "the lord bless the little darling!" then night came and an eventful day closed in on our dear little bobbseys. "seems as if something else ought to happen to-night," bert remarked to harry as they prepared to retire. "this was such a full day, wasn't it?" "it's early yet," harry answered, "and it's never late here until it's time to get early again." "sounds so strange to hear--those--those--" "crickets," harry told him, "and tree toads and katydids. oh, there's lots to listen to if you shouldn't feel sleepy." the house was now all quiet, and even the boys had ceased whispering. suddenly there was a noise in the driveway! the next minute someone called out in the night! "hello there! all asleep! wake up, somebody!" even freddie did wake up and ran into his mother's room. "come down here, mr. bobbsey," the voice continued. "oh, is that you, peter? i'll be down directly," called back uncle daniel, who very soon after appeared on the front porch. "well, i declare!" uncle daniel exclaimed, loud enough for all the listeners at the windows to hear. "so you've got her? well, i'm very glad indeed. especially on the boys' account." "yes," spoke out peter burns, "i went in the barn a while ago with the lantern, and there wasn't your calf asleep with mine as cozy as could be. i brought her over to-night for fear you might miss her and get to lookin', otherwise i wouldn't have disturbed you." by this time the man from the barn was up and out too, and he took frisky back to her own bed; but not until the little calf had been taken far out on the front lawn so that freddie could see her from the window "to make sure." "the lord did bring her back," freddie told his mamma as she kissed him good-night again and put him in his bed, happier this time than before. "and i promised to be awful good to pay him for his trouble," the sleepy boy murmured. flossie had been asleep about two hours when she suddenly called to her mother. "what is it, my dear?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "somebody is playing the piano," answered the little girl. "who is it?" "nobody is playing. you must be dreaming," answered the mother, and smiled to herself. "no, i am sure i heard the piano," insisted flossie. mother and daughter listened, but could hear nothing. "you were surely dreaming," said mrs. bobbsey. "come, i will tuck you in again," and she did so. but was flossie dreaming? let us wait and see. chapter vii a country picnic when morning came everyone was astir early, for not only was a happy day promised, but there was frisky, the runaway, to be looked over. mr. richard bobbsey, freddie's father, left on an early train for lakeport, and would not come back to meadow brook until saturday afternoon. "let me go out and see frisky," freddie insisted, even before his breakfast had been served. "i want to be sure it's her." "yes, that's her," freddie admitted, "'cause there's the rope that cut my hands when i was a real fireman!" but frisky didn't seem to care a bit about ropes or firemen, but just chewed and chewed like all cows do, as if there was nothing in this world to do but eat. "come on, sonny," called dinah. "you can help me pick de radishes fo' breakfast," and presently our little boy, with the kind-hearted maid, was up in the garden looking for the best radishes of the early crop. "see, freddie," said dinah. "de red ones show above de ground. and we must only pull de ones wid de big leaves, 'cause dey're ripe." freddie bent down so close to find the radishes that a disturbed toad hopped right up at his nose. "oh!" he cried, frightened. "dinah, was that--a--a--a snake?" "snake, chile; lan' sakes alive! dat was a poor little toady--more scare' den you was," and she pointed to the big dock leaf under which the hop-toad was now hiding. "let's pick beans," freddie suggested, liking the garden work. "not beans fer breakfast," laughed dinah. "that stuff there, then," the boy persisted, pointing to the soft green leaves of early lettuce. "well, i dunno. martha didn't say so, but it sure does look pretty. yes, i guess we kin pick some fo' salad," and so dinah showed freddie how to cut the lettuce heads off and leave the stalks to grow again. "out early," laughed uncle daniel, seeing the youngest member of the family coming down the garden path with the small basket of vegetables. "is it?" freddie asked, meaning early of course, in his queer way of saying things without words. "see! see!" called nan and flossie, running down the cross path back of the cornfield. "such big ones!" nan exclaimed, referring to the luscious red strawberries in the white dish she held. "look at mine," insisted flossie. "aren't they bigger?" "fine!" ejaculated dinah. "but my redishes are-are--redder," argued freddie, who was not to be outdone by his sisters. "ours are sweeter," laughed nan, trying to tease her little brother. "ours are--ours are--" "hotter," put in dinah, which ended the argument. bert and harry had also been out gathering for breakfast, and returned now with a basket of lovely fresh water-cress. "we can't eat 'em all," martha told the boys, "but they'll go good in the picnic lunch." what a pretty breakfast table it was! such berries, such lettuce, such water-cress, and the radishes! "too bad papa had to go so early," bert remarked. "he just loves green stuff." "so does frisky," put in freddie, and he wondered why everyone laughed. after breakfast the lunch baskets were put up and while bert and harry, nan and aunt sarah, went to invite the neighboring children, flossie and freddie were just busy jumping around the kitchen, where dinah and martha were making them laugh merrily with funny little stories. snoop and fluffy had become good friends, and now lay close together on the kitchen hearth. dinah said they were just like two babies, only not so much trouble. "put peaches in my basket, dinah," freddie ordered. "and strawberries in mine," added flossie. "now, you-uns jest wait!" dinah told them; "and when you gets out in de woods if you hasn't 'nough to eat you kin jest climb a tree an' cut down--" "wood!" put in freddie innocently, while martha said that was about all that could be found in the woods in july. the boys had come in from inviting the "other fellers," when uncle daniel proposed a feature for the picnic. "how would you like to take two homer pigeons along?" he asked them. "you can send a note back to martha to say what time you will be home." "jolly!" chorused the boys, all instantly making a run for the pigeon house. "wait!" harry told the visitors. "we must be careful not to scare them." then he went inside the wire cage with a handful of corn. "see--de--coon; see--de--coon!" called the boys softly, imitating the queer sounds made by the doves cooing. harry tossed the corn inside the cage, and as the light and dark homers he wanted tasted the food harry lowered the little door, and took the birds safely in his arms. "now, bert, you can get the quills," he told his cousin. "go into the chicken yard and look for two long goose feathers. tom mason, you can go in the kitchen and ask dinah for a piece of tissue paper and a spool of silk thread." each boy started off to fulfill his commission, not knowing exactly what for until all came together in the barnyard again. "now, bert," went on harry, "write very carefully on the slip of paper the message for martha. have you a soft pencil?" bert found that he had one, and so following his cousin's dictation he wrote on one slip: "have dinner ready at five." and on the other he wrote: "john, come for us at four." "now," continued harry, "roll the slips up fine enough to go in the goose quills." this was done with much difficulty, as the quills were very narrow, but the task was finally finished. "all ready now," concluded harry, "to put the letters in the box," and very gently he tied with the silken thread one quill under the wing of each pigeon. only one feather was used to tie the thread to, and the light quill, the thin paper, and the soft silk made a parcel so very small and light in weight that the pigeons were no way inconvenienced by the messages. "now we'll put them in this basket, and they're ready for the picnic," harry announced to his much interested companions. then all started for the house with harry and the basket in the lead. john, the stableman, was at the door now with the big hay wagon, which had been chosen as the best thing to take the jolly party in. there was nice fresh hay in the bottom, and seats at the sides for the grown folks, while the little ones nestled in the sweet-smelling hay like live birds. "it's like a kindergarten party," laughed nan, as the "birds' nests" reminded her of one of the mother plays. "no, 'tain't!" freddie corrected, for he really was not fond of the kindergarten. "it's just like a picnic," he finished. besides the bobbseys there were tom mason, jack hopkins, and august stout, friends of harry. then, there were mildred manners and mabel herold, who went as nan's guests; little roy mason was freddie's company, and bessie dimple went with flossie. the little pigeons kept cooing every now and then, but made no attempt to escape from harry's basket. it was a beautiful day, and the long ride through the country was indeed a merry one. along the way people called out pleasantly from farmhouses, for everybody in meadow brook knew the bobbseys. "that's their cousins from the city," little boys and girls along the way would say. "haven't they pretty clothes!" the girls were sure to add. "let's stop for a drink at the spring," suggested august stout, who was stout by name and nature, and always loved a good drink of water. the children tumbled out of the wagon safely, and were soon waiting turns at the spring. there was a round basin built of stones and quite deep. into this the clear sprinkling water dropped from a little cave in the hill above. on top of the cave a large flat stone was placed. this kept the little waterfall clean and free from the falling leaves. "oh, what a cute little pond!" freddie exclaimed, for he had never seen a real spring before. "that's a spring," flossie informed him, although that was all she knew about it. the big boys were not long dipping their faces in and getting a drink of the cool, clear water, but the girls had to take their hats off, roll up their sleeves, and go through a "regular performance," as harry said, before they could make up their minds to dip into the water. mabel brought up her supply with her hands, but when nan tried it her hands leaked, and the result was her fresh white frock got wet. flossie's curls tumbled in both sides, and when she had finished she looked as if she had taken a plunge at the seashore. "let me! let me!" cried freddie impatiently, and without further warning he thrust his yellow head in the spring clear up to his neck! "oh, freddie!" yelled nan, grabbing him by the heels and thus saving a more serious accident. "oh! oh! oh!" spluttered freddie, nearly choked, "i'm drowned!" and the water really seemed to be running out of his eyes, noses and ears all at once. "oh, freddie!" was all mrs. bobbsey could say, as a shower of clean handkerchiefs was sent from the hay wagon to dry the "drowned" boy. "just like the flour barrel!" laughed bert, referring to the funny accident that befell freddie the winter before, as told in my other book "the bobbsey twins." "only that was a dry bath and this a wet one," nan remarked, as freddie's curls were shook out in the sun. "did you get a drink?" asked august, whose invitation to drink had caused the mishap. "yep!" answered freddie bravely, "and i was a real fireman too, that time, 'cause they always get soaked; don't they, bert?" being assured they did, the party once more started off for the woods. it was getting to be all woods now, only a driveway breaking through the pines, maples, and chestnut trees that abounded in that section. "just turn in there, john!" harry directed, as a particularly thick group of trees appeared. here were chosen the picnic grounds and all the things taken from the wagon, and before john was out of sight on the return home the children had established their camp and were flying about the woods like little fairies. "let's build a furnace," jack hopkins suggested. "let's," said all the boys, who immediately set out carrying stones and piling them up to build the stove. there was plenty of wood about, and when the fire was built, the raw potatoes that harry had secretly brought along were roasted, finer than any oven could cook them. mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah had spread the tablecloth on the grass, and were now busy opening the baskets and arranging the places. there were so many pretty little nooks to explore in the woods that mrs. bobbsey had to warn the children not to get too far away. "are there giants?" freddie asked. "no, but there are very dark lonely places the woods and little boys might find snakes." "and bears!" put in freddie, to which remark his mother said, "perhaps," because there really might be bears in a woods so close to the mountains. chapter viii fun in the woods "dinner served in the dining car!" called bert through the woods, imitating the call of the porter on the pullman car. "all ready!" echoed the other boys, banging on an old boiler like the turks do, instead of ringing a bell. "oh, how pretty!" the girls all exclaimed, as they beheld the "feast in the forest," as nan put it. and indeed it was pretty, for at each place was set a long plume of fern leaves with wood violets at the end, and what could be more beautiful than such a decoration? "potatoes first!" harry announced, "because they may get cold," and at this order everybody broke the freshly roasted potatoes into the paper napkins and touched it up with the extra butter that had come along. "simply fine!" declared nan, with the air of one who knew. now, my old readers will remember how nan baked such good cake. so she ought to be an authority on baked potatoes, don't you think? next came the sandwiches, with the watercress harry and bert had gathered before breakfast, then (and this was a surprise) hot chocolate! this was brought out in martha's cider jug, and heated in a kettle over the boys' stone furnace. "it must be fun to camp out," mabel herold remarked. "yes, just think of the dishes saved," added mildred manners, who always had so many dishes to do at home. "and we really don't need them," nan argued, passing her tin cup on to flossie. "think how the soldiers get along!" bert put in. "and the firemen'" lisped freddie, who never forgot the heroes of flame and water. of course everybody was either sitting on the grass or on a "soft stump." these latter conveniences had been brought by the boys for aunt sarah and mrs. bobbsey. "what's that!" exclaimed little flossie, as something was plainly moving under the tables cloth. "a snake, a snake!" called everybody at once, for indeed under the white linen was plainly to be seen the creeping form of a reptile. while the girls made a run for safety the boys carefully lifted the cloth and went for his snakeship. "there he is! there he is!" shouted tom mason, as the thing tried to crawl under the stump lately used as a seat by mrs. bobbsey. "whack him!" called august stout, who, armed with a good club, made straight for the stump. "look out! he's a big fellow!" harry declared, as the snake attempted to get upright. the boys fell back a little now, and as the snake actually stood on the tip of his tail, as they do before striking, harry sprang forward and dealt him a heavy blow right on the head that laid the intruder flat. "at him, boys! at him!" called jack hopkins, while the snake lay wriggling in the grass; and the boys, making good use of the stunning blow harry had dealt, piled on as many more blows as their clubs could wield. all this time the girls and ladies were over on a knoll "high and dry," as nan said, and now, when assured that the snake was done for they could hardly be induced to come and look at him. "he's a beauty!" harry declared, as the boys actually stretched the creature out to measure him. bert had a rule, and when the snake was measured up he was found to be five feet long! "he's a black racer!" jack hopkins announced, and the others said they guessed he was. "lucky we saw him first!" remarked harry, "racers are very poisonous!" "let's go home; there might be more!", pleaded flossie, but the boys said the snake hunt was the best fun at the picnic. "goodness!" exclaimed harry suddenly, "we forgot to let the pigeons loose!" and so saying he ran for the basket of birds that hung on the low limb of a pretty maple. first harry made sure the messages were safe under each bird's wing, then he called: "all ready!" snap! went something that sounded like a shot (but it wasn't), and then away flew the pretty birds to take the messages home to john and martha. the shot was only a dry stick that tom mason snapped to imitate a gun, as they do at bicycle races, but the effect was quite startling and made the girls jump. "it won't take long for them to get home!" said bert, watching the birds fly away. "they'll get lost!" cried freddie. "no, they won't. they know which way we came," nan explained. "but they was shut up in the basket," argued freddie. "yet they could see," nan told him. "can pigeons see when they're asleep?" inquired the little fellow. "maybe," nan answered. "then i'd like to have pigeon eyes," he finished, thinking to himself how fine it would be to see everything going on around and be fast asleep too. "oh, mamma, come quick!" called flossie, running along a path at the edge of the wood. "there's a tree over there pouring water, and it isn't raining a drop!" everybody set out now to look at the wonderful tree, which was soon discovered where flossie had found it. "there it is!" she exclaimed. "see the water dropping down!" "a maple tree," harry informed them, "and that sap is what they make maple sugar out of." "oh, catch it!" called freddie, promptly holding his cap under the drops. "it would take a good deal to make a sugar cake," harry said, "but maybe we can get enough of it to make a little cake for freddie." at this the country boys began looking around for young maples, and as small limbs of the trees were broken the girls caught the drops in their tin cups. it took quite a while to get a little, but by putting it all together a cupful was finally gathered. "now we will put it in a clean milk bottle," mrs. bobbsey said, "and maybe we can make maple syrup cake to-morrow." "let's have a game of hide-and-seek," nan suggested. in a twinkling every boy and girl was hidden behind a tree, and nan found herself "it." of course it took a big tree to hide the girls' dresses, and nan had no trouble in spying mildred first. soon the game was going along merrily, and the boys and girls were out of breath trying to get "home free." "where's roy?" exclaimed tom mason, the little boy's brother. "hiding somewhere," bessie ventured, for it only seemed a minute before when the little fat boy who was freddie's companion had been with the others. "but where is he?" they all soon exclaimed in alarm, as call after call brought no answer. "over at the maple tree!" harry thought. "down at the spring," nan said. "looking for flowers," flossie guessed. but all these spots were searched, and the little boy was not found. "oh, maybe the giants have stoled him!" freddie cried. "or maybe the children's hawk has took him away," flossie sobbed. meanwhile everybody searched and searched, but no roy could they find. "the boat!" suddenly exclaimed tom, making a dash for the pond that ran along at the foot of a steep hill. "there he is! there he is!" the brother yelled, as getting over the edge of the hill tom was now in full view of the pond. "and in the boat," called harry, close at tom's heels. "he's drifting away!" screamed bert. "oh, quick, save him!" just as the boys said, the little fellow was in the boat and drifting. he did not seem to realize his danger, for as he floated along he ran his little fat hand through the water as happily as if he had been in a steam launch, talking to the captain. "can you swim?" the boys asked bert, who of course had learned that useful art long ago. "she's quite a long way out," tom said, "but we must be careful not to frighten him. see, he has left the oars here. bert and i can carry one out and swim with one hand. harry and jack, can you manage the other?" the boys said they could, and quickly as the heaviest clothes could be thrown off they were striking out in the little lake toward the baby in the boat. he was only freddie's age, you know, and perhaps more of a baby than the good-natured bobbsey boy. "sit still, roy," called the anxious girl from the shore, fearing roy would upset the boat as the boys neared him. it was hard work to swim and carry oars, but our brave boys managed to do it in time to save roy. for not a great way down the stream were an old water wheel and a dam. should the boat drift there what would become of little roy? mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah were worrying over this as the boys were making their way to the boat. "easy now!" called bert. "here we are," and at that moment the first pair of swimmers climbed carefully into the boat, one from each side, so as not to tip it over. jack and harry were not long in following, and as the boys all sat in the pretty green rowboat with their white under-clothing answering for athletic suits, they looked just like a crew of real oarsmen. "hurrah, hurrah!" came shout after shout from the bank. then as the girls heard the rumble of wheels through the grove they all hurried off to gather up the stuff quickly, and be ready to start as soon as the boys dressed again. the wet under-clothing, of course, was carried home in one of the empty baskets that freddie ran back over the hill with to save the tired boys the extra walk. "here they are! here they are!" called the girls as the two little fellows, roy and freddie, with the basket of wet clothes between them, marched first; then came the two pairs of athletes who proved they were good swimmers by pushing the heavy oars safely to the drifting boat. "and all the things that happened!" exclaimed flossie, as john handed her into the hay wagon. "that made the picnic lively!" declared, john, "and all's well that ends well, you know." so the picnic was over, and all were happy and tired enough to go to bed early that night, as nan said, seeing the little ones falling asleep in hay wagon on their way home. chapter ix fourth of july the day following the picnic was july third, and as the meadow brook children were pretty well tired out from romping in the woods, they were glad of a day's rest before entering upon the festivities of independence day. "how much have you got?" tom mason asked the bobbsey boys. "fifty cents together, twenty-five cents each," harry announced. "well, i've got thirty-five, and we had better get our stuff early, for stimpson sold out before noon last year," concluded tom. "i have to get torpedoes for freddie and flossie, and chinese fire-crackers for nan," bert remarked, as they started for the little country grocery store. "i guess i'll buy a few snakes, they look so funny coiling out," tom said. "i'm going to have sky rockets and roman candles. everybody said they were the prettiest last year," said harry. "if they have red fire i must get some of it for the girls," thoughtful bert remarked. but at the store the boys had to take just what they could get, as stimpson's supply was very limited. "let's make up a parade!" someone suggested, and this being agreed upon the boys started a canvass from house to house, to get all the boys along meadow brook road to take part in the procession. "can the little ones come too?" august stout asked, because he always had to look out for his small brother when there was any danger like fireworks around. "yes, and we're goin' to let the girls march in a division by themselves," bert told him. "my sister nan is going to be captain, and we'll leave all the girls' parts to her." "be sure and bring your flag," harry cautioned jack hopkins. "how would the goat wagons do?" jack asked. "fine; we could let roy and freddie ride in them," said bert. "tell any of the other fellows who have goat teams to bring them along too." "eight o'clock sharp at our lane," harry told them for the place and time of meeting. then they went along to finish the arrangements. "don't tell the boys," nan whispered to mildred, as they too made their way to stimpson's. "won't they be surprised?" exclaimed mabel. "yes, and i am going to carry a real betsy ross flag, one with thirteen stars, you know." "oh, yes, betsy ross made the first flag, didn't she?" remarked mildred, trying to catch up on history. "we'll have ten big girls," nan counted. "then with flossie as liberty we will want bessie and nettie for her assistants." "attendants," mabel corrected, for she had seen a city parade like that once. it was a busy day for everybody, and when mr. bobbsey came up on the train from lakeport that evening he carried boxes and boxes of fireworks for the boys and girls, and even some for the grown folks too. the girls could hardly sleep that night, they were so excited over their part, but the boys of course were used to that sort of thing, and only slept sounder with the fun in prospect. "are you awake, bert?" called harry, so early the next morning that the sun was hardly up yet. "yep," replied the cousin, jumping out of bed and hastily dressing for the firing of the first gun. the boys crept through the house very quietly, then ran to the barn for their ammunition. three big giant fire-crackers were placed in the road directly in front of the house. "be careful!" whispered bert; "they're full of powder." but harry was always careful with fireworks, and when he touched the fuses to the "cannons" he made away quickly before they exploded. bang! bang! bang! "hurrah!" shouted freddie, answering the call from his window, "i'll be right down!" all the others too were aroused by the first "guns," so that in a very short time there were many boys in the road, firing so many kinds of fire-crackers that meadow brook resounded like a real war fort under fire. "ouch!" yelled tom mason, the first one to bum his fingers. "a sisser caught me right on the thumb." but such small accidents were not given much attention, and soon tom was lighting the little red crackers as merrily as before. "go on back, girls!" called bert. "you'll get your dresses burnt if you don't." the girls were coming too near the battlements then, and bert did well to warn them off. freddie and flossie were having a great time throwing their little torpedoes at mr. bobbsey and uncle daniel, who were seated on the piazza watching the sport. snoop and fluffy too came in for a scare, for freddie tossed a couple of torpedoes on the kitchen hearth where the kittens were sleeping. the boys were having such fun they could hardly be induced to come in for breakfast, but they finally did stop long enough to eat a spare meal. "it's time to get ready!" whispered nan to bert, for the parade had been kept secret from the grown folks. at the girls' place of meeting, the coach house, nan found all her company waiting and anxious to dress. "just tie your scarfs loose under your left arm," ordered captain nan, and the girls quickly obeyed like true cadets. the broad red-white-and-blue bunting was very pretty over the girls' white dresses, and indeed the "cadets" looked as if they would outdo the "regulars" unless the boys too had surprises in store. "where's nettie?" suddenly asked nan, missing a poor little girl who had been invited. "she wouldn't come because she had no white dress," mildred answered. "oh, what a shame; she'll be so disappointed! besides, we need her to make a full line," nan said. "just wait a minute. lock the door after me," and before the others knew what she was going to do, nan ran off to the house, got one of her own white dresses, rolled it up neatly, and was over the fields to nettie's house in a few minutes. when nan came back she brought nettie with her, and not one of her companions knew it was nan's dress that nettie wore. soon all the scarfs were tied and the flags arranged. then flossie had to be dressed. she wore a light blue dress with gold stars on it, and on her pretty yellow curls she had a real liberty crown. then she had the cleanest, brightest flag, and what a pretty picture she made! "oh, isn't she sweet!" all the girls exclaimed in admiration, and indeed she was a little beauty in her liberty costume. "there go the drums!" nan declared. "we must be careful to get down the lane without being seen." this was easily managed, and now the girls and boys met at the end of the lane. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted the boys, beating the drums and blowing their horns to welcome the girls. "oh, don't you look fine!" exclaimed harry, who was captain of the boys. "and don't you too!" nan answered, for indeed the boys had such funny big hats on and so many flags and other red-white-and-blue things, that they too made a fine appearance. "and freddie!" exclaimed the girls. "isn't he a lovely uncle sam!" freddie was dressed in the striped suit uncle sam always wears, and had on his yellow curls a tall white hat. he was to ride in jack hopkins' goat wagon. "fall in!" called harry, and at the word all the companies fell in line. "cadets first," ordered the captain. then flossie walked the very first one. after her came nan and her company. (no one noticed that nettie's eyes were a little red from crying. she had been so disappointed at first when she thought she couldn't go in the parade.) after the girls came freddie as uncle sam, in the goat wagon led by bert (for fear the goat might run away), then fifteen boys, all with drums or fifes or some other things with which to make a noise. roy was in the second division with his wagon, and last of all came the funniest thing. a boy dressed up like a bear with a big sign on him: teddy! he had a gun under his arm and looked too comical for anything. it was quite warm to wear a big fur robe and false face, but under this was jack hopkins, the bear teddy, and he didn't mind being warm when he made everybody laugh so. "right foot, left foot, right foot, forward march!" called nan, and the procession started up the path straight for the bobbsey house. "goodness gracious, sakes alive! do come see de childrens! ha, ha! dat sure am a parade!" called dinah, running through the house to the front door to view the procession. "oh, isn't it just beautiful!" martha echoed close at dinah's heels. "my!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey; "how did they ever get made up so pretty!" "and look at flossie!" exclaimed aunt sarah. "and see freddie!" put in uncle daniel. "oh, we must get the camera!" mr. bobbsey declared, while the whole household, all excited, stood out on the porch when the parade advanced. such drumming and such tooting of fifes and horns! freddie's chariot was now in line with the front stoop, and he raised his tall hat to the ladies like a real uncle sam. "oh, the bear! the bear!" called everybody, as they saw "teddy" coming up. "that's great," continued uncle daniel. by this time mr. bobbsey had returned with the camera. "halt!" called harry, and the procession stood still. "look this way. there now, all ready," said mr. bobbsey, and snap went the camera on as pretty a picture as ever covered a plate. "right wheel! forward march!" called nan again, and amid drumming and tooting the procession started off to parade through the center of meadow brook. chapter x a great day never before had such a parade been seen in the little country place, and all along the road cheer after cheer greeted our young friends, for even the few old soldiers who lived in meadow brook enjoyed the children's fourth of july fun. by lunch time the procession had covered all the ground planned, so from the postoffice the cadets and regulars started back over the shady country road. and at home they found a surprise awaiting them! ice cream on the lawn for everybody in the parade. aunt sarah and uncle daniel had set out all the garden benches, and with the two kinds of ice cream made by dinah and martha, besides the cookies and jumbles aunt sarah supplied, with ice-cold lemonade that john passed around, surely the tired little soldiers and cadets had splendid refreshment! "my goat almost runned away!" lisped freddie. "but i held on tight like a real fireman." "and mine wanted to stop and eat grass in the middle of the big parade," roy told them. "now eat up your ice cream. nettie, have some more? jack, you surely need two plates after carrying that bear skin," said uncle daniel. the youngsters did not have to be urged to eat some more of the good things, and so it took quite a while to "finish up the rations," as uncle daniel said. "they're goin' to shoot the old cannon off, father," harry told uncle daniel, "and we're all going over on the pond bank to see them, at three o'clock." "they're foolish to put powder in that old cracked gun," remarked uncle daniel. "take care, if you go over, that you all keep at a safe distance." it was not long until three o'clock, and then when all the red-white-and-blue things had been stored away for another year, the boys hurried off to see peter burns fire the old cannon. quite a crowd of people had gathered about the pond bank, which was a high green wall like that which surrounds a reservoir. peter was busy stuffing the powder in the old gun, and all the others looked on anxiously. "let's go up in that big limb of the willow tree," suggested bert. "we can see it all then, and be out of range of the fire." so the boys climbed up in the low willow, that leaned over the pond bank. "they're almost ready," harry said, seeing the crowd scatter. "look out!" yelled peter, getting hold of the long string that would fire the gun. peter gave it a tug, then another. everybody held their breath, expecting to hear an awful bang, but the gun didn't go off. very cautiously peter stepped nearer the cannon to see what might be the matter, when the next instant with a terrific report the whole cannon flew up in the air! peter fell back! his hat seemed to go up with the gun! "oh, he's killed!" yelled the people. "poor peter!" gasped harry. "he ought to know better!" said mr. mason. "father said that cannon was dangerous," harry added. by this time the crowd had surrounded peter, who lay so still and looked so white. the bobbsey boys climbed down from the tree and joined the others. "he's only unconscious from the shock," spoke up mr. mason, who was leaning down very close to peter. "stand back, and give him air." the crowd fell back now, and some of the boys looked around to find the pieces of cannon. "don't touch it," said tom mason, as a little fellow attempted to pick up a piece of the old gun. "there might be powder in it half lighted." mrs. burns had run over from her home at the report of the accident, and she was now bathing peter's face with water from the pond. "he's subject to fainting spells," she told the frightened people, "and i think he'll be all right when he comes to." peter looked around, then he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "did it go off?" he smiled, remembering the big report. "guess it did, and you went off with it," mr. mason said. "how do you feel?" "oh, i'll be all right when my head clears a bit. i guess i fainted." "so you did," said mrs. burns, "and there's no use scolding you for firing that old gun. come home now and go to bed; you have had all the fireworks you want for one day." quite a crowd followed peter over to his home, for they could not believe he was not in any way hurt. "let us go home," harry said to his cousin. "we have to get all our fireworks ready before evening." the boys found all at home enjoying themselves. freddie's torpedoes still held out, and flossie had a few more "snakes" left. nan had company on the lawn, and it indeed was an ideal fourth of july. "look at the balloon!" called john from the carriage house. "it's going to land in the orchard." this announcement caused all the children to hurry up to the orchard, for everybody likes to "catch" a balloon. "there's a man in it," john exclaimed as the big ball tossed around in the air. "yes, that's the balloon that went up from the farmers' picnic," said harry. the next minute a parachute shot out from the balloon; and hanging to it the form of a man could be seen. "oh, he'll fall!" cried freddie, all excited. "let's catch him--in something!" "he's all right," john assured the little boy. "that umbrella keeps him from coming down too quickly." "how does it?" freddie asked. "why, you see, sonny, the air gets under the umbrella and holds it up. the man's weight then brings it down gently." "oh, maybe he will let us fly up in it," freddie remarked, much interested. "here he comes! here he comes!" the boys called, and sure enough the big parachute, with the man dangling on it, was now coming right down--down--in the harvest-apple tree! "hello there!" called the man from above, losing the colored umbrella and quickly dropping himself from the low tree. "hello yourself!" answered john. "did you have a nice ride?" "first class," replied the man with the stars on his shirt. "but i've got a long walk back to the grove. could i hire a bicycle around here?" harry spoke to his father, and then quickly decided to let the balloon man ride his bicycle down to the picnic grounds. "you can leave it at the ice-cream stand," harry told the stranger. "i know the man there, and he will take care of it for me until i call for it." the children were delighted to talk to a real live man that had been up in a balloon, and the balloonist was indeed very pleasant with the little ones. he took freddie up in his arms and told him all about how it felt to be up in the sky. "you're a truly fireman!" freddie said, after listening to all the dangers there are so far above ground. "i'm a real fireman too!" just then the balloon that had been tossing about in the air came down in the other end of the orchard. "well, there!" exclaimed the man. "that's good luck. now, whichever one of you boys gets that balloon first will get ten dollars. that's what we pay for bringing it back!" with a dash every boy started for the spot where the balloon had landed. there were quite a few others besides the bobbseys, and they tumbled over each other trying to get there first. ned prentice, nettie's brother, was one of the best runners, and he cut across the orchard to get a clear way out of the crowd. "go it, bert!" called john. "keep it up, harry!" yelled someone else. "you'd get it, tom!" came another voice. but ned was not in the regular race, and nobody noticed him. "they've got it," called the excited girls. "it's harry!" "no, it's bert!" "'tisn't either--it's ned!" called john, as the only poor boy in the crowd proudly touched the big empty gas-bag! "three cheers for ned!" called uncle daniel, for he and mr. bobbsey had joined in the crowd. "hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" shouted all the boys good-naturedly, for ned was a favorite companion, besides being one who really needed the money. "suppose we drive down," uncle daniel suggested. "then we can bring ned back with his ten dollars." this was agreed upon as a good plan, and as quickly as john had hitched up the big wagon ail the boys piled in with the aeronaut and started for the grove. chapter xi the little gardeners when little ned prentice put the ten-dollar bill in his mother's hand, on that pleasant fourth of july evening, he felt like a man. his mother could hardly believe the story of ned's getting the money just for finding a balloon, but when it was explained how valuable the balloon was, and how it sometimes takes days of searching in the woods to find one after the balloonist lets go and drops down with his parachute, she was finally convinced that the money rightfully belonged to ned. "no one needs it more than i do," mrs. prentice told mr. bobbsey, who had brought ned home in the wagon, "for since the baby was sick we have hardly been able to meet our bills, it cost so much for medicine." "we were all glad when ned got there first," harry said politely, "because we knew he deserved the reward most." as ned was a poor boy, and had to work on farms during vacation, his father being dead and only one brother being old enough to go to work, the reward turned out a great blessing, for ten dollars is a good deal of money for a little boy to earn at one time. "be sure to come up to our fireworks tonight," harry called, as they drove away, and ned promptly accepted the invitation. "it has certainly been a great fourth of july!" uncle daniel exclaimed, later in the evening when the children fired off their roman candles and sky rockets and burned the red fire. the little children had beautiful pinwheels and "nigger chasers" that they put off on the porch. then nan had a big fire balloon that she sent up, and they watched it until it was out of sight, away over the pond and clear out of meadow brook. it was a very tired lot of children that rolled off to sleep that night, for indeed it had been a great day for them all. for a few days after the fourth it rained, as it always does, on account of all the noise that goes up in the air to shake the clouds. "you can play in the coach house," aunt sarah told the children, "but be careful not to run in and out and get wet." the children promised to remember, and soon they were all out in the big wagon house playing merrily. freddie climbed in the wagon and made believe it was a "big fire engine." bert attached a bell on the side for him, and when he pulled a rope this bell would clang like a chemical apparatus. nan and flossie had all their dolls in the pretty new carriage with the soft gray cushions, and in this the little girls made believe driving to new york and doing some wonderful shopping. "freddie, you be coachman," coaxed flossie, "because we are inside and have to have someone drive us." "but who will put out all the fires?" freddie asked, as he clanged the bell vigorously. "make b'lieve they are all out," flossie told him. "but you can't make b'lieve about fires," argued the little fellow, "'cause they're really." "i tell you," nan suggested. "we will suppose this is a great big high tally-ho party, and the ladies always drive them. i'll be away up high on the box, but we ought to have someone blow a horn!" "i'll blow the horn," freddie finally gave in, "cause i got that big fire out now." so freddie climbed up on the high coach with his sisters, and blew the horn until nan told them they had reached new york and were going to stop for dinner. there were so many splendid things to play with in the coach house, tables, chairs, and everything, that the bobbseys hardly knew it before it was lunch time, the morning passed so quickly. it cleared up in the afternoon and john asked the children if they wanted to help him do some transplanting. "oh! we would love to," nan answered, for she did love gardening. the ground was just right for transplanting, after the rain, and the tender little lettuce plants were as easy to take up as they were to put down again. "i say, nan," john told her, "you can have that little patch over there for your garden. i'll give you a couple of dozen plants, and we will see what kind of a farmer you will make." "oh, thank you, john," nan answered. "i'll do just as i have seen you doing," and she began to take the little plants in the pasteboard box from one bed to the other. "be careful not to shake the dirt off the roots," said john, "and be sure to put one plant in each place. put them as far apart here as the length of this little stick, and when you put them in the ground press the earth firmly around the roots." flossie was delighted to help her sister, and the two girls made a very nice garden indeed. "let's put little stones around the path," flossie suggested, and john said they could do this if they would be careful not to let the stones get on the garden. "i want to be a planter too," called freddie, running up the path to john. "but i want to plant radishes," he continued, "'cause they're the reddist." "well, you just wait a few minutes, sonny," said john, "and i'll show you how to plant radishes. i'll be through with this lettuce in a few minutes." freddie waited with some impatience, running first to nan's garden then back to john's. finally john was ready to put in a late crop of radishes. "now, you see, we make a long drill like this," john explained as he took the drill and made a furrow in the soft ground. "if it rains again that will be a river," said freddie, for he had often played river at home after a rain. "now, you see this seed is very fine," continued john. "but i am going to let you plant it if you're careful." "that ain't redishes!" exclaimed freddie "i want to plant redishes." "but this is the seed, and that's what makes the radishes," john explained. "nope, that's black and it can't make it red?" argued freddie. "wait and see," the gardener told him. "you just take this little paper of seeds and scatter them in the drill. see, i have mixed them with sand so they will not grow too thick." freddie took the small package, and kneeling down on the board that john used, he dropped the little shower of seeds in the line. "they're all gone!" he told john presently; "get some more." "no, that's enough. now we will see how your crop grows. see, i just cover the seed very lightly like mamma covers freddie when he sleeps in the summer time." "do you cover them more in the winter time too, like mamma does?" freddie asked. "yes, indeed i do," said the gardener, "for seeds are just like babies, they must be kept warm to grow." freddie stood watching the line he had planted the seed in. "they ain't growing yet," he said at last. "why don't they come up, john?" "oh!" laughed the gardener, "they won't come up right away. they have to wake up first. you will see them above the ground in about a week, i guess." this was rather a disappointment to the little fellow, who never believed in waiting for anything, but he finally consented to let the seeds grow and come back again later to pick the radishes. "look at our garden!" called nan proudly, from across the path. "doesn't it look straight and pretty?" "you did very well indeed," said john, inspecting the new lettuce patch. "now, you'll have to keep it clear of weeds, and if a dry spell should come you must use the watering can." "i'll come up and tend to it every morning," nan declared. "i am going to see what kind of lettuce i can raise." nan had brought with her a beautiful string of pearl beads set in gold, the gift of one of her aunts. she was very proud of the pearls and loved to wear them whenever her mother would let her. one afternoon she came to her mother in bitter tears. "oh, mamma!" she sobbed. "the the pearls are gone," "gone! did you lose them?" questioned mrs. bobbsey quickly. "yes." "where?" "i--i don't know," and now nan cried harder than ever. the news soon spread that the string of pearls were lost, and everybody set to work hunting for them. "where do you think you lost 'em?" asked bert. "i--i don't know. i was down in the garden, and up the lane, and at the well, and out in the barn, and over to the apple orchard, and feeding the chickens, and over in the hayfield,--and lots of places." "then it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack," declared aunt sarah. all the next day the boys and girls hunted for the string of pearls, and the older folks helped. but the string could not be found. nan felt very bad over her loss, and her mother could do little to console her. "i--i sup--suppose i'll never see them again," sobbed the girl. "oh, i guess they'll turn up some time," said bert hopefully. "they can't be lost so very, very bad," lisped flossie. "'cause they are somewhere on this farm, ain't they?" "yes, but the farm is so very big!" sighed poor nan. for a few days freddie went up to the garden every morning to look for radishes. then he gave up and declared he knew john had made a mistake and that he didn't plant radishes at all. nan and flossie were very faithful attending to their garden, and the beautiful light green lettuce grew splendidly, being grateful for the good care given it. "when can we pick it?" nan asked john, as the leaves were getting quite thick. "in another week!" he told the girls, and so they continued to watch for weeds and kept the ground soft around the plants as john had told them. freddie's radishes were above ground now, and growing nicely, but they thought it best not to tell him, as he might pull them up too soon. nan and flossie weeded his garden as well as their own and showed they loved to see things grow, for they did not mind the work of attending to them. "papa will come up from lakeport to-night," nan told flossie; "and won't he be pleased to see our gardens!" that evening when mr. bobbsey arrived the first thing he had to do was to visit the garden. "why, i declare!" he exclaimed in real surprise. "you have done splendidly. this is a fine lettuce patch." mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah had also come up to see the girls' garden, and they too were much surprised at the result of nan's and flossie's work. "oh!" screamed freddie from the other side of the garden. "see my redishes! they growed!" and before anyone could stop him he pulled up a whole handful of the little green leaves with the tiny red balls on the roots. "they growed! they growed!" he shouted, dancing around in delight. "but you must only pick the ripe ones," his father told him. "and did you really plant them?" mr. bobbsey asked in surprise. "yep! john showed me," he declared, and the girls said that was really freddie's garden. "now i'll tell you," aunt sarah remarked. "we will let our little farmers pick their vegetables for dinner, and then we will be able to say just how good they are." at this the girls started in to pick the very biggest heads of lettuce, and freddie looked carefully to get the very reddest radishes in his patch. finally enough were gathered, and down to the kitchen the vegetables were carried. "you will have to prepare them for the table," mrs. bobbsey said. "let us see, girls, what a pretty dish you can make." this was a pleasant task to nan and flossie, who both always loved to play at housekeeping, and when at last nan brought the dish in to the dinner table everybody said how pretty it looked. "them's my redishes!" exclaimed freddie, as he saw the pretty bright red buttons peeping out from between the lettuce leaves. "but we can all have some, can't we, freddie?" his father asked. "yes, 'course you can. but i don't want all my good redishes smothered in that big dish of green stuff," he pouted. "now, nan, you can serve your vegetables," aunt sarah said, and then nan very neatly put a few crisp lettuce leaves on each small plate, and at the side she placed a few of freddie's radishes, "with handles on" as dinah said, meaning the little green stalks. "just think, we've done it all from the garden to the table!" nan exclaimed, justly proud of her success at gardening. "i done the radishes," put in freddie, gulping down a drink of water to wash the bite off his tongue, for his radishes were quite hot. "well, you have certainly all done very nicely," mrs. bobbsey said. "and that kind of play is like going to school, for it teaches you important lessons in nature." the girls declared they were going to keep a garden all summer, and so they did. it was an unusually warm night, and so nearly all the doors were left open when the folks went to bed. freddie was so worked up over his success as a gardener he could not go to sleep. at last he dozed off, but presently he awoke with a start. what was that strange sound ringing in his ears? he sat up and listened. yes, somebody must surely be playing the piano. but what funny music! it seemed to come in funny runs and curious thumps. he called out sharply, and his mother came at once to his side. "i heard piano-playing," said freddie, and mrs. bobbsey started, for she remembered how flossie had once told her the same thing. "oh, freddie, are you sure?" she asked. "sure," repeated the little fellow. "but it wasn't very good playing." mrs. bobbsey called uncle daniel, and the latter lit a lamp and went below into the parlor. nobody was at the piano or in the room. "i've made a careful examination," he said, on coming back. "i can see nothing unusual. some of the children left a piece of cake on the keys of the piano, that's all." "well, cake can't play," put in freddie. "maybe it was a ghost." "no, you must have been dreaming," said his mother. "come, go to sleep," and presently freddie dropped off. mrs. bobbsey was much worried, and the next day the older folks talked the matter over; but nothing came of it. chapter xii tom's runaway "tom mason is going to bring his colt out this afternoon," said harry to bert, "and we can all take turns trying him." "oh, is it that pretty little brown horse i saw in the field back of tom's home?" asked bert. "that's him," harry replied. "isn't he a beauty!" "yes, i would like first-rate to ride him, but young horses are awful skittish, aren't they?" "sometimes, but this one is partly broken. at any rate, we wouldn't have far to fall, for he is a little fellow," said harry. so the boys went down to tom's home at the appointed time, and there they met jack hopkins. "we've made a track around the fields," tom told his companions, "and we will train him to run around the ring, for father thinks he may be a race-horse some day, he's so swift." "you may go first," the boys told him, "as he's your horse." "all right!" tom replied, making for the stake where sable, the pony, was tied. sable marched along quietly enough and made no objections to tom getting on his back. there was no saddle, but just the bit in the horse's mouth and attached to it a short piece of rein. "get app, sable!" called tom, snapping a small whip at the pony's side. but instead of going forward the little horse tried to sit down! "whoa! whoa!" called the boys, but tom clung to sable's neck and held on in spite of the pony's back being like a toboggan slide. "get off there, get off there!" urged tom, yet the funny little animal only backed down more. "light a match and set it under his nose," harry suggested. "that's the way to make a balky horse go!" someone had a match, which was lighted and put where sable could sniff the sulphur. "look out! hold on, tom!" yelled the boys all at once, for at that instant sable bolted off like a deer. "he's running away!" called bert, which was plain to be seen, for tom could neither turn him this way or that, but had all he could do to hold on the frightened animal's neck. "if he throws him tom will surely be hurt!" harry exclaimed, and the boys ran as fast as they could across the field after the runaway. "whoa! whoa! whoa!" called everybody after the horse, but that made not the slightest difference to sable, who just went as if the woods were afire. suddenly he turned and dashed straight up a big hill and over into a neighbor's cornfield. "oh, mercy!" cried harry, "those people are so mean about their garden, they'll have tom arrested if there's any corn broken." of course it was impossible for a runaway horse to go through a field of corn and do no damage, and tom realized this too. by this time the dogs were out barking furiously, and altogether there was wild excitement. at one end of the field there was a high board fence. "if i could only get him there he would have to stop," thought tom, and suddenly he gave sable a jerk in that direction. "drop off, tom, drop off!" yelled the boys. "he'll throw you against the fence!" but at that minute the little horse threw himself against the boards in such a way that tom slid off, yet held tightly to the reins. the horse fell, quite exhausted. as quickly as they could get there the boys came up to help tom. "hurry!" said harry, "there is scarcely any corn broken, and we can get away before the trimbles see us. they're away back in the fields planting late cabbage." tom felt hardly able to walk, but he limped along while harry led sable carefully between the cornhills. it was only a few feet to the edge of the field, and then they were all safe on the road again. "are you hurt?" the boys asked tom, when finally they had a chance to speak about the runaway. "i feel as if i had dropped from a balloon onto a lot of cobblestones," tom answered, "but i guess that's only the shaking up i got. that pony certainly can go." "yes indeed," harry admitted; "i guess he doesn't like the smell of sulphur matches. lucky he was not injured with that fall against the fence." "i found i had to throw him," tom said, "and i thought the fence was softer than a tree." "i suppose we ought to make him run until he is played out," said bert, "that's the way to cure a horse of running away." but none of the boys felt like risking their bones even to cure sable, so the panting animal was led to the stable and for the rest of the day allowed to think over his bad conduct. but that was not the last of the runaway, for in the evening just after supper old mr. trimble paid a visit to tom's father. "i came over to tell you what a scallywag of a boy you've got," began the cross old man. "he and a lot of young loafers took a horse and drove him all through my cornfield to-day, and now you've got to pay the damages." "my son is not a scallywag," mr. mason declared, "and if you call him names like loafer and scallywag i'll make you pay damages." "oh! you will, eh?" the other sneered. "think i'm afraid of an old constable up here, do you?" "well now, see here," mr. mason said, "be reasonable and do not quarrel over an accident. if any corn is knocked down i'll get tom to fix it up, if it's broken down we will see what it would cost to replace it. but the boys did not do it purposely, and it was worse for tom than anyone else, for he's all black and blue from the hard knocks he got." at this the cross man quieted down and said, well, he would see about it. mr. trimble was one of those queer people who believe all a boy is good for is doing mischief and all a boy deserves is scolding or beating. perhaps this was because he had no sons of his own and therefore had no regard for the sons of other people. mr. mason went directly to the cornfield with his neighbor. he looked carefully over every hill, and with a spade and hoe he was able to put back into place the few stalks that had been knocked down in sable's flight. "there now," said mr. mason, "i guess that corn is as good as ever. if it wants any more hoeing tom will come around in the morning and do it. he is too stiff to move to-night." so that ended the runaway, except for a very lame boy, tom mason, who had to limp around for a day or two from stiffness. "how would you like to be a jockey!" laughed his companions. "you held on like a champion, but you were not in training for the banging you got." "well, i guess sable will make a fine racehorse," said tom, "when he's broken. but it will take someone stronger than i am to break him in." the next afternoon all the boys went fishing. they had been out quite late the night before to find the "night walkers" for bait, as those little worms only come out of the ground after dark. bert had a new line his father brought from lakeport, and the others boys had nets and hooks, as most country boys who live near streams are always fond of fishing. "let's go over to the cove," harry said when they all started off. "there's lots of good fish in that dark corner." so the cove was chosen as a good spot to fish from, and soon the bobbsey boys and their friends were lying around the edge of the deep clear stream, waiting for a bite. bert was the first to jerk his line, and he brought it up with such force that the chubfish on his hook slapped harry right in the face! "look out!" called harry, trying to dodge the flapping fish. "put your catch down. he's a good one, but i don't care about having him kiss me that way again." all the boys laughed at bert, who was a green fisherman they said. the fish was really a very nice plump chub and weighed more than a pound. he floundered around in the basket and flapped his tail wildly trying to get away from them. "i've got one," called tom next, at the same moment pulling his line and bringing up a pretty little sunfish. now "sunnies" are not considered good eating, so tom's catch did not come up to bert's, but it was put in the basket just the same. "i'm going out on the springboard," august stout announced, stepping cautiously out on the board from which good swimmers dived. "you know you can't swim, august," said harry, "and if you get a catch and jerk it you'll tumble in." "oh! i'll be all right," august answered, lying down flat on the narrow springboard and dropping his line. for a time all the boys lay watching for a bite. no one spoke, for sometimes they say fish are very sensitive to sound and go in another direction if they hear a voice. it was a beautiful july day, and perhaps the boys were a little lazy. at any rate, they all became so quiet the little woodpeckers on the trees went on with their work pecking at the tree bark as if no human being was in sight. suddenly there was a big splash! "august!" yelled all the boys at once, for indeed august was gone from the springboard. "quick!" called harry to his companions. "he can't swim!" the next minute the boy in the water came to the top and threw up his arm. but no one was near enough to reach it. "strike out, august!" yelled bert. "we're coming," and one boy after the other dropped in the water now, having thrown off their heavy clothing. "oh, where is he?" screamed bert in terror, for no movement on the water's surface showed them where august was. "here!" cried tom mason, who was quite a distance out. "here he is! help! come quick!" no need to urge the boys to hasten, for all realized the danger their companion was in. "don't pull down, august," went on tom. "try to help yourself, or you'll pull me under." harry had around his neck a strong piece of rope he picked up as he made a dive into the water. "take hold of this," he called to august, "and we can all pull." as the rope was put in august's hand the other boys all took hold and soon towed the unfortunate boy in. "he's very weak," said harry when they pulled august up on the shore. "i guess he has swallowed a lot of water. we better roll him on the grass and work his arms up and down. that will revive him." august was indeed very weak, and had had a narrow escape. for some time his companions worked over him before he opened his eyes and spoke. "oh!" he murmured at last, "i'm so sick!" "i guess you are, august," said tom, "but you'll be all right soon." they lifted him carefully under a shady tree and removed his wet clothing. "i'll run over to smith's and get him something to wear home," said harry, who hurried across lots and presently returned with an old suit of clothes. august was able to dress himself now, and as soon as he felt strong enough the boys helped him home. "you can have my fish, august," said bert nobly. "and mine too," tom added. august did not want to accept the boys' offers at first, but at last they prevailed upon him to do so. "i think i fell asleep," said he, referring to the accident. "guess we all did!" added harry, "for we only woke up when we heard the splash." it seems the number of accidents country boys have only make them truer friends, for all the things that happened in meadow brook made each boy think more of his companions both in being grateful for the help given and being glad no dear friend's life was lost. chapter xiii picking peas "mother," said harry, using that loved name to show that what he was about to say was something important, "peter burns is sick. he has not been able to work since the cannon exploded and gave him the shock, and all his peas are spoiling because there's no one to pick them. mrs. burns hired some boys yesterday, but they broke down so many vines she had to stop them; and, mother, would you mind if bert and i picked some to-day? the sun is not hot." "why, my dear," replied aunt sarah, "it would be very nice of you to help peter; he has always been a kind neighbor. i don't think it would do you any harm to pick peas on a cool day like this. bert can ask his mother, and if she is satisfied you can put on your play overalls and go right along." both boys were given the desired permission, and when tom and jack heard where the bobbseys were going they said at once they would go along. "are you sure your mother won't mind?" mrs. burns asked the boys, knowing harry's folks did not need the money paid to pick the peas. "of course i'm very glad to have you if your mothers are satisfied." soon each boy had a big basket under his arm, and was off for the beautiful field of soft green peas, that stretched along the pond bank at the side of mrs. burns' home. now, peas are quite an expensive vegetable when they come in first, and farmers who have big fields of them depend upon the return from the crop as an important part of the summer's income. but the peas must be picked just as soon as they are ripe, or else they will spoil. this was why harry got his friends to turn in to help poor peter burns. "i'll go down this row and you take that." suggested bert to harry. "then we can talk to each other without hollering." "all right," harry replied, snapping the peas off the vines and dropping them into his basket like a real farmer. "let's have a race," called tom. "see who gets his basket full first." "but no skipping for big ones," put in jack. "you have to pick every ripe one." the boys all started in at the top of the hill, each working two rows at a time. they were so interested in the race that scarcely a word was spoken. the peas were plentiful and ripe too, so that the baskets were filling up quickly. mrs. burns herself was picking, in fact she had been in the field since the very first peep of dawn, and she would be sure to stay out until the darkness would drive her in. "you are fine pickers," she told the boys, seeing how quickly they worked. "i pay ten cents a basket, you know." "i guess we can earn a dollar a day at this rate," laughed tom, whose basket was almost full. "i'm done," called jack from his row. "no, you're not," said harry, "you have to cover the rim." "oh!" exclaimed jack, who had just slipped between the rows. "oh! there goes my basket." and sure enough the big basket had been upset in jack's fall, and most of the peas were scattered on the ground. "ha! ha!" laughed bert. "i'm first. my basket is full." "i'm next!" called tom, picking his basket up in his arms. "well, i'll be last i guess," laughed tom, trying hard to pick up the scattered peas. "there's mine!" called harry, and now all the boys carried their baskets to the big bag at the end of the field and dumped them in. "it won't take long to fill the bag," said harry, "and it will be so good for peter to have them ready, for to-morrow is market day." so the boys worked on right along until lunch time, each having picked four big baskets full. august stout came along and helped some too, but he could not stay long, as he had to cut some clothes poles for his mother. "well, i declare!" said mrs. burns, looking at the three full bags the boys had picked. "isn't that splendid! but i can't pay until peter comes from market." "we just did it for fun," answered harry. "we don't want any pay." "indeed you must have forty cents apiece, ten cents a basket," she insisted. "see what a good load you have picked!" "no, really, mrs. burns; mother wouldn't like us to take the money," harry declared. "we are glad to have helped you, and it was only fun." poor mrs. burns was so grateful she had to wipe her eyes with her gingham apron. "well," she said finally, "there are some people in this world who talk about charity, but a good boy is a gift from heaven," and she said this just like a prayer of blessing on the boys who had helped her. "the crop would have been spoiled to-morrow," remarked tom, as he and his companions started up the road. "i'm awfully glad you thought of helping her, harry." it seemed all that day everything went right for the boys; they did not have even a single mishap in their games or wanderings. perhaps it was because they felt so happy over having done a good turn for a poor neighbor. "say, fellows," tom said later, while they sat on the pond bank trying to see something interesting in the cool, clear water, "what do you say if we make up a circus!" "fine," the others answered, "but what will be the show?" "animals of course," continued tom; "we've got plenty around here, haven't we?" "well, some," harry admitted. "there's sable, for instance." at this the boys all laughed at tom, remembering the runaway. "well, i could be a cowboy, and ride him just the same," spoke up tom. "i rode him around the track yesterday, and he went all right. he was only scared with that sulphur match when he ran away." "a circus would be fine," bert put in. "we could have frisky as the sacred calf." "and snoopy as the wild cat," said harry. "and two trained goats," august added. "and a real human bear, 'teddy'?" suggested jack. "then a cage of pigeons," went on harry. "let's get them all in training," said tom, jumping up suddenly, anxious to begin the sport. "i tell you!" harry planned. "we can each train our own animals and then we can bring them together in a well-organized circus." "when will we have it?" august asked impatiently. "about next week," harry thought, and this was decided upon. during the interval the boys were so busy training that they had little time for other sports, but the girls found out-door life quite as interesting as their brothers did, and now made many discoveries in and about the pretty woodlands. "oh, we saw the prettiest little rabbits today," nan told her mother, after a trip in the woods. "flossie and freddie were sitting on an old stump when two rabbits ran right across the road in front of them. freddie ran after them as far as he could go in the brushwood, but of course no one can go as fast as a rabbit." "and the squirrels," flossie told them. "i think the squirrels are the prettiest things that live in the woods. they have tails just like mamma's feather boa and they walk sitting up so cute." "oh, i think the rabbits are the nicest," lisped freddie, "'cause they are bunnies, and bunnies bring easter eggs." "and we have made the loveliest fern garden up back of the swing," said flossie. "we got a whole basket of ferns in the woods and transplanted them." "in the center we have some lovely jack-in the-pulpits," nan added. "some are light green striped, and the largest are purple with gold stripes. the jacks stand up straight, just like real live boys preaching in a pulpit." "don't you think, mamma," asked flossie, "that daisies and violets make a lovely garden? i have a round place in the middle of our wild flower bed just full of light blue violets and white daisies." "all flowers are beautiful," their mamma told them, "but i do think with flossie that daisies and violets are very sweet." "and, mamma, we got a big piece of the loveliest green moss! it is just like real velvet," said flossie. "we found a place all covered with it down by the pond, under the dark cedar trees. nan said it wouldn't grow in our garden, but i brought some home to try. i put it in a cool dark place, and i'm going to put lots of water on it every day." "moss must be very cool and damp to grow," mrs. bobbsey replied. "i remember how disappointed i used to be when i was a little girl and tried to make it grow around my geraniums. it would always dry up and turn brown in a few days." "oh," called freddie from his garden under the cherry tree, "come quick! look at the funny bugs!" nan and flossie hurried to where their little brother had dug a hole in the earth. "they're mice!" exclaimed nan. "oh, aren't they cute! let's catch them. call bert or harry." while flossie ran to tell bert, nan watched the tiny mice so that they would not get away. "it's a nest of field mice," harry told them. "we'll put them in a cage and have them in our circus." "but they're my mice," cried freddie, "and i won't let anybody have them!" "we're only going to help you take care of them in a little box. oh, there's the mother--catch her, harry," called bert. the mother mouse was not so easy to catch, however, and the boys had quite a chase after her. at last she ran into a tin box the boys had sunk in the ground when playing golf. here harry caught the frightened little creature. "i've got a queer kind of a trap," harry said. "it's just like a cage. we can put them in this until we build a larger one. we can make one out of a box with a wire door." the mice were the smallest, cutest things, not larger than freddie's thumb. they hardly looked like mice at all, but like some queer little bugs. they were put in the cage trap, mother and all, and then bert got them a bit of cheese from the kitchen. "what! feed mice!" exclaimed dinah "sakes alive, chile! you go bringing dem mice in de house to eat all our cake and pie. you just better drown dem in de brook before dey bring a whole lot more mices around here." "we'll keep them away from the house," bert told dinah. "we're going to have a circus, you know, and these will be our trained mice." freddie, of course, was delighted with the little things, and wanted to dig for more. "i tell you!" said bert. "we might catch butterflies and have them under a big glass on the table with all the small animals." "that would be good," harry agreed. "we could catch some big brown ones and some little fancy ones. then after dark we could get some big moths down by the postoffice electric light." the girls, too, went catching butterflies. nan was able to secure four or five yellow ones in the flower garden near the porch, and flossie got two of the small brown variety in the nasturtium bed. harry and bert searched in the close syringa bushes where the nests are usually found. "oh! look at this one!" called freddie, coming up with a great green butterfly. "is it bird?" he asked. "see how big it is!" it really was very large, and had such beautiful wings it might easily be mistaken for some strange bird. "we will try to keep them alive," said harry, "and perhaps we can get ma's big glass globe to put them in. she has one she used to put wax flowers under." "and, oh say!" exclaimed bert, "couldn't we have an aquarium with snakes and turtles and toads in?" "fine!" declared harry. "we've got a big glass tank i used to have gold fish in. we'll get the other fellows to help catch some snakes, fish, and turtles and toads, and--and anything else that will stand water!" then what a time they had hunting for reptiles! it seemed each boy had a different variety on his premises. august stout brought three turtles and jack hopkins caught two snakes under a big stone in his back yard. tom mason supplied four lovely gold fish, while ned prentice brought three bright green frogs. "i can catch hop-toads," declared freddie, and sure enough the little fellow brought two big ones and a baby toad in his hat down to the boys, who had their collection in a glass tank in the barn. "we can't put the snakes in with the others or they'll eat them up," said jack. "i'll get a big glass jar for the snakes." "and say!" said harry. "will we charge admission to the show?" "sure--five cents each," said tom, "and give the money to the fresh-air camp over on the mountain." this was considered a good plan, and now it was only a few days more until wednesday--the day of the circus! chapter xiv the circus news of the circus had spread from one end of meadow brook to the other. every boy and girl in the place expected to get in to see the sights, and even some grown folks had made up their minds, from what they heard, there would be something interesting for them to see, and so they decided to go too. mrs. bobbsey, aunt sarah, dinah, and martha had bought tickets for reserved seats (these cost ten cents each). then mildred manners was going to bring her mother and her big sister, and mabel herold expected to have her mother with her also. mr. bobbsey was coming up from lakeport purposely to see the circus, and uncle daniel had helped the boys put up the seats and fix things generally. a big tent had been borrowed from the herolds; they were only out at meadow brook for the summer, and this tent was erected in the open field between the bobbsey and the mason farms, alongside the track where tom had tried sable. the tent had large flaps that opened up the entire front, so that all the exhibits could be shown nicely to the people on the seats out side. the seats were made of boards set on most anything that would hold them, with a few garden benches for reserved seats at the front. everything was ready, and the circus day came at last. "lucky it isn't raining," the boys declared as they rushed around putting the final touches to everything. august stout was appointed to collect the tickets, and ned prentice was to show the people to their seats. two o'clock! only one hour more! lots of children came early to get good seats. roy mason sat right in the front row alongside of freddie. nettie prentice was on the very first bench back of the reserved seats. the herolds came next, and had aunt sarah's front garden bench, the red one. mildred manners' folks paid ten cents each too, and they had the big green bench from the side porch. "give mrs. burns a front seat," harry whispered to ned, as the busy farmer's wife actually stopped her work to see what all the excitement was about. the bobbseys had come--mr. bobbsey and all,--and dinah wore her best black bonnet. "when will it begin?" flossie asked, just trembling with excitement. "i saw harry and bert go in the tent some time ago," whispered nan; "and see, they are loosing the tent flap." there was a shout of applause when harry appeared. he actually wore a swallowtail coat and had on a choker--a very high collar--and a bright green tie. he wore long trousers too, and looked so queer even aunt sarah had to laugh when she saw him. "oh!" exclaimed all the children when they looked inside the tent. "isn't it grand!" whispered flossie. then bert stepped up on the soap box in the middle of the ring. "ladies and gentlemen," he began, making a profound bow, "ladies and gentlemen." then everybody roared laughing. bert had to wait until they got through laughing at his funny costume, which was a good deal like harry's, only the latter wore a red tie. in a few moments bert went on again. "ladies and gentlemen! our first number is frisky, the sacred calf of india!" he exclaimed, imitating that queer-voiced man called a "barker" and used at circuses. snap! snap! went bert's whip, and out from a side place, back of a big screen, came jack hopkins dressed like a real clown, leading our old friend frisky, the runaway calf. how awfully funny it was! the calf had over him a plush portiere that reached clear down to the ground, and over each ear was tied a long-handled feather duster! such laughing and clapping as greeted this "first number"! frisky just turned around square in front and looked the people straight in the face. this funny move made mr. bobbsey "die laughing," as flossie said, and uncle daniel too was hilarious. "the sacred calf is too sacred to smile," laughed uncle daniel, while dinah and martha just roared. the children didn't think they ought to laugh out loud and spoil the show; even freddie raised his finger to dinah. suddenly the clown jumped on the calf's back. he tried to stand on his head. then he turned a somersault on to the sawdust. everybody clapped hard now, and the children began to shout. but bert snapped his whip and the clown went down on his hands and knees to apologize. of course clowns are not supposed to speak, so jack did everything by pantomime. next he came around and kissed frisky. this made everybody roar again, and no matter what the clown did it certainly looked very funny. finally bert snapped his whip three times, and the clown jumped on frisky's back, over the plush curtain and all, and rode off. "wasn't that splendid!" everybody exclaimed. "i really never enjoyed a big circus more than this!" remarked mrs. bobbsey to mrs. burns. the others all said nice things too; and then bert announced the next turn. "ladies and gentlemen," he began again, "our next number will introduce to you the famous wildcats, snoop and fluffy. real wildcats from the jungle, and this is the first--time--they--have ever been exhibited in--this country!" snap went the whip, and out came harry with our little kitten friends one on each arm. he whistled, and snoop climbed on his shoulder! he whistled again, and fluffy climbed on the other shoulder. this "brought the house down," as uncle daniel said, and there was so much noise the kittens looked frightened. next harry stretched out both arms straight and the kittens carefully walked over into his hands. "well, i declare!" exclaimed dinah. "jest see dat snoopy kitty-cat! if he can't do real reg'lar circus tricks! and jest to think how he cut up on de cars! 'pears like as if he was doin' it fer jokes den too!" "and look at fluffy!" exclaimed martha; "as white as snoop is black!" harry stooped down and let the kittens jump through his hands, which is an old but none the less a very pretty trick. with the air of a real master, bert snapped his whip and placed on the table a little piece of board. he rubbed something on each end (it was a bit of dried herring, but the people didn't know that), then harry put snoop on one end and fluffy on the other. "oh, a teeter-tauter!" called freddie, unable to restrain his joy any longer. "i bet on snoop. he's the heaviest." at the sound of freddie's voice snoop turned around and the move sent fluffy up the air. "oh! oh! oh!" came a chorus from the children, but before anybody in the circus had time to interfere off went fluffy, as hard as she could run, over the lots, home. the next minute snoop was after her, and harry stood alone in the ring bowing to the "tremendous applause." when the laughing had ceased bert made the next announcement. "ladies and gentlemen," he said, "we will now introduce our famous menagerie. first we have the singing mice." "they're mine!" called freddie, but nan insisted on him keeping quiet. "now you will hear the mice sing," said bert, and as he held up the cage of little mice somebody whistled a funny tune back of the scenes. "good! good!" called mr. bobbsey. "we've got real talent here," he added, for indeed the boys had put together a fine show. "now you see our aquarium," went on bert as harry helped him bring forward the table that held the glass tank. "here we have a real sea serpent," he said, pointing to a good fat chub that flopped around in the water. "let the little ones walk right up and see them," bert said. "form in line and pass in this way." not only the children went up, but grown folks too, for they wanted a look into the tank. "now here are our alligators and crocodiles," announced bert, pointing his whip at the turtles. "and these are sea-lions," he said, pointing out freddie's hop-toads. at each announcement everybody laughed, but bert went on as seriously as if he were deaf. "in this separate tank," he declared, "we have our boa-constrictors, the largest and fiercest in the world. this is the first time one of this specimen has ever been captured alive. note the dangerous stripe on his back!" it was jack's snakes that came in for this description, and the girls were quite afraid of them, although they were in a glass jar. "well, i declare!" said mrs. burns. "if this isn't a sure-enough circus. i often paid a half-dollar when i went to see things no better than these!" everybody thought everything was splendid, and the boys were well paid for their efforts. "now," said bert, "here are our crystal fish from the deep sea!" (these were tom's goldfish.) "you will notice how bespangled they are. they say this comes from the fish eating the diamonds lost in shipwrecks." "what a whopper!" called someone back of the scenes whose voice sounded like tom mason's. snap! went bert's whip, and the boys did not interrupt him again. "the last part of our menagerie is the cage of prize butterflies," said bert. "these butterflies are rare and scarce and--" "hard to catch!" remarked someone not on the programme. "now there will be ten minutes' intermission," the announcer said, "so all may have time to see everything in the menagerie. "after that we will give you the best number of the programme, our chariot race." "oh, that's going to be tom!" exclaimed roy. "no, it's bert," said flossie. "well, jack has our goat-wagon," said mildred. "i guess there'll be a whole lot in the race," said freddie, "and maybe they'll have firemen." during the intermission august sold a whole big basket of peanuts, and the people wanted more. they knew all the money was to go to the fresh-air camp, which was probably the reason they bought so generously. "i don't know when i have enjoyed myself so much," declared mrs. manners, fanning herself. "i had no idea boys could be so clever." "that's because you only have girls," laughed mrs. bobbsey. "don't you think we ought to give them a treat for working so hard?" whispered mrs. herold to aunt sarah. "i would be delighted to have them all to dinner," she added, in her society way, for the herolds were quite rich. "that would be very nice, i'm sure," aunt sarah replied; "boys always have good appetites after having a lot of fun." all this time there was plenty of noise back of the scenes, and it was evident something big was being prepared. presently bert and harry came out and lowered the tent flap, first making sure all the little sightseers were outside. "they're comin'!" exclaimed freddie, clapping his fat hands. "oh, i'm just so nervous!" whispered flossie! "i hope none of the animals will get loose." "now, ladies and gentlemen," called tom mason, appearing at the tent, "if you will just turn round the other way in your seats and face that ring we will give you an exhibition of cowboy life on the plains!" chapter xv the chariot race tom's costume was a splendid imitation of a cowboy. he wore tan-colored overalls and a jumper, the jumper being slashed up at the sides like an indian's coat. on his head was a very broad sombrero, this hat having really come from the plains, as it belonged to a western farmer who had lately moved to meadow brook. presently tom appeared again, this time riding the fiery sable. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted the boys, as tom drove into the ring like a major. bert now stepped into the middle of the ring alongside of some soap boxes that were piled up there. "now you see ladies and gentlemen," began bert, laughing a little at the show in broad daylight, "you see this (the soap boxes) is a mail coach. our cowboy will rob the mail coach from his horse just as they used to do in the mountains of arizona." snap went the whip, and away went sable around the ring at a nice even canter. after a few turns around tom urged his horse on a little until he was going on a steady run. every one kept quiet, for most of meadow brook people had heard how sable had run away some days before. "there ought to be music," whispered jack to harry, for indeed the circus was so real it only lacked a brass band. now bert put on top of the soap boxes harry's canvas schoolbag stuffed full of papers. "this is the united states mail," he said. "we will understand that the coach has stopped for a few minutes." sable was going along splendidly by this time, and everybody said what a pretty little horse he was. "he's goin' to steal the mail box now!" whispered flossie to freddie. "i hope sable won't fall or anything." snap! snap! went the whip as the horse ran faster and faster. all of a sudden tom got a good tight hold on the reins, then he pulled up alongside of the mail coach, leaned over, grabbed the mail bag, and spurred his horse at full speed around the ring. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted everybody. "well done!" called uncle daniel. "couldn't be better!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. tom waved his hat now and patted sable affectionately, as all good riders do when their horses have done well in the ring. the men admired the little horse so much they came up and asked the "cowboy" a lot of questions about him, how old he was and who broke him in. "one more number," called bert. "the chariot race." at this all took their seats again, and out trotted two clowns, jack and august, each riding in a little goat wagon. the goats were decorated with the fourth of july buntings and the wagons had the tailboards out and were tipped up like circus chariots. the clowns pulled up in line. "one, two, three!" called bert, with a really big revolver up in the air. "ready! set! go!" bang! went the revolver (a blank cartridge, of course) and away started the chariots. jack wore a broad green belt and august had yellow. jack darted ahead! "go it, green!" shouted one group of boys. "pass him, orange!" called another crowd. now august passed jack just as they crossed the line. "one!" called bert. "we will have ten rounds." in the next the wagons kept almost even until just within a few feet of the line, then jack crossed first. "two!" called bert, while all the boys shouted for their favorite. in the next three or four turns the riders divided even. finally the last round was reached and the boys had tied; that is, both were even when the round started. this of course made the race very interesting, as both had equal chances of winning. "i'll put a dollar on green," called mr. bobbsey. "for the fresh-air fund." "i'll put one on orange," called uncle daniel, "for the same charity." then the ladies all wanted to bet, but bert said it was against the rules to allow betting. "we will take all the money you want to give us," said bert, "but we cannot allow betting on the races." "all ready!" called the ringmaster, holding his revolver high in the air again. bang went the gun! off went the chariots! my, how those little goats did run! "go it, green!" "go it, orange!" shout after shout greeted the riders as they urged their steeds around the ring. suddenly jack's chariot crossed in front of august. "foul!" called bert, while jack tried his best to get on his own side again. "back! back!" yelled jack to his horse (goat), but the little animal was too excited to obey. finally fat august stout, the funniest clown: dashed home first and won the race! "hurrah for nero!" called everybody. "hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" shouted the boys long and loud. the circus was over! the money was counted, and there was exactly twenty-three dollars to be given the poor children in the meadow brook fresh-air camp. wasn't that splendid? and to think everybody had such a good time too! freddie and roy were allowed to ride home in the goat wagons, and they tried to race along the way. a committee of five boys, bert, harry, jack, tom, and august, took the money over to the fresh-air camp the next day, and the managers said it was a very welcome gift, for new coats were needed for some sick children that were expected to come out from the city as soon as provision could be made for them. "somebody dropped a two-dollar bill in the ticket box," august told his companions. "then there were the other two dollars from the race, besides some fifty-cent pieces i don't know who gave. of course we couldn't make all that just on five-and ten-cent seats. and i took in two dollars on the peanuts besides." "well, we're all satisfied," said harry. "and i guess everybody had a good time." "sure they did," spoke up tom, "and i hope bert will come out here next year to help us with another big circus. they're the best fun we ever had." for some days every boy and girl in meadow brook talked about the circus, which had really been a greater success than even the boys themselves had expected. it was a warm afternoon quite late in july--one of those days that make a boy feel lazy and inclined to stretch himself. bert and harry were down back of the barn sitting on the fresh stack of hay that had just been piled up by john the stableman. "did you ever try smoking?" harry asked bert suddenly, as if he had discovered something new and interesting. "no!" answered bert in surprise. "father wouldn't let me smoke." "neither would pa," said harry, "but i suppose every fellow has to try it some time. i've seen them make cigarettes out of corn silk." "i suppose that is not as bad as tobacco," replied bert. "no," answered harry, "there's no harm in corn silk. guess i'll try to roll a cigarette." at this harry slid down off the hay and pulled from the fast withering corn some dry silk. with a good handful he went back to bert. "i've got some soft paper," he said, sitting down again and beginning the task. bert watched with interest, but really had no idea of doing wrong. "there!" exclaimed harry, giving the ends of the cigarette a twist. "how is that?" "pretty good," answered bert; "looks like a real one." "let's try it!" went on harry. "not in the hay," exclaimed bert; "you might drop the match." at this harry slid down along the side of the stack, and bert followed. it did seem wrong as soon as harry struck the match, but the cigarette being only corn silk made the boys forget all the warnings never to smoke. harry gave a puff or two. then he choked a little. "kinder strong," he spluttered. "you try it!" bert put the cigarette in his mouth. he drew it once or twice, then quickly tossed it aside. "ouch!" he exclaimed. "tastes like old shoes!" at that time john came up and piled on some more hay. the boys of course had to act as if nothing had happened, and dared not look around to find the lighted cigarette even though they wanted to very much. "i hope it went out," bert said, as john walked away again. "if it didn't it's under the hay," said harry, somewhat alarmed. "but i guess it's out." "my, look at the storm coming!" bert exclaimed suddenly. "we ought to help john with that load of hay." "all right," said harry, "come along!" and with this the two boys started on a run down through the fields into the open meadow, where the dry hay was being packed up ready to put on the hay rick. john, of course, was very glad of the help, for it spoils hay to get it wet, so all three worked hard to load up before the heavy shower should come up. "all ready!" called john, "and no time to lose." at this the boys jumped up and all started for the barn. "there's smoke!" exclaimed harry in terror as they neared the barn. "the barn is afire!" screamed john the next minute, almost falling from his seat on the wagon in his haste to get down. "quick! quick!" yelled the boys, so frightened they could hardly move. "the hose!" called john, seeing flames now shoot out of the barn windows, "get the hose, harry; it's in the coach house. i'll get a bucket while you attach the hose." by this time everybody was out from the house. "oh, mercy!" cried aunt sarah. "our whole barn will be burned." uncle daniel was with john now, pouring water on the flames, that were gaining in spite of all efforts to put them out. "where's the firemen!" cried little freddie, in real tears this time, for he, like all the others, was awfully frightened. the boys had a stream from the hose now, but this too was of no account, for the flames had shot up from the big pile of dry hay! "the firemen!" called freddie again. "there are no firemen in the country, freddie," nan told him. "we have to put the fire out ourselves." "we can't then," he went on, "and all the other barns will burn too." there was indeed great danger, for the flames were getting ahead rapidly. all this time the terrific thunderstorm was coming up. clap after clap of thunder rolled over the hills and made the fire look more terrible against the black sky. "the rain!" exclaimed uncle daniel at last, "the rain may put it out; we can't." at this one terrific clap of thunder came. then the downpour of rain. it came like a very deluge, and as it fell on the flames it sent out steam and smoke but quickly subdued the cracking and flashing of the fire. everybody ran to the back porch now but john and uncle daniel. they went in the coach house at the side of the barn. "how could it have caught fire?" aunt sarah said. but harry and bert were both very pale, and never said a word. how heavily the rain did pour down, just like a cloudburst! and as it struck the fire even the smoke began to die out. "it's going out!" exclaimed harry. "oh, i hope it keeps on raining!" soon there was even no more smoke! "it's out!" called john, a little later. "that was a lucky storm for us." chapter xvi the flood the heavy downpour of rain had ceased now, and everybody ran to the barn to see what damage the fire had done. "it almost caught my pigeon coop!" said harry, as he examined the blackened beams in the barn near the wire cage his birds lived in. "the entire back of this barn will have to be rebuilt," said uncle daniel. "john, are you sure you didn't drop a match in the hay?" "positive, sir!" answered john. "i never use a match while i'm working. didn't even have one in my clothes." bert whispered something to harry. it was too much to have john blamed for their wrongdoing. "father!" said harry bravely, but with tears in his eyes. "it was our fault; we set the barn afire!" "what!" exclaimed uncle daniel in surprise. "you boys set the barn afire!" "yes," spoke up bert. "it was mostly my fault. i threw the cigarette away and we couldn't find it." "cigarette!" exclaimed uncle daniel. "what!--you boys smoking!" both bert and harry started to cry. they were not used to being spoken to like that, and of course they realized how much it cost to put that nasty old cigarette in their mouths. besides there might have been a great deal more damage if it hadn't been for the rain. "come with me!" uncle daniel said; "we must find out how all this happened," and he led the unhappy boys into the coach house, where they all sat down on a bench. "now, harry, stop your crying, and tell me about it," the father commanded. harry tried to obey, but his tears choked him. bert was the first able to speak. "oh, uncle daniel," he cried, "we really didn't mean to smoke. we only rolled up some corn silk in a piece of paper and--" his tears choked back his words now, and harry said: "it was i who rolled the cigarette, father, and it was awful, it almost made us sick. then when bert put it in his mouth--" "i threw it away and it must have fallen in the hay!" said bert. "why didn't you come and tell me?" questioned uncle daniel severely. "it was bad enough to do all that, but worse to take the risk of fire!" "well, the storm was coming," harry answered, "and we went to help john with the hay!" "now, boys," said uncle daniel, "this has been a very serious lesson to you and one which you will remember all your lives. i need not punish you any more; you have suffered enough from the fright of that awful fire. and if it hadn't been that you were always pretty good boys the lord would not have sent that shower to save us as he did." "i bet i'll never smoke again as long as i live," said harry determinedly through his tears. "neither will i," bert said firmly, "and i'll try to make other fellows stop if i can." "all right," answered uncle daniel, "i'm sure you mean that, and don't forget to thank the lord to-night for helping us as he did. and you must ask his pardon too for doing wrong, remember." this ended the boys' confession, but they could not stop crying for a long time, and bert felt so sick and nervous he went to bed without eating any supper. uncle daniel gave orders that no one should refer to the fire or cause the boys any more worry, as they were both really very nervous from the shock, so that beyond helping john clear things up in the burned end of the barn, there was no further reference to the boys' accident. next day it rained very hard--in fact, it was one of those storms that come every summer and do not seem to know when to go away. "the gate at the sawmill dam is closed," harry told bert, "and if the pond gets any higher they won't be able to cross the plank to open up the gate and let the water out." "that would be dangerous, wouldn't it?" bert asked. "very," replied harry. "peter burns' house is right in line with the dam at the other side of the plank, and if the dam should ever burst that house would be swept away." "and the barn and henhouse are nearer the pond than the house even!" bert remarked. "it would be an awful loss for a poor man." "let's go up in the attic and see how high the pond is," harry suggested. from the top of the house the boys could see across the high pond bank into the water. "my!" bert exclaimed; "isn't it awful!" "yes, it is," harry replied. "you see, all the streams from the mountains wash into this pond, and in a big storm like this it gets very dangerous." "why do they build houses in such dangerous places?" asked bert. "oh, you see, that house of burns' has stood there maybe one hundred years--long before any dam was put in the pond to work the sawmill," said harry. "oh, that's it--is it?" bert replied. "i thought it was queer to put houses right in line with a dam." "see how strong the water is getting," went on harry. "look at that big log floating down." "it will be fun when it stops raining," remarked bert. "we can sail things almost anywhere." "yes, i've seen the pond come right up across the road down at hopkins' once," harry told his cousins. "that was when it had rained a whole week without stopping." "say," called dinah from the foot of the stairs. "you boys up there better get your boots on and look after that frisky cow. john's gone off somewhere, and dat calf am crying herself sick out in de barn. maybe she a-gettin' drownded." it did not take long to get their boots and overcoats on and hurry out to the barn. "sure enough, she is getting drownded!" exclaimed harry, as they saw the poor little calf standing in water up to her knees. "where is all the water coming from?" asked bert. "i don't know," harry answered, "unless the tank upstairs has overflowed." the boys ran up the stairs and found, just as harry thought, the tank that supplied all the barns with water, and which also gave a supply for the house to be used on the lawn, was flowing over. "is there any way of letting it out?" asked bert, quite frightened. "we can open all the faucets, besides dipping out pailfuls," said harry. "but i wish john would get back." harry ran to get the big water pail, while bert turned on the faucet at the outside of the barn, the one in the horse stable, another that supplied water for the chickens and ducks, and the one john used for carriage washing. frisky, of course, had been moved to a dry corner and now stopped crying. harry gathered all the large water pails he could carry, and hurried up to the tank followed by bert. "it has gone down already," said harry, as they looked into the tank again. "but we had better dip out all we can, to make sure. lucky we found it as soon as we did, for there are all father's tools on the bench right under the tank, besides all those new paints that have just been opened." "here comes john now," said bert, as he heard the barn door open and shut again. "come up here, john!" called harry; "we're almost flooded out. the tank overflowed." "it did!" exclaimed john. "gracious! i hope nothing is spoiled." "oh, we just caught it in tine," harry told him, "and we opened up the faucets as soon as we could. then we began dipping out, to make sure." "you were smart boys this time," john told him, "and saved a lot of trouble by being so prompt to act. there is going to be a flood sure. the dam is roaring like niagara, and they haven't opened the gates yet." "i'm glad we are up high," bert remarked, for he had never seen a country flood before, and was a good deal frightened at the prospect. "hey, john!" called freddie from the back porch. "hey, bring me some more nails, will you? i need them for my ark." "he's building an ark!" laughed bert. "guess we'll need it all right if this keeps on." harry got some nails from his toolbox in the carriage house, and the boys went up to the house. there they found freddie on the hard cement cellar floor, nailing boards together as fast as his little hammer could drive the nails in. "how's that?" asked the little fellow, standing up the raft. "i guess that will float," said bert, "and when it stops raining we can try it." "i'm going to make a regular ark like the play one i've got home," said freddie, "only mine will be a big one with room for us all, besides frisky, snoop, fluffy, and--" "old bill. we'll need a horse to tow us back when the water goes down," laughed harry. freddie went on working as seriously as if he really expected to be a little noah and save all the people from the flood. "my, but it does rain!" exclaimed somebody on the front porch. it was uncle daniel, who had just returned from the village, soaking wet. "they can't open the gates," uncle daniel told aunt sarah. "they let the water get so high the planks sailed away and now they can't get near the dam." "that is bad for the poor burns family!" exclaimed aunt sarah. "i had better have john drive me down and see if they need anything." "i stopped in on my way up," uncle daniel told her, "and they were about ready to move out. we'll bring them up here if it gets any worse." "why don't they go to the gates in a boat?" asked bert. "why, my dear boy," said uncle daniel, "anybody who would go near that torrent in a boat might as well jump off the bridge. the falls are twenty-five feet high, and the water seems to have built them up twice that. if one went within two hundred feet of the dam the surging water would carry him over." "you see," said harry, explaining it further, "there is like a window in the falls, a long low door. when this is opened the water is drawn down under and does not all have to go over the falls." "and if there is too much pressure against the stone wall that makes the dam, the wall may be carried away. that's what we call the dam bursting," finished uncle daniel. all this was very interesting to bert, who could not help being frightened at the situation. the boys told uncle daniel how the tank in the barn had overflowed, and he said they had done good work to prevent any damage. "oh, uncle daniel!" exclaimed freddie, just then running up from the cellar. "come and see my ark! it's most done, and i'm going to put all the animals and things in it to save them from the flood." "an ark!" exclaimed his uncle, laughing. "well, you're a sensible little fellow to build an ark to-day, freddie, for we will surely need one if this keeps up," and away they went to examine the raft freddie had actually nailed together in the cellar. that was an awful night in meadow brook, and few people went to bed, staying up instead to watch the danger of the flood. the men took turns walking along the pond bank all night long, and their low call each hour seemed to strike terror in the hearts of those who were in danger. the men carried lanterns, and the little specks of light were all that could be seen through the darkness. mrs. burns had refused to leave her home. "i will stay as long as i can," she told uncle daniel. "i have lived here many a year, and that dam has not broken yet, so i'm not going to give up hope now!" "but you could hardly get out in time should it break," insisted uncle daniel, "and you know we have plenty of room and you are welcome with us." still she insisted on staying, and each hour when the watchman would call from the pond bank, just like they used to do in old war-times: "two o'clock-and--all is--well!" mrs. burns would look up and say, "dear lord, i thank thee!" peter, of course, was out with the men. he could not move his barns and chicken house, but he had taken his cow and horse to places of safety. there were other families along the road in danger as well as the burnses, but they were not so near the dam, and would get some warning to escape before the flood could reach them should the dam burst. how the water roared! and how awfully dark it was! would morning ever come? "four o'clock--the water rises!" shouted the men from the bank. "here, mary!" called peter burns at the door of their little home, "you put your shawl on and run up the road as fast as you can! don't wait to take anything, but go!" "oh, my babies' pictures!" she cried. "my dear babies! i must have them." the poor frightened little woman rushed about the house looking for the much-prized pictures of her babies that were in heaven. "it's a good thing they all have a safe home to-night," she thought, "for their mother could not give them safety if they were here." "come, mary!" called peter, outside. "that dam is swaying like a tree-top, and it will go over any minute." with one last look at the little home mrs. burns went out and closed the door. outside there were people from all along the road. some driven out of their homes in alarm, others having turned out to help their neighbors. the watchmen had left the bank. a torrent from the dam would surely wash that away, and brave as the men were they could not watch the flood any longer. "get past the willows quick!" called the men. "let everybody who is not needed hurry up the road!" mr. mason, mr. hopkins, uncle daniel, and john, besides peter burns, were the men most active in the life-saving work. there were not many boats to be had, but what there were had been brought inland early in the day, for otherwise they would have been washed away long before down the stream into the river. "what's that?" called uncle daniel, as there was a heavy crash over near the gates. then everybody listened breathless. it was just coming daylight, and the first streak of dawn saw the end of the awful rain. not one man in the crowd dared to run up that pond bank and look over the gates! "it's pretty strong!" said the watchman. "i expected to hear it crash an hour ago!" there was another crash! "there she goes!" said mr. burns, and then nobody spoke. chapter xvii a town afloat "is she going?" asked uncle daniel at last, after a wait of several minutes. daylight was there now; and was ever dawn more welcome in meadow brook! "i'll go up to the pipes," volunteered john. "and i can see from there." now, the pipes were great water conduits, the immense black iron kind that are used for carrying water into cities from reservoirs. they were situated quite a way from the dam, but as it was daylight john could see the gates as he stood on the pipes that crossed above the pond. usually boys could walk across these pipes in safety, as they were far above the water, but the flood had raised the stream so that the water just reached the pipes, and john had to be careful. "what's that?" he said, as he looked down the raging stream. "something lies across the dam!" he shouted to the anxious listeners. this was enough. in another minute every man was on the pond bank. "the big elm!" they shouted. "it has saved the dam!" what a wonderful thing had happened! the giant elm tree that for so many, many years had stood on the edge of the stream, was in this great flood washed away, and as it crossed the dam it broke the force of the torrent, really making another waterfall. "it is safe now!" exclaimed uncle daniel in surprise. "it was the tree we heard crash against the bank. the storm is broken at last, and that tree will hold where it is stuck until the force goes down. then we can open the gates." to think that the houses were safe again! that poor mrs. burns could come back to the old mill home once more! "we must never have this risk again," said mr. mason to uncle daniel. "when the water goes down we will open the gates, then the next dry spell that comes when there is little water in the pond we will break that dam and let the water run through in a stream. if the mill people want water power they will have to get it some place where it will not endanger lives." uncle daniel agreed with mr. mason, and as they were both town officials, it was quite likely what they said would be done in meadow brook. "hey, bert and harry!" called tom mason, as he and jack hopkins ran past the bobbsey place on their way to see the dam. "come on down and see the flood." the boys did not wait for breakfast, but with a buttered roll in hand harry and bert joined the others and hurried off to the flood. "did the dam burst?" was the first question everybody asked along the way, and when told how the elm tree had saved it the people were greatly astonished. "look at this," called tom, as they came to a turn in the road where the pond ran level with the fields. that was where it was only stream, and no embankment had been built around it. "look!" exclaimed jack; "the water has come up clear across the road, and we can only pass by walking on the high board fence." "or get a boat," said tom. "let's go back to the turn and see if there's a boat tied anywhere." "here's herolds'," called harry, as they found the pretty little rowboat, used for pleasure by the summer cottagers, tied up to a tree. "we'll just borrow that," said jack, and then the four boys lifted the boat to that part of the road where the water ran. "all get in, and i'll push off," said harry, who had hip-boots on. the other three climbed in, then harry gave a good push and scrambled over the edge himself. "think of rowing a boat in the middle of a street," said bert. "that's the way they do in naples," he added, "but i never expected to see such a thing in meadow brook." the boys pushed along quite easily, as the water was deep enough to use oars in, and soon they had rounded the curve of the road and were in sight of the people looking at the dam. "what an immense tree!" exclaimed bert, as they left their boat and mounted the bank. "that's what saved the dam!" said harry. "now mrs. burns can come back home again." "but look there!" called tom. "there goes peter burns' chicken house." sure enough, the henhouse had left its foundation and now toppled over into the stream. it had been built below the falls, near the burns house, and peter had some valuable ducks and chickens in it. "the chickens!" called jack, as they ran along. "get the boat, harry, and we can save some." the boys were dashing out now right in the stream, jack and tom being good oarsmen. but the poor chickens! what an awful noise they made, as they tried to keep on the dry side of the floating house! the ducks, of course, didn't mind it, but they added their queer quacking to the noise. "we can never catch any of the chickens," said harry. "we ought to have a rope and pull the house in." "a rope," called tom to the crowd on the shore. "throw us a rope!" someone ran off and got one, and it was quickly thrown out to the boys in the boat. "push up closer," tom told harry and bert, who had the oars now. tom made a big loop on the rope and threw it toward the house. but it only landed over a chicken, and caused the frightened fowl to fly high up in the air and rest in a tree on the bank. "good!" cried the people on the edge. "one is safe, anyhow!" tom threw the rope again. this time it caught on a corner of the henhouse, and as he pulled the knot tight they had the floating house secure. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted the people. by this time mr. mason and uncle daniel had reached the spot in their boat. "don't pull too hard!" called the men to the boys. "you'll upset your boat." "throw the line to us," added uncle daniel, this the boys did, and as it was a long stretch of rope the men were able to get all the way in to shore with it before pulling at the house. "now we'll have a tug of war," said mr. mason. "wait for us!" cried the boys in the boat "we want to have a pull at that." all this time the chickens were cackling and screeching, as the house in the water lunged from one side to the other. it was a large new coop and built of strong material that made it very heavy. "now," said uncle daniel, as the boys reached the shore and secured their boat, "all take a good hold." every inch of the rope that crossed the water's edge was soon covered with somebody's hand. "all pull now!" called mr. mason, and with a jerk in came the floating house, chickens, ducks and all, and down went everybody that had pulled. the force of the jerk, of course, threw them all to the ground, but that was only fun and gave the boys a good chance to laugh. just as soon as the chickens reached the shore they scampered for home--some flying, some running, but all making a noise. "we may as well finish the job," said mr. mason. "tom, go hitch sable up to the cart and we'll bring the henhouse back where it belongs." by running across the fields that were on the highest part of the road tom was able to get to his barn without a boat, and soon he returned with the cart and sable. it took all hands to get the henhouse on the cart, but this was finally done, and away went sable up the road with the queer load after him in the dump cart. "you had better put it up on the hill this time," peter told them. "the water isn't gone down yet." so at last the chicken coop was settled, and not a hen was missing. there were many sights to be seen about meadow brook that afternoon, and the boys enjoyed the flood, now that there was no longer any danger to life. bert caught a big salmon and a black-spotted lizard that had been flooded out from some dark place in the mountains, harry found a pretty toy canoe that some small boy had probably been playing with in the stream before the water rose, and jack was kept busy towing in all kinds of stuff that had broken loose from barns along the pond. freddie had boots on, and was happy sailing his "ark" up and down the road. he insisted on snoop taking a ride, but cats do not fancy water and the black kitten quickly hid himself up in the hay loft, out of freddie's reach. little by little the water fell, until by the next afternoon there was no longer a river running through the roads. but there were plenty of wet places and enough of streams washing down the rain the gutters to give freddie a fine canal to sail boats in. nan and flossie had boats too which bert and harry made for them. in fact, all the girls along meadow brook road found something that would sail while the flood days lasted. as it was still july the hot sun came down and dried things up pretty quickly, but many haymows were completely spoiled, as were summer vegetables that were too near the pond and came in for their share of the washout. this loss, however, was nothing compared with what had been expected by the farmers, and all were satisfied that a kind providence had saved the valley houses from complete destruction. chapter xviii the fresh-air camp quiet had settled down once more upon the little village of meadow brook. the excitement of the flood had died away, and now when the month of july was almost gone, and a good part of vacation had gone with it, the children turned their attention to a matter of new interest--the fresh-air camp. "mildred manners was over to the camp yesterday," nan told her mother, "and she says a whole lot of little girls have come out from the city, and they have such poor clothes. there is no sickness there that anyone could catch, she says (for her uncle is the doctor, you know), but mildred says her mother is going to show her how to make some aprons for the little girls." "why, that would be nice for all you little girls to do," said mrs. bobbsey. "suppose you start a sewing school, and all see what you can make!" "oh, that would be lovely!" exclaimed nan. "when can we start?" "as soon as we get the materials," the mother replied. "we will ask aunt sarah to drive over to the camp this afternoon; then we can see what the children need." "can i go?" asked flossie, much interested in the fresh-air work. "i guess so," said mrs. bobbsey. "if we take the depot wagon there will be room for you and freddie." so that was how it came about that our little friends became interested in the fresh-air camp. nan and mildred, flossie and freddie, with aunt sarah and mrs. bobbsey, visited the camp in the afternoon. "what a queer place it is!" whispered flossie, as they drove up to the tents on the mountain-side. "hush," said nan; "they might hear you." "oh, these are war-camps!" exclaimed freddie when he saw the white tents. "they're just like the war-pictures in my story book!" the matron who had charge of the camp came up, and when mrs. bobbsey explained her business, the matron was pleased and glad to show them through the place. "oh, it was your boys who brought us all that money from the circus?" said the woman. "that's why we have all the extra children here--the circus money has paid for them, and they are to have two weeks on this beautiful mountain." "i'm glad the boys were able to help," said mrs. bobbsey. "it really was quite a circus." "it must have been, when they made so much money," the other answered. "and we are going to help now," spoke up nan. "we are starting a sewing school." "oh, i'm so glad somebody has thought of clothes," said the matron. "we often get gifts of food, but we need clothes so badly." "there is no sickness?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as they started on a tour of the camp. "no; we cannot take sick children here now," said the matron. "we had some early in the season, but this is such a fine place for romping we decided to keep this camp for the healthy children and have another for those who are sick." by this time numbers of little girls and boys crowded around the visitors. they were quite different from the children of meadow brook or lakeport. somehow they were smaller, but looked older. poor children begin to worry so young that they soon look much older than they really are. nan and mildred spoke kindly to the girls, while freddie and flossie soon made friends with the little boys. one small boy, smaller than freddie, with sandy hair and beautiful blue eyes, was particularly happy with freddie. he looked better than the others, was almost as fat as freddie, and he had such lovely clear skin, as if somebody loved to wash it. "where do you lib?" he lisped to freddie. "at uncle daniel's," freddie answered. "where do you live?" "with mamma," replied the little boy. then he stopped a minute. "oh, no; i don't live with mamma now," he corrected himself, "'cause she's gone to heaven, so i live with mrs. manily." mrs. manily was the matron, and numbers of the children called her mamma. "can i come over and play with you?" asked the boy. "what's your name?" "his name is freddie and mine is flossie," said the latter. "what is your name?" "mine is edward brooks," said the little stranger, "but everybody calls me sandy. do you like sandy better than edward?" "no," replied flossie. "but i suppose that's a pet name because your hair is that color." "is it?" said the boy, tossing his sunny curls around. "maybe that's why!" "guess it is," said freddie. "but will mrs. man let you come over to our house?" "mrs. manily, you mean," said sandy. "i'll just go and ask her." "isn't he cute!" exclaimed flossie, and the pretty little boy ran in search of mrs. manily. "i'm going to ask mamma if we can bring him home," declared freddie. "he could sleep in my bed." the others of the party were now walking through the big tents. "this is where we eat," the matron explained, as the dining room was entered. the tent was filled with long narrow tables and had benches at the sides. the tables were covered with oilcloth, and in the center of each was a beautiful bunch of fresh wild flowers--the small pretty kind that grow in the woods. "you ought to see our poor children eat," remarked the matron. "we have just as much as we can do to serve them, they have such good appetites from the country air." "we must send you some fresh vegetables," said aunt sarah, "and some fruit for sunday." "we would be very grateful," replied mrs manily, "for of course we cannot afford much of a variety." next to the dining room was the dormitory or sleeping tent. "we have a little boys' brigade," said the matron, "and every pleasant evening they march around with drums and tin fifes. then, when it is bedtime, we have a boy blow the 'taps' on a tin bugle, just like real soldiers do." freddie and sandy had joined the sightseers now, and freddie was much interested in the brigade. "who is the captain?" he asked of mrs. manily. "oh, we appoint a new captain each week from the very best boys we have. we only let a very good boy be captain," the matron told him. in the dormitory were rows and rows of small white cots. they looked very clean and comfortable, and the door of this tent was closed with a big green mosquito netting. "how old are your babies?" asked aunt sarah. "sandy is our baby!" replied the matrons patting the little boy fondly, "and he is four years old. we cannot take them any younger without their mothers." "freddie is four also," said mrs. bobbsey. "what a dear sweet child sandy is!" "yes," said mrs. manily, "he has just lost a good mother and his father cannot care for him--that is, he cannot afford to pay his board or hire a housekeeper, so he brought him to the aid society. he is the pet of the camp, and you can see he has been well trained." "no mother and no home!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "dear little fellow! think of our freddie being alone in the world like that!" mrs. bobbsey could hardly keep her tears back. she stooped over and kissed sandy. "do you know my mamma?" he asked, looking straight into the lady's kind face. "mrs. manily is your mamma, isn't she?" said mrs. bobbsey. "yes, she's my number two mamma, but i mean number one that used to sleep with me." "come now, sandy," laughed mrs. manily. "didn't you tell me last night i was the best mamma in the whole world?" and she hugged the little fellow to make him happy again. "so you are," he laughed, forgetting all his loneliness now. "when i get to be a big man i'm goin' to take you out carriage riding." "can't sandy cone home with us?" asked freddie. "he can sleep in my bed." "you are very good," said the matron. "but we cannot let any of our children go visiting without special permission from the society." "well," said aunt sarah, "if you get the permission we will be very glad to have sandy pay us a visit. we have a large place, and would really like to have some good poor child enjoy it. we have company now, but they will leave us soon, and then perhaps we could have a little fresh-air camp of our own." "the managers have asked us to look for a few private homes that could accommodate some special cases," replied mrs. manily, "and i am sure i can arrange it to have sandy go." "oh, let him come now," pleaded freddie, as sandy held tight to his hand. "see, we have room in the wagon." "well, he might have a ride," consented the matron, and before anyone had a chance to speak again freddie and sandy had climbed into the wagon. nan and mildred had been talking to some of the older girls, who were very nice and polite for girls who had no one to teach them at home, and nan declared that she was coming over to the camp to play with them some whole day. "we can bring our lunch," said mildred, "and you can show us all the pleasant play-places you have fixed up in stones over the mountain-side." one girl, nellie by name, seemed very smart and bright, and she brought to mrs. bobbsey a bunch of ferns and wild flowers she had just gathered while showing nan and mildred around. "you certainly have a lovely place here," said mrs. bobbsey, as they got ready to leave, "and you little girls will be quite strong and ready for school again when you go back to the city." "i don't go to school," said nellie rather bashfully. "why?" asked aunt sarah. "oh, i go to night school," said the little girl. "but in the daytime i have to work." "why, how old are you?" asked aunt sarah. "twelve," said nellie shyly. "working at twelve years of age!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey in surprise. "what do you do?" "i'm a cash-girl in a big store," said nellie with some pride, for many little girls are not smart enough to hold such a position. "i thought all children had to go to school," aunt sarah said to mrs. manily. "so they do," replied the matron, "but in special cases they get permission from the factory inspector. then they can work during the day and go to school at night." "i think it's a shame!" said the mother. "that child is not much larger than nan, and to think of her working in a big store all day, then having to work at night school too!" "it does not seem right!" admitted the matron; "but, you see, sometimes there is no choice. either a child must work or go to an institution, and we strain every point to keep them in their homes." "we will drive back with sandy," said aunt sarah as they got into the wagon. "can't nellie come too?" asked nan. "there is plenty of room." the matron said yes, and so the little party started off for a ride along the pretty road. "i was never in a carriage before in all my life," said nellie suddenly. "isn't it grand!" "never!" exclaimed the other girls in surprise. "no," said nellie. "i've had lots of rides in trolley cars, and we had a ride in a farm wagon the other day, but this is the first time i have ever been in a carriage." aunt sarah was letting sandy drive, and he, of course, was delighted. freddie enjoyed it almost as well as sandy did, and kept telling him which rein to pull on and all that. old bill, the horse, knew the road so well he really didn't need any driver, but he went along very nicely with the two little boys talking to him. "we will stop and have some soda at the postoffice," said mrs. bobbsey. for the postoffice was also a general store. this was good news to everybody, and when the man came out for the order aunt sarah told him to bring cakes too. everybody liked the ice cream soda, but it was plain nellie and sandy had not had such a treat in a long time. "this is the best fun i've had!" declared the little cash-girl, allowing how grateful she was. "and i hope you'll come and see us again," she added politely to mildred and nan. "oh, we intend to," said mildred. "you know, we are going to have a sewing school to make aprons for the little ones at the camp." old bill had turned back to the fresh-air quarters again, and soon, too soon, sandy was handed back to mrs. manily, while nellie jumped down and said what a lovely time she had had. "now be sure to come, sandy," called freddie, "'cause i'll expect you!" "i will," said sandy rather sadly, for he would rather have gone along right then. "and i'll let you play with snoop and my playthings," freddie called again. "good-bye." "good-bye," answered the little fresh children. then old bill took the others home. chapter xix sewing school "let's get mabel and all the others," said nan to mildred. "we ought to take at least six gingham aprons and three nightgowns over to the camp." aunt sarah had turned a big long attic room into a sewing school where nan and mildred had full charge. flossie was to look after the spools of thread, keeping them from tangling up, and the girls agreed to let freddie cut paper patterns. this was not a play sewing school but a real one, for aunt sarah and mrs. bobbsey were to do the operating or machine sewing, while the girls were to sew on tapes, buttons, overhand seams, and do all that. mildred and nan invited mabel, nettie, marie brenn (she was visiting the herolds), bessie, and anna thomas, a big girl who lived over lakeside way. "be sure to bring your thimbles and needles," nan told them. "and come at two o'clock this afternoon." every girl came--even nettie, who was always so busy at home. mrs. bobbsey sat at the machine ready to do stitching while aunt sarah was busy "cutting out" on a long table in front of the low window. "now, young ladies," said mrs. bobbsey, "we have ready some blue gingham aprons. you see how they are cut out; two seams, one at each side, then they are to be closed down the back. there will be a pair of strings on each apron, and you may begin by pressing down a narrow hem on these strings. we will not need to baste them, just press them down with the finger this way." mrs. bobbsey then took up a pair of the sashes and turned in the edges. immediately the girls followed her instructions, and very soon all of the strings were ready for the machine. nan handed them to her mother, and then aunt sarah gave out the work. "now these are the sleeves," said aunt sarah, "and they must each have little gathers brought in at the elbow here between these notches. next you place the sleeve together notch to notch, and they can be stitched without basting." "isn't it lively to work this way?" said mildred. "it isn't a bit of trouble, and see how quickly we get done." "many hands make light work," replied mrs. bobbsey. "i guess we will get all the aprons finished this afternoon." piece by piece the various parts of the garments were given out, until there remained nothing more to do than to put on buttons and work buttonholes, and overhand the arm holes. "i'll cut the buttonholes," said mrs. bobbsey, "then nan and mildred may work the buttonholes by sticking a pin through each hole. the other girls may then sew the buttons on." it was wonderful how quickly those little pearl buttons went down the backs of the aprons. "i believe i could make an apron all alone now," said nan, "if it was cut out." "so could i," declared mildred. "it isn't hard at all." "well, here's my patterns," spoke up freddie, who with flossie had been busy over in the corner cutting "ladies" out of a fashion paper. "no, they're paper dolls," said flossie, who was standing them all up in a row, "and we are going to give them to the fresh-air children to play with on rainy days." it was only half-past four when nan rang the bell to dismiss the sewing school. "we have had such a lovely time," said mabel, "we would like to have sewing to do every week." "well, you are welcome to come," said aunt sarah. "we will make night dresses for the poor little ones next week, then after that you might all bring your own work, mending, fancywork or tidies, whatever you have to do." "and we might each pay five cents to sew for the fresh-air children," suggested mildred. "yes, all charity sewing classes have a fund," mrs. bobbsey remarked. "that would be a good idea." "now let us fold up the aprons," said nan. "don't they look pretty?" and indeed the half-dozen blue-and-white ginghams did look very nice, for they were carefully made and all smooth and even. "when can we iron them out?" asked flossie, anxious to deliver the gifts to the needy little ones. "to-morrow afternoon," replied her mother. "the boys are going to pick vegetables in the morning, and we will drive over in the afternoon." uncle daniel had given the boys permission to pick all the butter-beans and string-beans that were ripe, besides three dozen ears of the choicest corn, called "country gentleman." "children can only eat very tender corn," said uncle daniel, "and as that is sweet and milky they will have no trouble digesting it." harry looked over every ear of the green corn by pulling the husks down and any that seemed a bit overripe he discarded. "we will have to take the long wagon," said bert, as they began to count up the baskets. there were two of beans, three of corn, one of lettuce, two of sweet apples, besides five bunches of freddie's radishes. "be sure to bring sandy back with you," called freddie, who did not go to the camp this time. "tell him i'll let him be my twin brother." nan and aunt sarah went with the boys, but how disappointed they were to find a strange matron in charge of the camp, and sandy's eyes red from crying after mrs. manily. "oh, i knowed you would come to take me to freddie," cried he, "'cause my other mamma is gone too, and i'm all alone." "mrs. manily was called away by sickness in her family," explained the new matron, "and i cannot do anything with this little boy." "he was so fond of mrs. manily," said aunt sarah, "and besides he remembers how lonely he was when his own mother went away. maybe we could bring him over to our house for a few days." "yes, mrs. manily spoke of that," said the matron, "and she had received permission from the society to let edward pay a visit to mrs. daniel bobbsey. see, here is the card." "oh, that will be lovely!" cried nan, hugging sandy as tight as her arms could squeeze. "freddie told us to be sure to bring you back with us." "i am so glad to get these things," the matron said to aunt sarah, as she took the aprons, "for everybody has been upset with mrs. manily having to leave so suddenly. the aprons are lovely. did the little girls make them?" aunt sarah told her about the sewing school, and then she said she was going to have a little account printed about it in the year's report of good work done for the aid society. "and mrs. manily has written an account of your circus," the matron told harry and bert, for she had heard about the boys and their successful charity work. some of the girls who knew nan came up now and told her how nellie, the little cash-girl, had been taken sick and had had to be removed to the hospital tent over in the other mountain. this was sad news to nan, for she loved the little cash-girl, and hoped to see her and perhaps have her pay a visit to aunt sarah's. "is she very sick?" aunt sarah asked the matron. "yes indeed," the other replied. "but the doctor will soon cure her, i think." "the child is too young to work so hard," aunt sarah declared. "it is no wonder her health breaks down at the slightest cause, when she has no strength laid away to fight sickness." by this time a big girl had washed and dressed sandy, and now what a pretty boy he was! he wore a blue-and-white-striped linen suit and had a jaunty little white cap just like freddie's. he was so anxious to go that he jumped in the wagon before the others were ready to start. "get app, bill!" he called, grabbing at the reins, and off the old horse started with no one in the wagon but sandy! sandy had given the reins such a jerk that bill started to run, and the more the little boy tried to stop him the harder he went! "don't slap him with the reins!" called harry, who was now running down the hill as hard as he could after the wagon. "pull on the reins!" he called again. but sandy was so excited he kept slapping the straps up and down on poor bill, which to the horse, of course, meant to go faster. "he'll drive in the brook," called bert in alarm also rushing after the runaway. "whoa, bill! whoa, bill!" called everybody, the children from the camp having now joined in following the wagon. the brook was directly in front of sandy. "quick, harry!" yelled bert. "you'll get him in a minute." it was no easy matter, however, to overtake sandy, for the horse had been on a run from the start. but sandy kept his seat well, and even seemed to think it good fun now to have everybody running after him and no one able to catch him. "oh, i'm so afraid he'll go in the pond!" nan told aunt sarah almost in tears. "bill would sit down first," declared aunt sarah, who knew her horse to be an intelligent animal. "oh! oh! oh!" screamed everybody, for the horse had crossed from the road into the little field that lay next the water. "whoa, bill!" shouted aunt sarah at the top of her voice, and instantly the horse stood still. the next minute both bert and harry were in the wagon beside sandy. "can't i drive?" asked the little fellow innocently, while harry was backing out of the swamp. "you certainly made bill go," harry admitted, all out of breath from running. "and you gave us a good run too," added bert, who was red in the face from his violent exercise. "bill knew ma meant it when she said whoa!" harry remarked to bert. "i tell you, he stopped just in time, for a few feet further would have sunk horse, wagon, and all in the swamp." of course it was all an accident, for sandy had no idea of starting the horse off, so no one blamed him when they got back to the road. "we'll all get in this time," laughed aunt sarah to the matron. "and i'll send the boys over sunday to let you know how sandy is." "oh, he will be all right with freddie!" bert said, patting the little stranger on the shoulders. "we will take good care of him." it was a pleasant ride back to the bobbsey farm, and all enjoyed it--especially sandy, who had gotten the idea he was a first-class driver and knew all about horses, old bill, in particular. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted freddie, when the wagon turned in the drive. "i knowed you would come, sandy!" and the next minute the two little boys were hand in hand running up to the barn to see frisky, snoop, the chickens, ducks, pigeons, and everything at once. sandy was a little city boy and knew nothing about real live country life, so that everything seemed quite wonderful to him, especially the chickens and ducks. he was rather afraid of anything as big as frisky. snoop and fluffy were put through their circus tricks for the stranger's benefit, and then freddie let sandy turn on his trapeze up under the apple tree and showed him all the different kinds of turns bert and harry had taught the younger twin how to perform on the swing. "how long can you stay?" freddie asked his little friend, while they were swinging. "i don't know," sandy replied vaguely. "maybe you could go to the seashore with us," freddie ventured. "we are only going to stay in the country this month." "maybe i could go," lisped sandy, "'cause nobody ain't got charge of me now. mrs. manily has gone away, you know, and i don't b'lieve in the other lady, do you?" freddie did not quite understand this but he said "no" just to agree with sandy. "and you know the big girl, nellie, who always curled my hair without pulling it,--she's gone away too, so maybe i'm your brother now," went on the little orphan. "course you are!" spoke up freddie manfully, throwing his arms around the other, "you're my twin brother too, 'cause that's the realest kind. we are all twins, you know--nan and bert, and flossie and me and you!" by this time the other bobbseys had come out to welcome sandy. they thought it best to let freddie entertain him at first, so that he would not be strange, but now uncle daniel just took the little fellow up in his arms and into his heart, for all good men love boys, especially when they are such real little men as sandy and freddie happened to be. "he's my twin brother, uncle daniel," freddie insisted. "don't you think he's just like me curls and all?" "he is certainly a fine little chap!" the uncle replied, meaning every word of it, "and he is quite some like you too. now let us feed the chickens. see how they are around us expecting something to eat?" the fowls were almost ready to eat the pearl buttons off sandy's coat, so eager were they for their meal, and it was great fun for the two little boys to toss the corn to them. "granny will eat from your hand," exclaimed uncle daniel, "you see, she is just like granite-gray stone, but we call her granny for short." the plymouth rock hen came up to sandy, and much to his delight ate the corn out of his little white hand. "oh, she's a pretty chicken!" he said, stroking granny as he would a kitten. "i dust love chitens," he added, sitting right down on the sandy ground to let granny come up on his lap. there was so much to see in the poultry yard that sandy, freddie, and uncle daniel lingered there until martha appeared at the back door and rang the big dinner bell in a way that meant, "hurry up! something will get cold if you don't." and the something proved to be chicken pot-pie with dumplings that everybody loves. and after that there came apple pudding with hard sauce, just full of sugar. "is it a party?" sandy whispered to freddie, for he was not accustomed to more than bread and milk at his evening meal. "yes, i guess so," ventured freddie; "it's because you came," and then dinah brought in little play cups of chocolate with jumbles on the side, and mrs. bobbsey said that would be better than the pudding for freddie and sandy. "i guess i'll just live here," solemnly said the little stranger, as if his decision in such a matter should not be questioned. "i guess you better!" freddie agreed, "'cause it's nicer than over there, isn't it?" "lots," replied sandy, "only maybe mrs. manily will cry for me," and he looked sad as his big blue eyes turned around and blinked to keep back some tears. "i dust love mrs. manily, freddie; don't you?" he asked wistfully. then harry and bert jumped up to start the phonograph, and that was like a band wagon to the little fellows, who liked to hear the popular tunes called off by the funny man in the big bright horn. chapter xx a midnight scare "sometimes i'm afraid in the bed tent over there," said sandy to freddie. "'cause there ain't nothing to keep the dark out but a piece of veil in the door." "mosquito netting," corrected freddie. "i would be afraid to sleep outdoors that way too. 'cause maybe there's snakes." "there sure is," declared the other little fellow, cuddling up closer to freddie. "'cause one of the boys, tommy his name is, killed two the other day." "well, there ain't no snakes around here," declared freddie, "an' this bed was put in this room, right next to mama's, for me, so you needn't be scared when aunt sarah comes and turns out the lights." both little boys were very sleepy, and in spite of having so many things to tell each other the sand-man came around and interrupted them, actually making their eyes fall down like porch screens when someone touches the string. mrs. bobbsey came up and looked in at the door. two little sunny heads so close together! "why should that little darling be left alone over in the dark tent!" she thought. "see how happy he is with our own dear son freddie." then she tucked them a little bit, half closed the door, and turned out the hall light. everybody must have been dreaming for hours, it seemed so at any rate, when suddenly all were awake again. what was it? what woke up the household with such a start? "there it is again!" screamed flossie. "oh, mamma, mamma, come in my room quick!" sandy grabbed hold of freddie. "we're all right," whispered the brave little freddie. "it's only the girls that's hollering." then they both put their curls under the bedquilts. "someone's playing the piano," bert said to harry; and, sure enough, a nocturnal solo was coming up in queer chunks from the parlor. "it's a crazy burglar, and he never saw a piano before," flossie said. the hall clock just struck midnight. that seemed to make everybody more frightened. uncle daniel was hurrying down the stairs now. "there it is again," whispered bert, as another group of wild chords came from the piano. "it must be cats!" exclaimed uncle daniel. "harry, come down here and help light up, and we'll solve this mystery." without a moment's hesitation bert and harry were down the stairs and had the hall light burning as quickly as a good match could be struck. but there was no more music and no cats about. "where is snoop?" asked uncle daniel. the boys opened the hall door into the cellarway, and found there snoop on his cushion and fluffy on hers. "it wasn't the cats," they declared. "what could it be?" uncle daniel even lighted the piano lamp, which gave a strong light, but there didn't seem to be any disturbance about. "it certainly was the piano," he said, much puzzled. "and sounded like a cat serenade," ventured harry. "well, she isn't around here," laughed uncle daniel, "and we never heard of a ghost in meadow brook before." all this time the people upstairs waited anxiously. flossie held nan so tightly about the neck that the elder sister could hardly breathe. freddie and sandy were still under the bedclothes, while mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah listened in the hall. "dat sure is a ghost," whispered dinah to martha in the hall above. "ghosts always lub music," and her funny big eyes rolled around in that queer way colored people have of expressing themselves. "ghosts nothin'," replied martha indignantly. "i dusted every key of the piano to-day, and i guess i could smell a ghost about as quick as anybody." "well, i don't see that we can do any good by sitting around here," remarked uncle dan to the boys, after the lapse of some minutes. "we may as well put out the lights and get into bed again." "but i cannot see what it could be!" mrs. bobbsey insisted, as they all prepared to retire again. "neither can we!" agreed uncle daniel. "maybe our piano has one of those self-playing tricks, and somebody wound it up by accident." but no sooner were the lights out and the house quiet than the piano started again. "hush! keep quiet!" whispered uncle daniel. "i'll get it this time, whatever it is!" with matches in one hand and a candle in the other he started downstairs in the dark without making a sound, while the piano kept on playing in "chunks" as harry said, same as it did before. once in the parlor uncle daniel struck a match and put it to the candle, and then the music ceased. "there he is!" he called, and flossie thought she surely would die. slam! went the music-book at something, and sandy almost choked with fear. bang! went something else, that brought bert and harry downstairs to help catch the burglar. "there he is in the corner!" called uncle daniel to the boys, and then began such a slam banging time that the people upstairs were in terror that the burglar would kill harry and bert and uncle daniel. "we've got him' we've got him!" declared harry, while bert lighted the lamp. "is he dead?" screamed aunt sarah from the stairs. "as a door-nail!" answered harry. "what is it?" asked mrs. bobbsey, hardly able to speak. "a big gray rat," replied uncle daniel, and everybody had a good laugh. "i thought it might be that," said mrs. bobbsey. "so did i," declared nan. "but i wasn't sure." "i thought it was a big black burglar," flossie said, her voice still shaking from the fright. "i thought it was a policeman," faltered sandy. "'cause they always bang things like that." "and i thought, sure's yo' life, it was a real ghost," laughed dinah. "'cause de clock jest struck fer de ghost hour. ha! ha! dat was suah a musicanious rat." "he must have come in from the fields where john has been plowing. like a cat in a strange garret, he didn't know what to do in a parlor," said uncle daniel. harry took the candle and looked carefully over the keys. "why, there's something like seeds on the keys!" he said. "oh, i have it!" exclaimed bert. "nan left her hat on the piano last night, and it has those funny straw flowers on it. see, the rat got some of them off and they dropped on the keys." "and the other time he came for the cake," said aunt sarah. "that's it," declared uncle daniel, "and each time we scared him off he came back again to finish his meal. but i guess he is through now," and so saying he took the dead rodent and raising the side window tossed him out. it was some time before everybody got quieted down again, but finally the rat scare was over and the bobbseys turned to dreams of the happy summer-time they were enjoying. when uncle dan came up from the postoffice the next morning he brought a note from the fresh-air camp. "sandy has to go back!" nan whispered to bert. "his own father in the city has sent for him, but mamma says not to say anything to sandy or freddie--they might worry. aunt sarah will drive over and bring sandy, then they can fix it. i'm so sorry he has to go away." "so am i," answered nan's twin. "i don't see why they can't let the little fellow alone when he is happy with us." "but it's his own father, you know, and something about a rich aunt. maybe she is going to adopt sandy." "we ought to adopt him; he's all right with us," bert grumbled. "what did his rich aunt let him cry his eyes out for if she cared anything for him?" "maybe she didn't know about him then," nan considered. "i'm sure everybody would have to love sandy." at that sandy ran along the path with freddie. he looked like a live buttercup, so fresh and bright, his sunny sandy curls blowing in the soft breeze. mrs. bobbsey had just called the children to her. "we are going over to see mrs. manily today, sandy," she said. "won't you be awfully glad to see your own dear mamma manily again?" "yep," he faltered, getting a better hold on freddie's hand, "but i want to come back here," he finished. poor darling! so many changes of home in his life had made him fear another. "oh, i am sure you will come to see us again," mrs. bobbsey declared. "maybe you can come to lakeport when we go home in the fall." "no, i'm comin' back here," he insisted, "to see freddie, and auntie, and uncle, and all of them." "well, we must get ready now," said mrs. bobbsey. "john has gone to bring the wagon." freddie insisted upon going to the camp with sandy, "to make sure he would come down again," he said. it was only the happiness of seeing mamma manily once more that kept sandy from crying when they told him he was to go on a great big fast train to see his own papa. "you see," mrs. manily explained to mrs. bobbsey, "a wealthy aunt of edward's expects to adopt him, so we will have to give him up, i am afraid." "i hope you can keep track of him," answered mrs. bobbsey, "for we are all so attached to him. i think we would have applied to the aid society to let him share our home if the other claim had not come first and taken him from us." then freddie kissed sandy good-bye. it was not the kind of a caress that girls give, but the two little fellows said good-bye, kissed each other very quickly, then looked down at the ground in a brave effort not to cry. mrs. bobbsey gave sandy a real mother's love kiss, and he said: "oh, i'm comin' beck--to-morrow. i won't stay in the city. i'll just run away and come back." so sandy was gone to another home, and we hope he will grow to be as fine a boy as he has been a loving child. "how lonely it seems," said nan that afternoon. "sandy was so jolly." freddie followed john all over the place, and could not find anything worth doing. even dinah sniffed a little when she fed the kittens and didn't have "dat little buttercup around to tease dem." "well," said uncle daniel next day, "we are going to have a very poor crop of apples this year, so i think we had better have some cider made from the early fruit. harry and bert, you can help john if you like, and take a load of apples to the cider mill to-day to be ground." the boys willingly agreed to help john, for they liked that sort of work, especially bert, to whom it was new. "we'll take the red astrachans and sheepnoses to-day," john said. "those trees over there are loaded, you see. then there are the orange apples in the next row; they make good cider." the early apples were very plentiful, and it took scarcely any time to make up a load and start off for the cider mill. "old bennett who runs the mill is a queer chap," harry told bert going over; "he's a soldier, and he'll be sure to quiz you on history." "i like old soldiers," bert declared; "if they do talk a lot, they've got a lot to talk about." john said that was true, and he agreed that old ben bennett was an interesting talker. "here we are," said harry, as they pulled up before a kind of barn. old ben sat outside on his wooden bench. "hello, ben," they called out together, "we're bringing you work early this year." "so much the better," said the old soldier; "there's nothing like work to keep a fellow young." "well, you see," went on john, "we can't count on any late apples this year, so, as we must have cider, we thought that we had better make hay while the sun shines." "how much have you got there?" asked ben, looking over the load. "about a barrel, i guess," answered john "could you run them through for us this morning?" "certainly, certainly!" replied the others. "just haul them on, and we'll set to work as quick as we did that morning at harper's ferry. who is this lad?" he asked, indicating bert. "my cousin from the city," said harry, "bert's his name." "glad to see you, bert, glad to see you!" and the old soldier shook hands warmly. "when they call you out, son, just tell them you knew ben bennett of the sixth massachusetts. and they'll give you a good gun," and he clapped bert on the back as if he actually saw a war coming down the hill back of the cider mill. it did not take long to unload the apples and get them inside. "we'll feed them in the hopper," said john, "if you just get the sacks out, ben." "all right, all right, my lad; you can fire the first volley if you've a mind to," and ben opened up the big cask that held the apples to be chopped. when a few bushels had been filled in by the boys john began to grind. he turned the big stick round and round, and this in turn set the wheel in motion that held the knives that chopped the apples. "where does the cider come from?" asked bert, much interested. "we haven't come to that yet," harry replied; "they have to go through this hopper first." "fine juicy apples," remarked ben. "don't know but it's just as well to make cider now when you have a crop like this." "father thought so," harry added, putting in the last scoop of sheepnoses. "if it turns to vinegar we can use it for pickles this fall." the next part of the process seemed very queer to bert; the pulp or chopped apples were put in sacks like meal-bags, folded over so as to hold in the pulp. a number of the folded sacks were then placed in another machine "like a big layer cake," bert said, and by turning a screw a great press was brought down upon the soft apples. "now the boys can turn," john suggested, and at this both bert and harry grabbed hold of the long handle that turned the press and started on a run around the machine. "oh, there she comes!" cried bert, as the juice began to ooze out in the tub. "that's cider, all right! i smell it." "fine and sweet too," declared ben, seeing to it that the tub was well under the spout. "but i don't want you young fellows to do all my work." "oh, this is fun," spoke up bert, as the color mounted to his cheeks from the exercise. a strong stream was pouring into the tub now, and the wholesome odor of good sweet cider filled the room. "i think i'll try to get a horse this fall when my next pension comes due," said old ben, "i'm a little stiff to run around with that handle like you young lads, and sometimes i'm full of rheumatism too." "father said he would sell our bill very cheap if he wasn't put at hard work," harry said. "we have had him so long we don't want to see him put to a plow or anything heavy, but i should think this would be quite easy for him." "just the thing for a worn-out war-horse like myself," answered ben, much interested. "tell your father not to think of selling bill till i get a chance to see him. i won't have my pension money for two months yet, but i might make a deposit if any more work comes in." "oh, that would be all right," spoke up john. "mr. bobbsey would not be afraid to trust you." "there now!" exclaimed ben; "i guess you've got all the juice out. john, you can fill it in your keg, i suppose, since you have been so good as to do all the rest. will you try it, boys?" "yes, we would like to, ben," harry replied. "it's a little warm to make cider in july," and he wiped his face to cool off some. ben went to his homemade cupboard and brought out a tin cup. "there's a cup," he said, "that i drank out of at harper's ferry. i keep it in everyday use, so as not to lose sight of it." bert took the old tin cup and regarded it reverently. "think of us drinking out of that cup," reflected bert. "why, it's a war relic!" "how's the cider?" asked the old soldier. "couldn't be better," said harry. "i guess the cup helps the flavor." this pleased old ben, for the light of glory that comes to all veterans, whether private or general, shone in his eyes. "well, a soldier has two lives," he declared. "the one under fire and the other here," tapping his head and meaning that the memories of battles made the other life. the cider was ready now, and the bobbseys prepared to leave. "i'll tell father about bill," said harry. "i'm sure he will save him for you." "all right, sonny--thank you, thank you! good-bye, lads; come again, and maybe some day i'll give you the war cup!" called the soldier. "that would be a relic!" exclaimed harry. "and i guess father will give him bill for nothing, for we always do what we can for old soldiers." "i never saw cider made before," remarked bert, "and i think it's fun. i had a good time to-day." "glad you did," said john, "for vacation is slipping now and you want to enjoy it while it lasts." that evening at dinner the new cider was sampled, and everybody pronounced it very fine. chapter xxi what the well contained the next day everybody was out early. "the men are going to clean the well," harry told the others, "and it's lots of fun to see all the stuff they bring up." "can we go?" freddie asked. "nan will have to take charge of you and flossie," said mrs. bobbsey, "for wells are very dangerous, you know." this was arranged, and the little ones promised to do exactly as nan told them. the well to be cleaned was the big one at the corner of the road and the lane. from the well a number of families got their supply of water, and it being on the road many passersby also enjoyed from it a good cold drink. "there they come," called bert, as two men dressed like divers came up the road. they wore complete rubber suits, hip-boots, rubber coats, and rubber caps. then they had some queer-looking machines, a windlass, a force pump, grappling irons, and other tools. the boys gathered around the men--all interested, of course, in the work. "now keep back," ordered nan to the little ones. "you can see just as well from this big stone, and you will not be in any danger here." so freddie and flossie mounted the rock while the large boys got in closer to the well. first the men removed the well shelter--the wooden house that covered the well. then they put over the big hole a platform open in the center. over this they set up the windlass, and then one of the men got in a big bucket. "oh, he'll get drownded!" cried freddie. "no, he won't," said flossie. "he's a diver like's in my picture book." "is he, nan?" asked the other little one. "yes, he is one kind of a diver," the sister explained, "only he doesn't have to wear that funny hat with air pipes in it like ocean divers wear." "but he's away down in the water now," persisted freddie. "maybe he's dead." "see, there he is up again," said nan, as the man in the bucket stepped out on the platform over the well. "he just went down to see how deep the water was," bert called over. "now they are going to pump it out." the queer-looking pump, with great long pipes was now sunk into the well, and soon a strong stream of water was flowing from the spout. "oh, let's sail boats!" exclaimed freddie, and then all the bits of clean sticks and boards around were turned into boats by flossie and freddie. as the water had a good clear sweep down the hill the boats went along splendidly, and the little folks had a very fine time of it indeed. "don't fall in," called nan. "freddie, look out for that deep hole in the gutter, where the tree fell down in the big flood." but for once freddie managed to save himself, while flossie took no risk at all, but walked past that part of the "river" without guiding her "steamboat." presently the water in the "river" became weaker and weaker, until only the smallest stream made its way along. "we can't sail boats in mud," declared freddie with some impatience. "let's go back and see what they're doing at the well." now the big pump had been removed and the man was going down in the bucket again. "we lost lots of things in there," remarked tom mason. "i bet they'll bring up some queer stuff." it took a few minutes for the other man to send the lanterns down after his companion and then remove the top platform so as to give all the air and light possible to the bottom of the well. "now the man in the well can see stars in the sky," said harry to the other boys. "but there are no stars in the sky," bert contradicted, looking up at the clear blue sky of the fine summer day. "oh! yes there are," laughed the man at the well, "lots of them too, but you can only see them in the dark, and it's good and dark down in that deep well." this seemed very strange, but of course it was true; and the well cleaner told them if they didn't believe it, just to look up a chimney some day, and they would see the same strange thing. at a signal from the man in the well the other raised the first bucket of stuff and dumped it on the ground. "hurrah! our football!" exclaimed harry, yanking out from the muddy things the big black rubber ball lost the year before. "and our baseball," called tom mason, as another ball was extracted from the pile. "peter burns' dinner pail," laughed harry, rescuing that article from the heap. "and somebody's old shoe!" put in bert, but he didn't bother pulling that out of the mud. "oh, there's nellie prentice's rubber doll!" exclaimed harry. "august and ned were playing ball with it and let it fly in the well." harry wiped the mud off the doll and brought it over to nan. "i'm sure nellie will be glad to get this back," said nan, "for it's a good doll, and she probably never had one since she lost it." the doll was not injured by its long imprisonment in the well and when washed up was as good as ever. nan took charge of it, and promised to give it to nellie just as soon as she could go over to see her. another bucket of stuff had been brought up by that time, and the first thing pulled out was a big long pipe, the kind germans generally use. "that's old hans bruen's," declared tom "i remember the night he dropped it." "foolish hans--to try to drink with a pipe like that in his mouth!" laughed the well cleaner. as the pipe had a wooden bowl and a hard porcelain stem it was not broken, so tom took care of it, knowing how glad hans would be to get his old friend "johnnie smoker" back again. besides all kinds of tin cups, pails, and saucepans, the well was found to contain a good number of boys' caps and some girls' too, that had slipped off in attempts made to get a good cool drink out of the bucket. finally the man gave a signal that he was ready to come up, and soon the windlass was adjusted again and the man in very muddy boots came to the top. "look at this!" he said to the boys' holding a beautiful gold watch. "ever hear of anyone losing a watch in the well?" no one had heard of such a loss, and as there was no name anywhere on the watch that might lead to its identification, the well cleaner put it away in his vest pocket under the rubber coat. "and what do you think of this?" the man continued, and drew from his pocket a beautiful string of pearl beads set in gold. "my beads! my lost beads!" screamed nan. "oh, how glad i am that you found them!" she took the beads and looked at them carefully. they were a bit dirty, but otherwise as good as ever. "i thought i should never see these again," said nan. "i must tell mamma of this!" and she started for the house with flying feet. mrs. bobbsey was glad indeed to learn that the strings of pearls had been found, and everybody declared that nan was certainly lucky. "i am going to fasten them on good and tight after this," said nan, and she did. down by the well the man was not yet through handing over the things he had found. "and there's a wedding ring!" he said next, while he turned out in his hand a thin gold band. "oh, mrs. burns lost that!" chorused a number of the boys. "she felt dreadful over it too. she'll be tickled to get that back all right." "well, here," said the man, turning to harry. "i guess you're the biggest boy; i'll let you take that back to mrs. burns with my best wishes," and he handed harry the long-lost wedding ring. it was only a short distance to mrs. burns' house, and harry lost no time in getting there. "she was just delighted," harry told the man, upon returning to the well. "she says peter will send you over something for finding it." "no need," replied the other; "they're welcome to their own." the last part of the well-cleaning was the actual scrubbing of the big stone in the bottom. this stone had a hole in the middle through which the water sprang up, and when the flag had been scrubbed the well was clean indeed. "now you people will have good water," declared the men, as they gathered all their tools, having first put the top on the well and tried a bucketful of water before starting off. "and are there really stars in the bottom of the well?" questioned freddie. "not exactly," said the man, "but there are lots of other things in the bottoms of wells. you must get your daddy to show you the sky through a fireplace, and you will then know how the stars look in daylight," he finished, saying good-bye to all and starting off for the big deep well-pump over in the picnic grove, that had not been cleaned since it had been dug there three years before. chapter xxii little jack horner,--good-bye "i've got a special delivery letter for you," called the boy from the postoffice to harry. now when jim dexter rode his wheel with the special delivery mail everybody about meadow brook knew the rush letter bore important news. jim jumped off his wheel and, opening the little bag, pulled out a letter for mrs. richard bobbsey from mrs. william minturn of ocean cliff. "i'll take it upstairs and have your book signed," harry offered, while jim sat on the porch to rest. "that's from aunt emily," bert told harry when the messenger boy rode off again. "i guess we're going down to ocean cliff to visit there." "i hope you won't go very soon," replied harry. "we've arranged a lot of ball matches next month. we're going to play the school nine first, then we're to play the boys at cedarhurst and a picked nine from south meadow brook." "i'd like first-rate to be here for the games," said bert. "i'm a good batter." "you're the player we need then, for jim smith is a first-rate pitcher and we've got really a fine catcher in tom mason, but it's hard to get a fellow to hit the ball far enough to give us runs." "oh, bert!" called nan, running out of the house. "that was an invitation for us to go to aunt emily's at the seashore. and cousin dorothy says we will have such a lovely time! but i'm sure we could never have a better time than we had here, harry," she added to her cousin. "i'll be awfully sorry to have you go, nan," replied harry. "we have had so much fun all month. i'll just be dead lonesome, i'm sure," and harry sat down in dejection, just as if his loved cousins had gone already. "there's no boy at uncle william's;" said bert. "of course nan will have dorothy, but i'll have to look around for a chum, i suppose." "oh, you'll find lots of boys at the beach," said harry. "and to think of the fun at the ocean! mother says we will go to the shore next summer." "i wish you were going with us," said bert politely. "maybe you will come down for a day while we are there," suggested nan. "aunt emily isn't just exactly your aunt, because she's mamma's sister, and it's papa who is uncle daniel's brother. but the minturns, aunt emily's folks, you know, have been up here and are all like real cousins." "we're going away!" exclaimed freddie, joining the others just then. "mamma says i can stick my toes in the water till the crabs bite me, but i'm going to have a fishhook and catch them first." "are you going to take snoop?" harry asked his little cousin. "yep," replied the youngster. "he knows how to go on trains now." "dorothy has a pair of donkeys," nan told them, "and a cart we can go riding in every day." "i'll be the driver," announced freddie. "and i suppose you'll have a sailboat, bert!" said harry. "not in the ocean," said nervous little flossie, who had been listening all the time and never said a word until she thought there was some danger coming. "certainly not," said bert; "there is always a little lake of quiet water around ocean places." aunt sarah came out now, all dressed for a drive. "well, my dears," she said, "you are going to ocean cliff to-morrow, so you can invite all your meadow brook friends to a little lawn party to-day. i'm going down now to the village to order some good things for you. i want you all to have a nice time this afternoon." "i'm going to give some of my books to nettie," said flossie, "and some of my paper dolls too." "yes. nettie has not many things to play with," agreed nan, "and we can get plenty more." "i'm going to get all my birds' nests together," said bert, "and that pretty white birch bark to make picture frames for christmas." "i've got lovely pressed flowers to put on christmas post-cards," said nan. "i'm going to mount them on plain white cards with little verses written for each friend. won't that be pretty?" then what a time there was packing up again! of course mrs. bobbsey had expected to go, and had most of the big things ready but the children had so many souvenirs. "john gave me this," cried freddie, pulling a great big pumpkin in his express wagon down to the house. "and i'm going to bring it to aunt emily." "oh, how could we bring that!" protested nan. "in the trunk, of course," freddie insisted. "well, i have to carry a box of ferns," said flossie; "i'm going to take them for the porch. there are no ferns around the salt water, mamma says." so each child had his or her own pet remembrances to carry away from meadow brook. "we had better go and invite the girls for this afternoon," nan said to flossie. "and we must look after the boys," harry told bert. a short invitation was not considered unusual in the country, so it was an easy matter to get all the children together in time for the farewell lawn party. "we all hope you will come again next year," said mildred manners. "we have had such a lovely time this summer. and i brought you this little handkerchief to remember me by." the gift was a choice bit of lace, and nan was much pleased to accept it. "there is something to remember me by," said mabel herold, presenting nan with a postcard album. the little girls brought flossie a gold-striped cup and saucer, a set of doll's patterns, and the dearest little parasol. this last was from bessie dimple. and nettie brought--what do you think? a little live duck for freddie! it was just like a lump of cotton batting, so soft and fluffy. "we'll fatten him up for christmas," laughed bert, joking. "no, you won't!" snapped freddie. "i are going to have a little house for him and a lake, and a boat--" "are you going to teach him to row?" teased harry. "well, he can swim better than--than--" "august stout," answered bert, remembering how august had fallen in the pond the day they went fishing. when the ice cream and cake had been served on the lawn, mrs. bobbsey brought out a big round white paper pie. this she placed in the middle of a nice clean spot on the lawn, and all around the pie she drew out long white ribbons. on each ribbon was pinned the name of one of the guests. "now this is your jack horner pie," said mrs. bobbsey, "and when you put in your thumb you will pull out a plum." nan read off the names, and each girl or boy took the place assigned. finally everybody had in hand a ribbon. "nettle has number one," said nan; "you pull first, nettie." nettie jerked her ribbon and pulled out on the end of it the dearest little play piano. it was made of paper, of course, and so very small it could stand on nettie's hand. "give us a tune!" laughed the boys, while nettie saw it really was a little box of candy. "mildred next," announced nan. on the end of mildred's ribbon came an automobile! this caused a laugh, for mildred was very fond of automobile rides. mabel got a hobby-horse--because she was learning to ride horseback. nan received a sewing machine, to remind her of the fresh-air work. of course tom mason got a horse--a donkey it really was; and jack hopkins' gift was a wheelbarrow. harry pulled out a boat, and bert got a cider barrel. they were all souvenirs, full of candy, favors for the party, and they caused no end of fun. freddie was the last to pull and he got-- a bunch of real radishes from his own garden! "but they're not candy," he protested, as he burned his tongue with one. "well, we are going to let you and flossie put your thumbs in the pie," said his mamma, "and whoever gets the prize will be the real jack horner." all but the center of the pie was gone now, and in this flossie first put her thumb. she could only put in one finger and only fish just one, and she brought out--a little gold ring from aunt sarah. "oh, isn't it sweet!" the girls all exclaimed. then freddie had his turn. "can't i put in two fingers?" he pleaded. "no; only one!" his mother insisted. after careful preparation freddie put in his thumb and pulled out a big candy plum! "open it!" called nan. the plum was put together in halves, and when freddie opened it he found a real "going" watch from uncle daniel. "i can tell time!" declared the happy boy, for he had been learning the hours on martha's clock in the kitchen. "what time is it, then?" asked bert. freddie looked at his watch and counted around it two or three times. "four o'clock!" he said at last, and he was only twenty minutes out of the way. the watch was the kind little boys use first, with very plain figures on it, and it was quite certain before freddie paid his next visit to uncle daniel's he would have learned how to tell time exactly on his first "real" watch. the party was over, the children said good bye, and besides the play favors each carried away a real gift, that of friendship for the little bobbseys. "maybe you can come down to the seashore on an excursion," said nan to her friends. "they often have sunday-school excursions to sunset beach." "we will if we can," answered mabel, "but if i don't see you there, i may call on you at lakeport, when we go to the city." "oh yes, do!" insisted nan. "i'll be home all winter i guess, but i might go to boarding school. anyhow, i'll write to you. good-bye, girls!" "good-bye!" was the answering cry, and then the visitors left in a crowd, waving their hands as they disappeared around a turn of the road. "what a perfectly lovely time we have had!" declared nan to bert. "oh, the country can't be beat!" answered her twin brother. "still, i'll be glad to get to the seashore, won't you?" "oh yes; i want to see cousin dorothy." "and i want to see the big ocean," put in freddie. "i want to ride on one of the funny donkeys," lisped flossie. "and i want to make a sand castle." "me too!" chimed in freddie. "hurrah for the seashore!" cried bert, throwing his cap into the air, and then all went into the house, to get ready for a trip they looked forward to with extreme pleasure. and here let us say good-bye, hoping to meet the bobbsey twins again. [illustration: "you have made a fine shelter," said the hunter.] the bobbsey twins at snow lodge by laura lee hope author of the bobbsey twins. copyright, , by grosset & dunlap. contents chapter i. the runaways ii. old mr. carford iii. the big snowball iv. the accusation v. holidays at hand vi. a visit to mr. carford vii. the story of snow lodge viii. a kind offer ix. mr. bobbsey's story x. unwelcome news xi. making plans xii. the letters xiii. in a hard blow xiv. at snow lodge xv. the snow slide xvi. lost in the woods xvii. henry burdock xviii. snowballs xix. snap is gone xx. the big storm xxi. the falling tree xxii. the missinc money chapter i the runaways "will snap pull us, do you think, freddie?" asked little flossie bobbsey, as she anxiously looked at her small brother, who was fastening a big, shaggy dog to his sled by means of a home-made harness. "do you think he'll give us a good ride?" "sure he will, flossie," answered freddie with an air of wisdom. "i explained it all to him, and i've tried him a little bit. he pulled fine, and you won't be much heavier. i'll have the harness all fixed in a minute, and then we'll have a grand ride." "do you think snap will be strong enough to pull both of us?" asked the little girl. "of course he will!" exclaimed freddie firmly. "he's as good as an esquimo dog, and we saw some pictures of them pulling sleds bigger than ours." "that's so," admitted flossie. "well, hurry up, please, freddie 'cause i'm cold standing here, and i want to get under the blankets on the sled and have a nice ride." "i'll hurry all right, flossie. you go up there by snap's head and pat him. then he'll stand stiller, and i can fix the harness on him quicker." flossie, with a shake of her light curls, and a stamp of her little feet to rid them of the snow from the drift in which she had been standing, went closer to the fine-looking and intelligent dog, who did not seem to mind being all tied up with ropes and leather straps to freddie's sled. "good old snap!" exclaimed flossie, patting his head. "you're going to give freddie and me a fine ride; aren't you, old fellow?" snap barked and wagged his tail violently. "hey! stop that!" cried freddie. "he's flopping his tail right in my face!" the little boy added. "i can't see to fasten this strap. hold his tail, flossie." snap, hearing the voice of his young master--one of his two masters by the way--wagged his tail harder than ever. freddie made a grab for it, but missed. flossie, seeing this, laughed and snap, thinking it was a great joke, leaped about and barked with delight. he sprang out of the harness, which was only partly fastened on, and began leaping about in the snow. finally he stood up on his hind legs and marched about, for snap was a trick dog, and had once belonged to a circus. "there now! look at that!" cried freddie. "he's spoiled everything! we'll never get him hitched up now." "it--it wasn't my fault," said flossie, a tear or two coming into her eyes. "i know it wasn't, flossie," replied freddie, speaking more quietly. "it's always just that way with snap when he gets excited. come here!" he called to the dog, "and let me harness you. come here snap!" the dog was well enough trained so that he knew when the time for fun was over and when he had to settle down. still wagging his tail joyously, however, snap came up to freddie, who started over again the work of harnessing the animal to the sled. "i guess you'd better stand at his tail instead of at his head," said freddie. "so when he wags it you can grab it, flossie, and hold it still. then it won't slap me in the face, and i can see what i'm doing. hold his tail, flossie." "then he can't wag it," objected the little girl. "i know he can't. i don't want him to." "but it may make him angry." "snap never gets mad; do you, snap?" asked freddie, and the dog's bark seemed to say "no, never!" so flossie held the dog's tail, while freddie put on the harness again. this time he succeeded in getting it all arranged to suit him, and the frisky snap was soon made fast to the sled. "now get on, flossie," called her brother, "and we'll see how fast snap can pull us." "but don't make him go too fast, freddie," begged the little girl. "for it's hard pulling in the snow." "no, i'll let him go slow," promised freddie. "but it won't be hard work pulling us. my sled goes awfully easy, anyhow." freddie tucked flossie in amid the robes and rugs which the children had taken from the house, near which they had started to harness the dog. then freddie took his place in front of his sister, holding to two reins that were fastened to the dog's head. freddie had made no bit, such as is used for horses and goats, but he thought by making straps fast to a sort of muzzle by which he could guide snap, by pulling his head to one side or the other. "all ready, flossie?" called freddie, when he himself was comfortable on the sled. "all ready," she answered. "giddap, snap!" cried freddie, and, with a bark, off the dog started, pulling the sled and the two children after him. "oh, he's going! he's giving us a ride! it's as real as anything!" cried flossie in delight, holding fast to the sled. "oh, freddie!" "of course it's real!" said freddie. "bert and nan said snap wouldn't pull us, but i knew he would. i just wish they could see us now." as if in answer to this wish a little later, when the two smaller twins had turned a corner, they saw coming toward them their brother and sister nan and bert, also twins, but four years older. "look, look!" cried flossie to nan. "see what a nice ride we're having." "oh, look, bert!" exclaimed nan, "snap really is pulling them," and she grasped her brother's arm. bert was pulling his own sled and that of his twin sister. "yes, he'll pull them a little way," admitted bert, as if he knew all about it, "and then, the first thing they know, snap will turn around short and tip them into a snowdrift. he hasn't been trained to pull a sled, no matter how many other tricks he can do." "i trained him myself!" declared freddie, as he pulled on the lines to bring the dog to a stop. but snap, seeing nan and bert, was eager to reach them to be patted and made much of, so he did not obey the command given by the reins, but kept on. "whoa there!" cried freddie, holding back with all his little strength. "see, i told you he wouldn't mind," said bert, with a laugh. "oh, but isn't it cute!" exclaimed nan, flapping her hands. "i didn't think they'd get any ride at all." "we'll show you! we'll have a fine ride!" panted freddie, vainly trying to make snap halt. then just what bert said would happen seemed about to take place. the dog leaped around, and turned short to get nearer to the older bobbsey twins. "look out!" cried bert, but his warning came too late. over went the sled, and flossie and freddie were pitched from it into a big, fluffy bank of snow, falling into it deeply, but with no more harm to them than if they had landed on a bed of feathers. "oh dear!" cried flossie, as she felt herself shooting toward the snow. "whoa there! whoa! don't you run away, snap!" shouted freddie. then his mouth was filled with snow and he could say nothing more. "oh, bert! they'll be smothered!" cried nan. "help me get them out!" bert was laughing, and trying to defend himself against the jumping up of snap, who seemed to want to hug the boy with his paws. "stop laughing! help me!" ordered nan, who was already trying to lift flossie from her snowy bed. "i can't help laughing--freddie looked so funny when he went over," said bert. "there's no danger of smothering, though. that snow is as dry as sand. here you go, freddie. give me your hand and i'll pull you out." in a few seconds the smaller bobbsey twins stood beside their larger brother and sister, while snap capered about them, barking loudly and wagging his tail. "oh, he's got loose, and the harness is all broken," said freddie, and tears of disappointment stood in his blue eyes. "never mind," said bert. "i'll help you make a better harness to-morrow, freddie. that one wasn't strong enough for snap, anyhow. i'll fix it differently." "oh, but we were going to have such a fine ride!" said flossie, who was also ready to cry. the smaller twins were only about five years old, so it might have been expected. "well, come on and go coasting with bert and me," said nan, as she patted her little sister's head. "we're going over on the long hill. it's fine there, and you'll have just as much fun as if you had snap to pull you." "shall we go, freddie?" asked flossie, who generally depended on him to start their amusements. "i guess so," he answered. "this harness is all busted, anyhow." sadly he looked at the tangled strings and straps fast to the sled, where snap had broken away from them. the harness freddie had made with such care was all broken now. "never mind," said bert again. "i'll make you a better one to-morrow, freddie. come along now, and we'll have some fun. and when we get through coasting i'll buy everybody a hot chocolate soda." "really?" asked flossie, her sorrow forgotten now. "sure thing," promised bert. "come on, then, freddie," said his little sister. "we can harness snap up to-morrow." the useless harness was taken to the bobbsey home, not far away, and then the four twins--the two sets of them, as it were--started for the coasting hill, flossie and freddie having one sled between them, and nan and bert each having one of their own. on the way to the hill they met many of their friends, also bound for the same place. school was just out and the boys and girls were eager to have a good time in the snow. "there's charley mason!" exclaimed bert, seeing a boy he knew. "hello, charley!" he called. "going coasting?" "sure. where's the big bob?" for some time before this bert and charley had made, in partnership, a large bob sled. "oh, i didn't know you'd be out, or i'd have brought it," replied bert. "anyhow, i promised nan i'd coast with her." "oh, that's all right. i guess the hill will be too crowded for a bob, anyhow. danny rugg was taking his over, though, for i saw him and some of his crowd hauling it from his barn a little while ago." "well, let 'em. we can get ours later. got a new sled?" and bert looked admiringly at the one charley was pulling. "no, it's only my old one painted over. but it makes it look like new." "we had snap hitched up, but he broke loose," said freddie. "but we're going to have a stronger harness to-morrow." "that's good," said charley, with a broad smile. soon the children were on the hill. there was a large crowd of coasters there, and fun was at its height. there was merry shouting and laughter, and several spills and upsets. as bert had said, the hill was very much crowded. "i thought it would be no good for a bob," he remarked. "there goes danny rugg now!" exclaimed charley. "he's giving orders to everyone." "he'd better not give any to me," said bert, in a quiet voice, but with determination in his tones. "oh, bert!" exclaimed nan. "please don't have any fuss; will you?" "not on my part," said bert "but if danny rugg thinks he can boss me he is mistaken." it was evident that danny liked to play master. he could be heard giving orders to this one and the other one to get out of the way, to pull his bob around in place, and then to shove it off with its load of boys and girls. now, though danny was a bully, some of the children were friendly with him for the sake of getting a ride on his sled, which was a large and expensive one. bert and nan, and flossie and freddie, soon were coasting with their friends, having a good time on the hill. the two smaller twins went down together. as freddie came up the long slope, pulling his sled in readiness for another trip, danny rugg with his bob reached the head of the slope at the same time. "say, danny, give me a ride this trip; won't you?" begged a small boy, who had no sled, but who often did errands for the bully, and played mean tricks for him that, danny was too lazy to play himself. "let me go on your bob?" "not this time, sim," said danny. "the bob is going to be filled. but here, you can take freddie bobbsey's sled. he doesn't want it," and without giving freddie time to say whether he did or not danny snatched the sled rope from him and held it out to sim watson. for a moment freddie was too surprised to utter a protest and then, as he realized what had happened, he cried out: "here, danny rugg, you let my sled alone! i do want it! give it back to me!" "aw, go on!" said danny. "you've had rides enough. let sim take your sled, or i'll punch you!" and danny gave freddie a shove, and held out the rope of the sled to sim. "stop it!" cried freddie. "i'll tell bert on you." "pooh! think i'm afraid of your brother. i can handle him with one hand tied behind my back." "then it's time you started in!" exclaimed a voice just back of danny, and the bully turned suddenly to see bert standing near him, danny's face flushed, and then grew pale. before he could make a move bert grabbed away from him the rope of freddie's sled, which sim had not yet taken, and passed it back to his small brother. "don't you try that again," warned bert. "i will if i want to," said danny, meanly, "i'm not afraid of you." "maybe not," said bert, quietly, "and i'm not afraid of you, either. but if you take my brother's sled for some of your friends you'll have to settle with me. you leave freddie alone; do you hear?" "i don't have to mind you!" "we'll see about that. go ahead, freddie. you and flossie coast as much as you like, and if danny bothers you any more let me know." danny, with an uneasy laugh, turned aside. some of his particular chums gathered about him, and one murmured: "why don't you fight him?" for a moment it looked as though there might be trouble, but an instant later all thoughts of it passed, for a series of girls' screams came from midway down the long hill. all eyes were turned in that direction, and those at the top of the slope saw a team of runaway horses, attached to a heavy bobsled, plunging madly up the hill. and, right in the path of the frightened animals was nan bobbsey, and one or two other girls, on their sleds, coasting straight for the runaways. a cry of fear came from bert bobbsey as he noticed his sister's danger. chapter ii old mr. carford "stop the horses!" "yes, grab them, somebody, or they'll run into the girls!" "look out, everybody, they're coming right this way!" "i'm going to get my bob to a safe place!" it was danny rugg who called out this last, and the other boys had shouted the previous expressions, as they watched the oncoming, runaway horses. bert bobbsey had thrown himself on his sled and was coasting toward the group of girls, of whom his sister nan was one. they were on their sleds in the very path of the team. it seemed that nothing could save them. but bert had a plan in his mind. and, while he was preparing to carry it out, i will take just a moment to tell my new readers something about the characters of this story, and the books that have gone before in the series. bert and nan, freddie and flossie bobbsey were the twin children of mr. and mrs. richard bobbsey, who lived in an eastern city called lakeport, at the head of lake metoka. mr. bobbsey was a prosperous lumber merchant. other members of the household were dinah and sam johnson. dinah was the cook, fat and good-natured. sam was her husband, slim and also good-natured. he did all sorts of work about the place, from making garden to shoveling snow. then there was downy, a pet duck; snoop, a pet black cat, and, of late, snap, the fine trick dog, who had come into the possession of the bobbseys in a peculiar manner. in the first book of this series, entitled "the bobbsey twins," i told of the good times the four children had in their home. how they played in the snow, went coasting, helped to discover what they thought was a "ghost," and did many other things. bert even went for a sail in an ice boat he and charley mason had made, though it was almost more than the boys could manage at times. the second volume, called "the bobbsey twins in the country," told of the good times the four had when they went to the farm of uncle daniel bobbsey and his wife, aunt sarah, who lived at meadow brook. such fun as there was! there was a country picnic, sport in the woods, and a great fourth of july celebration. a circus gave a chance to have other good times, and though once there was a midnight scare, it all turned out happily. but though the twins had much happiness in the country they were destined to have still more fun when they went to the ocean shore, and in the third book, called "the bobbsey twins at the seashore," i related all that happened to them there. they went on a visit to their uncle, william minturn, who lived at ocean cliff, and their cousin dorothy showed them many strange scenes and sights. they had most delightful times, and toward the close of their visit there was a great storm at sea, and a shipwreck. the life savers were on hand, however, and did such good work that no one was drowned. and if you want to learn how a certain little girl was made very happy, when she found that her father was among those saved, you must read the book. then, after the storm ceased, there were more happy days at the shore. the time for the bobbseys to leave came all too soon. school was about to open, and even the smaller twins must now settle down to regular lessons. in the fourth book of the series, called "the bobbsey twins at school," there is told of the start for home. but many things happened before the family arrived. there was the wreck of the circus train, the escape of the animals, the meeting with the very fat lady, and the loss of snoop, the pet cat. then, too, a valuable cup the smaller bobbsey twins had been drinking from, seemed to be lost, and they were very sorry about it. on the way home something else occurred. they were followed in the dark by some strange animal. at first they feared it was some wild beast from the circus but it proved to be only a friendly dog. how flossie and freddie insisted on keeping the dog, now that their pet cat snoop was gone, how they named him snap, and how it was discovered that he could do tricks, are all part of the story. there were many more happenings after the twins started in at school. mr. bobbsey's boathouse caught fire in a mysterious manner. snap was found to be a circus dog, and it was pretty certain that the fat lady in the train had also belonged to the show, and that it was she who had the valuable silver cup. in time all was straightened out, and how snoop came back from the circus in far-off cuba, how snap was allowed to stay with the bobbseys, and how even the cup was finally recovered--all this you will find set down in the fourth book of this series. and now winter had come in earnest, though even before this story opens the bobbsey twins had had a taste of snow and ice. the accident on the coasting hill now occupied the attention of all. "oh, nan! nan will be killed!" cried flossie, as she stood with freddie gazing down the slope. "no, she won't!" exclaimed freddie, "bert is going to save her--you'll see!" "oh, if he only can!" murmured nellie parks, one of nan's friends. "i think he will! see, he is coming nearer to them," added grace lavine, another friend. danny rugg, mean as he was, was not quite so mean as to discourage this hope. some of the girls on the sleds that were coming nearer to the rushing horses seemed about to roll off, rather than take chances of steering out of the way of the steeds. "what can bert be going to do?" asked grace. "how can he save them?" "i don't know," answered nellie. "let's watch him. maybe he's going to stop the horses." "he'd never dare!" murmured grace. "oh, bert is brave," was the answer. but bert had no intention of leaping for the horses' heads just now. his first idea was to get his sister and the other girls to a place of safety. as he came near to them, his sled going much faster than theirs, he called out: "steer to the right! go to the right! i'll see if i can't make the horses go over to one side." "all right!" cried nan, who understood what her brother meant. "keep to the right, girls," she called to her frightened chums, "and don't any of you fall off!" those who had been about to roll from their sleds now held on with firmer clasps. they were close to the runaway team now. bert was near to them also, and, while wondering to whom they belonged, and whether they had injured their driver or anyone else in their mad rush, he caught up a handful of snow as his sled glided onward. it was hard work to throw the snow ball at the horses, going down hill as he was, but bert managed to do it. he had the good luck to hit one of the animals with the wad of snow, and this sent the horse over to one side, its mate following. this was just what bert wanted, as it gave nan and the others more room to coast past them. and this is just what the girls did. their sleds whizzed past the runaways, one sled, on which hattie jenson rode, almost grazing a hoof. "now you're safe!" cried bert. "keep on to the foot of the hill! you're all right!" he gathered up another handful of snow, and threw it at the steeds, making them swerve more than ever towards the side of the hill. then one of the animals slipped and stumbled. this caused them both to slow up, and bert, seeing this, left his sled, rolling off, and letting it go down without him. hardly thinking of what he was doing, he ran for the heads of the horses. perhaps it was not just wise, for bert was not very tall, but he was brave. however, he was not to stop the runaways all alone, for just then some of the larger boys, who had been rushing down the hill, came up, and before the horses could start off again several lads had grasped them by the bridles and were quieting them. "that was a good idea of yours, bert bobbsey," said frank miller. "a fine idea, lo throw snowballs at them. it made them go to one side all right, and slowed them up." "i wanted to save the girls," said bert, who was panting from his little run. "whose team is it?" asked another boy. "i don't know," answered bert. "i can't say that i ever saw them before. there's no one in the sled, anyhow, though it is pretty well loaded with stuff." he and the other boys looked into the vehicle. it contained a number of boxes and bags. then the boys looked down the hill and saw that the girls who had been in danger were now safe. nan and the others were walking up, dragging their sleds. the boys then noticed a man half running up the slope. he was waving his arms in an excited fashion. "i guess that's the man who owns the horses," said charley mason. there was no doubt of it a few minutes later, when the man came close enough to make himself heard. "are they all right, boys?" he asked. "are my horses hurt?" "they don't seem to be," answered frank. "that's good. are my things all right?" "everything seems to be here," said charley mason, who was standing beside bert. "i know who he is now," went on charley in a low tone to his chum. "he's mr. james carford, of newton." "he's lame," observed bert, for the man limped slightly. "yes, he was in the war," went on charley. "he's real rich, too, but peculiar, they say." by this time aged mr. carford was looking over the team and the sled and its contents. he seemed weary and out of breath. "yes, everything is all right," he said slowly. "i hope no one was hurt by my runaways, i never knew 'em to do that before. i left 'em outside the store a minute while i went in to get something, and they must have taken fright. i hope no one was hurt." "no, everyone got out of the way in time," said bert. "that's good. who stopped the horses?" the old man asked. "bert bobbsey," answered frank miller. "he warned his sister and the other girls to steer to one side, and then he threw snow at the horses and made them fall down. then they slowed up so we could grab 'em." "ha! bert bobbsey did that, eh?" exclaimed aged mr. carford. "so this is the second time a bobbsey has mixed up in my family affairs. the second time," and mr. carford looked at bert in a peculiar manner. "did you fall out of the sled, mr. carford?" asked another boy, coming up just then. "no, they started off when i was in the store. funny, too, that they should. well, i'm glad there's no one hurt and no damage done. i couldn't walk home to newton. i'm much obliged to you boys. and to you too, bert bobbsey. "are you richard bobbsey's son?" he suddenly asked, peering at bert from beneath his shaggy eyebrows. "yes, sir." "ha! i thought so. you look like him. you do things like him, too, without stopping to be asked. yes, this is the second time a bobbsey has meddled with my family affairs. trying to do me a good turn, i suppose. well, well!" and he seemed lost in thought. "what is it? what is the matter?" asked nan, in a low voice of her brother, as she came to stand beside him. "is he finding fault because you helped stop his runaway horses?" "no, nan. i don't exactly understand what he does mean," answered bert. "there seems to be some mystery about it." chapter iii the big snowball for a time mr. carford seemed more worried about the possible injury to his team, and the loss of some of his goods in the sled, than he was concerned about thanking the boys who had stopped the runaways. then, as he found by looking them over, that the horses were all right, and that nothing was missing, he approached bert and the others, saying: "well, boys, i'm much obliged to you. i can't tell you how much. no telling what damage the horses might have done if you hadn't stopped 'em. and i'm glad no one was hurt. "now i reckon you boys aren't much different than i was, when i was a youngster, and i guess you like sweets about the same. here are a couple of dollars, bert bobbsey. i wish you'd treat all your friends to hot chocolate soda or candy or whatever you like best. it isn't exactly pay for what you did, but it just shows i'm not forgetful." "oh, we didn't stop the horses for money!" cried bert, drawing back. "i know you didn't," answered mr. carford, with a smile, "and i'm not paying you either. you stopped the horses, or you tried to stop them, bert, to save your sister and the other girls. i understand that all right. but the horses were stopped just the same, and please take this as a little thank offering, if nothing else. please do." he held out the two-dollar bill, and bert did not feel like refusing. he accepted the money with murmured thanks, and as mr. carford climbed into the sled, limping more than ever after his run up the hill, the aged man muttered: "the second time a bobbsey has been mixed up in my affairs. i wonder what will happen when the third time comes?" calling good-byes to the boys and girls, and again thanking them for what they had done, mr. carford drove off amid a jingle of bells. "what do you s'pose he meant by saying this was the second time a bobbsey had been mixed up in his family affairs?" asked charley mason of bert. "i haven't the least idea. i never knew mr. carford before this. i'll ask my father." "is that bill real?" asked one boy, referring to the money. "it sure is," answered bert, looking at it. "come on to the drugstore and well spend it. that's what it's for." "going to treat danny rugg, and his crowd, too?" asked frank miller. "well, i guess mr. carford wanted this money to be spent on everyone on the hill, so it includes danny," answered bert slowly. but danny and his particular friends held back from bert, and did not share in the treat. probably danny did not want to come to too close quarters with bert after the attempt made to get freddie's sled. the excitement caused by the runaway was over now. bert got back his sled and, as interest in coasting had waned at the prospect of hot chocolate sodas, the crowd of boys and girls trooped from the hill and started toward town, where there was a favorite drug store. standing about the soda counter the boys and girls discussed the recent happening. "what did you think, nan, when you saw the team coming?" asked grace lavine. "i really don't know what i did think," answered nan. "weren't you awfully frightened?" inquired nellie parks. "oh, i suppose i was. but i hoped i could steer out of the way, and i remember hoping that flossie and freddie were in a safe place." "oh,--we were all right," said freddie quickly. "flossie and i were watching the horses. this chocolate is awful good!" he added with a sigh. "is there any money left, bert?" "yes, a little," answered his brother "but you have had your share." "oh, if there is any left let him and flossie have it," suggested grace. "they're the smallest ones here." "yes, do," urged nellie, and as several others agreed that this was the thing to do, the two little bobbsey twins each had another cup of chocolate. "though freddie has almost as much outside his mouth as inside it," said nan, with a laugh. then the merry party of boys and girls trooped homeward, bert and nan thinking on the way of the strange words of mr. carford and wondering what he meant by them. several of the older boys, who knew the old gentleman, told something of him. he was a strange character, living in a fine old homestead. he was said to be queer on certain matters, but kind and good, and quite charitable, especially at christmas time, to the poor of that country neighborhood. "we'll ask papa about him when we get home," said bert. "maybe he can explain it." but when the bobbsey twins reached their house they found that their father had suddenly been called away on a business trip to last for some days, and so they did not see him. "i haven't the least idea what mr. carford meant," said mrs. bobbsey, when they had asked her. "i did not even know that your father knew him. i am sorry you children were in danger on the hill." "oh, it wasn't much, mother," said bert quickly, for he feared if his parent grew too worried she might put a stop to the winter fun. supper was soon ready and then came a happy period before bedtime--that is happy after lessons had been learned. snoop the black cat, and snap, the smart circus dog, were allowed in the living room, to do some of their tricks, snoop having been taught a number while with the fat lady in the circus. bert fell asleep vainly wondering about the queer words of mr. carford, and he dreamed that he was sliding down hill on the back of a horse who turned somersaults, every now and then, into a bag of popcorn. coasting came to an end the next day, for there was a big snow storm, and the hill would not be in good condition until the white flakes were packed hard on the slope. but there were other forms of sport--snowballing, the making of forts, snow houses and snow men, so that the bobbseys and their friends were kept busy. then came a little thaw, and the snow was just soft enough to roll into big balls. "it's just right for making a large fort!" exclaimed danny rugg one day, after school was out. "we'll roll up a lot of big balls, put them in lines on four sides and make a square fort. then, we'll choose sides and have a snow fight." the other boys agreed to this, and soon bert and the others, including danny and his friends, were busily engaged. for the time being the hard feeling between danny and bert was forgotten. the fort was finished, and there was a spirited snow battle about it, one side trying to capture it and the other trying to stop them. bert's side managed to get into the fort, driving the others out. "oh, we'll beat you to-morrow!" taunted danny, when the battle was over. the next morning, when the children assembled at school, they saw a strange sight. on the front steps of the building was a great snowball, so large that it almost hid the door from sight. and working at it, trying to cut it away so that the entrance could be used, was the janitor. he was having hard work it seemed. "who did it?" "who put it there?" "say, it's frozen fast, too!" "somebody will get into trouble about this." these were only a few of the things said when the children saw the big snowball on the school steps. "it's frozen fast all right enough," said the janitor, grimly. "whoever put it there poured water over it, and it's frozen so fast that i'll have to chop it away piece by piece. all day it will take me, too, and me with all the paths to clean!" when the classes were assembled for the morning exercises mr. tetlow, the school principal, stepped to the edge of the platform, and said: "i presume you have all seen the big snow ball on the front steps. whoever put it there did a very wrong thing. i know several boys must have had a hand in it, for one could not do it alone. i will now give those who did it a chance to confess. if they will admit it, and apologize, i will let the matter drop. if not i will punish them severely. now are you ready to tell, boys? i may say that i have a clue to at least one boy who had a hand in the trick." mr. tetlow paused. there was silence in the room, and the boys looked one at the other. who was guilty? chapter iv the accusation for what seemed a long time mr. tetlow stood looking over the room full of pupils. one could have heard a pin drop, so quiet was it. the hard breathing of the boys and girls could be heard. from over in a corner where danny rugg sat, came a sound of whispering. "quiet!" commanded the principal sharply. "there must be no talking. i will wait one minute more for the guilty ones to acknowledge that they rolled the big snowball on the steps. then, if they do not speak, i shall have something else to say." the minute ticked slowly off on the big clock. no one spoke. bert glanced from side to side as he sat in his seat, wondering what would come next. many others had the same thought. "i see no one wishes to take advantage of my offer," said mr. tetlow slowly. "very well. you may all go to your class-rooms, with the exception of bert bobbsey. i wish to see him in my office at once. do you hear, bert?" there was a gasp of astonishment, and all eyes were turned on bert. he grew red in the face, and then pale. he could see nan looking at him curiously, as did other girls. bert was glad flossie and freddie were not in the room, for the kindergarten children did not assemble for morning exercises with the larger boys and girls. flossie and freddie might have been frightened at the solemn talk. for a moment bert could hardly believe what he had heard. he was wanted in mr. tetlow's office! it did not seem possible. and there was but one explanation of it. it must be in connection with the big snowball. and bert knew he had had no hand in putting it on the school steps. there was a buzz of talk, many whisperings, and some one spoke aloud. it sounded like danny rugg, but poor bert was so confused at his own plight that he could not be sure. "silence!" commanded mr. tetlow, as the boys and girls marched to their various rooms. "bert, you will wait for me in my office," he added. poor bert looked all around. he met many glances that were kind, and others, from danny rugg's friends, that were not. nan waved her hand at her brother as she passed him, and bert smiled at her. he made up his mind to be brave. bert went to the principal's office, and sat in a chair. there was another boy there, who looked at bert in a questioning manner. "are you here to get some writing paper, bert?" asked the other boy. "miss kennedy sent me for some." "no," answered bert. "i only wish i was. i guess mr. tetlow thinks i had something to do with the big snowball." "did you?" "i did not!" exclaimed bert quickly. the principal entered a little later, gave to the other boy the package of writing paper miss kennedy had sent for, and then sat down beside bert. "i am sorry to have to do this, bert," he said, "but this is a serious matter and i must treat it seriously. now again, i ask if you have anything to say to me? perhaps you were too worried to stand up before the whole school." "no, sir," answered bert, "i don't know that i have anything to say, if you mean about the big snowball." "then you deny that you had anything to do with it?" "yes, sir. i never helped roll it on the steps." "do you know who did?" "no, sir. i haven't the least idea." "and you were not anywhere near it?" "no, sir." "ahem! let me ask you, have you a knife, bert?" without thinking bert's hand went to his pocket, and then, as he recalled something, his face turned red, and he said: "i have one, but i haven't got it now." "is this it?" asked mr. tetlow, suddenly holding out one. bert did not need to give more than a single glance at it to know that it was his knife. it had his name on the handle and had been given him by his father at christmas. "yes, that's mine," he said slowly. "so i thought. and do you know where it was found, bert?" "no, mr. tetlow, i haven't any idea." "suppose i told you the janitor picked it up on the steps almost under the big snowball? if i tell you that what have you to say?" "well, mr. tetlow, i'll have to say that i don't know anything about it. i didn't drop my knife there, i'm sure." "then someone else must have done it. be careful now, bert. i don't want to be hasty, but it looks to me very much as though you were one of the boys who had played this trick--a trick that has made considerable trouble. i am sure there must have been others concerned with you, and i am almost positive that you had a hand in it. "now i am not going to ask you to tell tales against your companions. i don't believe in that sort of thing. but i am very sorry that you did not admit at first that you had a share in rolling the big ball. very sorry, bert." "but, mr. tetlow, i didn't do it!" cried poor bert, the tears coming into his eyes. "i don't know how my knife got there, but i do know i didn't help roll that ball. please believe me; won't you?" for a moment the principal was silent. then he said slowly: "bert, i would very much like to believe you, for i have always found you a good, manly and upright boy. but the evidence is strong against you i am sorry to say. and this trick was one i can not easily overlook. rolling the snowball on the steps was bad enough, but when water was poured over it, to freeze, and become ice, making it so much harder to clean off, it made matters so much worse. "besides making a lot of work for the janitor, there was danger that some of the teachers might slip on the icy path and be injured. if your knife had only been found lying on top of the ice i might think you had come up merely to look at the big ball, and had dropped your property there. but the knife was found frozen fast, showing that it must have been dropped during the time the water was poured on the steps. so you see whoever left it there must have been on hand when the trick was played." "that may be true, mr. tetlow!" cried bert, "but i did not leave my knife there. i remember now--i can explain it! i couldn't think, at first, but i see it now." "very well," said mr. tetlow quietly, "i'll hear what you have to say, bert." chapter v holidays at hand bert bobbsey was thinking rapidly. something that he had nearly forgotten came suddenly to his mind, and he hoped it would clear him of the accusation. and what he had seen, that brought back to his mind something that he had nearly forgotten, was the sight of an elderly gentleman driving past the school in a sled. it was aged mr. carford, whose runaway team bert had helped stop that day on the hill. "will you let me call in mr. carford?" asked bert of the principal. "call in mr. carford?" repeated mr. tetlow in some surprise. "what for?" "because, sir," said bert eagerly, "he saw me lend my knife to jimmie belton last night, and he can tell you that i went on home, leaving my knife with jimmie." "ha! do you mean to say that jimmie dropped it in the ice on the school steps?" "no, mr. tetlow, i don't mean to say that. but i can prove by mr. carford that i went home last night without my knife. please call him in." bert thought of the strange old man, who had made such an odd remark concerning the bobbsey family. and bert was determined to find out what it meant, but, as yet, he had had no chance, as his father was still away on a business trip. "very well, we shall see what mr. carford has to say," spoke the principal. "and i will have jimmie belton in also." mr. tetlow pressed a bell button that called the janitor, and the latter, who was still chopping away at the frozen steps, came to see what was wanted. "just call to that old gentleman going past in the bob sled to come in here," said mr. tetlow. "he is mr. carford." "tell him bert bobbsey wants to see him," added the boy, amazed at his own boldness. "yes, you may do that," said mr. tetlow, as the janitor looked toward him. somehow the principal was beginning to doubt bert's guilt now. from the office window bert watched the janitor hail the aged man, who paused for a minute, and then, tying his team, came on toward the school. bert's heart was lighter now. he was sure the old gentleman would bear out what he had said, and bert felt he would be glad to do him a good turn in part payment for what bert and his chums had done in catching the runaways. "mr. carford," began mr. tetlow, who knew the aged man slightly, "there has been trouble here, and bert bobbsey thinks perhaps you can help clear it up. so i have asked you to step in for a moment." then he told about the big snowball, and mentioned how he had come to suspect bert. "but bert tells me," went on mr. tetlow, "that you saw him lending his knife to jimmie belton last night. may i ask you, is that so?" "why, yes, it is," said the aged man slowly. "i'll tell you how it was." he nodded at bert in a friendly way, and there was a twinkle in his deep-set eyes. "it was just toward dusk last evening," went on mr. carford, "and i was on my way home to newton. i'd been in town buying some supplies, and near the cross roads i met bert and another boy." "that was jimmie," said bert eagerly. "well, i heard you call him jimmie--that's all i know," said mr. carford. "bert was cutting a branch from a tree, and when i came up to them i offered them a ride as far as i was going. they got in, and bert here was whittling away with his knife as he sat beside me. yes, that's the knife," said mr. carford, as the principal showed it to him. "i was making a ramrod for a toy spring gun i have," explained bert. "it shoots long sticks, like arrows, and i had lost one of my best ones, so on the way home i cut another. then just before mr. carford gave us the ride, jimmie came along and asked me to lend him my knife. i said i would as soon as i had finished making my arrow. i did finish it in the sled and i gave him my knife just before we got out." mr. tetlow looked inquiringly at mr. carford, who nodded in answer. "yes," said the aged man, "that was the way of it. bert did lend that other boy--jimmie he called him--his knife. i saw the two boys separate and jimmie carried off bert's knife. but that's all i do know. the snowball business i have nothing to do with." "no, i suppose not," said the principal slowly. "i am sorry now that i said what i did, bert. but there still remains the question of how your knife got on the steps. do you think jimmie had a hand in putting the snowball there?" "i don't know, mr. tetlow. i wouldn't like to say." "no, of course not. i'll have jimmie here." the principal called a messenger and sent him for jimmie, who came to the office wondering what it was all about. without telling him what was wanted mr. tetlow asked jimmie this question quickly: "what did you do with bert's knife he lent it to you last night?" for a moment jimmie was confused. a strange look came over his face. he clapped his hand to his pocket and exclaimed: "i--i lent it to danny rugg." "danny rugg!" cried bert. "no, i didn't exactly lend it to danny," explained jimmie, "for i knew, bert, that you and he weren't very friendly. but after you let me take it last night, to start making that sailboat i was telling you about, i forgot all about promising you that i'd bring it back after supper. then danny came over, and he helped me with the boat. when he saw i had your knife, and when he heard me say i must take it back, he offered to leave it for you when he came past your house the next time." "and did you give it to him?" asked the principal. "yes, i did," answered jimmie. "i thought he would do as he said. he took the knife when he went home from my house." "but he never gave it to me!" said bert quickly. "i am beginning to believe he did not," said the principal. "i think we will have danny in here." the bully came in rather defiant, and stared boldly around at those in the office. mr. tetlow resolved on a surprising plan. "danny," he said suddenly, "why did you put bert's knife on the step, and let it freeze there to make it look as though bert had helped place the snowball in front of the door? why did you?" "i--i--" stammered danny, "i didn't--" "be careful now," warned the principal. "we have heard the whole story. jimmie has told how you promised to leave the knife with bert, but you did not." danny swallowed a lump in his throat. he was much confused, and finally he broke down and admitted that he had been present and had helped roll the snowball on the steps. "but i wasn't the only one!" he exclaimed. "there was--" "tut tut!" exclaimed the principal. "i want no tale-bearing. i think those who did the trick will confess now, after i tell them what has happened. danny, it was very wrong of you to play such a joke, but it was much worse to try to throw the blame on bert by leaving his knife there." "i--i didn't do it on purpose," said danny. "the knife must have slipped out of my pocket." but no one believed that, for danny was known to have a grudge against bert, and that was reason enough for trying to throw the blame on our little hero. but bert was soon cleared, for, a little later, when mr. tetlow called the school together, saying that he had been mistaken in regard to bert, and relating what had come out about the knife, several of the boys who, with danny had placed the big ball on the steps, admitted their part in it. they were all punished, but danny most of all, for his mean act in trying to make it look as though bert had done it. "well," said mr. carford, as he took his leave, having helped to prove bert's innocence "this time i have had a chance to do a bobbsey a favor, in return for one you did me, bert." "yes, sir," answered bert, not knowing what else to say. he was puzzling over what strange connection there might be between his family and mr. carford. "come up and see me sometime," said the aged man. "and bring your brother and sisters, bert. i'll be glad to see them at my place. i'm going to stay home all this winter. i'm getting too old to go to snow lodge anymore." bert wondered what snow lodge was, but he did not like to ask. thus was cleared up the mystery of the big snowball, and bert's many friends were as glad as he was himself that he had been found innocent. there came more snow storms, followed by freezing weather after a thaw, and the boys and girls had much fun on the ice, a number of skating races having been arranged among the school pupils. the end of the mid-winter term was approaching, and the christmas holidays would soon be at hand. then would come a three week's vacation, and the bobbsey twins were talking about how they could spend it. "it's too cold to go to the seashore," said nan with a shiver, as she looked out of the window over the snowy yard. "and the country would be about the same," added bert. "oh, it's lovely in the country during the winter, i think," said nan. "we could get up a circus in the barn, with snoop and snap," said flossie, who was busy over a picture book. "then i'm going to be the ring-master and crack a big whip and wear big boots!" cried freddie. "i do hope papa will be home for christmas," sighed nan, for mr. bobbsey's business trip, in relation to lumber matters, had kept him away from home longer than expected. "i have good news for you, children," said mrs. bobbsey, coming into the room just then with a letter. "your father is coming home to-morrow." "oh, how nice!" cried nan. "i hope he brings us something," said freddie. "i'll have a chance to ask him about mr. carford," thought bert. "i wonder what that old man meant by his strange words?" chapter vi a visit to mr. carford "freddie, what in the world are you doing?" "flossie! oh dear! you children! you have the place all upset!" mrs. bobbsey, who had come into the big living room, to see the two younger twins engaged in some strange proceedings, paused at the doorway to look on. indeed the place was upset, for the chairs had been dragged out from against the walls and from corners to be placed in a row before a large sofa. from one corner of this to a side wall was stretched a sheet, and in another corner, in a pen made of chairs, could be seen the wagging tail of snap, the trick dog. "what in the world are you doing?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "oh, dear, how i do dread a rainy day!" for it was pouring outside, and the older, as well as the younger twins had to stay in doors. "we're playing circus," explained freddie gravely, as he peered between the "bars" of the cage made of chairs. "snap is a lion," went on the little fellow. "growl, snap!" and snap, always ready to have fun, growled and barked to satisfy the most exacting circus lover. "oh dear!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "i'll never get this room straightened out again." "oh, we'll fix it, mamma, after the circus," said flossie sweetly. "sit down and see the show. i'll make snoop do some of the tricks the fat circus lady taught her," and flossie lifting up one corner of the sheet, showed the black cat curled up on a cushion, while back of her, tied by one leg, was downy the pet duck. "this was going to be the happy family cage," explained flossie, "only when we had snap in here he kept playing with downy, and downy quacked and that made snoop nervous so we couldn't do it very well." "so we made snap the lion, and part of the time he's going to be the tiger," said freddie. "dinah is going to give us some blueing that she uses on the clothes, and i'm going to paint stripes on snap." "don't you dare do it," said mrs. bobbsey, "the idea of painting blue stripes on poor snap! whoever heard of a blue-striped tiger?" and she tried hard not to laugh. "well, this is a new kind," said freddie. "sit down, mamma, and we'll make snoop do a trick for you. make her chase her tail, flossie." "no, i'll make her walk a tight rope," said the little girl. "that's more of a trick." flossie got her jumping rope, which she had little use for now, and tied it from the back of one chair to the back of another, placed some distance away. then she pulled the rope tight between them, and, taking snoop up in her arms, placed the cat carefully on the stretched rope. snoop stood still for a minute, meowing a little and waving her tail back and forth. poor snoop! the black cat did not like to do tricks as well as did snap. no cats do. but snap, when he saw what was going on, was eager to show off what he could do. he leaped about in his chair "cage," barking loudly, much to the delight of freddie who liked to hear the "lion" roar. "go on, snoop!" called the twins, and gave the cat a gentle shove. then snoop did really walk across the rope, for it was almost as easy as walking the back fence, which snoop had often done. only the rope was not as steady as the fence. but the fat circus lady had trained the black cat well, and snoop performed the trick to the delight of the children. "that is very good," said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, see! snap is turning a somersault in his cage. poor dog, let him out, freddie; won't you?" "he isn't a dog--he's a lion," insisted the little boy. "i dassen't let out a lion, or he might bite you." but snap had no idea of playing the lion all the while. suddenly downy, the duck, with a loud quack, got her leg loose from the string and flew out across the room. this so surprised snoop, who had started back over the tight rope, that he fell off with a cry of alarm. this was too much for snap, who evidently did not think he was having his share of the fun. with a loud bark and a rush he burst from his cage of chairs, intent on playing with snoop, for he and the cat were great friends. just at that moment fat dinah, the colored cook, came into the room to ask mrs. bobbsey something. snoop, seeing the open door, and being tired of doing tricks for the children, made a dash to get out, darting under dinah's skirts. snap, thinking this was part of the game, rushed after his friend the cat, but when he tried to dive underneath dinah's dress there was an accident. he knocked the feet from under the fat cook, and she sat down on the floor with a force that jarred the whole house, just missing sitting on snap. "fo' de lub ob goodness what am de mattah?" cried dinah. "am it an earfquake mrs. bobbsey?" "i don't know, dinah!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, wanting to laugh, and yet not wishing to hurt dinah's feelings. "the children said it was a circus, i believe. here, snap!" she called, as the dog rushed on after snoop. just then downy, the duck, sailed back across the room, and lighted squarely on dinah's black and kinky head, where the fowl perched "honking" loudly. "good land ob massy!" murmured dinah over and over again. "mo' trouble!" flossie and freddie were so surprised at the sudden ending of their circus that they did not know what to do. then they both raced to capture the duck. "one of the dining-room windows is open!" called freddie. "if downy flies out he'll freeze. grab him, dinah!" "chile!" cried the colored cook slowly, "i ain't got bref enough lef to ketch eben a mosquito. but yo'-all don't need to worry none about dish yeah duck gittin loose. his feet am all tangled up in mah wool, an' i guess you'l hab t' help git 'em loose, chilluns!" it was indeed so. downy's webbed feet were fast in dinah's kinky hair, and it took some time to disentangle them. then the cook could get up, which she did with many a sigh and groan. "are you hurt, dinah?" asked flossie. "if you are you can come to our circus for nothing; can't she, freddie?" "yes," he answered, "only we haven't got a circus now. it's all gone except downy." "well, i think you have played enough circus for to-day," said mrs. bobbsey "straighten up the room now, and have some other kind of fun." the dog and cat, satisfied to get out of their cages, had gone to the kitchen, where they could generally find something good to eat. then flossie and freddie were kept busy putting back the chairs, and setting the room in order. it was a day or so after the return of mr. bobbsey from his business trip, and though bert had asked his father about mr. carford, the lumber dealer had not yet had time to give any explanation. "it is quite a little story," he said. "i'll tell you about it some time, bert. but now i have a lot of back work to catch up with, on account of being away so long, and i'll have to go to the office early, and i'll be late getting home." so the little incident had not yet been explained. the christmas holidays were drawing nearer, and there were busy times in the bobbsey household. flossie and freddie were expecting a visit from santa claus, and they wrote many letters to the dear old saint, telling what they wished to receive. "but have you thought of what you are going to _give?_" asked mrs. bobbsey one day, a short time before christmas. "it is more fun to give things than it is to get them, you know." "is it?" asked flossie, who had never heard of it in that way before. "indeed it is," said mrs. bobbsey. "you just try it. if you have any toys you don't care for any more, or even some that you do, and wish to give away, or books or other playthings, and if you will gather them up, i'll see that they are given to some poor children who may not have a very good christmas." the smaller twins thought this would be very nice, and they were soon busy over their possessions. bert and nan heard what was going on, and they insisted on giving their share also, so that quite a box full of really good toys were collected. a day or so later, when the weather had cleared, bert came in from coasting, and said, "mother, couldn't nan and i take a ride over to mr. carford's house? he is out in front in his sled, and he says he'll bring us back before dark. may we go?" "why, i guess so," said mrs. bobbsey, slowly. "i don't believe your father would object. but wrap up well, for it is chilly." "and can't we go, too?" begged flossie "yes, we want to," added freddie. "please, mamma!" "well, i guess so," agreed mrs. bobbsey, "will you look after them, bert and nan?" "oh, yes," promised the two older twins, while bert explained that he had met mr. carford, who was on his way home from the store, and had been given a ride. the invitation had followed. "i'll take good care of them, mrs. bobbsey," said the elderly gentleman, as mrs. bobbsey went out to tuck in flossie and freddie "i've got to run into newton and back again this afternoon, so i thought they'd like the ride." "indeed it is very kind of you," said the children's mother. "i hope they will be no trouble." "of course they won't. remember me to mr. bobbsey when he comes home. ask him to come and see me when he has time. i want to talk to him about a certain matter." "all right," said mrs. bobbsey, and bert wondered if it had to do with the secret. the drive out to newton, which was a few miles from lakeport, was much enjoyed by the bobbsey twins. the speedy horses pulled the sled over the white snow, the jingle of the strings of bells around them mingling with other musical chimes on sleds that they met, or passed. they saw danny rugg out driving with his mother in a stylish cutter, and danny rather "turned up his nose" at the old bob sled in which the bobbseys were riding. but bert and his sisters and brother did not mind that. they were having a good time. "here we are!" called mr. carford after a fine ride. "come in and get warm. i guess my sister has a few cookies left," for a maiden sister kept house for the old gentleman. into the big old-fashioned farmhouse the children tramped, to be met by a motherly-looking woman, who helped them brush the snow from their feet. then she bustled about, and brought in a big pitcher of milk, a plateful of molasses cookies, and some glasses. the children's eyes sparkled at the sight of this fine lunch. "there you are!" cried mr. carford heartily, as he passed around the good things. "eat as much as is good for you. i've got to go out to the barn for a while. emma," he asked his sister, "have you got any more packages made up?" "james carford, are you going to give away more stuff?" demanded his sister. "why, you'll be in the poorhouse first thing you know." "oh, i guess not," he said with a laugh, "we can afford it, and there's many who can't. it's going to be a hard winter on the poor. put up a few more packages, and i'll tie up some bags of potatoes!" "i never saw such a man--never in all my born days!" exclaimed miss carford, shaking her head. "he'd give away the roof over us if i didn't watch him." "what is he doing?" asked bert. "oh, the same as he does every christmas," said the sister-housekeeper. "he makes up packages, bundles, baskets and bags of things to eat, and gives them to all the poor families he can hear of. he was poor once himself, you know, and he never can forget it." "he is very kind," said nan, in a low voice. "yes, he is that," agreed miss carford, "and i suppose i oughtn't to find fault. but he does give away an awful lot." she went out to look after matters in the kitchen, leaving the children to eat their lunch of milk and cookies alone for a few minutes. presently mr. carford came back, stamping the snow from his boots. "ha!" he cried, as he went close to the stove to warm his hands. "this reminds me of the winters i used to spend at snow lodge on lake metoka. were you ever up there?" and he looked at bert. "no, sir." "ha! i thought not. it's a fine place. but i don't go there any more--never any more," and he shook his head sadly. "did it burn down?" asked freddie, who was always interested in fires and firemen. "couldn't they put it out?" "no, freddie, it didn't burn down," said mr. carford. "sometimes i almost wish it had--before my trouble happened," he added slowly. "yes, i almost wish it had. but snow lodge still stands, though i haven't been near it for some years. i couldn't go. no, i couldn't go," and he shook his head sadly. "i just couldn't go." the bobbsey children did not know what to think. mr. carford seemed very sad. suddenly he turned away from the fire that blazed on the hearth, and asked: "did i ever tell you about snow lodge?" "no," said bert, softly. "then i will," went on the aged man. "i don't tell many, but i will you. and maybe you could make some use of the place now that the holidays are here. i used to spend all my christmas holidays there, but i don't any more. never any more. but i'll tell you about it," and he settled himself more comfortably in the big chair. chapter vii the story of snow lodge "when i was a boy," began mr. carford after a pause, during which he looked into the blazing fire, "i lived on a farm, and i had to work very hard." "we were on a farm once, weren't we, flossie?" interrupted freddie. "hush, dear," said nan in a low voice "listen to mr. carford's story." "that isn't a story," insisted flossie. "he didn't begin it right. he must say: 'once upon a time, a good many years ago--!'" mr. carford laughed. "so i should, my dear!" he exclaimed. "it's been so long since i've told a story to little folks that i've forgotten how, i guess. "so i'll begin over again. once upon a time, a good many years ago, i was a little boy, and i lived on a farm. i guess it must have been the same sort of a farm you and flossie went to, freddie, for we had cows and horses and pigs and chickens and sheep. there was lots of work, and, as my father was not rich, i had to help as soon as i got old enough. "but, for all that, i had good times. i thought so then and, though i'm an old man now, i still think so. but the good times did not last long enough. i wish i could go back to them. "but i stayed on the farm a good many years, with my brothers and sisters, and finally when i grew up, and thought i was big enough to start to work for myself, i ran away." "did you--did you get lost?" asked flossie, with her eyes wide open, staring at mr. carford. "no, my dear, i didn't exactly get lost. but i thought there was easier work than living on a farm, so, instead of staying and helping my father, as i think now i should have done, i ran away to a big city. i wanted to be dressed up, and wear a white collar instead of overalls and a jumper. "but i found that life in the city, instead of being easier than on the farm, was harder, especially as i didn't know much about it. many a time i wished i was back with my father, but i was too proud to admit that i had made a mistake. so i kept on working in the city, and finally i began to forget all about the farm. "i won't make this story too long, for you might get tired of it," said mr. carford, as he got up to put a log on the fire. "oh, we like stories; don't we, freddie?" said flossie. "yes," said freddie softly. "i know, my dear," said the old man kindly, "but i am afraid you wouldn't like my kind. anyhow i kept on working in the city--in one city after another--until i became successful and then, in time, i got rich." "rich!" cried freddie. "very rich?" and his big eyes opened wide. "freddie!" cautioned nan, with a sharp look. "oh, i don't mind!" laughed mr. carford "yes, i got quite rich, and then i thought it was time to go back to the old farm, and see my father. my mother had died before i went away. maybe if she had lived i wouldn't have gone. and then i began to find out that life wasn't all happiness just because you had money. "my father had died too, and the old farm had been sold. my brother and sisters had gone--some were married and some had died. i found i was a lonesome old man, with few friends, and hardly any relatives, left. i had been too busy getting rich, you see, to take time to make friends. "well, i didn't know what to do. all the while, you understand, i had been counting on going back to the farm, with a lot of money, and saying to my father: 'now, daddy, you've worked hard enough. you can stop now, and have happiness the rest of your life.' but you see my father wasn't there. i was too late. "so i made up my mind the best thing i could do was to buy back the old farm, and spend the rest of my days there, for the sake of old times. well, i did buy the place, and i named it 'snow lodge,' for there used to be lots of snow there in the winter time. i fixed the old house all over new, put in a furnace, and other things to make it comfortable, and i lived there for some time. "i heard from some of my brothers and sisters who had also gone away from the farm, and one of my sisters, who had married a man named burdock, had become very poor. her husband had died, and she was very sick. i brought her to snow lodge to live with me, and her son, harry, a fine lad, came along. "my poor sister did not live very long, and when she died i took henry burdock to live with me. i felt toward him as toward a son, and for years we stayed in snow lodge together. "then i bought this place, and we used to spend part of the year here and part of it at snow lodge. it was a fine place winter or summer, snow lodge was." mr. carford became silent and looked again into the glowing logs on the hearth. "don't you go to snow lodge any more?" asked nan in a low voice. "no," replied the old man. "never any more. not--not since henry went away," and he seemed to be in pain. "i have never gone there since henry went away," he added, "though the place is well kept up, and it is ready to live in this minute." "did your nephew henry run away, as you did?" asked bert. "no--not exactly," was the reply. "i don't like to talk about that part of it. i like to think of snow lodge on the shore of the lake as a place where i lived when i was a boy. "oh, it's just fine there!" went on mr. carford. "in summer the grass is so green, and you can sit on the porch and look down at the lake. in the winter, when the lake is frozen over, there is skating and ice boating on it, and you can fish through the ice. and such hills as there are to coast down! and such valleys filled with snow! sometimes it seems as if the whole house would be covered with the white flakes. "but you can always keep warm in snow lodge, for there are big fireplaces, as well as the furnace, and there is plenty of wood. many times i've had a notion to go back there, but somehow i couldn't, since--since henry went away. so i came here to live with my other sister, and here i guess i'll stay the rest of my life. snow lodge is shut up, and i guess it always will be." mr. carford sighed, and kept looking at the fire. nan thought what a pity it was that snow lodge could not be used, while bert wondered what had happened between henry burdock and his uncle, mr. carford, that caused henry to go away. also bert wondered if mr. carford would explain his strange remark, made at the time the runaway horses were caught. but the aged man seemed to have forgotten it. "yes, snow lodge is closed up," said mr. carford. "i don't suppose it will ever be used again. but i've told you the story of it, and i'm afraid i've tired you." "no you haven't," said nan. "we enjoyed it very much." "that's right!" exclaimed bert. "did--did you ever see any bears there?" asked freddie, "any real big bears?" "or tigers--or--or elephants?" asked flossie, not to let her brother get ahead of her in asking questions. "huh! elephants don't grow here--only bears," said freddie. "no, i never saw anything bigger than foxes," said mr. carford with a laugh. "snow lodge isn't very far from here, you know, so you have the same kind of animals there that you have here. only there are more woods at snow lodge. "but i must be getting back with you youngsters. it is getting late and your folks may worry about you. i'll bring the sled around, and my sister emma can tuck you in. then i'll get you home, and see to my christmas packages. it's going to be a hard winter on the poor." "we give the poor people something," said freddie. "at school we all brought something just before vacation, and mr. tetlow is going to give it to all the poor people." "that was at thanksgiving, dear," said nan. "well, maybe they've got some left for christmas," said freddie, as the others laughed. "that's right--try and make other people happy, little man," said mr. carford, patting freddie's head. the big sled with the horses and their jingling bells was soon at the door. miss carford had warmed some bricks to put down in the straw, to keep the children's feet warm, and soon, cozily wrapped up, they were on their way home. chapter viii a kind offer "nan!" called freddie from under a big fur robe, as he sat in the warm straw of mr. carford's sled next to his sister. "yes, what is it?" asked nan, bending over him to look at his face in the gathering dusk of the winter afternoon. "are you warm enough, freddie?" "yes, i'm as warm as the toast dinah makes for breakfast. but say, i want to ask you--do you think we'll meet santa claus before we get home?" "no, freddie. the idea! what makes you think that?" "well, it's near christmas, and we're out in a sled, and he goes out in a sled, only with reindeers of course, and--" freddie's voice trailed off sleepily. in fact he had aroused himself from almost a nap to ask nan the question. flossie, warmly wrapped up, was already slumbering in bert's arms. "no, i don't believe we'll meet santa claus this trip," said nan. "he is only supposed to travel at night, you know, freddie." "that's so. well, if we do meet him, and i'm asleep, you wake me up: will you?" "yes, freddie," promised his sister, and she looked across at bert and smiled. the two younger twins were soon both soundly slumbering, for being out in the cold air and wind does seem to make one sleepy when, later on, one gets warm and comfortable. mr. carford sat up on the seat in front driving the sturdy horses, while the string of bells around them jingled at every step. "wasn't that a queer story of snow lodge?" asked nan of bert, in a low voice. "it surely was," he replied. "it seems too bad to have the place all shut up, with no one to use it this winter. it would be just great, i think, if we could go up there for the christmas holidays. we could go up right after christmas, and not come back until the middle of january, for school doesn't open again until then. wouldn't it be great!" "fine!" agreed nan. "but i don't s'pose we could. mr. carford doesn't want snow lodge used, i guess. but he gave us a good time at his house." "indeed he did," agreed bert. on glided the sled, the bells making merry music. a light snowfall began, and mr. carford urged the horses to faster speed, for he wanted to get back home before the storm broke. "wake up, freddie!" "wake up, flossie!" nan and bert gently shook their little brother and sister to arouse them. the sled had stopped in front of the bobbsey home. "is it--is it morning?" asked flossie, as she rubbed her eyes. "did santa claus come?" demanded freddie, trying to wiggle out of bert's arms. "not yet," laughed mr. carford. "but i think he soon will be here. can you manage them, nan--bert?" he asked. "oh, yes, we often carry them," replied nan. "they'll soon be wide awake again, and they won't want to go to sleep until late to-night, on account of the nap they've had." mrs. bobbsey was at the door waiting for the children flossie and freddie soon roused up enough to walk in. "won't you come in?" asked mrs. bobbsey of mr. carford. "i can give you a cup of tea. mr. bobbsey just came home. perhaps you'd like to say 'how-d'ye-do.'" "thanks, i'll come in for just a minute," was the answer. "then i must be getting back before the storm breaks. and i'll tie my horses, too. i can't risk another runaway," mr. carford said with a smile at bert. mr. bobbsey greeted the caller cordially, and the children were soon telling their parents of the nice visit they had had. "and miss carford can make almost as good cookies as dinah!" cried freddie. "ha! ha!" laughed mr. carford. "i'll have to tell my sister that. she'll be real proud." bert, looking from his father to mr. carford, wondered what could have once taken place between the two men. that there was some sort of secret he felt sure, and up to now there had been no explanation of the strange words used by the aged man at the time bert and the others caught the runaways. "i haven't seen you in some time, mr. bobbsey," said mr. carford, after they had talked about the weather. "no, i've been very busy, and i suppose you have also. have you been at snow lodge lately?" "no, and i don't expect to set foot in the place again. i guess you know why. and i want to say now, that though i was rather cross with you when you tried to get me to change my mind about that matter, some time ago, i want to say that i'm sorry for it. i realize that you did it for the best." "yes," said mr. bobbsey, "i did, but i know how you felt about it. i believed then, and i believe now, that you made a mistake about your nephew henry." "no, i don't think i did," was the slow reply. "i am afraid henry is a bad young man. i don't want to see him again, nor snow lodge either. but i'm glad you tried to help me. however, i have come about a different matter now. how would you and your family like to spend the winter there? how would a vacation at snow lodge suit you?" no one spoke for a few seconds. all were surprised at the kind offer made by mr. carford. "a vacation at snow lodge!" said mr. bobbsey slowly. "do you mean it, mr. carford?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i certainly do," was the answer. "i have told your youngsters something about snow lodge, and they seemed to like the place. i heard them talking among themselves, on the way back here, how they'd like to go there. "oh, that's all right--no harm done!" exclaimed mr. carford, as he looked at the blushing faces of nan and bert. "i'm glad i did overhear what you were saying. it is a shame to keep that place locked up, and i'm just beginning to realize it. "i don't want to go there myself, but that's no reason why others shouldn't. so, mr. bobbsey, if you like, you can take your whole family up there to snow lodge, near the lake, and in the woods, and stay as long as you like. here are the keys!" and mr. carford tossed a jingling bunch on the table. chapter ix mr. bobbsey's story "snow lodge! oh, papa, could we go there?" cried flossie, now wide awake. "what fun we could have!" exclaimed freddie, whose eyes were now as wide open as ever they had been. bert and nan said little, but there was a look of pleased anticipation on their faces. they, too, realized what fun they could have in a big, old-fashioned farmhouse in winter, particularly when the building was refitted with a furnace, and had big fireplaces in it. and bert was wondering, more than ever, what strange reason mr. carford could have for not wanting to go back to lovely snow lodge. "say we can go, daddy!" pleaded the two smaller twins, as they tried to get into their father's lap. "well," said mr. bobbsey slowly, "this is certainly very kind of, you, mr. carford, but i am not sure i can accept it. i am very much obliged to you, however--" "accept! of course you can accept!" exclaimed the aged man. "there's no reason why you and your family shouldn't have a holiday vacation at snow lodge. the place has been closed up a long time, but a day or so, with a good fire in it, would make it as warm as toast. i know, for i've been there on the coldest winter days. now you just plan to go up there with the wife and children, and have a good time. it might as well be used as to stand idle and vacant, as it is." "what do you say, mother?" and mr. bobbsey looked at his wife. "shall we go to snow lodge?" "the children would like it," said mrs. bobbsey slowly. "like it! i should say we would!" cried nan. "i can take some pictures of the birds with my new camera--the one i am going to get for christmas," she added with a smile. "oh ho! so you are going to have a camera for christmas; are you?" laughed her father. "i--i hope so," she replied. "and i can build a snowhouse and live in it like the esquimos," added bert. "then i'm going to live with you!" cried freddie. "please go to snow lodge, mamma!" "yes, take the youngsters up," urged mr. carford. "at least don't decide against it now. i'll leave the keys with you, and you can go any time you like. i don't suppose it will be until after christmas, though, for santa claus might not be able to get up there," and he pinched freddie's fat cheek. "no, don't go until after santa claus has been here," urged flossie seriously, and her mother laughed. "well, i must be going, anyhow," said mr. carford, after a pause. "it will be dark before i get back, and the storm seems to be coming up quickly. emma will worry, i'm afraid. now you just think it over about snow lodge," he concluded, "and i guess you will go, mr. bobbsey. you know my reasons for not wanting to set foot in the place, so i don't need to tell you. "now, good-bye. go to snow lodge, and have a good time, and when you come back, children, tell me all about it. if i can't go there at least i like to hear about the place." mr. carford went out to his team, through the now driving snow. he little realized what a joyful story the bobbsey twins were to bring back to him from snow lodge, nor how it was to change his feeling in regard for his boyhood home. "papa," said bert soberly, after the visitor had gone, leaving the keys of snow lodge behind him, "what is the secret about mr. carford and that winter place? and you're mixed up in it, i'm sure." "what makes you sure, bert?" "well, i've been thinking so ever since that day i helped to catch his runaway horses, and he said this was the second time a bobbsey had tried to do him a favor.'" "had your favor anything to do with snow lodge, papa?" asked nan, as she put her arms about his neck. "well, yes, daughter, in a way. and, since mr. carford has told you part of the story, i may as well tell you the other half, i suppose." "oh, another story!" cried flossie, in delight. "yes, we must be quiet and listen," said freddie, as he drew up a stool close to his father. "it isn't a very nice sort of story," went on mr. bobbsey. "in fact it is rather sad. but i'll tell it to you, anyhow. did mr. carford tell you about when he was a boy?" "yes, and how he went away, and came back rich, and found all his folks gone and the farm sold," said nan. "yes. well, i guess he told you then, how he took his nephew, henry burdock, to live with him. he loved henry almost as if he were his own son, and did everything for him. in fact he planned to leave him all his money. then came a quarrel." "what about?" asked bert softly. "over some money. henry was a young man who liked to spend considerable, and though he was not bad he was different from the country boys. mr. carford gave him plenty of spending money, however, and did not ask him what became of it. "then, one day, a large sum of money was missing from snow lodge. mr. carford accused henry of taking it, and henry said he had seen nothing of it. then came a quarrel, and mr. carford, in a fit of temper, drove henry away from snow lodge. there were bitter words on both sides, and after that mr. carford closed up the place, and has not been near it since. that is the part of the story mr. carford did not tell you." "but where do you come in, daddy?" asked nan. "did you find the missing money?" "no, nan, though i wish i had. but i was sure henry had not taken it, and i tried to make mr. carford believe so. that is what he meant by me trying to do him a favor. but he would not have it so, and, for a time, he had some feeling against me. but it passed away, for he realized that i was trying to help him. "but since then mr. carford and his nephew, henry burdock, have not spoken. as i said, mr. carford drove the young man away from snow lodge. it was in a raging storm and henry might have frozen, only i found him and took him to a hotel. i helped look after him until he could get a start. it was a very sad affair, and it has spoiled mr. carford's life, for he loved henry very much." "and did henry really take the money?" asked freddie. "that was wicked, i think." "you must not say so, freddie," spoke mr. bobbsey. "we do not know that henry did take it. no one knows. it is a mystery. i, myself feel sure that henry did not, but i can not prove that he did not take it. his uncle believes that he did. at any rate the money disappeared." "and where was it when mr. carford last saw it?" asked nan. "mr. carford left it on the mantlepiece in the big living room of snow lodge," said mr. bobbsey. "henry was the only other person, beside himself, who was in the room, and in some way the money was taken. i even went so far as to have a man from the police station look all over the house, hoping he could find the roll of bills somewhere, but it did not come to light. and so, ever since, there has been a bad feeling between henry and his uncle." "what does henry burdock do now?" asked bert. "he roams about the woods, as a sort of guide and hunter. sometimes, i am told, he comes close to snow lodge and looks down on it from a distant hill, thinking of the happy days he spent there." "maybe we'll see him when we go up," said freddie. "if i do i'll give him all the money in my bank so he can be friends with his uncle again." "no, freddie," said mrs. bobbsey solemnly. "you must not speak of what you have just heard. it is a sad story, and is best forgotten. both mr. carford and henry feel badly enough about it, so it will be best not to mention it. just forget all about it if we go to snow lodge." "but we are going; aren't we, papa?" asked bert. "the trip to the woods would do us all good." "well, i think we might take advantage of mr. carford's kind offer," said mr. bobbsey. "yes, we'll plan to go to snow lodge!" "hurrah!" cried nan and bert, grasping each other by the hands and swinging around in a sort of waltz. "can we take our sleds," asked flossie. "i'm going to take my skates--maybe i'll skate all the way there--i could--on the lake!" exclaimed freddie, and he wondered why the others laughed. "well, we'll make our plans later," said mrs. bobbsey. "now, children, we'll have an early supper and then you must all get to bed. christmas will come so much earlier if you go to sleep now." "oh, jolly christmas!" cried nan. "i can hardly wait!" chapter x unwelcome news "merry christmas!" "merry christmas to everybody!" "oh, christmas is here! i wonder what i got?" "i'm going to get up and see!" the bobbsey twins were calling to one another from their rooms, and papa and mamma bobbsey were replying to their children's happy greetings. it was flossie who had made the exclamation about wondering what santa claus had brought her, and it was freddie who declared he was going to get up to see. soon the patter of bare feet announced that the two younger twins were scampering downstairs. "you must put on your dressing gowns and slippers, my dears!" called mrs. bobbsey. "you'll take cold. nan, look after them; will you?" "yes, mother, in just a minute. as soon as i can find my own things," and nan got out of bed. she and bert were not in so much of a hurry as flossie and freddie for they were getting older, and though christmas was still a source of great joy to them they were not so anxious to see what gifts they had. still nan was eager to know if her camera had come. from the parlor below came cries, shouts and peals of delighted and surprised laughter as flossie and freddie discovered their different gifts. "look at my book!" cried flossie. "and a doll--a doll that you can wind up, and she walks and says 'mamma.' look, freddie!" and the little girl started the doll off across the room. "pooh! look at what i got!" cried freddie. "it's a fire engine, and it squirts real water. i'm going to put some in it, and play fire." he started for the kitchen with his toy, but nan caught him. "not just yet, little fat fireman," she said with a laugh, as she took him up in her arms. "you can't splash in the cold water until you have more clothes on. get dressed and then you may play with your toys." "all right!" answered freddie. "oh, look, i've got a wind-up steamboat, too. oh! let me down so i can look at it, nan! now please do!" nan saw a pile of her own gifts, so she set freddie down for a moment, intending to carry him up stairs a little later. she had wrapped a robe about flossie, who was contentedly playing with her newest doll, and looking at her other presents. santa claus had been kind to the bobbsey twins that christmas. bert, big boy though he thought himself getting to be, could no longer resist the temptation to come down in his bath robe to see what he had received, and a little later fat dinah, roused earlier than usual by the joyous shouts of the children, came lumbering in. "oh, dinah! dinah! look what you got!" cried flossie. "your things are all here on this chair," and the little girl led the fat cook over toward it. "things fo' me? what yo'-all talkin' 'bout chile? ole dinah don't git no christmas!" protested the jolly colored woman, laughing so that she shook all over. "yes, you do get a christmas, dinah. look here!" and flossie showed where there were some useful presents for the cook,--large aprons, warm shoes, an umbrella, and a bright shawl that dinah had been wanting for a long time. "what? all dem fo' me?" asked the surprised cook. "good land a' massy! i guess ole santa claus done gone an' made a beef-steak this time, suah!" "no, there's no mistake! see, they've got your name on!" insisted flossie. "see, dinah!" and she led the cook over to the chair where the presents were piled. there was no doubt of it, they were for dinah, and near them was another chair containing gifts for her husband, sam. he would not be in until later, however. but dinah saw a pair of rubber boots that would be very useful in the deep snow, and there were other fine presents for sam. bert and nan were now looking at their things, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey could be heard moving around upstairs, having decided that it was useless to lie abed longer now that the children were up. "come, come, flossie and freddie!" called mrs. bobbsey. "you must get dressed and then you can play as much as you like. i don't want you to get cold. if you do you can't go to snow lodge, remember!" this was enough to cause the small bobbseys to scamper upstairs. flossie carried her doll with her, and freddie took along his fire engine, for that was the gift he had most wanted, and for which he had begged and pleaded for weeks before christmas. feeling that a little liberty might be allowed on this day, mrs. bobbsey did not insist on the younger children dressing completely until after breakfast, so in their warm robes and slippers flossie and freddie were soon again examining their toys, discovering new delights every few minutes. nan was busy inspecting her camera, while bert was looking at a new postage stamp album he had long wanted, when from the kitchen where dinah was getting breakfast came a series of excited cries, mingled with laughter and shouts of: "fire! fire! fire!" "mercy! what's that?" screamed mrs. bobbsey, turning pale. mr. bobbsey made a rush for the kitchen. nan and bert, with flossie, gathered about their mother. then they heard dinah calling: "stop it, freddie! stop it i done tell you! does yo'-all want me t' git soaked? an' yo'-all will suah spoil them pancakes! oh, now yo' hab done it! yo' squirted right in mah mouf! oh mah goodness sakes alive!" mrs. bobbsey looked relieved. "freddie must be up to some prank," she said. "freddie, stop it!" commanded mr. bobbsey, and then he was heard to laugh. the others all went out to the kitchen and there they saw a curious sight. freddie, with his new toy fire engine, was pumping water on fat dinah, who was laughing so heartily that she could do nothing to stop him. mr. bobbsey, too, was shouting with mirth, for the hose from the toy engine was rather small, and threw only a thin, fine spray. "i'm a fireman!" cried freddie, "and i'm pretending dinah is on fire. see her red apron--that's the fire!" and the little fellow turned the crank of his engine harder than ever, throwing the tiny stream of water all over the kitchen. "that's enough, freddie," said mr. bobbsey, when he could stop laughing. dinah was still shaking with mirth, and freddie, looking in the tank of the engine, said: "there's only a little more water left. can't i squirt that?" without waiting for permission freddie made the water spurt from the nozzle of the hose. at that moment the door of the kitchen opened, to let in sam. with him came snap, the trick dog, and the tiny stream of water caught sam full in the face. "hello! what am dat?" he demanded in surprise. "am de house leakin'?" "it's my new fire engine!" cried freddie. "i didn't mean to wet you, sam, but i was playing dinah was on fire!" "well, yo'-all didn't wet me so very much," replied sam, with a grin that showed his white teeth. "dat suah am a fine fire engine!" snap sprang about, barking and wagging his tail, and, there being no more water in freddie's engine, he had to stop pumping, for which every one was glad. "you must not do that again," said mrs. bobbsey, when the excitement was over, and laughing dinah had dried her face, and put on another apron. "you frightened us all, freddie, and that is not nice, you know." "i won't, mamma, but i did want to try my fire engine." "then you must do it in the bath room where the water will do no harm. but come now, children, get your breakfast and then you will have the whole day to look at your toys." breakfast was rather a hurried affair, and every now and then flossie and freddie would leave the table to see some of their gifts. but finally the meal was over and then came more joyous times. sam received his presents, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey had time to look at theirs, for santa claus had not forgotten them. "and there's something for snap, and for snoop, too!" exclaimed freddie. "snoop has a new ribbon with a silver bell, and snap a new collar, with his name on," and soon the cat and dog, newly adorned, were being put through some of their tricks. if i tried to tell you all that went on in the bobbsey house that christmas this book would contain nothing else. so i will only say that the holiday was one of the most delightful the twins ever remembered. "and then to think, with all this, that we are to go to snow lodge! it's great!" cried bert. "i hope i can get some good pictures up there with my camera," said nan. "will you show me how it works, bert?" "yes, and we'll go out to-day and try it. i want to see how my new skates go, too. the lake is frozen and we'll have some fun." the day was cold and clear. there had been a little fall of snow during the night, but not enough to spoil the skating, and soon bert and nan were on their way to the lake, while flossie and freddie, after inspecting all their presents over again, had gone out to play on their sleds. this gave dinah and mrs. bobbsey time to get ready the big christmas dinner, with the roast turkey, for mr. bobbsey had brought home one of the largest he could find. while flossie and freddie were playing on the hill, a small one near their home, they heard a voice calling to them: "want a ride, youngsters?" looking up they saw mr. carford in his big sled. it was filled with baskets and packages, and the bobbsey twins guessed rightly that the generous old man was taking around his christmas contributions to the poor families. "yes, we'll go!" cried freddie. "what shall we do with our sleds?" asked flossie. "oh, harry stone will look after them; won't you harry?" asked freddie, "he can use mine, and his sister jessie can use yours until we come back, flossie," and freddie turned the coasters over to a poor boy and girl who lived near the bobbsey home. harry and his sister were delighted, and promised to take good care of the sleds. "i won't take you far--only just around town," said mr. carford, as the twins got in his sled. "when are you going up to my snow lodge?" "we're going soon, i guess," answered flossie. "i heard mamma and papa talking about it yesterday." "and we're ever so much obliged to you for letting us have your place," said flossie. "will you come up and see us while we're there? i've got a doll that can talk." "and i'm going to take my fire engine along, so if the place gets on fire i can help put it out," exclaimed freddie. "will you come up?" mr. carford started. he looked at the children in a strange sort of way, and then stared at the horses. "no--no--i guess i won't go to snow lodge any more," he said slowly, and flossie and freddie were sorry they had asked him, for they remembered the story their father had told them about the sorrow that had come to the aged man. but the children soon forgot this in the joy of helping in the distribution of the good things in the sled, and the happiness brought to many poor families seemed to make up, in a way, for what mr. carford had suffered in the trouble over his nephew. when all the gifts had been given out from the sled, mr. carford drove the two younger bobbsey twins back to the hill where they again had fun coasting. meanwhile nan and bert were having a good time on the ice. nan's camera was used to take a number of pictures, which the children hoped would turn out well. while bert was taking a picture of nan, charley mason came skating up, and bert, whose best chum he was, insisted that charley get in the picture also. "my!" exclaimed charley, as he saw nan's camera, "that's a fine one!" "i just got it to-day," said nan, with a pleased smile. "i'm going to take a lot of pictures up at snow lodge." "snow lodge," repeated charley. "you mean that place mr. carford owns?" "yes," replied bert. "he is going to let us all go up there for three weeks or so." "say, that's funny," spoke charley. "you'll have some other lakeport folks near you." "who else is going up to snow lodge?" asked nan. "well, they're not exactly going to snow lodge," replied charley, "but i heard a while ago that danny rugg and his folks were going up to a winter camp near there. mr. rugg has bought a lumber tract in the woods, and he's going to see about having some of the trees cut. danny is going, too. so you'll have him for a neighbor." "oh, dear!" exclaimed nan, in dismay. "that spoils everything!" "well, if danny tries any of his tricks i'll get after him!" exclaimed bert, firmly. but he looked anxious over the unwelcome news charley had brought. chapter xi making plans "are you sure this is so--is danny rugg really going up to the woods near snow lodge?" asked bert of charley, after a pause. "that's what frank smith told me," replied charley, "and you know frank and danny are great chums." "that's so. well, if danny doesn't bother us we won't make any trouble for him," said bert. "still, i'd rather he would go somewhere else." "if mr. rugg is going up to see about having lumber cut," said nan, "i guess there won't be much fun for danny. maybe he won't bother us at all." "he will if he gets a chance," declared her brother. "danny's just that kind. but we'll wait and see." bert, nan and charley talked for some time longer about the trip to snow lodge, and then, as it was getting nearly time for dinner, they skated down the lake toward their homes. "how are you folks going up to the lodge?" asked charley, before parting from bert and nan. "oh, i guess father will take one of his big lumber sleds and drive us all up," replied bert. "we'll have to take along lots of things to eat, for it's a good ways to the store, and we might get snowed in." "that's right," said charley. "but say, why don't you and freddie go up in our ice-boat, the _ice bird_? it isn't much of a run to snow lodge, on the lake, and it's good going now." "i never thought of that!" exclaimed bert. "i wonder if father would let us?" "you can ask him," said nan. "i'd like to skate up, if it wasn't so far. but i don't believe it would be safe to take freddie on the ice-boat, bert. he's so little, and so easily excited that he might tumble out." "that's right. and yet it will be no fun to sail it alone. i wish you could go with me, charley." "i wish i could, but i don't see how i can. my folks are going to my grandmother's for a couple of weeks. otherwise i'd be glad to go." "well, maybe my father will sail in the ice-boat with me," spoke bert. "i guess i'll ask him." bert and nan had much to talk about as they skated on, having bidden charley good-bye, and their conversation was mostly about the new idea of getting to snow lodge on the ice. "i don't want to skate alone, any more than you want to go in the ice-boat alone," said nan. "but maybe mamma and papa will let us invite some of our friends to spend a week or so at snow lodge with us. then it would be all right." "it surely would," said bert. the christmas dinner at the bobbsey home was a jolly affair, and while it was being eaten bert spoke to his father about the ice-boat. "do you think it will carry you to the upper end of the lake?" asked mr. bobbsey with a smile, for bert and charley had made the boat themselves, with a little help. though it was a home-made affair, bert was as proud of it as though a large sum had been spent for it. "of course it will carry us to snow lodge," he said. "there would be room for four or five on it, if the wind was strong enough to carry us to the head of the lake. but i don't want to go alone, father. could you come?" "i'm afraid not," laughed mr. bobbsey. "i'll have to go in the big sled with your mother, and the provisions. we're going to take dinah and sam along, you know. can't you ask some of your boy friends? i guess there's room enough at the lodge." "that's just what i'll do!" exclaimed bert "i'll see who of the boys can go." "and may i ask grace lavine or nellie parks?" inquired nan. "we could skate up, or go part way in the ice-boat with the boys." "i think so," said mrs. bobbsey. "i know who you could take on the ice-boat," said freddie, passing his plate for more turkey. "who?" asked bert. "dinah!" cried the little fellow. "she would be so heavy that she couldn't roll off, and if the ice-boat started to blow away she'd be as good as an anchor." "that's right!" cried nan. "dinah, did you hear what freddie is planning for you?" she asked as the fat cook came in with the plum pudding. "i 'clar t' goodness i neber knows what dat ar' chile will be up to next!" exclaimed dinah with a laugh. "but if he am plannin' to squirt any mo' fire injun water on me i's gwine t' run away, dat's what i is!" they all laughed at this, dinah joining in, and then freddie explained what he had said. "no, sah! yo' don't cotch me on no ice-cream boat!" declared dinah. "i'll go in a sled, but i ain't gwine t' fall down no hole in de ice and be bit by a fish! no, sah!" there was more laughter, and then the plum pudding was served. freddie begged that snoop and snap be given an extra good dinner, on account of it being christmas, and dinah promised to see to this. mr. and mrs. bobbsey discussed the plans for going to snow lodge. they agreed that bert and nan, if they wished, might each ask a friend, for the old farmhouse in the woods on the edge of the lake contained many rooms. it was completely furnished, all that was needed being food. "so if you young folks want to skate or ice-boat up the lake i see no objection," said mr. bobbsey. "the rest of us will go in a big sled." "couldn't i go in the ice-boat?" asked freddie. "i'm getting big. i'm almost in the first reader book." "we're going so fast your fire engine might be lost overboard," said bert with a smile, and that was enough for his little brother. he didn't want that to happen for the world, so he gave up the plan of going on the _ice bird_. "i don't like the idea of that danny rugg going to be near us," said mrs. bobbsey to her husband, when bert had told this news. "he's sure to make trouble." "perhaps not," said mr. bobbsey. "bert generally manages to hold his own when danny bothers him." "yes, i know. but it always makes hard feelings. i do wish danny wasn't going up there." "well, the woods are open, and we can't stop him," said mr. bobbsey, with a smile. the children had gone out to play, and the house was quiet once more. "there is a great deal to do to get ready," went on mrs. bobbsey. "but i think the trip will do us all good. i only hope none of us take cold." "don't worry," advised her husband. "i'll see mr. carford, and have the fires made up a couple of days before we arrive. that will make the house good and warm, and dry it out." they talked over the various things they had to do in order to make their stay at snow lodge pleasant, and then went out to call on some friends. that afternoon bert and nan extended the invitation to snow lodge to a number of their boy and girl friends, explaining how they were going to make the trip on skates or on the ice-boat. but one after another declined. either their parents had made other plans for spending the christmas holidays, or they did not think it wise to let their children go off in the woods. bert asked a number of boys he knew, but none of them could go, and grace lavine, nellie parks, and many other girls to whom nan spoke, made excuses. "i guess we'll have to give up the ice-boat plan," said bert, regretfully that night to nan. "no one seems able to go. will you risk it with me, nan?" "i wouldn't be afraid," she answered. "if mamma and papa will let me i'll sail in the _ice bird_ with you." "then we'll go that way!" cried bert. but the next day something occurred that made a change in the plans of the bobbsey twins. chapter xii the letters the day after christmas, when bert and nan came home from having been to see a number of their friends, but not having succeeded in getting any of them to promise to make the trip to snow lodge, the two older bobbsey twins were quite discouraged. "i'll need another fellow to help me sail the ice-boat," spoke bert. "of course i know you'll do all you can, nan, but we can't tell what might happen. i don't see what's the matter with all the fellows, anyhow, that they can't go." "and the girls, too," added nan. "i couldn't get one of them to promise. and i don't know whether mamma and papa will let you and me go in the ice-boat by ourselves." and, when they heard of this plan, both mr. and mrs. bobbsey objected to it. "it would be too risky," decided mr. bobbsey. "your ice-boat is a small one. i know, bert, but in a stiff wind it might capsize if you did not have some other boy along to help you manage it. i guess you and nan had better come with us in the big sled." "i think so, too," added mrs. bobbsey. there seemed to be no other way out of it, and nan and bert felt quite badly. not even the tricks of snap and snoop, when freddie and flossie put the dog and cat through them before going to bed, would cause their older brother and sister to look happy. "never mind," said mamma bobbsey, "when we get to snow lodge you'll have such a good time that you won't mind not having made the trip on skates or on the ice-boat. and you can skate all you like when you get up there." the next day freddie was playing quite a game. he had a little toy village, made of pasteboard houses, and this he had set up in the playroom. he was pretending that a fire had broken out in one of the dwellings and he was going to put it out with his toy engine. of course there was not even a match on fire, for mrs. bobbsey was very careful about this, but freddie pretended to his heart's content. he was allowed to have real water, but dinah had spread on the floor an old rubber coat so that the spray would do no harm. with a great shout freddie came running out of the "engine house," which was a chair turned on its side. he was pulling his toy after him, racing to the make-believe blaze. just then flossie came into the room with her new walking doll, and, not seeing her, freddie ran into and knocked her over. flossie sat down quite hard, and for a moment was too surprised to cry. but a moment later, when she saw freddie's fire engine run over her new doll, which cried out "mamma!" as if in pain, the tears came into flossie's eyes. "oh, you bad boy!" she exclaimed, forgetting her own pain, at the sight of her doll, "you've run right over her!" "i--i couldn't help it!" said freddie, stopping in his rush to the fire to pick up his sister's toy. "you got right in my way." "i did not--freddie bobbsey!" "yes, you did, too, and i'm going to squirt water on you, and put you out. you're on fire! your cheeks are all red!" this was true enough. flossie did get very red cheeks when she was excited. "don't you put any water on me!" she cried. "i'll tell mamma on you! and you've broke my best doll, too! oh, dear!" and flossie burst into tears, so there was no need for freddie to use his toy engine to wet her flaming cheeks. this frightened freddie. he seldom made his twin sister cry, and he was very much alarmed. "i--i didn't mean to, flossie," he said, putting his arms around her. "i guess i was running pretty fast. don't cry, and you can squirt my engine. maybe if you squirted some water on your doll she'd be all right," and freddie picked up the talking toy. "don't you dare put any water on her!" screamed flossie. "you'll make her catch cold, and then she won't talk at all, oh, dear! i wish you didn't have that old engine." mrs. bobbsey came into the room just then, or there is no telling what might have happened. she knew what to do, and soon she had straightened out matters. it was not very often that flossie and freddie had trouble of this kind, but they were only human children, just like any others, and they had their little disputes now and then. "oh, dear! this will never do!" said mrs. bobbsey. "freddie, you must not rush about the house so fast." "but, mamma, firemens is always fast. they have to be fast, and i was going to a fire," the fat little fellow said. "i know, dear, but you should look where you are going. and, flossie, dear, you must watch out before you rush into a room, you know." "yes, mamma, but, you see, i was pretending my doll was sick, and i was running to the doctor's with her." "oh, dear!" cried mamma bobbsey. "you were both in too much of a hurry, i think. never mind. let's see if the doll is hurt, much." it seemed that she was, for though she would walk across the room when wound up, she would not cry out "mamma!" but mrs. bobbsey was used to mending broken toys, and after poking about in the wheels and springs with a hairpin she soon had the doll so it would talk again. then flossie was happy, and her tears were forgotten. freddie said he was sorry he had been in such a hurry, so all was forgiven, and he went on playing fireman. he was in the midst of putting out a make-believe blaze in the village church when the doorbell rang, and the postman's whistle was heard. "will you get the mail, dear?" asked mrs. bobbsey of freddie. "dinah is busy, i'm sure. let me see how mamma's little fat fireman can get the letters. but don't run!" she exclaimed, "or you might fall downstairs." "i won't, mamma," said freddie. he came back with several letters, and he was again playing he was a fireman, and flossie was making believe she was a doctor for her sick doll, when mrs. bobbsey exclaimed: "oh, this will be good news for bert," and she looked up from a letter she was reading. "what is it, mamma?" asked flossie. "is someone sending him more christmas presents?" "no, dear, but harry, your cousin from the country, you know, is coming to visit us. bert will have someone to play with. won't that be nice?" "and can i play with him, too?" asked freddie. "i guess so, sometimes," said mrs. bobbsey. "but you must remember that harry is about ten years old, and he won't always want to be with little boys." "i'm a big boy!" declared freddie. "i'm 'most as big as bert." "well, i guess you can have some fun," said mrs. bobbsey. "bert will be glad to hear this. now, who can this other letter be from?" and she tore open the envelope. "why!" she cried, as she quickly read it "it's from uncle william minturn, at the seashore, and he says his daughter dorothy is coming to pay us a visit. well, did you ever! our two cousins--one from the country and the other from the seashore--both coming at the same time! oh, this will please bert and nan!" "and can't we have a good time, too?" asked flossie. "of course," said mrs. bobbsey. "let me see now; how will i arrange the rooms for them? oh, i forgot, we're going to snow lodge soon. i wonder what i can do? both dorothy and harry will be here before i can tell them not to come. i must telephone to papa!" bert and nan came in just then, in time to hear this last. "telephone to papa!" exclaimed bert "what's the matter, mother? has anything happened?" "nothing, only your cousins, dorothy and harry, are coming to visit you. and i don't know what to do about it, as we are going to snow lodge!" "do about it?" cried bert. "why, we won't do anything about it, except to let them come. say, this is the best news yet! harry can go with me on the ice-boat. hurray! hurray!" "yes, and dorothy and i can skate on the lake!" said nan. "oh, how glad i am!" "we'll take them both to snow lodge!" cried bert. "now we won't have to look for any other boys or girls. well have our own cousins! whoop!" and he threw his arms around his mother, while nan tried to kiss her. flossie and freddie looked on in pleased surprise. the letters had come just in time. now there would be a jolly party at snow lodge. chapter xiii in a hard blow "are you girls warm enough?" asked bert bobbsey, as he and his cousin harry started toward the frozen lake one afternoon, the day before they were all to start for snow lodge. "if we aren't we will never be," answered dorothy minturn, who was nan's "seashore cousin" as she called the visitor. "i've got on so many things that it would be easier to roll along instead of walking," went on dorothy with a laugh. "well, it's a good thing to be warm, for it will be cold on the ice-boat; won't it, bert?" asked harry. "that's what it will. there's a good wind blowing, too. it's stronger than i thought it was," and bert bent to the blast as he walked along with the others. "will there be any danger?" asked dorothy, who was not used to the activities of the bobbseys. "oh, don't worry!" cried harry. "we'll look after you girls." "they think they will," murmured nan looking at her cousin, "i guess i know almost as much about the _ice bird_ as bert does." "where is your ice-boat?" asked harry of bert, as they kept on along the path that led to the lake. "over in the next cove. i had her out the other day, and the wind died out, leaving me there. since then we've been so busy getting ready to go to snow lodge that i haven't had time to bring her back to the dock." "will she be safe over there?" "i guess so--hardly anybody goes there in winter." the two cousins--harry from the country and dorothy from the seashore,--in each of which places the bobbseys had spent part of the preceding summer,--had followed soon after their letters, and had been warmly welcomed by nan, bert, flossie and freddie. the visitors were rather surprised to learn that the bobbsey family was preparing to go away for a winter vacation in the woods, but they were only too glad to accept an invitation to go along. so it was arranged, and in another day the start to mr. carford's former home would be made. mr. bobbsey had a big sled gotten ready, there were boxes, barrels and packages of provisions, snow lodge had been opened by a farmer living near there, who remained in it all night, keeping up the fires so that the long-deserted house would not be chilly, and all was in readiness. the plans of nan and bert to go to snow lodge by means of skates and on the ice-boat had been agreed to. dorothy and nan thought they would rather skate than go all the way on the ice-boat, but bert and harry decided to keep to the ice craft all the way. "and when you girls get tired of skating just wave your handkerchiefs, and we'll wait for you," said bert. now they were going to take a little trial sail on the _ice bird_ before starting off on the longer cruise. as the four walked around a point of land, and came within sight of the ice-boat, tied to a stake in the ice of the cove, harry uttered a cry. "look!" he exclaimed to bert, "someone is at your boat!" "that's right!" cried bert, starting to run. just then a figure skated away from the craft, and bert breathed a sigh of relief. "i guess it was only someone taking a look at her," he said "there aren't many on the lake." "we can't go very far," said nan, as they neared the boat, "for mamma said to be back early. we've got a great deal of packing to do yet." "we'll just take a little spin," replied bert. they were soon on the ice-boat, gliding up and down the lake, which was frozen to a glassy smoothness. "if it's like this to-morrow it will be grand for skating!" exclaimed nan. "yes, and fine for ice-boating, too," replied her brother. "we'll beat you to snow lodge." "well, you ought to," said dorothy, "but we'll be warmer skating than you will be on the ice-boat." "not when we take along all the fur robes i've got out for the trip," replied bert. "i didn't bring 'em this time, as it was too far to carry. but to-morrow harry and i will be regular eskimos." back and forth on the lake sailed the _ice bird_ with the merry-hearted boys and girls. bert did not go very far, as he noticed that the wind was growing much stronger and his boat, though sturdy and well-built, was not intended to weather a gale. "well, i think we'd better start for home now," said nan after about an hour's sailing. "mamma will be expecting us." "all right," assented bert. "do you want to steer her, harry?" "i'm afraid i don't know how," replied the country lad. "oh, you'll soon learn. i'll be right beside you here, and tell you what to do." "don't upset, please, whatever you do," urged dorothy. "i'll try not to," promised harry. when they got out of the sheltered cove they felt the full force of the wind, and for a moment even nan, who had been on the boat many times, felt a bit timid. the _ice bird_ tilted to one side, the left hand runner raising high in the air. "oh!" screamed dorothy. "we're going over!" "no, we're not! sit still!" cried bert, grasping the tiller, which harry was not holding just right. by turning the ice-boat to one side the wind did not strike it so hard, and the craft settled down on the level again. "there! that's better!" exclaimed dorothy, who had grabbed hold of nan. "oh, that's nothing," said nan. "bert and i are used to that." but as the ice-boat proceeded it was evident that those on her were not going to have an easy time to get to the bobbsey dock. the wind blew harder and harder, and the sail seemed ready to rip apart. it took both bert and harry to hold the rudder steady, and even then the tiller was almost torn from their grasp. even nan began to look a little frightened, and she did not laugh when dorothy stretched out flat and held on to the side of the boat with all her strength. "i don't want to be blown away if i can help it," said dorothy. harder and harder blew the wind, sending the ice-boat along at great speed. in a few minutes more it would be at the dock, where bert kept it tied. "if it blows this way to-morrow we won't be long getting to snow lodge," cried bert in harry's ear. he had to shout to be heard above the howling of the wind. "that's right," agreed the country boy. "the girls can never skate along as fast as this." "we'll have to use less sail," went on bert, "and then we won't go so fast." he and harry shifted the rudder to steer closer to shore. suddenly the wind came in a fierce gust. the ice-boat seemed about to turn completely over. the two girls screamed, even nan being frightened now. "oh, what is it? what is it?" cried dorothy. then came a sharp crack. there was a sound as though a hundred pop-guns were being fired, and the boat slackened speed. "look!" cried harry pointing ahead "our sail has burst, bert." "no, it's the sheet rope--the main rope that holds the sail fast-that's broken," replied bert. "lucky it did, too, or we might have gone over. i was going to let go of it." the ice-boat slid along a short distance, and then came to a stop. the sail, no longer held in place so as to catch the wind, was blowing and flapping, making snapping sounds like a line of clothes in a heavy wind. "all right, girls, no danger now," called bert, as he got out to make the flapping sail fast again. as he looked at the end of the broken rope he uttered a cry of surprise. "look here!" he called to harry, "this rope has been cut!" "cut?" "yes. someone hacked it partly through with a knife, and the wind did the rest." there was no doubt of it. the main rope had been partly severed, and the strain of the hard blow had done the rest. "that fellow we saw near the ice-boat!" began harry. "it must have been him! who was he?" "danny rugg--if anybody," answered bert. "i thought it looked like him. probably he heard that we were going to use the boat to go to snow lodge, and he wanted to make trouble for us. he's going to camp up there near us, i hear." "gracious!" cried dorothy. "i hope he doesn't play any tricks like that up there." "if he does i guess harry and i can attend to him," cried bert. "but, in a way, it's a good thing the rope did break or we might have upset. only danny, if he did it, had no idea of doing us a good turn. he just wanted to make trouble." "can you fix it?" asked nan of her brother. "oh, yes, it can be spliced and will be stronger than ever. but i won't do it now. we can walk the rest of the way to the dock. the wind is blowing harder than ever, and we don't want any accidents." indeed, the wind was blowing a gale now, and even with the sail down the ice-boat went along at such a speed that it was all harry and bert could do to hold it. but finally it was gotten to the dock, and made fast, and while the girls went on to the bobbsey home to finish with their packing, bert and harry mended the broken rope. "i'll have to teach danny rugg a good lesson," said bert to his cousin. "yes, and i'll help you," returned harry. chapter xiv at snow lodge "are we all here?" "have we got everything?" "here, snap! if you jump out again you can't go!" "dinah, you hold snap, will you?" "good lan' chile! i'se got about all i kin do to hold mah own self!" these were some of the cries and exclamations as the bobbsey family prepared to start on the trip to snow lodge. with the exception of nan and bert, and dorothy and harry, they were all in a big sled, drawn by four horses that were prancing about in the snow, anxious to get started. at every step the bells jingled. sam, the colored man, was driving. with him on the front seat sat fat freddie. "i'm going to drive, as soon as we get out on the country road!" cried freddie. "he is not; is he, sam?" demanded flossie, who was taking one of her dolls on the trip, and with the doll, and her big muff, little flossie had about all she could manage. "yes, i am too," declared freddie. "you said i could, sam; you know you did!" "well i guess you kin drive, where the roads are easy," promised the colored man, with a scratch of his black, kinky head. mr. and mrs. bobbsey were now on their seat, with flossie between them. dinah was on the seat behind, while in back of her were piled the packages of food. snap, the trick dog, was to be taken along, but it had been decided to leave downy the duck, and snoop, the fat, black cat at home. a neighbor had promised to look after them and feed them. "well, i guess we're all ready," said mr. bobbsey, as he looked back at the well-loaded sled. "now be careful," he called to nan and bert, who with their cousins were to go to snow lodge on the icy lake. the girls would skate part of the way and ride on the ice-boat the remainder of the distance. "we'll be careful," said bert. the day was cold, and clouds overhead seemed to tell that it was going to snow. but the young folks hoped the storm would hold off until night, when they would be safe in the big, old-fashioned farmhouse. everyone was well wrapped up, and flossie and freddie were almost lost in big rugs that had been tucked around them, for their mother did not want them to get cold. piles of rugs and blankets had been put on the ice-boat so those aboard would be comfortable. "well, let's start!" called mr. bobbsey finally. "we'll see who will get there first, bert, or us." "all right--a race then!" cried nan. down to the glittering, icy lake went the boys and girls, down to where the ice-boat awaited them. it had been put in good shape for the trip, but before starting bert and harry looked over all the ropes to make sure none were frayed, or had been cut. nothing had been seen of danny rugg, and charley mason told bert he thought the bully had gone to the wood camp with his father. "don't you girls want to come on the ice-boat for a ways first?" asked bert of his sister and dorothy. "then, when you get tired of riding, you can skate." "shall we?" inquired nan. "i guess so," answered dorothy, and so they did. the wind was not as strong as it had been the day before, but it was enough of a breeze to send the _ice bird_ along at a good speed. well wrapped in the robes and blankets, the young people enjoyed the trip very much. "i'm sure we'll be there before papa and mamma are," said nan as they glided along. "see how fast we are going." "yes, but this wind may not keep up all the way," spoke her brother. "and it's a good ways to snow lodge." "oh, well, we'll have a good time, anyhow," said dorothy. "and we'll stop and build a fire and have lunch when we're hungry," added harry, for they had brought some food with them, and could make chocolate over a little fire. meanwhile the sled-load of the bobbseys with their two colored servants, and snap was proceeding along the snowy road. the path had been well broken, and the going was good, so they made fairly fast time. but every now and then snap would insist on jumping out to run along the road, and every time he did this flossie and freddie would set up a howl, fearing he would get lost. "snap!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, when this had happened four or five times, "if you don't stay here quietly i'll tie you fast. lie down, sir!" snap barked, wagged his tail, and looked at mr. bobbsey with his head tilted to one side as much as to say: "very well sir. i'll be good now. but i did want a little run." then snap curled up at dinah's feet and gave no more trouble. "i 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed the colored cook, with a laugh that made her shake all over, "dat ar' snap am a good foot-warmer, so he be. i jest hopes he don't jump out no mo', so i does." and, for a time at least, the trick dog seemed content to lie quietly in the sled. it was not a very exciting trip for those in the sled, as they went along through the streets of lakeport and so out into the open country. then they passed through village after village, with little occurring. the roads were good, and occasionally they met other teams. once they came to a narrow place between two big drifts, and as another sled was coming toward them it was rather a race to see which one would get to the opening first. "you can't go through when he does, sam," said mr. bobbsey, nodding toward the other driver. "i knows i can't, sah. but i'll get there first." sam called to his horses and they sprang forward. a little later they had reached the opening between the drifts and the other sled had to wait until the bobbseys got out of the narrow place. all this time bert and the others were making their way up the lake on the ice. after going a mile or two on the ice-boat the wind died down so that the craft did not go very fast. "come on, dorothy," called nan, "let's skate for a ways. and if you get too far ahead of us, please wait, bert," she added, and her brother promised that he and harry would. for a time dorothy and nan enjoyed the skating very much, and it was a welcome change from sitting still on the ice-boat. then the wind sprang up again, and harry and bert got so far ahead that the two girls thought they should never be able to skate to them. "oh, i wish they'd wait," said dorothy. "i'm getting tired." "i'll wave to them--maybe they'll see my handkerchief," said nan. bert and harry did see the girls, and, guessing what the white signal meant, they lowered the sail of the ice-boat and waited for the two to come up. and the girls were glad enough now to sit amid the comfortable robes and blankets. "skating such a long distance is harder than i thought it would be," confessed nan, with a sigh. "yes, the ice-boat is good enough for me," agreed dorothy. "but when we get to snow lodge we'll do some skating." "that's what we will," said nan. mile after mile was covered by the _ice bird_. they passed small towns and villages on the shore of the frozen lake. many of the places were known to nan and bert, who had often visited them in the summer time, rowing to them in their boat, or sailing to them with the older folks. "isn't it almost time to eat?" asked bert after a bit. "that sun looks as if it were noon, nan." "it's half-past eleven," spoke harry, glancing at his watch. "there's a nice little cove where we can be out of the wind, and where we can build a fire," he went on, pointing ahead. "that's what we'll do!" cried bert, steering toward it. "now you girls will have a chance to show what sort of cooks you are." "humph! there's nothing to cook but chocolate!" said nan. "any one could make that." they had brought with them the chocolate all ready to heat in a pot, and soon it was set over a fire of sticks which the boys had made on shore, scraping away the snow from the ground. nan and dorothy got out the packages of sandwiches and cake, and soon a merry little party was seated on the ice-boat, eating the good things. the meal was soon over and then the young people got ready to resume their trip. nan and dorothy wanted to skate a bit, but bert looking up at the sky, said: "i don't think it will be safe. it looks as though it were going to storm soon, and we don't want to be caught in it. it isn't far to snow lodge now, and once we are there let it snow as much as it likes. but if it comes down before we get there we'll have hard work to keep on in the ice-boat. even a little snow on the ice will clog the runners." so the skating idea was given up, and soon they were under way in the ice-boat again. the clouds grew darker, and there were a few scattering flakes of snow. "i guess we're going to be in for it," said bert. "if the wind would only blow harder we could go faster." as if in answer to his wish the wind started up and the boat fairly flew over the ice. then the storm suddenly broke and the snow was so thick that they could not see where they were going. "what shall we do?" cried dorothy, who was not used to being out in such a blow. "keep on--that's the only thing to do," answered bert. "we will go as far as we can in the boat and then we'll walk." "walk to snow lodge!" cried nan. "we could never do it!" "oh, it isn't so far now," said her brother. the snow fell so fast that soon the ice-boat went slower and slower. finally it stopped altogether, the runners clogged with snow. the wind blowing on the sail nearly turned the craft over. "cast off those ropes!" cried bert to harry. "we'll have to leave her here and walk on." the sail was lowered, the blankets and robes were picked up to be carried, and the four girls and boys set out over the ice. "we must keep near the shore," said bert, "snow lodge is right on the shore of the lake, and we can't miss it." "oh, suppose we did, and had to stay out all night?" cried dorothy. "we won't worry until we have to," spoke nan. it snowed harder and harder, and grew quite dark. even bert was worried. he and harry walked on ahead, to keep the wind and snow as much as possible out of the faces of the girls. "bert, i'm sure we're lost!" cried nan a little later. "we can't see where we're going! don't go on any farther." "we can't stay here on the ice all night," objected bert. "well, it is pretty dark," said harry. "are there any houses around here?" they gazed at the fast-gathering blackness all about them. they were beginning to be very much afraid. the wind howled, and the snow came down harder than ever. "there's a light!" suddenly called dorothy. "where?" cried all the others eagerly. "there," answered dorothy, pointing toward where they had last seen the land. "right over in those trees." "then let's go toward it," suggested bert. "maybe they can tell us where snow lodge is, and if it's too far we'll stay there all night, if they'll let us." the welcome light shone out through the storm and darkness. the four young folks made their way toward it as best they could, and, as they came nearer they could see that it was a big house in the midst of trees. bert rubbed his eyes. he looked again, and then he cried: "why, it's snow lodge! it's snow lodge! we've found it after all! we're all right now! we're at snow lodge!" "hurray!" cried harry. "oh, how glad i am!" said nan, with her arms around dorothy. a door opened and the light streamed out over the snow. "who is there?" called mr. bobbsey. "is that you, bert?" "yes, father. we're here at last." "oh, thank goodness!" said mrs. bobbsey. "we were just going out to search for you!" chapter xv the snow slide how warm and cozy it was in snow lodge! how bright were the lights, and how the big fire blazed, crackled and roared up the chimney! and what a delightful smell came from the kitchen! it could easily be told that dinah was out there. "where have you been?" "what happened to you?" "was there an accident?" "did you get lost?" "did the ice-boat sink?" it was freddie and flossie who asked the last two questions, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey who asked the others as bert, nan, harry and dorothy came into the farmhouse. oh, how good it seemed after their battle in the darkness with the storm! "the ice-boat couldn't go on account of the snow," explained bert, "so we had to leave it and walk." "and we got lost," added nan. "oh, it was terrible out there on the frozen lake!" "indeed it was," agreed dorothy. "i never had such a time in all my life." "it was too bad," said mrs. bobbsey. "you children should have come in the sled with us." "oh, we didn't mind it much," spoke harry. "we had a good lunch. we saw the light and thought it was some farmhouse. we didn't think it was snow lodge. but we're glad it is," he added with a laugh. "we got here some time ago," said mr. bobbsey. "the farmer had the fires all going finely, and it was as warm as toast. we began getting things to rights, but when it got dark, and snowed, and you children weren't here, we all got worried." "and we were going to look for you," added mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i was so worried i didn't know what to do!" the evening was spent in playing a few games, and in talking and telling stories. everyone was too tired to stay up long, after the day's trip, and so "early to bed" was the rule, for the first night at least. as bert went up to his room with his cousin harry he looked out of the window. it was too dark to see much, but the boy could get a glimpse of the snow blowing against the panes with great force. "poor henry burdock!" thought bert. "if it wasn't for that missing money he and his uncle might be living here at snow lodge. i wonder where henry is now? maybe off somewhere in the woods, lost--as we nearly were!" the thought made him feel sad. surely it was a terrible night to be out in the forest, amid the storm and darkness. "i wish i could help him," thought bert, but he did not see how he could. mr. carford was a stern old man, and he believed his nephew had taken the money that was missing. the storm raged all night, and part of the next day. then it cleared off, leaving a great coating of white in the woods, and over the fields. "no skating or ice-boating now," said bert, "and not for some days. we'll have to wait for a thaw and another freeze." "but we can take walks in the woods; can't we?" asked nan. "would you like that, dorothy?" "indeed i would," was the answer. "can't we come?" asked freddie. "flossie and i have rubber boots." "yes, you may come for a little way," said bert. "we won't go far. say, harry, we ought to have snowshoes for this sort of thing." "that's right," agreed his cousin. "i saw a picture of some, but i don't believe i would know how to make them." "i made some once, but they weren't much good," admitted bert. "we'll get my father to show us how some day. it would be fun to take a trip on them over the snow." well wrapped up, the young folks set off through the woods, snap trotting along with them, barking joyously. all about snow lodge, back from the lake, and on either side, were dense woods, and under the trees the snow was not as deep as in the open fields, for the branches kept part of it off. but it was deep enough to make walking hard. "we can't go very far at this rate," said nan, as she and dorothy struggled on through the drifts. "let's go to that hill, and see what sort of view there is," suggested harry. "all right," agreed bert. "and we can stop there and eat our lunch," put in freddie. "our lunch!" exclaimed nan. "we didn't bring any lunch, dearie!" "flossie and i did!" cried "the little fat fireman," as his papa often called freddie. "we thought we'd get hungry, so we had dinah make us some sandwiches, and give us a piece of cake." "i'm hungry now," said flossie, and from under her cloak she drew out a bundle, which she opened, showing a rather crumpled sandwich and a piece of cake. "i'm going to eat, too," decided freddie, as he brought out his lunch. "well, i declare; you two are the greatest ever!" cried bert. "but it was a good idea all the same!" "yes, i could eat something myself," admitted harry. "i guess this air makes you hungry." "we--we haven't got enough for all of us--i guess," said freddie, looking wistfully at his package. "don't worry!" answered harry with a laugh. "i won't take any, freddie. i can wait until we get home." thereupon the two smaller twins proceeded to eat the lunch they had brought, doing this while trudging through the snow toward the little hill. they reached the top, and stood for a time looking over the broad snow-covered expanse of lake and woods. then they started down. but it was not easy work, especially for flossie and freddie, so the whole party stopped for a rest about half way. they were sitting under a sheltering tree, looking at some flitting snow-birds, when from behind them came a curious sound. bert looked back, and leaping to his feet, cried: "it's a snow slide! a snow slide! it's coming right toward us!" indeed a great drift of white snow was sliding down the side of the hill toward the children. a great white ball seemed to have started it, and as harry looked up he gave a cry of surprise. "i saw a boy up there!" he said. "he pushed that snowball on us!" chapter xvi lost in the woods "quick!" cried bert, as he looked at the swiftly-sliding snow, "get close to the tree--on the downward side of it, and maybe the drift will go around us. harry, you look after freddie, and i'll take care of flossie!" as he spoke bert grabbed up his little sister and hurried closer to the tree. it was a big pine, and they had been sitting under its branches, on some big rocks, as the slide started. "what shall we do?" cried nan. "can't dorothy and i help?" "take care of yourselves," answered bert. "i guess it will split at the tree and not hurt us." the snow slide had started at the top of the hill, whether from some snowball a boy had made, and rolled down, or from some other cause, bert did not stop to consider. he was too anxious to get his little brother and sister to safety. the snow was rather soft, and just right for the making of big balls, of the kind that had been put on the school steps. and, as it continued to slide down the hill, the mass of snow got larger and larger, until it was big enough to frighten even older persons than the bobbsey twins and their cousins. harry had reached the tree with freddie at the same time that bert came to the protecting trunk with his little sister. nan and dorothy also were struggling toward it. "form in line!" called bert. "in a long string down the hill, and every one stand right in line with the tree. the big trunk may split the snow slide in two." he and harry took their positions nearest the trunk, with flossie and freddie between them. nan and dorothy came next. bert clasped the tree trunk with both arms, and told harry to grasp him as tightly as he could. "and you and flossie hold on to harry, freddie," bert directed. "nan, you and dorothy hold on to the little ones. here she comes!" by this time the snowslide had reached the tree, and the mass was now much larger than at first. freddie and flossie felt like crying, but they were brave and did not. it was an anxious moment. then just what bert had hoped would happen came to pass. the snow slide was split in two by the tree trunk, and slid to either side, leaving the bobbsey twins and their cousins safe. "oh!" gasped nan. "what was that you said about seeing someone up there on top of the hill?" asked bert of harry, a little later. "i did see someone there just before the snow began to slide, and i'm almost sure i saw him roll that ball down that started the slide," answered harry. "is that so? could you see his face?" "not very well." "never mind. you don't know danny rugg, anyhow." "oh, bert! do you think danny could have done such a thing as that?" asked nan, in shocked tones. "he might; not thinking how dangerous it would be," answered her brother. "i'm going up there and take a look." "what for?" asked dorothy. "to see if i can find any marks in the snow. if someone was up there making a big snow ball to roll down on us there will be some marks of it. and if it was danny rugg i'll have something to say to him." "he wouldn't be there now, probably," said harry. "but do you think it would be safe to go up the side of the hill?" "yes, it would, by keeping right in the path of where the snow slide came down," answered bert. "there's hardly any more snow to come down, now." "then i'll go with you," said harry. leaving the two girls, with flossie and freddie, at the tree, bert and harry made their way up to the top of the slope. there they saw the signs of where, some one--a boy to judge by the marks of his shoes--had tramped about, rolling a big snowball. "that's what happened," decided bert. "danny rugg, or some other mean chap, started that slide toward us. and i think it must have been danny. he's up around here somewhere, and he's the only one who would have a grudge against me." several days went by at the lodge, and they were very busy ones. as soon as breakfast was over the boys and girls would go for a walk, or would coast down hill on a slope not far away from the old farmhouse. freddie and flossie were not allowed to go very far away, as it was hard traveling. but they had good times around the house, and out in the old barn. bert and harry made snowshoes out of barrel staves, fastening them to their feet with straps. they managed to walk fairly well on the crust. the lake was still covered with a coating of snow, and there was no skating, nor could the ice-boat be used. mr. bobbsey, with harry and bert, took the team of horses one afternoon and went after the _ice bird_. they found it where bert had left it the night of the storm, and hitching the horses to it, pulled the craft to the dock in front of snow lodge. "it will be all ready for us when the snow is gone," said bert. the nights in snow lodge were filled with fun. mr. bobbsey had bought a barrel of apples, and when the family gathered about the fireplace there were put to roast in the heat of the glowing embers. corn was popped, and then it was eaten, with salt and butter on, or with melted sugar poured over it. sometimes they would make candy, and once, when they did this, a funny thing happened. bert, nan, flossie and freddie, with the two cousins, had been out in the kitchen making a panful of the sweets. i must say that dinah did the most work, but the children always declared that they made the candy. anyhow, dinah always washed up the pans and dishes afterward. "now we'll set it out on the back steps to cool," said nan, "and then we'll pull it into sticks." the candy was soon in the condition for "pulling" and, putting butter on their fingers, so the sweet stuff would not stick to them, the children began their fun. the more they pulled the candy the harder it got, and the lighter in color, flossie and freddie soon tired of the work, that was hard on their little arms, and nan set their rolls of candy outside again to cool, ready for eating. all at once a great howling was heard at the back stoop, and flossie cried: "oh, someone is taking my candy!" bert laid the lump he was pulling down on the table, and rushed to the kitchen door. as he looked out he laughed. "oh, look!" he cried. "snap tried to eat your candy, freddie, and it's stuck to his jaws. he can't get his mouth open!" this was just what had happened. snap, playing around outside, had smelled the cooling candy. he was fond of sweets and in a moment had bitten on a big chunk. in an instant his jaws seemed glued together, and he set up a howl of pain and surprise. "oh, my lovely candy!" cried freddie. "you bad snap!" "i guess snap is punished enough," said mrs. bobbsey, coming to the kitchen to find out what the trouble was. and the poor dog was. he would not get his jaws open for some time, so sticky was the candy, and finally bert had to put his pet's mouth in warm water, holding it there until the candy softened. then snap could open his jaws, and get rid of the rest of the sweet stuff in his mouth. he looked very much surprised at what had happened. freddie was given more candy to pull, and this time he set the pan in which he put it up high where no dog could get at it. with the roasting of apples, making of popcorn and pulling of candy, many pleasant evenings were spent. then came a thaw, and some rain that carried off most of the snow. a freeze followed, and the lake was frozen over solidly. "now for skates and our ice-boat!" cried bert, and the fun started as soon as the lake was safe. the children had many good times, often going up to the nearest village in the ice-boat. sometimes bert had races with other ice-boats, and occasionally he won even against larger craft that were bought, instead of being home-made. but almost as often the _ice bird_ came in last. but bert and the others did not care. they were having a good time. bert met danny rugg in the woods one day, and spoke to him about the snow slide. danny said he had had nothing to do with it, but bert did not believe the bully. then came a spell of fine, warm weather, and as there was no snow on the ground, bert, nan, dorothy and harry decided to take a long walk one afternoon. nan wanted to get some views with her new camera. so interested did they all become that they never noticed how late it was, nor how far they had come. "oh, we must turn back!" cried nan, when she did realize that it would soon be dark. "we're a good way from snow lodge." "oh, we can easily get back," declared bert. "i know the path." but though bert might know the path they had come by daylight, it was quite different to find it after dark. however, he led the way, certain that he was going right. but when they had gone on for some distance, and saw no familiar landmarks, nan stopped and asked: "are you sure this is the right path, bert? i don't remember passing any of these rocks," and she pointed to a group of them under some trees. "i don't, either," said dorothy. "well, maybe this path leads into the right one," suggested harry. "let's keep on a little farther." there seemed to be nothing else to do, so forward they went. then a few flakes of snow began to fall, and they rapidly increased until the air was white with them. it made the scene a little lighter, but it caused bert and the others to worry a good deal. "i hope this isn't going to be much of a storm," said bert in a low voice to harry. "why not? it would make good sleigh riding." "yes, but it's no fun to be in the woods when it storms; especially at night and when you're--lost." "lost!" cried harry. "are we lost?" "i'm afraid so," answered bert, solemnly. "i haven't seen anything that looked like the path we came over for a long time. i guess we're lost, all right." "oh! oh!" cried dorothy. "will we have to stay out in the woods all night?" nan wanted to know. bert shook his head sadly. "i'm afraid so," he said. chapter xvii henry burdock with the wind blowing about them, whirling the snowflakes into their faces, and with night fast coming on, the four young folks stood close together, looking at one another. bert's solemn words had filled the hearts of the others with fear. then harry, sturdy country boy that he was, exclaimed: "oh, don't let's give up so easily, bert. many a time i've been off in the woods, and thought i was lost, when a little later, i'd make a turn and be on the road home. maybe we can do that now." "oh, i do hope so!" murmured dorothy. "let's try!" exclaimed nan, taking hold of her brother's arm. "wait a minute!" exclaimed bert as harry and dorothy were about to start off. "do you know where you're going?" "we're going back that way," declared harry, pointing off to the left. "why, that way?" asked bert. "i think that's the way to snow lodge," was the answer. "we've tried lots of other ways, and haven't struck the right one, so it can't do any harm to go a new way." "now just hold on," advised bert. "i don't mean to say that i know more than you about it, harry, but it does seem to me that it won't do any good to wander off that way, especially if you're not sure it's the right path. we'll only get more lost than we are, if that's possible." "well, maybe you're right," admitted harry. "but we can't stay here all night, that's sure." "of course not," added dorothy, looking around with a shiver. the snow seemed to be coming down harder than ever and the cold wind blew with greater force. "we may have to stay here," said bert. "but don't let that scare you," he said quickly, as he saw dorothy and his sister clutch at each other and turn pale. "we can build a sort of shelter that will keep us warm, and there won't be any danger of freezing." "no, but how about starving?" asked harry. "i'm real hungry now." "we had a good dinner," observed dorothy. "if we don't get anything more to eat until morning i guess we can stand it. but i do hope we can find some sort of shelter." "we'll have to make one, i guess," said nan, looking about her. "that's right," cried bert. "it's the only way. if we go wandering about, looking for a shelter, we may get into trouble. we'll make one of our own. there's a good place, over by that clump of trees. we can cut down some branches, stand them up around the trees and make a sort of tent. then, when the snow has covered it, we'll be real warm." "well, let's start building that snow tent," proposed harry. "it will give us something to do, and moving about is warmer than standing still. i know that much, anyhow." "yes, it is," agreed bert. "come on, girls. harry and i will cut the branches and you can stack them up." bert led the way to where three trees grew close together in a sort of triangle. the trees had low branches and it would be an easy matter to stand other branches up against them, one end on the ground, and so make a fairly good shelter. with their pocket-knives bert and harry began cutting branches from the evergreen trees that grew all about. as fast as they were cut the girls took them, and piled them up as best they could. all the while the wind blew the falling snow about, and it became darker. "oh, if we only had some sort of a fire!" exclaimed nan. "a fire?" said her brother. "that's so," agreed dorothy. "it would not be so lonesome then, and it--would scare away--the bears!" and she looked over her shoulder in some fear. "bears!" cried bert "there aren't any within a hundred miles, unless they're tame ones. but we might as well have a fire. i never thought of that. i've got a box of matches. harry, if you'll gather wood, and the fire, i'll keep on cutting branches. we've got almost enough, anyhow." "sure, i will!" said the other boy, and soon he had scraped away the snow from a spot on the ground, and had piled some sticks on it. he managed to find some dry twigs and leaves in a hollow stump, and these served to start a blaze. the wood was rather wet, and it smoked a good deal, but soon some of the fagots had caught and there was a cheerful fire reflecting redly on the white snow that was falling faster than ever. "that's something like!" cried bert, coming over to the blaze to warm his cold fingers. "we'll get a pile of wood and keep the fire going all night. then, if any of our folks come looking for us, they can see it." harry, who had just come up with an armful of wood, plunged his hands into his pockets to warm them. the next moment he uttered a joyful cry, and drew out two small packages. "look!" he cried. "here's our supper!" "supper?" asked bert, slowly. "what do you mean?" "it's chocolate candy," went on harry. "i forgot i had it, but it's fine stuff when you're hungry. lots of travelers use it when they can't get anything else to eat. here, i'll divide it, and we'll imagine we're having a fine feast." he was about to do this when bert suddenly exclaimed: "wait a minute! i have a better plan than that if i can only find a tin can. everybody look for one. there may have been picnickers here during the summer, and they may have left a lot of tin cans." "but what do you want of one?" asked nan. "i'll tell you if i find one," said her brother. "if i told you now, and we didn't pick up one, you'd be disappointed." but they were not to be, for a little later harry, kicking about in the snow, turned up a rusty tin can. "that's it!" cried bert. "now we'll put some snow in it, and melt it over the fire. that will give us water, and when it boils we'll be sure the can is clean. then we'll melt snow and have hot chocolate. we'll dissolve the chocolate candy in the water, harry, and drink it. that will be something hot for us, and better than if we ate the cold candy. i've got a folding drinking cup we can use." "say, that's a fine idea!" cried dorothy. "bert, you're wonderful." "oh, no, the idea just popped into my head," he replied. the can, with some snow in it, was soon on the fire, and in a little while steam arising from it told that the water, formed from the melting snow, was boiling. they rinsed the can out carefully, made more hot water, and then put in the chocolate candy, saving half for another time. nan and dorothy took turns stirring it with a clean stick until the mixture was foamy and hot. then it was passed around in the single drinking cup. "oh, but i feel so much better now," sighed nan, after taking her share. "so warm and comfortable!" "so do i!" exclaimed dorothy, and the boys admitted that the drink of chocolate was very good, even though it had no milk in it. then they finished making the shelter, brought up more wood for the night, and went in the little snow-tent. though it was only partly covered with a coating of white flakes, it was already warm and cozy, and they knew that they were in no danger of freezing. as much of the snow as possible was scraped away from the ground inside, and thick hemlock branches were laid down for a sort of carpet. then, with the cheerful fire going outside, the four young people prepared to spend the night. that it would be lonesome they well knew, but they hoped mr. bobbsey would come and find them, perhaps with a searching party. the warm chocolate, the warmth of the fire, the effect of the wind, weariness of the long walk, and the work of making a shelter, all combined to make the boys and girls sleepy in spite of their strange situation. first one and then the other would nod off, to awake with a start, until finally they were all asleep. how long he had been slumbering thus, in little snow-tent, bert did not know. he suddenly awoke with a start, and listened. yes, he heard something! the sound of someone tramping through the woods. a heavy body forcing its way through the bushes! at first bert's heart beat rapidly, and he thought of wild animals. then he realized that none was near snow lodge. he glanced about. the campfire was burning only dimly, and by the light of it, as it came in through the opening of the shelter, the boy could see the others sleeping, curled up on the soft branches. the sound of someone approaching sounded louder. bert looked about for some sort of weapon. there was none in the tent. then he almost laughed at himself. "how silly!" he exclaimed, "of course it's father, or someone looking for us. i'll give a call." he crawled to the edge of the shelter, looked out, and raised his voice in a shout: "hello there! here we are! father, is that you?" those inside the little snow-covered tent awoke with a start. bert tossed some light wood on the fire and it blazed up brightly. by its glow the boy saw, coming into the circle of light, a man dressed in thick, heavy garments, with a coonskin cap on his head. over his shoulder was a gun, and he had some rabbits and birds slung at his back. "hello!" called the man to bert, who was now outside the little tent. "who are you?" "bert bobbsey," was the answer. "my sister and cousins are here. we got lost and made this shelter. were you looking for us?" "well, not exactly," said the hunter slowly, as he leaned on his gun, and looked at the fire, then at bert and next on nan, dorothy and harry, who by this time had come from the tent. "not exactly, but maybe it's a good thing i found you. the storm is growing worse. what did you say your name was?" "bert bobbsey." the hunter started. "any relation to mr. richard bobbsey?" he asked. "he's my father." "you don't say so! well, i'm glad to hear that. it will give me a chance to do him a good turn. i'm henry burdock," the hunter went on. it was the turn of bert and nan to be surprised. "henry burdock!" repeated bert. "are you the nephew of mr. carford?" "yes," was the low reply. "do you know him?" "why, we're stopping at his place--snow lodge," said bert. "we got lost coming from there to take some pictures. oh, mr. burdock, can you take us back there?" "snow lodge--snow lodge," said the hunter slowly. his voice was sad, as though the place had bitter memories for him. chapter xviii snowballs "are we very far from snow lodge?" asked nan, after a pause. "we didn't think we would have any trouble getting back to it." "you're about three miles away, and the path is hard to find in the darkness and storm," said the young hunter slowly. "let me think what is best to do." he remained leaning on his gun, staring into the fire, which was now burning brightly. then he spoke again. "you youngsters certainly have made this a fine shelter. i couldn't have done it much better myself. it's just the thing to keep out the cold wind." "we thought we'd have to stay here all night," said bert. "we made some hot chocolate. we've got a little left. will you take some?" "no, thank you," replied henry burdock. "i generally carry a little to eat with me, and i just finished my night lunch. i had some cold coffee that i warmed up, too. i'm sorry, but if i had known i was going to meet you folks i'd have saved some." "oh, we're all right," declared harry. "we can finish our chocolate, and then perhaps you can show us the way back to snow lodge." "yes," spoke henry burdock, slowly, "i could do that. i know the way well enough. but it's a hard path to travel in the storm, and after dark. i don't believe you girls could manage it," and he looked at nan and dorothy. "oh, yes, we could!" nan exclaimed. "we've had a good rest, and papa and mamma will be so anxious about us!" "i'd like first rate to take you all home," said the hunter, "but i think i have a better plan. my shack isn't far from here. i could take you all there, and you could stay until morning. then i could go to snow lodge and tell them you were all right. when it was daylight they could come for you in the sled." "maybe that would be best," agreed bert. "but won't it be too much of a trip for you?" asked nan. "no, i'm used to roaming about the woods," said mr. carford's nephew, with a sad smile. "a few miles more or less won't make any difference, and i know every inch of this forest. i've had to," he added. "it's the only home i have now." "yes, we--we heard about you," said nan quickly, and there was kindness in her voice. "it's too bad your uncle acted as he did, and sent you away." "well, he thought he was doing right," said henry. "i don't know as i blame him. your father, though, he stuck to me, and i'm glad i can do his children a favor." "indeed, it seems too much to ask," spoke dorothy, for nan had whispered to her and harry the details of the story of the missing money which henry burdock was suspected of taking. "i don't mind," said the hunter. "i didn't do much walking to-day. game was not very plentiful, though i got some. now i'll lead you to my shack. it's small, but it's warm, and you can be comfortable there until daylight. i was walking through the woods, when i saw the flicker of your fire, and came up to see what it was." "and i couldn't imagine what it was i heard when i woke up," said bert. "i was a bit frightened at first," he admitted, with a smile. "i don't blame you," said henry. "and, since we are talking about snow lodge, i want to say that i never took that money. it was on the mantel in the living room, just as my uncle says it was, for i saw it. i don't deny but what i would have been glad to have it, for i had been foolish, and i owed more than i could pay. but i never took that roll of bills." "have you any idea who did?" asked bert. "not in the least. and as i was the only one in the house, besides my uncle, of course it made it look as if i had taken it, especially as the money totally disappeared. but i never laid a hand on it." "it is too bad," said bert. "maybe some day the bills will be found and you will be cleared." "i hope so," sighed henry. "but it's been some years now, and my uncle has considered me a thief all that while. i've gotten so i don't much care any more. living in the woods makes you sort of that way. you do a lot of thinking. "but there!" exclaimed the young hunter, straightening up. "this isn't doing you children any good. i'd better be taking you to my place instead of staying here. have you anything to carry?" "my camera--that's all," said nan. "i'll get it," and she darted into the shelter after it. then, when the fire had been extinguished so there would be no danger of it spreading, the young folks set off after henry burdock, who led the way. he seemed to know it, even in the darkness, but of course the white snow on the ground made the path rather easy to pick out. in a short time they came to a log cabin, which was the "shack" the hunter had mentioned. it was the work of but a few minutes to open it, and blow into flames the fire that was smouldering on the hearth. a lamp had been lighted and the place was warm and cozy enough for anyone. "oh, this is fine!" cried nan. "if the folks knew we were here we would be all right, and not worry." "they'll soon know it," said mr. burdock. "i'm going to set off at once for snow lodge. will you be afraid to stay here?" "not a bit of it!" exclaimed bert, and the others agreed with him. leaving the game he had shot, henry burdock started off again through the storm-swept woods, while bert and the others made themselves at home in the cabin. mr. burdock had showed them where he kept his food, and the boys and girls enjoyed a midnight lunch, for it was now after twelve o'clock. it was about three in the morning when the hunter came back, to find his young friends asleep. he let himself in quietly, and not until daylight, when they awoke, did he tell them of his trip. he had reached snow lodge safely, there to find mr. and mrs. bobbsey almost distracted over the absence of the children. mr. bobbsey and sam had searched as well as they could, and they were just going off to arouse some nearby farmers and make a more thorough hunt when mr. burdock came in. that his news was welcome need not be said, and mrs. bobbsey wept for joy when she knew that her children and the others were safe. they wanted the young hunter to remain until daylight, and go back with them in the sled, but he said he would rather go on to his cabin now. perhaps he did not feel that he should remain in snow lodge, from where his uncle had driven him in anger years before. mr. burdock gave mr. bobbsey directions how to find the cabin, and, as soon as the first streak of daylight showed, the lumber merchant and sam set off in the big sled. flossie and freddie were not awake, or they might have been taken along. and a little later bert, nan, dorothy and harry were safe in snow lodge once more. for some days after this the weather was stormy, so that the young folks could not go far from snow lodge. but they managed to have good times indoors, or out in the big barn. then came another thaw, and a freeze followed some days later, making good skating. one afternoon bert proposed to harry that they go for a trip on the ice-boat. "but not too far," cautioned his father. "we don't want you to get lost again." "no, we'll only go a mile or so," said bert. "want to come, nan and dorothy?" the girls did, and so, also, did flossie and freddie, but their mother would not allow this. so freddie got out his engine and played fireman, while his little sister put her walking and talking doll through her performance. snap, the trick dog, with many barks, raced off with bert and the older children. the _ice bird_ sailed well that day, skimming over the frozen lake at a fast pace, and the children greatly enjoyed the sport. snap sat on with the others, looking as though he liked it as well as anyone. they sailed up the lake for some distance and then got out to look for a cave which bert had heard was a short distance from shore. they did not find it at once, but while they were climbing up a little hill, thinking the cave might be somewhere near it, harry was suddenly startled to receive a snowball on his ear. "ouch!" he cried. "who threw that?" they all stopped and looked around. no one was in sight. "maybe it fell off a tree," suggested nan. "it came too hard for that," declared harry. "it was thrown." they looked about again, but, seeing no one, went on. then, suddenly there came another ball, and dorothy cried: "there, that came out of a tree, for i saw it. right over there," and she pointed. "then if it came out of a tree someone is up the tree!" declared bert, "and i'm going to see who it is." as he rushed forward a snowball struck him full in the face. chapter xix snap is gone dorothy screamed, and turned back toward nan when she saw bert struck with the snowball. but plucky nan kept on. "that must be danny rugg!" cried bert's sister. "no one else around here would be as mean as that!" bert stopped a moment to brush the snow from his eyes, and then he rushed toward the tree. "who is it?" cried harry. "i don't know--but i'm going to find out," was bert's answer. "come along!" the two boys hurried on, the girls lingering in the rear. again a snowball flew out of the tree, but it struck no one, though coming near to nan. by this time bert was close to the tree. it was a hemlock, and the branches were quite thick, but bert got a glimpse of someone hiding among them. "come down out of that!" bert cried. "i see you!" there was no answer. "what do you mean by hitting us?" asked harry angrily. "we didn't do anything to you." still there was no answer. "i'm going to do some snowballing on my own account," spoke bert. "here goes!" he quickly made a hard ball, and, circling around the tree to find an opening in the branches, he saw the figure of the boy more plainly. "danny rugg!" cried bert. "so it's you; is it? first you start a snowslide down on us and then you snowball us. this has got to stop. take that!" bert threw, but though his aim was good, danny, for it was the bully, managed to climb up higher in the tree, and the snowball broke into pieces against the branches. "ha! ha!" laughed danny. "oh, there's plenty more snow," said harry, "and you can't have an awful lot up there." his answer was another snowball, which struck him on the shoulder, doing no harm. danny must have taken some snow-ammunition up the tree with him, and, in addition, there was a supply of the white flakes on the wide branches of the hemlock. bert and harry both began throwing snowballs up into the tree, but they were at a disadvantage, for their missiles broke to pieces against the trunk or branches. on the other hand danny could wait his chance and hit them when they came within sight. "this won't do!" exclaimed bert, after a bit. "we've got to get him out of that tree." "how can we?" asked harry. "climb up it, and pull him down?" "oh, don't do that!" cried nan. "you might get hurt." "yes, that would be risky," admitted bert. "one of us might slip and fall. hey you, danny rugg!" cried bert. "come on down, and we'll give you a fair show. only one of us will tackle you at a time." "huh! think i'm coming down?" asked danny. "i'm not afraid of you, but i'm going to stay up here." "oh, are you?" asked bert, as he thought of a new plan. "we'll see about that. come here, harry." from the tree danny looked down anxiously while harry and bert whispered together. the girls had walked off to one side. "how are you going to get him down?" asked harry. "cut the tree," answered bert. "it's only a small one." "but we can't even cut that down with our knives." "i know. but on the ice-boat is that hatchet father gave me to take to be sharpened. i forgot about it on the way up the lake, and i was going to do it on the way back. there's a blacksmith shop in the big cove. but the hatchet is sharp enough to chop down this tree. we'll get it and give danny a good scare." "that's what we will. you stay here and i'll run down and get it." harry started off on a run, and danny, still up the tree, wondered what plan was afoot. the bully had been out for a walk when he saw bert and the others coming up the hill. he quickly climbed the tree in order to throw snowballs at them. when harry came back with the hatchet bert once more called to danny. "are you coming down and fight fair? i give you my promise that only one of us will tackle you at a time. you can have your choice." "i'm not coming down!" cried danny. "chop away, harry!" called bert. "i guess i can pepper him with a few snowballs if he tries to throw any at you." the tree trunk was not very thick, and the hatchet was fairly sharp. in a little while the tree began swaying. "i say now, stop that!" cried danny, trying to get a better hold in the branches. "better come down before you fall," suggested bert, who had a pile of snowballs ready. the tree swayed more and more. bert and harry knew that even if danny fell with it he could not get hurt in the soft drifts. so harry kept on chopping. the tree swayed more and more. there was a cracking sound. then danny cried: "don't chop any more--i'm coming down!" "get ready, harry!" called bert. "we'll give him some of the same kind of a thing he gave us!" in another instant danny jumped, and as the swaying tree sprang back, when relieved of his weight, bert and harry leaped forward to pelt the bully with snowballs. danny tried to fight back, but he was no match for the two of them, and soon he began to look like a snow image, so well was he plastered with white flakes. "give it to him!" cried bert, whose face still stung where danny had struck him with a snowball. "that's what i will," agreed harry, whose ear was quite sore. for a time danny said nothing, but tried to block off the rain of snowballs, throwing some of his own back. then, as he was almost overwhelmed by the ones harry and bert threw, the bully cried: "stop! stop! i've had enough! i won't bother you any more!" danny was soon out of sight, running off in the direction of his father's lumber tract, and soon bert and the others went back to the ice-boat. they stopped at the blacksmith shop to have the hatchet sharpened, and reached home after a little sail on the _ice bird_. "did anything happen this time?" asked freddie, as he greeted them on the return to snow lodge. "not much," replied bert. "we just had a snow fight; that's all." the skating and ice-boating lasted for some time, and the girls and boys had lots of fun. nights were spent in popping corn, telling stories, roasting apples, and once, in the big sled, they all went to an entertainment in a nearby school hall. it was on returning from this, in the evening, that dinah met them at the door, asking: "did yo' all take dat dog snap wif yo?" "take snap? no," said mr. bobbsey. "isn't he here?" the children began to look alarmed. "he was here," said dinah, "but i can't find him now, nohow. he suah am missin'." chapter xx the big storm for a moment they all looked at one another by turns. flossie and freddie showed the most alarm. bert started for the outside door, as though intending to make a search for his pet. mr. bobbsey questioned dinah. "are you sure," he asked, "that snap isn't around?" "i suah am suah," she replied. "i done called him to git suffin to eat, an' when snap won't come fo' dat he ain't around." "that's so," said mrs. bobbsey. "i wonder if he could have followed after us, and got lost? did any of you see him trailing us?" "he did come a little way, when we started," came from dorothy. "yes, but dinah called him back; didn't you?" asked nan of the cook. "yes, missis, dat's what i did. an' snap come. den, t' make suah he wouldn't sneak off an' foller yo'-all, i shut him up in de kitchen an' gibe him a chicken bone. arter a while i let him out. he run around, kinder disappointed like, an' come back. den i didn't look fo' him until a little while ago, but he was gone, an' i thought maybe, arter all, he'd come wif yo'." "no, he didn't," said mr. bobbsey, with a shake of his head. "but we'll have a look around." with bert and harry he went outside. but neither calling nor whistling brought any bark from snap. nor did he come bounding joyfully up, as he usually did when summoned. the darkness about snow lodge was quiet. there was no sign of snap. "he's gone off in the woods and is lost," said harry. "snap knows better than to get lost," declared bert. "he could find his way home from almost anywhere. i think he must have followed someone away." "would he do that?" asked harry. "he might with someone he knew, if that person petted him," said mr. bobbsey. "that hunter--henry burdock!" suddenly exclaimed bert. "snap made great friends with him when we met him out in the woods the other day, and henry said he'd make a fine hunting dog." "i don't believe henry burdock would entice our dog away," said mr. bobbsey, with a shake of his head. "oh, of course i didn't mean on purpose," said bert. "but snap may have been running about in the woods at dusk when he met henry. then he may have followed him, for snap is part hunting dog, and he gets crazy when he sees a gun. maybe he followed henry, and wouldn't be driven back through the snow." "maybe that's so," agreed mr. bobbsey. "in that case snap will be all right, and we can get him in the morning. so don't worry any more." they went back in the lodge, to find freddie and flossie almost in tears. but the little twins felt better when it was explained to them that snap might, after all, be safe with the young hunter. "and will you get him first thing in the morning?" asked freddie. the following day was so nice that flossie and freddie were allowed to go with bert, nan, harry and dorothy to the cabin of henry burdock to look for snap. the small twins were put on two sleds, the older children taking turns pulling them. they easily found henry's cabin, having been there several times since the night they spent in it. the hunter was just about to start off on a trip. "where's snap?" called bert, eagerly. "snap? i haven't seen him since that day i met you with him in the woods," answered the hunter. "what! isn't he here?" asked harry. then they told of the missing dog. but henry burdock had not seen him. "where can he be?" spoke nan, wonderingly. flossie and freddie began to cry. "oh, a bear has snap!" wailed flossie. "no, he hasn't!" declared bert. "we'll find him." "but where can he be?" said dorothy. "is there anyone else around here who might take him?" bert and nan thought of the same thing at the same time. "danny rugg!" they exclaimed. "what do you mean?" asked henry burdock. "he's a mean boy who is camping with his father near us," explained bert. "harry and i pelted him good with snowballs the other day, after he bothered us. i think he has enticed snap away." "would your dog go with him?" "yes, he's friendly with danny, for sometimes danny is fairly good, and comes to our house. if he offered snap a nice bone our dog might go with him." "then i advise you to have a look over where danny is camping," said the young hunter. it was quite a trip back to snow lodge and then over to the rugg lumber camp, and mrs. bobbsey thought it too far to take flossie and freddie, so they were left behind on the second trip, nan and dorothy going with bert and harry. they saw danny rugg standing in front of a log cabin which was on the edge of a lumber camp. the bully seemed uneasy at the sight of harry and bert, and called out: "if you're coming here to make any trouble i'll tell my father on you. he's right over there." "we're not going to make any trouble, danny rugg, if you don't," said bert slowly, "but we came for snap, our dog." "i don't know anything about your dog," answered danny, in surly tones. "i think you do," said bert, quietly. then raising his voice, he called: "snap! snap! where are you, old fellow? snap!" there was a moment of silence, and then, from a small cabin some distance away, came loud barks. "there's snap! that's our dog!" cried nan, joyfully, and at the sound of her voice the barking grew louder. there could also be heard the rattling of a chain. "you've got him tied, danny rugg!" cried bert, angrily. "let him go at once or i'll hit you!" "don't you dare touch me!" cried the bully. "and you get off our land!" "not until i get my dog," said bert, firmly. he started for the cabin where the dog was, but danny stepped in front of him. bert shoved danny to one side, and just then mr. rugg came up. "here! what does this mean?" he asked. "bert bobbsey, you here?" "yes, sir. i came after my dog. danny has him tied up!" "danny, is this so?" asked mr. rugg, who knew some of his son's mean ways, and had tried in vain to break him of them. "have you bert's dog?" "well, maybe it is his dog. it was dark when he followed me home last night, and i tied him in that shack." "i guess he wouldn't have followed you if you hadn't coaxed him," said bert. "well, i couldn't drive him back," went on danny, but the bobbseys believed that he had deliberately coaxed snap off to make trouble. "let the dog out at once," said mr. rugg to his son, and danny had to do so, though he was angry and sullen over it. how snap leaped about his master and mistress and their cousins! how delightedly he barked! and his tail wagged to and fro so fast that it looked like two tails, as freddie said afterward. "poor snap!" said bert, as he patted his pet "and so you were tied up all night? it was a mean trick!" and his eyes flashed at danny, who looked on sneeringly. "i am sorry for this, bert," said mr. rugg. "if i had known danny enticed away your dog i would have made him bring it back. now i am going to punish him. you go back home to-day, danny. you can't stay in the lumber camp any longer." danny felt badly, of course, but it served him right. the bobbseys and their cousins lost no time for getting back to snow lodge with snap, who was hugged so much by flossie and freddie that dinah said: "good land a' massy! dat dog must be mos' starved, an' yo'-all is lubbin him so dat he ain't time to eat a sandwich. let him hab some breakfast, an' den hug him!" "oh, but we like him so!" cried flossie. so snap was restored, and danny was sent home out of the woods, so there was no more trouble from him. in the days that followed, the bobbsey twins at snow lodge had many more good times. they made snow forts, and had snow-battles, they made big snow men and threw snowballs at them, and went on sleigh rides, or skated and ice-boated and played around generally, to their hearts' content. occasionally the two older boys went on long tramps with henry burdock as he visited his traps. they invited him to come to snow lodge, but he said: "no, i'm never coming there until i can prove to my uncle that i never touched his money. then i'll come." one day, when bert and harry had been in the woods with the young hunter, he said to them: "don't go far away from snow lodge to-morrow, boys." "why not?" asked bert. "because i think we're in for a big storm, and you might easily get lost again. unless i'm mistaken, it's going to snow hard before morning." henry burdock proved a true weather prophet, for when the bobbseys and the other got up the next morning the ground was covered with a mantle of newly-fallen snow, and more was sifting down from the clouds. the wind, too, was blowing fiercely. "it's going to be a bad storm," said mr. bobbsey, looking out after breakfast. "luckily we have plenty of wood and plenty to eat." the wind howled around snow lodge while the white flakes came down thicker and faster. "maybe we'll be snowed in," said nan. "that would be fun!" cried bert. chapter xxi the falling tree how the wind did blow! how the snow swirled and drifted about the old farmhouse! but within it all were warm and comfortable. the fire on the open hearth was kept roaring up the chimney, sam piling on log after log. in the cozy kitchen dinah kept at her work over the range, singing old plantation melodies. the blowing wind and the drifting snow kept up all day. flossie and freddie begged to be allowed to go out for a little while, but their mother would not think of it. bert and harry tried to go a little way beyond the barn but were driven back by the cold, wintry blasts. dorothy and nan managed to have a good time in the attic of the old house, dressing up in some clothes of a by-gone age, which they found in some trunks. "my! i hope the chimneys don't blow off!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, as a particularly fierce blast shook the old house. "a fire now would be dreadful." "i don't imagine there is much danger," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "the way they built houses and chimneys when snow lodge was put up was different from nowadays. they were built to stay." "oh, but this is a terrible storm!" "yes, and it seems to be getting worse," agreed mr. bobbsey. "i hope no one is out in it. but, as i said, we have plenty to eat, and wood to keep us warm, and that is all we can ask." the day slowly passed, but toward afternoon flossie and freddie grew fretful from having been kept in. they were used to going out of doors in almost any kind of weather. "come on up in the attic with us," suggested nan, "and we'll have a sort of circus." "and snap can do tricks," cried freddie, "and i'll give an exhibition with my fire engine." "of course!" exclaimed dorothy, and the little bobbsey twins forgot their fretfulness in a new series of games. harder blew the wind, and fiercer fell the snow. the path mr. bobbsey had shoveled was soon filled up again. out at the back door was a drift that covered the rear stoop. "if this keeps up we will be snowed in," said mr. bobbsey to his wife, as they prepared to lock up for the night. they were gathered around the big open fire, popping corn and roasting apples, when a louder blast of wind than ever shook the house. "oh, what a night!" said mrs. bobbsey, with a shudder. "i wish we were in our home again!" hardly had she spoken than there came a fearful crash, and the whole house trembled. at the same time a blast of cold wind swept through it, scattering the fire on the hearth. "oh, what was that?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "that old apple tree, at the corner of the house," said mr. bobbsey. "the storm has blown it over, and it has smashed a corner of the lodge. don't be afraid. we'll be all right," and he ran to close the door, to keep out the cold wind. chapter xxii the missing money "what happened?" asked mrs. bobbsey, when her husband had come back after going out to take a look around. "is the house safe?" "as safe as ever," he answered. "just as i told you, the old apple tree blew over, and smashed the corner of the house near this living room. that's why we felt the crash so. but there is no great harm done. we can keep this door closed and not use that other part of the house at all. we have room enough without it. the wind and storm can't get at us here." "i suah 'nuff thought de house was comin' down," said dinah, who had run in from the kitchen at the sound of the crash. "it was a hard blow," said bert "look, all the ashes are scattered," and he pointed to where the wind had blown them about the hearth. dinah soon swept them up, however, and more wood was put on the fire, and the bobbseys were as comfortable as before. the part of the house which had been smashed by the tree was closed off from the rest. soon it was time to go to bed, but all night long the storm raged, making snow lodge tremble in the blast. everyone was up early in the morning to see by daylight what damage had been done. the sun rose clear, for the storm had passed. but oh? what a lot of snow there was! in big drifts it was scattered all over the place, and one side door was snowed in completely; and could not be opened. sam had to shovel a lot of snow away from the kitchen steps before dinah could go out. "let's go see where the tree fell," suggested bert to harry, when they were dressed, nan and dorothy joined them. they went to the corner of the house and there saw a strange sight. the old apple tree lay partly in the room into which it had crashed through the side of the house. and much snow had blown in also. this room, however, was little used, except for storage, and there was nothing in it to be damaged save some old furniture. bert and harry made their way into the apartment, and the girls followed. they were looking about at the odd sight, when something in a corner of the room, along the wall that was next to the living room, where the bobbseys had spent the evening, caught bert's eyes. he went toward it. he picked up a roll of what seemed to be green paper. it had been in a crack of the wall that had been made wider by the falling tree. "oh, look?" he cried. "what is this? why, it's money!" "a roll of bills!" added harry, looking over his cousin's shoulder. slowly bert unrolled them. there seemed to be considerable money there. one bill was for a hundred dollars. "where did it come from?" asked nan. "from a crack in the wall," spoke her brother. "it must have slipped down, and the falling tree made the crack wider, so i could see it." "i wonder who could have put it there?" said dorothy. bert and nan looked at each other. the same thought came into their minds. "the missing money!" cried bert, "the roll of bills that mr. carford thought his nephew took! can this be it?" "oh, if it only is!" murmured nan. "let's tell papa right away!" carrying the money so strangely found, the young folks went into the house where mr. and mrs. bobbsey were. the roll of bills was shown, and mr. bobbsey was much surprised. "do you think this can be the money mr. carford lost?" asked bert. "i shouldn't be surprised," said mr. bobbsey, quickly. "i'll take a look. mr. carford said he left it on the mantel in the living room, and you found it in the room back of that. i'll look." quickly he examined the mantel. then he said: "yes, that's how it happened. there is a crack up here, and the money must have slipped down into it. all these years it has been in between the walls, until the falling tree made a break and showed where it was. mr. carford was mistaken. his nephew did not take the money. i always said so. it fell into the crack, and remained hidden until the storm showed where it was." "oh, how glad i am!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "now henry's name can be cleared! oh, if he were only here to know the good news!" there seemed to be no doubt of it. years before mr. carford had placed the money on the shelf of the living room. he probably did not know of the crack into which it slipped. the roll of bills had gone down between the walls, and only the breaking of them when the tree fell on the house brought the money to light. "it is a strange thing," said mr. bobbsey. "the missing money is found after all these years, and in such a queer way! we must tell henry as soon as possible, and mr. carford also." suddenly there came a knock on the door. bert went to it and gave a cry of surprise. there stood the young hunter--henry burdock. "i came over to see if you were all right," he said. "we have had a fearful storm. part of my cabin was blown away, and i wondered how you fared at snow lodge. are you all right?" "yes, henry, we are," said mr. bobbsey, "and the storm was a good thing for you." "i don't see how. my cabin is spoiled. i'll have to build it over again." "you won't have to, henry. you can come to live at snow lodge now." "never. not until my name is cleared. i will never come to snow lodge until the missing money is found, and my uncle says i did not take it." "then you can come now, henry," cried mr. bobbsey, holding out the roll of bills. "for the money is found and we can clear your name!" "is it possible!" exclaimed the young hunter, in great and joyful surprise. "oh, how i have prayed for this! the money found! where was it? how did you find it?" then the story was told, the children having their share in it. "i can't tell you how thankful i am," said the young hunter. "this means a lot to me. now my uncle will know i am not a thief. i must go and tell him at once." "no, i'll go," said mr. bobbsey. "i want to prove to him that i was right, after all, in saying you were innocent. you stay here until i bring him." mr. bobbsey went off in the big sled with sam to drive the horses. it was a hard trip, on account of the drifts, but finally newton was reached and mr. carford found. at first he could hardly believe that the money was found, but when he saw and counted it, finding it exactly the same as when he had put it on the shelf years before, he knew that he had done wrong in accusing henry. "and i'll tell him so, too," he said. "i'll beg his pardon, and he and i will live together again. oh, how happy i am! now i can go to snow lodge with a light heart." uncle and nephew met, and clasped hands while tears stood in their eyes. after years of suffering they were friends again. it was a happy, loving time for all. "and i'll never be so hasty again," said mr. carford. "oh, what a happy day this is, after the big storm! we must have a big celebration. i know what i'll do. i'll get up a party, and invite all the people in this part of the country. they all know that i accused henry of taking that money. now they must know that he did not. i will admit my mistake." and that is what mr. carford did. he sent out many invitations to an old-fashioned party at snow lodge. the place where the tree had crashed through, to show the missing money, was boarded up, and the house made cozy again. then came the party, and the bobbseys were the guests of honor--particularly the twins and their cousins, for it was due to them, in a great measure, that the money had been found. mr. carford stood up before everyone and admitted how wrong he had been in saying his nephew had taken the money. "but all our troubles are ended now," he said, "and henry and i will live in snow lodge together. and we will always be glad to see you here--all of you--and most especially--the bobbseys." "three cheers for the bobbsey twins!" someone called. the children were pleased at this praise. they did not know that soon they would be helping some other people. you may read about this in "the bobbsey twins on a houseboat." then followed a fine feast--a happy time for all, while henry and his uncle received the good wishes of their friends and neighbors. snap raced about, barking and wagging his tail. bert, nan, dorothy, harry and freddie and flossie were here, there, everywhere, telling how the tree had blown down, and how they had found the money. "dear old snow lodge!" said nan, when the party was over, and the guests gone. "we will have to leave it soon!" "but perhaps we can come back some time," said nan. "i'd like to," agreed bert. "next winter i am going to build a bigger ice-boat, and sail all over the lake." "and we'll make regular snowshoes, and go hunting in the woods," said harry. "but it will be summer before it is winter again," said freddie. "i'm going to have a motor boat and ride in it. and i'll take my fire engine along, and pump water." "can i come, with my doll?" asked flossie. "yes, you may all come!" exclaimed mamma bobbsey, as she hugged the two little twins. "and don't forget," said mr. carford, "that snow lodge is open in the summer as well as in the winter. i expect you bobbsey twins to visit me once in a while. i never can thank you enough for finding that missing money." "neither can i," said henry. and now that the story is all told, we will say good-bye to the bobbsey twins and their friends. the end the bobbsey twins in the great west by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins series," "the bunny brown series," "the outdoor girls series," "the six little bunkers series," etc. illustrated new york books by laura lee hope mo. cloth, illustrated. the bobbsey twins series the bobbsey twins the bobbsey twins in the country the bobbsey twins at the seashore the bobbsey twins at school the bobbsey twins at snow lodge the bobbsey twins on a houseboat the bobbsey twins at meadow brook the bobbsey twins at home the bobbsey twins in a great city the bobbsey twins on blueberry island the bobbsey twins on the deep blue sea the bobbsey twins in washington the bobbsey twins in the great west the bunny brown series bunny brown and his sister sue bunny brown and his sister sue on grandpa's farm bunny brown and his sister. sue playing circus bunny brown and his sister sue at aunt lu's city home bunny brown and his sister sue at camp rest-a-while bunny brown and his sister sue in the big woods bunny brown and his sister sue on an auto tour bunny brown and his sister sue and their shetland pony bunny brown and his sister sue giving a show bunny brown and his sister sue at christmas tree cove the six little bunkers series six little bunkers at grandma bell's six little bunkers at aunt jo's six little bunkers at cousin tom's six little bunkers at grandpa ford's six little bunkers at uncle fred's six little bunkers at captain ben's the outdoor girls series (ten titles) contents chapter i. the train wreck ii. the queer old man iii. mr. bobbsey remembers iv. the old man's story v. news from the west vi. aunt emeline vii. happy days viii. off for the west ix. dinner for two x. freddie, as usual xi. in chicago xii. nearing lumberville xiii. the sawmill xiv. the big tree xv. bill dayton xvi. the train crash xvii. at the ranch xviii. a runaway pony xix. the wild steer xx. the round-up xxi. in the storm xxii. new names chapter i the train wreck "come on, let's make a snow man!" cried bert bobbsey, as he ran about in the white drifts of snow that were piled high in the yard in front of the house. "that'll be lots of fun!" chimed in freddie bobbsey, who was bert's small brother. "we can make a man, and then throw snowballs at him, and he won't care a bit; will he, bert?" "no, i guess a snow man doesn't care how many times you hit him with snowballs," laughed the older boy, as he tried to catch a dog that was leaping about in the drifts, barking for joy. "the more snowballs you throw at a snow man the bigger he gets," said bert. "oh, bert bobbsey, he does not!" cried a girl with dark hair and sparkling brown eyes, as she ran along with a smaller girl holding her red-mittened hand. "a snow man can't grow any bigger! what makes you tell freddie so?" "course a snow man can grow bigger!" declared bert. "a snowball grows bigger the more you roll it in the snow, doesn't it?" "yes," admitted nan--nan being the name of the brown-eyed girl, bert's twin sister. "i know a snowball grows bigger the more you roll it, but you don't roll a snow man!" went on the brown-eyed girl. "ho, ho! wouldn't that be funny?" laughed the little girl, whose hand nan held. "what would be funny, flossie?" asked freddie, and one look at the two smaller bobbsey children would have told you that they, too, were twins. in fact the four bobbseys were twins--that is there were two sets of them--bert and nan, and flossie and freddie. "what would be funny?" freddie wanted to know. "tell me! i want to laugh." "yes, you generally do want to laugh, little fireman!" and bert bobbsey laughed himself as he gave his small brother the pet name that daddy bobbsey had thought up some time ago. "but, as flossie says, it would be funny to see a snow man rolling around in the drifts to make himself bigger," went on bert. "but you said he'd get bigger if we threw snowballs at him," insisted nan. "and he will," went on bert. "you see, a snowball gets bigger when you roll it around the yard, because more snow keeps sticking to it all the while. and if we make a snow man and then throw little snowballs at him, these snowballs will stick to him and he'll grow bigger, won't he?" "oh, i didn't know you meant _that_ way!" and now nan, herself, began to laugh. of course flossie and freddie joined in, though i am not sure that they knew what the joke was all about, but they were having fun in the snow and that was all they cared for. it was a fine snow storm, at least for the bobbsey twins and the other children of lakeport. it was not too cold, and the white flakes had come down so fast that there was now enough snow to make many snow men and snowballs, and leave plenty for coasting down hill. the bobbsey twins had hurried out to play in the snow as soon as they got home from school, and now they were having fine fun. snap, their dog, was playing with them, leaping about in the drifts, diving through them, as the bobbsey twins had seen swimmers dive through waves down at the seashore and snap would come out on the other side of the drift all covered with white flakes, as though he were a snow dog. dear old dinah, the fat, jolly, good-natured colored cook, who had been with the bobbseys many years, stood at the window looking at the children having fun in the snow. "why doesn't yo' go out an' jine 'em?" she asked, as she looked at a sleek cat that was curled up asleep near the stove. "why doesn't yo' go out in de snow? dat's whut i asks yo', snoop," went on dinah. "dar dey is--flossie an' freddie an' nan an' bert. an' snap's out wif 'em, too. why don't yo' go out an' jine de party?" but snoop seemed to like it better by the warm fire. he didn't want to "jine" any party, as dinah called it. snoop didn't like snow or water. "well, shall we make a snow man?" asked bert, as he raced about with snap, making the dog chase after sticks which would become buried deep under the snow, where snap had to dig them out. but the dog liked this. "let's make a snow house. i think that would be more fun," said nan. "oh, yes, and i can get my doll, and we can have a play party in the snow house," cried flossie. "can't we take the snow man into the snow house?" freddie wanted to know. "that'll be more fun than dolls. and we can make believe the snow house gets on fire, and i'll be a fireman and put it out. oh, let's play that!" he cried, his eyes shining in fun. "yes, anything like playing fireman suits you," returned bert. "but it would be pretty hard even to _pretend_ a snow house was burning. snow can't catch fire, freddie!" "well, we could make believe!" said the little fellow. "anyhow, i'm going to start to make a snow man, and you can make the snow house." "and i'll get my doll!" added flossie, starting toward the house, her little fat legs and feet making holes in the snow drifts as she tried to hurry along. "wait, i'll carry you," offered nan. "you're getting so fat, little fairy, that you'll look like a snow man yourself, if you keep on." "are snow mans always fat?" asked flossie. "they always seem to be," nan said, as she lifted up her little sister in her arms. snap, the dog, came flurrying through the snow after them. "my, i can hardly carry you!" panted nan, for flossie was indeed growing fast, and was heavy. however, nan managed to carry flossie over to a path mr. bobbsey had told sam, who was dinah's husband, to shovel through the snow that morning. it was easier for flossie to walk on the shoveled path, so nan put her down. the two girls went into the house, flossie to get her doll, while nan went to the kitchen and said something to dinah, the fat, jolly cook. "suah, i gibs 'em to yo'!" exclaimed dinah, laughing all over at nan's question. "i'll put 'em in a bag, so's yo'all won't spill 'em!" and when flossie was ready to go out again with her doll, nan went with her, carrying a bag, at which snap sniffed hungrily. "what you got?" asked the little girl. "oh, you'll see pretty soon," nan answered, "is it a secret?" flossie kept on teasing. "sort of secret," nan answered. when the two girls reached the place where they had left the two boys, bert was beginning to make a snow house and freddie was rolling a snowball as the start of a snow man. you know how they are made; a small snowball for the man's head, and a larger one for his body, with legs underneath. freddie hoped bert would help him when it came to the big snowball part of it. "is the snow house ready?" asked flossie, who had gone in especially to get her doll, so she might have a "play party." "oh, no, it takes a good while to make a snow house," bert said. "i don't believe i'll get it done before night if you don't help me." "i'll help," offered flossie. "can i make the chimbley?" "they don't have chimbleys on a snow house!" declared freddie, pausing in his rolling of the snowball. "they don't have chimbleys on snow houses, 'cause they don't have fires in 'em; do they bert?" "that's right, freddie," agreed the older boy. "but maybe, if flossie wants it, we could put a make-believe chimney on the snow house." "oh, i do want it--awful much!" cried flossie. "come on, nan, you help bert make the snow house, and then we can all play in it. "and you've got to let my snow man come in!" cried freddie. "yes, we'll let him come in if you don't make him too big," agreed bert, with a laugh. bert and nan, the older bobbsey twins, generally did what they could to please flossie and freddie, who sometimes wanted their own way too much. "i guess i'll help make the snow house first," went on freddie, walking away from the snowball he had partly rolled. "after that i'll make the man. it's better to make the house first, and then i'll know how big i can make the man." "yes, that would be a good idea, little fireman!" returned bert, with a laugh and a look at nan. and then bert caught sight of the bag in his sister's hand--the bag around which snap was sniffing so hungrily. "what have you, nan?" asked bert, pausing in the midst of shoveling snow in a heap for the start of the snow house. "oh--something!" and nan smiled. "something good?" bert went on. "i guess they're good," nan said, smiling. "i haven't tasted 'em yet, but dinah nearly always makes good cookies!" "oh, have you got some of dinah's cookies?" cried bert, dropping the shovel, and running toward nan. "give me some! please!" "i want some, too!" cried flossie. "so do i!" chimed in freddie. snap didn't say anything, but from the way he barked and leaped about i am sure he, too, wanted some of the cookies. "dinah gave me enough for all of us," said nan, as she opened the bag. "yes, and there's a broken piece off one that you can have," she went on to snap, the dog. beginning with flossie, then handing one to freddie, next passing a cookie to bert and helping herself last, as was polite, nan gave out the cookies. forgotten, now, were snow houses, snow men, snowballs, and even flossie's doll. the bobbsey twins were eating dinah's cookies. they had each begun on the second helping, when suddenly a loud crash sounded, which seemed to come from the direction of the railroad tracks which ran not far from the bobbsey home. the crash was followed by loud shouting. "i wonder what that was?" cried bert. "sounded like thunder," returned nan. "let's go and see," said bert. just as they were starting from the yard, charley mason, a boy who lived farther up the street, on the hill, came running along. "oh, you ought to see it!" he cried, his eyes big with wonder. "see what?" asked bert. "smash-up on the railroad, down in the rocky cut!" answered charlie. "two engines smashed together, and the cars are all busted! i saw it from the top of the hill! i'm going down! come on!" chapter ii the queer old man the first impulse of bert and nan bobbsey was, of course, to rush out of the yard and go with charley mason to see the train wreck. and, naturally, as soon as bert and nan began to run, flossie and freddie, forgetting snow men, snow houses, and even dinah's cookies, started after their older brother and sister. "go on back!" cried bert to the two smaller children. "you can't come with us!" "we want to see the wreck!" declared freddie. "maybe it's on fire, an' if i'm goin' to be a fireman i must see fires!" he always declared he was going to be a fireman when he grew up, and he was eager to see the engines every time they went out in answer to an alarm of fire. "come on, bert, if you're coming!" called charley mason, from the street in front of the bobbsey home. "it's a terrible wreck--cars off the track--engines all smashed up--everything!" "here, nan, you take flossie and freddie into the house! i'm going with charley!" said bert. "i want to see the wreck, too!" objected nan. "you go into the house, freddie, and i'll bring you a lollypop when i come back," she added. "don't want a lollypop! i want to see the busted engines!" declared freddie almost ready to cry. "so do i!" chimed in flossie. she generally did want to see the same things freddie saw. "oh, dear! what shall we do?" exclaimed nan. just then, from the door, mrs. bobbsey called: "children, children, what's the matter? what was that loud noise that seemed to shake the house?" "it's a train wreck and i want to go down with charley mason to see it!" answered bert. "but flossie and freddie want to come, and they're too little and--and--" then flossie and freddie began to talk, and so did nan and so did charley, and there was so much talking that i will wait a few minutes for every one to get quiet, and then go on with the story. and, while i am waiting, i will tell my new readers something about the bobbsey twins as they have been written about in the books that come before this one in the series. the four children lived in the eastern city of lakeport, at the head of lake metoka. mr. bobbsey was in the lumber business, and boats on the lake in summer and trains on the railroad in winter brought piles of boards to his yard. "the bobbsey twins" is the name of the first book of this series, and in it you may read of the fun bert and nan and flossie and freddie had together, playing with charley mason, danny rugg, nellie parks and other children of the neighborhood. sometimes the children had little quarrels, as all boys and girls do, and, once in a while, bert and nan would be "mad at" charley mason or danny rugg. but they soon became friends again, and had jolly times together. just at present charley and bert were on good terms. the second book is called "the bobbsey twins in the country," and those who have read it remember the summer spent on the farm of uncle daniel bobbsey and his wife sarah, who lived at meadow brook. another uncle, named william minturn, a brother-in-law of mrs. bobbsey's, lived at ocean cliff; and in the third book, called "the bobbsey twins at the seashore," you may learn of the good times bert and the others had playing on the beach and having adventures. after that the bobbsey twins went to school, and they spent part of a winter at snow lodge. some time later they made a trip on a houseboat, and stopped again at meadow brook. the next adventures of the children took place at home, and from there they went to a great city where many wonderful things happened. blueberry island was as nice a place as the name sounds, and bert, nan, flossie, and freddie never forgot the fun they had there. it was almost as exciting as when they traveled on the deep, blue sea. but you can imagine how happy the bobbsey twins were when their father told them he was going to take them to washington! the book about the washington trip, telling of the mystery of miss pompret's china, comes just before the one you are now reading, and it was on their return from that capital city that the children were having fun in the snow. christmas had come and gone, bringing much happiness, and it was because they had discovered some of miss pompret's missing china in a very strange way that the bobbsey twins had a much nicer christmas than usual. after the holidays winter set in hard and fast, but of course it could not last forever, and there were some who said this snow storm, which gave the bobbsey twins such a fine chance to have fun, would be the last of the season. it was, as i have told you, while bert, nan, flossie, and freddie were making a snow house and a snow man that they had heard the loud crash and charley mason had called out about the wreck. "has there really been an accident?" asked mrs. bobbsey, when the talk had somewhat quieted down. "oh, yes'm!" exclaimed charley. "from my house up on the hill i can look right down into the railroad cut. i was out feeding my dog, and i heard the noise and i looked and i saw the two engines all smashed together and cars off the track and a lot of people running around and--and--everything!" charley had to stop to catch his breath. mrs. bobbsey looked down the street and saw a number of men and women and some girls and boys hurrying to the railroad tracks. "we want to go to see it!" begged bert. "and we want to go, too!" pleaded freddie. sam johnson, the husband of dinah, the cook, came around the corner of the house. "there's somethin' must 'a' happened down by the railroad," he said to mrs. bobbsey. "yes, it's a wreck," she answered. "the children want to go, but i can't have them going alone. you may take them down, sam, but if it is too bad--you know what i mean, too many people hurt--bring them right back." "yassum, i'll do that there!" agreed sam, glad himself to get the chance to see what all the excitement was about. "come along, chilluns!" he added, with a smile. "oh, now we can go!" cried flossie, as she raced over and took one of sam's hands. "now we can go!" "yep! sam'll take care of us. won't you, sam?" asked freddie as he took the other hand. "and if there's a fire i can go near tie firemen, can't i?" he begged. "we'll see," said the colored man, with a nod to mrs. bobbsey to show that he understood how to look after the smaller twins. "come on!" cried charley. "i want to see that wreck!" "so do i!" added bert, as he hurried on ahead with nan and charley. sam, leading flossie and freddie by the hands, followed more slowly out into the street, where the sidewalks had been cleared of snow so the walking was easier. snap, the dog, tried to follow, but fearing that he might get hurt, bert drove him back. the railroad ran at the foot of the street on which the bobbsey house stood. the street went downhill to the tracks, and the railroad passed through what charley had called a "cut." that is, a cut had been made through the side of the hill so the tracks would be as nearly level as possible. sometimes, when a hill is too high the railroad has to go through it in a tunnel. and a "cut" is a tunnel with the top taken off. as bert, nan, and the others hurried along the street they saw many other persons hastening in the direction of the wreck. in a cutter, drawn by a horse that had a string of jingling bells on, dr. brown passed, waving to the bobbsey twins. "i guess there must be somebody hurt, or dr. brown wouldn't be going," said charley mason. "i guess so," agreed bert. "i never saw a big wreck." "well, this is a big one!" cried charley. "i saw the two engines all smashed up." a little later the bobbsey twins, in charge of sam, came to the edge of the cut. they could look down to the railroad tracks and see the wreck. surely enough, two trains had come together, one engine smashing into the other. both trains were on the same track, and had been going in opposite directions. there was a curve in the cut, and neither engineer had seen the other train coming until it was too late to stop. "why--why, they just bunketed right together, didn't they?" cried freddie. "they just bunketed right together, like my express wagon when it ran into henry watson's push-o-mobile the other day." "that's just what happened," said bert. for a moment the bobbsey twins stood and looked down at the wreck. just as charley had said, the two engines were smashed and there were some cars knocked off the track. but the wreck was not as bad as it had seemed at first, and i am glad to say no one was killed, though a number of people were hurt. the bobbsey twins could see these persons, who had been passengers on one or the other of the trains, moving about down in the railroad cut. some of them did not seem to know just what had happened. the accident had so frightened them that they were in a daze. trainmen, policemen, and even some firemen, were helping the injured persons away from the wreck. there had been no fire, and, much as freddie liked to see the engines, he was glad there was no blaze to make matters worse for the poor people who were hurt. "dat suah is a smash!" declared sam, as he stood on the bank, holding the hands of freddie and flossie. "dey suah did bump togedder lickity-smash!" "let's go down closer!" suggested charley mason. bert looked at sam, as if asking if this might be done. "no, indeedy!" exclaimed the faithful colored man. "yo'all jest stay right yeah! yo'all's ma tole me to look after yo', an' i'se gwine to do it! yo'all kin see whut dey is to see right yeah! if you goes any closter one ob dem bullgines might blow up!" "i don't want to be blowed up; do i, sam?" put in flossie. "no, indeedy!" he answered. "well, i'm going down!" declared charley. and, not having any one with him to make him mind, he slid down the snow-covered bank to the tracks, where there was quite a large crowd now gathered. the railroad men were starting to work to get the wreck off the tracks, so other trains might pass. the injured persons were being cared for by dr. brown and others, and the worst of the wreck seemed over. still there was much for the bobbsey twins to look at. flossie and freddie kept tight hold of sam's hand, and bert and nan stood a little way off, gazing down into the cut. as the bobbsey twins stood there they saw, climbing up a narrow foot-path on the side of the railroad hill, a queer old man. he was dressed somewhat as the children had seen uncle daniel bobbsey dress on a cold day at the farm, with a red scarf about his neck. and this man was carrying his hat in one hand while in the other he held a banana half-pealed and eaten. the queer man seemed very much frightened, and he was hurrying up the hill path as though trying to run away from something. bert had just time to see that there was a cut on the man's head, which was bleeding, when, all at once, the queer character cried: "there! i forgot my satchel! i thought this was it!" and he looked at the banana he was carrying. he turned, as though to hurry back down toward the wreck, and then he slipped and fell in the snow. "mah goodness!" cried sam, as he dropped the hands of the smaller bobbsey twins and sprang toward the man. "you's gwine to slide right down on de tracks ag'in ef you don't be keerful!" and sam caught the queer man just in time. chapter iii mr. bobbsey remembers the bobbsey twins at first did not know what to think of the queer man who had fallen down in the snow just as he reached the top of the hill, at the bottom of which was the train wreck. but when bert noticed the bleeding cut on the head he guessed what had happened. "i guess he was one of the passengers, and got hurt," said the boy to nan. "i guess so, too." she said. flossie and freddie, not having sam's hand to take hold of now, were holding each other's and watching the colored man help the stranger. "hold on now! jest take it easy!" advised sam, in, a soothing voice. "yo's gwine to feel better soon. is you much hurted?" the man seemed more dazed than ever. he put his hand to his head, letting go of the banana he had been holding, and when he saw that his fingers were red, because they had touched the bloody cut, he exclaimed: "oh, now i remember what happened! i was in the train wreck!" "that's right! i guess you was," said sam, "you come up de hill from down by de railroad tracks, an' you done slipped back down ag'in almost! i jest caught you in time!" "thank you," said the man. "i really didn't know what i was doing. all i wanted to do was to get away from the wreck, and i took the first path i saw. i must have got out of breath, for when i reached the top of the hill i couldn't go any more, and i just slipped down." "i saw you!" exclaimed sam. "maybe dat whack you got on top ob yo' haid makes you feel funny." "i rather think it does," said the man. "but i'm feeling better now. when the crash came i jumped out of my seat--as soon as i could get up after being knocked down--and rushed out of the car. i must have been wandering around for some time. then i saw this path leading up the hill and i took it." "why didn't you put your hat on?" asked bert, who, with the other bobbsey twins, had been looking closely at the stranger. "my hat? that's so, i did forget to put it on," he said, and, for the first time, he seemed to remember that he was carrying his hat in his hand. "you might catch cold," remarked nan. "that's right, little girl--so i might," he said, and he smiled at her. he had a kind smile, had the man, though his face looked weary and sad. "did you get much hurt in the wreck?" asked bert. "no, i think not," was the answer, and again he put his hand to his head. "it's only a cut, i'm thankful to say. i'll be all right in a little while. i'll hold a little snow to it. that will wash the blood off, as well as water would." with sam's help, he now managed to stand up. the colored man took up a handful of snow and gave it to the stranger, who held it to the cut on his head. the cold snow seemed to make him feel better, and when he had wiped away the blood he put on his hat, shook the snow from his overcoat, and looked at the banana which he had dropped in a drift. "well, i do declare!" cried the stranger. "what's de mattah?" asked sam. "why, all the while i thought that banana was my satchel," was the answer. "i was eating it when the crash came--eating the banana i mean, not my satchel," and he smiled at bert and nan, who smiled back at this little joke. flossie and freddie stood there looking on. "i was sitting in my seat, eating this banana," went on the man, "when, all of a sudden, there was a terrible crash, and i was so shaken up, together with a lot of other passengers, that i fell out of my seat. that's how my head was cut, i suppose. i thought i was grabbing up my satchel, so i could run out and be safe, but i must have kept hold of the banana instead. "i know i got my hat down from the rack overhead, where i had put it, and then out i rushed. my! it was a terrible sight, though i heard it said that nobody was killed, and i'm glad of that. but it was a terrific crash, and it made me feel dizzy. i evidently didn't know what i was doing." "i should think so, sah!" exclaimed sam with a smile. "when a body takes a banana for a satchel he's jest natchully out ob his mind i say!" "i didn't seem to come to myself until i got up here on top of the hill," went on the man "but i'm feeling better now. i'm not really hurt at all, except this cut on my head, and that's only a scratch. i'm going down and get my satchel. i can see the car i was in. it isn't smashed at all. i'll go for my valise." "i'll go with you," offered sam. "you chilluns stay heah till i come back," he went on. "don't move away. i got to he'p dis gen'man find his baggage." "it will be a great help to me," said the man. "i might get dizzy again and fall. it's rather steep going down that hill. will the children be all right if you leave them?" "yes, we'll stay right here," promised nan. "and we'll look after flossie and freddie," added bert with this promise, sam thought it would be all right to go down to the wreck and help the stranger look for the valise he had left near his seat in the car. while the two men were gone, the colored servant helping the other, the bobbsey twins watched the railroad men starting to clear away the wreck. a big derrick had been brought up on another train, and with this the engines and cars that had left the tracks could be lifted back on to them. in a short time sam came back with the man, and the colored helper at the bobbsey home was carrying a large valise. "we found it all right," said the stranger. "it was right near my seat. i might have stayed there, but i was so excited i didn't know what i was doing. what place is this, anyhow?" "this is lakeport," answered bert. "the station's down the track a little way. your train hadn't got to it yet." "no, the other train got in the way," said the man with a smile. "well, accidents will happen, i suppose. so this is lakeport! well, this is the very place i was coming to, but i didn't expect to reach it amid so much excitement." "you were coming here?" repeated nan. "to lakeport, yes. i want to find a mr. richard bobbsey. maybe you children can tell me where he lives." the bobbsey twins looked so surprised on hearing this that the man gazed at them in astonishment. "do you know mr. bobbsey?" he asked. "i hope he hasn't moved away from here. i want to see him most particularly. do you know him?" "does dey _know_ him!" exclaimed sam, his eyes opening wide. "does dey _know_ him? well i should say dey _does!_" "he's our father!" exclaimed nan and bert together. "mr. bobbsey your father! well, i do declare!" cried the strange man, and he smiled at the children. they were beginning to like him very much. "just think of that now!" he went on. "my railroad train gets in a wreck right near lakeport, where i want to get off, and first i know i run into mr. bobbsey's children! well, well! to think of that!" "here comes daddy now!" cried flossie, pointing to a figure walking over the snow toward them. "oh, daddy, i saw the train wreck!" yelled freddie. "and i saw the firemans, i did, but they didn't have any engines, and i--i--i saw--" but freddie was too much out of breath from running to meet his father to tell any more just then. it was indeed mr. bobbsey who had come along just then. he had come home earlier than usual from the lumberyard office, and his wife had told him that the children had gone down the street with sam to look at the railroad wreck. "i'll go down and bring them back," said mr. bobbsey, "i heard about the wreck. it isn't as bad as at first they thought it was. no one was killed." "i'm glad of that," replied his wife. "i told sam to bring the children back if it was too bad." so it had come about that mr. bobbsey reached the top of the cut, down in which the railroad wreck was, just as the strange man was asking the bobbsey children about their father. "well, little fireman and little fat fairy," asked mr. bobbsey of flossie and freddie, "did you see all there was to see?" "i saw the engines all smashed together," answered flossie. "and i saw a fireman help get a lady out of a car," added freddie. "is this mr. bobbsey?" asked the voice of the man, as he stepped forward and stood near the children's father. "yes, that is my name," was the answer. "did you wish to see me?" "i came all the way to lakeport for that," the stranger went on; "but i didn't mean to come in just this exciting way." "were you in the wreck?" asked mr. bobbsey. "oh, yes, he was in it, and he thought a banana was his satchel!" exclaimed flossie, "wasn't that funny, daddy?" mr. bobbsey did not quite know what to make of this. "your little girl is quite right," said the man. "i was so excited, from being in the wreck, where i got a cut on the head, that i rushed from the car carrying a banana instead of my valise. "however, i'm all right now, and sam here, as the children call him, was good enough to help me get back my satchel," went on the man. "i was just telling the children that i came here to find mr. bobbsey, when, to my great surprise, they let me know that he is their father, and along you came." "yes, these are my youngsters," said mr. bobbsey, smiling at bert and nan and flossie and freddie. "sam johnson helps us look after them, and his wife, dinah, cooks for us. but what did you want to see me about?" and he looked at the man. "don't you remember me?" came the question. mr. bobbsey looked more closely at the stranger. he did not recognize him. "hickson is my name," said the man. "hiram hickson. i used to know you when--" "oh, now i remember! now i know you!" cried mr. bobbsey. "hiram hickson! of course! i remember you well now! well, well! this is a surprise! how did you come--" but just then a loud shouting in the railroad cut below caused mr. bobbsey to stop speaking. "look out! look out!" came the cry, and people began rushing away from the cars, some of which were almost overturned, while others were completely on their side. "look out!" cried the warning voice again. chapter iv the old man's story mr. bobbsey caught flossie and freddie up in his arms and started to run with them. at the same time sam johnson pulled nan to one side, catching hold of her hand, and the strange man, who had said he was hiram hickson, took hold of bert. "we'd better get out of harm's way!" said mr. hickson. as the bobbsey twins were thus hurried out of any possible danger the two older children looked back over their shoulders, down to where the railroad wreck was strewed about along the tracks. they saw the railroad men and other persons running away after the warning shout had been given, and bert and nan wondered what was going to happen. they saw a big puff of steam shoot out from one of the engines that was partly overturned, and then came a loud noise, as of an explosion. a few moments later, however, the cloud of steam was blown away by the wind, the noise stopped, and the people no longer ran away. "i guess the danger is over," said mr. bobbsey, as he stopped and set flossie and freddie down on the ground a little way back from the edge of the cliff, from which they had been looking at the train wreck. "in fact," went on mr. bobbsey, "i don't believe we would have been hurt if we had stayed where we were. but when i heard that shouting i didn't know what was going to happen." "that's right," returned mr. hickson, who had let go of bert. "you never know what is going to happen in a railroad wreck. i didn't have any idea, when i was riding so easily in my seat, that, a minute later, i'd be thrown out with my head cut and a banana in my hand." "what happened down there, daddy?" asked nan. "there must have been a blow-out, or an explosion, in the locomotive," answered mr. bobbsey. "the fire got too hot after the wreck, and the steam burst out at one side of the boiler. but no one seems to be hurt, and i'm glad of that. the wreck was bad enough." the railroad men and others who had run out of danger when some one, who saw the boiler about to explode, had given the warning, now came back. they started again to clear the tracks so that waiting trains could pass. "well, i don't believe there's much more to see," said mr. bobbsey. "we'd better be getting back home, children, or your mother will worry about you." "can't i stay and see the firemen just a little longer?" begged freddie. "i don't believe they are going to do much more," answered his father. "their work is nearly done. all the people who were hurt have been taken away." this was true. the scene of the wreck was now being cleared, and in a little while the damaged engine and cars would be hauled away to the shops to be mended. "did you get everything belonging to you, mr. hickson?" asked mr. bobbsey of the man who had been slightly hurt in the wreck. "yes, i have my satchel," he answered. "and as i was going to get out at the lakeport station i'm right at the place where i was going, even if there had been no wreck." "and so you were coming to see me, were you?" asked mr. bobbsey. "well, i don't know what your plans are, but i would be very glad to have you come to supper with me." "maybe your wife mightn't like it," said mr. hickson. "she might not be ready for company, and i'd better tell you that i'm quite hungry." "so'm i!" exclaimed freddie. "i'm hungry, and i eat a lot. but dinah--she's our cook--has lots to eat in her kitchen!" "well, then maybe she'd have enough for me," replied mr. hickson, with a laugh. "if you're sure it won't put your wife out i'll come," he said to mr. bobbsey. "i want to see you, anyhow, and have a talk with you. i want to ask your advice." "very well, come along, then," returned the children's father. "we can talk after supper," went on mr. bobbsey, as the little party walked along the lakeport street away from the railroad wreck. "that is, if you feel able, mr. hickson." "oh, i'm beginning to feel all right again," said mr. hickson. "i was pretty well shaken up and knocked around when the cars stopped so suddenly, and i was a bit dazed, so i didn't know what i was doing--taking a banana for my satchel, for instance!" and he smiled at flossie and freddie, who laughed as they remembered how queer this had seemed to them. "yes, i'm all right now, dick," went on the old man, and bert and nan wondered how it was that this stranger called their father by the name their mother used in speaking to her husband. mr. bobbsey saw that bert and nan were wondering about this, and he explained by saying that he and mr. hickson had known each other for many years. "we used to know one another," said mr. bobbsey to his children. "but it's been a good many years since i have seen him." "yes, it has been a good many years," said mr. hickson, in rather a sad voice. "and they haven't been altogether happy years for me, either; i can tell you that, dick." "i'm sorry to hear you say so," replied mr. bobbsey. "were you in lots of railroad wrecks, and did the firemans have to come and get you out?" asked freddie. to him railroad wrecks seemed very bad things, indeed, though having the firemen come was something he always liked to watch. "no, this is the only railroad wreck i have ever been in," said mr. hickson. "i don't want to be in another, either. no, my bad luck didn't have anything to do with wrecks or firemen. i'll tell you my story after supper," he said to mr. bobbsey. "will you tell us a story, too?" begged flossie. "i'm afraid my kind of story isn't the kind you want to hear," said the man, smiling rather sadly. "daddy will tell you a story, little fat fairy!" said mr. bobbsey as he gently pinched the chubby cheek of his little girl. "i'll tell you and my little fireman a story after supper." flossie and freddie clapped their hands and danced along the sidewalk in glee at hearing this. the little party was soon at the bobbsey home, and you can imagine how surprised mrs. bobbsey was when she saw, not only her husband, the children, and sam coming in the gate, but a strange man. she must have shown the surprise she felt, for mr. bobbsey said: "mary, you remember hiram hickson, don't you? he and i used to know each other when i was a boy in cedarville." "why, of course i remember you!" said the children's mother. "though i don't know that i should have known you if i had met you in the street." "no, i've changed a lot, i suppose," said the old man. "and you have been in the wreck! you are hurt!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "shall i get a doctor?" "oh, i'm not hurt anything to speak of," said the man. "just shaken up a bit and scratched. i'll be all right once i get a cup of tea." after supper flossie and freddie, as had been promised, were taken up on their father's lap, and they listened to one of daddy's wonderful make-believe stories. "please put a fairy in it!" flossie had begged. "and i want a fireman in it!" exclaimed freddie. "very well then, i'll tell about a fairy fireman who used to put out fires by squirting magical water on them from a morning glory flower," said mr. bobbsey. this pleased both the little children, and when they had listened to the very end, with eyes that were almost closed in sleep, they were taken off to bed. "now, if you'll come with me to the library i'll let you tell me your story," said mr. bobbsey to hiram hickson. bert and nan, who did not have to go to bed as early as did flossie and freddie, rather hoped they might sit up and hear the queer man's story. but in this they were disappointed. however, mr. bobbsey let them hear, the next morning, the reason why mr. hickson had traveled to lakeport. "he really was coming to see me," said mr. bobbsey. "he wants work, he says, and, as he knows something of the lumber trade and as he knew i had a lumberyard, he came to me." "but hasn't he any folks of his own?" asked mrs. bobbsey who, like the children, was listening to her husband. "he has two sons, but he doesn't know where they are," answered mr. bobbsey. "did they get hurt in railroad wrecks?" asked freddie. "no, i don't believe so," replied his father. "it is rather a sad story. hiram hickson is a strange man. he is kind, but he is queer, and once, many years ago, while his two boys were living with him, there was a quarrel. mr. hickson says, now, that it was his fault. anyhow, his two boys ran away, and he has never seen them since." "doesn't he know where they are?" asked bert. "no, he hasn't the least idea. at first he didn't try to find them, for he was angry with them, and he thinks they were angry with him. but, as the years passed, and he felt that he had not done exactly right toward his boys, he began to wish he could find them. "but he could not, though he wrote to many places. his wife was dead, and he was left all alone in the world. he has a little money, but not much, and, as he is strong and healthy, he felt that he wanted to go to work. he has about given up, now, trying to find his two boys, william--or bill, as he usually called him--and charles, and what he wants is a home and some work by which he can make a living." "where is he going to work?" asked nan "he is going to work in my lumberyard," answered her father. "i need a good, honest man, and though hiram hickson is a bit queer, i know he is good and honest. i am going to give him work." "and where is he going to live?" asked bert. "here, with us, for a while," answered mr. bobbsey. "we have room for him, and, as he is an old friend, and as he was once very kind to me, i want to do all i can for him. "i said he could have a room in the house but he says he is used to living alone of late and so he is going to take one of the rooms over the stable, or what used to be the stable, before we got the automobile. dinah and sam have their rooms there, but there is another room for mr. hickson. so he will be like part of the family, and i want you children to be kind to him, as he has had trouble." "i like him!" declared bert. "so do i," said nan. "come, children," said their mother, "it is time to go to school; and there goes mr. hickson to work in daddy's lumberyard!" chapter v news from the west the bobbsey twins looked from the window and saw hiram hickson walking through the yard on his way from the garage. he had slept all night in the comfortable room in the former stable, where dinah and sam also lived. as the old man passed he saw flossie and freddie and bert and nan looking from the window at him. he smiled up at the children, and waved his hand to them. "he looks a little like uncle daniel, doesn't he?" remarked bert. "yes," agreed nan. "only his hair is whiter. i guess he's had lots of troubles." "maybe about his two sons," bert went on, as the old man passed from sight toward the lumberyard. "i wish we could help him find them." "i don't see how we could ever do that," returned nan. flossie and freddie stood with their noses pressed against the window glass, looking at mr. hickson until he was out of sight down the street. then they got down off the chairs on which they had been kneeling, and freddie asked: "may i have an apple dumpling to take to school, mother?" "an apple dumpling to take to school!" she exclaimed. "why, what in the world do you want to do that for?" "i want it to eat at recess," explained the little fellow. "all the boys bring something to eat." "and so do the girls," added flossie. "i want something to eat, too. and dinah is baking apple dumplings this morning--i smelled 'em when she opened the oven door." "well, i'm afraid apple dumplings are too big to take to school for a recess lunch," said mrs. bobbsey with a laugh. "i'll get dinah to give you some cookies, though." and dinah not only gave some to flossie and freddie, but to bert and nan. then, happy and laughing, the bobbsey twins started for school. "did you go down and see the big railroad wreck yesterday?" asked danny rugg of bert at the school-yard gate. "sure i saw it," was the answer. "and we got a man out of it, too," said nan. "you got a man out of the wreck! what do you mean?" exclaimed danny. "did you go down and pull him out?" "no," nan went on. "but we saw him, and he's at our house now." "he works for my father," said bert, and he told the story of hiram hickson, not speaking, however, about the two sons of the old man who had run away from him because of a quarrel. bert did not think his father would like to have him tell this outside the family. "i was right close to the engine when it puffed out a lot of steam," said danny rugg. "and i ran away like anything!" "so did we!" said bert. all the boys and girls were talking about the wreck that morning, and because they had had such a curious part in it--having at their home one of the passengers who had been hurt--bert and nan were the center of a little throng that wanted to hear, over and over again, about it. so the older bobbsey twins told all they knew concerning it from the time of having first heard about the wreck from charley mason until they came home accompanied by hiram hickson, who had been slightly hurt in the accident. "is he all right now?" danny rugg wanted to know. "oh, yes. he's gone to work in my father's lumberyard," explained bert. "i'm going to stop in to see him this afternoon." "can't we go, too?" asked danny, as he and charley mason walked back into the school with bert, some of the talk having taken place at recess. "yes, i guess so," was the answer. bert often stopped at the lumberyard on his way home from school. he liked to play among the piles of logs and sawed boards, as did the other boys. flossie and freddie liked this, too, but they were not allowed to climb around on the lumber piles unless their father or some other older person was with them. often bert and nan made "sea-saws" on a lumber pile, but to-day nan wanted to hurry home with grace lavine and nellie parks, for they had a new story book they were reading together, and over which they were very much excited, each pretending she was one of the principal characters. so, after school was out, and the cookies which dinah had given the children had been eaten down to the last crumbs, nan took flossie and freddie home with her, and bert and some of his boy chums went to the lumberyard. on the way they made snowballs and threw them at trees and fences. "there he is!" said bert to charley and danny, as they saw mr. hickson measuring a pile of boards and marking the lengths down in a book. "there's the man that came out of the railroad wreck!" "pooh, he isn't hurt a bit!" exclaimed danny rugg. "i thought you said his head was cut, bert bobbsey!" "'tis cut!" declared bert. "isn't your head cut, and weren't you hurt in the railroad wreck?" cried bert, as mr. hickson waved his hand in greeting. "well, it isn't cut much--you can see where it is," and, taking off his hat, the old man showed the boys a piece of sticking plaster which had been put over the cut. "there! what'd i tell you?" cried bert. danny and charley said nothing. they were satisfied now that they had actually seen the man himself and the cut he had got in the wreck. the three boys played about on the lumber piles until it was time for them to go home, and bert promised to bring his chums next day to have more fun on the masses of lumber. some of the boards were so stacked up that there were spaces between, and these the boys played were "robber-caves." it was nearing the end of winter when the railroad wreck had taken place. there was still plenty of snow and ice, but the sun was slowly working his way back from the south, where he had stayed so long, and each day brought spring nearer. mr. hickson continued to live in his room over the bobbsey garage. he liked it there, and he liked his work in the lumberyard. mr. bobbsey said the former cedarville man was a good helper, and he was glad he had been able to hire him. "and do you think he'll ever find his two boys?" asked bert one day, when he and nan had been talking to their father about mr. hickson. "i'm afraid he'll never find them now, it has been so many years since they went away," explained mr. bobbsey. "they were boys then, sixteen or seventeen years old, and now they would be grown men. no, i don't believe mr. hickson will ever find his sons, though i wish he might, for i think it would make him much happier." bert and nan wished they might help their father's friend to find his sons, but they did not see how it could be done. they even talked about it to miss pompret, the woman whose rare china they had so strangely discovered. "well, you bobbsey twins are very lucky," said miss pompret, when nan and bert were at her house one early spring day. "you were very lucky about my china, and maybe you will be lucky about mr. hickson's sons. i hope he finds them. it is very sad to be old and to have no one in the world who really belongs to you. i hope you may be able to help him." as has been said, the spring had come. the bobbsey twins and the other children of lakeport had made the most of winter while it lasted. they had built snow houses, snow men and had had snowball battles--at least--bert, charley mason and danny rugg and the bigger boys, as well as nan and her particular girl friends, had. the smaller ones, like freddie, had coasted downhill on their sleds. this was fun in which flossie also shared. april came with plenty of showers, but the showers brought the may flowers, just as it says in the little verse. and then came june, which seemed the best month of all. "aren't you glad?" asked bert of nan, as four bobbsey twins were on their way to school one beautiful june morning, when the birds were singing and the flowers in the yards along the way were all in blossom. "glad? what for?" asked nan. "'cause school will soon be over and we'll have a long vacation," answered bert. "oh, that's so!" agreed nan. "we have only a few more weeks of school. i hope i pass my examinations." "i hope so, too," agreed bert. "i'm going to study real hard." "so'm i!" murmured nan. "oh, look! there goes mr. hickson on a pile of daddy's lumber!" she cried. "maybe he'll give us a ride to school." they shouted to the old man, who was now one of the best of mr. bobbsey's helpers in the lumberyard. "whoa, esmeralda!" called mr. hickson to the horse he was driving. "what is it?" he asked of the bobbsey twins, who were on the sidewalk. "did you want me?" he asked. "the boards rattle so i couldn't hear what you said. there hasn't been another railroad wreck, has there?" and he smiled. "no," answered bert. "but could you give us a ride to school, if you're going down that way?" "i am and i will," answered mr. hickson. "wait a minute, flossie and freddie," he called to the smaller children. "i'll help you up. now don't run away, esmeralda!" he called to the horse. "oh, she won't run! she's the slowest horse daddy has!" laughed nan. "she's a good horse, though," said mr. hickson, as he carefully put flossie and freddie up on the boards on the wagon. "yes, she's a good horse, but she's getting old like me. now are you up, bert and nan?" he asked, as he saw bert helping his sister to her place. "all ready!" bert answered. "get along, esmeralda!" called the man to the horse, and so the bobbsey twins had a ride to school. "let's go down and play on your father's lumber piles to-day," said danny rugg to bert, when school was out in the afternoon. "yes, we had a dandy time the other day!" chimed in charley mason. "let's go again." "all right, we'll go!" agreed bert. but when he and the two boys reached the yard where the sweet-smelling boards were piled in great heaps, bert saw his father coming from the office. "may we play on the lumber?" asked bert. "yes, but come home early," mr. bobbsey answered. "i'm going home now, bert, and i think you'd better come soon." "is anything the matter?" asked the boy, for he knew it was early for his father to leave his office unless something had happened. "nothing serious," was the answer. "but i have just had some strange news from the west, and i want to tell your mother about it. the news came in a letter, and it may make a big change in our plans for the summer." chapter vi aunt emeline when bert bobbsey reached home that afternoon, having stopped his play on the lumber piles with charley and danny earlier than usual, the small boy saw his father and mother talking together on the side porch. nan, nellie parks, and grace lavine were down in the yard under the shady grapevine playing. "well, i don't see anything for us to do except to go out west," bert heard his father saying. "oh, do you really mean that?" cried the boy. "are we going out west where there are indians and cowboys and ponies and mountains and--and everything?" his eyes were wide open with excitement. "i didn't think you were around, or i wouldn't have spoken so loudly," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "but, tell me, daddy! are we really going out west?" asked bert. "i've always wanted to go there, and i guess nan has, too." "oh, you can depend upon it, nan will always want to go where you go, and so will flossie and freddie, for that matter!" said mrs. bobbsey, with a laugh. bert had passed his small brother and sister as he entered the yard. they were playing with a little cart of freddie's, and, as you can easily guess, freddie was pretending he was a fireman. "when are we going?" asked bert. "can't we go right away? school is almost over, and i know i'm going to pass 'cause the teacher said so. nan is, too!" "my, but you are getting in a hurry!" said mr. bobbsey. "we have only just begun to talk of the west and here you are stopping school to go." "but what is it all about?" bert went on. "why do you have to go out west, daddy? aren't you going to have the lumberyard any more?" "oh, indeed i am, and perhaps a larger one than before if things turn out the way i expect," answered mr. bobbsey. "but here comes nan," he went on. "i think we might as well tell her and bert all about it," he said to his wife. "if we go out west bert and nan will have to make believe they are almost grown up." "what's it all about?" asked nan, as she sat down on the steps beside her brother. grace and nellie had gone home to help their mothers get supper. "well, to begin at the beginning," said mr. bobbsey, "i had a letter to-day from some lawyers out west. children, your mother has been left a cattle ranch and a lumber tract by a relative who died and made his will in your mother's favor." "a cattle ranch?" cried nan. "oh, i know what that is! we have a picture of one in our geography! there's a lot of cattle in the picture, and cowboys are catching them with lassos." "yes, that's one of the things that happen on a ranch," said mr. bobbsey. "well, your mother now owns one of those." "she does?" cried nan with wide-open eyes. "oh, what are you going to do with it?" "i'm going to be a cowboy on it!" decided bert, as quickly as that. "i've always wanted to be a cowboy, and now i'm going to. when can i go on your ranch, mother?" and jumping up eagerly he stood beside her, waiting for her answer. "oh, but, dear boy! i don't know anything about it yet," said mrs. bobbsey. "the letter has just come, and your father and i were talking over the news when you came. poor uncle watson! i never knew him very well, though i had heard he was quite rich. but i never expected he would leave me his fine ranch, to say nothing of a lumber tract." "what's a lumber tract?" nan asked. "is it a lumberyard like yours, daddy?" "no, my dear," answered mr. bobbsey. "a lumber tract is what you children would call big woods. it is a place where trees grow that may be cut down and made into lumber. all the boards and planks in my lumberyard were once big trees, growing out west, or up north, or down south. now it seems that your mother's uncle owned a big forest of trees where lumber is cut, as well as owning a cattle ranch." "and has he left them both to you?" asked bert. "yes," his mother answered. "and the letter from the lawyers who made uncle watson's will tells me that i had better come out to look after the property that has been left to me." "are you going?" nan wanted to know. "i think i must," mrs. bobbsey replied. "it isn't every day i have so much property given me. i must go out west to look after it. but daddy is coming with me, so i'll be all right." "hurray!" cried bert, tossing his hat into the air. "what are you 'hurrahing' about?" asked his father. "'cause i'm going to be a cowboy on mother's ranch!" answered bert. "whoop-la! i'll be a lumberman, too, part of the time!" "now wait a minute, son," said mr. bobbsey gently. "i don't want to spoil your fun, but we can't take you out west with us." "you can't?" cried bert. "why, i thought we could all go--nan, flossie, freddie, everybody!" "no, i don't see how we can take you children," said mr. bobbsey, while his wife also shook her head. "you see we have to leave in a hurry, and it would not do to take you youngsters out of school. we will not be gone longer than we can help." "and have we got to stay here all alone?" asked nan, and there was a suspicion of tears in her voice. "you won't mind staying here," said her mother. "there will be dinah to cook for you and to look after freddie and flossie. sam will be around the house all the while, and there will be mr. hickson, too. besides this we have a surprise for you." "what is it?" cried bert. "are you going to take us after all? oh, say you are! tell me you were only fooling when you said we would have to stay here all alone!" "no, i wasn't fooling," replied his mother. "i don't really see how we can take you children west with us. but the surprise is this. i am going to ask aunt emeline to come and stay with you, to keep house for you while your father and i are away. aunt emeline will come." "oh, aunt emeline!" gasped nan. "aunt emeline!" cried bert. "why she--she--" then he stopped short. he knew what he had been going to say was not polite. "aunt emeline will be very kind to you," went on mrs. bobbsey. "i will go in and write to her now, asking her to come." "and i must go in and telephone," said mr. bobbsey. "if i am to go west i shall have a lot of work to do to get ready." mr. and mrs. bobbsey entered the house, leaving nan and bert sitting out on the steps. for a moment or two the bobbsey twins said nothing. they could hear flossie and freddie in the front yard laughing together as they played their games. then bert looked at nan. "aunt emeline!" he said, in a strange voice. "aunt emeline!" responded nan, and she sighed. "i'll have to wipe my feet three times every time i come into the house once!" went on bert, in a grumbly voice. "she'll always be looking at my hands to see if they're clean and--and--oh, i don't want aunt emeline to come!" he exclaimed. "she never likes to have me run," said nan, and her voice was gloomy. "she won't want me to have the other girls in here to play up in the attic, and she doesn't believe in eating cookies between meals!" "it's going to be awful--terrible!" exclaimed bert. "i know what i'm going to do!" he declared desperately. "what?" asked nan, in a frightened sort of voice. "i'm going to run away, like mr. hickson's boys did!" bert went on. "you can run away with me if you want to, nan!" he added. "i'm going to be a cowboy and you can be the cook at the ranch." "what ranch?" asked nan. "the one mother is going to get by uncle watson's will," explained her brother. "that's where i'm going to run to. i wouldn't run away to just any old place, but mother and father won't mind if i run off to our own ranch. they'll be glad to see me. will you come, nan?" his sister shook her head. "no," she answered. "aunt emeline is terrible, but she isn't bad enough to run away from, and maybe she'll be different now." "she can't ever be any different," declared bert. "i guess she means to be kind and good, but, say, a fellow can't be always washing his hands and wiping his feet!" "and a girl's got to run and romp sometimes," added nan. "but we'll have to do as father and mother want us to, i guess." "oh, i s'pose so!" agreed bert. "well, maybe i won't run away if you aren't coming with me. but i'd like to!" he said. flossie and freddie heard something of the plans. they did not remember aunt emeline very well, though bert and nan easily recalled the queer old lady, who really was very particular when it came to children. she never had had any of her own, and perhaps this made a difference. at first flossie and freddie had clamored to be taken out west with their father and mother, as bert and nan had done. but when told they must stay at home and help bert and nan keep house, they seemed to be satisfied. they were some years younger than the older bobbsey twins. "i'll put out the fire if our house starts to burn while you're away," freddie promised. "there'll not be much danger of fire with aunt emeline here to look after things," said mrs. bobbsey. "i wouldn't leave my children with every one, but i know they'll be safe with aunt emeline," she said to dinah. "yassum, dey's suah gwine to be _safe!_" declared the fat, jolly colored cook. "she suah will look after 'em! but will dey gets enough to _eat?_ dat's whut i'se askin' yo'!" and she looked earnestly at mrs. bobbsey. "well, you'll be doing the cooking as usual. dinah," said the children's mother. "i depend on you to feed them well." "dat's all right, den!" exclaimed dinah, with a satisfied air. "i knows she won't starve 'em at de table, even ef she suah has terrible 'tickler manners. but ef she says dey shan't eat 'tween meals, den i'll says to her as how dey can. i ain't gwine to hab mah honey lambs starvin', dat's whut i ain't!" and dinah shook her woolly head. "oh, aunt emeline isn't as bad as all that," said mrs. bobbsey. "she is strict, i know, but it is for the children's good. i expect a letter from her very soon, saying when she can come. as soon as she can mr. bobbsey and i will start for the west." bert and nan tried to be cheerful as the days passed, and they thought more and more of their father and mother going away from them. flossie and freddie had fretted a little at first, but, being younger, they were over it more quickly. at last the letter came from aunt emeline. bert and nan were home when their mother read it to their father. a look of surprise came over mrs. bobbsey's face as she read. "dear me," she exclaimed, "this is quite surprising!" "what is it?" asked her husband. "aunt emeline can't come to stay with the children while we go west," was the answer. "she says she is too old to take charge of a house and four children now, and she begs to be excused. aunt emeline isn't coming after all!" bert and nan had hard work not to shout: hurrah! mr. bobbsey took the letter to read for himself. "then i'm sure i don't know what we're going to do," he said. "all our plans are made for going out west to look after the lumber tract and the cattle ranch. if aunt emeline can't come to stay with the children, what are we going to do?" chapter vii happy days mr. bobbsey sat looking at aunt emeline's letter, reading parts of it over again. mrs. bobbsey watched her husband. the bobbsey twins looked at their father and mother. a great hope was beginning to come into the hearts of bert and nan. as for flossie and freddie, they were rather too small to know what it was all about, but they realized that something had happened that did not happen every day. "what's the matter, mommie?" asked freddie, slipping down out of his chair and going over to her. he saw that she was worried. "have you got the toothache?" he wanted to know. once freddie's tooth had ached and he knew how it hurt. "no, dear," answered mrs. bobbsey. "i haven't the toothache. but i have a letter from aunt emeline and she can't come to stay with you children while daddy and i go out west." "aunt emeline not come?" repeated freddie. "no, dear. she thinks she is too old to look after you four lively youngsters. and perhaps she is right. i wouldn't want to make too much work for her." "aunt emeline not coming!" said freddie again in a thoughtful voice. "ho! then i go and get a cookie!" nan and bert burst out laughing. "what's the matter?" asked their father and mother, as freddie slipped down out of his mother's lap, into which he had climbed, and started for the kitchen to find dinah. "what made you laugh, bert?" asked his mother. "oh, i guess freddie must have heard nan and me talking about aunt emeline not letting us have anything to eat except at meal time," replied bert. "and, now she isn't coming, he thinks he can have a cookie whenever he wants it." "oh, i see!" and mr. bobbsey smiled. "well, aunt emeline may be strict, but she is a very good housekeeper. i am sorry she can not come to stay while we are in the west. i really don't know what we are going to do." "nor i," sighed mrs. bobbsey. "we counted on aunt emeline all the while, and now i don't know whom else i can get on such short notice. can't we wait a while about going west?" she asked her husband. "i don't very well see how we can wait," answered mr. bobbsey. "the tickets are bought, and all my plans are made. i have hired a man to come to the lumber office while i am away. i have written the men at the timber tract and at the cattle ranch that we are coming. now, what are we to do?" "we can't leave the children here alone," said mrs. bobbsey. "that is certain." "no, we couldn't do that," agreed mr. bobbsey. "as good a cook as dinah is, and careful as sam is, we couldn't leave the children with them." "dinah gave me a cookie, an' she says she'll give you one, too, if you want it, flossie," announced freddie, coming into the room then, munching a sweet cake. "course i want it!" exclaimed the little "fat fairy," as her father called her, and she slipped out of her mother's lap, where she had climbed after freddie got down, and, like her brother, hurried to the kitchen. "well, since we can't leave the children here at home by themselves, or only with dinah and sam," said mr. bobbsey, after a pause, "there is only one thing to do." "you mean we must stay at home?" asked mrs. bobbsey, and the hearts of bert and nan felt very sad indeed. "stay at home? no, indeed!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "we must take the children with us!" "out west?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "yes, out west!" her husband said. "we'll take the children with us since aunt emeline can't come to stay with them." "hurray!" cried bert. "oh, i'm so glad!" echoed nan. "yes, that will be the best way out of it," went on mr. bobbsey to his wife, after bert and nan had stopped dancing around the room, hands joined, with flossie and freddie in the ring they made, the two younger twins each eating one of dinah's cookies. "we'll take the bobbsey twins out west." "but what about school?" asked his wife, who just happened to think that the summer term would not end for about three weeks. "oh we don't need to go to school!" said bert. "we can take our books with us and study on the train," suggested nan. "i fear there wouldn't be much studying done," laughed mrs. bobbsey. "but do you really think we might take the children out of school?" she asked. "that is something we will have to find out about," her husband answered. "of course it will not be much loss to flossie and freddie, as they are not as far along in their studies as are nan and bert. but i wouldn't like to have them lose much of their lessons." "teacher said i was at the head of my class, and i'd pass easy!" declared bert. "and my teacher said i was one of her best students," added nan. she and bert were in the same grade but in different classes. "well, since we really have to go out west to look after the lumber and cattle properties that are to be your mother's," said mr. bobbsey, "and since we must take you children with us, i'll see your teachers, bert and nan, and ask them if it will put you back much to lose the last two weeks of the term." "oh, goodie! goodie!" shrieked nan, jumping up and down. "hurray!" cried bert. "now i'm going to be a cowboy. whoop!" "mercy me!" exclaimed their mother, covering her ears with her hands as bert and nan shouted loudly. "come on, flossie!" called freddie to his small sister. "let's go and ask dinah for more cookies." that was freddie's way of celebrating the good news. then came happy days. mr. bobbsey, once he had made up his mind that the children were to go out west with him and his wife, went to the school and saw the teachers who had charge of bert and nan. he found that the older bobbsey twins were so well along in their studies that it would not hold them back in the fall to stop now. so they were given permission to leave school before the regular time. there was no trouble at all about flossie and freddie. they had simple lessons, and they could easily be taught at home to make up for the time they would lose. it was arranged that dinah and sam should stay at home in the bobbsey house to look after it during the summer, while mr. and mrs. bobbsey and the twins went out west. "and be sure to feed snap!" said bert to sam, as the colored man was cutting the grass on the lawn one day, while the dog frisked about chasing sticks that bert and freddie tossed here and there for him. "oh, i won't forget snap!" promised sam. "and you must give snoop a saucer of milk every day, dinah!" said nan, as she rubbed the black cat which was purring around her legs. "oh, indeedy snoop and i am mighty good friends!" declared dinah. "i suah won't forget to feed snoop!" mr. bobbsey bought other tickets, so he could take the children on the western trip. he made all the arrangements, trunks were packed, and finally, one day, bert and nan and flossie and freddie said good-bye to their school chums. "i'm going out west to learn to be a cowboy!" said bert. "i wish i was going!" exclaimed danny rugg. "so do i," said charley mason. "i'll see some indians, too," bert went on. "and will you see those darling little papooses they carry on their backs?" asked nellie parks. "i guess i'll see them," nan said. "i don't like indian men and women, but the babies must be cute." "wouldn't it be great if you could get an indian doll?" asked grace. "indians don't have dolls!" declared danny. "indian girls do!" exclaimed nellie. "i saw a picture in one of my books of an indian girl, and she had a doll made of corn silk and a corncob and some tree bark." "what a funny doll!" exclaimed grace. "do try and bring one home, nan!" "i will," she promised. bert and nan were so excited at the prospect of going west that if their father and mother had expected the children to pack the trunks and valises it never would have been done. but mrs. bobbsey knew better than to expect this. she and dinah looked after the packing. flossie and freddie, of course, were too small to do any of this, though one day mrs. bobbsey saw the little boy stuffing something into an old stocking. "freddie bobbsey, what are you doing?" asked his mother. "dinah gave me some cookies," was the answer, "and i'm goin' to take 'em out west with me. maybe i'll get hungry, an' maybe i'll get lost, or carried off by the indians, an' then i'll have cookies to eat!" "oh, dear me! you can't take a lot of cookies in a stocking," laughed mrs. bobbsey. "there'll be plenty to eat out west. as for getting lost, i suppose you will do that; you always have, but we manage to find you. however, i hope you won't get lost too often. and i don't think you'll be carried off by the indians. or, if so, they'd return you quickly." the happy days seemed to grow happier as the time came nearer to take the train for the great west. one afternoon, the day before the bobbsey twins were to start, bert and nan went down to their father's lumberyard office with a message sent by their mother. "what's all this i hear about you?" asked mr. hickson, the old man who had been in the railroad wreck. he was out loading a wagon with boards. "what are you children going to do out west?" he asked them. "i'm going to learn to be a cowboy," declared bert. "and i'm going to get an indian doll!" said nan. "my goodness!" exclaimed the old man, smiling at the bobbsey twins, for he liked them very much. "i hope you have a good time. that's what makes children happy--to have a good time. i wish i could find my children. i haven't seen my boys, charley and bill, for a long while. they must be grown-up men now. yes, i certainly wish i could find charley and bill. it was all a mistake when they ran away from home. i wish i had them back," and slowly and sadly shaking his head he went on loading the lumber wagon. bert and nan felt sorry for mr. hickson, and they wished they might help him find his "boys," as he called bill and charley, though, as he said, they must be grown men now. but bert and nan had too many things to think about in getting ready to go out west to feel sorry very long. they took the message to their father and then hurried home. chapter viii off for the west monday morning was the day set for the start of the bobbsey twins for the great west. they had said good-bye to their school friends the friday before, and now, while the bells were ringing to call the other boys and girls to their classes, bert, nan, flossie and freddie stood on their front porch and watched their friends go past. "oh, but you are lucky!" called danny rugg to bert, as the bobbseys waved their hands to him. "i wish i could be you!" added charley mason, as he swung his strap of books over his head. "i'm going out west to be a cowboy when i grow up." "i'll tell you all about it when i come back," promised bert. nan's girl friends, as they went past on their way to school, blew kisses to her from their hands, and wished her all sorts of good luck. flossie and freddie were too busy running around and playing hide-and-go-seek among the trunks to pay much attention to their little school friends who went past the house. the trunks and valises had been stacked on the front porch, and in a little while mr. hickson was to come with his lumber wagon to take them to the station. later the bobbseys would go down in the automobile, one of the men from mr. bobbsey's office bringing it back. sam johnson, though he used to drive the bobbsey horse when they had one, never could get used to an automobile, he said. snap, the jolly dog, seemed to know that something out of the ordinary was going on. he did not run about and play as he nearly always did, but stayed close to bert and nan. he seemed to know they were going away from him. "you'll have to watch snap," said mrs. bobbsey to sam. "he may try to sneak after us and get on the train, as he did once before. mr. bobbsey had to get off at the next station and bring him back." "yassum, i'll watch snap," promised sam. "but he suah does want to go wif yo' all pow'ful bad!" "i wish we could take snap and snoop!" said bert. "oh, dear boy, we couldn't think of it!" exclaimed his mother. "we have a long way to travel to get to the west, and we couldn't look after a cat and a dog. they'll be much better off here at home." "snoop maybe will," argued bert, "'cause he doesn't like to have rough fun the way snap does. but i guess my dog would like to see an indian and some cowboys!" however, the older bobbsey twins knew it was out of the question to take their pets with them, so they made the best of it, bert petting snap and talking kindly to him. snoop had gone out to the barn where he knew he might catch a mouse. in a little while mr. hickson drove up for the trunks which were loaded on the lumber wagon. "you're going to have a fine day to start for the west," said the old man, who had entirely got over his hurt got in the railroad wreck. "a very fine day!" the june sun was shining, there was just enough wind to stir the leaves of the trees, and, as mr. hickson said, it was indeed a fine day for going out west, or anywhere else. very happy were the bobbsey twins. with rattles and bangs, the trunks were piled on the lumber wagon, such valises as were not to be carried by mr. or mrs. bobbsey, or bert or nan, were put in among the trunks. flossie and freddie were each to carry a basket which contained some things their mother thought might be needed on the trip. "all aboard!" called mr. hickson, as he took his seat and gathered up the reins. "that's what the conductor on the train says!" laughed freddie, as he and flossie had to stop playing hide-and-go-seek among the trunks. "well, i'm making believe this lumber wagon is a train," went on the old man. "i wish it was a train, and that i was going out west to find my two boys, charley and bill." then he drove off with his head bowed. "when do we start?" asked bert. it was about the tenth time he had asked that same question that morning. "we're going to leave soon now," his mother told him. "don't go away, any of you. nan, you look after flossie and freddie. it wouldn't surprise me in the least if freddie were to get lost at the last minute." just then freddie and his little sister were running around in the yard, playing tag, and neither of the smaller bobbsey twins showed any signs of getting lost. but one never could tell what would happen to them--never! finally everything seemed to be in readiness for the start. the last words about looking after the house while the bobbseys were in the west had been said to sam and dinah, and mr. bobbsey had telephoned his final message to his office to say that he was about to start. the automobile had been brought around, and harry truesdell, who was to drive it back from the station, was waiting. "come, children, we'll start now!" called mother bobbsey. "get the satchels you are to carry, nan and bert. where are flossie and freddie?" she asked. "i want them to take their baskets." "they were here a minute ago," replied nan, looking around the yard for her smaller brother and flossie. "but they're not here now!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "see if you can find them, nan. tell them we must leave now." nan set down the valise she had taken up and was about to go around to the back yard when some excited cries were heard. dinah's voice sounded above the others. "heah, now, you stop dat, freddie bobbsey!" called the colored cook. "whut are yo' doin'? heah, freddie, yo' let mah clothes line alone!" there was a moment of silence, and then dinah's voice went on. "oh, land o' massy! oh, i 'clare to goodness, yo' suah has gone an' done it now! oh, mah po' li'l honey lamb! oh, freddie, look what you has gone an' done!" at this moment the crying voice of flossie was heard. the little girl seemed to be in trouble. "i didn't mean to! i didn't mean to!" shouted freddie. "something has happened!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "i knew it would, just at the last minute!" "it does seem so," said mr. bobbsey, coming out on the porch. "i'll go and see what it is!" he added, as he ran around the side path. "i'll come, too," said mrs. bobbsey. and nan and bert thought they had better follow. they could hear flossie crying, while dinah was saying: "oh, mah po' li'l honey lamb! freddie bobbsey, look whut you gone an' done!" and freddie kept saying: "i didn't mean to! i didn't mean to! i didn't know it was going to come down!" "i wonder what it was that came down," thought mrs. bobbsey, as she hurried after her husband, with bert and nan bringing up the rear and snap barking as hard as he could bark. when mr. and mrs. bobbsey got around to the back yard they saw at a glance what had happened. one of the clothes lines, on which dinah had hung the sheets she had just washed, had come down. and two or three sheets had fallen right over flossie. of course the little girl was not hurt, for the sheets were not heavy. but they were damp from the tub, and flossie was all tangled up in them and in the line. in fact, flossie could not be seen, for she was between the two sides of a sheet, and only that dinah was there, trying to get her out, told mr. and mrs. bobbsey what had happened to their little girl. oh, yes! i forgot! flossie was crying, and that was a sign she was there, even though she could not be seen. freddie was standing near a clothes post with the kitchen bread knife in his hand. "what happened, dinah?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as she helped the fat, colored cook get flossie out from under the sheets. "what is it all about?" "oh, dat freddie boy he done cut mah clothes line an' let mah clean wash down on da ground!" exclaimed dinah. "i didn't minded dat so much!" she said, as she wiped away the tears from the face of the frightened flossie. "i kin wash de sheets ober ag'in. but i'm so s'prised dat freddie done scared his li'l sister, dat's whut i am. freddie done scared honey lamb mos' to pieces!" "i--i didn't mean to," repeated freddie. "but did you really cut down dinah's wash line?" his mother asked him, when it had been found that flossie was only frightened and not hurt. "i--i cut off a little piece," said freddie, showing a dangling end in his hand. "i didn't think it would fall down. i didn't mean to make it." "but what made you cut any of it?" asked his father, tying the cut ends together while dinah took up the sheets which had fallen to the ground and had some black spots on them. "why did you cut the clothes line, freddie?" mr. bobbsey did not call his little boy "fireman" now. that was a pet name, and used only when freddie had been good, and he had been a little bad now, though perhaps he did not mean to. "i--i cut the line to get a piece of rope," said freddie. "what did you want a piece of rope for?" asked his father. "i wanted to make a lasso to lasso indians as bert's going to do," freddie answered. "i wanted a piece of clothes line for a lasso. but i didn't mean to make the clothes come down." "no, i don't guess you did," said dinah, as she came out of the laundry with the sheets which she had rinsed clean. "ole dinah done gwine to forgib her honey lamb 'cause he's gwine away far off from her. an' dinah's other honey lamb didn't get hurted any. it was only two sheets an' dinah's done washed 'em clean again. but don't you go lassoin' any injuns, freddie! dey mightn't like it." "no, i won't!" promised the little fellow. "and don't cut any more clothes lines," added his father. "no, sir, i won't!" freddie was ready to promise anything, now that he found nothing serious had happened. at first, after he had cut the rope and let the sheets down on flossie's head as she was running through the yard, freddie had been very much frightened. "well, i'm glad it was no worse," said mrs. bobbsey, as she straightened flossie's hat, which had been knocked to one side. "now we must hurry, or we'll be late for the train." "yes, come along!" called mr. bobbsey. freddie gave up the bread knife to dinah, the last good-byes were said, and the children started for the automobile. snap leaped around bert, barking and whining. "better tie up the dog, sam, or he'll follow us," said mr. bobbsey. "yes, sah. i'll do dat." poor snap was led away whining. he did not want to be left behind, but it had to be. "good-bye!" called bert to his pet. "good-bye, snap!" flossie took up her basket, and freddie had his. each one had something to carry. into the automobile they hurried and soon they were on the way to the station to take the train for the west. they did not have many minutes to wait. harry truesdell sat in the automobile, until mr. bobbsey and the family should be aboard the train before he went back to the garage. the bobbsey twins were standing on the station platform. mr. bobbsey was talking to a man he knew, and mrs. bobbsey was speaking to two friends. bert and nan were putting pennies in a weighing machine to see how heavy they had grown, and freddie was looking at the pictures on the magazine covers at the news stand. suddenly flossie, who had set her basket down on one of the outside seats, gave a cry. "what's the matter?" asked her mother, turning quickly. "what is it, flossie?" "oh, my basket! my basket!" cried the little girl. "there's something in it! something alive! look, it's wriggling!" and, surely enough, the basket she had carried, was "wriggling." it was swaying from side to side on the station seat. chapter ix dinner for two freddie bobbsey, called away from looking at the magazine pictures on the news stand, came running over when he heard flossie shout. "what's the matter?" asked the little boy. "did something else fall on you, flossie, like the sheets flopping over your head?" "no, nothing falled on me!" exclaimed flossie. "but look! look at my basket! it's wriggling!" "there's something in it!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, while her husband quickly hurried away from the man to whom he was talking, and prepared to see what the matter was. "there's something in your basket, flossie! did you put anything in?" "no, mother!" answered the little girl. "i just put in the things you gave me. and just before i came away i took off the cover to put in some cookies dinah handed me." "i think i can guess what happened," said mr. bobbsey. "while the cover was off the basket something jumped in, flossie." "oh, i see what it is! a little black squirrel!" cried nan. "squirrels aren't black!" bert said. there were some squirrels in the trees near the bobbsey house, but all bert had ever seen were gray or reddish brown. "it's something furry, anyhow," nan went on. "i can see it through the cracks in the basket." and just then, to the surprise of every one looking on, including the bobbsey twins, of course, the cover of the basket was raised by whatever was wriggling inside, and something larger than a squirrel, but black and furry, looked out. "gee!" exclaimed bert. "oh, it's snoop!" cried nan. "it's our cat!" added freddie. "in my basket!" exclaimed flossie. "how did you get there, snoop?" she asked, as bert took the cat up in his arms, while the other passengers at the station laughed. "perhaps snoop felt lonesome when he knew you were going to leave him," said mrs. bobbsey. "and when you took off the cover of your basket, flossie, to put in the cookies dinah gave you, snoop must have seen his chance and crawled in." "he kept still all the way in the auto, so we wouldn't know he was there," added nan. "maybe he thought we'd take him with us," said bert. "did you, snoop?" he asked. but the big black cat, who must have found it rather hard work to curl up in the basket, snuggled close to bert, who was always kind to animals. just then the whistle of the train was heard down the track. "dear me! what shall we do?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "we can't possibly take snoop with us, and we can't leave him here at the depot." "harry will take snoop back home in the auto," said mr. bobbsey. "yes, give him to me--i'll be careful of him," promised the young man from the lumberyard office, and bert carried his pet over to the waiting automobile. snoop mewed a little as bert put the big, black cat into harry's arms. "good-bye, snoop!" bert said, patting his pet on the head. "come, bert, hurry!" called his father. then, as the train pulled into the station, bert ran back and caught up his valise. the other bobbsey twins took up their things, flossie put back on her basket the cover the cat had knocked off in getting out, and soon they were all on the train. "all aboard!" called the conductor, and, as the engine whistled and the cars began to move, bert and nan looked from the windows of their seats and had a last glimpse of snoop being held in harry's arms, as he sat in the automobile. flossie and freddie forgot all about their cat, dog, and nearly everything in lakeport in their joy at going out west. for they were really started on their way now, after several little upsets and troubles, such as the clothes line coming down on flossie, and the cat hiding himself away in the basket. "well, now i can sit back and rest," said mrs. bobbsey, with a sigh of relief. "i know the children are all here, and they can't get lost for a while, at least, and i don't see what mischief they can get into here." now, indeed, the children were all right for a time. freddie sat with his father, next to the window, and flossie was in the seat with her mother pressing her little nose close against the glass, so she would not miss seeing anything, as the train flew along. bert and nan were sitting together, nan being next to the window. bert had, very politely, let his sister have that place, though he wanted it himself. however, before the first part of the journey was over there was a seat vacant on the other side of the car, and bert took that. then he, too, had a window. bert and nan noticed, as the train passed mr. bobbsey's lumberyard, mr. hickson standing amid a pile of boards. the old man did not see the children, of course, for the train was going rather swiftly, but they saw him. "i wish we could help him find his two sons," said nan to bert. "yes, i wish we could," bert answered. "but it's so long ago maybe mr. hickson wouldn't know his boys even if he saw them again." "he'd know their names, wouldn't he?" nan asked. "yes, i s'pose he would," bert replied. then the older bobbsey twins forgot about mr. hickson in the joys and novelty of traveling. the bobbseys were going to travel in this train only as far as a junction station. there they would change to a through train for chicago, and in that big western city they would again make a change. on this through train mr. bobbsey had had reserved for him a drawing room. that is part of the sleeping car built off from the rest at one end. on arriving at the junction the bobbseys left the train they had been on since leaving lakeport and got on the through train, which drew into the junction almost as soon as they did. they went into the little room at the end of the sleeping coach which mr. bobbsey had had reserved for them. in there the twins had plenty of room to look from the windows, as no other passengers were in with them. "it's just like being in our own big automobile," said nan, and so it was. the children liked it very much. the trip to chicago would take a day and a night, and flossie and freddie, as well as bert and nan, were interested in going to sleep on a train in the queer little beds the porter makes up from what are seats in the daytime. it was not the first time the children had traveled in a sleeping car, but they were always interested. it did seem queer to them to be traveling along in their sleep. "almost like a dream," nan said, and i think she was quite right. "where's my basket?" flossie asked, after they had ridden on for about an hour. "do you want to see if snap is in it this time?" her father jokingly inquired. "snap's too big to get in my basket," flossie answered. "he's a big dog. but i want to get some of the cookies dinah gave me. i'm hungry." "so'm i!" cried freddie, who had been looking from the window. "i want a cookie too!" "dinah gave me some for you," flossie said, and, when her basket had been handed down from the brass rack over the seat, she searched around in it until she had found what she was looking for--a bag of molasses and sugar cookies. "oh, dinah does make such good cookies!" said flossie, with her mouth half full, though, really, to be polite, i suppose, she should not have talked that way. "shall we get any cookies out on the cattle ranch?" asked nan. "if we don't, flossie and freddie will miss them." "oh, they have cooks on ranches, same as they do in lumber camps," bert declared. "i saw a picture once of a chinese cook on a cattle ranch." "can a chinaman cook?" asked nan, in surprise. "i thought they could only iron shirts and collars." "some chinese are very good cooks," explained mr. bobbsey. "and bert is right when he says that on some ranches in the west a chinese man does the cooking. i don't know whether we shall find one where we are going or not." "are we going to the lumber tract first, or to the ranch?" asked bert. "to where the big trees grow," answered his father. "the tract your mother is going to own is near a place called lumberville. it is several hundred miles north and west of chicago. we will stop off there, and go on later to the ranch. that is near a place called cowdon." "what funny names," laughed bert. "lumberville and cowdon. you would think they were named after the trees and the cows." "i think they were," his father said. "out west they take names that mean something, and lumberville and cowdon just describe the places they are named after." while flossie and freddie were looking from the window of the coach in which they were riding, while bert and nan were telling one another what good times they would have on the ranch and in the lumber camp, and while mr. and mrs. bobbsey were discussing matters about the trip, there came a knock on the door. mr. bobbsey opened it and a lady came in, saying: "i am so glad to see you! i am traveling to chicago all alone, and i saw you get on as i looked from my window in the next car. i came back to speak to you." "why, it's mrs. powendon!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey as she saw a lady whom she had first met at a red cross meeting. mrs. powendon lived in a village near lakeport, and often came over to see mr. and mrs. bobbsey and other friends. "i am very glad you saw us and came in to see us," went on mrs. bobbsey. "do sit down! so you are going to chicago?" "yes. but what takes you away from lakeport?" "i don't suppose you heard the news, but an old uncle of mine, whom i had not seen for years, died and left me a western lumber tract and a cattle ranch. mr. bobbsey and i are on our way there now to look after matters, and we had to take the children with us." "and i suppose they were very sorry about that," said mrs. powendon with a smile, as she looked at nan and bert. "oh, no!" exclaimed bert "indeed we weren't sorry! we're going to have fine times!" then mrs. powendon sat down and began talking to mr. and mrs. bobbsey, while nan and bert looked at magazines their father had bought for them from the train boy. no one paid much attention to flossie and freddie, and it was not until some little time later that mrs. bobbsey, looking around the drawing room, exclaimed: "where are they?" "who?" asked her husband. "flossie and freddie. they aren't here!" that was very evident. there was no place in the little room for them to hide, and yet the children could not be seen. "oh!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, "can they have fallen off the train?" "of course not!" answered her husband "they must just have gone outside in the car. i'll look." mr. bobbsey was about to open the door when a knock came on it, and, as the door swung back, the face of a colored porter looked in. the man wore a white jacket. "'scuse me, sah," he said, talking just as sam johnson did, "but did you-all only want dinnah for two?" "dinner for two? what do you mean?" asked mr. bobbsey. "why, dey's two li'l children in de dinin' car. dey says as how dey belongs back yeah, an' dey's done gone an' ordered dinnah for two--jest fo' der own selves--jest two! i was wonderin' ef you-all folks wasn't goin' to eat!" chapter x freddie, as usual "dinner for two! little children!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "it is flossie and freddie!" cried his wife. "where is the dining car?" the waiter from the dining car, who had come back to the sleeping car where the bobbseys had their places, smiled as he finished telling about the two children. "dey's right up forward in my dinin' car," he said to mrs. bobbsey. "an' dey is all right, too, lady! i tooked good keer ob 'em. dey jest walked right in, laik dey owned de place, an' i says to 'em, what will dey hab? "dey tells me dat dey done want dinnah fo' two, an' i starts to gib it to 'em, but de conductor says as how dey belonged to a party back heah, an' mebby de odder folks would want somethin' to eat, too. an', as anyhow, dey had bettah be tol'." "i'm hungry!" exclaimed bert. "so'm i!" added nan. "dear me!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "i must go and see about them." "we will all go," said mr. bobbsey. "i did not know it was so near lunch time. but i suppose freddie and flossie never forget anything so important as that." "trust children to remember their meals!" said mrs. powendon. "i fear i am to blame for your two little ones running away." "oh, no," murmured mr. bobbsey. "how?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "by coming in here, and talking to you. probably i left the door of your drawing room open. flossie and freddie must have slipped out that way." "very likely they did," said their father. "but no great harm is done. we will all go to lunch now. won't you come with us, mrs. powendon?" "thank you, i will," answered the lady who had come visiting, and so the rest of the bobbseys and their friend went to the dining car. there, surely enough, seated at a little table all by themselves, were flossie and freddie. the two tots looked up as their father and mother, with nan and bert and mrs. powendon, came into the car. "i'm going to have a piece of pie!" shouted freddie so loudly that every one in the car must have heard, for nearly every one laughed. "so am i going to have pie!" echoed flossie, and there was another laugh. "well, what have you children to say for yourselves?" asked mrs. bobbsey, in the voice she used when she was going to scold just a little bit. "what have you to say, freddie?" "i like it in here!" he said. "it's a nice place to eat." "and i like it, too!" added flossie. mr. and mrs. bobbsey tried not to laugh. "but you shouldn't have slipped away while we were talking and come in here all alone," went on mother bobbsey. "why did you do it?" "i was hungry," said freddie, and that seemed to be all there was to it. "our cookies were all in crumbs," explained flossie. "they wasn't a one left in my basket. i was hungry, too." "i presume that's as good an excuse as any," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "and so we'll all sit down and have lunch." and while they were eating flossie and freddie told how they had slipped out, when their mother and father were busy talking to mrs. powendon, and while bert and nan were looking out of the window. they had been in dining cars on railroad trains before, and so they knew pretty nearly what to do. but when they ordered dinner for themselves, or at least told the smiling, black waiter to bring them something to eat, the pullman conductor, who had seen the children in the sleeping coach, suspected that all was not right, so he sent the waiter back to tell mrs. bobbsey about flossie and freddie. "and you mustn't do it again," said mrs. bobbsey, when the story had been told. "no'm, we won't!" promised freddie. "no, he won't do just this again," said bert with a laugh to nan. "but he'll do something else just as queer." and of course freddie did. after lunch mrs. powendon went back to her car, and the bobbseys took their seats in the drawing room which they occupied. the meal and the riding made flossie and freddie sleepy, so their mother fixed a little bed for them on the long seat, and soon they were dreaming away, perhaps of cowboys and indians and big trees being cut down in the forest to make lumber for playhouses. the train rumbled on, stopping now and then at different stations, and, after a while, even bert and nan began to get tired of it, though they liked traveling. "how much farther do we have to go?" asked bert, as the afternoon sun began to go down in the west. "oh, quite a long way," his father answered. "we are not even in chicago yet. we shall get there to-morrow morning, and stay there two days. then we will go on to lumberville. how long we shall stay there i do not know. but as soon as we can attend to the business and get matters in shape, we will go on to cowdon." "that's the place i want to get to!" exclaimed bert. "i want to see some indians and cowboys." "there may not be any there," said his mother. "what! no cowboys on a ranch?" cried the boy. "why, mother!" exclaimed nan. "i meant indians," said mrs. bobbsey. "of course there'll be cowboys to look after the cattle, but indians are not as plentiful as they once were, even out west." "i only want to see an indian baby and get an indian doll," put in nan. "i don't like grown-up indians. they have a lot of feathers on, like turkeys." "that's what i like!" bert declared. "if i wasn't going to be a cowboy i'd be an indian, i guess." night came, and when the electric lights in the cars were turned on freddie and flossie awakened from their nap. "how do you feel?" asked his mother, as she smoothed her little boy's rumpled hair. "i--i guess i feel hungry!" he said, though he was still not quite awake. "so'm i!" added flossie. you could, nearly always, depend on her to say and do about the same things freddie did and said. "well, this is a good time to be hungry," said mr. bobbsey with a laugh. "i just heard them say that dinner was being served in the dining car. we'll go up and eat again." after dinner the porter made up the funny little beds, or "berths," as they are called, and soon the bobbsey twins had crawled into them and were asleep. it must have been about the middle of the night that mrs. bobbsey, who was sleeping with flossie on one side of the aisle, heard a noise just outside her berth. it was as if something had fallen to the floor with a thud. she opened the curtains and looked out. freddie and his father had gone to sleep in the berth just across from her, but now she saw a little white bundle lying on the carpeted floor of the car. "what is that? who is it?" the mother of the twins exclaimed. mr. bobbsey poked his head out from between his curtains. "what's the matter?" he asked. "anything gone wrong?" he added sleepily. "look!" exclaimed his wife. "what's that?" and she pointed to the bundle lying on the floor. "that? oh, that must be _freddie_," answered mr. bobbsey. "as usual he's done something we didn't expect. he's fallen out of his car bed." chapter xi in chicago surely enough freddie bobbsey had fallen out of bed, or his "berth," as beds are called in sleeping cars. the little fellow had been resting with his father, and on the inside, too, but he must have become restless in his sleep, and have crawled over mr. bobbsey. at any rate, when freddie fell out he made a thud that his mother, in her berth across the aisle, had heard. but the carpet on the floor of the car was so soft, and freddie was such a fat, chubby little fellow, and he was so sound asleep, that he was not at all hurt in his tumble, and he never even awakened. he just went on sleeping, right there on the floor. "yes," said mr. bobbsey with a smile at his wife as he picked freddie up, "you can generally depend on his doing something unusual, or different. well, he's a nice little boy," he murmured softly, as he picked up the "fireman" and put him back in the berth. even then freddie did not completely wake up. but he murmured something in his dreams, though mr. bobbsey heard only a few words about indians and cowboys and sugar cookies. "he's hungry even in his sleep!" said the father, with a silent laugh. the other bobbsey twins knew nothing of what had happened until morning, when they were told of freddie's little accident. "and did i really fall out of bed?" asked freddie, himself as much surprised as any one. "you certainly did!" laughed his mother. "at first i was startled, being aroused so suddenly, but i saw that you were still sleeping and i knew you couldn't be hurt very much." "i didn't even feel it!" laughed freddie. "and now i want my breakfast!" "dear me! you want to eat again, after dreaming about sugar cookies?" cried mr. bobbsey, and he told his little boy what he had heard him say in his sleep. "well, we had all better go to the dining car again. it will be our last meal there." "our last meal!" cried bert. "aren't we going to eat again?" "not on this train," his father answered. "we'll be in chicago in time for dinner." breakfast over, the bobbseys began gathering up their different things to be ready to get out at chicago when the train should reach that big and busy city. it was about ten o'clock when the station was reached, and the bobbsey twins thought they had never been in such a noisy place, nor one in which there were more people. but daddy bobbsey had traveled to chicago before, and he knew just what to do and where to go. he called an automobile, and in that the whole family rode to the hotel where they were to stay while they were in the city. two days were to be spent in chicago, which mrs. bobbsey had not visited for some time. she wanted to look around a little, and show the children the various sights. mr. bobbsey planned to attend to some business in the "windy city," as chicago is sometimes called. both mr. and mrs. bobbsey wanted their children to see all there was to be seen. "travel will broaden their minds," mrs. bobbsey had said to her husband when they had talked the matter over one night after the twins had gone to bed. "just see how much they learned when we took them to washington." "they not only learned something, but they brought back something--i mean miss pompret's china pieces," said mr. bobbsey. "yes, traveling is good for children if they do not do too much of it." so when the bobbsey twins reached the big chicago hotel they were not as strange and surprised as they would have been if they had never been at a hotel before. "i like this better than the hotel we stayed at in washington," said nan to bert, as they were shown to their rooms, after riding up in an elevator. "yes, you can see lots farther," agreed bert, as he glanced from one of the windows. "i didn't mean that," his sister said. "i mean the curtains and chairs and such things are ever so much nicer." "you can't eat curtains!" exclaimed bert. "and i'm hungry. i hope they have good things to eat." "i think they will," his father remarked with a laugh. and when, a little later, they went down to the dining room, the bobbsey twins found that it was a very good hotel, indeed, as far as things to eat were concerned. though mrs. bobbsey was very much interested in chicago, and though mr. bobbsey was glad to get there to look after some matters of his lumber business, i must admit that none of the bobbsey twins thought a great deal of the big city. "'tisn't any different from new york!" declared bert, as he looked at the big buildings, the elevated roads, the street cars and the hurrying crowds. "i wouldn't know but what i was in new york." "yes, in some ways it is much like new york," his mother agreed. "but there isn't any big lake in new york, such as there is here," said nan. "well, i guess the new york atlantic ocean is bigger than lake michigan," returned bert. "and the ocean has salt water in it, too, and lake michigan is fresh!" "that makes it better!" declared nan, who decided then and there to "stick up" for chicago. "if you're thirsty you can't drink the salty ocean water, but you could drink the lake water." "well, maybe that's better," admitted bert. "i didn't think of that." and when he and the other children had been taken by their father out to the city lake front, and had seen the bathing beach, bert had to admit that, after all, chicago was just as good as new york. but he would not say it was better. as for flossie and freddie, any place was nice to them if they had bert and nan and daddy and mother along. the smaller twins seemed to have fun over everything; even riding up and down in the hotel elevator amused them. after a day of sight-seeing about chicago, mrs. bobbsey was rather tired, and she thought the children were, too, for she told them they had better go to bed early, as they would still have another day to-morrow to see things. "oh, i don't want to go to bed!" exclaimed bert. "there's a nice moving picture in the theater near this hotel! it's all about indians and cowboys, and daddy said he'd take us after supper. anyhow, he said he'd take nan and me." "if he said so i suppose he will," said mrs. bobbsey. "but i can't let flossie and freddie go, and i am too tired to go myself." "oh, i want to see the indians!" cried freddie when he heard what was being talked about. "no, dear. you and flossie stay here with me in the hotel, and i'll read you a story," promised his mother. she knew by his tired little legs and his sleepy eyes that she would not have to read more than one story before he and flossie would be fast asleep. and so it proved. mr. bobbsey took nan and bert to the moving picture theater a few doors from the hotel, promising to bring them back early, so they would not lose too much sleep. then mrs. bobbsey sat down to read to flossie and freddie. just as she had expected, before she reached the end of the story two little heads were nodding and four sleepy eyes could hardly keep open. "bed is the place for my tots!" said mrs. bobbsey softly, and soon flossie and freddie were slumbering together. mr. bobbsey came in with nan and bert about an hour later, the pictures having been enjoyed very much. "i surely am going to be a cowboy!" declared bert. "i can easily be one on the ranch you are going to own, can't i, mother?" "we'll see," replied mrs. bobbsey, with a quiet smile at her husband. then nan and bert went to bed and were soon asleep. "well, i hope freddie doesn't fall out of bed again to-night, and wake me up," said the children's mother. "so do i," echoed her husband. "i think we shall all rest well to-night." but trying to sleep in a big city hotel is quite different from trying to sleep in one's own, quiet home. there seemed to be even more noises than on the railroad train, where the motion of the cars, and the clickety-click of the wheels, appears to sing a sort of slumber song. so it was that in the chicago hotel mrs. bobbsey did not get to sleep as soon as she wished. however, after a while, she did close her eyes, and then she knew nothing of what happened until she heard a loud whistle, something like that of a steam locomotive outside. she also heard some shouting, and then she felt some one shaking her and a voice saying: "mother! mother! come and see 'em!" quickly mrs. bobbsey opened her eyes, and, in the dim light that came from the hall, she saw freddie standing beside her bed. "what is it?" she asked, sitting up and taking her little boy by the arm. "they're here! come and see 'em!" exclaimed freddie again. "i heard 'em, and i saw 'em! there's a whole lot of 'em!" "what in the world is the child talking about?" said mrs. bobbsey, and then her husband awakened. "what's the matter now?" he asked sleepily. "oh, is that you, freddie?" he went on, as he saw the little bobbsey twin. "what's the matter? did you fall out of bed again?" "no daddy. but there's a whole lot of fire engines down in the street. i saw 'em!" "fire engines!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "oh, dick! do you suppose--" what mrs. bobbsey feared was that the hotel was on fire, but she did not want to say this in freddie's hearing. "there's a great big engine, and it's puffing and blowing out sparks," said the little fellow. "freddie ought to know a fire engine by this time when he sees one," mr. bobbsey said. "i'll get up and have a look. there may be a small fire next door. don't get frightened." mrs. bobbsey got up too and slipped on a bath robe then, taking freddie by the hand, she went with him to the window in his room where he had said he had looked out and had seen the fire engine. but as mr. bobbsey took a look he laughed and said: "this is the time you were fooled, little fireman! that isn't a fire engine at all. that's some sort of engine they use for fixing the streets. they have to work on the streets here after dark, as there are too many automobiles and wagons on them in the day time. there isn't any fire, freddie!" "maybe there'll be a fire to-morrow," returned freddie, rather hopefully, though of course he did not really want any one's house to be burned. "well, there isn't a fire to-night--at least not around here," said mr. bobbsey. "now we can go back to bed." bert nor nan nor flossie had been awakened by the noise which roused freddie. and really it had sounded like a fire engine. a gang of men with a big steam roller was at work in the street just below the little bobbsey twins' window. and smoke and sparks were spouting from the boiler of the steam roller just as they often spouted from a fire engine. freddie slept soundly after that little excitement, and the bobbsey family did not get up very early the next morning, as they were all tired from their travel. "do we go on to lumberville to-day, daddy?" asked bert after breakfast in the hotel. "yes, we start this evening and travel all night again," his father answered. "in the morning, or rather, about noon to-morrow, we ought to be at the lumber tract." "and shall i see 'em cut down trees?" asked freddie. "they don't do much cutting down of trees in the summer," said mr. bobbsey. "winter is the time for that. still there may be some cutting going on, and i hope you can see it." "i'd rather see cowboys," put in bert. "that was a dandy picture of cowboys lassoing wild steers last night." "i wish i could go and see that!" exclaimed freddie. "some other time, maybe," his mother promised. "i am going to take you all shopping now, and buy you each something." nan's eyes shone in delight at this, for she liked, very much, to go shopping with her mother. mr. bobbsey still had some business to look after, and when he had left the hotel, promising to come back at lunch time, mrs. bobbsey gathered her four "chickens" as she sometimes called them, about her, and made ready to go shopping. no, i am wrong. she only gathered three "chickens." freddie was missing. "where can he be?" asked his mother. "he was right by that window a moment ago!" "oh, i hope he hasn't fallen out!" shrieked nan. chapter xii nearing lumberville bert bobbsey was the first to spring to the window and look down when his sister said this. as the rooms mr. bobbsey had taken were on the tenth floor it would have been quite a fall for freddie if he had tumbled out. but after one look bert said: "freddie couldn't have fallen from here. there's an iron railing all around the outside of the window, and even freddie couldn't get through." "i wonder where he is!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "i'm sure i saw him here a moment ago!" "yes, he was here," said nan. "i washed a speck of dirt off his chin, and then flossie wanted me to wash her hands." "but i washed my own hands, i did!" exclaimed flossie, looking at her pink palms. "and the soap slid all over the floor and every time i picked it up it slid some more; didn't it, nan?" she asked with a laugh. "yes," answered the older girl. "but where can freddie be?" "that's what i'm wondering," added mrs. bobbsey. "we must find him." "i guess he went out into the hall," said bert. "there's a boy in the rooms next door about as old as freddie, and i saw them talking together yesterday." mrs. bobbsey hurried into the hall outside their apartment in the hotel. bert, nan and flossie followed, flossie still laughing at the funny way the cake of soap had slid around the bathroom when she washed her hands. mrs. bobbsey looked up and down the corridor, but she saw nothing of her little boy. she was hurrying toward the elevators, where the red light burned at night, when she met one of the chambermaids who looked after the rooms and made up the beds. "are you looking for your little boy?" asked the maid, smiling pleasantly at mrs. bobbsey and the children. "yes, i am," answered freddie's mother. "have you seen him?" "yes," was the answer. "you needn't look for him, i gave him the money." "you gave him the money! what money?" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "i didn't send him for any money." "why, i saw him come out of your room and start for the elevator," the maid went on. "i was working across the hall. i heard your little boy saying that he couldn't get in without money and then he looked at me. he asked me if i had eleven cents and i gave it to him." "you gave my little boy freddie eleven cents?" asked mrs. bobbsey wondering if it were all a joke. "why did you do that?" "because he said he wanted it to get into the moving picture place just down the street," the chambermaid said. "i thought you had let him go, and that he had forgotten the money. it's ten cents for children to get in afternoons, you know, and a penny for war tax. i gave it to him." "dear me!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "the idea of his doing that! which moving picture place was it?" "i know!" broke in bert. "it must be the one we were in yesterday where they had the cowboy and indian scenes. freddie has gone there again." "he did want to see an indian," added nan. "but would they let such a little boy in all alone?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "oh, lots of the children get grown-ups to take them in," the chambermaid explained. "i've often seen 'em do it." "but i don't want freddie going by himself or with people he doesn't know!" said the little boy's mother. "but it was kind of you to give him the money, and here is your change back," she said to the hotel maid. "but now we must get freddie." "i'll get him," offered bert. "i know just where the place is." "i wish you would," returned mrs. bobbsey. "bring him right back here. i shall have to scold him a little." bert went down in the elevator. the man running the big wire cage, which lifted people up and down instead of having them go by the stairs, nodded and smiled at bert. "i took yo' little brother down awhile ago," said the elevator man, who was colored like sam johnson. "yes, he ran away," replied bert. "guess you'll find him at de movies!" laughed the elevator man. "he had 'leven cents, an' he was talkin' 'bout indians an' cowboys." "yes, he's crazy about 'em," answered bert. "we're going out west you know." "is you?" asked the man, as the elevator went down. "well, de west am a mighty big place. i suah hopes yo' l'il brother doan git lost in de big west." "we'll have to keep watch over him," returned bert, as he got out of the car and hurried down the street toward the moving picture theater. on the way he was wondering as to the best way of getting freddie out of the show. it would be dark inside, bert knew, though the picture on the screen made it light at times. but it would be too dark to pick freddie out of the crowd, especially as the theater was a large place and bert did not know where his small brother would be sitting. "i guess i'll have to speak to the girl that sells tickets, and maybe she can tell me how to find freddie," thought bert. but when he reached the moving picture theater he had no trouble at all. for freddie was there, and he was outside, and not inside at all. and the reason freddie had not gone in was for the same reason that a number of other boys and girls were standing outside the theater. in the lobby, or the open place near the ticket window, stood a tall man, wearing a red shirt, a big hat with a leather band on it, and, around his neck, a large purple handkerchief. the man wore big boots, and his trousers, instead of being of cloth as were those of bert's father, were made of sheepskin. "oh, he's a cowboy!" exclaimed bert. and so the man was. at least he was dressed as some cowboys dress, especially in moving pictures, and this man was standing in front of the theater to advertise the photoplay and draw a crowd. the crowd was there, and freddie was right up in front, looking with open eyes and open mouth at the cowboy, who was walking back and forth, letting himself be looked at. "freddie! freddie!" called bert, when he had worked his way close to his little brother. "what you doing here?" "i'm going to the show!" declared freddie. "i want to see the wild cows again. and look, bert! here's a cowboy like those we're going to see a lot of when we get out west!" freddie spoke so loudly that many in the crowd laughed, as did the cowboy himself. then as the big man in the red shirt and sheepskin trousers happened to remember that he was there to advertise the show he began saying: "step right inside, ladies and gentlemen, and boys and girls. see the big cattle round-up and the indian raid! step in and see the cowboys taming the wild horses!" "come on in!" called freddie to bert. "i want to see it! i want to see the show! i've 'leven cents! the lady in the hotel gave it to me!" "no, you can't go in now!" said bert firmly, as he kept hold of his little brother's hand. "mother want you. she didn't like it because you ran away. we thought maybe you fell out the window." "but i didn't!" cried freddie. "i came down in the levelator, and i want to see the show." "not now," said bert kindly, as he led freddie out of the crowd. "mother is going to take us all down town to buy things." "but i want to see the show!" insisted freddie, and he was going to cry, bert feared, when there appeared, out in front of the hotel, an italian with a hurdy-gurdy. freddie was always ready to look at something like this, and soon he was in the crowd listening to the man grind out the tunes. "i'm going to give him this penny," said freddie, showing the coins the chambermaid had given him. "i'll keep the ten cents, and maybe i can get another penny to go to the movies. but i'll give the man this one." "all right," agreed bert, glad enough to get freddie away from the cowboy. and then freddie seemed to forget all about wanting to go to the movies in listening to the music. by this time mrs. bobbsey, nan and flossie had come down from their rooms. they saw bert and freddie in the crowd around the hurdy-gurdy man. "oh, i'm glad you have found him!" exclaimed freddie's mother, as she saw her little son. "you did very wrong to run away," she added. freddie looked sorry, for he knew he was being scolded. "i--i didn't go into the movies," he said, "and i have ten cents left. i gave a penny to the man," and he showed his mother the ten-cent piece in his chubby fist. "you must never do such a thing again, freddie," went on mrs. bobbsey. "now i'm going to take that ten cents away from you, and when you want to go to the movies you must ask me." "will you take me to see the cowboy after we go shopping?" the little fellow wanted to know. "i don't believe we'll have time," mrs. bobbsey answered, trying not to smile. "we must get ready to leave for lumberville then." "oh, that'll be fun!" cried freddie. "i want to see the big trees. maybe i'll climb one." "and that's something else you must not do!" went on his mother. "you must not go out in the woods nor climb trees alone." "i won't. bert will come with me," said freddie. then the bobbsey twins went shopping with their mother, and that night they again got aboard a sleeping car and started for lumberville, which was reached the next morning. and when flossie and freddie and bert and nan opened their eyes and looked from the car window they saw a strange sight. chapter xiii the sawmill when bert, who was the first of the bobbsey twins to awaken, looked from the car window he had hard work to tell whether or not he was dreaming. for he seemed to be traveling through a scene from a moving picture. there were trees, trees, trees on both sides of the track. nothing could be seen but trees. the railroad was cut through a dense forest, and at times the trees seemed so near that it appeared all bert would have to do would be to stretch out his hand to touch the branches. then nan awakened, and she, too, saw the great numbers of trees on both sides of the train. quickly she and bert dressed, and, finding a place where a sleeping berth had been folded up and the seats made ready for use again, the two children took their places there and looked out. "what makes so many trees?" asked nan. "is this a camping place?" "it would be a dandy place for us boy scouts to camp," said bert. "but i guess this must be where they get lumber from, isn't it, daddy?" he asked, as his father came through the car just then, having been to the wash-room to shave. "yes, this is the place of big trees and lumber," said mr. bobbsey. "we are coming to lumberville soon, and half our journey will be over." "is this the west?" asked nan. "yes, this is the west," her father told her, "though it is not as far west as we are going. the cattle ranch is still farther on. it will take us some time to get there, but we are going to stay in lumberville nearly a week." by this time flossie and freddie had awakened and their mother had helped them to dress. the two smaller bobbsey twins came to sit with nan and bert and look out of the windows. "my, what a lot of trees!" exclaimed freddie. "you couldn't climb all them, could you?" asked flossie. "not all at once, but i could climb one at a time," freddie answered, as the train puffed on through the forest. "can't we stop in the woods?" he wanted to know. "these are terrible big woods." "yes, this is a large forest," said mr. bobbsey. "it is one of the largest in the united states, and some of my lumber and boards come from here. but we can't stop here. if we did we would have no nice hot breakfast." "oh, then i don't want to stop!" exclaimed freddie. "i'm hungry." "we'll soon have breakfast," said his mother. "it is wonderful among the trees," she said. "and to think that i will really own a tract of woodland like this!" "yes," replied mr. bobbsey. "your lumber tract will be much like this, except there will be places where trees have been cut down to be made into boards and planks. i suppose there are such places in these woods, but we cannot see them from the train." once, just before they went into the dining car to breakfast, the bobbsey twins saw in a clearing a big wagon loaded with logs and drawn by eight horses. "oh, look!" cried bert, pointing to it. "will you have teams like that, mother?" "well, i suppose so," she answered. "i don't really know what is on my lumber tract, as yet." "we'll soon see," said mr. bobbsey, looking at his watch. "we'll be at lumberville in about two hours." they went to breakfast while the train was still puffing along through the woods. the scenery was quite different from that on the first part of their journey, where they had scarcely ever been out of sight of houses and cities, with only now and then a patch of wooded land. here there were hardly any houses to be seen--only trees, trees, and more trees. freddie was not the only one of the bobbsey twins who was hungry, for flossie, nan, and bert also had good appetites. but, to tell you the truth, the children were more interested in looking out of the window than in eating, though they did not miss much that was on the table. mr. and mrs. bobbsey were glad they had brought the twins along, for they felt the trip would do them good and let the children see things they never would have seen but for the travel. after they had gone back into the sleeping car, where the berths had all been folded up against the roof by this time, mr. bobbsey said they had better begin getting their baggage ready. "the train does not stop long at lumberville, and we must hurry out," he said. "lumberville isn't a big, city station, like the one in chicago." "are there any moving pictures there?" freddie wanted to know. "no, not a one," his mother answered. "but there will be plenty of other things for you to see." soon after the satchels, baskets, and bundles belonging to the bobbsey twins had been gathered together by the car porter and put at the end, near the door, the train began to run more slowly. "is this lumberville?" asked bert, who had noticed that the trees were not quite so thick now. "lumberville--lumber-ville!" called the porter, smiling back at the bobbsey twins as he stood near their pile of baggage. "all out for lumberville." "that's us!" cried bert, with a laugh. slowly the train came to a stop. bert and nan, standing near the window from which they had been looking all the morning, saw a small, rough building flash into view. near it were flatcars piled high with lumber and logs. but there was no sign of a city or a town. "come on!" called daddy bobbsey to his family. the porter carried out their baggage, and the children jumped down the car steps. they found themselves on the platform of a small station--a station that looked more like a shanty in the woods than a place for railroad trains to stop. "good-bye! an' good luck to yo' all!" called the smiling porter, as he climbed up the car steps, carrying the rubber-covered stool he had put down for the passengers to alight on. then the train puffed away and the bobbsey twins, with their father and mother, and with their baggage around them, stood on the platform of the station which, as bert could see, was marked "lumberville." "but where's the place? where's the town? where's the men cutting down trees and all that?" bert asked. he was beginning to feel disappointed. "oh, this is only where the trains stop," his father said. "lumberville isn't a city, or even a town. it's just a settlement for the lumber-men. our timber tract is about seven miles from here." "have we got to walk?" asked nan, as she looked down at her dainty, new shoes which her mother had bought in chicago. "no, we don't have to walk. i think this is our automobile coming now," replied mr. bobbsey, and he smiled at his wife. bert and nan heard a rumbling sound back of the rough, wooden railroad station. flossie and freddie were too busy watching and listening to some blue jays in a tree overhead to pay attention to much else. but as the rumbling sound grew louder bert saw a big wagon approaching, drawn by two powerful horses. "where's the automobile?" asked the boy, with a look at his father. "i was just joking," said mr. bobbsey. "the roads here are too rough for autos. lumber wagons are about all that can get through." "are we going in that wagon?" nan demanded. before her father could answer the man driving the big horses called to them to stop, and when they did he spoke to mr. bobbsey. "are you the folks i'm expected to take out to the watson timber tract?" the driver asked. "well, we are the bobbseys," said bert's father. "then you're the folks i want!" was the good-natured answer. "just pile in and make yourselves comfortable. i'll get your baggage in." "i'd better help you," said mr. bobbsey. "there's quite a lot of it." "oh, we're going to have a ride!" cried freddie as he ran over to the lumber wagon, followed by flossie, "this is better than an automobile." "well, it's more sure, over the roads we've got to travel," said the driver, who was carrying two valises while mr. bobbsey took two more to put in the wagon. "pile in!" invited the driver again, and when the bobbsey twins reached the wagon they found it was half-filled with pine tree branches, over which horse blankets had been spread. "why, it's as soft as a sleeping car!" exclaimed nan. "oh, how nice this is!" and she sank down with a sigh of contentment. bert helped flossie and freddie in, and mr. bobbsey helped in his wife. "got everything?" asked the driver, as he climbed up on his seat, which was made of two boards with springs between them. "yes, we're all ready," mr. bobbsey answered. "gid-dap!" called the man to his big, strong horses, and they started off. the bobbsey twins soon knew why it was that no automobile could have traveled over the roads through the woods to the lumber camp. there were so many holes that the wagon lurched about as the boat had when the bobbseys were on the deep blue sea. but rough as was the road, and tossed about as they were in the wagon, the bobbsey twins were not hurt a bit, as the blankets spread over the spicy-smelling pine branches made a couch almost as soft as a feather bed for them. through the same sort of forest they had seen from the car windows the children rode. the day was a sunny, pleasant one, and it was just warm enough to be comfortable. "are we going to stop at a hotel?" asked nan, when they had ridden for what seemed to her a long time. "no," her father answered. "they don't have hotels off here in the woods. we are going to stay in the lumber camp." "and camp out?" asked bert. "yes, it will be like camping out." "oh, that's dandy!" exclaimed the boy. and as he said that there sounded, as if from the woods just ahead of them, a loud shrieking sound. flossie at once turned to her mother, and clasped mrs. bobbsey by the arm. freddie turned to his father, and looked up at him. "what was that?" asked nan. "sounded like a wild animal," replied bert, in a hushed voice. "that's the sawmill!" said the driver of the lumber wagon, with a laugh. "we're coming to your place," he added. "that's the sawmill you heard. the saw must have struck a hard knot in a log and it let out a screech. there's the sawmill!" chapter xiv the big tree the bobbsey twins saw, just ahead of them, a stream of water sparkling in the sun. they also saw a place that had been cleared of trees, which had been cut down, making a vacant place in the woods. and in this clearing, or vacant place, near the small river, were a number of rough-looking buildings. it was from one of these "shacks," as bert afterward called them, that the screeching sound came. and puffs of steam coming from a pipe sticking out of the roof of this shack showed that there was an engine there. "is this the lumber camp that i am to own?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as she looked ahead and saw the buildings, the piles of logs, and the stacks of boards. "this is the place," said mr. bobbsey. "it is bigger than i thought. we will have to get some one to look after it for you, mother. you and i can't be running out here to see that the men cut down the trees right, and make them into boards. yes, we shall have to get some one to help us." "couldn't i help?" asked bert. "maybe i'd rather be a lumberman than a cowboy." "you'll have to grow some before you'll be of much use around a lumber camp," said the driver of the wagon. "it's hard work chopping down trees." "do you ever have a fire here?" freddie demanded suddenly. "sometimes, my little man," the driver answered. "why? do you like to see fires? i don't, myself, for they burn up a lot of good lumber." "i don't like to see fires, but i like fire engines," said freddie. "and i have a fire engine at home, and it squirts real water. but i couldn't bring it with me 'cause it was too heavy to carry. but if there was a fire here maybe i could watch the engines--i mean the big ones." "we don't have fire engines in lumber camps," said the driver, whose name was harvey hallock. "when it starts to burn we just have to let her burn. but i guess--" however, no one heard what he said, for at that moment the saw must have come to another hard knot in a log, for there was that same loud screeching sound like a wild animal yelling. nan covered her ears with her hands, but bert and freddie and flossie seemed to like the noise. "mercy me!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, "i hope that doesn't happen very often." "well, i might as well tell you it does," said mr. hallock. "we keep the sawmill going all day, but of course we shut down at night. it won't keep you awake, anyhow." "that's good," said mrs. bobbsey, with a laugh. "i don't believe i'd want to own a lumber saw if it kept me awake with a noise like that." certainly this sawmill in the midst of the big lumber tract was very different from the small one in mr. bobbsey's place at lakeport. the children often watched the men sawing up boards at the yard their father owned, but the work there was nothing like this. the saw cut through the hard knot and the screeching sound came to an end, at least for a time. "this is where you folks are going to stay," said mr. hallock, as he stopped his team in front of a building, at the sight of which bert and nan gave shouts of joy. "it's a regular log cabin! oh, it's a regular log cabin!" cried bert, as he saw where they were to live during their stay in the lumber camp. "so this is to be our cabin, is it?" said mr. bobbsey as he got down and helped his wife, while the driver lifted out the children and then the baggage. "yes, the boys fixed this up for you," answered mr. hallock. "we hope you'll like it." "i'm sure i shall," said mrs. bobbsey, as she looked inside the log cabin, for it really was that, the sides being made of logs piled one on the other, the ends being notched so they would not slip out. "isn't it cute!" exclaimed nan, as she followed her mother inside the cabin. "it has tables and chairs and a cupboard and everything!" "and it's all made of wood!" cried bert. "say, the boy scouts would like this all right." "i believe they would," agreed his father. "as for everything being made of wood, it generally is in a lumber camp. now we must get settled. where can i find the foreman?" he asked of the driver of the wagon who had brought the bobbseys over from the railroad station. "he's outside somewhere in the woods," was the answer. "i'll find him and tell him you're here. i'll send the cook over to see if he can get you anything to eat. are you hungry?" he asked the children. "i am!" admitted bert. "and so am i!" "and i!" echoed flossie and freddie. "well, that's the way to be!" said mr. hallock. "children wouldn't be children unless they were hungry. we've got plenty to eat here, such as it is. not much pie and cake, perhaps, but other things." "we don't want pie and cake when we're camping in the woods," declared bert. "we didn't have it at blueberry island--that is, not every day." "all right! i guess you'll get along!" laughed the driver, as he went off through the trees to find the cook and some of the men of the lumber camp. mr. and mrs. bobbsey were looking about the log cabin that was to be their home for about a week, and the children were playing about outside, watching some squirrels and chipmunks that were frisking about in the trees, when a voice called: "well, i see you got here all right!" mr. bobbsey and his wife, who were putting some of their baggage in one of the inner rooms, came to the outside door. they saw a big bearded man, wearing heavy boots, with his trousers tucked in the tops of them, smiling at them. "are you the foreman?" asked mr. bobbsey. "no, i'm tom jackson, his helper," was the answer. "mr. dayton will be over in a few minutes. he's seeing about some big trees that are being cut down." "i don't want to take him away from his work," said mr. bobbsey. "oh, he's coming over, anyhow, to see how you stood the trip out to this rough place," said mr. jackson. "of course it isn't as rough as it is in the winter time, when we do most of our tree-cutting, but it's rough enough, even now." "we are used to roughing it," said mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "we like it, and the children think there is no better fun than camping out." "well, that's what this is--camping out," said the foreman's helper. "but here comes the cook, and he looks as if he had something for you to eat." a little bald-headed man, with a white apron draped in front of him, was coming along a woodland path with some covered dishes on a tray held on one hand, while in the other he carried what seemed to be a coffee pot. "just brought you folks some sandwiches and a pot of tea," he said, as he set the things down on the table in the log cabin. "this is tea even if it's made in the coffee pot. but i washed it out good first," he said to mrs. bobbsey. "mostly the lumber men like coffee, though in winter they're fond of a hot cup of tea. i give 'em both, and generally i have a teapot, but i can't find it just this minute. i brought some fried cakes for the children, too." "i thought he said there wasn't any cake in a lumber camp," said bert, looking out toward the driver who was going off with his team. "well, generally i don't get much time to make fried cakes," said the little bald-headed man who acted as cook. "but i made some specially for you youngsters to-day," and he lifted off the cover of one dish and showed some crisp, brown doughnuts, which he called "fried cakes." "oh, i want some!" cried freddie. "so do i!" echoed flossie. "there's enough for all of you," remarked the cook. "now, then, mrs. bobbsey, you'll have a cup of tea, i know," and he poured out a hot, steaming cup that smelled very good. mr. bobbsey ate some of the sandwiches and had a cup of tea, and, after they had taken the edge off their hunger on the doughnuts, the children also ate some of the bread and meat. while their father and mother were talking to the assistant foreman and the cook, who said his name was jed prenty, the four bobbsey twins wandered outside the log cabin. it stood on the edge of a clearing in the forest, and not far away there were other log buildings, most of them larger than the one where the bobbseys were to live. these other buildings were where the lumbermen slept and ate, and one was where jed prenty did his cooking. in another building, farther off, the horses were stabled. "let's take a walk in the woods," said bert to nan. "i want to see 'em cut down trees." "so do i," she said. "we can take flossie and freddie with us. we won't go far." "are there any cowboys here?" freddie wanted to know. "not any, i guess," laughed bert. "we'll find them when we get to cowdon, where mother's ranch is." before they knew it the bobbsey twins had walked quite a little way along a path into the woods. they heard the sound of axes being used to chop down trees, and they were eager to see the lumbermen at work. "oh, look at this big tree!" called freddie to bert. "some one cut it almost down!" he and flossie had, for the moment, wandered away from bert and nan, though they were still within sight. at freddie's call bert looked up and toward his small brother. bert saw the two small bobbsey twins standing beside a big tree which, as freddie had said, was partly cut down. just then came a puff of wind. the big tree slowly swayed and began to fall over. and flossie and freddie were standing near it, right where it would crash down on them! chapter xv bill dayton "look out there! look out!" bert and nan bobbsey, standing near a big stump, heard some one shout this to flossie and freddie as the two small bobbsey twins looked up at the great tree which was slowly falling toward them. and then bert and nan added their voices to the shout which came from they knew not whom. "oh, flossie! run! run!" cried nan. "come here, freddie! come here!" yelled bert. the two small children did not really know they were in danger. there was so much to see in the woods, and they were so interested in watching the big tree fall, that they did not know it might fall right on them and crush them. "oh, what shall we do? what shall we do?" sobbed nan, for she was crying now, for fear her little brother and sister would be hurt. "i'll get 'em!" exclaimed bert. he started to run toward flossie and freddie, but he never could have reached them in time to snatch them out of the way of the falling tree. however, there was some one else in the forest who knew just what to do and when to do it. there was another cry from some unseen man. "stand still! don't move!" he shouted. then there was a crackling in the underbrush, and some one rushed out at flossie and freddie, who were standing under the tree looking up at the tottering trunk which was slowly falling toward them. if the two little children had been alone in the woods they might have thought that the crackling and crashing in the underbrush was made by a bear breaking his way toward them. but they were not thinking of bears, just then. in another instant bert and nan saw a man, dressed as were nearly all the "lumberjacks," spring down a little hill and rush at flossie and freddie. as for the two small bobbsey twins themselves, they had no time to see anything very clearly. the first they knew they were caught up in the man's arms, freddie on one side and flossie on the other. that big, strong lumberman just tucked freddie under his left arm and flossie under his right and then he gave a jump and a leap that carried them all out of danger. and only just in time, too! for no sooner had the lumberman picked up the two children and leaped off the path with them into a little cleared space than down crashed the big tree! it made a sound like the boom of a big gun, or like the pounding of the giant waves in a storm at the seashore, where once the bobbsey twins had spent a vacation. down crashed the big tree, breaking off smaller trees and bushes that were in its way. down it fell, raising a big cloud of dust, and flossie and freddie, still held in the arms of the big man, saw it fall. but they were far enough away to escape getting hurt, though some pieces of bark and a shower of leaves scattered over them. the lumbermen had snatched them out of danger just in time. "oh! oh! they're all right! they're saved!" gasped nan, no longer crying now that she saw flossie and freddie were not hurt. "whew! that was pretty near a bad accident," said bert, who had stopped running toward his brother and sister when he saw that the lumberman was going to get them. as for the two little children themselves, they were so surprised at first that they did not know what to think. one moment they had been looking up at a big tree, wondering why it was toppling over toward them as they had sometimes seen their tall towers of building blocks fall. the next instant they had heard somebody rushing toward them out of the woods, they had felt themselves caught up in strong arms, and now they were being set down at a safe distance away from the fallen tree by a big man. flossie and freddie looked at the big trunk which had crashed down. then they saw bert and nan coming toward them. next they looked up at the big lumberman. "who are you?" asked freddie. "that's just what i was going to ask you," replied the big man, with a laugh. "i think i can guess, though. you are the bobbsey twins, aren't you? that is you're half of them, and the other half is over there," and he pointed to bert and nan who were walking toward flossie and freddie. "yes, we're the bobbsey twins," answered freddie. "we've come to the lumber camp. my mother--she owns it." "so i've heard," the man said. "well, if i were you i wouldn't go off by myself among the trees again. you never can tell when one is going to fall down. the man who cut this one should have stayed and finished it, and not have left it to fall with the first puff of wind. i must speak to him about it. and now i had better take you to your father and mother. where are they?" "we'll take them back, thank you," said nan, who, with bert, came up just then. "yes, we want to thank you a lot for getting them out of the way of the falling tree," went on bert. "it was the only way to save them," replied the lumberman. "i couldn't make them understand they must step back out of danger, so i had to rush to them and grab them. i'm afraid i did it pretty roughly, but i didn't mean to." "you pinched me a little," said flossie, speaking for the first time. "but i don't care. i wouldn't want that tree to hit me." "i should say not!" exclaimed the lumberman. "we don't want the bobbsey twins to get hurt." "how'd you know our names are bobbsey?" asked freddie. "are you a policeman? if you are, where's your brass buttons?" "no, i'm not a policeman," answered the lumberman. "i suppose, in the city where you came from, all the policemen know you. but i guessed who you were because i sent a man to the depot to-day to meet the bobbsey family, and you must belong to it." "we do," explained bert. "our father and mother are back in the camp--at the log cabin, you know." "yes, i know where it is very well," said the man, with a smile. "and, just to make sure you children won't go near any other trees that are ready to fall, i'll go back with you. i want to see mr. and mrs. bobbsey, anyhow." "do you work here?" asked bert. "yes, i think you could call it that," answered the man, with a smile. he took flossie and freddie by the hands, and they walked along with him, while bert and nan followed. on the way back to the camp, or place where the log cabins and other shacks were built, they met a man coming along with an axe on his shoulder. "that big tree fell down," said the man who had saved the bobbsey twins. "after this don't go away and leave a trunk nearly chopped through. these children might have been hurt." "i'm sorry," said the man with the axe. "i won't do it again. but, just as i was going to finish chopping it down, one of the boys needed help with his team, and i ran to him. i forgot all about the big tree." "well, don't forget again," said the man who had saved flossie and freddie. as the bobbseys walked along with their new friend they saw their father and mother coming toward them. "bert, nan, where have you been?" asked their mother. "off in the woods," bert answered. "and we saw a big tree fall down and it 'most falled on us!" added flossie. "but he pulled us out from under it! didn't you?" went on freddie, and he looked up at the big man in the big boots, who wore a red shirt like the other lumbermen. "what's that?" asked mr. bobbsey. "were you children near a falling tree?" "that's what they were--too near for comfort," said the man as he let go of the hands of flossie and freddie, so the small bobbsey twins might run to their mother. "it was careless of one of the men to leave a tree half chopped through. but no harm is done. i managed to get the kiddies out of the way in time." mr. bobbsey must have guessed how it happened, for he shook hands heartily with the lumberman. "i can't thank you enough," said the children's father. "you saved flossie and freddie from being hurt, if not killed! do you work here?" "i'm the foreman," answered the man quietly. "oh, we have been looking for you," said bert's mother. "i am mrs. bobbsey." "that's what i guessed, lady," answered the man. "i am glad to meet you. i've been expecting you." "so you are the foreman," said mr. bobbsey slowly. "may i ask your name?" the man seemed to wait a few seconds before answering. then he looked away over the tops of the trees and said: "bill dayton." and his voice sounded rather strange, mrs. bobbsey thought. chapter xvi the train crash "well, mr. dayton," said mr. bobbsey, after a moment's pause, "as i said before, i do not know how to thank you for what you did to save flossie and freddie. i hope, some day, i may be able to do you as great a service as you did me." and the time was nearer than mr. bobbsey supposed when he could do a kindness to the lumber foreman. they all walked back to the log cabin near the other buildings, all of which made what was called the "lumber camp." the story was told of the falling tree, and how nearly flossie and freddie had been caught under it. "that foreman of ours sure is quick on his feet!" said harvey hallock, the driver who had brought the bobbseys from the station. mr. hallock was speaking to mr. bobbsey, outside the log cabin. "yes, bill dayton is sure a quick man," went on the driver. "has he been foreman here long?" asked mr. bobbsey. "no, not very long," was the answer. "he came here when your wife's uncle owned the tract, just before the uncle died. but we don't know much about bill dayton. he's a quiet man, and he doesn't talk much." "i thought there was something queer about him," said mr. bobbsey. "but i shall always be his friend, for he saved my two children." the bobbsey twins thought they never had eaten such a jolly meal as the one served a little later in the log cabin. even though it was in the midst of a great forest and in a lumber camp, the food was very good. the little bald-headed cook seemed to know almost as much as did black dinah about making things taste good. "the children have good appetites up here," said mr. bobbsey, as he filled bert's plate for the second time. "i want some, too!" called freddie. "i'm hungry like a bear!" "but you mustn't eat like a bear!" said his mother, laughing. "you must wait your turn," and she served flossie first, for that little "fairy" was as hungry as the others. "what funny little beds!" exclaimed nan, when she saw where they were to sleep in the log cabin. "they're almost like the berths in the sleeping car," said bert. "they are called 'bunks,'" his father told him. "lumbermen move about so, from camp to camp, that they could not take regular beds with them. so they build bunks against the wall, spreading their blankets over pine or, hemlock boughs, as the driver did in the wagon we rode over in from the station." but the bunks in the log cabin had mattresses stuffed with straw, and though they were not like the beds in the pullman car, nor like those in the bobbsey home, all the children slept well. they did not awaken all night, nor did freddie fall out of bed, as sometimes happened. "i never slept so well in all my life!" exclaimed mother bobbsey, when she was getting ready for breakfast the next morning. "the sweet air of the lumber camp seems to agree with all of us." bert and nan, as well as flossie and freddie, also felt fine, and they were ready for a day of fun. they had it, too, for there were so many things to do in the big tract of trees their mother now owned that the children did not know what to start first. of course mr. and mrs. bobbsey had business to look after--the business of taking over the lumber camp, since mrs. bobbsey was now the owner. but she made no changes. she said she wanted bill dayton still to act as foreman, and she wished to keep the same men he had hired from the first, as he said they were all good workers. but while their father and mother were in the office of the lumber camp, looking over books and papers, bert and nan and flossie and freddie roamed about. they did not go alone, as that would not have been safe. harvey hallock, the good-natured driver of the wagon, went with them, and foreman bill dayton told him to be especially careful not to let flossie and freddie stray away. "i guess he thinks i'll get lost," said freddie, when the little "fireman" heard this order given to the driver. "do you often get lost?" asked harvey hallock. "oh, lots of times!" exclaimed freddie. "i can get lost as easy as anything! but i always get found again!" "well, that's good!" laughed the driver. he took the children to the sawmill, and, at a safe distance from the big saw, they watched to see how logs were turned into boards, planks, and beams. they saw the rumbling wagons drive up, loaded with logs that were fastened on with chains so they would not roll off. the men, with big hooks fastened on handles of wood; turned the logs over, and slid them this way and that until they could be shoved up to the saw. the logs were put on what was called a "carriage," to be sawed. this carriage moved slowly along on a little track, and the bobbsey twins were allowed to ride on the end of the log farthest from the saw. when the end came too close to the big, whirring teeth that ripped through the hard knots with such a screeching sound, bert and nan and flossie and freddie were lifted off by the driver. the children saw the place where the jolly, bald-headed cook made the meals ready for the hungry men. there was a big stove, and on it a pot of soup was cooking, and when jed prenty opened the oven door a most delicious smell came out. "what's that?" asked bert. "baked beans," the cook answered. "they're 'most done, too! want some?" "oh, i do!" cried freddie. "and i want a fried cake, too!" "so do i!" echoed flossie. "well, you shall have some," answered the good-natured cook. so he gave the children a little lunch on one end of the big, long table where the lumbermen would soon crowd in to dinner. the bobbsey twins had no fear of "spoiling their appetites" by eating thus before their regular lunch was ready. walking about in the woods seemed to make them hungry all the while. as the days passed mrs. bobbsey found she would have to stay in lumberville longer than she had at first thought. there was much business to be done in taking over the property her uncle had left her. "the longer we stay the better i like it!" said nan to bert. "there are so many birds here, and squirrels and chipmunks. and the squirrels are so tame that they come right up to me." "yes, they are nice," said bert. "but i want to get out west on the ranch, and see the cowboys and the indians." "i want to be an indian, too!" exclaimed freddie, who did not quite catch what bert said. "what else do you want to be?" laughed the older brother. "first you're going to be a fireman, and now you want to be an indian!" "couldn't i be both?" freddie wanted to know. "hardly," said nan, with a laugh. "you'd better just stay what you are--freddie bobbsey!" day after day the twins were taken around the woods by the driver or some of the lumbermen who were not busy. they saw big trees cut down, but were careful not to get in the way of the great, swaying trunks. they played in the piles of sawdust, jumping off powdery wood. "this is as nice as blueberry island!" cried nan one day, when they were all playing on the sawdust heap. "yes, and we're having as much fun as we did in washington, where we found miss pompret's china," added bert. "i wonder if we'll discover any mystery on this trip." "i don't believe so," returned nan. however, the bobbsey twins were to help in solving something which you will read about before this book is finished. but all things have an end, even the happy days in the lumber camp, and one morning, after the little bald-headed cook had served breakfast in the log cabin, mr. bobbsey said to the children: "well, we are going to travel on." "where are we going?" asked bert. "to cowdon; to the cattle ranch," answered mrs. bobbsey. "i have settled all the business here, and now we must go farther out west." "i'll be sorry to see you go," said the foreman, bill dayton, when told that the bobbseys were going to leave. "i've enjoyed the children very much." "did you ever have any of your own?" asked mr. bobbsey. "no--never did," was the answer. "i'm not much of a family man. used to be, when i was a boy and lived at home," he went on, "but that's a good many years ago." "haven't you any family--any relatives?" asked mrs. bobbsey, for she thought the foreman spoke as if he were very lonesome. "well, yes, i've got some folks," answered bill dayton slowly. "i've got a brother somewhere out west. he's a cowboy, i believe. haven't seen him for some years." "are your father and mother dead?" asked mr. bobbsey gently. "my mother is," was the answer. "she died when my brother and i were boys. as for my father--well, i don't talk much about him," and the foreman turned away as if that ended it. "why doesn't he want to talk about his father?" asked bert of mr. bobbsey a little later, when they were packing the valises. "i don't know," was the answer. "perhaps he and his father quarreled, or something like that. we had better not ask too many questions. bill dayton is a queer man." bert thought so himself, but he did as his father had suggested, and did not ask the foreman any more questions. the packing was soon finished, and then the bobbsey twins said good-bye to their friends in the lumber camp. the bald-headed cook gave them a bag of "fried cakes" to take with them. they were to ride to the station in the same lumber wagon that had brought them to the camp, and harvey hallock was to drive them. "good-bye!" said bill dayton to mr. and mrs. bobbsey, after he had talked to the bobbsey twins. "if you stop off here on your way home from your ranch, we'll all be glad to see you." "perhaps we may stop off," mrs. bobbsey answered. "now that i own a lumber tract i must look after it, though i am going to leave the management of it to you." "i'll do my best with it," promised the foreman. "and if you should happen to meet my brother out among the cowboys tell him i was asking for him. i don't s'pose you will meet him, but you might." and then the bobbsey twins started off on another part of their trip to the great west. they did not have long to wait for the train in the lumberville station, and, as they got aboard and began their travels once more, they could see harvey hallock waving to them from his wagon. "and one of the horses shook his head good-bye to me!" exclaimed flossie, who pressed her chubby nose against the window to catch the last view of the lumber team. "i hope we have as good a time on the cattle ranch as we had in the lumber camp," said nan, as she and the other children settled down for the long ride. "we'll have more fun!" declared bert. "we can ride ponies out on the ranch!" "oh, may we?" asked nan with shining eyes, turning to her mother. "i guess so," was the answer. "i want a pony, too!" cried freddie. "if bert and nan ride pony-back flossie and i want to ride, too." "we'll ride you in a little cart," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "that will be safer--you won't fall so easily." they were to ride all that day, all night, and part of the next day before they would reach the cattle ranch which mrs. bobbsey's uncle had left her. the railroad trip was enjoyed by the bobbseys, but the children were eager to get to the new place they were going to visit. bert wanted to see the cowboys and the indians, nan wanted to ride a pony and get an indian doll, and as for flossie and freddie, they just wanted to have a good time in any way possible. supper was served on the train, and then came the making up of the berths in the sleeping car. this was nothing new to the bobbseys now, and soon they were all in bed. it was dark and about the middle of the night when all in the sleeping car were suddenly awakened by a loud crash. the train stopped with a jerk, there was a shrieking of whistles, and then loud shouts. "what is it?" called mrs. bobbsey from her berth. "probably there has been a wreck," said mr. bobbsey, as he quickly got out of his berth and into the aisle. "but no one here seems to be hurt, though i think the car is off the track." flossie and freddie and bert and nan stuck their heads out between the curtains hanging in front of their berths. they wondered what had happened. chapter xvii at the ranch after the first crash in the night, and the rattling and bumping of the sleeping car in which they were riding, the bobbsey twins heard nothing more that was exciting except the whistling of the locomotive and the shouting of men outside the train. but though the sleeping car no longer bumped unevenly over the wooden ties of the road bed, and though it had come to a stop, the people in it were all very much excited. men and women quickly dressed, and came out in the aisle where mr. and mrs. bobbsey were now standing. "what is it?" "what's the matter?" "are we off the track?" these and many other questions were being asked by every one it seemed. "i was dreamin' that i fell out of bed and i got a big bump!" said freddie bobbsey, and, hearing that, many of the passengers laughed. this seemed to make them feel better, and when it was seen that the sleeping car was not broken and that no one in it was hurt, the men and women began to talk about what had best be done. "we're off the track, that's sure," said one man who had a berth next to mr. bobbsey. "you can tell we're off the track by the way this car is tipped to one side." "yes, i believe we are," said the children's father. "well, if it isn't anything worse than being off the track we will not worry much. but there was a pretty hard crash, and i'm afraid some of the passengers in the other cars are hurt." "you're right--it was a hard crash," said a woman to whom mrs. bobbsey was speaking. "it awakened me from a sound sleep. if we are off the track i wonder how long it will take us to get back on?" "i have a train of cars," said freddie, who, with the other bobbsey children, was now partly dressed. "i have a train of cars, and when they get off the track flossie and i put 'em back on." "well, i wish you could do that with this train, my little engineer!" laughed the man who had talked to freddie's father. "i'm not an engineer!" exclaimed the little fellow, smiling. "no?" asked the man. "nope! i'm a fireman, and my sister's a fairy!" went on freddie, pointing to flossie so every one would know he did not mean nan. "well, if she is a fairy maybe she can wave her magic wand and put us all back on the track again," went on the man. "can you do that, little fairy?" he asked. "where is your magic wand?" "i--i hasn't any," answered flossie, who was feeling a bit shy and bashful because so many persons were looking at her and smiling. "well, here comes the conductor," said some one. "perhaps he can tell us what the matter is, even if he can't put the train back on the rails. what's wrong, conductor?" asked a man whose hair was all tousled from having gotten out of his berth in such a hurry. "there has been an accident," explained the train conductor. "it isn't a bad one, but it will hold us here for an hour or two." "is any one hurt?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no, i'm glad to say no one is," the conductor said. "our train ran into a freight car that stuck too far over the edge of its own track out on our track. our engine smashed the freight car, some damage was done to the locomotive itself, and the crash threw some of our cars off the rails. but no one was hurt more than being shaken up." "that's good," said mr. bobbsey. "then had we better stay right in our car?" he asked. "oh, yes," answered the conductor. "that's what i came in to tell you--stay right here. we have sent for the wrecking crew, and we will go on again as soon as we can. there is no danger. you need not be afraid, even if you get shaken up again." "are you going to shake us up?" asked bert. "no, but the wrecking crew will when they pull this car back on the rails," the conductor replied. "but don't be afraid--no one will be hurt." the passengers quieted down after hearing this, and some of them who were good sleepers went back to bed. the bobbsey twins were too wide-awake, their mother thought, to go to sleep so soon after the excitement, so she let them sit up a while to get quiet. going to the end of the car, in the little passageway near the wash room, bert and nan could look out of the window. they saw men with flaring oil torches hurrying here and there. these were the railroad workers getting ready to put the train back on the track. there was not so much shouting, now that it was known no one was hurt, and soon the children heard the puffing of engines and the rumble of wheels. "the wrecking crew has arrived," said mr. bobbsey, who came down the aisle to see if bert and nan were all right. "what's a wrecking crew, daddy?" asked nan. "they are the men who clear away wrecked trains," her father answered. "don't you remember? you saw them at the wreck in our town." "oh, yes!" exclaimed nan. "there was one car with a big derrick on it, and it lifted the broken pieces of the wrecked cars out of the way." "that's the wreck mr. hickson was hurt in," went on bert. "i guess his wreck was worse than this one." "yes, it was," said mr. bobbsey. "all railroad wrecks are bad enough, but some are worse than others. but now i think you children had better get back to your berths. there isn't much more to see. you can feel the rest." "you mean we can feel the bumping when they put us back on the rails?" asked bert. "yes," his father told him. and a little while after bert and his sister had got back in their berths they did feel a rumbling and bumping. there were more shouts out in the darkness of the night, and, peering under the edges of their curtains, the children saw more flickering torches and moving men. then came an extra big bump, and the sleeping car swayed from side to side. a moment later it began to roll along smoothly. "i guess we're back on the track now," said bert. "yes," his father answered, "we are. now we'll travel along." and in about two hours after the wreck the train was on its journey again, not much the worse for the accident. the freight car had been smashed and so had the front part of the passenger engine. but another locomotive had come with the wrecking train, and this was used to haul the bobbseys and other passengers where they wanted to go. "now we'll have something to tell mr. hickson when we get back home," said bert to nan the next morning at the breakfast table. "you mean about the wreck?" asked nan. "yes," replied bert. "course ours wasn't a big wreck, like his, but it was big enough." "i don't want another," said nan. "i like mr. hickson; don't you, bert?" "yes, i do. and i wish we could find his two sons for him, but i don't s'pose we can." "no," agreed nan, "we can't ever do that." it was about noon on the day after the night of the wreck, that mr. bobbsey said to his wife and children: "we will get out soon." "shall we be in cowdon?" asked bert. "at the ranch?" "no, not exactly at the ranch," his father told him. "but we'll reach the town of cowdon, and from there we'll drive to the ranch, which is about ten miles from the railroad." "oh, may i ride a pony out to the ranch?" cried bert. "i don't believe they'll bring any ponies to meet us," said mr. bobbsey. "later on you may ride one." the train pulled into the little western station. some time since the big stretches of woods and trees had been left behind, and now the bobbseys were in the open prairie country--the land of cattle, cowboys and, at least bert hoped, of indians also. "this is really the west, isn't it?" said bert to his father, as they saw the wide, rolling fields on either side of the train. "yes, this is the west," was the answer. "but where are the cowboys and the cows?" nan asked. "oh, they don't come so close to the railroad," her father explained. "you'll see them when you get to the ranch." then the train reached the small station, as i have said. it seemed to be very lonesome. there were no other buildings near it--only a water tank, and there was not an indian in sight. at first bert thought there was not even a cowboy, but when he saw a man sitting on the seat of a wagon with some horses hitched in front--horses that had queer, rough marks on their flanks--bert cried: "oh, say! i guess he's a cowboy!" and he pointed to the driver. "he hasn't any cow!" exclaimed flossie, and she wondered why the man in the wagon laughed. "no, i haven't any cows with me," he said; "but if this is the bobbsey family i can take you to a place where you will see lots of cattle." "we are the bobbseys," said the children's father, walking over to the man in the wagon, "are you from three star ranch?" "that's where i'm from. i'm in charge, for the time being, but i can't stay much longer. you'll have to get another foreman. i got your letter, saying you were coming out, so i stayed to meet you. and now, if you're ready, i'll take you all out to three star." "is three star the name of a city?" asked bert. "no, it's the name of the ranch your mother owns, my boy," said the man, who gave his name as dick weston. "all the cattle are marked, or branded, with three stars--like the ponies there," and he pointed to the rough marks on the flanks of the team. "as soon as i saw those marks i knew you must be a cowboy," said bert. "you do ride a horse, don't you?" "that's about all i do," said foreman weston, with a smile. "i don't often ride in a wagon, but i knew you'd need one to-day to get to the ranch. now, if you're ready, we'll start." the train had gone on, after leaving the bobbseys and their baggage. into the wagon the twins were helped. mr. and mrs. bobbsey took their seats, the driver called to the horses and away they trotted. "is cowdon much of a town?" asked mr. bobbsey, as they drove along. "no, not much more than you can see over there," and dick weston pointed with his whip to a few houses and a store or two on the prairie, about a mile from the railroad station. "we don't go through it to get to three star ranch. we turn off to the north," and he drove along the prairie road. "oh, look at that snake!" suddenly cried bert, pointing to one that wiggled and twisted across the road. "yes, and you want to look out for those snakes," said the driver. "that's a rattler, and poisonous. keep away from 'em!" "yes indeed they must!" said mrs. bobbsey. "are there any other dangers out here?" "well, not many, no, ma'am. and rattlers aren't to be feared if you let 'em alone. just keep clear of 'em. they'll run away from you rather than fight." up and down little, rolling hills went the wagon, drawing the bobbsey twins. they dipped down into a hollow, and for a time nothing could be seen but green fields. "where are the cows?" asked nan. "and the cowboys?" bert wanted to know. "you'll see 'em soon," was the promise of the driver. all of a sudden a great noise burst out. there was the shooting of pistols and loud shouts. "yi! yi! yip!" came in shrill cries. "woo! wow!" sounded, as if in answer. "bang! bang!" went the firearms. "what is that?" cried nan, holding her hands over her ears. "those are the cowboys," answered dick weston, with a smile. "that's their way of telling you they're glad to see you. here we are at the ranch." chapter xviii a runaway pony suddenly the noise of the shooting and shouting stopped. the children looked up toward the top of a little hill, for the sounds seemed to have come from the other side of that. as yet they had seen nothing that looked like a ranch, nor had they caught a glimpse of any cows or cowboys. but, all at once flossie cried: "oh, there they are! i see 'em!" "so do i!" echoed freddie. and, with that, over the hill came racing about ten laughing, shouting and cheering men, each one waving his hat in one hand while the other held aloft something black, and from this black thing came spurts of smoke and banging noises. "there are the cowboys! there are the cowboys! i'm going to be one of them!" cried bert. "yes, there are the cowboys sure enough!" said mr. bobbsey. "will they shoot us?" asked flossie. "no they won't shoot anybody!" said the driver with a laugh. "they only keep their revolvers--guns they call 'em--to drive the wolves away from the cattle. this is only their way of having fun. they'll soon stop." "oh, what fun to be a cowboy and shoot a pistol!" cried bert, as he saw the prancing horses. "i'm going to be one." "you'll have to grow up a little bigger," said dick weston; "though you're pretty good-sized now." the bobbsey twins and the bobbsey grown-ups watched the cowboys as they rode up on their "ponies", as the horses were called. "hi, there!" called the leading cowboy. "are the bobbsey twins there in that outfit, dick?" "that's what!" answered the driver. "the bobbsey twins are here! i've got all four of 'em!" "hurray! hurray! hurray!" cheered the cowboys. "how did they know our names?" asked nan of her mother, as the cowboys on their horses surrounded the wagon. "well, i had to write to tell the man in charge of the three star ranch that we were coming," answered mrs. bobbsey. "i mentioned that i had four little bobbsey twins, and of course the cowboys remembered. they seem glad to see us." and, indeed, it was a most hearty welcome that was given the bobbsey family on their trip to the great west. not only the lumbermen, but the men at the ranch were glad to see them. "are these the cowboys who work for you?" asked mrs. bobbsey of dick weston as the men on the ponies put up their pistols, placed their broad-brimmed hats on their heads and rode along beside the wagon. "well, you might say they work for you now, as you own this three star ranch," the foreman said. "of course i hire the men, or rather, i did, but after i leave you'll have to get some one else to be foremen and hire the men. i only stayed until you got here. i have a big ranch of my own that another man and i bought. i'll have to go and look after that." "i shall be sorry to see you go, mr. weston," said the children's mother. "do you know where i can get another foreman?" "well, i'm sort of sorry to go myself, after i've seen these twins," replied the driver. "we don't very often see children out here. it's too lonesome for 'em. but i just have to go. as for another foreman, why, i guess you won't have any trouble picking one up. any of the cowboys will act as foreman until you get a regular one." "i am glad to know that," said mrs. bobbsey. "is that the ranch?" asked bert as the party of cowboys, riding around the carriage, suddenly started off down a little hill, and bert pointed to several buildings clustered together at the foot of the slope almost like the buildings at the lumber camp. "well, all this is three star ranch," answered the foreman, and he swept his arm in a big circle across the prairie fields. "but those are the ranch houses and corrals." "i don't see any cows," said nan, and this seemed to puzzle her, "the cattle are mostly out on the different fields, or 'ranges', as we call 'em, feeding," said mr. weston. "we drive them from place to place as they eat the grass. we don't generally keep many head of cattle right around the ranch buildings. we have a cow or two for milk, and maybe a calf or so." "oh, may i have a little calf?" cried freddie. "if i'm going to be a cowboy i want a little calf." "i guess we can get you one," said mr. weston, with a smile. "well, here we are," he went on, as he drove the wagon up in front of a one-story red building, with a low, broad porch. "this is the main ranch house where your uncle used to live part of the time, mrs. bobbsey," he said. "i think you'll find it big enough for your family. we fixed it up as best we could when we heard you were coming." "oh, i'm sure you have made it just like a home!" said mrs. bobbsey in delight, as she went into the house with her husband and the children. "oh, how lovely!" there were some bright-colored rugs on the floor, and in vases on the table and mantel were some prairie flowers. on the walls of the one big room, which seemed to take up most of the house, were oddly colored cow skins, mounted horns, and the furry pelt of some animal that bert thought was a wolf. "i'm sure we shall like it here," said mrs. bobbsey. "i am glad we came to three star ranch." "so'm i!" said bert. "and can i get an indian doll?" asked nan. "well, there are a few indians around here," said the foreman slowly. "they come to the ranch now and then to get something to eat, or trade a pony. i don't know that i've ever seen any of 'em with a doll, though maybe they do have some." "will any indian come soon?" nan wanted to know. "i hope they do--real wild ones!" cried bert. "we don't have that kind here," said the foreman. "all the indians around here are tame. and i can't say when they will come." "well, anyhow, there's cowboys," said bert hopefully. the baggage was brought in and then the foreman said to mr. bobbsey: "when do you want to eat?" "right now!" exclaimed bert, before any one else had a chance to speak. "i thought so!" laughed the foreman. "tell sing foo to rustle in the grub," he went on to one of the cowboys on the outside porch. "oh, do you have a chinese laundryman for a cook?" asked nan, as she heard the name. "well, i guess sing foo can wash, bake, iron, mend clothes, or do anything around the ranch except ride a cow pony or brand a steer," said dick weston. "he draws the line on that. but he surely is a good cook with the grub," said the foreman. "i don't want any grub," put in freddie anxiously. "i want something to eat." "excuse me, little man. i guess i oughtn't to use slang before you." said the foreman. "when i say 'grub' i mean something to eat and here comes sing foo with it now!" as he spoke a smiling chinese, dressed just as the bobbsey twins had seen them in pictures, with his shirt outside his trousers, came shuffling along, carrying big trays from which came delicious appetizing odors. "dlinna all leddy!" said sing foo. "all leddy numbla one top side pletty quick." "he means dinner is all ready and that everything is cooked just right and in a hurry," explained the foreman. "he can't say any words well that have the letter "r" in 'em," he went on in a whisper. the chinese was busy setting the table, and the bobbseys soon sat down to a fine meal, dick weston ate with them and explained things about the ranch to mr. and mrs. bobbsey. the twins were too busy looking around the room and out of the windows through which now and then they could see some of the cowboys, to pay much attention to the talk of the grown-ups. as mr. weston had said, he was going to give up being foreman of three star ranch to take charge of a place he and another man had bought. he was only staying until mrs. bobbsey could come and take charge of her property. but mr. weston said she would have no trouble, with her husband and the cowboys to help her." "but i don't know anything about cows or cowboys," said mr. bobbsey. "when it comes to lumber and trees i'm all right. but i'll be of no use here, we must get another foreman, my dear," he said to his wife. "yes, undoubtedly," she agreed. "oh, look at the children," she went on, pointing out of the window. bert and nan and flossie and freddie had left the table after the meal, and were now out near one of the cattle yards, or corrals, standing beside a little cart to which a pony was hitched. "they mustn't get into that pony cart," said mrs. bobbsey, for she saw bert lifting freddie up into the small wagon, while nan was doing the same for flossie. "they won't hurt it, ma'am," said the foreman. "i brought that pony cart around on purpose, so you could give it to the children. it's been here some time, but as there weren't any children it hasn't been used much. the boys got the cart out and mended it when they heard the bobbsey twins were coming." "that is very kind of them, i'm sure," said mr. bobbsey. "is the pony safe to drive?" "oh, yes, your older boy or girl can manage him all right. look, they're all in now. we can go out and i'll tell them what to do." but before mr. and mrs. bobbsey and the foreman could reach the pony cart, in which the bobbsey twins were now seated, something happened. there was the report of a shot, and a moment later the pony started off at a fast gallop, dragging the cart and the children after him. "oh, he's running away!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "stop the runaway pony!" chapter xix the wild steer ponies can not run as fast as can horses, not being as large. but the pony drawing the small cart into which the bobbsey twins had climbed seemed to go very swiftly indeed. before mr. and mrs. bobbsey and dick weston, the foreman, could hurry outside the ranch house, the pony and cart were quite a distance down the road which led over the prairies to the distant cattle ranges. "oh, the children! what will happen to them?" cried mrs. bobbsey, as she saw the twins being carried away. "perhaps bert can get hold of the reins and stop the pony," said mr. bobbsey, as he hurried along with his wife. "if he can do that they'll be all right," said the foreman. "the pony is a good one, and i never knew him to run away before. that shot must have frightened him." but whatever had caused the pony to run away, the little horse certainly was going fast. sitting in the cart, the bobbsey twins had been too frightened at first to know what was going on. as soon as bert and nan had followed flossie and freddie up into the small cart the shot had sounded and away the pony galloped, the reins almost slipping over the dashboard. "oh, bert!" cried nan, grasping flossie and freddie around their waists so the small twins would not fall out, "what shall we do?" bert did not answer just then. for one thing he had to hold on to the side of the cart so he would not be jostled out. and another reason he did not answer nan was because he was trying to think what was the best thing to do. he looked ahead down the ranch road, and did not see anything into which the pony might crash, and so hurt them all. the road was clear. behind him bert could hear his mother, his father, and the foreman shouting. bert hoped some of the cowboys might be there also, and that they would run after and stop the pony. but when he looked back he did not see any of the big, jolly, rough men on their speedy little cow ponies. bert saw his father and mother, and also mr. weston running after the pony cart, and bert wondered why the foreman did not get on his horse and gallop down the road. afterward bert learned that the foreman had loaned his horse to another cowboy, who had ridden on it to a distant part of the ranch. and none of the cowboys was near by when the pony ran away. "oh, bert! what will happen?" asked nan, still holding flossie and freddie to keep them from falling out of the swaying cart. "what are we going to do?" "i'm going to try to stop this pony!" answered bert. he saw where the reins had nearly slipped over the dashboard. the reins were buckled together, and the loop had caught on one of the ends of the nickle-plated rail on top of the dashboard. bert leaned forward to get hold of the reins, so he might bring the pony to a stop, but the little horse gave a sudden jump just then, as a bird flew in front of him. the reins slipped down and dragged along the ground. bert could not reach them, and the pony seemed to go faster than ever. "oh, dear!" cried nan. "we'll all be hurt!" flossie and freddie were very much frightened, and clung closely to sister nan. but presently freddie plucked up courage and then grew excited, and after a minute or two he called out: "we're havin' a fast ride, we are!" "too fast!" exclaimed bert. "but maybe he'll get tired pretty soon and stop!" however, the pony did not seem to be going to stop very soon. on and on he ran, with mr. and mrs. bobbsey and the ranch foreman being left farther and farther behind. suddenly, along a side path that joined the main road on which the pony was running away, appeared the figure of a man on a horse. he was trotting along slowly, at first, but as soon as he caught sight of the pony cart and the children in it, this man made his horse go much faster. "sit still! sit still! i'll stop your pony for you!" called the man. bert and nan heard. they looked up and saw the stranger waving his hand to them. he was guiding his galloping horse so as to cut across in front of their trotting pony. in a few moments the man on the big horse was closer. then began a race between the horse and the pony, and because the horse was bigger and had longer legs it won. the man galloped up beside the pony cart, leaped down from his saddle and caught the pony by the bridle. it was easy for the man to halt the little horse, and bring the pony to a stop. "there you are, children!" said the man. "not hurt, i hope?" "no, sir," answered bert. "we're all right." "thank you," added nan, for she noticed that bert was forgetting this very important part. "oh, yes. thank you!" said bert. "you are quite welcome," the man said, "but you shouldn't try to make your pony go so fast." "we didn't make him go fast," replied bert "we'd just got in the cart, to see if we would all fit, and somebody shot a gun and the pony ran away." "did he run far?" asked the man. "yes, he gave us a long ride," answered freddie. "oh, it wasn't so very far," added nan. "though it seemed like a good way because we went so fast." "we're from three star ranch," explained bert. "oh, so you live on a ranch," said the man. "well, i'm looking for a ranch myself." "we don't exactly live on a ranch," went on bert. "but it's my mother's, and we came out west to see it. before that we were at a lumber camp." "my! you are doing some traveling," exclaimed the man, who was rubbing the velvet nose of the pony. "are these some of your friends coming?" he asked, looking down the road. the bobbsey twins turned and looked, and saw their father and mother and the foreman hurrying along. when the father and mother saw that the pony had been stopped and that the children were safe, they were no longer frightened. "he stopped the pony for us," explained bert, pointing to the stranger who had mounted his horse as mr. weston took hold of the pony's bridle, so it would not try to run away again. "you appeared just in time," said mr. bobbsey to the strange man. "the children might have been hurt, only for you." "well, i'm glad i could stop the runaway," was the answer. "they said they lived on a ranch around here." "yes, the three star," said mr. weston. "you look like a cattleman yourself," he added. "i am," said the man. "my name is charles dayton, and i am looking for a place to work. i was foreman at the bar x ranch until that outfit was sold. i've been looking for a place ever since." "the bar x!" cried mr. weston. "i know some of the cowboys over there. and so you are looking for a place as foreman. why, this is strange. mrs. bobbsey here, the owner of three star, is looking for a foreman. i'm going to leave." "well, i would be very glad to work for mrs. bobbsey at three star," said mr. dayton. "are you any relation to a bill dayton?" asked mr. bobbsey, while bert and nan listened for the answer. flossie and freddie were out of the cart now, gathering prairie flowers, and did not pay much attention to the talk. "bill dayton is my brother," answered charles dayton. "but i did not know he was around here. the last i heard of him he was in the lumber business." "and he is yet!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "he is foreman of a lumber tract my uncle left me." "and if you are as good a cattleman as your brother is a lumberman i think we can find a place for you at three star," said mr. bobbsey. "i can tell you mr. dayton is a good cattleman," said mr. weston. "he had to be, to act as foreman at bar x ranch. you won't make any mistake in hiring him." "will you come to us?" asked mr. bobbsey who seemed to have taken as much of a liking to the newcomer as had the children. "well, i'm looking for a place," was the answer, "and i'll do my best to suit you. it's queer, though, that you know my brother bill." "he mentioned you," said mr. bobbsey, "but he said he had lost track of you." "yes, we don't write to each other very often. both of us have been traveling around a lot. but now, if i settle down, i'll send bill a letter and tell him where i am." there was room for mrs. bobbsey in the pony cart, and she rode back with the children. there seemed to be no danger now, for the little horse had quieted down. "he hadn't been out of the stable for some time, and that's what made him so frisky," said the foreman, who was soon going to leave three star. "he won't run away again." and toby, which was the name of the pony, never did. bert and nan drove him often after that, and there never was a bit of trouble. even freddie and flossie were allowed to drive, when bert or nan sat on the seat near them, in case of accident. mr. charles dayton soon proved that he was a good cattleman, and he was made foreman of three star ranch after dick weston left. the cowboys seemed to like their new foreman. "and, now that you are one of us here," said mrs. bobbsey to her new foreman, "don't forget to write and let your brother know where you are." "i'll do that!" promised the cattleman. busy and happy days on the ranch followed. while mr. and mrs. bobbsey looked after the new business of raising and selling cattle, the bobbsey twins had good times. the new foreman and the cowboys were very fond of the children, and were with them as much as they could be during the day. they took them on little picnics and excursions, and two small ponies were trained so bert and nan could ride them. as for flossie and freddie, they had to ride in the cart. freddie wanted to be a cowboy, and straddle a pony as bert did, but his mother thought him too small. but freddie and flossie had good times in the cart, so they did not miss saddle rides. bert and nan were very fond of their ponies. the little horses soon grew very tame and gentle, though bert and his sister did not go very far away from the main buildings unless some of the cowboys were with them. one afternoon, when they had been on the ranch about a month, and were liking it more and more every day, bert and nan asked their mother if they could ride on their ponies across the fields to gather a new kind of wild flower a cowboy had told them about. "yes, you may go," mrs. bobbsey said. "but be careful, and do not ride too far. be home in time for supper." "we will," promised bert. he and nan set off. it was pleasant riding over the green prairie. now and then the children saw little prairie dogs scurrying in and out of their burrows. and once they saw a rattlesnake. but the serpent crawled quickly out of the way, and bert and nan did not stop to see where it went. they hurried on. they reached the little hollow in the hills where the red flowers grew, and, getting out of their saddles, began to pick some. "they'll make a lovely bouquet for the living room," said nan. "yes, but i guess we have enough," said bert, "i don't want to stay here too long. mr. dayton promised to show me how to throw a lasso to-day, and i've got to learn; that is, if i'm going to be a cowboy." "all right," agreed nan. "we'll get in a minute. i want to get just a few more flowers." she was gathering another handful of the red blossoms when suddenly she looked up, and something she saw on top of a little hill caused her to cry: "oh, bert, look! look! what's that?" bert glanced up. he saw a wild steer looking at him and his sister. the big animal was lashing his tail from side to side and pawing the earth with one hoof. suddenly it gave a loud bellow and rushed down the slope. chapter xx the round-up bert and nan were really too frightened to know what to do. if they had been more used to the ways of the west, and had known more about cattle and ranches, they would have at once run for their ponies and have got on the backs of the little animals. cattle in the west are so used to seeing men on horse back that sometimes if they see them on foot on the wide prairie, the cattle chase the men, thinking they are a strange enemy. perhaps it was this way with the wild steer. at any rate, seeing bert and nan gathering flowers down in the hollow of the hills, the steer, with loud bellows, started down toward them. the two ponies were eating grass near by, and bert and nan could easily have reached their pets if they had thought of it. but they were so frightened that they could not think. as for the ponies, those little horses merely looked up. they saw the steer, but, as they saw such animals every day, the ponies were not at all interested. "oh, bert," cried nan, "what shall we do?" she had dropped her flowers and was running toward her brother. "you get behind me!" cried bert. "maybe i can throw a stone at this steer!" he, too, had dropped the red blossoms he had gathered, and was looking about for a stone. but he could not see any, and the wild steer was coming on down the slope. i do not mean that the steer was wild, like a wild lion or tiger, but that he was just excited by seeing two children off their ponies. if bert and nan had been in the saddles perhaps the steer never would have chased them. but now with tail flapping in the air, and with angry shakes of his head, he was running toward them. nan got behind her brother, and bert stood ready to do what he could. the children did not realize how much danger they were in and they might have been hurt but for something that happened. at first neither bert nor nan knew what this happening was. one moment they saw the wild steer racing toward them, and the next minute they saw the big animal, larger than a cow, tumbling down the hill head over heels. the steer seemed to have fallen, and a look toward the crest of the hill showed what had made him. for up at the top of the slope, sitting on his big horse, was the new foreman, charley dayton, and from his saddle horn a rope stretched out. the other end of the rope was around the steer's neck, and it was a pull on this rope that had caused the big beast to turn a somersault. "oh, he lassoed the steer! he lassoed him!" cried bert, as he saw what had happened. and that is just what the foreman had done. he had been out riding over the ranch, and had seen the lone steer on top of the hill which he knew led down into a hollow filled with red flowers. "at first," said mr. dayton to nan and bert, telling them the story afterward, "i couldn't imagine why the steer was acting so queerly. i thought may be he didn't like the red flowers, so i rode up to see what the matter was. then i saw you children down in the hollow and saw the steer rushing at you. "there was only one thing i could do, and i did it. i didn't even stop to shout to you bobbsey twins!" said the foreman. "i just swung my lasso and caught the steer before he caught you." "you made him turn a somersault, didn't you?" said nan, as she and bert looked at the big beast which was now lying on the ground. "well, he sort of made himself do it," answered the foreman, with a laugh. "he was going so fast, and the lasso rope on his neck made him stop so quickly that he went head over heels. but you had better get into your saddles now, and i'll let this fellow up." mr. dayton had twisted some coils of his rope around the steer's legs so the animal could not get up until the foreman was ready to let him. but as soon as bert and nan had gathered the flowers they had dropped, and had seated themselves in their saddles, and when the foreman had mounted his horse, he shook loose the coils of the rope, or lasso, and the steer scrambled to his feet. "will he chase us again?" asked nan. "no, i guess i taught him a lesson," answered mr. dayton. the steer shook himself and looked at the three figures on the horse and ponies. he did not seem to want to chase anybody now, and after a shake or two of his head the steer walked away, up over the hill and across the prairie, to join the rest of the herd from which he had strayed. "you want to be careful about getting off your ponies when you see a lone steer," the foreman told bert and nan. "some animals think a person on foot is a new kind of creature and want to give chase right away. on a cattle ranch keep in the saddle as much as you can when you are among the steers." bert and his sister said they would do this, and then they rode home with the red flowers. mr. and mrs. bobbsey thanked the foreman for again saving the children from harm. mr. charles dayton seemed to fit in well at three star ranch. he was as good a ranchman as his brother bill was a lumberman. and, true to the promise he had given mrs. bobbsey, the ranch foreman wrote to bill, giving the address of three star. "i had a letter from bill to-day, mrs. bobbsey," said the ranch foreman to the children's mother one afternoon. "did you? that's good!" she answered. "and he says he'd like to see me," went on mr. charles dayton. "he says he has something to tell me." "did he say what it was about?" asked mrs. bobbsey, while bert and nan stood near by. they were waiting for the foreman to saddle the ponies for them, as he always wanted to be sure the girths were made tight enough before the twins set out for a ride. "no, bill didn't say what it was he wanted to tell me," went on charley. "and he writes rather queerly." "your brother seemed to me to be a bit odd," said mrs. bobbsey. "as if he had some sort of a secret." "oh, well, i guess he has had his troubles, the same as i have," said the ranch foreman. "we were boys together, and we didn't have a very good time. i suppose it was as much our fault as any one's. but you don't think of that at the time. well, i'll be glad to see bill again, but i don't know when we'll get together. are you waiting for me, bobbsey twins?" he asked. "yes, if you please," answered nan. "we'd like our ponies," added bert, "and you promised to show me some more how to lasso." "and so i will!" promised the foreman. he had already given bert a few lessons in casting the rope. of course bert could not use a lasso of the regulation size, so one of the cowboys had made him a little one. with this bert did very well. freddie also had to have one, but his was only a toy. freddie wanted his father to call him "little cowboy" now, instead of "little fireman," and, to please freddie, mr. bobbsey did so once in a while. after bert had been given a few more lessons in casting the lasso, the two older bobbsey twins went for a ride on their ponies, while mrs. bobbsey took flossie and freddie for a ride in the pony cart. it was about a week after this that the bobbsey twins were awakened one morning by a loud shouting outside the ranch house where they slept. "what's the matter? have the indians come?" asked bert, for some of the cowboys had said a few indians from a neighboring reservation usually dropped in for a visit about this time of year. "no, i don't see any indians," answered nan, who had looked out of a window, after hurriedly getting dressed. "but i see a lot of the cowboys." "oh, maybe they're going after the indians!" exclaimed bert. "i'm going to ask mother if i can go along!" "i want to go, too, and get an indian doll!" exclaimed nan. but when they went out into the main room, where their father and mother were eating breakfast, and when the two bobbsey twins had begged to be allowed to go with the cowboys to see the indians, mr. bobbsey said: "this hasn't anything to do with indians, bert." "what's it all about then?" asked the boy. "it's the round-up," answered his father. "the cowboys are getting ready for the half-yearly round-up, and that's what they're so excited about." "oh, may i see the round-up?" begged bert, "what is it?" asked nan. "what's a round-up?" before mr. bobbsey could answer mr. dayton, the foreman, came hurrying into the room. he seemed quite excited. "excuse me for disturbing your breakfast," he said to mr. and mrs. bobbsey. "but i have some news for you. some indians have run off part of your cattle!" chapter xxi in the storm bert bobbsey did not pay much attention to what the foreman said, except that one word "indians." "oh, where are they?" cried the boy. "i want to see them!" "and i'd like to see them myself!" exclaimed the foreman. "if i could find them i'd get back the three star cattle." "did indians really take some of the steers?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes," answered the foreman, "they did. you know we are getting ready for the round-up. that is a time, twice a year, when we count the cattle, and sell what we don't want to keep," he explained, for he saw that nan wanted to ask a question. "twice a year," went on the foreman, "once in the spring and again in the fall, we have what is called a round-up. that is we gather together all the cattle on the different parts of the ranch. some herds have been left to themselves for a long time, and it may happen that cattle belonging to some other ranch-owner have got in with ours. we separate, or 'cut out' as it is called, the strange cattle, give them to the cowboys who come for them, and look after our own. that is a round-up, and sometimes it lasts for a week or more. the cowboys take a 'chuck', or kitchen wagon with them, and they cook their meals out on the prairie." "oh, that's fun!" cried bert. "please, daddy, mayn't i go on the round-up?" "and have the indians catch you?" asked his mother. "oh, there isn't any real danger from the indians," said the foreman. "they are not the wild kind. only, now and again, they run off a bunch of cattle from some herd that is far off from the main ranch. this is what has happened here." "how did you find out about it?" asked mr. bobbsey. "a cowboy from another ranch told me," answered the foreman. "some of his cattle were taken and he followed along the trail the indians left. he saw them, but could not catch them. but he saw some of the cattle that had strayed away from the band of indians, and these steers were branded with our mark--the three stars." "well, maybe the poor indians were hungry," said mrs. bobbsey. "and that is why they took some of our steers." "yes, i reckon that's what they'd say, anyhow," remarked the foreman. "but it won't do to let the redmen take cattle any time they feel like it. they have money, and can buy what they want. i wouldn't mind giving them a beef or two, but when it comes to taking part of a herd, it must be stopped." "how can it be stopped?" asked mr. bobbsey. "that's just what i came in to talk to you about," went on mr. dayton. "shall i send some of the cowboys after the indians to see if they can catch them, and get back our cattle?" "i suppose you had better," mr. bobbsey answered. "if we let this pass the indians will think we do not care, and will take more steers next time. yes, send the cowboys after the indians." "but let the indians have a steer or two for food, if they need it," begged mrs. bobbsey, who had a kind heart even toward an indian cattle thief, or "rustler", as they are called. "well, that can be done," agreed mr. dayton. "then i'll send some of the cowboys on the round-up, and others after the indians. they can work together, the two bands of cowboys." "oh, mayn't i come?" begged bert. "i can throw a lasso pretty good now, and maybe i could rope an indian." "and maybe you could get me an indian doll!" put in nan. "oh, no! we couldn't think of letting you go, bert," said mr. bobbsey. "the cowboys will be gone several nights, and will sleep out on the open prairie. when you get bigger you may go." bert looked so disappointed that the foreman said: "i'll tell you what we can do. toward the end of the round-up the boys drive the cattle into the corrals not far from here. the children can go over then and see how the cowboys cut out different steers, and how we send some of the cattle over to the railroad to be shipped back east. that will be seeing part of the round-up, anyhow." and with this bert had to be content. he and nan, with flossie and freddie, watched the cowboys riding away on their ponies, shouting, laughing, waving their hats and firing their revolvers. while the round-up was hard work for the cowboys, still they had exciting times at it and they always were glad when it came. the ranch seemed lonesome after the band of cowboys had ridden away, but sing foo, the chinese cook, was left, and one or two of the older men to look after things around the buildings. mr. dayton also stayed to see about matters for mrs. bobbsey. it was well on toward fall now, though the weather was still warm. the days spent by the bobbsey twins in the great west had passed so quickly that the children could hardly believe it was almost time for them to go back to lakeport. "can't we stay here all winter?" asked bert. "if i'm going to be a cowboy i'd better stay on a ranch all winter." "oh, the winters here are very cold," his father said. "we had better go back to lakeport for christmas, anyhow," and he smiled at his wife. "maybe santa claus doesn't come out here so far," said freddie. "then i don't want to stay," said flossie. "i want to go where santa claus is for christmas." "i think, then, we'd better plan to go back home," said mrs. bobbsey. it was rather lonesome at the ranch now, with so many of the cowboys away, but the children managed to have good times. the two smaller twins often went riding in the pony cart, while bert and nan liked saddle-riding best. one day as bert and his sister started off their mother said to them: "don't go too far now. i think there is going to be a storm." "we won't go far!" bert promised. now the two saddle ponies were feeling pretty frisky that day. they seemed to know cold weather was coming, when they would have to trot along at a lively pace to keep warm. and perhaps nan and bert, remembering that they were soon to leave the ranch, rode farther and faster than they meant to. at any rate they went on and on, and pretty soon nan said: "we had better go back. we never came so far away before, all alone. and i think it's going to rain!" "yes, it does look so," admitted bert. "and i guess we had better go back. i thought maybe i could see some of the cowboys coming home from the round-up, but i guess i can't." the children turned their ponies about, and headed them for the ranch house. as they did so the rain drops began to fall, and they had not ridden a half mile more before the storm suddenly broke. "oh, look at the rain!" cried nan. "and _feel_ it!" exclaimed bert. "this is going to be a big storm! let's put on our ponchos." the children carried ponchos on their saddles. a poncho is a rubber blanket with a hole in the middle. to wear it you just put your head through the hole, the rubber comes down over your shoulders and you are kept quite dry, even in a hard storm. bert and nan quickly put on their ponchos and then started their ponies again. the rain was now coming down so hard that the brother and sister could scarcely see where they were going. "are we headed right for the house?" asked nan. "i--i guess so," answered bert. "but i'm not sure." chapter xxii new names bert and nan rode on through the rain which seemed to come down harder and harder. soon it grew so dark, because it was getting to be late afternoon and because of the rain clouds, that the children could not see in the least where they were going. "oh, bert, maybe we are lost!" said nan, with almost a sob as she guided her pony up beside that of her brother. "oh, i don't guess we are exactly _lost_," he said. "the ponies know their way back to the ranch houses, even if we don't." "do you think so?" nan asked. "yes, mr. dayton told me if ever i didn't know which way to go, just to let the reins rest loose on the horse's neck, and he'd take me home." "we'll do that!" decided nan. but whether the ponies did not know their way, or whether the ranch buildings were farther off than either bert or nan imagined, the children did not know. all they knew was that they were out in the rain, and they did not seem to be able to get to any shelter. there were no trees on the prairies about three star ranch, as there were in the woods at lumberville. "oh, bert, what shall we do?" cried nan. "it's getting terribly dark and i'm afraid!" bert was a little afraid also, but he was not going to let his sister know that. he meant to be brave and look after her. they rode along a little farther, and suddenly nan cried: "oh, bert! look! indians!" bert, who was riding along with his head bent low to keep the rain out of his face, glanced up through the gathering dusk. he saw, just ahead of him and coming toward him and his sister a line of men on horses. but bert either looked more closely than did his sister or else he knew more about indians. for after a second glance he cried: "they aren't indians! they're cowboys! hello, there!" cried the boy. "will you please show us the way to the house on three star ranch?" some of the leading cowboys pulled up their horses, and stopped on hearing this call. they peered through the rain and darkness and saw the two children on ponies. "who's asking for three star ranch?" cried one cowboy. "we are!" bert answered. "we're the bobbsey twins!" "oh, ho! i thought so!" came back the answer. "well, don't worry! we'll take you home all right!" with that some of the cowboys (and they really were that and not indians) rode closer to nan and bert. and as soon as bert caught a glimpse of the faces of some of the men he cried: "why, you belong to three star!" "sure!" answered one, named pete baldwin. "we're part of the three star outfit coming back from the round-up. but where are you two youngsters going?" "we came out for a ride," answered bert "but it started to rain, and we want to go home." "well, you won't get home the way you are going," said pete. "you were traveling right away from home when we met you. turn your ponies around, and head them the other way. we'll ride back with you." bert and nan were glad enough to do this. "it's a good thing we met you," said bert, as he rode beside pete baldwin. "and did you catch the indians?" "yes, we found them, and got back your mother's cattle--all except one or two we gave them." "and is the round-up all over?" asked bert. "yes, except for some cattle a few of the boys will drive in to-morrow or next day," the cowboy answered. "you can see 'em then. it's a good thing you youngsters had those rubber ponchos, or you'd be soaked through." the cowboys each had on one of these rubber blankets, and they did not mind the rain. some of them even sang as their horses plodded through the wet. bert and nan were no longer afraid, and in about half an hour they rode with their cowboy friends into the cluster of ranch buildings. "oh, my poor, dear children! where have you been?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "daddy and mr. dayton were just going to start hunting for you! what happened?" "we got lost in the rain, but the cowboys found us," said bert. "and first i thought they were indians," added nan, as she shook the water from her hair. "well, it's a good thing they did find you," said mr. bobbsey. the two bobbsey twins were given some warm milk to drink, and soon they were telling flossie and freddie about their ride in the rain. "i wish i could see an indian," sighed freddie. "all i want now is an indian doll," said nan. two days later the cowboys came riding in with a bunch of cattle which they had rounded-up and cut out from a larger herd. these steers were to be shipped away, but, for a time, were kept in a corral, or fenced-in pen, near the ranch buildings. there bert and the other children went to look at the big beasts, and the bobbsey twins watched the cowboys at work. it was about a week after bert and nan had been lost in the rain that mrs. bobbsey met the foreman, charles dayton on the porch of the ranch house one day. "oh, mr. dayton!" called the children's mother, "i have had a letter from your brother bill, who has charge of my lumber tract. he is coming on here." "bill is coming here?" exclaimed the cattleman in great surprise. "well, i'm right happy to hear that. i'll be glad to see him. haven't seen him for several years. is he coming here just to see me?" "no," answered mrs. bobbsey, "he is coming here to see mr. bobbsey and myself about some lumber business. after we left your brother found there were some papers i had not signed, so, instead of my going back to lumberville, i asked your brother to come here. i can sign the papers here as well as there, and this will give you two brothers a chance to meet." "i am glad of that!" exclaimed the cattleman. "i suppose bill and i are going to be kept pretty busy--he among the trees and i among the cattle--so we might not get a chance to meet for a long time, only for this." "that's what i thought," said mrs. bobbsey, while bert and nan listened to the talk, "well, your brother will be here next week." "oh, i'll be glad to see him!" exclaimed bert. "so will i!" echoed nan. "i like our lumberman." during the week that followed the bobbsey twins had good times at three star ranch. the weather was fine, but getting colder, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey began to think of packing to go home. they would do this, they said, as soon as they had signed the papers bill dayton was bringing to them. and one day, when the wagon had been sent to the same station at which the bobbseys left the train some months before, the ranch foreman came into the room where mr. and mrs. bobbsey were talking with the children and said: "he's here!" "who?" asked bert's father. "my brother bill! he just arrived! my, but he has changed!" "and i suppose he said the same thing about you," laughed mrs. bobbsey. "yes, he did," admitted the ranch foreman. "it's been a good while since we were boys together. much has happened since then." bill dayton came in to see mrs. bobbsey. the two brothers looked very much alike when they were together, though bill was younger. they appeared very glad to see one another. bill dayton had brought quite a bundle of papers for mr. and mrs. bobbsey to sign in connection with the timber business, and it took two days to finish the work. during that time the bobbsey twins had fun in a number of ways, from riding on ponies and in the cart, to watching the cowboys. one day when nan and bert were putting their ponies in the stable after a ride, they saw the two dayton brothers talking together near the barn. without meaning to listen, the bobbsey twins could not help hearing what was said. "don't you think we ought to tell the boss?" asked the ranch foreman of his brother, the timber foreman. "you mean tell mr. bobbsey?" asked bill dayton. "yes, tell mrs. bobbsey--she's the boss as far as we are concerned. we ought to tell them that our name isn't dayton--or at least that that isn't the only name we have. they've been so good to us that we ought to tell them the truth," answered charles. "i suppose we ought," agreed bill. "we'll do it!" and then they walked away, not having noticed bert or nan. the two bobbsey twins looked at one another. "i wonder what they meant?" asked nan. "i don't know," answered her brother. "we'd better tell daddy or mother." a little later that day bert spoke to his father, asking: "daddy, can a man have two names?" "two names? yes, of course. his first name and his last name." "no, i mean can he have two last names?" went on bert. "not generally," mr. bobbsey said "i think it would be queer for a man to have two last names." "well, the two foremen have two last names," said bert. "haven't they, nan?" "what do you mean?" asked their father. then bert and nan told of having overheard bill and charles talking about the need for telling mr. and mrs. bobbsey the truth about their name. "what do you suppose this means?" asked mr. bobbsey of his wife. "i don't know," she replied. "but you remember we did think there was something queer about bill dayton at the lumber camp." "i know we did. i think i'll have a talk with the two foremen," mr. bobbsey went on. "maybe they would like to tell us something, but feel a little nervous over it. i'll just ask them a few questions." and later, when mr. bobbsey did this, speaking of what nan and bert had overheard, bill dayton said: "yes, mr. bobbsey, we have a secret to tell you. we were going to some time ago, but we couldn't make up our minds to it. now we are glad nan and bert heard what we said. i'm going to tell you all about it." "you children had better run into the house," said mr. bobbsey to nan and bert, who stood near by. "oh, let them stay," said the ranch foreman. "it isn't anything they shouldn't hear, and it may be a lesson to them. to go to the very bottom, mr. bobbsey, dayton isn't our name at all." "what is, then?" asked mr. bobbsey. "hickson," was the unexpected answer. "we are bill and charley hickson. we took the name of dayton when we ran away from home, as that was our mother's name before she was married. and we have been called bill and charley dayton ever since. but hickson is our real name." bert and nan looked at one another. they felt that they were on the edge of a strange secret. "bill and charley hickson!" exclaimed nan. "oh, is your father's name hiram?" bert asked excitedly. "hiram? of course it is!" cried bill. "hiram hickson is the name of our father!" "hurray!" shouted bert. "oh, oh!" squealed nan. "then we've found you!" yelled both together. "found us?" echoed bill. "why, we weren't lost! that is, we--" he stopped and looked at his brother. "there seems to be more of a mystery here," said charley hickson to give him his right name. "do you know what it is?" he asked mr. bobbsey. "oh, let me tell him!" cried bert "and i want to help!" added nan. "we know where your father is!" went on bert eagerly. "his name is hiram hickson!" broke in nan. "and he works in our father's lumberyard," added bert. "he said he had two boys who--who went away from home," said nan, not liking to use the words "ran away." "and the boys names were charley and bill," went on bert. "he said he wished he could find you, and we said, when we started away from home, that maybe we could help. but i didn't ever think we could." "i didn't either," said nan. "well, you seem to have found us all right," said bill dayton hickson, to give him his complete name. "of course i'm not sure this hiram hickson who works in your lumberyard is the same hiram hickson who is our father," he added to mr. bobbsey. "i believe he is," answered mr. bobbsey. "three such names could hardly be alike unless the persons were the same. but i'll write to him and find out." "and tell him we are sorry we ran away from home," added charles. "we haven't had very good luck since--at least, not until we met the bobbsey twins," he went on. "we were two foolish boys, and we ran away after a quarrel." "your father says it was largely his fault," said mrs. bobbsey, who had come to join in the talk. "i think you had all better forgive each other and start all over again," she added. "that's what we'll do!" exclaimed bill. it was not long before a letter came from mr. hickson of lakeport, saying he was sure the ranch and lumber foremen were his two missing boys. mr. bobbsey sent the old man money to come out to the ranch, where bill and his brother were still staying. and on the day when hiram hickson was to arrive the bobbsey twins were very much excited indeed. "maybe, after all, these won't be his boys," said nan. "oh, i guess they will," declared bert. and, surely enough, when hiram hickson met the two foremen he held out his hands to them and cried: "my two boys! my lost boys! grown to be men! oh, i'm so glad i have found you again!" and then the bobbseys and the cowboys who had witnessed the happy reunion went away and left the father and sons together. so everything turned out as bert and nan hoped it would, after they had heard the two foremen speaking of their new name. and, in a way, the bobbsey twins had helped bring this happy time about. if they had not gone to the railroad accident, if they had not heard hiram hickson tell about his long-missing sons, and if they had not heard the cowboy and the lumberman talking together, perhaps the little family would not have been so happily brought together. mr. hickson and his sons told each other their stories. as the old man had said, there had been a quarrel at home, and his two sons, then boys, had been hot-headed and had run away. they traveled together for a time, and then separated. they did not want to go back home. as the years went on, the two brothers saw each other once in a while, and then for many months they would neither see nor hear from each other. they kept the name dayton, which they had taken after leaving their father. as for mr. hickson, at first he did not try to find his sons, but after his anger died away he felt lonely and wanted them back. he felt that it was because of his queerness that they had gone away. but, though he searched, he could not find them. "and i might never have found you if i hadn't been in the train wreck and met the bobbsey twins," said mr. hickson. "coming to lakeport was the best thing i ever did." "how's everything back in lakeport?" asked bert of mr. hickson, after the first greetings between father and sons were over. "oh, just about the same," was the answer, "we haven't had any more train wrecks, thank goodness." "but we were in one!" exclaimed freddie. "so i heard. well, i'm glad you weren't hurt. but i must begin to think of getting back to your lumberyard, i guess, mr. bobbsey." "no, you're going to live with us," declared charley. "part of the time you can spend on three star ranch with me, and the rest of the time you can live with bill in the woods." "well, that will suit me all right," said mr. hickson, and so it was arranged. he was to spend the winter on the ranch, where he would help his son with mrs. bobbsey's cattle. bill hickson went back to the lumber camp, and a few days later the bobbsey twins left for home. nan had her wish in getting an indian doll. one day, just before they were to leave the ranch, a traveling band of indians stopped to buy some cattle. the indian women had papooses, and some of the indian children had queer dolls, made of pieces of wood with clothes of bark and skin. mr. bobbsey bought four of the dolls, one each for nan and flossie, and two for nan's girl friends at home. for bert and freddie were purchased some bows and arrows and some indian moccasins, or slippers, and head-dresses of feathers. so, after all, the bobbsey twins really saw some indians. "good-bye, bobbsey twins!" cried all the cowboys, and they fired their revolvers in the air. the bobbseys were seated in the wagon, their baggage around them, ready to go to the station at cowdon to take the train for the return to lakeport. "come and see us again!" yelled the cowboys. "we will!" shouted nan and bert and flossie and freddie. they were driven over the prairie to the railroad station, looking back now and then to see the shouting, waving cowboys and charles hickson and his father. the bobbsey twins left happy hearts behind them. and now, as they are on their homeward way, back to dinah and sam, back to snoop and snap, we will take leave of the bobbsey twins. the end the bobbsey twins in washington by laura lee hope author of "the bobbsey twins," "the bunny brown series," "the outdoor girls series," etc. illustrated books by laura lee hope mo. cloth. illustrated. the bobbsey twins series the bobbsey twins the bobbsey twins in the country the bobbsey twins at the seashore the bobbsey twins at school the bobbsey twins at snow lodge the bobbsey twins on a houseboat the bobbsey twins at meadow brook the bobbsey twins at home the bobbsey twins in a great city the bobbsey twins on blueberry island the bobbsey twins on the deep blue sea the bobbsey twins in washington the bunny brown series bunny brown and his sister sue bunny brown and his sister sue on grandpa's farm bunny brown and his sister sue playing circus bunny brown and his sister sue at aunt lu's city home bunny brown and his sister sue at camp rest-a-while bunny brown and his sister sue in the big woods bunny brown and his sister sue on an auto tour bunny brown and his sister sue and their shetland pony bunny brown and his sister sue giving a show the outdoor girls series the outdoor girls of deepdale the outdoor girls at rainbow lake the outdoor girls in a motor car the outdoor girls in a winter camp the outdoor girls in florida the outdoor girls at ocean view the outdoor girls on pine island the outdoor girls in army service the outdoor girls at hostess house contents i under the hay ii digging out iii the washington children iv miss pompret's china v "what a lot of money!" vi wonderful news vii on a trip viii in new york ix washington at last x lost xi the president xii washington monument xiii a stray cat xiv stray children xv "where are they?" xvi the fire bell xvii freddie's real alarm xviii the oriental children xix "oh look!" xx a great bargain xxi just suppose xxii happy days chapter i under the hay "this is 'most as much fun as we had on blueberry island, or when we went to florida on the deep, blue sea, isn't it, bert?" asked nan bobbsey, as she sat on the porch and fanned herself with her hat. she and her brother had been running around the house, playing a new game, and nan was warm. "yes, it's fun all right," agreed bert. "but i liked the deep, blue sea better--or even blueberry island," and off came his hat to cool his flushed face, for, though it was late in september, the day was warm. "but we couldn't stay on the island, always," went on nan. "we have to go to school, daddy says!" "don't speak about it!" begged bert. "i don't want to go to school for a long, long time, and not then!" "have we got to go to school?" asked a little light-haired and blue-eyed girl, as she ran up the steps, to sink in a heap at the feet of her sister, nan bobbsey. "when do we go?" she went on. "oh, not right away, 'little fat fairy!'" laughed nan, giving flossie the name her father sometimes called her. "school won't open for two weeks more." "hurray!" cried bert. "the longer it stays closed the better i like it. but come on, nan! let's have some more fun. this isn't like blueberry island, sitting still on a porch!" "you haven't sat still more than three minutes, bert bobbsey!" cried his sister. "i can hardly get my breath, you made me run so fast!" just then a little boy, who had the same sort of blue eyes and golden hair that made flossie such a pretty little girl, came tumbling up the steps with a clatter and a bang, falling down at bert's feet. the older boy caught his small brother just in time, or there might have been a bumped nose. "hi there, freddie, what's the matter?" asked bert, with a laugh. "is our dog snap chasing you, or have you been playing a trick on our cat snoop?" "i--i--i'm a--a fireman!" panted freddie, for he, too, was out of breath from running. "i'm a fireman, and i--i've got to get the engine. there's a big, big fire!" and his eyes opened wide and round. "a big fire--really?" asked nan quickly. "course not! he's only making believe!" replied bert. "well, i thought maybe he might have seen some boys start a bonfire somewhere," explained nan. "they sometimes do." "i know they do," admitted bert. "and i hope they don't start one near daddy's lumberyard." "there was a fire down in the lumber once!" exclaimed freddie. he was too young to have seen it, but he had heard his father and mother talk about the time mr. bobbsey's lumberyard was nearly burned out. freddie bobbsey was very fond of a toy fire engine he had been given for christmas, and his father often called freddie a "little fireman," just as flossie was named a "fairy." "well, if it's only a make-believe fire we can sit here and cool off," went on nan. "what were you doing, flossie?" she asked her little sister. "oh, i was having a race with our cat snoop; but i guess i beat, 'cause snoop didn't get here to the porch before i did." "yes, you won the race all right," laughed bert. "but it's too hot for any more running games. i wish we were back on the island where we found that boy, jack nelson, and could play we were sailors and could splash in the water." "that would be fun!" sighed nan, as she fanned herself harder than ever with her hat. the bobbsey twins had, a few days before, returned to their home from a vacation spent on a strange island off the coast of florida. they had gone there with cousin jasper dent to rescue a boy who had been left in a lonely cave, and very many strange adventures the bobbsey twins and their father and mother, to say nothing of cousin jasper, had had on that voyage. now the simple games they tried to get up around the house, and the thought of having to go back to school soon, made them feel a bit lonesome for the deep, blue sea, over which they had made a voyage to rescue the boy, jack nelson, and also for blueberry island, where once they spent a vacation. "i know what we can do!" cried nan, after a rest. "what?" asked bert, always ready to join nan in any fun she thought of. "what can we do?" "go out to the barn and play that's a ship like the one we went on to florida. it'll be cooler in the barn than it is here, anyhow." "that's so," admitted bert. "and oh! i know how we can have packs of fun!" "how?" this time it was nan who eagerly asked. "why we can swing on some of the ropes that are in the haymow. i guess the ropes are there to tie things up on in the winter. but we can swing on 'em now, and make believe we're sailors, just as we did when we found that boy in the cave where we went with cousin jasper." "oh, so we can!" cried nan. "come on!" "i'll be a fireman on the ship!" declared fat freddie, as he got slowly to his feet from the floor where he had been sitting near bert. "i'll be a fireman and squirt water." "not real--only make believe," cried bert. "water spoils hay, you know, freddie. you can't splash any water on daddy's hay in the barn." "no, i'll only make believe," agreed the light-haired little boy. "come on flossie!" he called to his sister, who had slipped down off the porch to run after a big black cat that marched along with his tail in the air, "like a fishing pole," bert said. "come on, flossie!" called freddie. "we'll go out to the barn and play ship and sailors, and i'll be a fireman and you can be----" "i'm going to be hungry, and have something good to eat! that's what i'll be," declared flossie quickly. "i'm going to be awful hungry!" "oh dear!" exclaimed nan, but she was laughing. "that's always the way. those two want to do something different." "well, we can all make believe we're hungry," said bert. "and maybe dinah will give us some cookies to eat." "there she goes now. i'll ask her!" offered nan, as she saw the bobbsey's fat and good-natured colored cook cross the lawn with a small basket of clothes to hang up. "we'll have a little play-party out in the barn." "but i'm going to be real hungry--not make believe!" said freddie. "i want to eat real." "and so you can!" declared nan. "i'll get enough for all of us." a little later the bobbsey twins--the two pairs of them--were on the way to the barn that stood a little way back of the house. mr. bobbsey did not live on a farm. he lived in a town, but his place was large enough to have a barn on it as well as a house. he kept a horse, and sometimes a cow, but just now there was no cow in the stable--only a horse. and the horse was not there, either, just then, for it was being used to pull a wagon about the streets of lakeport. mr. bobbsey had an automobile, but he also kept the horse, and this animal was sometimes used by the clerks from the lumber office. so out to the barn, which had in it the winter supply of hay and oats for the horse, went the bobbsey twins. nan and bert, being older, reached the place first, each one carrying some sugar and molasses cookies dinah had given them. after nan and bert ran flossie and freddie, each one looking anxiously at the packages of cookies. "don't those cookies look good?" cried flossie. "and i guess they'll eat just as good as they look," was freddie's comment. just then nan's foot slipped on a small stone, and she came very near falling down. "oh!" cried flossie and freddie together. "don't drop your cookies, nan!" came quickly from bert. "oh, if you dropped 'em they'd get all dirty," said flossie. "they wouldn't get very dirty," answered freddie hopefully. "anyway, we could brush 'em off. they'd be good enough to eat, wouldn't they?" and he looked at bert. "i guess they wouldn't get very dirty," answered bert. "anyway, nan didn't drop them. but you'd better be careful, nan," he went on. "don't be so scared, bert bobbsey," answered his sister. "i won't drop them." in a minute more the bobbsey twins were at the barn where the sugar and molasses cookies dinah had given them were put in a safe place. "there are the ropes!" exclaimed bert, as he pointed to some dangling from a beam near the haymow. "they're too high to climb!" nan said, for some of the ropes were fast to the rafters of the barn. "oh, we won't climb 'em!" bert quickly returned, for he knew his mother would never allow this. "we'll just swing on 'em, low down near this pile of hay, so if we fall we can't hurt ourselves." "i want to swing on a rope, too!" exclaimed freddie, as he heard what his older brother and sister were talking of. "i like to be a sailor and swing on a rope." "not now, freddie," answered bert. "the ropes are too high for you and flossie. you just play around on the barn floor, and you can watch nan and me swing. then we'll play steamboat, maybe." "i want to be the steam, and go puff-puff!" cried freddie. "and i want to be the captain and say 'all aboard!'" was flossie's wish. "you can take turns," agreed bert. "now don't get in our way, flossie and freddie. nan and i want to see how big a swing we can take by holding to the ropes." "all right. i'll go and see if i can find any eggs," replied freddie. "hens lay eggs in the barn." "well, if you find a nest don't step in it and break all the eggs," warned nan. she and bert, as flossie and freddie went marching around the big barn, climbed up on the pile of hay, and began swinging on the ropes. to and fro swung the older bobbsey twins. "isn't this better than blueberry island?" asked nan. "well no, it isn't any better," said bert; "but it's just as good. look, i'm going to let go and drop on the hay." "be careful and don't hurt yourself!" begged nan, as she swung to and fro, her feet raised from the hay beneath her, while bert, also, swayed slowly to and fro. "oh, i'll be careful!" bert promised. "anyhow, the hay is nice and soft to fall in. i'll make believe i'm a man in the circus, falling from the top of the tent." he swung a little farther to and fro, and then suddenly cried: "here i go!" "oh!" screamed nan, but, really, nothing happened to harm bert. he just dropped into the pile of soft hay. "come on, nan! you try it! lots of fun!" laughed bert as he scrambled up and made for his rope again. nan said "no" at first, but when bert had swung once more and again dropped into the hay, she took her turn. into the hay she plunged, and sank down to her shoulders in the soft, dried grass. "come on--let's do it some more!" laughed bert. then he and his older sister had lots of fun swinging on the ropes and dropping into a pile of hay. "i wonder what flossie and freddie are doing," said bert, after they had had about an hour of this fun. "i haven't seen them for a long while." "maybe they found a hen's nest and took the eggs to the house," said nan. "they'd do that." "yes, if they found one," agreed bert. "well, we'll see where they are after i take another swing. and i'm going to take a big one." "so will i!" decided nan. "oh, it's just as nice as blueberry island or on the deep, blue sea, isn't it, bert?" "it is when we play this way--yes. but just watch me." "here come flossie and freddie now!" exclaimed nan, as she glanced at her older brother, who was taking a firm hold of the rope for his big swing. the two smaller twins, at this moment, came into the barn through the door that led to the cow stable. "where have you been?" asked nan, as she watched bert get ready for his swing. "oh, we had fun," said flossie. "and i squirted water, out where the horse drinks," added freddie, "i hope you didn't get wet!" exclaimed nan. "if you did----" "well, i have on a dirty waist, so it won't hurt me any if i am wet," said freddie calmly. "i want to swing like that, bert," he added. "give me a swing!" "after i've had my turn i'll give you and flossie each one," promised nan. "watch me, bert!" she called. off the mow swung nan, clinging to the swaying rope with both hands. "come on--let's both let go together and see who falls into the hay first!" proposed bert. "all right!" agreed nan. "one, two, three!" cried bert. "ready! let go!" he and nan let go of the ropes at the same time. together they dropped down to the hay--and then something happened! the two older bobbsey children jumped too near the edge of the mow, where the hay was piled in a big roll, like a great feather bed bolster, over the top rail. and bert and nan, in their drop, caused a big pile of hay--almost a wagonload--to slip from the mow and down to the barn floor. and directly underneath were flossie and freddie! down on the two little twins fell bert and nan and the big pile of dried grass, and, in an instant, the two golden heads were buried out of sight on the barn floor in a large heap of hay. chapter ii digging out "oh, bert bobbsey! look what you did," cried nan. she picked herself up from the barn floor, to which she had slid after having come down with the pile of hay, with her brother, right where flossie and freddie had been playing a moment before. "look what you did!" she cried again. "i didn't do it any more than you did!" exclaimed bert. "but where is flossie? and where's freddie?" he looked around, not seeing the smaller twins, and not having noticed exactly what had happened to them. "where are they, nan?" "under the hay, and we've got to dig 'em out! i'll get the pitchfork. that's what sam does when he gets the hay to feed the horse. i can dig out flossie and freddie!" cried nan. she started to run across the barn floor, but was stopped by a call from bert. "don't do that!" he said. "what?" she asked. "don't get the pitchfork! it's sharp and might hurt flossie and freddie. i'll pull the hay off with my hands. you go and tell mother or dinah! somebody's got to help! there's 'most a whole load of hay on 'em i guess!" and indeed it was a large part of the pile of hay in the bobbsey barn that had slid from the mow when bert jumped on it. and this hay now covered from sight the "little fireman" and the "little fat fairy," as daddy bobbsey called his two little twins. "yes, i'll go for dinah!" cried nan. "she knows how to dig under the hay, i guess!" "and i'll start digging now," added bert, as he began tossing aside the wisps of dried grass that covered his small brother and sister from sight. and while the rescue of freddie and flossie is being arranged for, i will take this chance to tell my new readers something of the four children, about whom i am going to write in this book. there are other books ahead of this one, and the first is named after the children. it is called "the bobbsey twins," and relates some of the early adventures of bert, nan, flossie and freddie. those are the names of the twins, as you have already learned. the bobbsey family lived in an eastern city called lakeport, at the head of lake metoka. mr. bobbsey was in the lumber business and had an office near his lumberyard, which was "down town" as the children called it. now i'll tell you just a little about the four children, their friends and something about the other books, and then i'll get on with the story, which i hope you will wish to read. there were two sets of twins, you see. bert and nan were the older. they each had dark brown hair, brown eyes and were rather tall for their age, and not so very fat; though, of late, with all the good times they had had in the country at blueberry island and on the deep, blue sea, the older twins were getting stouter. "fatter," freddie called it. flossie and freddie were just the opposite of bert and nan. the smaller pair of twins were short and stout, and each had light hair, and blue eyes that looked at you, sometimes, in the funniest way you can imagine. besides mr. and mrs. bobbsey there was dinah, the fat, good-natured colored cook, who knew how to make more kinds of cake than you could eat in one day. and then there was sam johnson, her husband. sam worked about the bobbsey house and barn, looked after the horse and sometimes drove the automobile, though he said he liked a horse better. but the bobbsey family liked the automobile, so the horse was used down in the lumberyard more often than to take bert, nan, flossie and freddie for a ride. the bobbsey twins had many friends and relations, but i will not take up your time, now, telling you about them. i must not forget, however, to mention snoop and snap. snoop was a fine, big cat, and he was named "snoop" because he always seemed to be "snooping" into everything, as dinah said. snoop didn't do that to be bad, he just wanted to find out about things. once he wanted to find out what was inside an empty tin can, and so he stuck his head in and he couldn't get it out until bert helped him. snap was the bobbsey dog, and he wasn't called "snap" because he would snap at you. no indeed! it was because, when bert put a cracker on his dog's nose, the animal would "snap" it off with a jerk of his head and eat it--eat the cracker i mean. that was one reason he was called "snap." but there were other reasons, too. and so the bobbsey twins lived in a fine house in a pleasant city and they had lots of fun. those of you who have read the other books know that. they went to the country and to the seashore, to visit uncle william at the latter place, and uncle daniel bobbsey in the former. of course the bobbsey twins went to school, and there is a book telling about them there, and the fun and adventures they had. later on they went to "snow lodge," and after an exciting winter, they spent part of the summer on a houseboat. when bert, nan, flossie and freddie went to meadow brook, which was the country home of uncle daniel, the twins never expected very much to happen. but it did, and they talked about it for a long time. then they came home to have more good times, and, later on, went to a great city. i haven't space, here, to tell you all that happened. you must get the book and read it for yourself. after that they spent a summer on blueberry island, and there were gypsies on the island. some strange things happened, but the bobbsey twins enjoyed every hour of their stay, and did not want to come home. but they had to, of course, and still more strange adventures awaited them. those you may read about in the book just before this. it is called: "the bobbsey twins on the deep, blue sea," and in it is related how the family went on a voyage to an island off the coast of florida, to rescue a poor, sick boy who had been left there by mistake. now they were home once more. it was almost time for school to open for the fall term, and the twins were playing in the barn, making the most of the last days of their vacation, when the accident happened about the hay, as i have told you. "flossie! freddie! are you under there?" called bert, anxiously, as he threw aside armful after armful of the dried grass. "are you down there under the hay?" he paused a moment to listen for an answer, but none came. if flossie and freddie were there, either they did not hear him or they were so smothered by the hay that they could not answer. "oh, i hope nothing has happened to them!" exclaimed bert, and he began digging away faster than before. certainly it was a large pile of hay to have fallen on two little children. but then the hay was soft, and bert, himself, had often been buried under a pile in the field. it had not hurt, but the dust had made him sneeze. faster and faster bert dug away at the hay. he heard feet pattering on the barn floor back of him, and, turning, saw snap, the big dog, come running in. "oh, snap!" cried bert, "flossie and freddie are under the hay! help me dig 'em out!" "bow wow!" barked snap, just as if he understood. of course he didn't really know what had happened, but he saw bert digging away and snap himself knew enough to do that. often enough he had dug up, with his front paws, a bone he had buried in the hard ground. this digging in the soft hay was easier than that. so snap began to paw aside the hay, just as bert was doing, and while boy and dog were doing this into the barn came fat dinah, with nan running ahead of her. "whut's dish yeah has happened, bert? whut's all dish yeah i heah nan say?" demanded the black cook. "whut you done gone an' done to yo' l'il broth' an' sistah? de pooh l'il honey lambs!" "i didn't do anything!" declared bert. "i was swinging on a rope, over the haymow, and so was nan. and flossie and freddie were playing on the barn floor under the mow. i fell on the hay and so did nan, and a whole lot of it slid down and fell on top of flossie and freddie and--and--now they're down under there, i guess!" "good land ob massy!" exclaimed dinah. "dat suah is a lot to happen to mah poor l'il lambkins! where is you, flossie? where is you, freddie?" she cried. there was no answer. "oh, dinah! do get them out," begged nan. "i will, honey! i will!" exclaimed the colored woman. "shall i go to get sam?" nan wanted to know. "mother isn't at home," she added to bert. "she went over to mrs. black's. oh, maybe we can't ever get flossie and freddie out!" "hush yo' talk laik dat!" cried dinah. "co'se we git 'em out! we kin do it. no need to git sam. come on now, bert an' nan! dig as fast as yo' kin make yo' hands fly!" dinah bent over and began tossing aside the hay as bert had been doing. nan also helped, and snap--well he meant to help, but he got in the way more than he did anything else, and bert tried to send his dog out, but snap would not go. faster and faster worked dinah, nan and bert, and soon the big pile of hay, which had fallen on flossie and freddie grew smaller. it was being stacked on another part of the floor. "maybe i'd better go and telephone to daddy!" suggested nan, when the hay pile had been made much smaller. "you don't see anything of them yet, do you dinah?" she asked anxiously. "no, not yet, honey! but i soon will. we's 'most to de bottom ob de heap. no use worritin' yo' pa. we'll git freddie and flossie out all right!" bert was tossing aside the hay so fast that his arms seemed like the spokes of a wheel going around. he felt that it was partly his fault that the hay had fallen on his little brother and sister. "now we'll git 'em!" cried dinah, after a bit. "i see de barn flo' in one place. come on out, chilluns!" she cried. "come on out, flossie an' freddie! we's dug de hay offen yo' now! come on out!" indeed the hay pile was now so small at the place where it had slid from the mow, that it would not have hidden snap, to say nothing of covering the two bobbsey twins. but something seemed to be wrong. there were no little fat legs or chubby arms sticking out. the little bobbsey twins were not in sight, though nearly all the hay had been moved aside. bert, nan and dinah gazed at the few wisps remaining. then, in a queer voice nan said: "why--why! they're not there!" chapter ii the washington children there was no doubt of it. flossie and freddie were not under the pile of hay that had fallen on them. the hay had all been cast aside now, so far away from the place where it had fallen that it could not serve for a hiding place. and bert and nan could see the bare floor of the barn. "where are they?" asked bert, looking in surprise at nan. "where are flossie and freddie?" "dat's whut i wants to know!" declared dinah. "where is dey? has yo' all been playin' a trick on ole dinah?" and she looked sadly at bert and nan. "playing a trick?" cried nan. "we didn't play any trick!" exclaimed bert. "flossie and freddie were down under that hay!" "but they're not there now!" went on nan. "no," said dinah, as she poked aside some of the wisps of hay with her foot. "dey isn't heah now, an' where is dey? dat's whut i'se askin' yo' all, bert an' nan? where is dem two little lambkins?" bert looked at nan and nan looked at bert. it was a puzzle. what had become of flossie and freddie between the time they disappeared under the sliding pile of hay and now, when it had been cleared away to another part of the barn. "i saw them playing on the floor," said nan. "then, when bert and i let go the ropes and jumped in the mow, a lot of hay came down all at once, and then i--i didn't see flossie and freddie any more. they surely were under the hay!" "yes," agreed bert, "they were. but they aren't here now. maybe they fell down through the floor!" he added hopefully. "the cow stable is under this part of the barn." "yes, but there isn't any hole in the barn floor here," said nan. "and the cracks aren't big enough for flossie and freddie to slip through." "no, dey didn't go t'rough de flo', dat's suah!" exclaimed dinah. "it's mighty queer! i guess yo' all had best go call sam," she went on to nan. "mebby he know something 'bout dish yeah barn dat i don't know. go git sam an'--" just then there came a joyous shout from the big barn doors behind nan, bert and dinah. "here we are! here we are! oh, we fooled you! we fooled you!" cried two childish voices, and there stood the missing flossie and freddie, hay in their fluffy, golden hair, hay hanging down over their blue eyes, and hay stuck over their clothes. "here we are!" cried freddie. "did you was lookin' for us?" "i should say we did was!" cried bert, laughing, now, at freddie's queer way of speaking, for, though the little fireman usually spoke quite properly, he sometimes went wrong. "where have you been?" asked nan. "and how did you get out?" "we crawled out from under the hay when it fell on us," explained flossie. "then freddie says let's play hide and coop and we climbed up the little ladder and went up in the haymow and then we slid out of the little window and got outside the barn and then we just hid an' waited to see what you'd do." by this time flossie was out of breath, having said all this without pause. "but you didn't come after us," said freddie, "and so we came to see where you were. and we fooled you, didn't we? we fooled you bad." "i should say you did!" cried bert. "we were digging the hay away. i thought you'd be away down underneath." "we were," went on flossie. "but we wiggled out, an' you didn't see us wiggle." "no," agreed nan, "we didn't see you. but, oh, i'm so glad you are all right!" she cried, and she hugged flossie in her arms. "you aren't hurt, are you?" "no, but i was tickled," said flossie. "the hay did tickle me in my nose, and i wanted to sneeze." "but i wouldn't let her!" explained freddie. "i held my hand over her nose so she couldn't sneeze." "i tried hard so i wouldn't," said flossie, "and freddie helped me. it feels awful funny not to sneeze when you want to. it tickles!" "and the hay tickled me," went on freddie. "it's ticklin' me now. there's some down my back," and he wiggled and twisted as he stood in the middle of the barn floor. snap, the big dog, put his head to one side, and cocked up his ears, looking at the two smaller twins as if asking what it was all about, and what the digging in the hay was all for. "well, it's mighty lucky laik dat it wasn't no wuss!" exclaimed fat dinah, with a sigh of relief. "i suah was clean skairt out ob mah seben senses when yo' come runnin' into mah kitchen, nan, an' says as how flossie an' freddie was buried under de hay!" "and they were!" said nan. "i saw the hay go down all over them." "so did i!" added bert. "but we wiggled out and hid so we could fool you!" laughed freddie. "didn't you see us crawl out?" "no," answered bert, "i didn't. if i had i wouldn't have dug so hard." "ouch! something tickles me awful!" complained freddie, twisting around as though he wanted to work his way out of his clothes. "maybe there's a hay-bug down my back!" he went on. "good land of massy!" cried dinah, catching him up in her arms. "yo' come right in de house wif me, honey lamb, an' ole dinah'll undress yo' an' git at de bug--if dey is one!" "i guess we've had enough fun in the barn," said nan. "i don't want to play here any more." "i guess we'll have to put back the hay we knocked down," said bert. that was one of the bobbsey rules--to put things back the way they had been at first, after their play was done. "yes, we must put the hay up in the mow again," agreed nan. "daddy wouldn't like to have us leave it on the floor. i'll help you, bert, 'cause i helped knock it down." dinah led the two younger twins off to the kitchen, with a promise of a molasses cookie each and a further promise to freddie that she would take out of his clothes whatever it was tickling his back--a hay-bug or some of the dried wisps of grass. bert and nan had not long been working at stacking the hay back in place before sam came in. he had heard what had happened from dinah, his wife, and he said, most kindly: "run along an' play, bert an' nan! i'll put back de hay fo' yo' all. 'tain't much, an' it won't take me long." "thank you, sam!" said bert. "it's more fun playing outdoors to-day than stacking hay in a barn." "are you very sure you don't mind doing it, sam?" asked nan, for she wanted to "play fair." "oh, i don't mind!" exclaimed the good-natured sam. "hop along!" "didn't you ever like to play outdoors, sam?" questioned bert, as he and nan started to leave the barn. "suah i did," answered sam. "when i was a youngster like you i loved to go fishin' and swimmin' in the ole hole down by the crick." "oh, sam, did you like to swim?" went on the bobbsey boy quickly. "i suah did, bert. down in our pa'ts i was considered the bestes' swimmer there." "some day i'm going to see you, sam," declared bert. "maybe you could teach me some new strokes." "i doan know about that, bert. you see, i ain't quite so limber as what i used to be when i was your age or jest a little older. now you jest hop along, both of you, and enjoy yourselves." so nan and bert went out to find some other way of having fun. they wanted to have all the good times they could, as school would soon begin again. "but we'll have a vacation at thanksgiving and christmas and new year's," said nan, as she and her brother talked it over. "thanksgiving's a long way off," said bert, with a sigh. the two children were walking along the side path toward the front yard when suddenly snap, their dog, gave a savage growl. it was the kind of growl he never gave unless he happened to be angry, and bert knew, right away, something must be wrong. "what is it, snap? a tramp?" asked the boy, looking around. often snap would growl this way at tramps who might happen to come into the yard. now there may be good tramps, as well as bad ones, but snap never stopped to find out which was which. he just growled, and if that didn't scare away the tramp then snap ran at him. and no tramp ever stood after that. he just ran away. but now neither bert nor nan could see any tramp, either in the yard or in the street in front of the house. snap, though, kept on growling deep down in his throat, and then, suddenly, the children saw what the matter was. a big dog was digging a hole under the fence to get into the bobbsey yard. the gate was closed, and though the dog might have jumped the fence, he didn't. he was digging a hole underneath. and snap saw him. that's why snap growled. "oh, bert! look!" cried nan. as she spoke the dog managed to get through the hole he had dug, and into the bobbsey yard he popped. but he did not stay there long. before he could run toward bert and nan, if, indeed, he had that notion, snap had leaped toward the unwelcome visitor. snap growled and barked in such a brave, bold way that the other dog gave one long howl, and then back through the hole he wiggled his way, faster than he had come in. but fast as he wiggled out, he was not quick enough, for snap nipped the end of the big dog's tail and there was another howl. "good boy!" cried bert to his dog, as snap came back to him, wagging his tail, having first made sure, however, that the strange dog was running down the street. "good, old snap!" and snap wagged his tail harder than ever, for he liked to be told he had been good and had done something worth while. "i wonder what that dog wanted?" asked nan. "i don't know," answered bert. "he was a strange one. but he didn't stay long!" "not with our snap around!" laughed nan. the two older bobbsey twins were wondering what they could do next to have a good time, when they heard their mother's voice calling to them from the side porch. she had come back from a little visit to a lady down the street, and had heard all about the accident to flossie and freddie. "ho, nan! ho, bert! i want you!" called mrs. bobbsey. "i guess she's going to scold us for making the hay slide on flossie and freddie," said bert, rather anxiously. "well, we couldn't help it," replied his sister. "we didn't know it was so slippery. yes, mother; we're coming!" she answered, as mrs. bobbsey called again. but, to the relief of nan and bert, their mother did not scold them. she just said: "you must be a little more careful when you're playing where flossie and freddie are. they are younger than you, and don't so well know how to look out for themselves. you must look out for them. but now i want you to go down to daddy's office." "what do you want us to do?" asked nan. "here is a letter that he ought to have right away," went on mrs. bobbsey. "it came to the house by mistake. it should have gone to daddy's lumber office, but the postman left it while i was out, and dinah was out in the barn with you children, so she could not tell him to carry it on down town. so i wish you'd take it to daddy. he has been expecting it for some time. it's about some business, and i don't want to open the letter and telephone what's in it. but if you two will just run down with it--" "of course we will!" cried bert. "it'll be fun!" "and may we stay a little while?" asked nan. "yes, if you don't bother daddy. here is the letter." a little later nan and bert were in their father's office. the clerks knew the children and smiled at them, and the stenographer, who wrote mr. bobbsey's letters on the clicking typewriter machine, took the twins through her room into their father's private office. as the door opened, bert and nan saw a strange man talking to mr. bobbsey. but what interested them more than this was the sight of two children--a boy and a girl about their own age--in their father's private office. the boy and girl were sitting on chairs, looking at the very same lumber books--those with pictures of big woods in them--that nan and bert often looked at themselves. mr. bobbsey glanced up as the door opened. he saw his two older twins, and, smiling at them, said: "come in, nan and bert. i want you to meet these washington children!" chapter iv miss pompret's china bert and nan looked at one another in some surprise as they stood in the door of their father's private office. what did he mean by saying that they were to come in and meet the "washington children?" who were the "washington children?" nan and bert were soon to know, for their father spoke again. "come on in. these are two of my twins, mr. martin," he added to the gentleman who was sitting near his desk. the two "washington children," looked up from the lumber books they had been reading. no, i am wrong, they had not been reading them--only looking at the pictures. "two of your twins?" repeated mr. martin, with a smile. "do you mean to say you have more twins at home?" "oh, yes, another set. smaller than these. i wish you would see flossie and freddie. come here, bert and nan. this is my friend, mr. martin," he continued, "and these are his children, billy and nell. they live in washington, d.c." so that was what mr. bobbsey meant. at first, nan said afterward, she had a little notion that her father might have meant the boy and girl were the children of general george washington. but a moment's thought told nan that this could not be. general washington's children, supposing him to have had any, would have been grown up into old men and women and would have passed away long ago. but billy and nell martin lived in washington, district of columbia (which is what the letters d.c. stand for) and, bert and nan knew, washington was the capital, or chief city, of the united states. "mr. martin came in to see me on business," explained daddy bobbsey. "he is traveling for a lumber firm, and on this trip he brought his boy and girl with him." "they aren't twins, though," said mr. martin with a nod at nan and bert. "i think it's lovely to be a twin!" said nell, with a smile at nan. "don't you have lots of fun?" "yes, we do," nan said. "i should think you could have fun in this lumberyard," remarked billy martin. "i'd like to live near it." "yes, we play in it," said bert; and now that the "ice had been broken," as the grown folks say, the four children began to feel better acquainted. "did you come down for anything special?" asked mr. bobbsey of bert. "yes, daddy. here's a letter mother gave us for you," the boy answered. "oh, this is the one i have been expecting," said mr. bobbsey to mr. martin. "now we can talk business. bert and nan, don't you want to take billy and nell out in the yard and show them the lake? but don't fall in, and don't climb on the lumber," he added. "oh, i'd love to look at the lake!" cried nell. "and i like to see big piles of lumber," said her brother billy. "the children will be all right," said mr. bobbsey, in answer to a look from mr. martin. "my older twins often play about the lumberyard, and they'll see that billy and nell come to no harm." so while the two men talked over lumber matters, bert and nan showed billy and nell the sights of their father's lumberyard, and took the washington children down to lake metoka, where the blue waters sparkled in the sun. "oh, this is lovely!" exclaimed nell. "it's nicer than washington!" "don't you have a lake there?" asked bert. "no; but we have the potomac river," answered billy. "that's nice, but not as nice as this lake. now let's go and look at the big piles of lumber." "yes, let's," echoed nell. the children tossed some chips into the lake, pretending they were boats, and then they walked around the yard to where long boards and planks were stacked into great piles, waiting to be taken away on boats or wagons. bert asked one of the workmen if they could play with some of the boards, and, receiving permission to do so, they had fun making something they called a house, and then on a see-saw. "oh, i always did love to see-saw!" said the little girl from washington. "we don't get much of a chance to play that way where i come from." "we have see-saw rides lots of times down here," answered nan. "well, that's because your father owns a lumberyard, and you can get plenty of boards to use for a see-saw," said henry. for an hour or more bert and nan entertained the washington children in the lumberyard, and then, as it was getting close to dinner time, nan told bert they had better go back to their father's office. they found mr. martin about to leave. and then mr. bobbsey thought of something. "look here, henry!" he exclaimed to his friend, "there's no need of your going back to that hotel. come out to the house--you and the children--and have dinner with me. i want you and your boy and girl to meet flossie and freddie, and i want you to meet mrs. bobbsey." "well, i'd like to," said mr. martin slowly, while the eyes of nell and billy glowed in delight. "but, perhaps it might bother your wife." "oh, no!" laughed mr. bobbsey. "she likes company. i'll telephone out that we're coming, and dinah, that's our cook, will be delighted to get up something extra. they'll be glad to see you. come out to the house, all of you, and make me a nice visit. can't you stay a day or so?" eagerly nan and bert waited for the answer, for they liked the washington children very much. "oh, no, we can't stay later than this evening," said mr. martin. "i've got other business to look after. but i'll come out to dinner with you." "oh, we'll have lots of fun!" whispered nan to nell. "you'll just love flossie--she's so cute!" "i'll show you my dog snap," said bert to billy. "you ought to have seen him scare a strange dog just before we came down here." "i like dogs," said billy. "we could have one in washington if we had a barn to keep him in." "we've got a barn," went on bert. "you ought to have seen what happened there this morning to flossie and freddie," and then he told about the little twins having been hidden under the hay. mr. bobbsey's automobile was in the lumberyard, and in this the trip was quickly made to the home of the four twins, after mrs. bobbsey had been told, by telephone, that company was coming. nell and billy were glad to see flossie and freddie, and the six children had fun playing around the house and barn with snoop and snap. mr. and mrs. bobbsey wanted mr. martin to stay two or three days with his children, but the washington lumberman said it could not be done this time. "i'm on a business trip," he said, "and i can't spend as much time in visiting and pleasure as i'd like, though i am trying to give billy and nell a good time. this is the first time i have ever taken them on a trip with me." "and we've had such a lovely time!" exclaimed nell. "packs of fun!" added her brother. "i'm sorry we can't stay longer," went on mr. martin. "you folk must come to washington some day." "yes, i expect to," said mr. bobbsey. "i've been counting on going there some day on some business matters." "well, when you come be sure to bring the children," said the father of nell and billy. "i think they would enjoy seeing the white house, the big capitol building, the congressional library, washington's home at mt. vernon and places like that." "could we see the washington monument?" asked nan. she remembered looking at a picture of that in her geography. "oh, yes, i'd show you that, too," said mr. martin. "and could we see the potomac river?" bert wanted to know. "surely!" laughed billy's father. "i'll show you all the sights of washington if you'll come and pay me a visit--all you bobbsey twins!" he added. "i wish we could go!" sighed nan. "perhaps you can," said her father. "have you got any hay in wash'ton?" asked freddie, suddenly, and every one else laughed except himself and flossie. "oh, i guess i could find enough hay for you and your little sister to hide under," answered mr. martin with a laugh, for he had heard the story of what had happened in the barn. a little later mr. martin and his boy and girl had to leave. they said "good-bye," and while the father of the washington children again asked mr. and mrs. bobbsey to come to visit him at his home, nell and billy whispered to nan and bert: "be sure and come, and bring flossie and freddie with you!" "we will!" promised nan, but neither she nor bert guessed what a queer little adventure they were soon to have in washington. a few days later school opened, and the bobbsey twins had to go back to their class-rooms. at first they did not like it, after the long, joyous vacation on the deep, blue sea, but their teachers were kind, and finally the twins began to feel that, after all, school was not such a bad place. thanksgiving day came, bringing a little vacation period, and after church in the morning, the bobbsey twins went home to eat roast turkey and cranberry sauce. then they went out to play with some of their boy and girl friends, having lots of fun in the barn and yard. "but don't slide any more hay down on flossie and freddie!" begged mrs. bobbsey. "we won't!" promised bert and nan, and they kept their word. it was about a week after thanksgiving, and bert and nan were on their way home from school one day, when, as they passed a red brick house on the street next to theirs, they saw, standing on the porch, a pleasant-faced, elderly lady who was looking up and down the avenue. "that's miss pompret," said nan to bert. "i heard mother say she was very rich." "is she?" asked bert. "she looks kind of funny." "that's 'cause she isn't married," returned nan. "some folks call her an old maid, but i don't think she's very old, even if her hair is white. her face looks nice." "yes, but she looks kind of worried now," said bert. "that's the way mother looks when she's worried." they were in front of the house now, and could see miss pompret quite plainly. certainly the elderly lady did look as though something troubled her. "good afternoon, miss pompret!" called nan, as she was about to pass by. bert took off his cap and bowed. "oh, you're half of the bobbsey twins, aren't you?" asked miss pompret, with a smile. "i often see you go past. i only wish you were a little bigger." "bigger? why?" asked bert, in some surprise. "why, then," explained miss pompret, "you might take this letter to the post-office for me. it's very important, and i want it to go out on this mail, but i can't go to the post-office myself. if you bobbsey twins were bigger i should ask you to take it. tell me, is the other set of twins larger than you two?" "no'm; they're smaller," explained nan. "flossie and freddie are lots littler than we are." "but we're big enough to take the letter to the post-office for you, miss pompret," said bert. he had often heard his father and mother speak of this neighbor, and the kindnesses she had done. "are you sure you are big enough to go to the post-office for me?" asked miss pompret. "we often go for daddy and mother," said nan. "well, then, if you think your mother wouldn't mind, i would like, very much, to have you go," said miss pompret. "the letter is very important, but i can not take it myself, as i have company, and i have no one, just now, who can leave. i thought i might see some large boy on the street, but--" "i'm big enough!" exclaimed bert. "yes, i believe you are!" agreed the elderly lady, looking at him through her glasses. "well, i shall be very thankful to you and your sister if you will mail the letter for me. and, on your way back, stop and let me know that you dropped it in the post-office all right." "we will!" promised bert, and nan nodded her head in agreement with him. miss pompret handed over the letter, which was in a large envelope. nan and bert were soon at the post-office with it. the white-haired lady was waiting for them on the porch as they came back along the street. "won't you come in, just for a minute?" she asked, smiling kindly at them. "my maid has just baked a chocolate cake, and i don't believe your mother would mind if you each had a piece." "oh, no'm--she wouldn't mind at all!" said bert quickly. "we like chocolate cake," said nan, "but we didn't go to the post-office for that!" "bless your heart, child, i know you didn't!" laughed their new friend. "please come in!" the chocolate cake was all bert and nan hoped it would be, and besides that miss pompret set out on the table for them each a glass of milk. they looked around the beautiful but old-fashioned room, noting the dark mahogany furniture, the cut glass on the side-board, and, over in one corner, a glass cupboard, through the clear doors of which could be seen some china dishes. miss pompret saw nan looking at this set of china, and the elderly lady smiled as she said: "isn't it beautiful?" "yes," said nan, softly. "i love pretty dishes." "and these are my greatest treasure," said miss pompret. "i am very proud of them. they have been in my family over a hundred years. but there is a sad story about it--a very sad story about the old pompret china." and the lady's face clouded. "did somebody break it?" asked bert. once he had broken a plate of which his mother was very proud, and he remembered how sad she felt. "no, my china wasn't broken," said miss pompret. "in fact, there is a sort of mystery about it." "oh, please tell me!" begged nan. "i like nice dishes and i like stories." she and bert looked at the closet of choice china dishes. children though they were, they could see that the plates, cups, saucers and other dishes were not like the kind set on their table every day. what could miss pompret mean about a "mystery" connected with her set of china? chapter v "what a lot of money!" bert and nan sat up very straight on the chairs in miss pompret's dining room, and looked first at her and then at the china closet with its shiny, glass doors. miss pompret sat up very straight, too, in her chair, and she, also, looked first from nan and bert to the wonderful china, which seemed made partly of egg shells, so fine it was and pretty. miss pompret's dining room was one in which it seemed every one had to sit up straight, and in which every chair had to be in just the right place, where the table legs must keep very straight, too, and where not even a corner of a rug dared to be turned up. in fact it was a very straight, old-fashioned but very beautiful dining room, and miss pompret herself was an old-fashioned but beautiful lady. "now if you will sit very still, and not move, i'll bring out some pieces of my china set and show them to you," said miss pompret. "you were so kind as to take the letter to the post-office for me when i could not go myself, that i feel i ought to reward you to some way." "the chocolate cake was enough," said nan. "yes, it was awful good!" sighed bert. "mother told you not to say 'awful,'" interposed ben's sister. "oh, well, i mean it was terribly nice!" exclaimed the boy. "i'm glad you liked it," went on miss pompret with a smile. "but i must not keep you too long, or your mother will be wondering what has become of you. but i thought you, nan, would be interested in seeing beautiful china. you'll have a home of your own, some day, and nothing is nicer in a nice home than beautiful dishes." "i know that!" cried nan. "my mamma has some very beautiful dishes, and once in a great while she lets me look them over. sometimes, too, we have them on the table--when it's some special occasion like a birthday or visitors." "i don't much like to see the real nice dishes on a table," remarked bert. "i'm always afraid that i'll break one of them, and then i know my mother would feel pretty bad over it." "you must be careful, my boy. you can't handle nice china as you can your baseball or your football," said miss pompret, with a smile. "well, i guess they couldn't treat dishes like baseballs and footballs!" cried nan. "just think of throwing a sugar bowl up into the air or hitting it with a bat, or kicking a teapot all around the lots!" "that certainly wouldn't be very nice," said miss pompret. she went over to the closet, unlocked the glass doors, and set some of the rare pieces out on the lace cover of the dining room table. bert and nan saw that miss pompret handled each piece as though it might be crushed, even in her delicate hands, which were almost as white and thin as a piece of china. "this is the wonderful pompret tableware," went on the old lady. "it has been in my family over a hundred years. my great-grandfather had it, and now it has come to me. i have had it a number of years, and i think more of it than anything else i have. of course, if i had any little children i would care for them more than for these dishes," went on miss pompret. "but i'm a lonely old lady, and you neighborhood children are the only ones i have," and she smiled rather wistfully at nan and bert. carefully dish after dish was taken from the closet and set out for the bobbsey twins to look at. they did not venture to so much as touch one. the china seemed too easily broken for that. "i should think you'd have to be very careful when you washed those dishes," remarked nan, as she saw how light glowed through the side of one of the thin cups. "oh, i am," answered miss pompret. "no one ever washes this set but me. my maid is very careful, but i would not allow her to touch a single piece. i don't use it very often. only when some old and dear friends come to see me is the pompret china used. and then i am sorry to say, i can not use the whole set." "why not?" asked bert. "are you afraid they'll break it?" "oh no," and miss pompret smiled. "i'm not afraid of that. but you see i haven't the whole set, so i can't show it all. one of the sorrows of my life is that part of my beautiful set of china is missing." "there's a lot of it, though," added bert, as he saw a number of shelves covered with the rare plates, cups and saucers. "yes, but the sugar bowl and cream pitcher are missing," went on miss pompret, with a shake of her white head. "they were beautiful. but, alas! they are missing." and she sighed deeply. "where are they?" asked nan. "ah, that's the mystery i am going to tell you about," said miss pompret. "it isn't a very big story, and i won't keep you long. it isn't often i get a chance to tell it, so you must forgive an old lady for keeping you from your play," and again she smiled, in rather a sad fashion, at nan and bert. "oh, we like it here!" exclaimed nan quickly. "it's lots of fun!" added bert. "i like to hear about a mystery." "well," began miss pompret, "as i told you, this set of china has been in our family over a hundred years. it was made in england, and each piece has the mark of the man who made it. see, this is what i mean." she turned over one of the cups and showed the bobbsey twins where, on the bottom, there was the stamp, in blue, of some animal in a circle of gold. "that is the mark of the waredon factory, where this china was made," went on miss pompret. "only china made by mr. waredon can have this mark on it." "it looks like our dog snap," said bert. "oh, no!" laughed miss pompret. "that is supposed to be the british lion. mr. waredon took that as a trade-mark, and at the top of the golden circle, with the blue lion inside, you can see the letter 'j' while at the bottom is the letter 'w.' they stand for the name jonathan waredon, in whose english factory the china was made. each piece has this mark on it, and no other make of china in the world can be rightfully marked like that. "well, now about the mystery. some years ago, before you children were born, i lived in another city. i had the china set there with me, and then it was complete. i had the cream pitcher and the sugar bowl. one day a ragged man came to the house. he was very ragged and poor. i suppose you would call him a tramp. "the cook i then had felt sorry for him, and let him come into the kitchen to have something to eat. as it happened, part of my rare china set was on a table in the same room. i was getting ready to wash it myself, as i would let no one else touch it. "well, when i came out to wash my beautiful dishes the sugar bowl and cream pitcher of the set were gone. they had been on the table when the tramp was eating the lunch the cook gave him, but now they could not be found. the cook and i looked all over for them--we searched the house, in fact, but never found them." "who took them?" asked bert, eagerly. "well, my dear boy, i have never found out. the cook always said the tramp put the sugar bowl and cream pitcher in his pocket when her back was turned to get him a cup of coffee. at any rate, when he was gone the two pieces were gone also, and while i do not want to think badly of any one, i have come to believe that the tramp took my rare dishes." "didn't you ever see him again?" asked nan. "no, my dear, never, as far as i know." "and did you never find the dishes?" bert wanted to know. "never. i advertised for them. i inquired if any boys in the neighborhood might have slipped in and taken them for a joke, but i never found them. to this day," went on miss pompret, "i have never again set eyes on my cream pitcher and sugar bowl. they disappeared as completely and suddenly as though they had fallen down a hole in the earth. the tramp may have taken them; but what would he do with just two pieces? they were too frail for him to use. a man like that would want heavy dishes. perhaps he knew how valuable they were and perhaps he intended asking a reward for bringing them back. but i never heard from him. "so that is why my rare set of pompret china is not complete. the two pieces are missing and i would give a hundred dollars this minute if i could get them back!" "a--a hundred dollars!" exclaimed bert. "yes, my boy. if some one would get me that sugar bowl and pitcher, with the mark of the lion in a golden circle, and the initials 'j' at the top and 'w' at the bottom, i would willingly pay one hundred dollars," said miss pompret. "a--a whole hundred dollars!" gasped bert. "what a lot of money!" chapter vi wonderful news miss alicia pompret began putting back in the glass-doored closet the pieces of rare china that had the blue lion in a circle of gold and the initials "j.w." on the bottom of each piece. nan and bert watched her, and saw how carefully her white hands took up each plate and cup. "a hundred dollars!" murmured bert again. "i'd like to have all that money. i'd buy--er--i'd buy a goat!" "a goat!" exclaimed miss pompret. "yes," went on bert. "freddie nearly thought one once, when we went to the big city, but mother wouldn't let him keep it. now we're back home; and if i had a hundred dollars i'd buy a goat." "well, if you can find my sugar bowl and pitcher i'll be glad to pay you a hundred dollars," said miss pompret with a smile at bert. "but i don't know that i'd like a goat," she added. "do you really mean you'd pay a hundred dollars for two china dishes?" asked nan, her eyes big with wonder. "yes, my dear," said miss pompret. "of course if they were just two ordinary dishes, such as these," and she pointed to some on a side table, "they would not be worth a hundred dollars. but i need just those two pieces--the pitcher and sugar bowl--to make my rare set of china complete again. so if you children should happen to come across them, bring them to me and i'll pay you a hundred dollars. but, of course," she added, "they must be the pieces that match my set--they must have the lion mark on the underside. however," she concluded with a sigh, "i don't suppose you'll ever find them. the tramp must have broken them many long years ago. i'll never see them again." "did you know the tramp's name?" asked bert. "bless you, of course not!" laughed miss pompret. "tramps hardly ever tell their names, and when they do, they don't give the right one. no, i'm sure i'll never see my beautiful dishes again. sometimes i dream that i shall, and i am disappointed when i awaken. but now i mustn't keep you children any longer. i've told you my little mystery story, and i hope you liked it." "yes, we did, very much," answered nan "only it's too bad!" "you aren't sure the tramp took the dishes, are you?" asked bert. "no; and that is where the mystery comes in," said miss pompret. "perhaps he didn't, and, maybe, in some unexpected way, i'll find them again. i hope i do, or that some one does, and i'll pay the hundred dollars to whoever does." "my, that's a lot of money!" murmured bert again, when he and nan were once more on their way home, having said good-bye to miss pompret. "i wish we could find those dishes." "so do i," agreed nan. "but don't call 'em dishes, bert." "what are they?" her brother wanted to know. "why, they're rare china. when i grow up i'm going to have a set just like miss pompret's." "with the dog on the bottom?" "tisn't a dog, it's a lion!" exclaimed nan. "well, it looks like our dog snap," declared bert. they ran on home to find their mother out at the gate looking up and down the street for them. "are you children just getting home from school?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "were you kept in for doing something wrong?" "oh, no'm!" exclaimed nan. "we went to see miss pompret." "and she's going to give us a hundred dollars if we find two of her dishes!" exclaimed bert. "my! what's all this?" asked his mother, laughing. "'tisn't dishes! it's rare china," said nan, and then, between them, she and bert told the story of the little favor they had done for miss pompret, and how she had invited them in, given them cake and milk, and told them the mystery story. "well, you had quite a visit," said mrs. bobbsey. "miss pompret is a dear lady, rather queer, perhaps, but very kind and a good neighbor. i am glad you did her a favor. i have heard, before, about her china, and knew she had some other rare and old-fashioned things in her house. i have been there once or twice. now i want you to go to the store for me. sam is away and dinah needs some things for supper." "i want to go to the store, too!" exclaimed freddie, who came around the corner of the house just then, with his face and hands covered with mud. "oh, my dear child! what have you been doing?" cried his mother. "oh, just makin' pies," answered freddie, rubbing one cheek with a grimy hand. "i made the pies and flossie put 'em in the oven to bake. we made an oven out of some bricks. but we didn't really eat the pies," he added, "'cause they were only mud." "you look as though you had tried to eat them," laughed nan. "come, freddie, i'll wash you clean." "no, i want to go to the store!" he cried. "so do i!" chimed in the voice of flossie, as she, too, marched around the corner of the house, dirtier, if possible, than her little twin brother. "if freddie goes to the store, i want to go with him!" flossie cried. "all right," answered bert. "you go and wash flossie and freddie, nan, and i'll get the express wagon and we'll pull them to the store with us. then we can put the groceries in the wagon and bring them back that way." "that will be nice," put in mrs. bobbsey. "i'll go and see just what dinah wants. run along with nan, flossie and freddie, and let her wash you nice and clean." this just suited the smaller twins, and soon they were being made, by nan's use of soap and water in the bath room, to look a little less like mud pies. while bert got out the express wagon, snap, the big dog, saw his little master, and jumped about, barking in joy. "i don't care if that is a lion on the back of miss pompret's dishes," murmured bert, as he put a piece of carpet in the wagon for flossie and freddie to sit on, "it looks just like you, snap. and i wonder if i could ever find that milk pitcher and sugar bowl and get that hundred dollars. i don't guess i could, but i'd like to awful much. no, i mustn't say 'awful,' but i'd like to a terrible lot. a hundred dollars is a pack of money!" down the street nan and bert pulled flossie and freddie in the little express wagon, with snap running on ahead and barking in delight. this was the best part of the day for him--when the children came home from school. flossie and freddie came first, and then nan and bert, and then the fun started. "now don't run too fast!" exclaimed flossie, as the express wagon began to bounce over the uneven sidewalk. "oh, yes, let's go real fast!" cried freddie. "let's go as fast as the fire engines go." "we can't run as fast as that, freddie," declared nan, who was almost out of breath. "we'll just run regular." and then she and bert pulled the younger twins around for a little ride in the express wagon before they did the errand on which they had been sent. "i had a letter from mr. martin to-day," said mr. bobbsey at the supper table that evening. "he asked to be remembered to you," he said to mrs. bobbsey. "and billy and nell sent their love to you children." "they got safely back to washington, did they?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes," her husband answered. "and they said they had had a very nice visit here. they are anxious to have us come to washington to see them." "can we go?" asked nan. "well, perhaps, some day," said her father. "i'd like to go now," murmured bert. "maybe we might see that tramp in washington, and get back miss pompret's dishes." "rare china," muttered nan, half under her breath. "what tramp is that, and what about miss pompret's dishes?" asked daddy bobbsey, as he took his cup of tea from dinah. then he had to hear the story of that afternoon's visit of nan and bert. "oh, i guess miss pompret will never see her two china pieces again," said mr. bobbsey. "if the tramp took them he must have sold them, if he didn't smash them. so don't think of that hundred dollars, bert and nan." "but couldn't we go to washington, anyhow?" bert wanted to know. "well, not right away, i'm afraid," his father answered. "you have to go to school, you know." but a few days after that something happened. about eleven o'clock in the morning bert, nan, flossie and freddie came trooping home. into the house they burst with shouts of laughter. "what's the matter? what is it? has anything happened?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "why are you home from school at such a time of day?" "there isn't any school," explained nan. "no school?" questioned her mother. "and there won't be any for a month, i guess!" added bert. "hurray!" "what do you mean?" asked his surprised mother. "no school for a month?" "no, mother," added nan "the steam boiler is broken and they can't heat our room. it got so cold the teacher sent us home." "an' we came home, too'" added flossie. "we couldn't stay in our school 'cause our fingers were so cold!" "was any one hurt when the boiler burst?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no," bert said. "it didn't exactly burst very hard, i guess." but mrs. bobbsey wanted to know just what the trouble was, so she called up the principal of the school on the telephone, and from him learned that the heating boiler of the school had broken, not exactly burst, and that it could no longer heat the rooms. "it will probably be a month before we can get a new boiler, and until then there will be no more school," he said. "the children will have another vacation." "a vacation so near christmas," murmured mrs. bobbsey. "i wonder what i can do with my twins?" just then the telephone rang, and mrs. bobbsey listened. it was mr. bobbsey telephoning. he had heard of some accident at the school, and he called up his house, from the lumberyard, to make sure his little fat fairy and fireman, as well as nan and bert, were all right. "yes, they're home safe," said mrs. bobbsey. "but there will be no school for a month." "good!" exclaimed daddy bobbsey. "that will just suit me and the children, too. i'll be home in a little while, and i have some wonderful news for them!" "oh, i wonder what it can be!" exclaimed nan, when her mother told her what daddy bobbsey had said. chapter vii on a trip the bobbsey twins could hardly wait for their daddy to come home after their mother had told them what he said over the telephone. "tell me again, mother, just what he told you!" begged nan. "well, he said he was just as glad as you children were, that there was to be no more school for a month," answered mrs. bobbsey. "though, of course, he was sorry that the steam boiler had broken. and then he said he had some wonderful news to tell us all." "oh, i know what it is!" cried bert. "what?" asked nan. "he's found the tramp that took miss pompret's dishes," went on bert, "and he's got them back--daddy has--and he's going to get the hundred dollars! that's it!" "oh, i hardly think so," said mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "i don't believe daddy has caught any tramp." "they do sometimes sleep in the lumberyard," remarked bert. "yes, i know," agreed his mother. "but, even if daddy had caught a tramp, it would hardly be the same man who took miss pompret's rare pieces of china--the pitcher and sugar bowl. and if it had been anything like that, daddy would have told me over the telephone." "but what could the wonderful news be?" asked nan. "something too long to talk about until he gets home, i think," answered mother bobbsey. "have patience, daddy will soon be here!" but of course the bobbsey twins could not be patient any more than you could if you expected something unusual. they looked at the clock, they ran to the door several times to look down the street to see if their father was coming, and, at last, when nan had said for about the tenth time: "i wonder what it is!" a step sounded on the front porch. "there's daddy now!" cried bert. eight feet rushed to the front door, and mr. bobbsey was almost overwhelmed by the four twins leaping at him at once. "what is it?" cried bert. "tell us the wonderful news!" begged nan. "have you got another dog for us?" flossie wanted to know. "did you bring me a new toy fire engine?" cried freddie. "maybe it's a goat!" exclaimed flossie. "now wait a minute! wait a minute!" laughed mr. bobbsey, as he kissed each one in turn. "sit down and i'll tell you all about it." he led them into the library, and sat down on a couch, taking flossie and freddie up on his knees, while bert and nan sat close on either side. "now first let me hear all about what happened at school to-day," said mr. bobbsey, who had come home to dinner. "oh, no!" laughed nan. "we want to hear the wonderful news first!" "oh, all right!" laughed her father. "well, then, how would you all like to go off on a trip?" "a trip?" cried bert. "a real trip? to florida?" "well, hardly there again so soon," replied his father. "do you mean a trip to some city?" asked nan. "in a steamboat?" cried freddie. "i want to go on a boat!" "yes, i think perhaps we can go on a boat," said mr. bobbsey. "and in a train, too!" exclaimed flossie. "i want to go on a train!" "and i suppose, if we take this trip, we'll have to go on a train, also," and mr. bobbsey looked over the heads of the children and smiled at his wife who stood in the doorway. "but you haven't told us yet where we are going," objected nan. "is it to new york?" bert wanted to know. "part of it is," his father replied. "oh, is it two trips?" nan asked. "well, not exactly," answered mr. bobbsey. "you might say it has two parts to it, like a puzzle. the first part is to go on a trip to new york, and from there we'll go on a trip to--i'll let you see if you can guess. come on, bert, your turn first." "to uncle william's!" guessed bert. "no," answered his father. "your turn, nan." "to uncle daniel's at meadow brook." "no," and her father smiled at her. "i know!" cried freddie. "we're goin' on the houseboat." "wrong!" said mr. bobbsey. "now what does my little fat fairy have to say?" "are we going swimming?" asked flossie, who loved to splash in the water. "hardly!" laughed daddy bobbsey. "it's too cold. well, none of you has guessed right, so i'll tell you. we're going to washington to visit the martin children who were here a while ago." "oh, to washington!" cried nan. "how nice!" "and shall we see billy and nell?" bert wanted to know. "yes," his father answered, "that's what we'll do. i had a letter from mr. martin the other day, inviting us all to come to his house to pay him a visit," he went on. "i didn't know just when i could go, but to-day i got another letter from another man in washington, saying he wanted to see me about some lumber business. i may have to stay a week or two, so i thought i would take the whole family with me, and make a regular visit of it." "will you take us all?" asked freddie. "yes." "and snap and snoop an' an'--" began flossie. "well, hardly the dog and the cat," explained her father. "just mother, you four twins and i will go to washington." "when can we start?" nan asked. "as soon as your mother can get you ready," replied mr. bobbsey. "i'm ready now," announced freddie. "and shall we stop in new york?" bert demanded. "yes, for a day or so. and now what do you think of my news?" asked mr. bobbsey. "it's just--wonderful!" cried nan. "oh, we'll have such fun with nell and billy!" "and i want to see if i can drop a ball off washington monument," added bert. "oh, you hadn't better try that," his father cautioned him. "you might hit some one. well, then, it's all settled, and we'll go on the trip. how about it, mother?" and he smiled at his wife. "i think it will be very nice to go," she answered. "i like mr. martin and his children very much, and i'm sure we'll like mrs. martin too. it's fortunate that we can all go--that the children will not lose any schooling. for if all the classes stop, and the school is closed, they will all start evenly again when the boiler is fixed. so run along now, my twins, and get ready for lunch. daddy and i have lots to talk about." and so did the bobbsey twins, as you can easily imagine. if i told you all the things that happened in the next few days there would be but little else in this book except the story of getting ready for the journey. and as the trip itself is what you want to hear about, and especially what happened on it, i'll skip the getting ready and go right on with the story. trunks and valises were packed, dinah and sam were told what to do while the bobbseys were away, and the children reminded the colored cook and her husband to be sure to feed snap and snoop plenty of things the dog and cat liked. "oh, i'll look after dem animiles all right, honey lamb!" said fat dinah to freddie. "i won't let 'em starve!" "and maybe i can get another dog in washington," said freddie. "and maybe i can find a cat!" added flossie. "fo' de land sakes! doan brung any mo' catses an' dogses around heah," begged dinah. at last everything was in readiness. mr. bobbsey had written to mr. martin, telling of the coming of the bobbsey twins to washington, after a short stay in new york. the children said good-bye to dinah and sam, as well as to snap and snoop, and then one day they were taken to the railroad station in the automobile. "all aboard!" cried the conductor, as the bobbseys scrambled into the coach of the train that was to take them to new york. "all aboard!" "oh, isn't this fun?" cried nan, as she settled herself in a seat with bert. "great!" he agreed. "i wonder what will happen before we get back." and it was going to be something very odd, i can tell you that much. chapter viii in new york the bobbsey twins had been to so many places, and had so often ridden in railroad trains, that this first part of their trip--journeying in the steam cars--was nothing new to them. they were quite like old travelers; at least nan and bert were. for flossie and freddie there was always sure to be something new and strange on such a long railroad trip. the two older twins had picked out a nice seat in the center of the car, and were comfortably settled, bert kindly letting nan sit next to the window. "you may sit here after a while," nan said to bert. "we'll take turns." "that will be nice," replied bert. but flossie and freddie were not so easily pleased. each of the smaller twins wanted to sit next to the window, and their father and mother knew that soon the little snub noses would be pressed close against the glass, and that the bright eyes would see everything that flashed by as the tram speeded on. but the trouble was that there were not enough seats for flossie and freddie each to have one, and, for a moment, it looked as though there would be a storm, freddie slipped into the only whole vacant seat and took his place next the window. "oh, i want to sit there!" cried flossie. "mother, make freddie give me that place! please do!" "no! i was first!" exclaimed the little boy, and this was true enough. "i want to look out the window and see the cows!" went on flossie, and her voice sounded as though she might cry at any moment. "i want to see the cows!" "and i want to see the horses," declared freddie. "if i'm going to be a fireman i've got to look at horses, haven't i?" he asked his father. "cows are better than horses!" half-sobbed flossie. "mother, make freddie let me sit where i can look out!" "children! children! this isn't at all nice!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "what shall i do?" she asked her husband in a low voice, for several of the passengers were looking at flossie and freddie, whose voices were rather loud. "i'll let flossie have my place," offered nan. "i don't mind sitting in the outside seat. here, flossie, come over here and sit with bert, and i'll sit with freddie." "thank you, very much, nan," said her mother in a low voice. "you are a good girl. i'm sure i don't know what makes flossie and freddie act so. they are usually pretty good on such a journey as this." but nan did not have to give up her place at the window, for a gentleman in the seat across the aisle arose and said to mr. bobbsey with a smile: "let your little girl take my seat near the window. i'm going into the smoking car, and i get off at the next station. i know how i liked to sit near a window, where i could see the horses and cows, when i was a little boy." "oh, thank you!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "that is very kind of you." so the change was made. flossie had a seat near one window, and freddie near another, and mr. bobbsey sat with his "little fireman," while mrs. bobbsey took the other half of the seat with the "little fat fairy." nan and bert were together, and so there was peace at last. on rushed the train taking the bobbsey twins to new york; and from there they were to go to washington, where a strange adventure awaited them. nothing very much happened during the first part of the journey. of course, flossie and freddie wanted many drinks of water, as they always did, and for a time they kept bert busy going to the end of the car to fill the drinking cup. but as it was winter and the weather was not warm, the little twins did not want quite as much water as they would have wanted had the traveling been done on a hot day in summer. and at last flossie and freddie seemed to have had enough. they sat looking out of the window and speaking now and then of the many things they saw. "i counted ten horses," announced freddie after a while. "they were mostly on the road. i didn't see many horses in the fields." "no, not very many horses are put out to graze in the fields in the winter, except perhaps on an extra warm day when there isn't any snow," said mr. bobbsey. "and i saw two-sixteen cows!" exclaimed flossie. "i saw them in a barnyard. two-sixteen cows." "there aren't so many cows as that; is there, daddy?" asked freddie. "well, perhaps not quite," agreed mr. bobbsey with a smile. "but flossie saw a few cows, for i noticed them myself." then the smaller twins tried to count the telegraph poles and the trees that flashed past, and soon this made them rather drowsy. flossie leaned back against her mother, and was soon sound asleep, while freddie cuddled up in daddy bobbsey's arms and, in a little while, he, also, was in by-low land. bert and nan took turns sitting next to the window, until the train boy came through with some magazines, and then the older twins were each allowed to buy one, and this kept them busy, looking at the pictures and reading the stories. it was a rather long trip from lakeport to new york, and it was evening when the train arrived in the big city. it was quite dark, and the smaller twins, at least, were tired and sleepy. but they roused up when they saw the crowds in the big station, and noticed the bright lights. "i'm hungry, too!" exclaimed freddie. "i want some supper. oh, dear, i wish dinah was here!" "so do i!" added flossie. "i guess my cat snoop is having a good supper now." "and i guess my dog snap is, too!" went on freddie. "why can't we have supper?" he asked of his father, and several of the passengers, hurrying through the big station, turned to laugh at the chubby little fellow, who spoke very loud. "we'll soon have supper, little fireman," said mr. bobbsey. "we might have eaten on the train, but i thought it best to wait until we reached our hotel, where we shall stay all night." "how long are we going to be in new york?" asked nan. "two or three days," her father replied. "i have some business to look after here. we may stay three days." "that'll be fun!" exclaimed bert. "there's a lot of things i want to see, and we didn't have time when we were here before." the twins had been in new york before, as those of you know who have read the book called "the bobbsey twins in a great city." the hotel was soon reached, and, after being washed and freshened up in the bathroom of their apartment, the bobbsey twins and their father and mother were ready to go down to supper. and not all the bright lights, nor the music which played all during the meal, could stop flossie and freddie from eating, nor bert and nan, either. the twins were very hungry. the next day mrs. bobbsey took nan and flossie shopping with her, while mr. bobbsey took bert and freddie down town with him as the lumber merchant had to see some men on business, and he knew the two boys could wait in the different offices while he talked with his men friends. "we will meet you in the woolworth building," said mr. bobbsey to his wife. "you bring flossie and nan there, and after we go up in the high tower we'll have lunch, and then go to the bronx park to see the animals." "oh, that will be fun!" cried freddie. "i want to see a bear--two bears!" "and i want to see ten--fifteen monkeys!" cried flossie. "well, i hope you all get your wishes!" laughed mother bobbsey. in one of the downtown offices where he had to stop to see a man, mr. bobbsey was kept rather a long time talking business, and freddie and bert got tired, or at least freddie did. bert was so interested in looking out of the high window at the crowds in the streets below, that he did not much care how long his father stayed. but freddie wandered about the outer office, looking at the typewriter which a pretty girl was working so fast that, bert said afterward, you could hardly see her fingers fly over the keys. the girl was too busy to pay much attention to what freddie did until, all of a sudden, she looked down at the floor and exclaimed: "oh, it's raining in here! or else a water pipe has burst!" she pointed to a little puddle of water that had formed under her desk, while another stream was running over the office floor. "why, it isn't raining!" declared bert, for the sun was shining outside. "it can't be!" "then where did the water come from?" asked the girl. "i--i guess i made it come!" confessed freddie, walking out of a corner. "i got a drink from the water tank, but now i can't shut off the handle, and the water's comin' out as fast as anything!" "oh, my!" cried the girl, jumping up with a laugh, "i must shut it off before we have a flood here!" "freddie! what made you do it?" asked bert. "i couldn't help being thirsty, could i?" asked the little boy. "and it wasn't my fault the handle got stuck! i didn't know so much water would come out!" and i suppose it really wasn't his fault. the girl soon shut oft the water at the faucet, and a janitor mopped up the puddle on the floor, so that when mr. bobbsey came out with his friend from the inner office, everything was all right again. and the business man only laughed when he heard what freddie had done. "now we'll go to the woolworth building," said mr. bobbsey to freddie and bert, as they went out on broadway. "i think mother and the girls will be there waiting for us, as i stayed talking business longer than i meant to." and, surely enough, mrs. bobbsey, nan, and flossie were waiting in the lobby of the big woolworth building when mr. bobbsey came up with the two boys. this building is the tallest one in the world used for business, and from the top of the golden tower one can look for miles and miles, across new york bay, up toward the bronx, over to brooklyn and can see towns in new jersey. "we'll go up in the tower and have a view," said mr. bobbsey, "and then we'll get lunch and go to the bronx, where the animals are." they entered one of the many elevators, with a number of other persons who also wanted to go to the woolworth tower, and, in a moment, the sliding doors were closed. "oh!" suddenly exclaimed nan. and flossie, freddie and bert all said the same thing, while mrs. bobbsey clasped her husband's arm and looked rather queer. "what's the matter?" asked her husband. "why, we're going up so fast!" exclaimed the children's mother. "it makes me feel queer!" "this is an express elevator," said mr. bobbsey. "there are so many floors in this tall building that if an elevator went slowly, and stopped at each one, it would take too long to get to the top. so they have some express elevators, that start at the bottom floor, and don't stop until they get to floor thirty, or some such number as that." "are there thirty floors to this building?" asked bert, as the elevator car, like a big cage in a tunnel standing on end, rushed up. "yes, and more," his father answered. "i like to ride fast," said freddie, "i wish we had an elevator like this at home." they had to take another, and smaller elevator, that did not go so fast, to get to the very top of the tower, and from there the view was so wonderful that it almost took away the breath of the bobbsey twins. "my, this is high up!" exclaimed bert, as he looked over the edge of the railing, and down at the people in the streets below, who seemed like ants crawling around. "well, i guess we'd better be going now," said mr. bobbsey, after a bit. "come, children! nan--bert--flossie--why, where is freddie?" he asked, looking around. "isn't he here?" cried mrs. bobbsey, her face turning white. "i don't see him," went on mr. bobbsey. "he must have gone inside." but freddie was not there, nor was he anywhere on the outside platform that surrounded the topmost peak of the tall building. "oh, where is he? what has happened to freddie?" cried his mother. "if he has fallen! freddie!" chapter ix washington at last the startled cries of mrs. bobbsey alarmed a number of other women on the tower platform, and some one asked: "did your little boy fall off?" "i don't know what happened to him!" said mrs. bobbsey, who was now almost crying. "he was here a moment ago, and now he's gone!" "he couldn't have fallen off!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "some one would have seen him. i think he must have gone down by himself in the little elevator. i'll ask the man." the elevator, just then, was at the bottom of the tower, but it was soon on its way up, and mrs. bobbsey fairly rushed at the man as he opened the door. "where is my little boy? oh, have you seen my little boy?" she cried. "well, i don't know, lady," answered the elevator man. "what sort of little boy was he?" "he has blue eyes and light hair and--" "let me explain," mr. bobbsey spoke quietly. "my little boy, freddie, was out on the tower platform with us looking at the view, a few minutes ago, and now we can't find him. we thought perhaps he slipped in here by himself and rode down with you." "well, he might have slipped into my elevator when i wasn't looking," answered the man. "i took two or three little boys down on the last load, but i didn't notice any one in particular. better get in and ride to the ground floor. maybe the superintendent or the head elevator man can tell you better than i. get in and ride down with me." "oh, yes, and please hurry!" begged mrs. bobbsey. "oh, what can have happened to freddie?" "i think you'll find him all right," said the elevator man. "no accident has happened or i'd have heard of it." "yes; don't worry!" advised mr. bobbsey. but mrs. bobbsey could not help worrying, and nan, bert and flossie were very much frightened. they were almost crying. even though the bobbseys got in an express elevator after getting out of the small, slower one, it could not go down fast enough to suit freddie's mother. when the ground floor was reached she was the first to rush out. one look around the big corridor of the woolworth building showed mrs. bobbsey that something had happened over near one of the elevators. there was a crowd there, and, for a moment, she was very much frightened. but the next second she saw freddie himself, with a crowd of men around him, and they were all laughing. "oh, freddie! where did you go and what have you been doing?" cried his frightened mother as she caught him up in her arms. "i've been having rides in the elevator," announced the small boy. "and it went as fast as anything! i rode up and down lots of times!" "yes, that's what he did," said the elevator man, with a laugh. "i didn't pay much attention to him at first, but when i saw that he was staying in my car trip after trip, i asked him at what floor he wanted to get out. he said he didn't want to get out at all--that he liked me, and liked to stay in and ride!" and at this the crowd laughed again. "and is that what you have been doing, freddie--riding up and down in the elevator?" asked mr. bobbsey. "yes, and i liked it!" exclaimed freddie. "i wished flossie was with me." "i'm here now!" said the "little fat fairy," laughing. "i can ride with you now, freddie." "no! there has been enough of riding," said mrs. bobbsey. "and you gave me a bad fright, freddie. why did you wander away?" "'cause i liked an elevator ride better than staying up so high where the wind blew," explained the little fellow. and when they asked him more about it he said he had just slipped away from them while they were on the tower platform, gone back into the room and ridden down in the elevator with the other passengers. no one realized that freddie was traveling all by himself, the elevator man thinking the blue-eyed and golden-haired boy was with a lady who had two other children by the hands. freddie rode to the ground floor, and then he just stayed in the express elevator, riding up and down and having a great time, until the second elevator man began to question him. "well, don't ever do it again," said mr. bobbsey, and freddie promised that he would not. after this there was a lunch, and then they all went up to bronx park, traveling in the subway, or the underground railway, which seems strange to so many visitors to new york. but the bobbsey twins had traveled that way before, so they did not think it very odd. "it's just like a big, long tunnel," said bert, and so the subway is. the bronx park is not such a nice place to visit in winter as it is in summer, but the children enjoyed it, and they spent some time in the elephant house, watching the big animals. there was also a hippopotamus there, and oh! what a big mouth he had. the keeper went in between the bars of the hippo's cage, with a pail full of bran mash, and cried: "open your mouth, boy!" "oh, look!" cried bert. and, as they looked, the hippopotamus opened his great, big red jaws as wide as he could, and the man just turned the whole pail full of soft bran into the hippo's mouth! "oh, what a big bite!" cried freddie, and every one laughed. "does he always eat that way?" asked mrs. bobbsey of the keeper. "well, i generally feed him that way when there are visitors here," was the answer. "the children like to see the big red mouth open wide. and here's something else he does." after the hippo, which is a short name for hippopotamus, had swallowed the pail full of bran mash, the keeper took up a loaf of bread from a box which seemed to have enough loaves in it for a small bakery, and cried: "open again, old fellow!" wide open went the big mouth, and right into it the man tossed a whole loaf of bread. and the hippo closed his jaws and began chewing the whole loaf of bread as though it were only a single bite. "oh my!" cried freddie and flossie, and freddie added: "if he came to a party you'd have to make an awful lot of sandwiches!" "i should say so!" laughed the keeper. "one sandwich would hardly fill his hollow tooth, if he had one." the children spent some little time in the bronx park, and enjoyed every moment. they liked to watch the funny monkeys, and see the buffaloes, which stayed outdoors even though it was quite cold. the bobbsey twins spent four days in new york, and every day was a delight to them. they had many other little adventures, but none quite so "scary" as the one where freddie slipped away to ride in the elevator. finally, mr. bobbsey's business was finished, and one evening he said: "to-morrow we go to washington." "hurray!" exclaimed bert. "then i can see billy martin." "and i can see nell. i like her very much," added nan. "and i'm going to see the big monument!" cried freddie. early the next morning the bobbsey family took a train at the big pennsylvania station to go to washington. nothing very strange happened on that trip except that a lady in the same car where the twins rode had a beautiful little white dog, and flossie and freddie made friends with it at once, and had lots of fun playing with the animal. "washington! washington!" called the trainman, after a ride of about five hours. "all out for washington!" "here at last, and i am glad of it," sighed mrs. bobbsey. "i shall be glad to have supper at the hotel and get to bed. i am tired!" but the children did not seem to be tired. they had enjoyed every moment of the trip. in an automobile they rode to their hotel, and soon were in their rooms, for mr. bobbsey had engaged three with a nice bath. he had decided it would be best to stay at a hotel rather than at the martins' house, because there were so many bobbseys; but they expected to visit their friends very often. it was evening when the bobbseys arrived in washington, and too late to go sight-seeing. but on the way to the hotel in the automobile they had passed the capitol, with the wonderful lights showing on the dome, making it look as though it had taken a bath in moon-beams. "oh, it's just lovely here!" exclaimed nan, with a happy little sigh as they went down to supper, or "dinner" as it is generally called, even though it is eaten at night. "scrumptious!" agreed bert. the bobbsey family had a little table all to themselves at one side of the room, and a waiter came up to serve them, mr. bobbsey giving the order. nan and bert and flossie and freddie looked about. it was not the first time they had stopped at a big hotel, but there was always something new and strange and interesting to be seen. bert, who had been gazing about the room, began to look at the dishes, knives and forks the waiter was putting on the table. suddenly the dark-haired boy took hold of the sugar bowl and turned it over, spilling out all the lumps. "why bert! you shouldn't do that," exclaimed his father. "i want to see what's on the bottom of this bowl," bert said. "it looks just like the one miss pompret lost, and if it's the same i'll get a hundred dollars! oh, look, it is the same! nan, i've found her lost sugar bowl!" cried bert. chapter x lost several persons, dining at different tables, looked over to the one where the bobbseys were. they smiled as they heard bert's excited voice and saw him with the empty, overturned sugar bowl in his hand. "yes, this is the very one miss pompret lost!" bert went on. "if we can only find the milk pitcher now we'll have both pieces and we can get the reward. look at the pitcher, nan, and see if it's got the dog--i mean the lion--on as this has." "don't dare turn over the milk!" cried mrs. bobbsey, as nan reached for the pitcher. "spilling the sugar was bad enough. bert, how could you?" "but, mother, that's the only way i could tell if it was miss pompret's!" said the boy, while flossie and freddie looked curiously at the heap of square lumps of sugar where bert had emptied them in the middle of the table. "let me see that bowl, bert," said mr. bobbsey a bit sternly. "i think you are making a big mistake. this isn't at all like the kind of china miss pompret has. hers is much finer and thinner." "but this has got a lion on the bottom, and it's in a circle just like the lion on miss pompret's dishes!" said bert, as he passed the bowl to his father. "are the letters there--the letters 'j.w.'?" nan asked eagerly. "i don't see them," said bert. "but the lion is there. maybe the letters rubbed off, or maybe the tramp scratched 'em off." "no, bert," and mr. bobbsey shook his head, "this sugar bowl has a lion marked on the bottom, it is true, but it isn't the same kind that is on miss pompret's fine china. this tableware is made in trenton, new jersey, and it is new--it isn't as old as that miss pompret showed you. now please pick up the sugar, and don't act so quickly again." "well, it looked just like her sugar bowl," said bert, as he began putting the square lumps back where they belonged. a smiling waiter saw what had happened, and came up with a sort of silver shovel, finishing what bert had started to do. "wouldn't it have been great if we had really found her milk pitcher and sugar bowl?" asked nan. "if we had the hundred dollars we could buy lots of things in washington." "don't count on it," advised mrs. bobbsey. "you will probably never see or hear of miss pompret's missing china. but i'm glad bert overturned the sugar bowl and not the milk pitcher searching for the lion mark." "oh, i wouldn't upset the milk'" exclaimed bert with a laugh. "i knew the sugar wouldn't hurt the tablecloth." so that incident passed, much to the amusement of the other hotel guests, and, really, no great harm was done, for the sugar was easily put back in the bowl. then dinner was served, and for a time the bobbsey twins did not talk very much. they were too busy with their knives, forks and spoons. bert wanted to go out and take a look at the capitol by night, to see the searchlights that were arranged to cast their glow up on the dome from the outside. nan, also, said she would like to take a little walk, and as mrs. bobbsey was tired she said she would stay in with flossie and freddie. so it was arranged, and mr. bobbsey took the two older children out of the hotel. it was still early evening, and the streets were filled with persons, some on foot, some in carriages, and many in automobiles. it was not far from the hotel where the bobbseys were staying to the capitol, and soon bert and nan, with their father, were standing in front of the beautiful structure, with its long flight of broad steps leading up to the main floor. "it's just like the picture in my geography!" exclaimed nan, as she stood looking at it. "but the picture in your book isn't lighted up," objected bert. "well, no," admitted nan. "the lights have not been in place very long," explained mr. bobbsey. "very likely the picture in nan's book was made before some one thought of putting search lamps on the dome." "could we go inside?" bert wanted to know. "i'd like to see where the president lives." "he doesn't live in the capitol," explained nan. "he lives in the white house; doesn't he daddy? our history class had to learn that." "yes, the white house is the home of the president," said mr. bobbsey. "but we could go inside the capitol for a few minutes i guess. the senators and congressmen are having a night session." "what for?" asked nan. "do they have to work at night?" "sometimes." "they don't work," declared bert. "they just talk. i know, 'cause i heard mr. perkins say so down in our post-office at home one day. he said all the senators and congressmen did was talk and talk and talk!" "well, they do talk a lot!" laughed bert's father. "but that is one of the ways in which they work. now we'll go inside for a little while." in spite of the fact that it was night the capitol was a busy place. later mr. bobbsey learned that the senators and congressmen were meeting at night in order to finish a lot of work so they could the sooner end the session--"adjourn," as it is called. bert and nan walked around the tiled corridors. they saw men hurrying here and there, messenger boys rushing to and fro, and many visitors like themselves. the children looked at the pictures and statues of the great men who had had a part in the making of united states history, but, naturally, nan and bert did not care very much for this. "it isn't any fun!" exclaimed bert. "can't we go in and hear 'em talk and talk and talk, like mr. perkins said they did?" "we'll go in and hear the senators and congressmen debate, or talk, as you call it, some other time," said mr. bobbsey. "we mustn't stay too late now on account of having left mother and freddie and flossie at the hotel. i think you've seen enough for the first evening." so, after another little trip about the corridors, bert and nan followed their father outside and down the flight of broad steps. "say, this would be a great place to slide down with a sled if there was any ice or snow!" exclaimed bert. "they wouldn't let him, would they, daddy?" asked nan. "hardly," answered her father. "well, i can have fun some other way," bert said. "i wish i could find miss pompret's dishes and get the hundred dollars." "so do i!" sighed nan. but their father shook his head and told them not to hope or think too much about such a slim chance as that. flossie and freddie were in bed and asleep when mr. bobbsey and bert and nan reached the hotel again, and, after a little talk with their mother, telling her what they had seen, the two older bobbsey twins "turned in," as bert called it, having used this expression when camping on blueberry island, and taking the voyage on the deep, blue sea. because they were rather tired from their trip, none of the bobbseys arose very early the next morning. "it's a real treat to me to be able to lie in bed one morning as long as i like," said mrs. bobbsey, with a happy sigh as flossie crept in with her. "and i don't have to think whether or not dinah will have breakfast on time. i'm having as much fun out of this trip as the children are," she told her husband. "i am glad you are, my dear," he said. "i'll be able to go around with you a little to-day, but after that, for about a week, i shall be quite busy with mr. martin. but mrs. martin and nell and billy will go around with you ant the children." "when are we going to see billy and nell?" asked bert, at the breakfast table. "to-day," answered his father. "i telephoned mr. martin last night that we had arrived, and they expect us to lunch there to-day. but first i thought i'd take the children into the congressional library building. it is very wonderful and beautiful." and it certainly was, as the children saw a little later, when their father led them up the broad steps. the library building was across a sort of park, or plaza, from the capitol. "we will just look around a little here, and then go on to mr. martin's," said mr. bobbsey. "it takes longer than an hour to see all the beautiful and wonderful pictures and statues here." mrs. bobbsey was very much interested in the library, but i can not say as much for flossie and freddie, though nan and bert liked it. but the two smaller bobbsey twins were anxious to get outdoors and "go somewhere." "well, we'll go now," said mr. bobbsey, when he and his wife had spent some little lime admiring the decorations. "come, freddie. where's flossie?" he asked, as he looked around and did not see his "little fat fairy."' "she was here a little while ago," replied nan. "i saw her with freddie." "where did flossie go, freddie-boy?" asked his mother. "up there!" and the little chap pointed to a broad flight of stone steps. "oh, she has wandered away," said mrs. bobbsey. "i'll run up and get her!" offered mr. bobbsey. up the stairs he hurried, but he came back in a little while with a queer look on his face. "i can't find her," he said. "oh, flossie's lost!" cried freddie. "oh, maybe she falled down stairs and got lost!" chapter xi the president really it was nothing new for one of the bobbsey twins to become lost--especially the younger set, flossie and freddie. some years before, when they were younger, it had often happened to nan and bert, but they were now old enough, and large enough, to look after themselves pretty well. but flossie or freddie, and sometimes both of them, were often missing, especially when the family went to some new place where there were strange objects to see, as was now the case in the congressional library. "where do you suppose flossie could have gone?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as she glanced around the big rotunda in which they stood with some other visitors who had come to the city of washington. "i'll have to ask some of the men who are in charge of this building," replied daddy bobbsey. "are you sure you saw flossie go up those stairs, freddie?" he asked the little fireman. "well, she maybe went up, or she maybe went down," answered the boy. "i was lookin' at the pishures on the wall, and flossie was by me. and then--well, she wasn't by me," he added, as if that explained it all. "but i saw a little girl go up the stairs and i thought maybe it was flossie." "but why didn't you tell mother, dear?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "if you had called to me when you saw flossie going away i could have brought her back before she got lost. why didn't you tell me that flossie was going away?" "'cause," answered freddie. "because why?" his father wanted to know. "'cause i thought maybe flossie wanted to slide down a banister of the stairs and maybe you wouldn't let her, and i wanted to see if she could slide down and then i could slide down too!" "well, that's a funny excuse!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "i don't believe flossie would slide down any banister here. but she has certainly wandered away, and we'll have to find her. you stay here with the children, so i'll know where to find you," mr. bobbsey said to his wife. "i'll go to look for flossie." "i want to come!" exclaimed nan. "no, you had better stay with mother," her father told her. "but i will take bert along. he can take a message for me in case i have to send one. come along!" he called to nan's brother. "all right, daddy," answered bert. up the big stone stairs went daddy bobbsey and bert. mrs. bobbsey, with a worried look on her face, remained in the big rotunda with nan and freddie. the two children were worried too. "do you s'pose flossie is hurt?" asked nan. "oh, no, i don't believe so," and mrs. bobbsey tried to speak easily. "she has just gone into some room, or down some long hall, and lost her way, i think. you see there are so many rooms and halls in this building that it would be easy for even daddy or me to be lost. but your father will soon find flossie and bring her back to us." "but if they don't find her, mamma?" "oh, they'll be sure to do that, nan. there is nobody around this building who would hurt our little flossie." "what an awful big building it is," remarked nan. "and just think of the thousands and thousands of books! why, i didn't know there were so many books in the whole world! mamma, do you suppose any of the people down here read all these books?" "hardly, nan. they wouldn't have time enough to do that." and now we shall see what happens to mr. bobbsey and bert. flossie's father decided to try upstairs first, as freddie seemed to think that was the way his little sister had gone. "of course, he isn't very sure about it," said mr. bobbsey to bert; "but we may as well start one way as the other. if she isn't upstairs she must be down. now we'll look around and ask questions." they did this, inquiring of every one they met whether a little blue-eyed and flaxen-haired child had been seen wandering about. some whom mr. bobbsey questioned were visitors, like himself, and others were men who worked in the big library. but, for a time, one and all gave the same answer; they had not seen flossie. along the halls and into the different rooms went mr. bobbsey and bert. but no flossie could they find until, at last, they approached a very large room where a man with very white hair sat at a desk. the door of this room was open, and there were many books in cases around the walls. "excuse me," said mr. bobbsey to the elderly gentleman who looked up with a smile as flossie's father and bert entered the room. "excuse me for disturbing you; but have you seen anything of a little girl--" "did she have blue eyes?" asked the old man. "yes!" eagerly answered mr. bobbsey. "and did she have light hair?" "oh, yes! have you seen her?" softly the man arose from his desk and tiptoed over to a folding screen. he moved this to one side, and there, on a leather couch and covered by an office coat, was flossie bobbsey, fast asleep. "oh! oh!" exclaimed bert. "hush!" said the old man softly. "don't awaken her. when she arouses i'll tell you how she came in here. it's quite a joke!" "you stay here, bert," said mr. bobbsey to his son, "and i'll go and get your mother, nan and freddie. i want them to see how cute flossie looks. they'll be glad to know we have found her." so while bert sat in a chair in the old man's office mr. bobbsey hurried to tell his wife and the others the good news. and soon mrs. bobbsey and the rest of the children were peeping at flossie as she lay asleep. and then, suddenly, as they were all looking down at her, the little girl opened her eyes. she saw her mother and father; she saw nan and bert and freddie; and then she looked at the kind old man with the white hair. "did you find a story book for me?" were the first words flossie said. "well, i'm afraid not, my dear," was the old man's answer. "we don't have story books for little girls up here, though there may be some downstairs." "is that what she came in here for--a story book?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i believe it was," answered the old man, with a smile. "i was busy at my desk when i heard the patter of little feet and a little girl's voice asking me for a story book. i looked around, and there stood your little one. i guessed, at once, that she must have wandered away from some visitors in the library, so i gave her a cake i happened to have in my lunch box, and got her to lie down on the sofa, as i saw she was tired. then she fell asleep, and i covered her up and put the screen around her. i knew some one would come for her." "thank you, so much!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "but, flossie, how did you happen to come up here?" "oh, i wanted a story book," explained the little girl, as she sat up. "we have story books in our library, an' there ought to be story books here. i looked in this room an' i saw a lot of books, so i did ask for one with a story in it. i like a story about pigs an' bears an'--an' everything!" finished flossie. "well, i wish i had that kind of story book for you, but i haven't!" laughed the old man. "all my books are very dull, indeed, for children, though when you grow up you may like to read them," and he waved his hand at the many books in the room. so flossie was lost and found again. the old man was one of the librarians, and he had taken good care of the little girl until her family came for her. after thanking him, mr. and mrs. bobbsey led their twins downstairs and mr. bobbsey said: "well, i think we have seen enough of the library for a time. we had better go and see the martins." "oh, yes!" cried bert. "billy said he'd take me to see the president." "and i want to go, too!" added nan. "we'll see!" half promised her mother. in an automobile the bobbsey family rode to where the martin family lived. and you can well believe that billy and nell were glad to see the bobbsey twins once more. mrs. martin welcomed mrs. bobbsey, and soon there was a happy reunion. mr. martin was at his office, and mr. bobbsey said he would go down there to see him. "then couldn't we go out and see the president while mother stays here and visits with mrs. martin?" asked nan. "nell and billy will go with us." "i think they might go," said mrs. martin. "billy and nell know their way to the white house very well, as they often go. it isn't far from here." "well, i suppose they may go," said mrs. bobbsey slowly. "and i want to go, too!" exclaimed freddie. "i want to see the dent." "it isn't a dent--it's president--the head of the united states!" explained bert. "our teacher told us about him, and she said if ever i came to washington i ought to see the president." "i want to see him too," cried flossie. "let all the children go!" said mrs. martin. "i'll send one of my maids to walk along with them to make sure that they keep together. it is a nice day, and they may catch a glimpse of the president. he often goes for a drive from the white house around washington about this time." "well, i suppose it will be a little treat for them," said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, goodie!" shouted freddie. so, a little later, the bobbsey twins, with nell and billy martin and one of the martin maids, were walking toward the white house. "there it is!" exclaimed billy to bert, as they turned the corner and came within view of the executive mansion, as it is often called. "oh, it is white!" cried nan. "just like the pictures!" added bert. "it's got a big iron fence around," observed freddie. "is that so the president can't get out?" "no, i guess it's so no unwanted people can get in," answered nell. the children and the maid walked down the street and looked through the iron fence into the big grounds, green even now though it was early winter. and in the midst of a great lawn stood the white house--the home of the president of the united states. suddenly two big iron gates were swung open. several policemen began walking toward them from the lawn and some from the street outside. "what's the matter?" asked bert. "is there a fire?" "the president is coming out in his carriage," said billy. "if we stand here we can see him! look! here comes the president!" chapter xii washington monument down the white house driveway rolled the carriage, drawn by the prancing horses. it was coming toward the iron gate near which, on the sidewalk, stood the bobbsey twins, with their new friends, billy and nell martin. on the front seat of the carriage, which was an open one, in spite of the fact that the day was cool, though not very cold, sat two men. one drove the horses and the other sat up very straight and still. "i should think he'd have an automobile," remarked bert. "he has," answered billy. "he has an auto--two of 'em, i guess. but lots of times he rides around washington in a carriage just as he's doing now." "that's right," chimed in nell. "sometimes we see the president and his wife in a carriage, like now, and sometimes in a big auto." by this time the carriage, containing the president of the united states, was passing through the gate. a crowd of curious persons, who had seen what was going on, as had the bobbsey twins, came hurrying up to catch a glimpse of the head of the nation. the police officers and the men from the white house ground kept the crowd from coming too close to the president's carriage. the chief executive, as he is often called, saw the crowd of people waiting to watch him pass. some of the ladies in the crowd waved their hands, and others their handkerchiefs, while the men raised their hats. billy put his hand to his cap, saluting as the soldiers do, and bert, seeing this, did the same thing. nell and nan, being girls, were not, of course, expected to salute. as for flossie and freddie they were too small to do anything but just stare with all their eyes. as the president's carriage drove along he smiled, bowed, and raised his hat to those who stood there to greet him. the president's wife also smiled and bowed. and then something in the eager faces of the bobbsey twins and their friends, nell and billy, attracted the notice of the president's wife. she smiled at the eager, happy-looking children, waved her hand to them, and spoke to her husband. he turned to look at the bobbseys and their friends, and he waved his hand, he seemed to like to have the children watching him. and then flossie, with a quick little motion kissed the tips of her chubby, rosy fingers and fluttered them eagerly toward the president's wife. "i threw her a kiss!" exclaimed flossie with a laugh. "i'm gin' to throw one too," exclaimed freddie. and he did. the president's wife saw what the little bobbsey twins had done, and, as quick as a flash, she kissed her hand back to flossie and freddie. "oh, isn't that sweet!" exclaimed a woman in the throng, and when, afterward, nan told her mother what had happened, mrs. bobbsey said that when flossie and freddie grew up they would long remember their first sight of a president of the united states. "well, i guess that's all we can see now," remarked billy, as the president's carriage rolled off down the street and the crowd that had gathered at the white house gate began moving on. the gates were closed, the policemen and guards turned away, and now the bobbsey twins and their friends were ready for something else. "where do you want to go?" asked billy of bert. "oh, i don't know. 'most anywhere, i guess." "could we go to see the washington monument?" asked nan. "i've always wanted to see that, ever since i saw the picture of it in one of daddy's books at home." "i don't believe we'd better go out there alone," said nell. "it's quite a way from here. we'd better have our mothers or our fathers with us. but we can walk along the streets, and go in the big market, i guess." "let's do that!" agreed billy. "there's heaps of good things to eat in the market," he added to bert. "it makes you hungry to go through it." "then i don't want to go!" laughed bert. "i'm hungry now." "i know where we can get some nice hot chocolate," said nell. "it's in a drug store, and mother lets billy and me go there sometimes when we have enough money from our allowance." "oh, i'm going to treat!" cried bert. "i have fifty cents, and mother said i could spend it any way i pleased. come on and we'll have chocolate. it's my treat!" "we may go, mayn't we, jane?" asked nell, of the maid who had accompanied them. "oh, yes," was the smiling answer. "if you go to parson's it will be all right." and a little later six smiling, happy children, and a rosy, smiling maid were seated before a soda counter sipping sweet chocolate, and eating crisp crackers. after that billy and nell took the bobbsey twins to the market, which is really quite a wonderful place in washington, and where, as billy said, it really makes one hungry to see the many good things spread about and displayed on the stands. "i think we've been gone long enough now," said the maid at last. "we had better go back." so, after looking around a little longer at the part of the market where flowers were sold and where old negro women sold queer roots, barks, and herbs, the bobbsey twins and their friends started slowly back toward the martin house. on the way they passed a store where china and glass dishes were sold, and there were many cups, saucers and plates in one of the windows. "wait a minute!" cried bert, as billy was about to pass on. "i want to look here!" "what for?" billy asked. "you don't need any dishes!" "i want to see if miss pompret's sugar bowl and cream pitcher are here," bert answered. "if nan or i can find them we'll get a lot of money, and i could spend my part while i was here." "why bert bobbsey!" cried nan, "you couldn't find miss pompret's things here--in a store like this. they only sell new china, and hers would be secondhand!" "i know it," admitted bert. "but there might be a sugar bowl and pitcher just like hers here, even if they were new." "oh, no!" exclaimed nan. "there couldn't be any dishes like miss pompret's. she said there wasn't another set in this whole country." "well, i don't see 'em here, anyhow!" exclaimed bert, after he had looked over the china in the window. "i guess her things will never be found." "no, i guess not," agreed billy, to whom, and his sister, nan told the story of the reward of one hundred dollars offered by miss pompret for the return of her wonderful sugar bowl and cream pitcher, while bert was looking at the window display. "well, did you have a good time?" asked mrs. bobbsey, when her twins came trooping back. "yes. and we saw the president!" cried nan. and then they told all about it. the bobbseys spent the rest of the day visiting their friends, the martins, and returned to their hotel in the evening. they planned to have other pleasure going about the city to see the sights the next day and the day following. "could we ever go into the house where the president lives?" asked nan of her father that night. "yes, we can visit the white house or, rather, one room in it," said mr. bobbsey. "what they call the 'east room' is the one in which visitors are allowed. perhaps we may go there tomorrow, if mr. martin and i can finish some business we are working on." after breakfast the next morning the bobbsey twins were glad to hear their father say that he would take them to the white house; and, a little later, in company with other visitors, they were allowed to enter the home of the president, and walk about the big room on the east side of the white house. "i'm going to sit down on one of the chairs," said nan. "maybe it will be one that the president once sat on." "very likely it will be," laughed mrs. bobbsey, as nan picked out a place into which she "wiggled." from the chair she smiled at her brothers and sister, and they, too, took turns sitting in the same chair. bert found a pin on the thick green carpet in the room. the carpet was almost as thick and green as the moss in the woods, and how bert ever saw the tiny pin i don't know. but he had very sharp eyes. "what are you going to do with it?" asked his father. "just keep it," the boy answered. "maybe it's a pin the president's wife once used in her clothes." "oh, you think it's a souvenir!" laughed mrs. bobbsey, as bert stuck the pin in the edge of his coat. and for a long time he kept that common, ordinary pin, and he used to show it to his boy friends, and tell them where he found it. "the white house president's pin," he used to call it. "and now," said mr. bobbsey, as they came from the white house, "i think we'll have time to see the monument before lunch." "that's good!" exclaimed nan. "and shall we go up inside it?" "i think so," her father replied. washington monument, as a good many of you know, is not a solid shaft of stone. it is built of great granite blocks, as a building is built, and is, in fact, a building, for it has several little rooms in the base; rooms where men can stay who watch the big pointed shaft of stone, and other rooms where are kept the engines that run the elevator. the bottom part of washington monument is square, and on one side is a doorway. above the base the shaft itself stretches up over five hundred feet in height, and the top part is pointed, like the pyramids of the desert. the monument shaft is hollow, and there is a stairway inside, winding around the elevator shaft. some people walk up the stairs to get to the top of the monument, where they can look out of small windows over the city of washington and the potomac river. but most persons prefer to go up and down in the elevator, though it is slow and, if there are many visitors they have to await their turns. if the bobbseys had walked up inside the monument they would have seen the stones contributed by the different states and territories. each state sent on a certain kind of stone when the monument was being built, and these stones are built into the great shaft. as it happened, there was not a very large crowd visiting the monument the day the bobbseys were there, so they did not have long to wait for their turn in the elevator. "this isn't fast like the woolworth building elevators were," remarked bert as they felt themselves being hoisted up. "no," agreed his father. "but this does very well. this is not a business building, and there is no special hurry in getting to the top." but at last they reached the end of their journey and stepped out of the elevator cage into a little room. there were windows on the sides, and from there the children could look out. "it's awful high up," said nan, as she peeped out. "not as high as the woolworth building," stated bert, who had jotted down the figures in a little book he carried. flossie and freddie had gone around to the other side of the elevator shaft with their mother, to look from the windows nearest the river, and, a moment later, mr. bobbsey, nan and bert heard a cry of: "oh, flossie! flossie! look out! there it goes!" chapter xiii a stray cat mr. bobbsey, who was standing near bert and nan, turned quickly as he heard his wife call and ran around to her side. "what's the matter?" he called. "has flossie fallen?" but one look was enough to show him that the two little bobbsey twins and their mother were all right. but flossie was without her hat, and she had been wearing a pretty one with little pink roses on it. "what happened?" asked mr. bobbsey, while one of the men who stay inside the monument at the top, to see that no accidents happen, came around to inquire if he could be of any help. "it's flossie's hat," explained mrs. bobbsey. "she was taking it off, as she said the rubber band hurt her, when a puff of wind came along---" "and it just blowed my hat right away!" cried flossie. "it just blowed it right out of my hand, and it went out of the window, my hat did! and now i haven't any more hat, and i'll--i'll--an'--an'--" flossie burst into tears. "never mind, little fat fairy!" her father comforted her, as he put his arms around her. "daddy will get you another hat." "but i want that one!" sobbed flossie. "it has such pretty roses on it, an' i liked 'em, even if they didn't smell!" "i guess the little girl's hat will be all right when you get down on the ground," said the monument man. "many people lose their hats up here, and unless it's a man's stiff one, or unless it's raining or snowing, little harm comes to them. i guess your little girl's hat just fluttered to the ground like a bird, and you can pick it up again." "do you think so?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "oh, you'll get her hat back again, ma'am, i'm sure," the man said. "there's lots of boys and young men who stay around the monument, hoping for a chance to earn a stray dime or so by showing visitors around or carrying something. one of them probably saw the hat flutter out of the window, and somebody will pick it up." "well, let's go down and see," suggested mr. bobbsey. "i think we have had all the view we want." "don't cry, flossie," whispered nan consolingly, as she took her little sister by the hand. "we'll get your hat back again." "and the roses, too?" flossie asked. "yes, the roses and everything," her mother told her. "if i were a big, grown-up fireman, i could climb down and get flossie's hat," said freddie. "that's what firemans do. they climb up and down big places and get things--and people," the little boy added after a moment of thought. "well, i don't want my little fireman climbing down washington monument," said mr. bobbsey. "it's safer to go down in the elevator." and, a little later, the bobbsey twins and their father and mother were back on the ground again. once outside the big stone shaft, they saw a boy come running up with flossie's hat in his hand. "oh, look! look!" cried the little girl. "there it is! there it is!" "is this your hat?" the small boy wanted to know. "i saw it blow out of the window, and i chased it and chased it. i was afraid maybe it would blow into the river." "it was very nice of you," said mr. bobbsey, and he gave the boy twenty-five cents, which pleased that small chap very much. flossie's hat was a little dusty, but the pink roses were not soiled, and soon she was wearing it again. then, smiling and happy, she was ready to go with the others to the next sight-seeing place. "where now?" asked bert, as they started away from the little hill on which the monument stands. "i think we'll go to the smithsonian museum," said his father. "there are a few things i want to see, though you children may not be very much interested. then i want to take your mother to the art gallery and after that--well, we'll see what happens next," and he smiled at the bobbsey twins. "i know it will be something nice!" exclaimed nan. "i hope it's something good to eat!" murmured bert. "i'm hungry!" "i'd like to see a fire!" cried freddie. "do they ever have fires in washington, daddy?" "oh, yes, big ones, sometimes. but we really don't want to see any, because a fire means danger and trouble for people." "and wettings, too," put in flossie. "sometimes when freddie plays fire he gets me wet." "well, i'm goin' to be a fireman when i grow up," declared freddie. "and i wish i had my little fire engine now, 'cause i don't like it not to have any fun." "we'll have some fun this afternoon," his father promised him. just as mr. bobbsey had expected, the children were not much amused in the art gallery or the museum. but mrs. bobbsey liked these places, and, after all, as nan said, they wanted their mother to have a good time on this washington trip. after lunch they went again to call on the martins, as mr. bobbsey had to see the father of billy and nell on business. "and where are we going to have some fun?" bert asked, as they journeyed away from their hotel toward the martin house. "you'll see," his father promised. the children tried to guess what it might be, but they could not be sure of anything. it did not take mr. bobbsey long to get through with his business with mr. martin and then the father of the twins said to mrs. martin: "can you let billy and nell come with us on a little trip?" "to be sure. but where are you going?" mrs. martin replied. "i thought we'd take one of the big sight-seeing autos and ride about the city, and perhaps outside a little way," said mr. bobbsey. "nell and billy can tell us the best way to go." "oh, yes! i can do that'" cried billy. "i often take rides that way with my uncle when he comes to washington. come on, nell! we'll get ready." "may we really go?" asked nell, of her mother. "yes, indeed!" was the answer. so, a little later, the bobbsey twins, with billy and nell and mr. and mrs. bobbsey, were on one of the big automobiles. it was not too cold to ride outside, as they were all bundled up warm. through the different parts of the city the sight-seeing car went, a man on it telling the persons aboard about the different places of interest as they were passed. in a little while the machine rumbled out into the quieter streets, where the houses were rather far apart. then the automobile came to a stop, and some one asked: "what's so wonderful to see here?" "nothing," the driver of the car answered. "but i have to get some water for the radiator. we won't be here very long. those who want to, can get out and walk around." "yes, i'll be glad to stretch by legs," said one man with a laugh. he was sitting next to mr. and mrs. bobbsey, and they began talking to him. nan and bert were talking to billy and nell, and, for the time being, no one paid much attention to flossie and freddie, who were in a rear seat. suddenly flossie called to her little brother; "oh, look! there's a cat! it's just like our snoop!" freddie looked to where flossie pointed with her chubby finger. "no, that isn't like our snoop," said the little boy, shaking his head. "yes, 'tis too!" declared his sister. "i'm going to get down and look at it. i like a cat, and i didn't see one close by for a long time." "neither did i," agreed freddie. "if that one isn't like our snoop, it's a nice cat, anyhow." the cat, which seemed to be a stray one, was walking toward the car, its tail held high in the air "like a fishing pole." flossie and freddie were in the rear seat, as i have said, and no one seemed to be paying any attention to them. their father and mother were busy talking to the man who had gotten down to "stretch his legs," and nan and bert, with billy and nell, were busy talking. "let's get down," proposed flossie. "all right," agreed freddie. in another moment the two smaller bobbsey twins had left their seat, climbed down the rear steps of the sight-seeing automobile, and were running toward the stray cat, which seemed to wait for them to come and pet it. chapter xiv stray children "nice pussy! come and let me rub you!" said freddie softly, as he held out his hand toward the stray cat. "yes, come here, snoop!" added flossie, as she walked along with her brother. "'tisn't snoop, and you mustn't call him that name," ordered freddie. "well, he looks like snoop," declared flossie. "but if that isn't his name he won't like to be called by it, no more than if i called you susie when your name's flossie," went on the little boy. "do you s'pose cats know their names?" asked flossie. "course they do!" exclaimed her brother. "don't our snoop know his name when i call him, same as our dog snap does?" "oh, well, but our cat is a very, very, smart cat!" "maybe this one is, too," freddie said. "anyhow, we'll just call him 'puss' or 'kittie,' and he'll like that, 'cause that's a name for any cat." "that's so," agreed flossie. so calling to the stray cat in their soft, little voices, and holding out their hands to pet the animal, flossie and freddie walked farther away from the sight-seeing car, and soon they were petting the cat that, indeed, did look a bit like snoop. they stroked the soft back of the cat, rubbed its ears, and the animal rubbed up against their legs and purred. then, suddenly, the cat heard a dog barking somewhere, and ran down toward the side entrance of a large, handsome house. "oh, come on!" cried freddie to his sister, as he saw the cat running away. "maybe there's some little cats back here, and we could get one to take home with us! come on, flossie!" flossie was willing enough to go, and in a moment they were in the rear yard of one of the big houses, and out of sight from the street where the auto stood, while the man was putting water in the radiator. the cat, once over its fright about the barking dog, seemed quieter now, and let the two little bobbsey twins pet it again. freddie saw a little box-like house in one corner of the yard and cried: "i'm going to look here, flossie! maybe there's kittens in it!" "oh, let me see!" exclaimed the little girl. forgetting, for a time, the stray cat they had started to pet, she and her brother ran over to the little box-like house. "better look out!" exclaimed flossie, as they drew near. "why?" asked freddie. "'cause maybe there's a strange dog in that box." "if there was a dog in this yard i guess this cat wouldn't have come in here," replied freddie. "the cat ran when the other dog barked, and there can't be a dog here, else the cat wouldn't come in." "i wonder what's there?" murmured flossie. "we'll soon find out," her brother said, as he bent over the little house, which was made of some boxes nailed together. there was a tiny window, with a piece of glass in it, and a small door. freddie began to open the little door, and he was not very much afraid, for now the cat was purring and rubbing around his legs, and the little boy felt sure that there could be no dog, or anything else scary, in the box-house, or else the cat would not have come so close. "maybe there isn't anything in there," suggested flossie. "oh, there's got to be something!" declared freddie. "it's a place for chickens, maybe." "it's too little for chickens," said flossie. "well, maybe it's a place for----" that is as far as freddie got in his talk, for, just then, a voice called from somewhere behind the children: "hi there! what do you want?" "oh!" freddie and flossie both called out in surprise as they turned. they saw, standing on the back steps of the big house, a boy about as big as bert. "we came in after this cat," said freddie, and he pointed to the stray pussy that was rubbing against his legs. "is it your cat?" the boy wanted to know. flossie shook her head. "we just followed after him," she said. "he was out on the street, and we saw him, and we got down to rub him, and he heard a dog bark, and he ran in here, and we ran after him." "oh, i see," and the boy on the back steps smiled in a friendly way. "so it isn't your cat." "no," answered freddie, "is it yours?" the boy shook his head. "i never saw the cat before," he answered. "it's a nice one, though, and maybe i'll keep it if you don't want it." "oh, we don't want it!" freddie said quickly. "we have a cat of our own at home. his name is snoop." "and we have a dog, too," added flossie. "but his name is snap. and we have dinah and sam. only they aren't a cat or a dog," she went on. "dinah is our cook and sam's her husband." "where do you live?" the boy asked. "oh, away off," explained freddie. "we live in lakeport, and we go to school." "only now there isn't any school," went on flossie. "we can't have a fire 'cause something broke, and we came to washington." "have you come here to live?" the strange boy questioned. "no, only to visit," explained freddie. "my father has to see mr. martin. do you know mr. martin?" the strange boy shook his head. "i guess he doesn't live around here," he remarked. "i've lived here all my life; but there's nobody named martin on this block. where did you come from?" "offen the auto," explained freddie. "we were riding on the auto with billy martin and nell, and our father and mother and nan and bert and----" "say, there are a lot of you!" cried the boy with a laugh. "it was a big auto," explained flossie. "but the man had to stop and give it some water, so we got down to pet the cat. it's a nice cat." "yes, it's a nice cat all right," agreed the strange boy, and he came down the steps and began to rub the animal. "i like cats," he went on to the children. "what's your names?" "flossie and freddie bobbsey," answered freddie. "what's yours?" "tom walker," was the answer. "i guess i know where you came from. it's one of those big, sight-seeing autos. they often go through this street, but i never saw one stop before. you'd better look to see that it doesn't go off and leave you." "oh, the man said we could get down," returned freddie. "and one man is going to stretch his legs. i'd like to see a man stretch his legs." he went on. "i wonder how far he can stretch them?" "not very far, i guess," remarked tom walker. "but i'm glad to see you, anyhow. i've been sick, and i had to stay home from school, but i'm better now, and i'm going back to-morrow. but i haven't had any one to play with, and i'm glad you came in--you and the cat." "'tisn't our cat!" flossie hastily explained. "oh, i know!" agreed the boy. "but he came in with you." "we thought maybe there were kittens in that box," and freddie pointed to the one he had been about to open. "oh, that was the place where i used to keep my rabbits," said tom. "i haven't any now, but maybe i'll get some more; so i left the little house in the yard. i like rabbits." "so do i!" declared freddie. "and their nose goes sniff-snuff so funny!" laughed flossie. "rabbits eat a lot of cabbage," she said. "if i had something to eat now i would like it." "say, i can get some cookies!" cried tom. "wait, i'll go in the house after some. you wait here!" "we'll wait!" said freddie. into the house bounded tom, and to the cook in the kitchen he called: "oh, please give me some cookies. there's a stray cat in our yard and some stray children, and i want to give 'em something to eat, and----" "my goodness, boy, how you do rattle on!" cried the cook. "what do you mean about stray cats and stray children?" chapter xv "where are they?" freddie and flossie walked slowly up the yard, away from the empty rabbit house, and stood at the foot of the back steps up which tom walker had hurried to ask the cook for something to eat for the "stray children." the little bobbsey twins had not heard what the cook said to tom after he had asked for something to eat. but the cook repeated her question. "what do you mean by stray cats and stray children?" "there are the stray children out in the yard now," answered tom. "they strayed away from some place, just as that dog i kept for a while once did. there was a stray cat, too, but i don't see it now." "stray children, is it?" cried the jolly cook. "oh, look at the little darlin's!" she exclaimed, as she saw the small bobbsey twins standing out in the yard, waiting for tom to come back. freddie and flossie certainly did look very sweet and pretty with their new winter coats and caps on, though it was not very cold. it was not as cold in washington as in lakeport. "do you think he'll bring us anything to eat?" asked freddie of flossie, as they stood there waiting. "i hope he does," the little girl answered. "i'm hungry." "so'm i!" freddie admitted. "i guess that cat was, too. where did he go?" the cat answered himself, as though he knew he was being talked about. he came out from under the back steps, rubbed up against flossie's fat, chubby legs with a mew and a purr, and then, seeing a place where the sun shone nice and warm on the steps, the cat curled up there and began to wash its face, using its paws as all cats do. "please, sarah, can't i have something to eat for the stray children, and maybe for the cat?" again asked tom of the cook. "oh, i dunno!" she answered. "sure an' you're a bother! your mother's out and i don't know what to do. these must be lost children, and, most likely, their father or mother's lookin' all over for 'em now. but i'd better bring 'em in an' keep 'em safe here, rather than let 'em wander about the streets. how did they come into our yard, do you think, tom?" "they just walked in, after the stray cat. they were on one of the big automobiles, and it stopped, so they got off. i told 'em maybe their folks would be looking for them," went on tom, who was older than flossie and freddie. "but they seem to think it's all right." "well, they're lost, as sure as anything," declared the cook. "but it's best to keep 'em here until their folks can come after 'em. i'll give you something for them to eat, tom, and then you must look after 'em, as i'm too busy, getting ready for the party your mother is going to have this night." the kind cook soon got ready a plate of cookies and some glasses of milk for flossie and freddie. and, as tom began to feel hungry himself when he saw something being made ready for his new little friends, a place was set for him, also, on a side table in the dining room. "call 'em in, now!" said the cook. "everything is ready. and is the cat there?" "yes," answered tom, as he looked out and saw the pussy curled up in the sun on the steps. "it's there." "well, i think i'll give it some milk," said the cook. so, a little later, flossie and freddie, the stray children--for that is what they were--sat down to a nice little lunch in a strange, house. tom walker sat down with them, and the stray cat had a saucer of milk in the kitchen. "i looked out in the street," said the cook, as she came back to get freddie another glass of milk, "but i don't see any automobile there. did you really ride here in an auto?" "oh, yes," answered freddie. "and the man on it all the time talked through a red horn, but i didn't know what he said." "that was the man speaking through a megaphone so everybody on the sight-seeing auto would know what they were looking at as they rode along," said tom. "they often pass through here, though i haven't seen any to-day." "but what to do about you children i don't know," said the cook, when flossie and freddie had eaten as much as they wanted. "if you did come here on an auto it's gone now, and there isn't a sign of it. i think you must have come two or three streets away from the car before you turned in here." "oh, no!" exclaimed freddie. "when we got down off the auto we saw the cat and we came in after it. the auto was right out in front." "well, it isn't there now," said the cook. "i guess it must have gone away and taken your folks with it. maybe they're looking for you. but i guess you'll have to stay here until they come to find you. you're too small to be allowed to go about alone." "we like it here," said flossie, settling back comfortably in her chair. "we can stay as long as you want us to." "and we can stay to supper if you ask us," went on freddie. "course mother wouldn't let us ask for an invitation, but if you want to ask us to stay we can't help it." "'specially if you have cake," added flossie, smoothing out her dress. "yes, 'specially cake!" agreed freddie. "oh my!" laughed the cook. "sure an' you're very funny! but i like you. and i only wish i knew where your folks were. but the best i can do is to keep you here until they come. they must know about where they lost you. come, tom, take the stray children out and amuse them. your mother'll be home pretty soon." if tom's mother had been at home she would have at once telephoned and told the police that she had two lost--or stray--children at her house, so that in case mr. and mrs. bobbsey inquired, as they did, they would know that the tots were all right. but mrs. walker was not at home, and the cook did the best she could. she made sure the children were safe and comfortable while they were with her. and, after they had eaten, tom got out some of his toys, and he and flossie and freddie had a good time playing about the house and in the yard. the stray cat wandered away while flossie and freddie were eating their little lunch, and the bobbsey twins did not see him again. now while flossie and freddie were having a pretty good time, eating cookies and drinking milk, there was much excitement on the big sight-seeing car where mr. and mrs. bobbsey, nan, bert, and the other, still had their seats. for some little time after the car had stopped to allow the man to put water in the radiator, neither mr. nor mrs. bobbsey missed their smaller twins. they were busy talking, and bert and nan were looking about and having a good time, talking to billy and nell martin. at last, however, the auto man called: "everything is all right! get on board!" that meant he was going to start off again, and it was not until then that mrs. bobbsey thought to look around to see if flossie and freddie were all right. and, of course, she did not see them. "flossie! freddie! where are you?" called mrs. bobbsey. there was no answer, and the seat which the two smaller children had been in on the big bus, was empty. "oh, daddy!" cried mrs. bobbsey, "flossie and freddie have gone." "gone? gone where?" mr. bobbsey asked, "that's it--i can't say," answered mrs. bobbsey. "the last i saw of them was when the auto stopped." "i saw the two little tots climb down off the rear steps of the car," said the man who had wanted to "stretch his legs." "they seemed to be going after something," he added. "it was a cat," said the woman next to the big man who had last spoken. "i saw the children get down and go toward a stray cat and then i got to thinking of something else." "oh, if it was a cat you might know it!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey with a laugh. "i guess they're all right. they can't have gone far. probably they are on the other side of the street, looking at some bedraggled kitten." but a look up and down the street did not show flossie and freddie. by this time the auto was all ready to start off again. "but we can't go without flossie and freddie!" cried nan. "i should say not!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "oh, where are they? where can my darlings have gone? what has happened?" chapter xvi the fire bell mrs. bobbsey's cries of alarm, of course, excited all the other passengers who had got back on the sight-seeing auto, ready to start off again. they had had a little rest while the water was being put into the radiator, and the man had "stretched his legs" all he wanted to, it seemed. "the children can't be far away," said mr. bobbsey. "they were here only a moment ago. even if they have wandered off, which is probably what they have done, they can't be far." "they're all right," the man who drove the car assured mr. bobbsey. "i didn't see 'em go away, of course, as i was busy, but i'm sure nothing has happened." "but what shall we do?" cried mrs. bobbsey, and tears came into her eyes. "it does seem as if more things have happened to flossie and freddie since we started on this trip than ever before." "oh, they'll be all right," declared mr. bobbsey. "i'll look around. perhaps they may have gone into one of these houses." "did you look under the seats?" asked bert. "under the seats!" exclaimed billy. "what good would that do? your brother and sister couldn't be under there!" "pooh, you don't know much about flossie and freddie!" answered bert. "they can be in more places than you can think of; can't they, nan?" "yes, they do get into queer places sometimes. but they aren't under my seat," and nan looked, to make sure. "nor mine," added nell, as she looked also. some of the other passengers on the auto did the same thing. mr. bobbsey really thought it might be possible that freddie and flossie, for some queer reason, might have crawled under one of the seats when the big machine stopped for water. but the children were not there. "oh, what shall we do?" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "they'll be all right," her husband answered. "they can't be far away." "that's right ma'am," said a fat, jolly-looking man. "some of you go and inquire in the houses near here," suggested the man who drove the auto. "and i'll go and telephone back to the office, and see if they're there." "but how could they be at your automobile office?" mrs. bobbsey wanted to know. "it might easily happen," replied the man. "we run a number of these big machines. one of them may have passed out this way while i was stopping here for water, and perhaps none of us notice it, and the children may have climbed on and gone on that car, thinking it was this one." "they couldn't get on if the auto didn't stop," said billy. "well, maybe it stopped," returned the driver. "perhaps it passed up the next street. the children may have gone down there and gotten on. whatever has happened, your little ones are all right, ma'am; i'm sure of that." "i wish i could be!" sighed mrs. bobbsey. several men volunteered to help mr. bobbsey look for the missing twins, and they went to the doors of nearby houses and rang the bells. but to all the answer was the same. flossie and freddie had not been seen. and the reason for this was that the small bobbsey twins, in following the stray cat, had turned a corner and gone down another street, and were on the block next the one where the auto stood. that was the reason the walker cook, looking out in front, could see no machine, and why it was that none of those who helped mr. bobbsey look for the missing children could find them. "well, this is certainly queer!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, when at none of the houses was there any word of flossie and freddie. "but what are we to do?" cried his wife. "i think we'd better notify the police," said mr. bobbsey. "that will be the surest way." "yes, i think it will," agreed the auto man. "i telephoned to the office, but they said no lost children had been turned in. get aboard, every one, and i'll drive to the nearest police station." away started the big auto, leaving flossie and freddie behind in the home of tom walker on the next street. and though mr. and mrs. bobbsey, with nan and bert and billy and nell were much worried, flossie and freddie themselves, were having a good time. for they were playing with tom, who showed them his toys, and he told them about the rabbits he used to keep. "i have had as many as six big ones at a time," tom said. "and i had one pair that had the finest red eyes you ever saw." "red eyes!" cried flossie. "what funny rabbits they must have been!" "oh, i know some rabbits have red eyes," declared freddie. "but not very many. bert said so." "i don't believe i'd like to have red eyes," answered his twin sister. "everybody'd think i'd been crying." "they're not red that way," explained tom. "they just have the color red in them; just as some people have black eyes, blue eyes, and brown eyes--like that." "oh! say, i heard nan say once that a girl in her room at school had one black eye and one grey eye. wasn't that funny?" "it certainly was," answered tom. and then he showed the little bobbsey twins a number of picture books and a locomotive which went around a little track. freddie and flossie were having such a good time that they never thought their father and mother might be worried about them. but, after a while, mrs. walker came home. you can well imagine how surprised she was when she found the two lost, strayed children in her house. "and so they got off one of the sight-seeing autos, did they?" cried tom's mother. "oh, my dears! i'm glad you're here, of course, and glad you had a good time with tom. but your mother and father will be much frightened! i must telephone to the police at once." "we'll not be arrested, shall we?" asked freddie anxiously. "no, indeed, my dear! of course not! but your parents have probably already telephoned the police, who must be looking for you. i'll let them know i have you safe." "why, course we're safe!" cried flossie. so mrs. walker telephoned. and, just as she guessed, the police were already preparing to start out to hunt for the missing children. but as soon as they got mrs. walker's message everything was all right. "they're found!" cried mr. bobbsey to his wife, when a police officer telephoned to the hotel to let the father of the small bobbsey twins know that the children were safe. "they're all right!" "where were they?" asked his wife, "all the while they were right around the corner and just in the next street from where our auto was standing." "oh, dear me!" cried mrs. bobbsey, "what a relief." "i should say so!" agreed mrs. martin, who had gone to the hotel, where her friends were staying, to do what she could to help them. "i'll get a taxicab and bring them straight here," said mr. bobbsey. a little later flossie and freddie were back "home" again. that is, if you call a hotel "home," and it was, for the time, to the traveling bobbseys. "what made you do it?" asked flossie's mother, when the story had been told. "what made you go after the stray cat?" "it was such a nice cat!" said the little girl, "and we wanted to see if it was like our snoop," added freddie. "well, don't do such a thing again!" ordered mr. bobbsey. "no, we won't!" promised freddie. "no, but they'll do something worse," said bert in a low voice to his friend billy, who had also come to the hotel. so the little excitement was over, and soon the bobbsey twins were in bed. not, however, before nan had asked her father: "where are you going to take us to-morrow?" "to mount vernon, i think," was his answer. "oh, where washington used to live!" remarked bert. "where--" but right there freddie went to sleep. "yes, and where he is buried," added nan. and then she, too, fell asleep. and she dreamed that flossie and freddie were lost again, and that she started out to find them riding on the back of a big cat while bert rode on a dog, like snap. "and i was so glad when i woke up and, found it was only a dream," said nan, telling nell about it afterward. there are two ways of going to mount vernon from the city of washington. mount vernon is down on the potomac river, and one may travel to it by means of a small steamer, which makes excursion trips, or one can get there in a trolley car. "i think we'll go down by boat and come back by trolley," said mr. bobbsey. "in that way we can see more." "i'd rather go on the boat all the while," said freddie. "maybe i could be a fireman on the boat." "oh, i think they have all the firemen they; need," laughed his father. "is mount vernon an old place?" asked nan, as they were getting ready to leave their hotel after breakfast. "quite old, yes," her father answered. "and do they have old-fashioned things there, like spinning wheels, and old guns and things like those in washington's headquarters that we went to once?" nan went on. "why, yes, perhaps they do," her father said. "why do you ask?" "oh, i was just thinking," went on nan, "that if they had a lot of old-fashioned things there they might have miss pompret's sugar bowl and cream pitcher, and we could get 'em for her." "how could we?" asked bert. "if they were there they'd belong to washington, wouldn't they, daddy?" "well, i suppose all the things in the house once belonged to him or his friends," said mr. bobbsey. "but i don't imagine those two missing pieces of miss pompret's set will be at mount vernon, nan." "no, i don't s'pose so," sighed the little girl. "but, oh, i would like to find 'em!" "and get the hundred dollars reward!" added bert. "don't think too much of that," advised their mother. "of course it would be nice to find miss pompret's dishes, and do her a favor, but i think it is out of the question after all these years that they have been lost." the weather was colder than on the day before, when flossie and freddie had been lost, and the sun shone fitfully from behind clouds. "i think we are going to have a snow storm," said mr. bobbsey, on their way to take the boat for mt. vernon. "oh, goodie!" cried flossie. "i hope it snows a lot!" "so do i!" added freddie. "could we send home for our sled if there's lots of snow, daddy?" he asked. "i hardly think it would be worth while," said his father. "we are not going to be here much more than a week longer. and it would be quite a lot of work to get your sleds here and send them home again. i think you'll get all the coasting and skating you want when we get back to lakeport." "anyway, we're having a nice time while we're here," said nan, with a happy little sigh. "it's fun when freddie and flossie don't get lost," added bert. "i'm going to keep watch of 'em this time." "i'll help," added nan. "oh, here are billy and nell!" she called, waving her hand to their new friends. the martin children were to go to mount vernon with the bobbsey twins, and they now met them near the place from which the boat started. "all aboard!" cried freddie, as they went on the small steamer that was to take them to mount vernon. "all aboard. i'm the fireman!" "there aren't any fires to put out," said, nell, teasing the small chap a little. "yes, there is--a fire in the boiler, and it makes steam," said freddie, who had often looked in the engine room of steamers. "but i'm not that kind of fireman. i put out fires. i'm going to be a real fireman when i grow up," he added. soon they were comfortably seated on board the boat, which after a bit moved out into the potomac. mr. and mrs. bobbsey were talking together. nan, bert, billy and nell were watching another boat which was passing, and flossie was near them. but freddie had slipped away, in spite of what bert had said about going to keep a watchful eye on his small brother. suddenly, when the steamer was well out in the river, there was the loud clanging of a bell, and a voice cried: "fire! fire! fire!" at once every one on the boat jumped up. the women looked frightened, while the men seemed uncertain what to do. "clang! clang! clang!" rang the fire alarm bell. chapter xvii freddie's real alarm "i hope nothing has happened--that the boat isn't on fire," said mrs. bobbsey to her husband. "that would be terrible!" "i hardly think that is it," he said. "there may be a small fire, somewhere on the boat, but, even if there is, they have a way of putting it out. i'll go and see what it is. you stay with the children." but just then, after another clanging of the bell, some one was heard to laugh--the ringing, hearty laugh of a man. "there!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, "i guess everything is all right. they wouldn't be laughing if there was any danger." "let's go to the fire!" cried bert. "i want to see it!" "so do i!" chimed in his new chum, billy, eagerly. "oh, can't we see it; whatever it is?" begged nan. "first i'll have to make sure there is a fire," replied mr. bobbsey. "i hope there isn't. but, if there should be a small one, and the firemen on the boat are putting it out, and if they let us get near enough to see, and if the smoke isn't too thick--" "oh, daddy! not so many 'ifs' please!" laughed nan. the bobbseys all laughed at this, as did nell and billy. "freddie would like to see the fire, if there is one," remarked nell martin. "oh, that's so! where is freddie?" cried bert. then, for the first time, mr. and mrs. bobbsey noticed that the little blue-eyed and light-haired boy was not with them. but at that moment around the corner of a deck cabin came a man wearing a cap with gold braid around the edge. he was smiling and leading by the hand a little boy. and the little boy was freddie! "oh, there he is!" cried flossie. "freddie, where were you?" she asked. "and did you been to see the fire?" "well, i rather guess he did!" exclaimed the man, who was the captain of the boat. "he was the whole fire himself!" "the whole fire?" cried mr. bobbsey. "do you mean to say that my little boy started a fire?" "oh, nothing as bad as that!" said the captain, and he smiled down on freddie who smiled up at him in return. "no, all your little boy did was to ring the fire alarm bell and then call out 'fire!' but of course that was enough to start things going, and we had quite a good deal of excitement for a time. but it's all right now, and i think he won't do it again." "just what did he do?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as freddie came over to stand beside his mother. he looked rather ashamed. "well, on the deck, back of the wheel-house, which is the little place where i or my men stand to steer the boat, there is a fire alarm bell. it's there for any one to ring who finds the boat on fire, and when the bell is rung all my firemen hurry to put out the blaze," said the captain. "now this little chap of yours went up and rang that bell, and then he cried out 'fire,' as i've told you. then--well, lots of things happened. but i couldn't help laughing when i found out it was a false alarm, and learned just why freddie, as he tells me his name is, rang the bell." "and why was that?" asked mr. bobbsey, quickly. freddie spoke up for himself. "the bell had a sign on it," said the little fellow, "and it said to ring it for a fire. i wanted to see a fire, and so i rang the bell and--and--" freddie's lips began to quiver. he was just ready to cry. "there, there, my little man!" said the captain kindly. "no harm is done. don't worry. it's all right," and he patted freddie on the shoulder. "you see it's just as freddie says," the captain went on. "there is a large sign painted near the bell which reads: 'ring this for a fire.' i suppose it would be better to say; 'ring the bell in case of fire.' i believe i'll have it changed to read that way. anyhow, your little boy saw the sign over the bell, and on the bell is a rope so low that any one, even a child, can reach it. so your freddie just pulled the rope, clanged the bell, and then he cried 'fire!' as loudly as he could. some one else took up the cry, and, there you are!" "and so you rang the bell, did you, freddie, because you wanted to see a fire?" asked the father of the little fellow. "yes," answered flossie's brother. "i wanted to see how they put out a fire on a boat, and the bell said for to ring for a fire, and i wanted a fire, i did; not a big one, just a little one, and so----" "and so you just naturally rang the bell!" laughed the captain. "well, i guess that's partly my fault for having the sign read that way. i'll have it changed. but your little boy is quite smart to be able to read so well," he added. "oh, i go to school!" said freddie proudly, "only there isn't any now on account of--well i guess the boiler got on fire," he added. "he's a regular little fireman," said mr. bobbsey. "he can't read very much, but one of the first words he learned to spell was 'fire,' and he's never forgotten it." the boat was now going on down the river toward mount vernon, and the excitement caused by the false alarm of fire was over. of course freddie had done wrong, though he had not meant to, and perhaps it was not all his fault. however, his father and mother scolded him a little, and he promised never to do such a thing again. i wish i could tell you that the bobbsey twins were interested in mount vernon, but the truth of the matter is that the two younger ones were so busy talking about freddie's fire alarm, and bert and nan, with billy and nell, also laughed so much about it, that they did not pay much attention to the tomb of the great washington, or anything about the place where the first president of the united states once had his home. of course mr. and mrs. bobbsey were interested in the place where the wonderful man had lived, and they looked about the grounds where he had once walked, and they visited the house where he had lived. but, really, the children did not care much for it. "when are we going back?" asked freddie several times. "don't you like it here?" asked his mother. "just think of what a wonderful and beautiful place this is!" "well," said freddie slowly, "i didn't see any fire engines yet." mrs. bobbsey tried not to laugh, but it was hard work. "i think we'd better go back to washington," she said to her husband. "i think so, too," he answered, and back to washington they went. this time they rode on a trolley car, and there was no danger of freddie's sending in an alarm of fire. and on the way home something quite wonderful happened. at least it was wonderful for freddie. he was looking out of the window, when suddenly he gave a yell that startled his father and mother, as well as nan, bert, nell and flossie, and that made the other passengers sit up. "oh, look! there's a fire engine! there's a fire engine!" cried the little chap, pointing; and, surely enough, there was one going along the street. it was bright and shiny, smoke was pouring from it and the horses were prancing. the other bobbsey twins turned to look at it, and bert said: "pooh, that's only coming back from an alarm." "that's so," agreed mr. bobbsey. "the horses are going too slowly to be running to a fire, freddie. they must be coming back." "well, it's a fire engine, anyhow," said freddie, and every one had to agree with him. freddie watched the shiny engine until it was out of sight, and then he talked about nothing else but fires on the way home. tired, but well satisfied with their trip, the bobbsey's reached their hotel, and the martin children went to their home, promising to meet the following day and see more washington sights. it was about the middle of the night that mrs. bobbsey, who slept in the same room with flossie and freddie, felt herself being shaken in bed. she roused up to see, in the dim light, freddie standing near her, and shaking her with his chubby hands. "what is it, dear?" asked mrs. bobbsey, sleepily. "fire!" hoarsely whispered freddie. "the house is on fire, and it's real, too, this time!" chapter xviii the oriental children at first mrs. bobbsey was too sleepy, from having been so quickly awakened, to really understand what freddie was saying. she turned over in bed, so as to get a better look at the small boy, who was in his night gown, and with his hair all tousled and frowsled from the pillow. there was no mistake about it--mrs. bobbsey was not dreaming. her little boy was really standing beside her and shaking her. and once more he said: "wake up, momsie! there's a real fire! this house is on fire, and we've got to get out. i can hear the fire engines!" "oh, freddie! you're walking in your sleep again," said his mother as she sat up, now quite awake--"you have been dreaming, and you're walking in your sleep!" freddie had done this once or twice before, thought not since he had come to washington. "the excitement of going to mount vernon, and your ringing of the fire bell on the boat has made you dream of a fire, freddie," his mother went on. "it isn't real. there isn't any fire in this hotel, nor near here. go back to sleep." "but, momsie, i'm awake now!" cried freddie. "and the fire is real! i can see the red light and i can hear the engine puffin'! look, you can see the light!" freddie pointed to a window near his mother's bed. and, as she looked, she certainly saw a red, flickering light. and then the heard the whistle which she knew came from a fire engine. it was not like a locomotive whistle, and, besides, there were no trains near the hotel! "oh, it is a fire!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "freddie, call your father!" mr. bobbsey slept in the next room with bert, while nan had a little bed chamber next to her mother's, on the other side of the bath room. but there was no need to call mr. bobbsey. in his big, warm bath robe he now came stalking into his wife's room. "don't be frightened," he said. "there's a small fire in the building next to this hotel. but it is almost out, and there is no danger. stay right in bed." "but it's a real fire, isn't it, daddy?" cried freddie. "i heard the engines puffin', and i saw the red light and it woke me up and i comed in and telled momsie; and it's a real fire, isn't it?" "yes, freddie, it's a real fire all right," said mr. bobbsey. "but don't talk so loud, nor get excited. you may awaken the people in the other rooms around us, and there is no need. i was talking to the night clerk of the hotel over the telephone from my room, and he says there is no danger. there is a big brick wall between our hotel and the place next door, which is on fire. the blaze can't get through that." "can't i look out the window and see the engines?" freddie wanted to know. "yes, i guess it would be too bad not to let you see them, as long as they are here, and it's a real fire," answered mrs. bobbsey. "i hope no one was hurt next door," she added to her husband. "i think not," he replied. "the fire is only a small one. it is almost out." so freddie had his dearest wish come true in the middle of the night--he saw some real fire engines puffing away, spouting sparks and smoke, and pumping water on a real fire. of course the little boy could not see the water spurting from the hose, as that was happening inside the burning building. but freddie could see some of the firemen at work, and he could see the engines shining in the light from the fire and the glare of the electric lamps. so he was satisfied. bert and nan were awakened, and they, too, looked out on the night scene. they were glad it was not their hotel which was on fire. as for flossie, she slept so soundly that she never knew a thing about it until the next morning. and then when freddie told her, and talked about it at the breakfast table, flossie said: "i don't care! i think you're real mean, freddy bobbsey, to have a fire all to yourself!" "oh, my dear! that isn't nice to say," said mrs. bobbsey. "we thought it better to let you sleep." "well, i wish i'd seen the fire," said flossie. "i like to look at something that's bright and shiny." "then you'll have a chance to see something like that this afternoon," said mr. bobbsey to his little girl. "where?" asked all the bobbsey twins at once, for when their father talked this way nan and bert were as eager as flossie and freddie. "how would you all like to go to a theater show this afternoon--to a matinee?" asked mr. bobbsey. "oh, lovely!" cried flossie. "could nell and billy go?" asked nan, kindly thinking of her little new friends. "yes, we'll take the martin children," mr. bobbsey promised. "and will there be some red fire in the theater show?" flossie wanted to know. "i think so," said her father. "it is a fairy play, about cinderella, and some others like her, and i guess there will be plenty of bright lights and red fire." "will there be a fire engine?" asked freddie. of course you might have known, without my telling you, that it was freddie who asked that question, but i thought i'd put his name down to make sure. "i don't know about there being a fire engine in the play," said mr. bobbsey. "i hardly think there will be one. but the play will be very nice, i'm sure." "i think so, too," said mrs. bobbsey. "we'll have a fine time." "will there be any cowboys or indians in it?" bert asked. "well, hardly, i think," his father answered. "but if we don't like the play, after we get there, we can come home," he added, his eyes twinkling. "oh, daddy!" cried all the bobbsey twins at once. and then, by the way their father smiled, they knew he was only joking. "oh, we'll stay," laughed bert. "oh, it's snowing!" cried freddie as they left the breakfast table and went to sit in the main parlor of the hotel. "it's snowing, and we can have sleigh rides." "if it gets deep enough," put in bert. "i guess it won't be very deep here, will it, daddy?" "well, sometimes there is quite a bit of snow in washington," answered mr. bobbsey. "we'll have to wait and see." "the snow won't keep us from going to show in the theater; will it?" asked nan. "no," her mother said. "nor to see the show given there," she added, smiling. after a visit to the martins, to tell them of the treat in store, the tickets were purchased, the bobbseys had dinner, and, in due time, the merry little party was at the theater. they were shown to their seats, and then the children looked around, waited eagerly for the curtain to go up, while mr. and mrs. bobbsey talked together. more and more people came in. there were a large number of children, for it was a play especially for them, though, of course, lots of "grown-ups" came also. the musicians entered and took their places on the funny little place back of a brass rail. then came the delicious thrills of the squeaking violins as they were tuned, the tap-tap of the drum, the tinkle of a piano, and the soft, low notes of a flute. "oh, it's going to begin soon," whispered nell to nan. "i hope it's a good show," said bert to his chum billy, and trying to speak as if he went to a matinee every other day at least. "oh, they have pretty good shows here," billy said. "look!" suddenly whispered nan, pointing to a box at their left. "look at the chinese children!" and, surely enough, into a near-by box came several boys and girls about the age of the bobbsey twins, and some almost babies, but they were dressed in beautiful blue, golden and red silken garments. and with them came their father, who also wore a silk robe of blue, embroidered with golden birds. "who are they--some of the actors in the play?" asked bert. "no, that's the chinese minister and some of his family, and i guess some of their friends," explained billy. "i've seen them before. they don't often dress up in the same kind of clothes they wear in china, but they did to-day." "oh, aren't they cute!" said nell to nan. "too lovely for anything!" agreed nan enthusiastically. many eyes were on the box, but the chinese minister and his beautifully dressed children did not seem to mind being looked at. the children were just as much interested in staring about the theater as were the bobbsey twins, and the oriental tots probably thought that the other children were even more queer than the american boys and girls thought the chinese to be. having given a good deal of attention to the chinese children in the box, the bobbseys looked around the theater at the other little folk in the audience. "oh, look at the funny fat boy over there!" cried out freddie in a loud voice. "hush, hush, freddie!" whispered nan quickly. "you mustn't talk so loud. every one will hear you." "but he is awful fat, isn't he?" insisted freddie. "he isn't any fatter than you'll be if you keep on eating so much," remarked bert. "oh, i don't eat any more than i have to," declared the little boy. "when you are really and truly hungry you can't help eating. nobody can!" "and you're hungry most all the time," said bert. "i'm not at all! i'm hungry only when--when--i'm hungry," was freddie's reply. then the orchestra began to play, and, a little later, the curtain went up and the fairy play began. i am not going to tell you about it, because you all know the story of cinderella. there she was, sitting among the ashes of the fire-place, and in came the godmother who made a pumpkin turn into a golden coach, and did all the other things just like the story. the play was a little different from the story in some books. in one scene a bad fairy sets off a lighted fire cracker under the palace of the princess. and on the stage, when this happened, there was a loud banging noise, just as bert and nan had often heard on the fourth of july. "bang'!" went the fire cracker. "oh!" cried nell, and she gave a little jump, she was so surprised. and many other were surprised, too, including the little oriental children. and they were so surprised that the smaller ones burst out crying. "oh dear! oh dear!" they cried, in their own language, of course, and the two smallest hid their faces down in their father's lap and cried salty tears on his beautiful blue robe. but he didn't seem to mind a bit. he patted the heads of the little, sobbing tots, and every one in the theater looked over toward the box, for the crying of the chinese children, who were frightened by the bang of the fire cracker, was very loud crying indeed. chapter xix "oh look!" for a time the actors on the stage, taking part in the fairy play, had to stop. they could not go on because the chinese children were crying so hard. and really it was a strange thing to have happen. then cinderella herself--or at least the young lady who was playing that part--seeing what the matter was, stepped to the front of the stage and said to the chinese minister: "tell your little children there will be no more shooting. they will not be frightened again. i am sorry it happened," and she bowed and kissed her hand to the older boys and girls, in the box. they were not frightened as were the smaller ones. "it is all right. they will be themselves again soon. i thank you," said the chinese minister, rising and bowing to the actress. he spoke in english, but with a queer little twist to his words, just as we would speak queerly if we tried to talk chinese. then the sobbing of the frightened children gradually ceased, and the play went on. but the bobbsey twins were almost as much interested in the queer, beautifully dressed foreign children in the box as they were in the play itself. indeed flossie and freddie looked from the stage to the box and from the box back to the stage again so often that their mother said they would have stiff necks. however, they didn't have, which only goes to show that children's necks can stand a great deal of twisting and turning without getting tired. so the play went on, and very pretty it was. cinderella tried on the glass slipper. it fitted perfectly, and everything came out all right, and she and the prince lived happily forever after. "is that all?" asked flossie, when the curtain went down for the last time, and the people began getting up to leave. "that's all," her mother told her. "didn't you like it?" "oh, yes, it was nice," said flossie. "but they didn't have as much red fire as i wanted to see." "and they didn't have a single fire engine!" sighed freddie. "too bad!" laughed bert. "we'll look for a show for you, freddie, where they have nothing but fire engines!" but, after all, even without quite enough red fire and not a fire engine on the stage, the play was enjoyed by the bobbsey twins and their little friends, the martin children. "where are we going?' asked nan, as they came out of the theater and mr. bobbsey led the children toward a big automobile that stood at the curb. "we are going to the martins for the evening," answered daddy bobbsey. "mr. martin sent down his auto for us, so we don't have to go out in the storm." "it was very kind of him," added mrs. bobbsey. "i like the snow!" cried freddie. "i'm going to make a snow fort, to-morrow, and a snow man." "and i'm going to make a little snow doll!" declared flossie. "wait until you see if there's snow enough," advised bert. "will there be much, do you think?" nan inquired of nell. "well, we don't often have a very heavy fall of snow here," was the answer, "though it sometimes happens. it's snowing hard now." and so it was, and the weather was getting cold, too, almost as cold as back in lakeport. but the bobbseys were used to it. their eyes were shining and their cheeks were red. flossie and freddie tried to catch the drifting snow flakes dancing down from the sky. but there was quite a crowd on the side-walk coming out of the theater, and every one seemed to get in the way of the little bobbsey twins, so they did not have much luck catching the white crystals. into the big, closed auto they piled, and soon they were rolling along the snow-covered streets of washington toward the home of nell and billy martin. mr. and mrs. martin would be waiting at their house to greet the bobbseys. it was dark, now, and the lighted lamps made the snow sparkle like a million diamonds. "oh, it's just lovely!" sighed nan, as she leaned back against the cushions and peered from the window. "it looks just like a fairy play out there," and nell pointed to the glittering snow. "it looks like--like one of those funny christmas cards that twinkle so!" declared freddie. "oh, it will soon be christmas, won't it?" exclaimed flossie, who sat on her mother's lap. "i wonder what i'll get!" "i want something, too!" cried freddie. "oh, won't it be nice at christmas!" "yes, it will soon be here--much sooner than we think," said mr. bobbsey. "shall we go home for christmas?" nan asked. "oh, yes," her father told her. "my business here is nearly finished, and we'll go back to lakeport next week." "aren't we going to buy anything to take home--souvenirs i mean?" added bert. "i promised to bring sam something." "and i want to take dinah a present!" declared nan. "yes, we must do a little shopping for things like that," said mrs. bobbsey. "you children will have a chance next week." and they talked of that, and the things they would buy, until the automobile stopped at the martin house, when they all went inside. after supper, or dinner as it is more often called, the children had fun playing games and looking at picture books, while the older folk talked among themselves. mr. and mrs. martin were quite interested in hearing of how the chinese children cried when the fire cracker went off. "i have never seen any of the ambassadors or the ministers from the oriental countries wear their native dress," said mr. martin. "but there is no reason why they shouldn't." "no," said mr. bobbsey, "there isn't. if we went to a foreign country we would want to wear the clothes we had always worn at home, and we wouldn't like to be stared at for doing it, either." the evening passed pleasantly, but at last mrs. bobbsey noticed that flossie and freddie were getting sleepy, so she said they would have to go back to the hotel and to bed. "and i hope the fire engines don't wake us up to-night," said nan. "i want to sleep." "i do, too," added her mother. nothing happened that night, and in the morning there was enough snow on the ground for the making of a small snow man, at least, and as many snowballs as the children wanted to throw at him. flossie and freddie were warmly dressed, and allowed to play out in a little yard in front of the hotel. it was rather a treat for washington children to have as much snow as they now had, and many were out enjoying it. flossie and freddie played as they did at home, and bert and nan, with nell and billy martin, who came over, watched the smaller twins. "let's throw snowballs at a target," said freddie presently. "i'm going to play i'm a soldier and shoot the cannon." "you haven't any target, freddie bobbsey," declared flossie. "yes, i have, too!" answered her twin brother. "just look here!" freddie had espied a small tin can standing in an areaway not far away. he ran to get this, and then set it up on a near-by iron railing. "there's my target!" he exclaimed; and both he and flossie began to throw snowballs at it and were in high glee when the can tumbled over. thus the fun went on for some time. after lunch mrs. bobbsey said: "now, children, if you wish, you may go out and buy some souvenirs. as long as nell and billy are here to go with you, i will not have to go, since they know their way about the streets near our hotel. i'm going to give you each a certain sum, and you may spend it in any way you like for souvenirs to take home to sam, dinah and your other friends. now start out and have a good time." the snow had stopped and the sun was shining, which meant that the white covering would not last long. but it gave a touch of winter to washington, and the children liked it. down the street went the six children, two by two, the four bobbsey twins and nell and billy martin. flossie and freddie walked together, then came billy and bert, while nan walked with nell. "here's a store where they have nice things," said nell, as they stopped in front of one, the windows of which held all sorts of light and pretty articles, from fans and postcards to vases and pocket knives, some with tiny photographic views of washington set in the handles. "let's go in there and buy something," proposed bert. in they trooped, and you may well believe me when i say that the woman who kept this store had a busy half-hour trying to wait on the four bobbsey twins at once. nell and billy did not want to buy anything, but the bobbseys did. at last, however, each one had bought something, and then bert said: "i know where to go next." "where?" asked nan. "around the corner," her brother answered as they came out of the souvenir shop. "there's a cheaper place there. i looked in the windows yesterday and saw the prices marked. we haven't got much money left, and we've got to go to a cheap place for the rest of our things." "all right," agreed nan, and bert led the way. the other store, just as he said, was only around the corner, and, as he had told his sister, the windows were filled with many things, some of them marked at prices which were very low. suddenly, as nan was peering in through the glass, she gave a startled cry, and, plucking bert by the sleeve, exclaimed: "oh, look!" chapter xx a great bargain bert bobbsey turned to look at his sister nan. she was staring at something in the jumble of articles in the second-hand shop window, and what she saw seemed to excite nan. "what is it? what's the matter?" asked bert, as nan, once more, exclaimed: "look! oh, look!" "is it a fire?" eagerly asked freddie, as he wiggled about to get a better view of the window, since bert and nan stood so near it he could not see very well. "is it a fire?" "oh, you and your fires!" laughed nell, as she put her hands lovingly on his shoulders. "don't you ever think of anything else?" "oh, is it a fire?" asked freddie again. "no, there isn't any fire," answered billy, laughing, as his sister nell was doing, at freddie's funny ideas. "but it's something!" insisted flossie, who had, by this time, wiggled herself to a place beside freddie, and so near the window that she could flatten her little nose against it. "what is it you see, nan?" asked bert. "if it's more souvenirs i don't believe we can buy any. my money is 'most gone." "oh, but we must get these even if we have to go home for more money!" exclaimed nan. "look, bert! right near those old brass candlesticks. see that sugar bowl and pitcher?" "i see 'em!" answered bert. "don't you know whose they are?" rapidly whispered nan. "look at the way they're painted? and see! on the bottom of the sugar bowl is a blue lion! i can't see the letters 'j. w.' but they must be there. oh, bert! don't you know what this means? can't you see? those are miss pompret's missing dishes that she told us she'd give a hundred dollars to get back! and oh, bert! we've got to go in there and buy that sugar bowl and cream pitcher, and we can take 'em back to miss pompret at lakeport, and she'll give us a hundred dollars, and--and--" but nan was so excited and out of breath that she could not say another word. she could just manage to hold bert's sleeve and point at the window of the second-hand shop. at last bert "woke up," as he said afterward. his eyes opened wider, and he stared with all his might at what nan was pointing toward. there, surely enough, among some old candlesticks, a pair of andirons, a bellows for blowing a fire, was a sugar bowl and cream pitcher. and it needed only a glance to make bert feel sure that the two pieces of china were decorated just as were miss pompret's. but there was something more than this. the sugar bowl was turned over so that the bottom part was toward the street. and on the bottom, plainly to be seen, was a circle of gold. inside the circle was a picture of some animal in blue, and nan, at least, felt sure it was a blue lion. as she had said, no letters could be seen, but they might be there. "don't you see, bert?" asked nan, as her brother waited several seconds before speaking. "don't you see that those are miss pompret's dishes?" "well," admitted the bobbsey lad, "they look like 'em." "they surely are!" declared nan. "oh, i'm so excited! let's go right in and buy them. then we'll get a hundred dollars!" she darted away from bert's side, and was about to move toward the door of the shop when billy caught her by the coat sleeve. "wait a minute, nan," he said. "what for?" she asked. "until bert and i talk this over," went on billy, who, though he was not much older than nan, seemed to be, perhaps because he had lived in a large city all his life. "you don't want to rush in and buy those dishes so quick." "why not?" demanded nan. "if i don't get 'em somebody else may, and you know miss pompret offered a reward of a hundred dollars. these are the two pieces missing from her set. her set is 'broken' as she calls it, if she doesn't have this sugar bowl and pitcher." "yes, i remember your telling me about miss pompret's reward," said billy. "but you'd better go a bit slow." "maybe somebody else'll buy 'em!" exclaimed nan. "oh, i don't believe they will," said nell, "this is a quiet street, and this shop doesn't do much business. we only come here once in a while because some things are cheaper. we never bought any second-hand things." "there's nobody coming down the street now," observed bert, who was beginning to agree with billy in the matter. "if we see any one going in that we think will buy the dishes, we can hurry in ahead of 'em. we'll stand here and talk a minute. what is it you want to say, billy?" "well, it's like this," went on the washington boy. "i know these second-hand men. if they think you want a thing they'll charge you a lot of money for it. but if they think you don't want it very much they will let you have it cheap. i know, 'cause a fellow and i wanted to get a baseball glove in here one day. it was a second-hand one, but good. the fellow i was with knew just how to do it. "he went in, and asked the price of a lot of things, and said they were all too high. then he asked the price of the glove, just as if he didn't care much whether he got it or not. the man said it was a dollar, but when jimmie--the boy who was with me--said he only had eighty cents, the man let him have the glove for that." "oh, i see what you mean!" cried nan. "you mean we must try to get a bargain." "yes," said billy. "otherwise, if you go in and want to buy those dishes first thing, the man may want five dollars for 'em." "oh, we haven't that much money!" cried nan, much surprised. "that's why i say we must go slow," said billy. "now you leave this to me and bert." "i think it would be a good idea," declared nell. "all right! i will," agreed nan. "but, oh, i do hope we can get those dishes for miss pompret." "and i hope we can get the reward of a hundred dollars," murmured bert. "i only hope they're the right dishes," said billy. "oh, i'm sure they are," declared nan. "they have the blue lion on and everything. and if they have the letters 'j. w.' on, then we'll know for sure. let's go in and see." "we've got to go slow," declared billy. "mustn't be too fast. let bert and me go ahead." "i want to come in, too!" declared freddie. "i want to buy a whistle. do they have whistles in here?" "i guess so," answered bert. "it will be a good thing to go in and ask for, anyhow." "sort of excuse for going in," suggested nell. "do they have ice cream cones?" asked flossie. "i want something to eat." "i don't believe they have anything to eat in here," said nell. "but we can get that later, flossie. now you and freddie be nice when we go in, and after we come out i'll get you some ice cream." "i'll be good!" promised flossie. "so'll i," agreed freddie. "but i want a whistle, and if they have a little fire engine i want that." "you don't want much!" laughed bert. "well, let's go in!" suggested billy. so, with the two boys in the lead, followed by nell and nan and flossie and freddie, the children entered the second-hand and souvenir store. a bell on the door rang with a loud clang as billy opened it, and when the children stepped inside the shop an old man with a black, curly beard and long black hair that seemed as if it had never been combed, came out from a back room. "what you want to buy, little childrens?" he asked. "i got a lot of nice things, cheap! very cheap!" "well, if you've got something very cheap we might buy it," answered billy, with as nearly a grown-up manner as he could assume. "but we haven't much money." "ha! ha! that's what they all say!" exclaimed the old man. "but everybody has more money that what i has. i'm very poor. i don't hardly make a living i sell things so cheap. what you want to buy, little childrens?" "have you got any whistles or fire engines?" burst out freddie, unable to wait any longer. "whistles? lots of 'em!" exclaimed the man. "here is a finest whistle what ever was. listen to it!" he took one from the show case and blew into it. not a sound came out. "ach! i guess that one is damaged," he said. "but i got other ones. here! listen to this!" the next one blew loud and shrill. "i want that!" cried freddie. "ten cents!" said the man, holding it out to the little boy. "what?" cried billy. "why, i can buy those whistles for five cents anywhere in washington! ten cents? i guess not!" "oh, well, take it for seven cents then," said the man. "what i care if i die poor. take it for seven cents!" "no, sir!" exclaimed billy firmly. "five cents is all they cost, and this is an old one." "oh, well. take it for five then. what i care if you cheats a poor old man? such a boy as you are! take it for five cents!" and he handed the whistle to freddie. but before he could take it nan said, gently: "i think it would be better for him to have a fresh one from the box. that is all dusty." the truth was she did not want freddie to take a whistle the old man had blown into. "oh, well, i gives you a fresh one," he said, and he took a new and shining one from the box. freddie blew it, making a shrill sound. "what else you want to buy, little childrens?" asked the old man. "i sell everythings cheap--everythings!" "ask how much the dishes are," whispered nan to billy. but he shook his head, and looked around the shop. he looked everywhere but at the window where the dishes were. "any sailboats?" asked billy, as if that was all he had come in to inquire about. "sailboats?" cried the man. "sailboats?" "yes, toy sailboats." "no, i haven't got any of them, but i got a nice football. here i show you!" "i don't want a football. you can't play football when the snow is on the ground!" exclaimed bert, as the man started toward some shelves on the other side of the room. "i want a doll," whispered flossie. "just a little doll." "a doll!" exclaimed the man. "sure i gots a fine lot of dolls. see!" quickly he held out a large one with very blue eyes and hair just like flossie's. "only a dollar seventy-five," he said. "very cheap!" "oh, that's too much!" exclaimed nan. "we haven't that much money. she wants only a little ten-cent doll." "oh, well, i have them kinds too!" said the man, in disappointed tones. "here you are!" he held out one that did not appear to be very nice. "you can get those for five cents in the other stores," whispered nell. "better take it," said her brother. "then i'll ask about the dishes." "yes, we'll take it," agreed nan. so flossie was given her doll, and, even though it might have been only five cents somewhere else, she liked it just as well. "what else you wants to buy, childrens?" asked the old man. "i got lots more things so cheap--oh, so very cheap!" billy and bert strolled over to the window. they looked down in. nan crowded to their side. she felt sure, now, that the two pieces of china were the very ones miss pompret wanted. if they could only get that sugar bowl and pitcher! "i wish you had a sailboat!" murmured billy, as if that was all he cared about. then, turning to nan he asked: "would you like that sugar bowl and pitcher?" "oh, yes, i think i would!" she exclaimed, trying not to make her voice seem too eager. "you might have a play party with them," billy went on. if miss pompret could have heard him then i feel sure she would have fainted, or had what dinah would call "a cat in a fit." "you want those dishes?" asked the old man, as he reached over and lifted the sugar bowl and pitcher from his window. "ach! them is a great bargain. i let you have them cheap. and see, not a chip or a crack on 'em. good china, too! very valuable, but they is all i have left. i sells 'em cheap." bert took the sugar bowl and looked closely at it, while nan took the pitcher. the children felt sure these were the same pieces that would fill out miss pompret's set. "look at the mark on the bottom," whispered nan to bert, as the storekeeper hurried to the other side of the room to rescue a pile of chairs which freddie seemed bent on pulling down. "is the blue lion there?" "yes," answered bert, "it is." "and the letters 'j. w.'?" "yes," bert replied. "but, somehow, it doesn't look like the one on miss pompret's plates." "oh, i'm sure it's the same one!" insisted nan. "we've found the missing pieces, bert, and we'll get--" "hush!" cautioned billy, for the old man was coming back. "you want to buy them?" he asked. "i sell cheap. it's a great bargain." "where did they come from?" asked bert. "come from? how shoulds i know. maybe i get 'em at a fire sale, or maybe all the other dishes in that set get broken, and these all what are left. somebody bring 'em in, and i buys 'em, or my wife she buys 'em. how can i tells so long ago?" "oh, well, maybe we might take 'em for the girls to have a play party with their own set of dishes," went on billy. "but i wish you had a toy ship. how much for these dishes--this sugar bowl and pitcher?" "how much? oh, i let you have these very cheap. they is worth five dollars--very rare china--very thin but hard to break. these is a good bargain--a great bargain. you shall have them for--two dollars!" chapter xxi just suppose nan bobbsey gave gasp, just as if she had fallen into a bath tub full of cold water. bert quickly glanced at his friend billy. nell had hurried over to the other side of the room to stop flossie from pulling a pile of dusty magazines from a shelf down on top of herself. billy seemed to be the only one who was not excited. "two dollars?" he repeated. "that's a lot of money." "what? a lot of money for rich childrens? ha! ha! that's only a little moneys!" laughed the man, rubbing his hands. "we aren't rich," said bert. "and i don't believe we have two dollars." he was pretty sure he and nan had not that much, at any rate. "how much you got?" asked the man eagerly. "maybe i let you have these dishes cheaper, but they's worth more as two dollars. how much you all got?" "how much have you?" asked billy of bert. bert pulled some change from his pocket. the two boys counted it. "eighty-seven cents," announced bert, when they had counted it twice. "oh, that isn't half enough!" cried the old man. "i have some money," announced nan, bringing out her little purse. "how much?" asked the man. that seemed to be all he could think about. nan and nell counted the change. it amounted to thirty-two cents. "how much is thirty-two and eighty-seven?" asked nell. bert and billy figured it on a piece of paper. "a dollar and twenty-nine cents," announced, bert. "no, it's only a dollar and nineteen," declared billy, who was a little better at figures than was his chum. "how much?" asked the old man, for the children had done their counting on the other side of the room, and in whispers. "a dollar and nineteen cents!" announced billy. "oh, i couldn't let you have these dishes, for that," said the old man, and he seemed about to take them from the counter where they had been put, to place them back in the window. "wait a minute," said billy. "these dishes are worth only a dollar, but i have fifteen cents i can lend you, bert. that will make a dollar and thirty-four cents. that's all we have and if you don't want to sell the dishes for that, we can go and get 'em somewhere else." nan was about to gasp out: "oh!" but a look from billy stopped her. she saw what he was trying to do. "a dollar thirty-four--that's all the moneys you got?" asked the old man. "every cent we're going to give!" declared billy firmly. "if you'll sell the play dishes for that all right. if you won't--" he seemed about to leave. "oh, well, what i cares if i die in the poor-house?" asked the old man. "here! take 'em. but i am losing money. those is valuable dishes. if i had more i could sell 'em for ten dollars maybe. but as they is all i got take 'em for a dollar and thirty-four. you couldn't make it a dollar thirty-five, could you?" "no," said bert decidedly, "we couldn't!" "oh, dear!" sighed the old man. "take 'em, then." "they're awfully dusty," complained nell, as she looked at the sugar bowl and pitcher. "that's 'cause they're so old and valuable, my dear," snarled the old man. "but my wife she dust them off for you, and i wrap them up, though i ought to charge you a penny for a sheet of paper. but what i care if i dies in the poorhouse." "are you goin' there soon?" asked flossie. "we've got a poorhouse at lakeport, and it's awful nice." "oh, well, little one, maybe i don't go there just yet," said the man who spoke wrong words sometimes. "here, mina!" he called, and a woman, almost as old as he, came from the back room. "wipe off the dust. i have sold the old dishes--the valuable old dishes." "ah, such a bargain as they got!" murmured the old woman. "them is valuable china. such a bargains!" "where did you get them?" asked nan, as the dishes were being wrapped and the old man was counting over the nickels, dimes and pennies of the children's money. "where i get them? of how should i know? maybe they come in by somebody what sell them for money. maybe we buy them in some old house like washington's. it is long ago. we have had them in the shop a long time, but the older they are the better they get. they is all the better for being old--a better bargain, my dear!" and the old woman smiled, showing a mouth from which many teeth were missing. "well, come on," said billy, when the dishes had been wrapped and given to bert, who carried them carefully. "but i wish you had some sailboats," he said to the old man, as if that was all they had come in to buy. "i have some next week," answered the old man. "comes around then and have a big bargains in a sailsboats." "maybe i will," agreed billy. out of the shop walked the bobbsey twins and their chums, the martin children of washington. and the hearts of bert and nan, at least, were beating quickly with excitement and hope. as for flossie, she was holding her doll, and freddie was blowing his whistle. "i'm a regular fire engine now," declared freddie. "don't you hear how the engine is blowing the whistle?" "you'll have everybody looking at you, freddie bobbsey!" exclaimed flossie. "nan, do make him stop his noise." "oh, let him blow his whistle if he wants to," said bert. "it isn't hurting anybody." "i know what i'm going to do when i get home," said flossie. "i'm going to put a brand new dress on this doll, and give her a new hat, too." "that will be nice," said nan. at that moment they had to cross at a street corner which was much crowded. there was a policeman there to regulate the coming and going of the people and carriages and automobiles, and when he blew his whistle the traffic would go up and down one street, and then when he blew his whistle again it would go up and down the other. the policeman had just blown on his whistle, and the traffic was going past the bobbsey twins when freddie gave a sudden loud blow. immediately some of the carriages and automobiles going in one direction stopped short and the others commenced to go the other way. "for gracious sake, freddie! see what you have done," gasped bert. the traffic policeman who stood in the middle of the two streets looked very much surprised. then he saw it was freddie who had blown the whistle, and he shook his finger at the little boy in warning. "he wants you to stop," said nan, and made freddie put the whistle in his pocket for the time being. then the bobbseys and their friends hurried on their way. "i'll give you the fifteen cents as soon as we get back to the hotel, billy," said bert. "oh, that's all right," his chum answered. "i'm in no hurry. do you think we paid too much for the dishes?" "oh, no!" exclaimed nan. "i'd have given the two dollars if i'd had it. why, miss pompret will give us a hundred dollars for these two pieces." "that's fifty dollars apiece!" exclaimed nell. "it doesn't seem that they could be worth that." "oh, but she wants them to make up her set," said bert. "just these two pieces are missing. i wonder how they came to be in that second-hand store?" "maybe the tramp who took them years ago brought them here and sold them," suggested nan. "but i don't suppose we'll ever really find out." eager and excited, the bobbsey twins and their friends walked back toward the hotel. "won't mother and father be surprised when they find we have the pompret china?" asked nan of her brother. "yes," he answered, "i guess they will. but, oh, nan! just suppose!" "suppose what?" she asked, for bert seemed worried over something. "suppose these aren't the right dishes, after all? s'posin' these aren't the ones miss pompret wants?" chapter xxii happy days nan bobbsey was so surprised by what bert said that she stood still in the street and looked at her brother. then she looked at the precious package he was carrying. "bert bobbsey!" she exclaimed, "these must be the same as miss pompret's! why they have the blue lion on, and the circle of gold, and the letters 'j. w.' and--and everything!" "yes, i saw that, too," agreed bert. "but still they might not be the same dishes." "oh, dear!" sighed nan. "and we paid all that money, too!" "oh, i guess they must be the same," put in nell. "anyhow, you can take 'em to the hotel and ask your mother." "yes, mother might know," agreed nan. "and if she says those dishes aren't the ones you want, why we can take 'em back and the man will give us our money," said billy. "oh, he'd never do that!" declared bert. "well, we can ask him," went on the washington lad. "maybe the dishes are miss pompret's, after all," said bert. "i was just s'posin'. and if they aren't, why we can give 'em to dinah for souvenirs. i was going to get her something anyhow." "but they cost a lot of money," objected nan. "well, dinah is awful good to us," said bert. "and she'd like these dishes if they aren't miss pompret's." "but i do hope they are," sighed nan. "think of a whole hundred dollars!" "it would scare me to get all that money," said nell. "oh, i do hope they are the right sugar bowl and pitcher!" back to the hotel hurried the bobbsey twins. flossie and freddie, happy with their toys--the doll and the whistles--did not care much one way or the other about the dishes and the reward. but bert and nan were very much excited. "well, you've been gone rather a long time buying souvenirs," said mrs. bobbsey, when the twins and the martin children came in. "and oh, mother, we've had the most wonderful time!" burst out nan. "we've found miss pompret's missing china dishes--the two she has wanted so long--the ones the tramp took and she's going to give a reward of a hundred dollars for, you know--and--and--" "yes, and i know you're excited!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "now cool down and tell me all about it." "and here are the dishes," added bert, as he set the precious bundle down on the table. "look at 'em, mother, and see if they are the ones like miss pompret's set. you saw her dishes, didn't you?" "yes, but i am not sure i would know them again." "i owe billy fifteen cents," went on bert, as he unwrapped the dishes. "we didn't have money enough. the man wanted two dollars, but billy got him down to a dollar and thirty-four cents." "billy is quite a little bargainer," said mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "and now to look at the dishes." she carefully examined the sugar bowl and cream pitcher. there was no doubt about the blue lion in the circle of gold being stamped on the bottom of each piece. there were also the initials "j. w." which might stand for jonathan waredon, the man who made such rare china. "well, i should say that these pieces were just like those in miss pompret's set," said mrs. bobbsey, after a pause. "but whether they are exactly the same or not, i can't tell. she would have to look at them herself." "i wish we could hurry home and show them to her," sighed nan. "so do i," said bert. "i want to get that hundred dollars." "well, we'll be going back to lakeport in a few days now," said his mother. "our stay in washington is nearly over." "oh, dear!" sighed nell. "i wish you could stay longer." "so do i," added her brother billy. bert gave billy back the borrowed fifteen cents, and when mr. bobbsey, having been out on lumber business, came home, he, too, said he thought the pieces belonged to miss pompret's set of rare china. "but there is only one sure way to tell," the twins' father said. "miss pompret must see them herself." the few remaining days the bobbsey twins spent in washington were filled with good times. they were nicely entertained by the martins, and went on many excursions to places of interest. but, all the while, bert and nan, at least, were thinking of the sugar bowl and pitcher, and the hundred dollars reward miss pompret had promised. "i do hope we don't have to give the dishes to dinah for souvenirs," said nan to bert. "i hope so, too," he agreed. "anyhow, i bought dinah a red handkerchief with a yellow border and a green center. she likes bright colors." "i bought her something, too, and for sam i got something he can hang on his watch chain," said nan. "so if we have to give dinah the dishes, too, she'll have a lot of souvenirs." at last the day came when the bobbseys must leave washington for lakeport. goodbyes were said to the martins, and they promised to visit the bobbseys at lakeport some time. mr. bobbsey finished his lumber business, and then with trunks and valises packed and locked, and with the precious dishes put carefully in the middle of a satchel which bert insisted on carrying, the homeward trip was begun. not very much happened on it, except that once bert forgot the valise with the dishes in it, having left it in a car, but he thought of it in time and ran back to get it just before the train was about to start away with it. after that he was more careful. "well, honey lambs! i suah is glad to see yo' all back!" cried dinah, as she welcomed the bobbsey twins at their own door. "come right in, i'se got lots fo' yo' all to eat! come in, honey lambs! how am mah little fat fairy and' mah little fireman?" "oh, we're fine, dinah!" said freddie, "and i saw a real fire and i pulled the fire bell on the boat an'--an'--an'--everything!" "bress yo' heart, honey lamb! i guess yo' did!" laughed dinah. "and i got a little doll and my hat blew off the steeple!" cried flossie. "lan' sakes! do tell!" cried dinah. "and we found miss pompret's dishes!" broke in nan. "and we're going to get the hundred dollars reward," added bert. "'cept, of course, if they aren't the right ones you can have 'em for souvenirs, dinah." "bress yo' heart, honey lamb! dinah's got all she wants when yo' all come back. now i go an' git somethin' to eat!" the children--at least nan and bert--were so eager to have miss pompret see the two dishes that they hardly ate any of the good things dinah provided. they wanted to go at once and call on the dear, old-fashioned lady, but their father and mother made them wait. at last, however, when they had all rested a bit, mr. bobbsey took nan and bert with him and went to call on miss pompret. the dishes, carefully washed by mrs. bobbsey, were carried along, wrapped in soft paper. "oh, i am glad to see my little friends again," said miss pompret, as she greeted nan and bert. "did you have a nice time in washington?" "yes'm," answered bert. "and we brought you--" "we found your missing sugar bowl and pitcher!" broke in nan. "anyhow, we hope they're yours, and we paid the old man a dollar and thirty-four cents and--" "you--you found my sugar bowl and pitcher!" exclaimed miss pompret, and mr. bobbsey said, afterward, that she turned a little pale. "really do you mean it--after all these years?" "well, they look like your dishes," said mr. bobbsey. "the children saw them in a second-hand store window, and went in and bought them. i hope, for your sake, they are the right pieces." "i can soon tell," said the old lady. "there is not another set like the ancient pompret china in this country. oh, i am so anxious!" her thin, white hands, themselves almost like china, trembled as she unwrapped the pieces. and then, as she saw them, she gave a cry of joy and exclaimed: "yes! they are the very same! those are the two pieces missing from my set! now it is complete! oh, how thankful i am that i have the pompret china set together again! oh, thank you, children, thank you!" and she threw her arms about nan and kissed her, while she shook hands with bert, much to that young boy's relief. he hated being kissed. "are you sure these are the two pieces from your set?" asked mr. bobbsey. "positive," answered miss pompret. "see? here is the blue lion in the circle of gold, and initials 'j. w.' there can be no mistake. and now how did you find them?" bert and nan told, and related how billy had bargained for the two pieces. they all wondered how the second-hand man had come by them, but they never found out. miss pompret carefully placed the sugar bowl and pitcher in the glass-doored closet with her other pieces. she looked at them for several seconds. they matched perfectly. "now, once more, after many years, my precious set of china is together again," she murmured. she went over to a desk and began to write. a little later she handed a slip of blue paper to mr. bobbsey. "what is this?" he asked. "a check for one hundred dollars," answered miss pompret. "it is the reward i promised for the finding of my china. i have made the check out to you, mr. bobbsey. you can get the money and give half to nan and half to bert." mr. bobbsey slowly shook his head. then he handed the blue check back to miss pompret. "their mother and i couldn't think of letting the children take the hundred dollars just for having discovered your dishes, miss pompret," he said. "i thank you very much, but nan and bert would not want it, themselves," he went on. "they really did not earn the money. it was just good luck; and so, i'm sure, they would rather the money would go to the red cross. wouldn't you?" he asked nan and bert. for a moment only did they hesitate. then with a sigh, which she tried hard to keep back. nan said: "oh, yes. it wouldn't be right to take a hundred dollars just for two dishes." "no," agreed bert, "it wouldn't. please give the money to the red cross." miss pompret looked from the children to their father, then to the china in the closet and next at the check in her white, thin hand. "very well," said the old lady. "since you wish it, i'll give the hundred dollars to the red cross; and very glad i am to do it, mr. bobbsey. i would gladly have paid even more to get back my sugar bowl and pitcher." "it would hardly be right for the children to have so much money," he said. "the red cross needs it for poor and starving children in other lands." "very well," answered miss pompret. "but at least let me give them back the dollar and thirty-four cents they spent to get the dishes. that was their own spending money, i presume." "yes," said mr. bobbsey, "it was. and i don't mind if you give that back." so nan and bert did not really lose anything, and soon the disappointed feeling about not getting the reward wore off. they were glad it was to go to the red cross. and the next morning, when they awakened to find the ground a foot deep in snow, their joy knew no bounds. they forgot all about rewards, china dishes, and even washington. "now for some coasting!" cried bert. "and snow men!" added freddie. "and i'm going to make a snow house for my washington doll!" cried flossie. "oh, i love snow!" ejaculated nan. "it's lovely to have it come so near christmas!" "that's so!" exclaimed bert. "it soon will be christmas! now let's go out and have some fun in the snow!" and they did, rolling and tumbling about, making snow men and houses, and coasting on their sleds. miss pompret wrote mr. bobbsey a letter, stating that she had sent a check for one hundred dollars to the red cross in the names of bert and nan bobbsey. "that was certainly very nice of her," said mrs. bobbsey, when her husband read this letter to her. "well, miss pompret is a very nice lady," answered mr. bobbsey. "i am very glad that the children got those missing dishes back for her." "so am i. she has been greatly worried for years over them." slowly the snow flakes drifted down, another storm following the first. it was the night before christmas. "i wonder what we'll get?" murmured nan as she and bert went up to their rooms. "i hope i get a pair of shoe-hockeys," he said. "and i want a fur coat," said nan. and when christmas morning dawned, with the sun shining on the new, sparkling snow, it also shone on the piles of presents for the bobbsey twins. there were a number for each one, and, in a separate place on the table were two large packages. one was marked for nan and the other for bert, and each bore the words: "from miss alicia pompret, to the little friends who restored my missing china." "oh, mine's a fur coat!" cried nan, as she opened her package. "a fur coat and story books!" "and mine's shoe-hockeys--the best ever!" shouted bert. "and an air rifle and books too!" and so their dreams came true, and it was the happiest christmas they ever remembered. and miss pompret was happy too. the end. the bobbsey twins on a houseboat by laura lee hope author of the "bobbsey twins," "the outdoor girls of deepdale," "the outdoor girls in florida," "the moving picture girls," "the moving picture girls at rocky ranch," etc. illustrated books by laura lee hope the bobbsey twins series for little men and women the bobbsey twins the bobbsey twins in the country the bobbsey twins at the seashore the bobbsey twins at school the bobbsey twins at snow lodge the bobbsey twins on a houseboat the bobbsey twins at meadow brook the moving picture girls series the moving picture girls the moving picture girls at oak farm the moving picture girls snowbound the moving picture girls under the palms the moving picture girls at rocky ranch the moving picture girls at sea the outdoor girls series the outdoor girls of deepdale the outdoor girls at rainbow lake the outdoor girls in a motor car the outdoor girls in a winter camp the outdoor girls in florida the outdoor girls at ocean view contents chapter i. good news ii. snap saves freddie iii. dinah's upset iv. at the houseboat v. the strange boy vi. freddie's fire engine vii. the two cousins viii. off in the "bluebird" ix. snoop and snap x. down the creek xi. the mean man xii. the wire fence xiii. the runaway boy xiv. off again xv. overboard xvi. the missing sandwiches xvii. in the storm xviii. strange noises xix. snap's queer actions xx. at the waterfall xxi. what bert saw xxii. the stowaway chapter i good news "what are you doing, freddie?" asked bert bobbsey, leaning over to oil the front wheel of his bicycle, while he glanced at his little brother, who was tying strings about the neck of a large, handsome dog. "making a harness," answered freddie, not taking time to look up. "a harness?" repeated bert, with a little laugh. "how can you make a harness out of bits of string?" "i'm going to have straps, too," went on freddie, keeping busily on with his work. "flossie has gone in after them. it's going to be a fine, strong harness." "do you mean you are going to harness up snap?" asked bert, and he stood his bicycle against the side of the house, and came over to where freddie sat near the big dog. "yes. snap is going to be my horse," explained freddie. "i'm going to hitch him to my express wagon, and flossie and i are going to have a ride." "ha! ha!" laughed bert. "you won't get much of a ride with that harness," and he looked at the thin cord which the small boy was winding about the dog's neck. "why not?" asked freddie, a little hurt at bert's laughter. freddie, like all small boys, did not like to be laughed at. "why, snap is so strong that he'll break that string in no time," said bert. "besides--" "flossie's gone in for our booty straps, i tell you!" said freddie. "then our harness will be strong enough. i'm only using string for part of it. i wish she'd hurry up and come out!" and freddie glanced toward the house. but there was no sign of his little sister flossie. "maybe she can't find them," suggested bert. "you know what you and flossie do with your books and straps, when you come home from school friday afternoons--you toss them any old place until monday morning." "i didn't this time!" said sturdy little freddie, looking up quickly. "i--i put 'em--i put 'em--oh, well, i guess flossie can find 'em!" he ended, for trying to remember where he had left his books was more than he could do this bright, beautiful, saturday morning, when there was no school. "i thought so!" laughed bert, as he turned to go back to his bicycle, for he intended to go for a ride, and had just cleaned, and was now oiling, his wheel. "well, flossie can find 'em, so she can," went on freddie, as he held his head on one side and looked at a knotted string around the neck of snap, the big dog. "i wonder how snap is going to like it?" asked bert. "did you ever hitch him to your express wagon before, freddie?" "yes. but he couldn't pull us." "why not?" "'cause i only had him tied with strings, and they broke. but i'm going to use our book straps now, and they'll hold." "maybe they will--if you can find 'em--or if flossie can," bert went on with a laugh. freddie said nothing. he was too busy tying more strings about snap's neck. these strings were to serve as reins for the dog-horse. since snap would not keep them in his mouth, as a horse does a bit, they had to go around his neck, as oxen wear their yokes. snap stretched out comfortably on the grass, his big red tongue hanging out of his mouth. he was panting, and breathing hard, for he and freddie had had a romping play in the grass, before quieting down for the horse-game. "there, snap!" freddie exclaimed, after a bit. "now you're almost hitched up. i wish flossie would hurry up with those straps." freddie bobbsey stood up to look once more toward the house, which his little twin sister had entered a few minutes before, having offered to go in and look for the book straps. she had not come back, and freddie was getting impatient. at last the little girl appeared on the side porch. her yellow hair blew in the gentle june breeze, making sort of a golden light about her head. "freddie! freddie!" she cried. "i can't find 'em! i can't find the book straps anywhere!" "why, i put 'em--i put 'em--" said freddie helplessly, trying to remember where he had put them, when he came in from school the day before. "you've got to come and help me hunt for 'em!" flossie went on. "mamma says she can't find the straps." "all right. i'll come," spoke freddie. "snap, you stay here!" he ordered, but the big dog only blinked, and stuck out his tongue farther than ever. perhaps he had already made up his mind what he would do when freddie let him alone. off toward the house went the little fat freddie. he was pretty plump--so much so that his father often called him a little "fat fireman." freddie was very fond of playing fireman, ever since the time he had owned a toy fire engine. but to-day he had other ideas. "i'll find those straps," he said, as he toddled off. "then we'll hitch snap to my express wagon, and flossie and i'll have a fine ride. don't you run away, snap." snap did not say whether he would or not. flossie, standing on the side porch, waited for her little brother. she was just his age, and only a little smaller in height. she was just about as fat and plump as was freddie, and both had light curly hair. they made a pretty picture together, and if freddie was a "fat fireman" flossie was a "fat fairy," which pet name her father often called her. "did you look under the sofa for the straps?" asked freddie when he had joined his sister. "yes. i looked there, and--and--everywhere," she answered. "i can't find 'em." "maybe snap hid 'em," suggested freddie. "maybe," agreed flossie. "he would, if he knew you were going to hitch him up with 'em." "pooh. he couldn't know that," said freddie. "i didn't know it myself until a little while ago, and i didn't tell anybody but you." "well, maybe snap heard us talking about it," went on flossie. "he's awful smart, you know, freddie, from having been in a circus." "but he isn't smart enough for that, even if he can do lots of tricks," freddie went on. "there's snoop!" he exclaimed, as a big, black cat ran across the lawn. "maybe she took our book straps." "she couldn't," said flossie. "our books were in 'em, and they'd be too heavy for snoop to drag." "that's so," admitted freddie. "well, come on, we'll find 'em!" the twins went into the house and began searching for the straps. high and low they looked, in all the usual, and unusual, places, where they sometimes tossed their books when they came in from school friday afternoons, with the joyous cry of: "no more lessons until monday! hurray!" but this time they seemed to have tossed their books and straps into some very much out-of-the-way place, indeed. "we can't find 'em," said flossie. "can't you take some strong string, to tie snap to the wagon, instead of the straps, freddie?" "i don't think so," he answered. "i know what to do. let's ask dinah. maybe she's seen 'em." "oh, yes, let's!" agreed flossie, and together they hurried to the kitchen where dinah, the big, good-natured, colored cook, was rattling the pots and pans. "dinah! dinah!" cried flossie and freddie in a twins' chorus. "yep-um, honey-lambs! what yo' all want?" asked dinah, opening the oven door, to let out a little whiff of a most delicious smell, and then quickly closing it again. "ef yo' wants a piece ob cake, it ain't done yit!" "oh, dinah! we don't want any cake!" said freddie. "what's dat? yo' don't want cake?" and dinah quickly straightened up, put her fat hands on her fat hips, and looked at the two children in surprise. "yo--don't--want--no cake!" gasped dinah. "what's de mattah? yo' all ain't sick, is yo'?" for that was the only reason she could think of why flossie and freddie should not want cake--as they generally did saturday morning. "no, we're not sick," said flossie, "and we'd like a piece of cake a little later, please dinah. but just now we want our book straps. have you seen 'em?" "book straps! book straps!" exclaimed dinah in great surprise. "go 'long wif yo' now! i ain't got no time to be bodderin' wif book straps, when dey's pies an' puddin's an' cakes t' bake. trot along now, an' let ole dinah be! book straps! huh!" flossie and freddie knew there was little use in "bodderin'" dinah any more, especially when she was in the midst of her baking. "come on, flossie," spoke freddie. "we'll have another look for those straps. next time i'll put our books where we can find 'em." once more the children started through the different rooms. they looked everywhere. but no straps could they find. "you see what a lot of trouble it makes, not only for you, but for others as well, when you don't take care of your books," said mrs. bobbsey gently. she knew it would be a good lesson for the twins to search for their things. next time they might remember. suddenly, from out in the yard, came a shout. "freddie! freddie! come out here, quick!" "that's bert!" exclaimed freddie. "oh, maybe he's found the straps, so we can harness up snap," cried flossie. but bert's next words soon told the younger twins that it was no such good luck as that, for he cried: "snap's running away, freddie! he's running away. if you're going to harness him up you'll have to catch him!" "oh dear!" cried flossie. "come on, help me catch him!" called freddie. together they ran into the yard. as bert had said, snap, getting tired of being tied to a post with a thin string, had broken the cord, and now was racing over the fields after another dog with whom he often played. "come back, snap! come back!" cried freddie. snap paid no heed. just then, through the front gate, came a girl. she looked so much like bert, with his dark hair and eyes, with his slimness and his tallness, that you could tell at once she was his sister. as soon as flossie saw her, she cried: "oh, nan! we were going to hitch snap to the express wagon, but freddie and i can't find our straps, and snap ran away, and--and--" "never mind, flossie dear," said nan. "wait until you hear the good news i have for you!" "good news?" exclaimed bert, coming away from his bicycle, toward his twin sister. "yes, the very best!" nan went on. "it's about a houseboat! now, flossie and freddie, sit down on the grass and i'll tell you all about the good news!" chapter ii snap saves freddie down on the soft green grass of the lawn, sat the two sets of bobbsey twins. yes, there were two "sets" of them, and i shall tell you how that was, in a little while. "begin at the beginning," suggested bert to his sister. he always liked to hear all of anything, so nan prepared to skip nothing. "well," said nan, as she leaned over to re-tie the bow of flossie's hair ribbon. it had become loose in the hurried search for the book straps. "well, you know i went down to papa's lumber office this morning, to bring him the letter that came here to the house by mistake. it was a letter from--" "you can skip that part of it," suggested bert. "i don't want to wait so long about hearing the news." "well, i thought i'd tell you everything," said nan. "anyhow, when i was in papa's office he bought it." "what did he buy?" asked freddie, getting to the point more quickly than bert would have done. "what'd he buy, nan?" "a houseboat," went on the older girl twin. "mr. marvin was there, and he sold papa the marvin houseboat. oh! and such fun as we're--" "what's a houseboat?" interrupted flossie. "it's a boat with a house on it, of course," spoke bert, eagerly. "i know. i've seen lots of them. you can live in them just like in a house, only it's on water. there's more room in a houseboat than in a regular boat. go on, nan." "are we going to live in it?" asked freddie. "i think so--at least part of the time," said nan. "now i'll tell you all i know about it. i couldn't stay to ask all i wanted to, as papa was busy. besides, it was sort of a secret, and i found it out by accident before he meant me to. so you mustn't tell mamma yet--it's to be a surprise to her," and nan looked at the two smaller twins, and raised a cautioning finger. "i won't tell," promised flossie. "neither will i," promised freddie. "is that all you're going to tell us, nan?" "well, isn't that enough?" demanded nan. "i think it's just fine, that we're going to have a houseboat! i've always wanted one." "so have i," spoke bert. "go on, nan! tell me more about it. how big is it? is there an engine in it? where is it? can we go on board? when is papa going to get it? is there a room for me in it? i wonder if i can run the engine and steer? how much did it cost?" "gracious!" cried nan, pretending to cover her ears with her hands. "it will take me all morning, bert, to answer those questions. please start over again." "first tell me where i can see the boat," suggested bert. "i want to go look at it." "it's down in the lake," said nan. "come on, flossie," spoke freddie. "there's snap coming back now, and maybe we can catch him. then we'll harness him up. dinah ought to be done with her baking now, and maybe she can find those straps for us. here, snap!" flossie and freddie, being some years younger than bert and nan, did not care to bear much more about the houseboat just then. that they were going to have one was enough for them. they were much pleased and delighted, but they had the idea of hitching snap to the express wagon, and they could not get that out of their minds. "you go in and ask dinah to help you look for the straps," directed freddie to his little sister, "and i'll catch snap. here, snap! snap!" he called to the dog who had come back into the yard after a romp and frolic with his animal friend. snap was glad enough to stretch out on the grass and rest. he was tired from his run. freddie put his arms around the dog's neck, and laid his head down on the shaggy coat. "now you can't run away again," said freddie, as he pretended to go to sleep, while flossie toddled into the house once more, to have another look for the missing book straps. at a little distance from freddie sat nan and bert, talking about the houseboat, and the good times they would have on board. freddie roused up, and looked toward the house. flossie had not yet come out. "it takes her a long time," said the little boy. "we won't have any ride at all, if she doesn't hurry up." then freddie saw something else that attracted his attention. this was bert's bicycle, leaning now against the side of a shed. bert was too much interested in the houseboat to want to ride just then. a new idea came into freddie's head. "i'm going to have a ride on bert's wheel, while i'm waiting for flossie to come out with the straps," said the little twin chap. "bert won't care." freddie did not take any chances on asking bert. his elder brother was still busy talking to nan about the new houseboat. freddie scrambled to his feet. "now you stay there, snap!" he commanded the big dog, for snap, ready again for some fun, was anxious to follow his little master. "lie down, snap!" ordered freddie, and snap again stretched out. freddie walked slowly over toward the bicycle. of course he was too small to ride it in the regular way, with his feet on the pedals, for his little legs were not long enough to reach them. but he could sit on the seat, and bert had taught him how to steer a little, so that though a bicycle has only two wheels, and will tip over if it is not properly guided, freddie could manage to ride a little way on it without toppling over, especially if some one put him on and gave him a push, or if he was given a start down a little hill. "i'm going to have a ride," thought freddie. "i'll have a little ride, while i'm waiting for flossie." freddie had a velocipede of his own, but that had three wheels instead of two. freddie thought two wheels were much more fun than three. "if i can get up on that bicycle, i'll have a nice ride," murmured freddie. he looked toward the house. flossie was not in sight. she had not yet found the straps. then freddie looked toward bert and nan. they were still busy talking about the houseboat. they paid no attention to freddie. the little twin chap looked around until he had found a small box. by stepping on this he could get up on the seat of the bicycle, which was leaning against the shed. then freddie could give himself a little push, and away he would go. there was a little hill leading from where the bicycle stood down to the gate, and into the road. the gate was open. "maybe i can even ride down the road a little way," thought freddie to himself. "that would be great." it was rather hard work for freddie to get up on the bicycle from the box, but he managed it. then he sat on the leather saddle, and took hold of the handle bars. as i have told you, he knew how to steer, even though he could not reach the pedals. "here i go!" cried freddie softly, as he gave himself a little push. down the hill he went, along the path, straight for the yard gate. "oh! i'm going out in the road!" exclaimed freddie, this time out loud, for he was far enough away from nan and bert now. and into the road he did go, on bert's bicycle. the wheel was going faster and faster, for bert had just oiled it and it rode very smoothly. "this is great!" freddie cried. "maybe i can ride all the way to the bridge." he looked down the road to where a little white bridge spanned a small brook. and then, as freddie looked, he saw something which made his heart beat very fast indeed. for, coming right toward him, was a team of horses, hitched to a big lumber wagon--it was one of freddie's papa's own lumber teams, as the little boy could see for himself. on came the trotting team, pulling the heavily laden lumber wagon, and, worst of all, there was no driver on the seat to guide the horses. they were trotting away all by themselves, and freddie was out in the road, on the bicycle that was far too big for him. "oh dear!" cried freddie. just then he heard flossie scream. she had come out on the side porch, and she saw the team coming toward her little brother. "nan! bert!" screamed flossie. "look at freddie!" nan and bert jumped up and raced down the path. "freddie's in trouble again!" thought bert. it was not the first time freddie had gotten into mischief. though usually he was a pretty good boy, he sometimes made trouble without intending to. i have told you there were two sets of bobbsey twins, and those of you who have read the first book of this series know what i mean by that. the first book is called "the bobbsey twins," and in that i told you how the bobbsey family lived in an eastern city called lakeport, at the head of lake metoka. mr. bobbsey was a lumber merchant, and owned a large sawmill, and a yard, near the lake, in which yard were piled many stacks of lumber. nan and bert were the older bobbsey twins, being past nine, while flossie and freddie were about "half-past-five." so you see that is how there were two sets of twins. nan was a tall, slender girl, with a dark face and red cheeks. her eyes were brown, and so were her curls. bert, too, was quite dark, like nan. flossie and freddie were very light, with blue eyes. they were short and fat, instead of tall and thin. so you see the two sets of twins were very different. oh! such good times as the bobbsey twins had! i could not tell you all of them, if i wrote a dozen books. but some of the good times i have related in the first book. in the second, called "the bobbsey twins in the country," there are more happenings mentioned. uncle daniel bobbsey, his wife sarah, and their son harry lived in the country, at a place called meadow brook, and there the twins often went on their vacation. uncle william minturn, and his wife emily, with their nine-year-old daughter dorothy, lived at ocean cliff. as you might guess, this was on the coast, and in the third book, "the bobbsey twins at the seashore," i have told you of the good times the children had there, how they saw a wreck, and what came of it. in "the bobbsey twins at school" you will find out how they came to get the dog snap, as a pet. they already had a black cat, named snoop, but one day, when the twins, with their father and mother, were on a railroad train, something happened, and snoop was lost. they found snap, instead. he was a circus dog, and--but there, if you want to read of snap, you must do so in the book about him. i shall tell you this much, though. snap was a very fine dog, and could do many tricks, and in the end the bobbseys kept him for a pet, as well as getting back their lost cat snoop. when school was over for the winter holidays one year, the bobbseys went to "snow lodge," and in the book of that name i have told you about a queer mystery the twins helped solve while out amid the snow and ice. now the bobbseys were back in their fine house in lakeport, where dinah, the fat cook, gave them such good things to eat, and where sam johnson, her husband, kept the lawns so nice and green for the children to play on. just now freddie bobbsey would have been very glad, indeed, to be playing on that same lawn instead of being on his brother's bicycle, rolling toward the team of lumber horses, who were coming straight for him. "oh, look at freddie! look at freddie!" screamed flossie, dropping the two book straps which she had at last found. "save him, nan! bert! oh, freddie!" "i 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed fat dinah in the kitchen. "dem chillens am up t' some mo' trouble!" "freddie, steer to one side! steer out of the way!" shouted bert, as he ran for the gate. he could not hope to reach his little brother in time, though. freddie was too frightened and excited to steer. the bicycle was going fast--faster than he had ever ridden on it before. all he could do was to sit tight, and hold fast to the handle bars. "oh, he'll be run over!" cried nan, as she, too, raced after bert. the team, with no driver to guide it, ran faster and faster. freddie began to cry. and then, all at once, the front wheel of the bicycle ran over a stone, and turned to one side. the handle bars were jerked from freddie's grasp, and over he went, wheel and all! luckily for him, he fell to one side of the road, on the soft grass, or he might have been injured, but, as it was, the fall did not hurt him at all. one of his little fat legs, though, became tangled up in the wire spokes of the front wheel, and freddie lay there, with the wheel on top of him, unable to get up. "oh, bert! bert!" screamed nan. "grab him--quick!" shouted dinah, waddling down the walk. but she was too fat to go fast enough to do any good. "roll out of the way, freddie!" cried bert. freddie was too much entangled in the wheel to be able to move. and, all the while, the lumber team was coming nearer and nearer to him. would the horses, with no driver at the reins, know enough to turn to one side, or would the wheels roll over poor freddie and the bicycle? nan covered her face with her hands. she did not want to look at what was going to happen. "i must get there in time to pull him out of the way!" thought bert, as he ran as fast as he could. but the team was almost on freddie now. suddenly the dog snap, who had jumped up when he heard the shouts, saw what the danger was. snap knew about horses, and he was smart enough to know that freddie was in danger. without waiting for anyone to tell him what to do, snap ran straight for the lumber team. leaping up in front of them, and barking as loudly as he could, snap turned the trotting horses to one side. and just in time, too, for, a little more, and one of the front wheels of the heavily loaded lumber wagon would have run over the bicycle in which freddie was still entangled. "bow wow!" barked snap. the horses were perhaps afraid of being bitten, though snap was very gentle. at any rate, they turned aside, and would have run on faster, only snap, leaping up, grabbed the dangling reins in his teeth and pulled hard on them. "whoa!" called bert. when the horses heard this, and felt the tug on the lines, they knew it meant to stop. and stop they did. snap had saved freddie. chapter iii dinah's upset "what's the matter? what has happened?" asked mrs. bobbsey, who had run out to the front porch, upon hearing the excited cries, and the exclamations of fat dinah, the cook. "oh! has anything happened to any of the children?" "yes'm, i s'pects there has, ma'am," said dinah. "pore li'l freddie am done smashed all up flatter'n a pancake, mrs. bobbsey!" "freddie--oh!" "he's all right!" shouted bert, who had, by this time, reached his little brother, and was lifting him out of the bicycle. "not hurt a bit, are you, freddie?" "n--no, i--i guess not," said freddie, a bit doubtfully. "i--i'm scared, though." "nothing to be frightened at now, freddie," said bert, holding up the little chap, so his mother could see him. "why, freddie isn't hurt, dinah," said mrs. bobbsey, in great relief. "what made you think so?" "well, i seed him all tangled up in dat two-wheeled velocipede ob bert's, an' de hoss team was comin' right down on de honey-lamb. i thought shuah he was gwine t' be squashed flatter'n a pancake. but he ain't! bless mah soul he ain't! oh, dere's mah cake burnin'!" and into the kitchen ran dinah, glad, indeed, that nothing had happened worse than the scare freddie received. "good snap! good old dog!" said nan, as she patted his head. "bow wow!" barked snap. he still held the horse reins in his strong white teeth. he was not going to let the horses go yet. "oh, freddie!" cried mrs. bobbsey, when she understood what had happened. "what danger you were in! why did you take bert's wheel?" "i--i wanted a ride, mamma. i didn't think i'd fall off, or that the team would come." "you must never do it again," said mrs. bobbsey. "never get on bert's wheel again, unless he is with you to hold you. you are, too small, yet, for a bicycle." "yes'm," said freddie in a low voice. "but where is the driver of the wagon?" went on mrs. bobbsey, looking at the empty seat. "maybe he fell off," suggested nan, who had taken freddie from bert, the latter picking up his wheel, and looking to see if it had been damaged by the fall. but it was all right. "here comes a driver now," said flossie, who saw one of the men from her father's lumber yard hurrying along the road. "is anybody hurt?" the man asked, as he came up, running and breathing fast, for he had come a long way. "no one, i think," answered mrs. bobbsey. "but my little boy had a very narrow escape." "i am sorry," said the driver. "i left the team standing out in front of the lumber yard, while i went in the office to find out where i was to deliver the planks. when i came out the horses were trotting away. i guess they were scared by something. i ran fast, but i could not catch them." "snap caught them for you," said the twins' mother, as she looked at the former circus dog, who was still holding the horse-reins. "yes, he's a good dog," the lumber wagon driver said. "i was afraid, when i saw how far the horses had gone, that they might do some damage. but i'm glad no one was hurt." "i think we all are glad," spoke mrs. bobbsey. "it was partly my little boy's own fault, for he should not have gotten on his brother's bicycle. but he won't do it again." "no, i never will!" promised freddie, as he rubbed his leg where it had been bruised a little from becoming tangled up in the wire spokes. snap barked and wagged his tail, as the driver took the lines from him, and then, when the man drove off with the horses and the load of lumber, mrs. bobbsey went with the twins back into the yard. "well, i'm glad all the excitement is over," she said. "where were you, nan? grace lavine called for you, but i looked out in the yard and did not see you, so she went away again." "why, i went down to papa's office, mamma, with that letter you gave me for him." "yes, i know, but i supposed you had come back. what kept you so long?" "well, i--er--i was talking to papa, and---" nan did not want to go on, for she did not want to tell that she had been talking about the houseboat. mr. bobbsey had been intending to keep that as a little secret surprise for his wife, but now, if her mother asked about it, nan felt she would have to tell. she hardly knew what to say, but just then something happened that made everything all right. mr. bobbsey himself came hurrying down the street, from the direction of his lumber office. he seemed much excited, and his hat was on crooked, as though he had not taken time to put it on straight. "is everything all right?" he called to his wife. "none of the children hurt?" "no, none of them," she answered with a smile. mr. bobbsey could see that for himself now, since freddie and flossie were going up the walk together, freddie tying one of the book straps around the dog's neck, while nan and bert followed behind them, with mrs. bobbsey. "someone telephoned to me," said the lumber merchant, "that they saw one of our teams running away down this street, and i was afraid our children, or those of some of the neighbors, might be hurt. so i hurried down to see. did you notice anything of a runaway team?" "yes," said mrs. bobbsey. "but everything is all right now. only i haven't yet heard what it was that kept nan so long down at your office," and she smiled. nan looked at her father, and mr. bobbsey looked at nan. then they both smiled and laughed. "to tell you the truth," said mr. bobbsey, with another smile, "nan discovered a secret i was not going to tell at once." "a secret?" asked mrs. bobbsey in surprise. "yes, it's about---" began nan. then she stopped. "go on. you might as well tell her," said mr. bobbsey, laughing. "i know!" exclaimed freddie, who was all over his fright now. "it's about a boathouse and---" "a houseboat!" interrupted bert. "you've got the cart before the horse, freddie." "that's it!" exclaimed nan. "papa has bought the marvin's houseboat, mamma, and we're going to have lovely times in it this summer." "and i'm going to run the engine," declared bert. "i'm going to be fireman!" cried fat freddie. "i'm going to put on coal and squirt water on the fires!" "i'm going to sit on deck and play with my dolls," spoke flossie, who was trying to climb up on snap's back to get a ride. mrs. bobbsey looked at her husband. "really?" she asked. "have you bought the boat?" "yes," he replied, "i have. you know we have been thinking of it for some time. lake metoka would be just fine for a houseboat, and we could go on quite a cruise with one. mr. marvin wanted to sell his boat, and as he and i had some business dealings, and as he owed me some money, i took the boat in part payment." "and is it ours now, papa?" asked bert. "yes, the houseboat is ours. it is called the bluebird, and that is a good name for it, since it is painted blue--like your eyes, little fat fairy!" he cried, catching flossie up in his arms. "is it a big boat, papa?" asked bert. like most boys he liked things big and strong. "well, i think it will be large enough," said mr. bobbsey with a smile as he set down flossie and caught up freddie in the same way. "were you frightened when you fell down and saw the lumber team coming toward you?" he asked. "a little," freddie said. "but i wished my legs were long enough so i could ride bert's bicycle. then i could get out of the way." "you'd better keep away from the wheel until you are bigger," said his father, who had been told about the accident and the excitement. "but now i must get back to the office. i have plenty of work to do." "oh, but can't you stay just a little longer, to tell us more about the boat!" pleaded nan. "when can we have a ride in it?" "a boat is called 'her,'" interrupted bert, "well, 'her' then," said nan. "tell us about her, papa. i didn't hear much at your office." "you heard more than i meant you to," said mr. bobbsey with a smile. "nan came in with that letter just as mr. marvin and i were finishing our talk about the houseboat," he went on. "i was going to keep it secret a little longer, but it's just as well you should know now. "i think you will like the bluebird. it has a little gasoline engine, so we can travel from place to place. and there is a large living room, a kitchen, several bed rooms and a nice open deck, where we can sit, when it is too hot to be inside." "oh, that's going to be great!" cried bert. "i want a room near the engine." "and can i be a fireman?" asked freddie. "i want to be near mamma--and you," spoke little flossie. "oh, isn't it going to be lovely!" exclaimed nan, clapping her hands. "scrumptious, i call it!" cried bert, and he ran into the house, through the hall, and into the dining-room, just as big, fat dinah, the cook, was entering the same room, carefully holding a big cake which she had just covered with white frosting. "oh dear!" cried bert, as he ran, full tilt, into the big cook. "good land ob massy!" fairly yelled dinah. "wha--wha---" but that was all she could say. she tried to save herself from falling, but she could not. nor could bert. he went down, on one side of the doorsill, and dinah sat down, very hard, on the other, the cake bouncing from her hands, up toward her head, and then falling into her lap. chapter iv at the houseboat "did--did i hurt you, dinah?" asked bert, after he had gotten his breath. "i'm--i'm sorry--but did i hurt you?" "hurt me? hurt me, honey lamb? no indeedy, but i done reckon yo' has hurt yo'se'f, honey! look at yo' pore haid!" and she pointed her fat finger at bert. "why, what's the matter with my head?" he asked, putting up his hand. he felt something sticky, and when he looked at his fingers, he saw that they were covered with white stuff. "oh, it's the frosting off the cake!" said nan with a laugh. "you look something like one of the clowns in the circus, bert, only you haven't enough of the white stuff on." "and look at dinah!" laughed freddie. "she's turning white!" "what's dat, honey lamb? turnin' white?" gasped the big, colored cook. "don't say dat!" "it's the cake frosting on dinah, too!" said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, bert! why aren't you a little more careful?" "i'm sorry, mamma," bert said, as he watched dinah wipe the frosting off her face with her apron. "i didn't know she was coming through the door then." "and i shore didn't see yo', honey lamb," went on the cook. "land ob massy! look at mah cake!" she cried, as she gazed at the mass in her lap. "all de frostin' am done slid off it!" "yes, you're a regular wedding cake yourself, dinah," said mr. bobbsey, who had come in to see what all the noise meant. "well, this seems to be a day of excitement. i'm glad it was no worse, though. better go up stairs and wash, bert." "the cake itself isn't spoiled," said mrs. bobbsey, lifting it from dinah's lap, so the colored cook could get up. it was no easy work for her to do this, as she was so fat. but at last, after many groanings and gruntings, she rose to her feet, and took the cake from mrs. bobbsey. "i'll put some mo' frostin' on it right away, ma'am," she said. "an' i hopes nobody else runs inter me," she went on with a laugh. "i shuah did feel skeered dat bert was hurt bad." they could all laugh at the happening now, and after mr. bobbsey had told a little more about the new houseboat, he went back to the office. "come on, flossie," suggested freddie. "now you've found the book straps, we can hitch snap to the express wagon. where'd you find 'em?" "the straps were on our books, under the hall rack," said flossie. "that's just where i left 'em!" exclaimed freddie. "i knew i left 'em somewhere." "but next time you must remember," cautioned his mother. "and remember another thing--no more bicycle rides--you stay on your velocipede." "yes'm," said freddie. "come on, flossie. where's snap?" when the little twins went to look for their big, shaggy pet, who could do so many circus tricks, they could not find him. "have you seen snap?" asked freddie of dinah's husband, sam johnson, who was out in the barn. "snap?" repeated the colored man. "why, freddie, i done jest see snap paradin' down de road wif dat black dog from mr. brown's house." "then snap's gone away again," said flossie with a sigh. "never mind, freddie. let's play steamboat, and you can be the fireman." "all right," he agreed, much pleased with this idea. "we'll make believe we're in our new houseboat. come on." "steamboat" was a game the smaller twins often played on the long saturdays, when there was no school. all they needed was an old soap box for the boat, and some sticks for oars. then, with some bits of bread or cake, which dinah gave them to eat, in case they were "shipwrecked," they had fine times. meanwhile, bert and nan had asked permission of their mother to go over to where some of their boy and girl friends lived, so they were prepared to have a good time, too. "oh, but what fun we'll have on the houseboat, won't we, bert?" said nan. "that's what we will," he agreed with a laugh. monday morning came, after sunday (as it always does if you wait long enough) and the two sets of bobbsey twins started for school. "i wish we didn't have to go," said bert, as he strapped up his books. "i want to go down to our new houseboat." "but you must go to school," said his mother with a smile. "there will not be many more days now. june will soon be over, and you know school closes a little earlier than usual this year. so run along, like good children." off they hurried and soon they were mingling with their boy and girl friends, who were also on their way to their classes. "you can't guess what we're going to have," said freddie to a boy named johnnie wilson, who was in his room. "kittens?" asked johnnie. "no." "puppies?" "no." "i give up--what is it?" "a houseboat," said freddie. "it's a house on a boat, and you can live in it on water." "huh!" said johnnie. "there isn't any such thing." "yes, there is, too, isn't there, flossie?" and freddie appealed to his small sister. "'course there is," she said. "our papa bought one, and freddie's going to be the fireman, and i'm going to cook the meals, so there! haven't we got a houseboat, nan?" "yes, dear," answered the older sister, who was walking with bert. at this, coming from nan, johnnie had nothing to say, except that he murmured, as he walked away: "huh! a houseboat's nothing. we've got a baby at our house, and it's got hair on its head, and two teeth!" "a houseboat's better'n a baby," was freddie's opinion. "it is not!" cried johnnie. "it is so!" freddie exclaimed. "hush!" begged nan. "please don't dispute. houseboats and babies are both nice. but now it's time to go to school." the bobbsey twins could hardly wait for the classes to be out that day, for their mother had promised to call for them after lessons, and, with their father, they were going to see the bluebird. the houseboat had been brought up the lake by mr. marvin, and tied to a dock not far from mr. bobbsey's lumber office. the boat was now the property of mr. bobbsey, but that gentleman had not yet fully planned what he would do with her. just as the children were trooping out of the school yard, along came mrs. bobbsey. nan and flossie saw their mother and hastened toward her, while freddie and bert came along more slowly. in a little while all five of them were at mr. bobbsey's lumber office. he came out of his private room, when one of his clerks told him mrs. bobbsey and the children were there. "ah, what can i do for you to-day?" asked mr. bobbsey of his wife, just like mr. fitch, the grocery-store-keeper. "would you like a barrel of sawdust, ma'am; or a bundle of shingles to fry for the children's suppers?" and mr. bobbsey pretended he was no relation to his family. "i think we'll have a houseboat," said his wife with a laugh. "have you time to take us down to it? i can't do a thing with these children, they are so anxious to see the bluebird." "well, i hope they'll like her," said mr. bobbsey, "and not pull any feathers out of her tail." "oh, is there a real bird on the boat?" asked flossie. "no, papa is only joking," said nan, with a smile. mr. bobbsey put on his hat, and soon the whole bobbsey family had reached the place where the boat was tied. at the first sight of her, with her pretty blue paint and white trimming, nan cried: "oh, how lovely!" "and how big it is!" exclaimed freddie his eyes large and round with wonder. "let's go aboard--where's the gang-plank?" asked bert, trying to use some boat language he had heard from his father's lumbermen. the bluebird was indeed a fine, large houseboat, roomy and comfortable. the children went inside, and, after looking around the main, or living room, and peering into the dining-room, nan opened the door of a smaller compartment. inside she saw a cunning little bed. "oh, may i have this room?" she asked. "isn't it sweet!" "here's another just like it," said mrs. bobbsey, opening the next door. "that will be mine," said flossie. "my room's going to be back here, by the engine," spoke bert, as he picked out his sleeping place. "and i'll come with you," said freddie. "i'm going to be fireman!" gleefully the children were running about, clapping their hands, and finding something new and strange every minute. "where is your room, mamma?" asked nan. "we ought to have let you and papa have first choice." "oh, there are plenty of rooms," said mr. bobbsey. "let's go up on deck and---" he stopped suddenly, and seemed to be listening. "what is it?" asked his wife. "there seems to be some one on this boat beside ourselves," answered mr. bobbsey. "i'll go look." chapter v the strange boy the bobbsey twins looked at one another, and then at their mother, as mr. bobbsey went out of the living room of the houseboat, toward the stairway that led up on deck. bert tried to look brave, and as though he did not care. nan moved a little closer to her mother. as for flossie, she, too, was a little frightened, but freddie did not seem at all alarmed. "is it somebody come to take the boat away from us?" he asked in his high-pitched, childish voice. "if it is--don't let 'em, papa." they all laughed at this--even mr. bobbsey, and he turned to look around, half way up the stairs, saying: "no, freddie, i won't let them take our boat." "pooh! just as if they could--it's ours!" spoke bert. "who could it be on board here, mamma?" asked nan. "i don't know, dear, unless it was some one passing through the lumber yard, who stopped to see what the boat looked like," answered mrs. bobbsey. "papa will soon find out." the noise they had heard was the footsteps of some one walking about on the deck of the houseboat. "perhaps it was one of the men from the office, who came to tell papa he was wanted up there, or that some one wanted to speak to him on the telephone," went on mrs. bobbsey. she saw that the children, even bert, were a little alarmed, for the boat was tied at a lonely place in the lumber yard, and tramps frequently had to be driven away from the piles of boards under which there were a number of good places to sleep. mr. bobbsey did not mean to be unkind to the poor men who had no homes, but tramps often smoke, and are not careful about their matches. there had been one or two fires in the lumber yard, and mr. bobbsey did not want any more blazes. soon the footsteps of the children's father were heard on the deck above them, and, a little later freddie and the others could hear the talk of two persons. "i guess it was one of the men," said mrs. bobbsey. "i'm going to see," spoke bert, and he moved toward the stairway, followed by nan, flossie and freddie. they went up on deck and saw their father talking to a strange boy. none of the bobbsey children knew him. "are you looking for some one?" asked mr. bobbsey kindly, of the strange boy. often, when he was in distant parts of the lumber yard, and he was wanted at the office, or telephone, his men might ask some boy to run and tell the owner of the yard he was needed. but mr. bobbsey had never seen this lad before. "no, sir, i--i wasn't looking for any one," said the boy, as he looked down at his shoes, which were full of holes, and put his hands into the pockets of his trousers, which were quite ragged. "i was just looking at the boat. it's a fine one!" "i'm glad you like it," said mr. bobbsey with a smile. "could you go to sea in this boat?" asked the boy, who was not very much older than bert. "go to sea? oh, no!" answered mr. bobbsey. "this boat is all right on a lake, or river, but the big waves of the ocean would be too strong for it. we don't intend to go to sea. why? are you fond of sailing?" "that's what i am!" cried the boy. "i'm going to sea in a ship some day. i'm sick of farm-life!" and his eyes snapped. "are you a farmer?" asked the twins' father. "i work for a farmer, and i don't like it--the work is too hard," the boy said, as he hung his head. "there is plenty of hard work in this world," went on mr. bobbsey. "of course too much hard work isn't good for any one, but we must all do our share. where do you work?" "i work for mr. hardee, who lives just outside the town of lemby," answered the boy. "oh, yes, i know mr. hardee," spoke mr. bobbsey. "i sold him some lumber with which he built his house. so you work for him? but what are you doing so far away from the farm?" "mr. hardee sent me over here, to lakeport, on an errand." "well, if i were you i wouldn't come so far away from where i left my horse and wagon," cautioned mr. bobbsey, for the place where the boat was tied was a long distance from the main road leading from lakeport to lemby. "i didn't come in a wagon," said the boy. "i walked." "what! you don't mean to say you walked all the way from lemby to lakeport?" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, who had now come up on deck. "yes'm, i did," answered the boy. "mr. hardee said he needed the horses to work on the farm. he said i was young, and the walk would do me good. so mrs. hardee, she gave me some bread and butter for my lunch, and i walked. i'm walking back now, and i came this way by the lake. it's a short cut. "then i happened to see this boat here. i like boats, so i thought it wouldn't hurt to come on board." "oh, no, that's all right!" said mr. bobbsey quickly. "i'll be glad to have you look around, though this is only a houseboat, and not built for ocean travel. so you work for mr. hardee, eh? what's your name?" "will watson," the boy said. mrs. bobbsey was trying to motion to her husband to come toward her. it seemed as though she wanted to say something to him privately. "will watson, eh?" went on mr. bobbsey. "i don't seem to know any family of that name around here." "no, i don't belong around here," the boy said. "i come from out west--or i used to live there when i was littler. i've got an uncle out there now, if i could ever find him. he's a gold miner." "a gold miner?" said mr. bobbsey, and then his wife came up to him, and whispered in his ear. just what she said the twins could not hear, but, a moment later mr. bobbsey said: "bert, suppose you take will down and show him the boat, since he is so interested." "oh, i'm going to!" cried freddie. "i want to show him where i'm going to be a fireman." "and i want to show him my room," said flossie. the strange boy looked at the little twins and smiled. he had a nice face, and was quite clean, though his clothes were ragged and poor. "come along down if you like," said bert kindly. "there's a lot to see below the deck." with a friendly nod of his head will watson followed the three children. nan stayed on deck with her parents. "it's a shame to make him walk all the way from lemby here and back," said mrs. bobbsey. "it must be all of five miles each way." "it is," said mr. bobbsey. "quite a tramp for a little fellow." "can't you find some way to give him a ride back?" asked his wife. "aren't any of your wagons going that way?" "perhaps," replied mr. bobbsey. "i'll find out, and i'll send him as near to mr. hardee's place as i can." "poor little fellow," said mrs. bobbsey, and she thought how hard it would be if her son bert had to go to work for his living so young. "he seems like a nice boy," spoke mr. bobbsey, "and from what i know of mr. hardee he isn't an easy man to work for. well, have you seen enough of the boat, nan? do you think you'll like it?" "oh, i just love it," nan answered. "i'm so anxious for the time to come when we can go sailing, or whatever you do in a boat like this. mamma, may i bring some of my things from home to fix up my room?" "i think so--yes. we shall have to talk about that later. i think it is time we started home now. dinah will not want to wait supper for us." "well then, run along," said mr. bobbsey. "i'll get the others up from down below." "and you won't forget about trying to give that boy a ride home?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no, indeed," replied her husband. "i'm going right back to the office now, and i'll take him with me. i'll let him ride on the wagon that's going nearest to lemby." mr. bobbsey met bert and the strange boy coming up. "it sure is a dandy boat!" said will watson with a sigh of envy. "if ever i go away to sea, i hope i'll have as nice a room as yours," and he looked at bert. "i just couldn't help coming on the boat when i saw her tied here," he went on. "i hope you didn't mind." "not a bit!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, wishing she had some of dinah's cake or crullers with her to give to the boy, for the twins' mother thought he looked hungry. the door, leading into the cabin of the houseboat was locked, and they all went on shore, over the gangplank, the board that extended from the dock to the boat. "good-bye, bluebird!" called flossie, waving her fat, chubby, little hand toward the houseboat. "we'll soon be back." "and i'm going to bring my fire engine, when i come again," exclaimed freddie. "if the boat gets on fire i can put it out." "boats can't get on fire in the water!" declared flossie. "they can so--can't they, papa?" appealed the little boy. "well, sometimes, perhaps. but we hope ours doesn't," replied mr. bobbsey with a smile. he led the way off the boat, and as will was about to walk on along the lake shore, on his return to lemby, mrs. bobbsey said: "wouldn't you like a ride back, little boy?" "indeed i would," he said. "my feet hurt, on account of my shoes being so full of holes, i guess. i'm pretty tired, but i had a little rest. i don't expect to get back much before dark." "well, perhaps you can ride nearly all the way," went on mrs. bobbsey. "my husband has some lumber wagons going in your direction." "yes, come along and we'll see what we can do for you," put in the twins' father, nodding at the strange boy. will went off with mr. bobbsey, while nan, bert, flossie and freddie walked with their mother. "oh, mamma, when do you think we can go in our boat?" asked flossie. "well, as soon as school closes, my dear." "and will we sail across the ocean?" freddie wanted to know. "of course not!" cried bert. "a houseboat isn't a ship." "that boy knew about ships," said nan. "i like him, don't you, mamma?" "yes, he seemed real nice. he hasn't a very easy life, i'm afraid, working on a farm. but we must hurry on to supper. we'll talk about the boat after papa comes home." chapter vi freddie's fire engine "papa, when can we go sailing in the houseboat?" "may i take my fire engine along?" "where did you leave that boy?" "did he get a ride to lemby?" "thus bert, freddie, flossie and nan questioned mr. bobbsey when he came home to supper after the visit to the bluebird. "my! my!" exclaimed the lumber merchant, as he stopped in the hall to hang up his hat. "what a lot of talk all at once! let me see--whose question shall i answer first?" "did you manage to get that poor boy a ride?" asked mrs. bobbsey. it was the first time she had had a chance to ask her question. "answer mamma first," said bert politely. "the rest of us can wait." mr. bobbsey gave his older son a pleased look, and then replied: "yes, i found that one of our lumber wagons was going within half a mile of the village of lemby, so i let the boy ride with the driver. it will give him a good lift." "indeed it will," said mrs. bobbsey. "i felt so sorry for him. i wish i could help him!" "i hope the horses don't run away," spoke freddie with such a serious air that they all laughed. "i guess they won't run away, little fat fireman!" said mr. bobbsey, as he caught freddie up in his arms. "they are good, steady horses, and they had a pretty heavy load to drag. so will won't be in any danger. but i hope supper is ready. i'm hungry!" "but you didn't answer my question," said nan. "when are we going in the houseboat, father?" "oh, whenever school ends and your mother is ready," was the answer. "i should say in about two weeks." "good!" cried bert. "and are we going to take snap along?" he asked, as he caught sight of the trick dog outside, standing on his hind legs, while sam johnson held up a bone for him. snap was "begging" for his supper, as he often did. "yes, i think we can find room for snap on board," the lumber man said. "what about our cat, snoop?" asked flossie. "i want to take snoop along. wouldn't you like to go in a boat, snoop?" and flossie picked the fat cat up in her arms. snoop was quite an armful now. "don't you want to go, snoop?" "meow!" was all snoop said, and that might have meant anything at all. "supper first," suggested mr. bobbsey, "and after that we'll talk about the boat." the meal was a merry one, and there was much talk and laughter. as dinah brought on one good thing to eat after another, mrs. bobbsey said: "i hope every one has as nice a supper as we have." "were you thinking of any one in particular?" asked her husband. "yes, of that poor boy who came on the boat to-day," she answered. "i wonder if he has a good supper after his long walk this morning?" "well, they say mr. hardee doesn't feed his help any too well," spoke mr. bobbsey. "but now let's talk about our houseboat trip." "oh, what fun we'll have!" cried freddie and flossie, clapping their chubby hands. "did you plan a trip?" mrs. bobbsey wanted to know. "well, partly, yes. i thought we could go down lake metoka to lemby creek. we haven't been down that direction in some time." "lemby creek!" exclaimed bert. "isn't that the name of the place where that boy came from?" "well, lemby is a town on lemby creek," spoke his father. "will watson works on mr. hardee's farm, and that is just outside the village. lemby creek is about ten miles long, and by going along that we can get into lake romano. that is a large body of water, and there is a waterfall at the farther end." "a waterfall!" cried freddie. "oh, goodie! can we go see it, papa?" "i guess so," said mr. bobbsey. "we'll make this a long trip. it will take over a month, but of course we won't travel every day. some days we'll just anchor the boat in a shady place, and---" "fish!" interrupted bert. "yes, fish, or go in swimming--anything to have a good time," mr. bobbsey said. "oh, won't we have fun!" cried freddie again. "we'll take snoop and snap along, and they'll like it, too." "i guess snap will, because he's fond of the water," said bert, with a laugh. "but snoop doesn't care for it." "snoop can sleep on deck in the sun," said nan. "she'll like that. i wish i could ask one of my girl friends to come along with us for the houseboat trip. we have so many nice rooms on the bluebird it seems a pity not to use them." "and i'd like one of my boy chums, too," spoke bert. flossie and freddie were busy trying to make snoop do one of the tricks the circus lady had taught her. but snoop wanted to go out in the kitchen, and have dinah give her some supper. "company, eh?" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, slowly. "well, i don't know. we have plenty of room on the bluebird. i wonder how it would do to ask harry and dorothy to come with us?" he inquired of his wife. "oh, cousin harry!" cried bert. "that would be fine!" "and cousin dorothy!" added nan. "she and i could have lovely times together. do ask her, mother!" "we might ask the cousins," agreed mrs. bobbsey. "they haven't been to visit us in some time, and i think both harry and dorothy would enjoy the trip." harry and dorothy, as i have told you, were cousins of the bobbseys. harry lived at meadow brook, in the country, and dorothy at ocean cliff, near the sea. "i'll write to-morrow," said mrs. bobbsey, "and find out if they can go with us. now have we anything else to settle about our trip?" "what about something to eat?" asked freddie, in such a funny, anxious voice, that all the others laughed. "my goodness, little fat fireman!" exclaimed his father. "here you have just finished your supper, and you are already hungry again." "oh, i'm not hungry now," explained freddie, "but i will be on the boat." "don't worry," said his mother. "dinah is coming with us." "oh, then it will be all right," went on the little twin, with a contented sigh. "come on, flossie," he called to his small sister, "i know how we can have some fun. 'scuse me," he murmured, as he and the other little twin slipped from their chairs. mr. and mrs. bobbsey, with nan and bert, remained at the table for some time longer, talking about the coming trip in the bluebird. as mr. bobbsey had said, it would be about two weeks, yet, before they could start. there were two weeks more of school, but the classes would close earlier than usual that summer, because an addition was to be built to the school building, and the men wanted to get to work on it, to have it finished in time for school early in september. "so we'll get an extra week or so of vacation," explained bert. "and we'll spend it all on the houseboat." "well, perhaps not all of it," said mr. bobbsey. "i may not be able to stay with you all that while. but we'll spend a month or two on the bluebird." "what will we do the rest of vacation?" asked bert. "oh, perhaps we'll go to the mountains, or some place like that," his mother said with a smile. "it isn't settled yet." "is it a high waterfall at lake romano?" asked nan. "i just love them." "yes, it's a pretty high one," her father said. "i haven't been to lake romano in some years, but i remember it as a very beautiful place." "i'm sure we shall enjoy it," mrs. bobbsey said. "is the fishing good?" bert wanted to know. "so i have heard. we'll take some poles and lines along, anyhow, and try our luck," his father replied. mr. bobbsey pushed back his chair from the table, and looked around for the evening paper. bert and nan had some home work to do, to get ready their lessons for the next day's school classes, and mrs. bobbsey got out her sewing basket. there were always stockings to mend, if there was nothing else of the children's that needed attention. the house was quiet except for the distant rattling of dishes in the kitchen, where fat dinah was singing away as she worked. suddenly her song ceased, and she was heard to exclaim: "now yo' want t' be careful, honey lamb! doan't yo' go to muxin' up dinah's clean kitchen flo'." "no, we won't, dinah!" replied freddie's voice. "if any gets spilled, i'll wipe it up," said flossie. "i wonder what those children are up to now?" remarked mrs. bobbsey, as she rolled up two stockings she had just darned. "oh, i guess they're all right," said mr. bobbsey easily, as he turned over a page of the evening paper. the next moment there came a shout from dinah in the kitchen. "stop it, freddie. stop it, i say!" cried the fat, colored cook. "yo' suah am gittin' me all wet! oh, there it goes ag'in! stop it!" "i--i can't!" cried freddie. "hold your hand over it, flossie!" "oh, now it's squirting on me!" came in flossie's tones. "make it stop, freddie." "it--it won't stop!" was the frightened answer. "oh! land ob massy!" shouted dinah. "sam! sam! mr. bobbsey, come heah quick! it's squirtin' all ober!" "oh! something has happened!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, starting toward the kitchen. "maybe a water pipe has burst," suggested mr. bobbsey, dropping his paper and making a jump toward the kitchen. as he did so, he heard dinah cry again: "oh, yo' am all wet, honey lamb! yo' is all soakin' wet! oh, now it's comin' fo' me ag'in! oh, stop it, freddie! stop it!" "i--i can't!" was all freddie said. the next moment mr. bobbsey, followed by his wife, had reached the kitchen. there they saw a queer sight. in the middle of the floor stood flossie and freddie, water dripping from their hands and faces. dinah, too, was wet, and she was fairly flying around, with a plate in one hand and a dish towel in the other. and, all about the kitchen was spurting a stream of water, while over by the stove stood freddie's toy fire engine. it was this engine that was spraying the water all over the room. chapter vii the two cousins "oh, freddie! what has happened?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "it--it's the---" began freddie, but that was as far as he got, for just then the stream of water from his toy engine spurted right into his open mouth. "shut it off!" cried mr. bobbsey. "here, i'll do it!" he started across the kitchen floor. "look out, massa bobbsey!" yelled dinah. "it'll cotch yo' shuah. it done cotched me!" and then as she saw the little rubber hose of freddie's fire engine swing around, and the nozzle point at her, the fat cook ran into the dish-closet and shut the door. "how did it happen?" asked mrs. bobbsey, not so excited, now that she found nothing serious was the matter. "freddie--freddie--he wanted to try how his fire engine worked, 'cause he hadn't played with it this week," explained flossie. freddie was busy wiping the water from his face. "so he filled the tank, and wound it up, and now--and now--it won't--it won't stop-squirtin'!" went on flossie. "it--it---" and then she, too, had to stop talking, for the hose was spurting water at her now. "i'll shut it off. something must be the matter with the spring," said mr. bobbsey. he walked toward freddie's fire engine, which was pretty large, for a toy. but before he reached it, the water hose had swung around, and, instead of sprinkling flossie, was aimed at mr. bobbsey. however he did not mind. holding the newspaper in front of his face, freddie's father reached the fire engine, and turned off the machinery that pumped the water. "there!" he cried. "the fire's out! the only damage is from water," and he laughed, for he was wet, and so were mrs. bobbsey, flossie and freddie; and the kitchen itself was pretty well sprinkled. "what's it all about?" asked bert, for he and nan, who had been studying their lessons, had heard the noise of the excitement, and had run to the kitchen to see what had caused it. "oh, freddie turned in a false alarm," said mr. bobbsey. "how did you come to put water in your engine, when mamma has told you not to do so in the house?" he asked the little boy. "be--be--cause," said freddie slowly, "i wanted to see if it would--work. i'm going to take it on the houseboat with me." "well, i guess it worked all right," bert said, as he looked around at the wet kitchen. luckily there was oil cloth on the floor, and the walls were painted, so the water really did no harm. dinah slowly opened the door of the dish-closet, and peered out. "am it all done, honey lamb?" she asked, looking at freddie. "yes, dinah! it's all done squirtin'," he said. "i guess there isn't any more water, anyhow." "no," said mr. bobbsey, with a smile, as he looked in the tank of the engine, "it's all pumped out." freddie's toy fire engine was a large and expensive one his uncle had given him on christmas. it was made as nearly like a real engine as possible, only instead of working by steam, it worked by a spring. when a spring was wound up, it operated a small pump in the engine. the pump made water spurt out through a little rubber hose, and the water for the engine was poured into a tank. the tank held about two gallons, so you see when it was all pumped out in the kitchen, and spurted on those in the room, it made them pretty wet. "it's clean water," said nan, when every one had somewhat cooled down, "and it's so warm to-night, i wouldn't mind being sprayed with a hose myself." "still, freddie shouldn't have done it," said mrs. bobbsey. "i have told you not to play with your engine in the house, when it had water in it, freddie. how did you come to disobey me?" she asked, for usually the little fellow was very good about minding. "i--i didn't mean to, mamma," he said "first i just wanted to see if the engine tank leaked, so i put in some water. i didn't think it would hurt, out here on the kitchen oil cloth, and honestly i wasn't going to squirt it." "no, i suppose not," said mr. bobbsey, wiping the water from his face, and glancing at his soaked newspaper. "so i just filled the tank with water from the sink," explained freddie. "i--i helped him," confessed flossie, ready to take her share of the blame. "what happened next?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "why--er--i just wanted to see if the spring was all right, so i wound that up," freddie went on. "then i sort of forgot about the water in the tank, and before i knew it, why it--it went off--sudden like." "land ob massy! i should say it done did go off--suddint laik!" exclaimed dinah. "fust i knowed i was dryin' de dishes an' den i got a mouth full ob watah. i shuah did t'ink a watah pipe had done gone an' busted. i shuah did!" "it--it just kept on squirtin'!" said freddie. "i couldn't stop it like it always used to stop." "no, the pump is out of order," said mr. bobbsey, as he looked at the now empty fire engine. "it wouldn't stop pumping. well, i'm glad it wasn't a real fire, and glad that no one is hurt. put your engine away now, freddie, and, after this, don't play with water in the house, when mamma has told you not to." "i won't," promised freddie. "but it's a good engine, isn't it?" "oh, yes, it's a good engine, all right." "and i can take it on the houseboat, can't i?" "yes, but you won't need to put any water in. there'll be enough in the creek and lakes," said mrs. bobbsey with a smile. "come now, flossie and freddie, you are wet, so you might as well get undressed and go to bed. it is nearly time, anyhow, and you have had quite a day of it. off to bed!" off to bed the twins went. dinah wiped up the kitchen, and, as she did so, she murmured over and over again: "it shuah did go off suddint laik! it shuah did!" flossie and freddie, little the worse for their wetting, went off to school next day, with nan and bert. the two sets of twins talked of many things on their way to their classes, but, most of all, they talked of the coming trip on the houseboat, and of the accident to the fire engine the night before. "i do hope cousin dorothy can come with us," said nan, as she left bert to walk along with nellie parks. "and i hope harry can go," said bert. "better hurry along, freddie," he called to his little brother. "there goes your bell, and yours, too, flossie." the two little tots turned into the gate of the school that led to the yard where the smallest pupils formed in line. "well, even if harry and dorothy can't go, i'll take my fire engine," said freddie. "and we'll take snoop and snap, so we won't be lonesome," suggested flossie. "oh, won't it be fun, freddie!" "yes, i wish it was time to go now. i'm tired of school," said the little fellow. but school must go on, whether there are houseboat parties or not, so the bobbsey twins had to study their lessons. i think that day, however, bert must have been thinking of other things than his books, for when the teacher asked him what an island was, bert gave a queer answer. instead of saying it was a body of land, surrounded by water, bert said: "an island is a fire engine in the kitchen." "why, bert bobbsey! what are you thinking of?" asked the teacher. "oh, i--i was thinking of something that happened at our house last night," bert went on, while all the children in the room laughed. "then you'd better tell us about it," suggested miss teeter, the instructor, for she was very kind. so bert told of freddie's mishap, and how it was he happened to be thinking of that instead of the right answer to the question about the island. "i hear you have a houseboat, bert," said john blake, a boy in the same room, as the children came out of school that afternoon. "yes, my father bought the one mr. marvin owned," said bert. "it's a fine one, too. we're going to have a trip in her soon." "you're a lucky boy!" exclaimed john. "can't you take me down and show me over the boat?" "i'd like to," said bert, "but father said i wasn't to go aboard, when he was not with me." "pooh! he'll never know," suggested danny rugg, a boy with whom bert had had more or less trouble. "you needn't tell your father you went to the boat. come on, take us down and let's see it." "no," said bert, quietly but firmly. "maybe my father wouldn't know i had been on board, but i'd know it." "aw, you're a fraid-cat!" sneered danny. "come on, take us down, and we'll have some fun." "no," said bert with a shake of his head. "i'm sorry. some other time, after i've asked my father if i may, i'll show you all over the bluebird." "i want to go now," danny said. "oh, there's plenty of time," spoke john, pleasantly. "i wouldn't want bert to do what his father told him not to, just to oblige me. i'll see the boat some other time, bert; that will do just as well." "huh! he's a fraid-cat!" muttered danny again, as he shuffled off, muttering to himself. several times he had made trouble for the bobbsey twins, and bert was not any too friendly with him. danny was a bully in the school. bert wished, very much indeed, that he could have taken some of his boy friends down to the houseboat, but his father had a good reason for not wanting any boys aboard, unless he could be with them. workmen were making certain changes in the craft, and doing some painting inside and outside. a few days after this, when the bobbsey twins reached home from school, mrs. bobbsey met them at the door, saying: "i have good news for you, children!" "what is it?" cried bert. "don't we have to go to school any more?" freddie. "are we going on the houseboat sooner than we expected?" nan wanted to know. "it's about your two cousins--harry and dorothy," went on mrs. bobbsey. "they have both accepted our invitations, and they will come with us on the trip! won't that be nice?" "lovely!" exclaimed nan, her eyes shining with delight. "dorothy and i'll have such nice times together!" "and harry and i'll catch a lot of fish," declared bert. the days went on. the houseboat was nearly ready for her trip. very soon school would close. "come on, bert, can't you show us over the boat now?" asked danny rugg one afternoon, on his way home from school, with nan's brother, and some other boys. "i can't to-day, but perhaps i can to-morrow," said bert. "i'll ask my father." "he'll never know about it," tempted danny again, but bert could not be influenced that way. "never mind, i'll fix you!" threatened danny, which was what he usually said, when he could not have his own way. bert thought little of the threat at the time, though later he recalled it vividly. it was that night, just as the smaller twins were getting ready for bed, that the telephone in the bobbsey house rang out a call. "i'll answer it," said mr. bobbsey, as he went to the instrument. "hello!" he called. then his wife and children heard him cry: "what! is that so! that's too bad! yes, i'll attend to it right away. i wonder how it happened?" "oh, what has happened?" cried mrs. bobbsey, in alarm. "is the lumber yard on fire again?" asked freddie, thinking of his toy engine. "not as bad as that," said mr. bobbsey, as he quickly put on his hat. "but the watchman at the dock just telephoned me that our houseboat, the bluebird, has gotten adrift, and is floating out into the lake." chapter viii off in the "bluebird" for a few seconds after mr. bobbsey told of the news he had heard over the telephone, none of the twins seemed to know what to say. they just stared at their father, and i really believe, for a moment, that flossie and freddie thought he was playing a joke on them. then mrs. bobbsey seemed to understand it. "what!" she cried. "our houseboat adrift?" "that's what the watchman tells me," said mr. bobbsey, as he started for the front door. "but who did it?" asked bert, managing to get his tongue in working order. "can't you get her back again?" asked nan. "our boat, i mean." "let me come with you!" pleaded freddie. "and i want to come, too!" added flossie. she seldom wanted to be left behind, when her twin brother went anywhere. "no, no! you children must stay here," said mr. bobbsey. "i will hurry down to the lake, and come right back. i'll tell you all about it, when i return." "but what could have happened?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "what would make our boat go adrift?" "oh, some of the ropes might have come loose," replied her husband. "or the ropes might even have been cut through, rubbing against the dock. the wind is blowing a little, and that is sending the boat out into the lake. i'll get one of our steam tugs, and go after her. it will not take long nor be hard work to bring her back." a number of small steam tugs were owned by mr. bobbsey for use in hauling lumber boats, and lumber rafts about lake metoka. some of these tugs were always at the dock, and one always had steam up, ready for instant use. "well, i hope you get the bluebird back all right," said bert. "we don't want to miss our trip, especially after we have asked harry and dorothy." "oh, it would be too bad to disappoint them," put in nan. "oh, i'll get the boat back all right," declared mr. bobbsey. flossie and freddie breathed sighs of relief. they were not worried now, for they knew their father would do as he said. fat dinah put her head in through the door of the sitting room. "am anyt'ing de mattah?" she asked. "i done heah yo' all talkin' in heah, an' i t'inks maybe dat honey lamb freddie done got his steam enjine squirtin' watah ag'in." "not this time, dinah," said mrs. bobbsey, for the cook was almost like one of the family. then the twins' mother explained what the trouble was. "i 'clar t' goodness!" dinah exclaimed. "suffin's always happenin' in dish yeah fambily." it was not a very serious happening this time. mr. bobbsey hurried down to his lumber yard in the darkness of the june evening. he was gone about an hour, when the telephone rang. on account of the little excitement flossie and freddie had been allowed to stay up, although it was long past their usual bedtime. "i'll answer it," said mrs. bobbsey, as the telephoned bell stopped jingling, for bert had started from his seat. "oh, it's papa," the twins' mother went on, after she had listened for a second after saying "hello!" "is the boat all right?" asked nan, anxiously. "yes," answered her mother, and then she turned to listen to the rest of mr. bobbsey's talk over the telephone. "papa went after the bluebird, and brought her safely back," mrs. bobbsey explained, when she had hung up the receiver. "he'll be here in a few minutes to tell us all about it. he telephoned from the lumber office after he had our boat safe." "oh, i'm so glad the boat's all right," said nan. "pooh, i knowed it would be--when papa went after it," said freddie, with a sleepy yawn. "you must say 'knew,' not 'knowed,' dear," spoke mamma bobbsey. "and now i think it is time for you and flossie to go to bed." neither of the smaller twins offered any objection. they were too sleepy to want to stay up and listen to the story of the bringing back of the bluebird. nan and bert were anxious to hear it, and mr. bobbsey came in soon after flossie and freddie were tucked in bed. he told the story of the drifting houseboat. "how did it break loose?" asked bert. "it didn't break loose," said his father. "some one untied the knots in the ropes." "untied!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "how did it happen?" "why, some one went aboard the boat," explained mr. bobbsey, "and i think it must have been some boys, for i found this cap," and he held up a gray one. "why!" cried bert when he saw it. "that's danny rugg's cap!" "i thought so," went on mr. bobbsey. "danny, and some of his chums, must have gone on the boat early this evening. they played about, as boys will, and some of them, either on purpose or accidentally, must have loosed the knots in the ropes before coming ashore. then the boat just drifted away after that." "those boys had no right to go on our boat!" said nan. "no, they had not," agreed her father, "but i'm glad there was no real damage done. the watchman saw the bluebird soon after she had drifted away from the dock, and he telephoned me. i went out in one of our tugs and soon brought her back. so you think this is danny rugg's cap, bert?" "i'm sure of it, yes, sir. danny wanted me to take him, and some of the other boys, on the boat, but i wouldn't." "i'm glad you remembered what i told you," spoke mr. bobbsey, and bert blushed with pleasure. "i'll give danny his cap in the morning," bert went on. "it may surprise him to know where he lost it." "i don't believe you can surprise that danny rugg very much," said mrs. bobbsey. the next morning, when bert took danny's cap to school with him, and handed it to the boy who had caused so much trouble, a queer look came over danny's face. "thanks," he said. "i was wondering where i left that. i guess i must have dropped it, when i was--playing football over in the fields." "no, you dropped it on our houseboat, the bluebird, just before you and the other fellows untied the ropes that let her go adrift," said bert. "and you'd better keep off her after this!" "huh! i'm not afraid of your father!" was all danny growled, as he stuffed his cap in his pocket, for he had worn another to school. when danny's chums learned that it was known who had set the boat adrift, they were rather frightened. when they realized the damage they might have done, they kept away from mr. bobbsey's lumber yard for a long time. one day, about a week after this, the bobbsey twins hurried home from school without stopping to play with any of their friends. "why are you in such a hurry?" asked grace lavine of nan. "we expect our cousins to-day," nan answered. "then we are going to get ready to go away in our houseboat." surely enough, when the twins reached home, there the cousins were to greet them--dorothy and harry, one from the seashore, and the other from the country. "oh, but i'm so glad to see you!" cried nan, as she hugged and kissed dorothy. "and i'm so glad to come," dorothy answered with a smile. "it was lovely of you to invite me to go on your boat." "we'll have a lot of fun," said bert to harry. "that's what we will," replied the boy from the country. "we're both awful glad to see you!" chimed in flossie, speaking both for herself and for freddie. "but we can't play with the fire engine." "not if we put water in," added freddie. "what in the world do they mean?" asked dorothy, wonderingly. "oh, i'll have to tell you," laughed nan, as she explained about the accident. the cousins had much to tell the twins, and talk about, and the twins had as much more to tell, so, for a time, there was a merry sound of talk and laughter. dorothy and harry had come by different trains, one from the seashore and the other from the country, but they had reached the bobbsey house at the same time. their schools had not yet closed, but as they were both well advanced in their studies, their parents had allowed them to leave their classes ahead of time, since they were both sure to "pass." "just think!" cried nan, when there was a moment of quiet. "in three days more our school will close, and then we'll go on the trip." "won't it be lovely!" murmured dorothy. i leave you to imagine all that took place in those three days. schooldays came to an end, and the bobbsey twins were among those at the heads of their classes. then came a packing-up time, and the bobbsey house was a scene of great excitement. trunks and boxes were taken aboard the bluebird, a man was hired to run the gasoline engine. plenty of good things to eat were stowed away in the kitchen lockers, as cupboards are called on a boat. at last all was ready for the start. snoop and snap, of course, were on hand, as was dinah. mr. bobbsey saw to it that his family, and the two cousins, were safely aboard, and then he gave the order to cast off the lines. the bluebird floated away from the dock, and out into the lake that was almost as blue as her name. "all aboard!" cried bert. "toot! toot!" whistled freddie, pretending to be an engine. "oh, look out! you're stepping on my doll!" screamed flossie, who had put her toy down on the deck a moment. "good-bye! good-bye!" called nan to grace lavine, and some others of her girl friends, who had come down to the dock to see them off. "good-bye!" "good-bye!" echoed the girls, waving their hands. "come on!" called bert to harry, as he started for the lower cabin. "what are you going to do?" asked the boy from the country. "let's get out our fishing poles. maybe we can catch something for dinner." "that's right!" agreed harry. slowly the bluebird moved out into the lake, for the gasoline engine was working. the houseboat trip of the bobbsey twins had begun, and many things were to happen before it was to end. chapter ix snoop and snap nan and dorothy, after waving good-bye to the girl friends on the dock, went down to the living room of the houseboat. there they found mrs. bobbsey and dinah putting away some of the things that had been brought on board at the last moment. "i 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed the colored cook, "dish yeah houseboatin' am wuss dan movin'!" "oh, not quite as bad as that," said mrs. bobbsey, with a laugh. "but what are you going to do, nan, dear? do you like it, dorothy?" "oh! indeed i do," answered the "seashore cousin," as nan called her to distinguish her from harry, who lived in the country. "we are just going to our rooms for a minute, mother," nan answered. "i want to show dorothy my new sailor suit." every body on the houseboat was busy, even down to flossie and freddie, and the two little twins were busy having fun. mrs. bobbsey and dinah were engaged in putting to rights the different rooms, for there were a number on the bluebird, which was built for a large family. bert and harry were up on deck fishing, as the boat moved slowly through the blue waters of metoka lake. flossie and freddie, as i have said, were playing, the little girl with her doll, and freddie with a new toy his father had bought him. as for mr. bobbsey, he was down in the engine room with "captain white." mr. white was one of mr. bobbsey's men who had once been in charge of a tugboat, but one day there was an accident aboard, and mr. white was made lame for life. but mr. bobbsey liked his faithful employee, and kept him at work, and since mr. white could not do heavy tasks, he was allowed to do easy ones. mr. white was called "captain" by every one, though he was not really a captain. still, he knew a great deal about boats, the weather clouds and storms, and all things such as sea captains are supposed to know. when mr. bobbsey bought mr. marvin's houseboat, he at once began to think of some one who could sail it for him, and take care of the gasoline engine. naturally, he thought of captain white. so the bluebird was put in charge of captain white, who, you may be sure, was very glad to be on the water again, even if it was only in a slow-moving houseboat, and not in a swift steam tug. mr. bobbsey and captain white were down in the motor, or engine room together. mr. bobbsey was learning how to run the gasoline engine. i have told you how the bluebird was driven along through the water by a small engine. it was not a steam engine, such as are found in many boats, but a gasoline one, such as those in most automobiles. mr. bobbsey did not intend to sail very fast in the houseboat. in fact, for many days, he expected to just drift along, or push the boat with a long pole through some shallow creek, or in parts of the lake where it was not deep. when he wanted to move more quickly from place to place, there was the gasoline engine all ready to use. and captain white knew how to use it. mr. bobbsey came up out of the little motor room after a while, and watched his wife and dinah putting things away. the boat was moving down the lake. "oh, look at your face!" suddenly cried mrs. bobbsey. "what's the matter with it?" asked her husband, putting his hand up to his nose, as almost any person will do when you speak of his face. "it's all black!" went on mrs. bobbsey. "so are your hands. oh, richard! what have you been doing?" "learning to run the gasoline engine," he said. "i want to know how it works so that if we need to start any time when captain white is on shore, or asleep, i can do it." "i hope you won't start off any time when captain white is on shore," said mrs. bobbsey. "you don't know enough about a boat to run it without him." "very well, then. i promise i'll run the gasoline engine only when captain white is asleep," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "and then, if anything happens, i'll only have to awaken him, and ask him what is wrong." "that's the best plan," said mrs. bobbsey, also laughing. "and now you had better go wash your face. some one might see you--looking like that." there was a nice little bathroom aboard the bluebird, and mr. bobbsey was soon splashing away with the water and soap. meanwhile mrs. bobbsey and dinah finished their work, and went up on deck. it was a very pleasant day, and with the sun shining down from a blue sky overhead, just warm enough, and not too hot, with a gentle breeze that hardly ruffled the surface of the lake, but which made it delightfully cool as the boat moved slowly along. in short, it was just perfect weather, as the bobbsey twins started off on their houseboat. nan and dorothy, having finished looking at each other's dresses, which always seems to delight girls, had come up on deck so that now the whole bobbsey family, and their country, and seashore cousin visitors also, were there. "have you caught any fish yet?" asked mr. bobbsey, walking over to where bert and harry were dangling their lines in the water. "not yet, but we've had two or three bites," said bert, hopefully. "i think you'll have better luck when we reach some quiet place, and anchor," mr. bobbsey went on. "at any rate, you need not worry, if you don't catch any fish. dinah will be able to give us something else for dinner, i think." "i think so, too," said harry with a laugh. "i can smell something cooking now." this was so. for, though the bobbseys had started early that morning, there was so much to do that it was now nearly noon. to them it seemed only an hour or so since they had started. dinah was a good cook. she kept one eye on the clock and the other on the things she was cooking. and she made up her mind that the meals would be on time, even if they were served on a houseboat. so it was the cooking of dinner that harry smelled. "oh, dorothy!" exclaimed nan, after a little while, during which the two girls looked across the lake to the distant shores they had left. "i must show you a new trick snap has learned." "what! another trick?" cried dorothy. "my! he knows a lot of them now. he certainly is a clever dog!" snap, as i have told you, used to belong to a circus before the bobbseys bought him, so perhaps learning tricks came easier to him than to most dogs. "yes, i taught him this trick myself," went on nan. "he will walk around on his hind legs, and carry a doll in his front paws, just like a nurse girl. when i dress him up in one of my old skirts and a jacket, he is too funny for anything! i'll make him do the trick now, only i won't dress him up, for i can't find the clothes he wears. i don't believe we brought them. but i'll make him carry the doll for you. here, snap!" called nan. the dog, who had been sleeping in a sunny spot on deck, near snoop, the black cat, sprang up, when he heard his name called. "where are you going to get a doll for him to carry?" asked dorothy. "i'll take flossie's. you'll let sister take your doll to make snap do a trick, won't you, dear?" she asked. "yes, nan," answered flaxen-haired flossie. "i just love to see snap do that trick! he carries the doll so cute!" flossie brought her doll to nan, and snap stood near, wagging his tail, for he seemed to know what was coming. "now, snap," said nan, pointing her finger at the dog, "i want you to show dorothy how you play nurse-girl, and carry a doll." "bow wow!" barked snap. that was what he always said when any one spoke to him. i suppose he knew what he meant, but no one else did. at any rate, he seemed to understand what was said to him. "up, snap! up!" called nan suddenly, and snap rose on his hind legs, holding his fore paws out in front of him, so nan could place the doll on them. this the little girl did, putting flossie's "sawdust baby" carefully across snap's paws. "now take the doll for a walk!" ordered nan, and, with another bark, off snap started, parading across the deck. "oh, isn't he too cute!" cried dorothy, laughing and clapping her hands. "oh, what a smart dog he is!" "isn't he!" agreed nan. "bert said i never could teach him to do a trick, but i did." "indeed you did!" agreed dorothy. "now come back here, snap!" ordered nan. but just then something happened. how it was no one knew exactly, but bert suddenly caught a fish. he was so surprised at getting a hard bite on his line, that he jerked it up quickly. something flashed in the sunlight, and, the next moment, a little sunfish landed flapping on the deck, right in front of the sleeping black cat snoop. "flop!" went the fish, and snoop awakened with a jump. up to her feet she leaped like a flash, and then she saw the fish. snoop was very fond of fish, and made a spring for the one bert had caught. but the fish was wet and slippery, and no sooner had snoop pounced on it with her claws than the fish slid across the deck of the houseboat. snoop slid after it, just as she often slid across the kitchen oilcloth, when she sprang for a piece of string that flossie or freddie would pull along to make the cat play. right across the deck, after the slippery fish slid snoop, and, the next instant, the poor cat had slid right off the deck, and fallen into the lake with a splash! chapter x down the creek "there goes snoop!" "oh, somebody get her!" nan and dorothy both shouted at the same time. as for bert, he was so surprised at having caught a fish, and at seeing the cat slide off the deck with it, that he could say nothing. it was almost the same with harry. he had jumped to his feet, however, and had run toward snoop, but too late. then, all of a sudden, snap, with a loud bark, gave one spring, and the next moment he had jumped right over the deck railing, under which snoop had slid. right over it went snap, and down into the lake. for he knew that snoop had fallen in, and, being the kind of a dog that asks nothing better than to save something, or somebody, from the water, snap was right on hand. "oh, my doll! my doll!" cried flossie. "snap is taking my doll into the lake with him! come back, snap! come back!" snap did not stop to listen. he had, indeed, taken flossie's doll with him. he had been holding it on his front paws as snoop slid overboard, and, as he gave a jump, snap did not come down on all four legs. he jumped while he was yet standing on his hind ones, and of course the doll went over the rail with him. "what has happened?" cried mrs. bobbsey, as she heard the screaming, and the splashes in the water. "have any of the children fallen in?" for she had gone to another part of the deck, with dinah, out of sight of the twins for a moment. now she came hurrying back, and a single look showed her that the children were all safe. "what has happened?" she asked again. "as nearly as i can figure out," said mr. bobbsey, "bert caught a fish, snoop tried to get it and fell into the water, and now snap has gone in after snoop." "and snap has my doll! she'll get all wet--she'll be drowned!" cried flossie. "i'll get her for you," offered harry. but just now they were all anxious to see what snap and snoop did. mr. and mrs. bobbsey and the children looked over the side of the houseboat. they saw the black cat swimming about in the lake, and snap, who was a fine water-dog, was paddling toward her. "hadn't you better stop the boat?" asked mrs. bobbsey, for the bluebird was slowly floating away from the dog and the cat. "yes, i guess it would be best," said mr. bobbsey. so he called out: "captain! captain white! stop the boat! something overboard!" down in the little motor room mr. white heard the shout, and he at once shut off the gasoline engine. then he came up on deck as fast as his lame leg would let him, to see what was wrong. "what's that you say?" he asked. "somebody fell overboard?" "the dog and the cat," explained mr. bobbsey. "i wonder how we can get them out? it's snoop and snap who are in the water." "and my doll!" added flossie. "i want my doll back!" "oh, yes, and flossie's doll," added mr. bobbsey. "i guess you'd better get in the rowboat, captain white. it will be easier to lift them out from there." "i'll do it, mr. bobbsey," the captain said, as he limped down stairs again. by this time snap had swum to where poor snoop was paddling about in the water. the dog gently took hold of the cat by the back of the neck, where her loose fur would give a good hold. then snap, holding snoop's head well up out of the water, started back for the houseboat. "good old snap!" called mr. bobbsey. snap wanted to bark and wag his tail, as he always did when any one spoke pleasantly to him, but he knew if he opened his mouth to bark now, he would have to drop snoop. and snap had hard enough work swimming, without trying to wag his tail. on he came toward the boat. by this time captain white had gotten into the small boat, which was pulled after the bluebird, by a rope, and he was rowing toward the dog. seeing that the smaller boat was nearer, snap swam toward that, instead of toward the larger one. he held snoop carefully up out of the water. "that's a good dog, snap!" called captain white, as snap came nearer. "i'll take her now." the engineer lifted poor, wet, dripping snoop into his boat. she crawled close up to captain white, for she was much frightened. after snap had delivered the cat he had rescued, he turned back again. "where are you going?" asked captain white. "don't you want to get in my boat, too, snap?" "bow wow!" barked snap. this time he could open his mouth, as he was not carrying a cat. "oh, he's going to get my doll!" cried flossie. "look, snap is after my doll!" and so he was. after taking snoop safely to the boat, snap had seen flossie's doll floating on the top of the water, and had swum toward that, just as he would have gone toward a floating stick, had there been one near. "ok, now he's got her!" cried the happy flossie. "now snap has my doll. goodie!" "and, as she's a wooden doll, the water won't hurt her," said nan, with a laugh, "everything is coming out all right." and so it seemed. taking the doll in his mouth, as he had taken the cat, snap swam back toward the small boat, where captain white waited for him, now and then petting poor snoop. just as the dog had done with the cat, so he did with the doll, giving her to the engineer of the bluebird. then, seeing that his work was all done, snap once more swam toward the big boat, not trying to get into the small one. "good dog, snap!" cried mr. bobbsey, as he leaned over to lift him in, for there were no steps by which to climb up the side of the bluebird. this time snap barked and wagged his tail, and then he gave himself a big shake to get rid of the water. he sent a regular shower of spray all about. "come, girls!" cried mrs. bobbsey with a laugh, "this is no place for us. we haven't our bathing suits on!" and she, with nan and dorothy, ran back out of the way of the scattering drops from snap's shaggy coat. a little later captain white rowed up with snoop and flossie's doll, and the little girl at once said she was going to put a dry dress on the doll, so she wouldn't "take cold." "well," said mr. bobbsey, when the excitement had died down. "that's over, at any rate. all that over one little fish!" "that's so--my fish started it all!" said bert. "i wonder what became of it?" and he looked at his empty hook, dangling from the line of his pole. "the fish dropped off," said harry. "i saw it. but it was only a little one. it wouldn't have been any good." "poor snoop!" said mrs. bobbsey. "all your trouble for nothing! you didn't get the fish." "oh, i'll soon catch some more for her, won't we, harry?" bert asked. "that's what we will," answered the country cousin. "now if yo' folks am all done fallin' ovahbo'd i'se ready t' gib yo' all suffin t' eat," said dinah, coming up from the dining-room. "and i think we are ready to eat," said mrs. bobbsey. "this traveling on the water has given me an appetite." "i guess it has all of us," spoke mr. bobbsey with a laugh, as he noticed the eager, hungry looks on the faces of the children. "and give snoop and snap something good and hot, so they won't take cold," suggested nan. "though i don't believe they will this weather, it's so warm." "i'm going to give my dollie hot chocolate," said flossie, who, by this time, had put a dry dress on her pet. the meal was a merry one, though at first the children, especially flossie and freddie, were too excited to eat. then, too, it was so strange eating on a boat that was moving through the water, for the engine had been started again. several times, during the meal, the two smaller twins jumped up from the table to run to the windows and look out over the lake. at last their mother said: "now, flossie and freddie, you must sit still and finish your dinner. otherwise you may be ill. you'll have plenty of time to see things after you leave the table." snap was soon dry, from lying in the sun, and, a little later, snoop was as warm and fluffy as before she had fallen into the lake. she picked out a warm spot on deck near snap, for they had been the best of friends since the first day they had met, when snoop came back from her long trip to cuba, as i have told you in another book. all the rest of that day the houseboat traveled over lake metoka. the children sat on heck, and watched other boats pass them. some of them were loaded with lumber for mr. bobbsey. others were pleasure boats, and those on board waved their hands to the bobbsey twins and their cousins. "are we going to travel all night?" asked bert of his father, when dinah called that supper was ready. "no, we are going to anchor soon. we will go a little nearer shore first, though." "and when will we start through lemby creek toward lake romano?" "oh, in a day or so, i fancy." it was such a pleasant evening, that even the little twins were allowed to stay up on deck past their usual bedtime, looking at the twinkling stars, and the lights of other boats on the lake. when flossie and freddie did get to bed, they did not go to sleep at once. it was very strange to them, sleeping on a boat in the water. finally the two little people dozed off, and then the older folks went to bed. in the middle of the night freddie woke up. at first he could not remember where he was, and he wondered at the queer rocking motion of the boat, for a little wind was ruffling the lake. suddenly there came a loud toot. "mamma! papa! i heard something!" cried freddie, sitting up. "yes, dear. it was only the whistle of another boat," said his mother, who was in the room next to him. "go to sleep again." freddie did. "well, i sure am going to catch some fish to-day," said bert, when he and harry went up on deck next morning, after breakfast. "we'll try, anyhow," harry said. "we're nearer shore now, and the fishing ought to be better. i'll get my line.". whether it was on account of the bait they used, or because the fish were not plentiful, the boys did not know, but they did not get even one bite. anyhow, they had fun. the bluebird went slowly across the lake. the bobbseys were in no hurry, and they wanted to enjoy the pleasant weather. for three days they sailed over the blue waters, and then mr. bobbsey told captain white to steer toward lemby creek. "we'll go through the creek into lake romano," said the twins' father. "that is a much larger lake. we'll spend most of our houseboat vacation there. we will also visit the big waterfall." "that will be lovely!" exclaimed dorothy. though she lived near the sea, she also loved inland waters, such as rivers and lakes. the houseboat moved so slowly, and was such a safe craft, that bert and harry were allowed to steer at times, when mr. bobbsey or captain white stood near them in case of any danger. the two boy cousins had taken turns steering, until the bluebird was close to the place where lemby creek emptied into lake metoka. "you'd better let me take the steering wheel, now," said mr. bobbsey to bert. "there is a little current from the creek into the lake, and we don't want to run ashore." in a little while the houseboat was safely in the creek. this stream of water was narrow, though it was deep enough to float the bluebird easily. the shores were so close, at times, that the tree branches overhung the deck, and brushed the rails. "i could almost jump ashore," said harry. "but you mustn't try it!" cautioned his aunt. "you might fall in, and snap couldn't rescue you as easily as he did snoop or the doll." as the houseboat went slowly around a bend in the creek, nan, who stood in front, near her father, suddenly uttered a cry, and pointed toward shore. "what is it?" asked mr. bobbsey. "there's that boy--will watson!" spoke nan. "you know--the one who liked our boat so," and she pointed to the strange lad who worked for mr. hardee. the boy was walking along the shore of the creek, a fish pole over his shoulder. "oh, let's ask him how to catch fish!" proposed bert. "we haven't had any luck at all!" chapter xi the mean man certainly it seemed a good place to fish, in lemby creek, for there were many shady pools near the banks--pools that looked as though fish swam in them, just waiting to be caught. as harry and bert looked more closely at the boy nan had pointed out to them, they saw that he carried a string of fish, as well as the pole. "oh, he's caught some!" cried bert. "let's ask how he does it." "and where he caught them," suggested harry. "i will," agreed bert. "hey there, will!" he called. "where'd you get the fish?" the farm boy, who had seen the houseboat, and who was hurrying toward her, waved his hand as bert called to him. then, as he came nearer across the green meadow through which the creek ran, he shouted: "plenty of fish all around you. just throw in from the boat, and you'll get all you want." "what kind of bait do you use?" asked mr. bobbsey, for neither bert nor harry had thought to inquire about that, and the right kind of bait is as much needed in catching fish, as is water itself. "grasshoppers are best just now," answered will. "and we've been fishing with worms!" said bert. "no wonder!" "oh, worms are all right most times," will went on. "but the fish are hungry for grasshoppers now. i'll give you some. i've got lots left." he came to the edge of the creek, and mr. bobbsey, who was steering the boat, sent it in close to shore. "we might as well tie up here for the night, i think," he said. "that will give you boys a chance to talk to will, and learn how to catch fish." a little later the houseboat was rubbing along the grassy bank, and the water was so deep close to shore that there was really no need of putting out the board, called the "gangplank," for any one to get off. mr. bobbsey, knowing that flossie and freddie could not make the little jump needed to take them ashore, called to captain white to run out a small board instead of the regular large one. "come on, harry!" called bert. "we'll get some of those grasshoppers." he started down the stairs leading from the deck, intending to go ashore, but his mother touched him on the arm, and said, in a low voice: "why don't you ask that boy to come on board?" "why?" asked bert. "well, i was just going to give you children some of the corn muffins dinah has just baked, and perhaps will would like---" "oh, of course! now i understand!" cried bert. "of course. i say, will!" he went on, calling down from the upper deck, "can't you come aboard? we're going to have some of dinah's corn muffins, and maybe you'd like to sample one." somewhat to the surprise of mrs. bobbsey, as well as to the wonderment of bert and harry, will did not seem eager to accept the invitation. "i'd like to come on board, very much," he said, looking back of him, and on all sides, as though he feared some one was after him. "but you see i haven't got much time. i ought to be back at the farm now. mr. hardee set me to hoeing a patch of corn, and i'm supposed to be back in time to feed the horses before supper. and it's almost supper time now." "well, we don't want you to be late," said mrs. bobbsey. "here, bert," she said, as dinah came out of the kitchen with a big plate of muffins, "you take some of these to will, and you can walk along a little way with him, and talk about fishing. then he won't be late. "but don't go too far," she added, "for supper will soon be ready." "we won't!" promised bert. taking some of the delicious corn muffins, the two boys hurried ashore, snap, the dog, barking joyously, bounding along with them. flossie and freddie did not care to go ashore just then, as the little girl twin was playing with her doll, and her brother was trying to make snoop do one of the tricks that the circus lady had taught the cat in cuba. mrs. bobbsey went down to the dining-room, to talk to dinah about the evening meal, while mr. bobbsey and captain white got out the ropes with which to tie the houseboat fast to some trees on the bank of the creek. meanwhile bert and harry walked along with will. "have some muffins," invited bert politely, passing his new friend some of the corn cakes that dinah knew so well how to bake. "thanks! they're good!" said will, as he bit into one. "say, you have some fine fish!" exclaimed harry, half enviously. "where'd you catch them?" "oh, up the creek aways--near where i was hoeing corn. you can have 'em, if you want 'em." "what! do you mean to give them to us?" asked bert in surprise. "after all the work you had catching them?" "oh, it wasn't any work catching 'em," said will quickly. "it was fun. but it won't be any fun taking 'em home, for mr. hardee will be mad." "why?" asked harry, as he began eating a second muffin. "well, he'll say i was catching fish instead of hoeing corn. but i caught all these in the noon hour, when i'm supposed to have a little time off. but he wouldn't believe that, so there's no use taking the fish home. you can have 'em. there's some pretty big sunnies, and a couple o' nice perch." "sure you don't want them?" asked bert. "no. i'd be glad to give 'em to you. and here's some grasshoppers i didn't use. they'll be good to fish with to-morrow." "thanks," said bert, as he took the tin box will held out. inside could be heard a queer little "ticking" noise, as the grasshoppers leaped up against the cover. "say, these are sure some fine fish!" exclaimed will. "oh, you'll catch just as nice ones to-morrow," the country boy said. "i'll have to run now, or i'll be late at the farm." "good-bye!" called bert and harry as will hurried off along the edge of the creek. "see you to-morrow, maybe." will had no idea that he would see his friends then. he knew he had a hard day's work in prospect for the next day--weeding a large patch of onions that were so far away from the creek that he would have no chance, even at his noon hour, of going down to the water for a cool little swim. will did not know what queer things were going to happen to him very soon, nor did any of the bobbseys realize what a part they were to play in the life of poor, friendless will watson. "he's a nice boy, isn't he?" asked harry of bert, as they turned back toward the boat, with their fish and bait. "yes, i like him a lot. it's too bad he has to work so hard on the farm." "yes, it sure is." talking of the luck they expected to have the next day, fishing, the cousins soon reached the bluebird. there they found their father and captain white waiting for them. "we've decided to move the boat farther down the creek before we tie up for the night," said mr. bobbsey, "but we didn't want to go before you boys came back." "are you going to start up the engine again?" asked bert. "if you are, i wish you'd let me try to do it." "no, you are too small to go near gasoline motors," said his father. "besides, we are not going to use the engine. we'll just push the boat along with poles from the bank. we're not going very far, but your mother thought it would be nicer to spend the night in a more open place." "yes," said mrs. bobbsey, "i thought perhaps some animals might jump out of the trees on our deck." the trees on shore were very close to the boat, some of the branches overhanging the railing. at the mention of animals, bert's eyes opened wider. "say, if i had a gun i could shoot them, if they came aboard," he said, his eyes glistening. "nonsense!" exclaimed his mother. "i'd rather have an animal on board than let you have a gun. you might get shot." "i--i could squirt water on 'em with my fire engine!" shouted freddie, who had given up trying to make snoop do any tricks. "oh, we had enough of your engine, little fat fireman," said mr. bobbsey with a laugh. "now then, if you're all ready, we'll move the boat." it was rather hard work to start the bluebird, but once it had begun to move, it went more easily through the water. captain white had one pushing pole, mr. bobbsey another, and bert and harry used one between them. soon the houseboat moved out from the narrow part of the creek, and from under the trees, to a place where wide meadows were found on either side. a little farther, going around a bend in the stream, the bobbseys came in sight of a farmhouse, a barn and several other buildings near it. "oh, look!" cried nan. "somebody lives there." "yes, that's mr. hardee's farm, i think," said mr. bobbsey. "we can tie up our boat here, and then, if we want some milk or eggs, we can easily get them." "i needs some aigs," spoke dinah. "done used de lastest one in dem muffins." "then we'll make the boat fast here," decided mr. bobbsey. "with your corn muffins, dinah, and the fish will gave us, we'll have a fine supper. as soon as the boat is fast you and harry can clean the fish, bert." beyond the broad expanse which lay between the wide meadows, the creek had narrowed again opposite the farmhouse and barn. in fact, it was so narrow, that if there had been another houseboat on the stream, there would have been trouble for the bluebird to pass. this narrow part was not, however, very long, and beyond it the creek broadened out again. mr. bobbsey and captain white had just finished fastening the ropes from the boat to some stakes driven into the ground, when mrs. bobbsey, who had come up from the dining-room, called out: "oh, look, richard!" "what is it?" asked her husband. "that man! see! i'm afraid he is going to give that boy a whipping. and see, it's will--the boy who gave bert the fish!" mr. bobbsey looked to where his wife pointed, and saw, coming out of the barn, a grizzled farmer, leading by the arm a boy whom mr. bobbsey at once recognized as will watson. keeping a tight grip on the lad's arm with one hand, the farmer raised his other hand, in which was a long horsewhip. then he cried: "i'll teach you to waste your time goin' fishin'! i'll teach you! th' idea o' fishin' when i set you to hoein' corn! wastin' my time! i'll learn you!" "oh, but, mr. hardee!" cried poor will. "i only fished in the noon hour when i'm not supposed to work!" "not supposed to work!" cried the mean man, as he brought the whip down on will's shoulders. "you're supposed t' work here all th' while i tell you--'cept when you're asleep! i'll teach you!" and again the cruel whip swished down. "oh, richard!" cried mrs. bobbsey faintly, as she covered her eyes with her hands. "can't you stop that?" chapter xii the wire fence mr. bobbsey did not waste any time talking. with a run and a jump he was on shore, and then he started across the meadow toward the place where the mean farmer was whipping will, who was crying out loud. for the cruel whip hurt. "hold on a minute, mr. hardee!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey, when he was near enough to make himself heard. back on the deck of the houseboat mrs. bobbsey, the twins, their cousins and dinah watched and waited to see what would happen. "you talkin' to me?" sharply demanded the mean farmer of mr. bobbsey. "yes, mr. hardee. i asked you to wait a minute before you keep on whipping that boy. i happened to hear part of what he said, and i think he is in the right." "in th' right? what do you mean?" "i mean i think he tells the truth, when he says he fished only during the noon hour. we saw him as he came along, and he gave the fish he had caught to my boy." "oh, he did, hey?" exclaimed mr. hardee. "i was wonderin' what become of 'em. give 'em away, did he? wa'al, he knowed better'n to bring 'em here. i knowed he'd been wastin' his time. when i set a boy to hoein' corn, an' he comes home smellin' of fish, i know what he's been doin' jest th' same as when i see a boy's head wet on a hot day i know he's been in swimmin'! you can't fool me. he's frittered away his time, when he ought t' be hoein' corn, an' now i'm goin' to take it out of him!" again he raised the whip, and struck the boy. "oh, please don't!" begged will. "honest i didn't fish except at noon hour, an' i ate my lunch in one hand, and fished with the other, so i wouldn't waste any time. i only took half an hour, instead of three-quarters you said i could have at noon, and i went right to work hoein' corn again." "humph! that's easy enough to say," spoke mr. hardee, "but i don't believe you. i told you i'd whip you if you went fishin' ag'in, an' i'm goin' to do it!" again the lash fell. "please don't!" begged will, trying to break loose. but the angry farmer held him in too firm a grip. "look here!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey with flashing eyes. "i believe that boy is telling the truth!" "wa'al, i don't," snapped the mean farmer. "an' i'm goin' to give him a good lesson." "not that way, mr. hardee!" cried mr. bobbsey, taking a step forward. "huh! you seem to know my name," said the farmer, stopping in his beating of the boy, "but i don't know you." "my name is bobbsey," said the twins' lather, and the farmer started. "i'm in the lumber business over at lakeport. i guess you bought some lumber of me, didn't you, for your house." "wa'al, s'posin' i did?" asked mr. hardee. "i paid you for it, didn't i?" "yes, i think so." "wa'al, then that don't give you no right to interfere with me! this is my hired boy, an' i can do as i please with him." "oh, no, you can't, mr. hardee!" said mr. bobbsey quickly. "what's that? i can't? wa'al, i'll show you! stand back now, i'm goin' to give him a good threshin'!" again he raised the whip, but it did not fall on poor, timid, shrinking will. for mr. bobbsey snatched it away from the angry farmer's hand and flung it far to one side. "here! what'd you mean by that?" demanded mr. hardee, his face more flushed than ever with anger. "i mean you're not going to beat that boy!" replied the twins' father. "he hasn't done anything to deserve it, and i'm not going to stand by and see him abused. is he your hired boy?" "i took him out of the poorhouse--nobody would hire him. he's bound out to me until he's of age, an' i can do as i please with him." "oh, no, you can't," said mr. bobbsey. "i happen to know something of the law. you have no right to beat this boy, and if you try to do it now, or again, and i hear of it, i'll make a complaint against you. don't you strike him again, especially when he hasn't done anything." mr. hardee seemed so surprised that he did not know what to say. his grip on will's arm slipped off, and will quickly stepped to one side. there were tears in his eyes, and on his face. "i believe this boy was telling the truth," said mr. bobbsey. "even if he did fish a little during the time you call yours, that would be no excuse for using a horsewhip on him." "i tell you he's bound out to me, and i can do as i please with him!" cried mr. hardee. "no, you can't," said mr. bobbsey. "you have no right to be cruel, even if he is a poor boy, and is bound out to you. haven't you any folks, will?" he asked. "no--no, sir," was the half-sobbed answer. "no near folks. i come from th' poorhouse, just as he says. but i've got an uncle somewhere out west. he's a miner. if he knew where i was, he'd look after me." "where is your uncle?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i--i got his address, but i can't write very good, or i'd send him a letter." "let me have his address," went on mr. bobbsey. "and i'll see what i can do." "look here!" cried the farmer. "i won't have you interferin' in my business! you ain't got a right to!" "every one has a right to stop a poor boy from being unjustly beaten," said the twins' father. "will, you get me that address. i'll be here a day or so, in my houseboat, and you can bring it down to me. do you think you can find it, and let me know where your uncle lives?" "yes, sir." "then do it." "now you look-a-here!" began mr. hardee, "i won't have you, nor anybody else, interferin' with my hired help. i---" "i'm not interfering except to stop you from horsewhipping a boy," said mr. bobbsey. "any one has a right to do that." "humph!" was all the farmer said, as he over and picked up the horsewhip mr. bobbsey had taken from him. the twins' father thought perhaps the farmer was going to use it again, but he did not. mr. hardee turned to will and said: "get along up to the house, and eat your supper! there's lots o' work to be done afore dark. an' if i catch you fishin' any more, i'll make you---" "but i wasn't fishin' except at the noon hour," the boy interrupted. "that's enough of your talk!" the farmer cried as he walked toward the barn. "go on!" mr. bobbsey went back to the houseboat. "it's all right," he said cheerfully to his wife and children. "i made him stop hurting will." "did he--did he hit him very hard?" asked freddie, for punishment of that sort was totally unknown in the bobbsey home. of course the children did not always do right, but they were punished by having some pleasure taken away from them, and never whipped. "no, will wasn't much hurt," said mr. bobbsey, for he did not want his children, or their cousins, to worry too much over what they had seen. yet mr. bobbsey could not help but think that the cruel lash must have hurt will more than the boy himself showed. "he--he won't whip him any more, will he?" asked little flossie. "no, not any more," said mr. bobbsey, for he had made up his mind he would, if necessary, take the boy away from the mean farmer before any more whipping could be done. "suppah am ready!" called dinah from the kitchen. "an' i done wants yo' all t' come right away fo' it gits cold!" "we're coming!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "and after supper we'll sit on deck and sing songs." she wanted to do something to take out of the minds of the children the memory of the unpleasant scene they had just observed. "i wish it would hurry up and come morning," said bert. "why?" asked his father. "so harry and i can go fishing. i'm sure we'll catch some with the grasshoppers for bait." "well, i hope you have good luck," laughed mr. bobbsey. the supper was much enjoyed. the fish, which will had given the bobbseys, made a fine meal, with the corn muffins and other things dinah cooked. after supper they all sat out on the deck of the houseboat, enjoying the beautiful june evening. from the farm of mr. hardee came the sounds of mooing cows, and whinnying horses, with an occasional grunt of the pigs, or the barking of dogs. nothing was seen of the farmer himself, or of poor will. "can you do anything for him?" asked mrs. bobbsey of her husband, after the children had gone to bed that night. "i hope so, yes. if, as he says, he has an uncle somewhere in the west, and i can get his address, i'll write to him, and ask him to look after will. the boy needs a good home." "indeed he does. oh, i'm so glad you didn't let him get that whipping!" "i'll help him all i can," promised mr. bobbsey. the twins' father rather hoped that the hired boy might slip down to the houseboat that evening, with his uncle's address, but nothing was seen of him. in the morning a strange thing happened. mr. bobbsey and captain white decided that it would be better to take the boat a little farther down lemby creek, and tie it fast to the bank in a more shady spot than the one opposite the farm buildings. "it will be better fishing in the shade, too," mr. bobbsey said to the boys. so the gasoline engine was started, and the boat started off. it had not gone very far, though, before mr. bobbsey, who was steering, called to captain white to shut off the engine. "what's the matter?" asked captain white. "you're going farther than this; aren't you?" "i wanted to, yes. but we can't go any farther." "why not?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "nothing has happened to the boat, has there, richard?" "no, not to the boat. but look there!" and mr. bobbsey pointed ahead. stretched across a narrow part of lemby creek was a strong wire fence, fastened to posts driven into the bottom of the stream. the bluebird could go no farther on her voyage. the fence stopped her. as mr. bobbsey, the twins and the cousins looked at the strong wire fence, they saw mr. hardee come along the shore. he looked at the houseboat, and shook his fist, grinning in no pleasant fashion. "i guess you won't go no farther!" he cried. "i've put a stop to your fancy trip all right! huh!" chapter xiii the runaway boy "oh, papa, can't we go on to lake romano?" asked nan, as she came up on deck with dorothy, and saw the big wire fence stretched across the creek to stop them. "it doesn't look so--unless we can fly over that," and her brother bert pointed to the metal strands that went from post to post. "it does seem to hinder us," said mr. bobbsey. he was trying to think of what would be best to do. he looked at mr. hardee, who seemed to think it all a fine joke. "papa, i know how we can get through," eagerly said little freddie, who was holding snoop in his arms. the big black cat was almost too much of a load for the little boy, but freddie wanted her to do some tricks, and he held her so she would not run away. "i know how to get past that fence," the little twin went on. "how?" asked his father, rather absentmindedly. "how?" "just cut the wires!" said freddie, as though no one but himself had thought of that. "if i had one of those cutter-things the telephone man had, when he climbed the pole in front of our house, i could cut the wires and we could go right on up the creek." "yes, i suppose so, my little fat fireman," said mr. bobbsey. "but i don't believe the man who put that fence up there would let us cut the wires." "it's queer," said mrs. bobbsey. "that fence wasn't across the creek before, was it?" "i don't know," answered her husband. "it looks as though it had been put up lately--even last night, perhaps. but i haven't been along the creek in some time, so i can't be sure." "it wasn't here last week, that's certain," captain white spoke. "for i was up here then fishing, and i didn't see it. i fancy that mr. hardee knows something about it." "i shouldn't wonder," agreed mr. bobbsey. "now the question is: what are we to do? we can't go on through the fence, and we can't very well go around it, for the bluebird won't float on dry ground. and i don't want to go back. this is the only way to get to lake romano." "i know what to do, papa," spoke flossie. "we can ask that man to take down the wires, if freddie can't cut them with the cutter-thing." "yes, i suppose we could do that," mr. bobbsey said, slowly. by this time mr. hardee had come closer to the houseboat, which had drifted near to the shore. "will you take that fence down, and let us go past?" asked mr. bobbsey, as politely as he could. "no, i won't!" snapped mr. hardee in reply. "no!" "but we want to go on down the creek," explained the twins' father, "and we can't get past the fence." "i know you can't!" said mr. hardee with a chuckle. "that's what i put it up there for. i strung it last night--me and my hired men. i didn't think you'd hear, and you didn't. give you a sort of surprise, didn't it?" "it certainly did," and mr. bobbsey's voice was stern. "and i want to say that you had no right to stretch that fence across the creek to stop my boat. you had no right!" "oh, yes, i had!" said mr. hardee with a sneer. "this is a public creek," went on mr. bobbsey. "maybe it is, in certain places," said the mean farmer, "but here the creek runs through my land. i own on both sides of it, and i own the creek itself. if i don't want to let anybody go through in a boat, i don't have to." "oh, so you own the creek here, do you?" asked mr. bobbsey, rather surprised. "yes, i do." "and you aren't going to let us pass?" "nope! that's why i strung that fence last night. it's a good, strong fence, and if you run into it, and try to bust it i'll have th' law on ye!" "oh, you needn't worry that i'll do anything like that," spoke mr. bobbsey. "but why won't you let us pass?" "because of what you did last night--interferin' between me and my help. you wouldn't let me give will watson the threshin' he deserved, an' i won't let you pass through my creek. i want you to back up your boat, too, and go back where you come from. i own that part of the creek where you are now." "come now, be reasonable," suggested mr. bobbsey. "i stopped you from beating that boy only because you were in the wrong. if you'll just think it over, you'll say so yourself. and, just for that, you shouldn't stop my boat from going up the creek." "well, i have stopped you, and i'm going to keep on stoppin' you!" cried mr. hardee, again shaking his fist. "you can't get past my fence. it's a good strong fence." "i--i could cut it, if i had one of those cutter-things, the telephone man had," said freddie, in his clear, high voice. "hush, freddie dear," said his mother. "leave it to papa." mr. bobbsey was silent a moment, and then he went on: "and so you strung that fence in the night, and won't let my houseboat pass, just because i stopped you from beating that boy?" "that's it," the mean farmer said. "and for more than that, too." "what do you mean?" asked mr. bobbsey quickly. "i mean that you made that boy, will watson, run away." "run away!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, in surprise. "yes, run away," repeated the farmer. "he didn't come down to breakfast this mornin', and when i went to call him to do the chores, he was gone. and, what's more, i think you had somethin' to do with him runnin' away," went on the angry farmer. "you put a lot o' notions in his head. you're to blame!" "now look here!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "we don't know any more about that boy running away than you do, mr. hardee. if he has gone, i'm sorry for him, for he may have a hard time. i'm not sorry i stopped you from beating him, though. perhaps he is around the farm somewhere." "no, he isn't!" insisted the farmer. "he's gone. what clothes he had he took with him. he's run away, and it's your fault, too. i put up that fence last night to pay you back for interferin', an' now i'm glad i did, for you're to blame for will runnin' off." "i tell you that you are mistaken," went on mr. bobbsey. "but if you feel that way about it, there is no use talking to you. then you won't take down that wire fence and let us pass?" "no, i won't, and i order you, and your boat, out of my part of the creek. go back where you come from. you can't go through to lake romano this way!" mr. bobbsey turned and looked at the wire fence. it certainly was a strong one, and the farmer and his hired men had worked well during the night. it was far enough off from where the bluebird then was so that the pounding on the posts, to drive them into the mud of the creek bottom, was not heard. "well, i guess there's nothing for us to do but to go back," said mr. bobbsey. he felt very sorry, when he saw the looks of disappointment on the faces of the twins and their cousins. "papa," said freddie again, "if i had one of those wire-cutter things, i could snip that wire like the telephone men did." "yes, but we haven't one, little fat fireman, and we would have no right to use it if we had," said mr. bobbsey. "no, i must think of some other way." "it's too bad," said mrs. bobbsey. "i wonder what has become of that poor runaway boy?" she asked. "i don't know," answered mr. bobbsey. but, had he only known it, will watson was nearer than any one suspected. chapter xiv off again "what are we going to do?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as she stood at the side of her husband on the deck of the houseboat. mr. bobbsey was looking at the wire fence, as though trying to find a way to get past it--either under it, or over it, or to one side or the other of it. of course he did not think it wise to try little freddie's plan of breaking the wire with a "cutter thing" such as the telephone men carried. "well," said mr. bobbsey, after a bit, "i guess the only thing for us to do is to go back, until we are anchored in some part of lemby creek that doesn't belong to mr. hardee." "does he really own this water?" asked bert. "well, he says so, and i have no doubt but what he does," said mr. bobbsey. "if he owns land on both sides of the creek, naturally he owns the creek, too." "and we can't go up or down it?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "not unless he lets us." "what about the fishes?" asked bert "he can't stop them from swimming up and down." "no, he can't do that," agreed his father, with a smile. "then can he stop harry and me from catching fish?" bert wanted next to know. "not if you fish somewhere else than in his waters," spoke the twins' father. "the best thing for us to do is to go back where we were at first, near where the creek runs into lake metoka. there we can anchor for a time." "but how are we going to get to lake romano?" asked nan. "i want to show dorothy the big waterfall." "well, perhaps we can get there a little later," her father said. "just now mr. hardee has the best of us, and we'll have to do as he says. so, captain white, i guess we'll have to back up the boat, as we can't go past the fence." "if i had one of those wire-cutter things," began freddie, "i could snip that wire as easy as anything." he seemed to think of nothing else. "oh, you and flossie had better go play with snap, or snoop," suggested bert with a laugh. "or you can come and watch harry and me fish. we're going to as soon as we get back aways." "i'm going to fish, too," declared freddie, eagerly. the creek, near mr. hardee's farm, was so narrow that the houseboat could not be turned around in it, and it had to go backward. this was easy, since the bluebird was something like a ferry boat, built to go backward or forward. the twins were a little sad as they saw their boat backing up, but it could not be helped. "we'll have a good time fishing, anyhow," said harry. "that's right," agreed bert. "i wonder if that boy will took his fishing rod with him? he'd probably need it, if he has run away, and is going out west to find his uncle." "why would he need a fish-rod?" asked nan. "to catch fish to eat," her brother said. "he'll have to have something, and fish are the easiest to get. i almost wish i had gone with him. it will be lots of fun." "oh, but it will be very hard, too," said mrs. bobbsey. "think of the lonely nights he'll have to spend, and perhaps with no place to sleep, but on the hard ground. and when it rains---" "i guess i'll stay home!" laughed bert, as though he had ever had an idea of running away from home. slowly the bluebird made her way backward until she had passed some posts near the edge of the water. these posts marked the boundary line of mr. hardee's farm. he did not own beyond them, and captain white said the creek was public property there. "then we'll anchor here," decided mr. bobbsey, as he steered the houseboat toward shore. "then i think i'll take a little trip back to lakeport." "and leave us alone?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "only for a short while. i want to see some friends of mine, and find out if mr. hardee really has the right to fence off lemby creek. i don't believe he has." "will you be back to-night?" "oh, yes. it isn't far to lakeport. i can walk across the fields and go by trolley." "i do hope you can find some way of getting past the fence," said mrs. bobbsey. "it would be too bad to have our trip spoiled." as mr. bobbsey was getting ready to go back to town, dinah came out of the dining-room, looking rather puzzled. "what is the matter?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "are you worried because we can't get those eggs from mr. hardee?" "well, yessum, dat's partly it," said the fat cook. "we's got t' hab eggs, an' other things too." "bert and harry can walk to the village," said mr. bobbsey. "it isn't far from here. i'll go part way with them. so don't worry, dinah." "oh, dat isn't all dat's worryin' me, massa bobbsey. but did yo' say de chillums could hab dem corn muffins whut was left over?" and she looked at mrs. bobbsey. "the corn muffins that were left over?" repeated the twins' mother. "no, i said nothing about them. and they know they should not eat between meals without asking me. why, are the muffins gone, dinah?" "yessum; fo' ob 'em. i put 'em on a plate on de dinin' room table, but now dey's gone." "maybe snap took them," suggested mr. bobbsey. "snoop wouldn't, for she doesn't like such things. but snap is very fond of them." freddie, who heard the talk, hurried over to where the dog was lying asleep in a patch of sunlight, and opened his mouth. "no, snap didn't take 'em," said freddie. "there aren't any crumbs in his teeth." "well, maybe you can tell that way, but i doubt it," laughed mr. bobbsey. "perhaps you forgot where you put the muffins, dinah, or maybe there were none left." "oh, i'se shuah i done put 'em on de table," said the fat cook, "an' i'se shuah dey was some left. i'll go look some mo', though." as there were a few other things besides eggs that were needed for the kitchen of the houseboat, bert and harry planned to take a basket, and go to the nearest village store for them. they would walk across the fields with mr. bobbsey. "we'll fish when we come back," said bert. "and get enough for dinner and supper," added harry. "better get enough for one meal first," suggested nan, with a laugh. the houseboat was now made fast to the bank of the creek some distance away from the wire fence mr. hardee had stretched across the stream. it was not to be seen, nor were the farm buildings. the last the bobbseys had observed of the farmer was as he stood near his wire fence, shaking his fist at the houseboat. mr. bobbsey did not just know how he was going to get past the fence with the bluebird, or how he could get mr. hardee to cut the wire. the twins' father decided to ask the advice of some friends. meanwhile bert and harry had reached the store, and had brought the eggs, and other groceries, back to dinah. "did you find those corn muffins?" asked bert. "because, if you did, harry and i would like some. may we have one, mother?" "if dinah has them, yes." "but i cain't find 'em!" complained the fat cook. "dem muffins hab jest done gone an' hid de'se'ves." "oh, i guess we ate them up without knowing it," bert said, with a laugh. "never mind, dinah, a piece of cake, or pie will do just as well." "go 'long wif yo'!" cried the cook with a laugh. "i'se got suffin else t' do 'cept make cake an' pies fo' two hungry boys. yo' jest take a piece ob bread an' butter 'till dinnah am ready." "all right," agreed bert. "it won't be long until twelve o'clock. come on, harry, and we'll see what luck we have fishing." "i'm ready," was harry's answer. "i'll get you the bread and butter," offered nan, and she did, adding some jam to the bread, which was a delightful surprise to the two boys. "i want to fish, too," said freddie. "all right, i'll fix you a line," offered bert. "but be careful you don't fall in. a fish might pull you overboard." soon the three boys were dangling their lines over the rail of the bluebird, while nan helped her mother with some of the rooms, which, even though they were on a boat, needed "putting to rights." dinah was busy in the kitchen. by this time mr. bobbsey had reached lakeport by the trolley. he was going to his lumber office, thinking some of his friends, whom he might call on the telephone could suggest a way out of the trouble. before he reached the lumber yard, however, he met an acquaintance on the street, a mr. murphy. "why, hello, mr. bobbsey!" exclaimed mr. murphy. "i thought you were off on a vacation with your family in a houseboat." "i was," said the lumber merchant, "but i came back." "back so soon? didn't you like it?" "oh, yes, first rate. but we can't go any farther." "can't go any farther? what's the matter, did your boat sink?" "no, but we're stuck in lemby creek. mr. hardee, a farmer who owns land on both sides of the creek, has put a wire fence across to stop us from going on to lake romano." "is that so! well, that's too bad. how did it happen?" "i'll tell you," said mr. bobbsey. then he told the story of stopping the angry farmer from beating will watson, and how the fence had been built in the night. "well, that certainly was a mean trick on the part of mr. hardee," said mr. murphy. "and so the boy ran away?" "yes, and mr. hardee accused me of knowing something about him, but i don't--any more than you do." "i suppose not. but now the question is, how are you going to get past that wire fence?" "i don't know. the only way i see is to get mr. hardee to cut it, or take it down, and he says he won't do either." "humph! let me see. there ought to be a way out of it. i believe he has the right, as far as the law goes, to put that fence up, but no one else would be so mean. i guess we'll just have to force him to cut those wires, as your little boy, freddie, suggested." "yes, but how can we do it?" asked mr. bobbsey. "mr. hardee is very headstrong, and set in his ways." "let me see," spoke mr. murphy slowly, "isn't his name jake hardee?" "yes, i believe it is." "and didn't he buy from you the lumber to build his house?" "yes, i sold him the lumber, but he paid me for it," said mr. bobbsey. "i couldn't get any hold on him that way. he paid for the lumber in cash." "yes," cried mr. murphy, "but he got the money from me to pay you, and he hasn't paid me back. he still owes me the money, and he gave me a mortgage on his house as security. i've got a hold on him all right. he owes me some interest money, too." i might say to you little children that when a man wants to build a house and has not enough money, he goes to another man and borrows cash, just as your mamma sometimes borrows sugar, or tea, from the lady next door. when the man borrows money to build his house, he gives to the man who lends him the cash, a piece of paper, called a mortgage. that paper says that if the man who borrowed the money does not pay it back, and also pay interest for the use of it, the man who lent him the money can take the house. the house is "security" for the loaned money. it is just as if your mamma went next door to borrow a cup of sugar, and said: "now, mrs. jones, if i don't pay you back this sugar, and a little more than you gave me, for being so kind as to lend it to me--if i don't pay it back in a week, why you can keep my new sunday hat." and your mamma might give mrs. jones a sunday hat as "security" for the cup of sugar. of course ladies do not do those things, but that is what a mortgage is like. "yes." said mr. murphy to mr. bobbsey, "mr. hardee borrowed from me the money to buy from you the lumber for his house. and he hasn't paid me back the money, nor any interest on it. i think i'll go up and have a talk with him. and, when i get through talking, i guess he'll let you go through his wire fence." "i hope he will," said mr. bobbsey, "for it would be too bad to have our trip spoiled." "i'll go right back with you," offered mr. murphy. so it happened that mr. bobbsey, with his friend, reached the houseboat, in lemby creek, shortly after dinner. "oh, back so soon?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "what are you going to do, mr. murphy?" "have a talk with mr. hardee." mr. bobbsey and mr. murphy walked down the bank of the creek to the farm. they found mr. hardee mending a broken harness. "mr. hardee," said mr. murphy, "i hear you have put a wire fence across lemby creek, so my friend, mr. bobbsey, can't get past with his houseboat." "yes, i have," growled the farmer, "and that fence is going to stay up, too! i'll show him he can't come around here, interferin' with me when i try to punish my help. he made will run away too." "no, i did not. i know nothing of him," said mr. bobbsey. "mr. hardee," went on mr. murphy. "i want you to take down that fence, and let the houseboat go on up the creek." "and i'm not going to!" "very well, then," said mr. murphy, quietly, "perhaps you are ready to pay me the interest on my mortgage which has been due me for some time, mr. hardee." the farmer seemed uneasy. "well, to tell you the truth," he said, "i haven't got that money just now, mr. murphy. times have been hard, and crops are poor, and i'm short of cash. can't you wait a while?" "i have waited some time." "well, i'd like to have you wait a little longer. i'll pay you after a while." "and i suppose you'll take down that wire fence, and let mr. bobbsey and the twins go past--after a while?" "well--maybe," growled the mean farmer. "maybe won't do!" exclaimed mr. murphy. "i want you to take the wire fence down right away." "well, i'm not going to do it. he interfered with me, and made that boy run away, and i'm not going to let him go up my part of the creek." "well, then, mr. hardee, if you can't do something for mr. bobbsey, as a favor, i can't do anything to oblige you. mr. bobbsey is a friend of mine and unless you cut your wire fence, i'll have to foreclose that mortgage, and take your house in payment for the money you owe me. that's all there is about it. either pay me my money--or cut that fence. it must be one or the other." mr. hardee squirmed in his seat, and seemed very uneasy. "i--i just can't pay that money," he said. "then i'll have to take your house away." "i--i don't want you to do that, either." "then cut the wire fence!" cried mr. murphy. "wa'al, i--i guess i'll have to," said mr. hardee, but it was clearly to be seen that he did not want to. he went into the barn, and came out wearing a pair of rubber boots, and carrying a pair of pincers--the "wire-cutting things," as freddie called them. wading out into the creek mr. hardee snipped the wires of the fence. "there, now you can go on," he said to mr. bobbsey, but his tone was not pleasant. "i thought i knew how to make him give in," whispered mr. murphy. "thank you," said mr. bobbsey to his friend. they hurried back to the houseboat. "we're going on again!" cried the twins' father. "the fence is down." "oh, fine!" said bert. "now for the waterfall!" sighed nan, who loved beautiful scenery. "oh, i've caught a fish!" suddenly shouted freddie and he jumped about so that his mother, with a scream, ran toward him, fearing he would go overboard. chapter xv overboard "look out, freddie!" "be careful there, little fat fireman!" thus mrs. bobbsey cried to the small twin, and thus mr. bobbsey also warned his son, who had pulled up his pole with a jerk, when he felt a nibble on the fish-line. "i'll look out for him!" cried bert, and he got between his little brother and the railing of the boat, so there would be no danger of freddie's falling overboard. freddie had no intention of getting into the water, but he was much excited over his fish. "i caught it all myself!" he cried. "i caught a fish all by myself, and nobody helped me. didn't i, bert?" "yes, freddie, except that harry put on the grasshopper bait." "but where's the fish?" asked nan, who, as yet, had not seen one. "here it is!" cried freddie, as he ran toward the end of his line which lay on deck. "i caught a fish, and it's all mine--every bit," and he held up a little, wiggling sunfish which, somehow or other, had been caught on the tiny hook. "oh, it's a real, live fish!" squealed flossie, dropping her doll to get a better view of this new plaything. "are we going to have it for supper, freddie?" "no!" cried the little fat fellow, as he tried to hold the fish up by the swinging line in one hand, and grasp it in the other. the fish was so slippery that, every time freddie had it, his hand slid off of it. "we're not going to eat my fish!" cried freddie. "i'm going to keep it forever, in a glass globe, and make it do tricks!" the others gathered around to see freddie's catch, for the little fellow was very proud of his success, though, once or twice before, on trips to the country, he had been allowed to fish with bert and nan. he was too impatient to sit still long, so he never caught much. "here comes snoop," said mr. bobbsey, with a laughing glance at his friend mr. murphy, who had come back to the houseboat with him, after the mean farmer had cut the wire fence. "snoop can't have my fish!" cried freddie, now hugging his dangling prize close to his waist. "oh, you'll get your clothes all dirty!" cried mrs. bobbsey, as the black cat came snooping and sniffing around, for she smelled fish, which she very much liked. "go 'way, snoop! you can't have my fish!" cried freddie. "i'm going to put it in a glass globe, and keep it forever and teach it to do tricks." "i guess swimming is the only trick a fish can do," said bert, with a laugh, "and you don't have to teach them that. they know it already." freddie was so afraid that snoop might get his fish, that dinah brought him up a glass dish, in which, when it was filled with water, the little "sunny" was allowed to swim around. the hook had become fastened in only a corner of the mouth, and the fish was not hurt in the least. freddie was as proud as though he had caught a whale or a shark. he did not care to fish any more, but stood on deck near the box on which had been placed the dish containing his fish. bert and harry, who had caught some larger fish, went back to their rods and lines, while nan took up freddie's pole and used it for herself. flossie divided her time between getting her doll to "sleep" and watching freddie's fish. "well, are we really going up the creek?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes, mr. murphy got the farmer to cut the wire fence, so we can get past," said mr. bobbsey. "we had better start, too, for mr. hardee might change his mind, and put back the wire fence." "i guess there isn't much danger of that," spoke mr. murphy. "but you have a fine boat. i don't wonder that you didn't want to stay cooped up here in this creek." flossie, who had come over near the visitor, said: "there's a stove in our kitchen, and dinah cooks things on it--good things to eat!" "does she?" cried mr. murphy, catching the little girl up in his arms. "that's fine!" "i think you might take that as an invitation to dinner," said mrs. bobbsey, with a laugh. "thanks, i will stay, and see how it feels to eat on board a houseboat," replied the man who had helped mr. bobbsey. bert and harry decided that they had caught enough fish now, so they pulled in their lines, and soon the bluebird was moving slowly up the creek, toward lake romano, though it would be a day or so before the bobbseys reached it. as the houseboat went past the wire fence, which had been cut, the twins and their cousins looked at it in wonder. only the posts stood there now, and there was room enough between them for the houseboat to pass. a little way back from the shore stood mr. hardee. "i'm not going to let every boat go past that wants to!" he called to mr. bobbsey. "i'll let you through, as a favor to mr. murphy, but i'm not going to have a whole lot of them sailin' up and down my creek!" "just as if it would hurt the water," said bert, in a low voice. they were all glad when a turn of the stream hid mr. hardee from sight. the mean farmer evidently thought he had not been unpleasant enough, for he ran after the houseboat a little way, crying: "if you see anything of that good-for-nothing boy of mine, i want you to tell him to come back here, or it will be the worse for him." "we're not likely to see him," said mr. bobbsey. "i don't know about that," went on the farmer. "i believe you folks know something about him." "that's all nonsense!" said mr. bobbsey, sharply. "i've told you we don't know where he is, and haven't seen him since you tried to horsewhip him. that ought to be enough." "wa'al, we'll see," was the growling answer, as the mean farmer turned away. the houseboat kept on, until it was well past mr. hardee's land, and then, in a pleasant part of the creek, it was tied to the bank. dinah served supper. "see! i told you we had a stove, and that dinah could cook things," said flossie, as a plate full of steaming hot corn muffins was set on the table. "so you did, my dear!" exclaimed mr. murphy, who sat next to the little "fat fairy." flossie seemed to think the most wonderful part of the houseboat was the kitchen and the stove. when the pleasant meal was over, they sat on deck in the evening, until it was time for mr. murphy to go home. he was to walk across the meadow, about a mile, to get a trolley car. mr. bobbsey went with him, part of the way. for several days after this, the bobbsey twins had all sorts of amusements on the house-boat. the bluebird was still kept in the creek, for it was so pleasant there, along the shady waterway, that mrs. bobbsey said they might as well enjoy it as long as possible. "but i want to see the big lake and the waterfall," said nan. "we'll soon be there," promised her father. one day the houseboat was moved along the creek for about a mile, and anchored there. bert and harry found the fishing so good, that they wanted to stay a long time. they really caught some large perch and chub. "but we didn't come on this trip just to fish," said mr. bobbsey. "there are other things to do. we want to go in swimming, when it gets a little warmer, and then, too, we can take some walks in the woods on the shores of lake romano." "and can we have picnics, and take our lunch?" asked freddie. "yes, little fat fireman," answered his father, laughing. freddie had been kept so busy with other amusements, that he had not once played with his fire engine, since coming on board. "let me catch some fish," begged flossie, on the afternoon of the day when they were to move from the place that bert and harry liked so well. "you may take my line," offered freddie. "i'm tired of fishing." i think perhaps freddie grew weary because he had had no bites. that one fish he had caught, and which had caused so much excitement, seemed to be all he could get. that one was still alive in the glass dish, which bert had made into sort of an aquarium. "i'm going to catch a big fish," said flossie, as she laid her doll down beside the sleeping dog snap, and took freddie's pole. "don't fall in--that's all," cautioned mrs. bobbsey. "i'll watch her," offered dorothy, for nan had gone down to help dry the dishes, it being her "turn." somehow or other, every one forgot flossie for a moment, and even dorothy, who had promised to watch her, forgot when she saw some small boats, filled with young folks on an excursion, pass the houseboat. suddenly there came a scream from little flossie. "i see him! i see him!" she cried. "he's on our boat!" the next moment her mother, who turned quickly as she heard flossie's voice, saw the little girl lean far over the rail of the bluebird. then came a splash. flossie had fallen overboard! chapter xvi the missing sandwiches "flossie is in the water!" "get the boat!" "snap! jump in and get her!" "oh, flossie!" so many were the excited cries that followed the falling over the rail of little flossie, that no one could tell who was speaking, or crying out. harry, who was near the rail, turned sharply as he heard the splash, and then, quickly casting off his coat, he gave a clean dive over the side. harry was a country boy, and had learned to swim when very young. he was not at all afraid of the water, and, more than once, he had pulled from "the old swimming hole," boys smaller than himself, who had gone beyond their depth, and could not get out. "i'll get her!" cried harry, as he dived over the side. "oh, it's all my fault!" sobbed dorothy. "i said i'd watch her. but i forgot! it's all my fault!" "no, it isn't, dear!" said nan, quickly putting her arms around her cousin. "flossie does things so quickly, sometimes, that no one can watch her. but we'll get her out, for the water isn't deep." it was deep enough though, on that side of the boat, to be well over flossie's head, and of course, plunging down from the height she did, she at once went under water. snap seemed to understand what had happened, and to know that his services were needed, for he gave a bark, and made a rush for the rail. "don't let him jump in!" cried mr. bobbsey to bert. "if harry can get her, snap might only make trouble. hold him back, bert, while i get the rowboat." mrs. bobbsey, with one arm around freddie, had rushed to the rail to look down. she saw flossie come to the surface, choking and gasping for breath, and then saw harry, who had gone under, but who had come up again, strike out for the little girl. "oh, save her!" gasped mrs. bobbsey. "he will!" said bert. "harry's a fine swimmer. come back, snap!" he called to the big dog, getting his hands on his collar, just in time, for snap was determined to go to the rescue himself. he whined, pulled and tugged to get away from bert. "help me hold him!" cried bert to nan. "i will!" she answered, glad to be doing something. together the two older bobbsey twins managed to keep snap back. dorothy, too, helped, for snap was very strong. "did flossie go after a fish?" asked freddie, and he asked it in such a queer way that it would have caused a laugh at any other time. just now every one was too frightened to laugh. after all, there really was not so much danger. mr. bobbsey had taught flossie some of the things one must do when learning to swim, and that is to hold your breath when you are under water. for it is the water getting into the lungs that causes a person to drown. after her first plunge into the creek, the little girl thought of what her father had told her, and did hold her breath. "i--i'll get you!" called harry to her. "don't be afraid, flossie! i'll get you!" flossie was too much out of breath to answer, so she did not try to speak. harry was soon at her side, and called to her: "now put your hands on my shoulders, flossie, and i'll swim to the boat with you. don't try to grab me around the neck." harry knew how dangerous it was for a person trying to rescue another in the water to be choked. flossie was a wise little girl, even if she was not very old. she did as her cousin told her, and, with flossie's hands on his shoulders, harry began to swim toward the bluebird. he did not have to go very far, though, for by this time mr. bobbsey and captain white were there with the rowboat, and the two children were soon lifted in. they were safe, and not harmed a bit, except for being wet through. "oh, flossie, whatever did you do it for?" asked her mother, when she had hugged the dripping little girl in her arms. "why did you do it?" "do what, mamma?" flossie asked. "lean over so far." "i wanted to see if i had a fish," went on flossie. "and i had to lean over. and then i saw him." "saw whom?" asked her father. "what do you mean?" "why, i saw him--that boy," and flossie seemed surprised that her father did not understand. "what boy?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "did you fall asleep there, flossie, and were you dreaming, when you fell in?" "no, mamma. i didn't fall asleep. i saw him, i tell you." "i heard her say something about seeing some one, just as she went over the rail, head first," dorothy said. "but whom do you mean, flossie?" asked puzzled mrs. bobbsey. "why, that boy--the one the bad man whipped." "oh, will watson!" exclaimed bert. "where did you see him, flossie? was he in one of the excursion boats that went past?" "no, he was on our boat--down there," and flossie pointed straight down. "i saw him!" she declared. "i guess she must have dozed off a little, and dreamed it," spoke mr. bobbsey, with a smile. "that was it. the sun was so hot, that she just slept a little as she was fishing. she might have had a bite, and that awakened her so suddenly that she gave a jump and fell over the rail. i must have it built higher. then there won't be any danger." "yes, do," said mrs. bobbsey. "we've had scares enough." "but i did see that boy--the one that gave bert the fish," insisted flossie. "he was on our boat. i saw him as plain as anything." "it must have been some one in the excursion boats that looked like him," spoke nan. "no, i saw will!" declared the little twin, and, rather than get her excited by disputing, they allowed her to think she really had seen a strange face, as she leaned over. "but of course she either dreamed it, or saw some one she thought was that runaway boy," mr. bobbsey said, afterward. "it's all nonsense to think he was on our boat." snap, who had not been allowed to go to the rescue, much as he had wanted to, leaped about flossie, barking and wagging his tail in joy. "anybody would think he'd done it all," said bert. "say, harry, you're all right! that was a dandy dive!" and he clapped his cousin on the back. "indeed we never can thank you enough. harry," said mrs. bobbsey, and tears of thankfulness glistened in her eyes. "oh, it wasn't anything at all," the country boy said, modestly blushing, for he did not like such a "fuss" made over him. "i knew i could get her out." "well, it was very fine of you," said mr. bobbsey, warmly. "now then, you had better change your clothes, for, though it is summer, you might take cold. and flossie, too, must change." "yes, i'll look after her," said her mother "now remember, little fat fairy," mrs. bobbsey went on, giving flossie her father's pet name, "you must never lean over the rail again. if you do---" "but i saw---" began flossie. "no matter what you saw--don't lean over the rail!" said her mother. "if you do, we shall have to give up this houseboat trip." this seemed such a dreadful thing, that flossie quickly promised to be very careful indeed. "but i did see him, all the same!" she murmured, as her mother took her to the bedroom to change her clothes. "i saw that boy on our boat." the others only laughed at flossie for thinking such a queer thing. "that poor boy is far enough away from here now," said bert. "i wonder if he will really try to make his way out west?" "i don't know," answered harry, who had changed to a dry suit, hanging his other in the sun to let the water drip out of it. "i've read of boys making long journeys that way." "i wouldn't want to try it," spoke bert. "neither would i," said his cousin. "this houseboat suits me!" flossie was little the worse for her accident, and was soon playing about again with snoop and snap, and with freddie. the little fellow and his sister made the dog and cat do many tricks. it was the day after this, when the bluebird had gone a little farther up the creek, that mrs. bobbsey planned a little picnic on shore. they were not far from a nice, green forest. "we'll have dinah put us up a little lunch, and we'll go in the woods and eat it," said mrs. bobbsey. "oh, that will be fun!" cried nan. "won't it, dorothy?" "indeed it will," said the seashore cousin. "i'm going to take my doll," flossie said. "there's no water in the woods for her to fall in, is there, mamma?" "no, not unless you drop her into a spring," laughed mrs. bobbsey. "i'll see if dinah has finished making the sandwiches," offered nan. "she had them almost finished a little while ago." but when nan went to the dining-room, she found the colored cook very much excited. "what is the matter, dinah?" asked nan. "mattah! what am de mattah?" dinah repeated, "dey's lots de mattah, missie nan." "why, what can it be?" "de sandwiches is gone, dat's what's de mattah!" "the sandwiches, dinah?" "yes'm, de sandwiches what i done make fo' de excursnick!" "oh, you mean for our picnic, dinah?" "yes'm, dat's it. excursnick i calls it. but de sandwiches i done jest made am gone. i s'pects massa bert or his cousin done take 'em fo' fun." "oh, no, dinah. bert nor harry wouldn't do that. are you sure you made the sandwiches?" "i'se jest as shuah, missie nan, as i am dat i'se standin' heah. i'se jest as shuah as i is dat time when i made de corn cakes, an' somebody tuck dem! dat's how shuah i is! dem sandwiches what was fo' de excursnick am done gone completely." "but have you looked everywhere, dinah?" asked nan. "eberywhere! under de table an' on top ob de table. i had dem sandwiches all made an' on a plate. i left dem in de dinin' room to go git a basket, an' when i come back, dey was gone entirely. i want t' see yo' ma, missie nan. i ain't gwing t' stay on dish yeah boat no mo, dat's what i ain't!" "but why not, dinah?" asked nan, in some alarm. "because dey's ghostests on dish yeah boat; dat's what dey is! an' i ain't gwine stay on no ha'nted boat. fust it were de corn cakes, an' now it's de sandwiches. i'se gwine away--i ain't gwine stay heah no mo'!" chapter xvii in the storm dinah was certainly very much frightened, but nan was not. she knew better than to believe in such things as "ghosts," and, though the sandwiches might have disappeared, the little girl felt sure there must be some reasonable explanation about the mystery. "i'll call mamma, dinah," offered nan. "she won't want you to leave us now, when we have just started on this trip." "go on, honey lamb, call yo' ma," agreed the fat cook. "but i ain't gwine t' stay on dish yeah boat no mo'! dat's settled. call yo' ma, honey lamb, an' i'll tell her about it." mrs. bobbsey had heard the excited voice of dinah and had come down to the dining-room of the houseboat to see what it was all about. "what is it, dinah?" she asked. "it's ghostests, mrs. bobbsey--dat's what it is," said the cook. "ghostests what takes de sandwiches as fast as i make 'em--dat's de trouble. i can't stay heah no mo'!" mrs. bobbsey looked to nan for an explanation. the little girl said: "dinah made a plate of sandwiches for our picnic---" "dat's right, for de excursnick," put in dinah. "and she left them on the table," went on nan. "but when she went to get a basket to put them in, and came back---" "dey was clean gone!" burst out the colored cook, finishing the story for nan. "an' ghostests took 'em; ob dat i'se shuah. so you'd bettah look fo' anoder cook, mrs. bobbsey." "nonsense, dinah! we can't let you go that way. it's all foolishness to talk about ghosts. probably the door was left open, and snap might have taken the sandwiches, though i never knew him to take anything off the table. but it must have been snap." "no'm, it couldn't be," said dinah. "it wasn't snap." "how do you know?" "could snap come through a closed do', mrs. bobbsey. could snap do that?" "come through a door? no, i don't believe he could. but he might open it. snoop can open doors." "yes, maybe do's that hab a catch on, but not knob-do's, snoop can't open, an' snap can't neither. besides, de do' was shut when i left de sandwiches on de table an' went fo' de basket." "oh, was it?" asked mrs. bobbsey, trying to think of how the pieces of bread and meat could have been taken. "it shuah was," went on dinah. "nobody took dem sandwiches, but a ghostest, an' i can't stay in no boat what has ghostests." "nonsense!" laughed mrs. bobbsey. "i know how it was done, dinah. i know how the sandwiches were taken." "how, mrs. bobbsey?" asked the colored cook, as she stood looking first at the empty plate on the table, and then at nan and lastly at mrs. bobbsey. "why, through that window," said the twins' mother, pointing to an open window on the side of the bluebird. "snap must have come in that window, and taken the sandwiches. he was probably very hungry, poor dog, though he knows better than to do anything like that." "no'm, mrs. bobbsey," went on dinah. "snap couldn't hab come in fru dat window, fo' it opens right on to de watah. he'd hab to stand in de watah to jump in, an' he can't do that." "no, perhaps not," admitted mrs. bobbsey. "oh, i dare say you forgot where you put the sandwiches, dinah. now don't worry a bit more about them. just make some fresh ones, and we'll go on our little picnic." "but i'se gwine t' leab," said dinah. "i ain't gwine stay on a boat, where ghostests takes sandwiches as fast as i can make 'em." "you shall come with us on the picnic," said nan's mother. "when we come back, there won't be any ghost. now don't fuss. just make some fresh sandwiches, and we'll go. i'm sure it was snap." "and i'se shuah it were a ghostest," murmured dinah, as she went out to the kitchen. "mamma, who do you think it could have been?" asked nan of her mother. "why, snap, to be sure, little daughter." "but with the door shut, and the window opening out on the water?" went on nan. "oh, dogs are very smart," said mrs. bobbsey. "smarter than we think. now suppose you help dinah make more sandwiches. we are late." nan went out to the kitchen, while mrs. bobbsey made her way up on deck, where she found her husband talking to captain white about the motor engine of the houseboat. "richard, i want to speak to you," said mrs. bobbsey, and when she and the twins' father were in a quiet corner of the deck, mrs. bobbsey went on: "richard, i think there are thieves about here." "bless my soul!" he exclaimed. "thieves! what do you mean?" "well, i mean that dinah says a plate of sandwiches was just taken, and you remember the time the corn muffins were missing?" "yes, but perhaps dinah was mistaken both times, or snap might have taken a bite between meals." "hardly snap this time," mrs. bobbsey went on, "and dinah, though she does forget once in a while, would not be likely to do so twice in such a short time. no, i think some tramps along shore must have come along quietly in a boat, reached or climbed in through the window and taken the sandwiches." "well, perhaps they did," mr. bobbsey, said. "i'll tell captain white, and we'll keep a lookout. we don't want thieves coming around." "no, indeed," said mrs. bobbsey. "dinah threatens to leave, if any more queer things happen." "well, we wouldn't know how to get along without dinah," said mr. bobbsey, with a smile. "i'll put some wire netting over the windows. i was going to do it anyhow, for the mosquitoes will soon be buzzing around. the netting will keep thieves from reaching in and taking our nice sandwiches." "yes, i think the netting would be a good idea," said his wife. "but it certainly is queer." a little later, the bobbsey twins--both sets of them--with their cousins, mother, father, and dinah went ashore for the little picnic in the woods, taking with them the fresh sandwiches that nan had helped to make. "you shan't have any of these--at least not until we want you to have them," said nan to snap, the dog, who, of course, was not left behind. yet, the more she thought of it the more sure nan was that snap had not taken the others. "but, if he didn't, who did?" she wondered. "oh, isn't it just lovely in these woods!" exclaimed dorothy, as they walked along on the soft moss under the trees. at the seashore, where she lived, the woods were too far away to allow her to pay many visits to them, and she always liked to walk in the cool forests. harry, though he lived in the country, not far from the woods, liked them as well as did the bobbsey twins, and the children were soon running about, playing games, while snap raced about with them, barking and wagging his tail. dinah sat down near the lunch basket. "don't you want to walk around a bit?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no'm," answered the fat cook. "i ain't gwine t' leab dish yeah basket ob victuals until dey's eaten. dey ain't no ghostests, nor no dogs, gwine t' git nothin' when i'se heah! no'm!" and dinah slipped her fat arm in through the handle of the basket. "let's look for chestnuts!" cried freddie. "i love chestnuts!" "it's too early for them," said his father. "but if you find me a willow tree, i can make you some whistles." the children found one, near a little brook, and mr. bobbsey was soon busy with his knife. the bark slipped off easily from the willow wood, which is why it is so often used for whistles. soon all four children were blowing whistles of different tones, and making so much noise that, with the barking of snap, who seemed to think he must bark every time a whistle was blown, mrs. bobbsey cried out for quietness. "come on, we'll go farther off in the woods and play indian," suggested bert, and soon this game was under way. it was lunch time almost before the children knew it, and what fun it was to sit around the table cloth dinah spread out on the grass, and eat the good things from the basket. snap was given his share, but snoop, the black cat, had not come along, staying on the houseboat with captain white. "isn't this fun?" cried nan to dorothy. "indeed it is! oh, i can't tell you how glad i am that you asked me to come on this trip!" "oh! look at that big bug!" suddenly cried freddie, and he made a jump toward his mother, to get out of the way of a big cricket that had hopped onto the white table cloth. "look out, freddie!" called his father. "you'll upset your glass of lemonade!" mr. bobbsey spoke too late. freddie's heel kicked over the glass, and the lemonade spilled right into mrs. bobbsey's lap. "oh, freddie!" cried bert. "never mind--it's an old dress," laughed mrs. bobbsey, "and there's more lemonade. accidents will happen on picnics. never mind, freddie." the cricket was "shooed" away by nan, freddie's glass was filled again, and the picnic went on merrily. soon it was time to go back to the boat. as they walked along through the woods, mr. bobbsey glanced up now and then through the trees at the sky. "do you think it's going to rain?" his wife asked. "not right away, but i think we are soon going to have a storm," he said. "oh, well, the houseboat doesn't leak, does it?" "no, but i don't want to go out on lake romano in a storm, and i intended this evening to go on up the creek until we reached the lake. but i'll wait and see what the weather does." "well, did anything happen while we were gone?" asked mrs. bobbsey of captain white, as they got back to the houseboat. "no, not a thing," he answered. "it was so still and quiet here, that snoop and i had a nice sleep," and he pointed to the black cat, who was stretched out in his lap, as he sat on deck. as it did not look so much like a storm now, mr. bobbsey decided to move the houseboat farther up the creek, almost to where the stream flowed from lake romano, so as to be ready to go out on the larger body of water in the morning, if everything was all right. the engine was started, and just before supper, the bluebird came to a stop in lemby creek about a mile from the big lake. she was tied to the bank, and then supper was served. then followed a pleasant hour or two on deck, and when it was dark, the children went into the cabin and played games until bedtime--nan and bert, as well as the smaller twins and the cousins, were asleep when mrs. bobbsey, who had sat up to write some letters, heard her husband walking about on deck. "what are you doing?" she called to him through a window. "oh, just looking at the weather," he answered. "i think we're going to have a storm after all, and a hard one, too. i'm glad we're safely anchored." sure enough. that night, about twelve o'clock, the storm came. there was at first distant, muttering thunder, which soon became louder. then lightning followed, flashing in through the windows of the houseboat, so that mrs. bobbsey was awakened. "oh, it's going to be a terrible storm," she said to her husband. "oh, perhaps not so very bad," he answered. "here comes the rain!" then it began to pour. but the houseboat was well built, and did not leak a bit. next the wind began to blow, gently at first, but finally so hard that mr. bobbsey could hear the creaking of the ropes that tied the boat to trees on shore. "i think i'd better look and see if those ropes are well tied," he said, getting up to dress, and putting on a raincoat. he had hardly gotten out on deck, before the houseboat gave a sudden lurch to one side, and then began to move quickly down stream. "oh, what has happened?" cried mrs. bobbsey. at the same time flossie and freddie awakened, because of the loud noise from the storm. "mamma! mamma!" they cried. "richard, has anything happened?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "yes!" he shouted. "the strong wind has broken the ropes, and we are adrift. but don't worry. we'll soon be all right!" faster and faster went the bluebird, while all about her the rain splashed down, the wind blew, the thunder roared, and the lightning flashed. chapter xviii strange noises the frightened cries of flossie and freddie soon awakened nan and bert, and it was not long before harry and dorothy, too, had roused themselves. "what's the matter?" asked bert. "oh, we've gone adrift in the storm," his mother said. "but don't worry. papa says it will be all right." "come up on deck and see what's going on!" cried bert to harry. he had begun to dress, and now he thrust his head out from his room. "hurry up, harry," he added. "we want to see this storm." "no, you must stay here," mrs. bobbsey said. "it is too bad a storm for you children to be out in, especially this dark night. your papa and captain white will do all that needs to be done." "mamma, it--it isn't dark when the lightning comes," said freddie. he did not seem to be afraid of the brilliant flashes. "no, it's light when the flashes come," said his mother. "but i want you all to stay here with me. it is raining very hard." "i should say it was!" exclaimed harry, as he heard the swish of the drops against the windows of the houseboat. "is snap all right, mamma?" asked flossie. "and snoop? i wouldn't want them out in the storm." "they're all right," mrs. bobbsey said. "oh, what's that!" suddenly cried nan, as the houseboat gave a bump, and leaned to one side. "we hit something," bert said. "oh, i wish i could go out on the deck!" "no, indeed!" cried his mother. "there! they've started the engine. now we'll be all right." as soon as mr. bobbsey had found out that the houseboat had broken loose from the mooring ropes in the storm, he awakened captain white, and told him to start the motor. this had been done, and now, instead of drifting with the current of the creek, the boat could be more easily steered. soon it had been run into a sheltered place, against the bank, where, no matter how hard the wind blew, it would be safe. "are we all right now?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as her husband came down to the cabin. "yes, all right again," he said. "there really was not much danger, once we got the motor started." "is it raining yet?" asked freddie, who was sitting in his mother's lap, wrapped in a sweater. "indeed it is, little fat fireman," his father answered. "you wouldn't need your engine to put out a fire to-night." the patter of the raindrops on the deck of the houseboat could still be heard, and the wind still blew hard. but the thunder and lightning were not so bad, and gradually the storm grew less. "well, we'd better get to bed now," said mr. bobbsey. "to-morrow we shall go to the big lake." "did the storm take us far back down the creek?" asked bert. "not more than a mile," said his father. "and the man can't tie us in with wire again, can he?" freddie wanted to know. "if he does, and i had one of those cutter-things, i could snip it." "you won't have to, freddie," laughed bert. "speaking of that mean farmer reminds me of the poor boy who ran away from him," said mrs. bobbsey to her husband, when the children had gone to bed. "i wonder where he is to-night, in this storm?" "i hope he has a sheltered place," spoke the father of the bobbsey twins. not very much damage had been done by the storm, though it was a very hard one. in the morning the children could see where some big tree branches had blown off, and there had been so much rain, that the water of the creek was higher. but the houseboat was all right, and after breakfast, when they went up the creek again, they stopped and got the pieces of broken rope, where the bluebird had been tied before. the houseboat then went on, and at noon, just before dinah called them to dinner, nan, who was standing near her father at the steering wheel, cried: "oh, what a lot of water!" "yes, that is lake romano," said mr. bobbsey. "we'll soon be floating on that, and we'll spend the rest of our houseboat vacation there." "and where shall we spend the rest of our vacation?" asked bert, for it had been decided that the houseboat voyage would last only until about the middle of august. "oh, we haven't settled that yet," his father answered. on and on went the bluebird, and, in a little while, she was on the sparkling waters of the lake. "i don't see any waterfall," said freddie, coming toward his father, after having made snap do some of his circus tricks. "the waterfall is at the far end of the lake," said mr. bobbsey. "i wonder if there are any fish in this lake?" spoke bert. "let's try to catch some," suggested his cousin harry, and soon the two boys were busy with poles and lines. the bobbsey twins, and their cousin-guests, liked lake romano very much indeed. it was much bigger than the lake at home, and there were some very large boats on it. bert and harry caught no fish before dinner, but in the afternoon they had better luck, and got enough for supper. the evening meal had been served by dinah, snap and snoop had been fed, and the family and their guests were up on deck, watching the sunset, when dinah came waddling up the stairs, with a queer look on her face. "why, dinah! what is the matter?" asked mrs. bobbsey, seeing that something was wrong. "have you lost some more sandwiches?" "no'm, it ain't sandwiches dish yeah time," dinah answered. "but i done heard a funny noise jest now down near mah kitchen." "a funny noise?" repeated mr. bobbsey. "what was it like?" "jes like some one cryin'," dinah answered. "i thought mebby one ob de chilluns done got locked in de pantry, but i opened de do', an' dey wasn't anybody dere. 'sides, all de chilluns is up heah. but i shuah did heah a funny noise ob somebody cryin'!" mrs. bobbsey looked at her husband and said: "you'd better go see what it is, richard." chapter xix snap's queer actions the bobbsey twins looked at one another. then they glanced at their cousins, harry and dorothy. next the eyes of all the children were turned on fat dinah. "was--was it a baby crying?" freddie wanted to know. "yes, honey lamb--it done did sound laik a baby--only a big baby," explained the colored cook. "maybe it was one of flossie's dolls," the little "fat fireman" went on. "flossie's dolls can't cry!" exclaimed nan. "not even the one that says 'mama,' when you punch it in the back. that can't cry, because it's broken." "well, flossie says her dolls cry, sometimes," said freddie, "and i thought maybe it was one of them now." "it was snoop, our cat," said bert, with a laugh. "that's what you heard, dinah, snoop crying for something to eat. maybe she's shut up in a closet." "probably that's what it was, dinah," said mrs. bobbsey. "i'll go let her out," said mr. bobbsey, starting toward the lower part of the houseboat. "'scuse me, mr. bobbsey," said dinah firmly, "but dey ain't no use yo' going t' let out no cat snoop." "why not, dinah?" "because it wasn't any cat dat i done heah. it was a human bein' dat i heard cryin', dat's what it was, an' i know who it was, too," the colored woman insisted. "who, dinah?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "it was de same ghostest dat done took mah cakes an' sandwiches, dat's who it was. i'se mighty sorry t' leab yo', mrs. bobbsey, but i guess i'll done be goin' now." "what, dinah!" cried her mistress. "going? where?" "offen dish yeah boat, mrs. bobbsey. i cain't stay heah any mo' wif a lot of ghostests." "nonsense, dinah!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "there isn't any such thing as a ghost, and you know it! it's silly to even talk about such a thing. now you just come with me, and show me where you heard those noises." "no, sah, i cain't do it, mr. bobbsey," the colored cook exclaimed, moving backward. "why not?" mr. bobbsey wanted to know. "'cause it's bad luck, dat's why. i ain't goin' neah no ghostest---" "don't say that again, dinah!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey sharply, with a glance at the children. "oh, we're not afraid, mother!" chimed in bert. "we know there's no such thing as a ghost." "that's right," spoke his father. "but, dinah, i must get this matter settled. it won't do for you to be frightened all the while. you must come and show me where you heard the noise." "has i got to do it, mrs. bobbsey?" asked dinah. "yes, i think you had better." "well, den, i heard de noise right down in de passageway dat goes from de kitchen to de dinin' room. dat's where it was. a noise laik somebody cryin' an' weepin'." "and are you sure it wasn't snoop, dinah?" "shuah, mr. bobbsey. 'cause why? 'cause heah's snoop now, right ober by miss dorothy." this was very true. the little seashore cousin had been playing with the black cat. "snap howls sometimes," said freddie, who seemed to be trying to find some explanation of the queer noise. "lots of times he used to howl under my window, and i'd think it was some boy, but it was only snap. he used to like to howl at the moon." "dat's right, so he does, honey lamb," dinah admitted. "but dere ain't no moon now, an' snap's eatin' a bone. he don't never howl when he's eatin' a bone, i'se sartain ob dat." "oh, well, if it wasn't the dog or cat, it was some other noise that can easily be found," said mr. bobbsey. "i'll go have a look." "i'm coming, too," said nan. "and so am i!" exclaimed bert. harry and dorothy looked at each other a moment, and then dorothy said, rather unhesitatingly: "i'm not afraid!" "i should say not!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "what is there to be afraid of, just in a noise?" "let's all go!" suggested harry. "good!" cried mr. bobbsey, for he wanted his children not to give way to foolish fears. they were not "afraid of the dark," as some children are, and from the time when they were little tots, their parents had tried to teach them that most things, such as children fear, are really nothing but things they think they see, or hear. "aren't you coming, dinah?" asked mrs. bobbsey, as they all started for the lower part of the houseboat. "no'm, i'll jest stay up heah an'--an' git a breff ob fresh air," said the colored cook. "come on, children," called mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "we'll very soon find out what it was." they went down off the deck, to the passageway between the kitchen and dining-room. this place was like a long, narrow hall, and on one side of it were closets, or "lockers," as they are called on ships. they were places where different articles could be stored away. just now, the lockers were filled with odds and ends--bits of canvass that were sometimes used as sails, or awnings, old boxes, barrels and the like. mr. bobbsey opened the lockers and looked in. "there isn't a thing here that could make a crying noise, unless it was a little mouse," he said, "and they are so little, i can't see them. i guess dinah must have imagined it." "let's listen and see if we can hear it," suggested mrs. bobbsey. all of them, including the children, kept very quiet. snap, the trick dog, was still gnawing his bone in the kitchen. they could hear him banging it on the floor as he tried to get from it the last shreds of meat. snoop, the black cat, was up on deck in the sun. "i don't hear a thing," said mrs. bobbsey. indeed it was very quiet. "hark!" suddenly called nan. "isn't that a noise?" they all listened sharply, and then they did hear a faint sort of crying, or whining, noise. "oh!" exclaimed freddie. "it's a---" "it's the boat pulling on one of the anchor ropes," said mr. bobbsey, for the bluebird was anchored out in the lake by two anchors and ropes, one at each end. "the wind blows the boat a little," the children's father explained, "and that makes it pull on the ropes, which creak on the wooden posts with a crying noise." "i know!" exclaimed flossie. "just like our swing rope creaks, when it's going slow." "exactly," said her mother. mrs. bobbsey was glad that the little girl could think out an explanation for herself that way. "there it goes again!" suddenly exclaimed bert. they all heard the funny noise. there was no doubt but that it was the creaking of the rope by which the boat was tied. "here, dinah!" called mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "come down here. we've found your ghost." "i doan't want to see it!" exclaimed the colored cook, "jest toss it overbo'd!" "it's nothing but a noise made by a creaking rope," said nan. "and you can't throw that overboard." "all right, honey lamb. yo' can call it a rope-noise ef yo' all laiks," said dinah, when finally she had been induced to come down. "but i knows it wasn't. it was some real pusson cryin', dat's what it was." "but you said it was a ghost, dinah!" laughed bert, "and a ghost is never a real person, you know. oh, dinah!" "oh, go long wif yo', honey lamb!" exclaimed the fat cook. "i ain't got no time t' bodder wif you'. i'se got t' set mah bread t' bake t'morrow. an' dere's some corn cakes, ef yo' ma will let yo' hab 'em." "i guess she will," said bert, with a laugh. "some cakes and then bed." they all thought the "ghost" scare was over, but mr. bobbsey noticed that when dinah went through the passage between the kitchen and dining-room, she hurried as fast as her feet would take her, and she glanced from side to side, as though afraid of seeing something. every one slept soundly that sight, except perhaps dinah, but if anything disturbed her, she said nothing about it, when she got up to get breakfast. it was a fine, sunny day, and a little later the bluebird was moving across the lake, the motor turning the propeller, which churned the blue water into foam. mr. bobbsey steered the boat to various places of interest on the lake. there were several little islands that were to be visited, and on one of the tiniest, they went ashore to eat their lunch. "let's play we're shipwrecked," suggested freddie, who was always anxious to "pretend" something or other. "all right," agreed flossie. "you'll be robinson crusoe, and i'll be your man thursday." "friday--not thursday," corrected freddie, for his father had read to him part of robinson's adventures. the little twins were allowed to take some of their lunch, and go off to one side of the island, there to play at being shipwrecked. mr. and mrs. bobbsey sat in the shade and talked, while nan, dorothy, bert and harry went off on a little "exploring expedition," as bert called it. bert was making a collection of stones and minerals that year, and he wanted to see what new specimens he could find. suddenly the peacefulness of the little island was broken by a cry of: "oh, mamma! papa! come quick! freddie's in the cave, and can't get out. oh, hurry!" "that's flossie's voice!" cried mrs. bobbsey, in alarm. mr. bobbsey did not say anything. he just ran, and soon he came to the place where flossie and freddie had gone to play shipwreck. he saw flossie jumping up and down in front of a little hill. "where's freddie?" asked mr. bobbsey. "in there," flossie answered, pointing to the pile of dirt that looked to have been freshly dug. "we made a cave in the side of the and freddie went in to hide, but he dirt slid down on him and he--he's there yet!" "gracious!" cried mr. bobbsey. "it's a good thing we're here!" with a piece of board he soon scattered the dirt until he came to freddie's head. fortunately the little fellow was covered with only a few inches of the soil, and as a piece of brush had fallen over his face, he had had no trouble in breathing. he was rather badly frightened, however, when he was dug out, little the worse, otherwise, for his adventure. "what did you do it for?" asked his father, when he and his mother had brushed the dirt from the little chap, while the other children gathered around to look on. "i--i was making a cave, same as robinson crusoe did," freddie explained. "i dug it with a board in the sand, and i went in--i mean, i went in the cave, and it--it came down--all of a sudden." "well, don't do it again," cautioned his mother. "you might have been badly hurt." they finished their visit on the island, and went back on board the bluebird again. snap, who always went with them on these little excursions, bounded on deck, and then made a rush for the kitchen, for he was hungry, and he knew dinah generally had a bone, or something nice for him. mr. bobbsey, who was following close behind snap, was surprised to see the dog come to a sudden stop in the passageway between the kitchen and dining-room. snap growled, and showed his teeth, as he did when some savage dog, or other enemy, was near at hand. "what's the matter, old fellow?" asked mr. bobbsey. "do you see something?" snap turned and looked at mr. bobbsey. then the dog looked at one of the locker doors, and, with a loud bark, sprang toward it, as though he would go through the panels. chapter xx at the waterfall "what's the matter?" asked mrs. bobbsey, who had followed her husband into the passageway. "snap and snoop aren't quarreling, are they?" "indeed, no," answered mr. bobbsey. "but snap is acting very strangely. i don't know what to make of him." by this time mrs. bobbsey had come up, where she could see the dog. snap was still standing in front of the door, growling, whining, and, now and then, uttering a low bark. "what's the matter with him?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "is he hungry?" "well, i guess he's always more or less hungry," her husband said, "but that isn't the matter with him now. i think perhaps he imagines he sees dinah's ghost!" and he laughed. "snap, come here!" called mrs. bobbsey, and, though the dog usually minded her, this time he did not obey. he only stood near the door, growling. "why don't you open it, and let him see what's in there," said bert. "maybe it's only some of those mice that made the noise," he went on. "perhaps it is," his father answered. "i'll let snap have a chance at them." as mr. bobbsey stepped up to turn the knob of the "locker," or closet door, there was a noise inside, as though something had been knocked down off a shelf. snap barked loudly and made a spring, to be ready to jump inside the closet as soon as it was opened. "what's that?" cried mrs. bobbsey, while flossie and freddie, a little alarmed, clung together and moved nearer to their mother. "there's something inside there, that's sure," declared mr. bobbsey. "it must be a big rat!" "mercy!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "a rat!" "i'll have to set a trap," mr. bobbsey went on. "that rat has probably been taking the things to eat that dinah missed--the corn-cakes and the sandwiches." "that's right!" cried bert. "that ends the mystery. go for him, snap!" "bow wow!" barked the dog, only too willing to get in the closet and shake the rat. but, when mr. bobbsey opened the door, no rat ran out, not even a little mouse. snap was ready for one, had there been any; but though he pawed around on the floor, and nosed behind the boxes and barrels, he caught nothing. "where is it?" asked flossie. "i want to see the rat!" cried freddie. neither of the smaller twins was afraid of animals. of course, they did not know that rats can sometimes bite very fiercely, or they might not have been nearly so anxious to see one. "i guess the rat got away," said mr. bobbsey, as he watched snap pawing around in the locker, even pushing aside boxes with his nose. "hab yo' cotched de ghost?" asked dinah, looking out from her kitchen. "not yet--but almost," said mr. bobbsey. "i must clean out this closet, and find the rat-hole. then i'll set the trap. come away snap. you missed him that time." the dog was not so sure of this. he stayed near the closet, while mr. bobbsey set out the boxes and barrels, but no rat was to be seen, nor even a mouse. and, the odd part of it was that, when everything was out of the locker, there was no hole to be seen, through which any of the gnawing animals might have slipped. "that's funny," said the twins' father, as he peered about. "i don't see how that rat got in here, or got out again." "perhaps it wasn't a rat," suggested mrs. bobbsey. "what was it, then, that made the noise?" asked her husband. "i don't know," she answered. "something might have bumped against the boat outside." "yes, that's so," admitted mr. bobbsey. "but snap wouldn't act that way just on account of a noise." the boxes and barrels were put back into the closet, but even that did not seem to satisfy snap. he remained near the locker for some time, now and then growling and showing his teeth. mr. bobbsey looked in some of the other, and smaller, lockers, but all he found was a tiny hole, hardly big enough for a mouse. "perhaps it was a mouse," he said. "anyhow, i'll set a trap there. dinah, toast me a bit of cheese." "cheese, massa bobbsey!" exclaimed the colored cook. "yo' knows yo' cain't eat cheese. ebery time yo' does, yo' gits de insispepsia suffin terrible--specially toasted cheese." "i don't intend to eat it!" answered the twins' father, with a laugh. "i'm going to bait a trap with cheese to catch the mice. i don't care whether they get the indigestion or not." "oh! dat's diffunt," said dinah. "i'll toast yo' some." the trap was set, but for two or three days, though it was often looked at, no mice were caught. meanwhile, several times, dinah said she missed food from her kitchen. it was only little things, though, and the bobbseys paid small attention to her, for dinah was often forgetful, and might have been mistaken. "i really think we have some rats aboard," said mr. bobbsey. "there are some on nearly every boat. i have heard noises in the night that could be made only by rats." "and snap still acts queerly, whenever he passes that locker," said mrs. bobbsey. "i'm not so sure it is a rat that made that noise, richard." "no?" her husband asked. "what was it, then?" but mrs. bobbsey either could not, or would not, say. "i say, harry," said bert to his country cousin one day, when the bluebird had come to anchor some distance down the lake, "let's try to get to the bottom of this mystery." "what mystery?" "why, the one about the noise, and the sandwiches and cakes being taken, and snap acting so funny. i'm sure there's a mystery on this boat, and we ought to find out what it is." "i'm with you!" exclaimed harry. "what shall we do?" "let's sit up some night and watch that closet," said bert. "we can easily do it." "will your folks let us?" "we won't ask them. oh, i wouldn't do anything i knew they didn't want me to do without asking," bert said quickly, as he saw his cousin's startled glance. "but there's no harm in this," bert went on. "we'll go to bed early some night, and, when all the rest of them are asleep, we'll get up and stand watch all night. you can watch part of the time, and when you get sleepy i'll take my turn. then we can see whether anything is hiding in that closet." "do you think there is?" asked harry. "i'm sure i don't know what to think," bert answered. "only it's a mystery, and we ought to find out what it is." "i'm with you," said harry again. "are you talking secrets?" asked nan, suddenly coming up just then. "sort of," admitted her brother, laughing. "oh, tell me--do!" she begged. "no, nan. not now," said bert. "this is only for us boys." nan tried to find out the secret, but they would not tell her. two days later, during which the bluebird cruised about on the lake, bert said to harry, after supper: "we'll watch to-night, and find out what's, in that closet. snap barked and growled every time to-day, that he passed it. i'm sure something's there." "it does seem so," admitted harry. mr. bobbsey was steering the boat toward shore, intending to come to anchor for the night, when flossie, who was standing up in front cried: "oh, look! here's the waterfall! oh, isn't it beautiful!" just before them, as they turned around a bend in the bank, was a cataract of white water, tumbling down into the lake over a precipice of black rocks--a most beautiful sight. chapter xxi what bert saw the waterfall of lake romano was still some little distance off, and, as the wind was blowing toward it, only a faint roar of the falling water came to the ears of the bobbsey twins, and the others on the houseboat. "oh, papa!" exclaimed nan. "may we go close up and see the cataract?" "yes," said mr. bobbsey. "i intended to give you a good view of the waterfall. we shall spend a day or so here, as it is a great curiosity. there is one place where you can walk right behind the falls." "behind it!" cried harry. "i don't understand how that can be, uncle." "you'll see to-morrow, when we visit them," said the twins' father. "and there are some oddly-marked stones to be picked up, too, bert. they will do for your collection." "fine!" bert exclaimed. "say, this has been a dandy trip all right!" "it isn't ended yet, is it, dorothy?" asked nan. "no, indeed," replied the seashore cousin, with a smile. "and we haven't solved the mystery," said bert in a low voice to harry. "but we will to-night, all right." "we sure will," agreed the boy from the country. the bobbsey twins stayed up rather later that night than usual. mr. bobbsey did not find a good anchorage for the boat for some time, as he wanted to get in a safe place. it looked as though there might be a storm before morning, and he did not want to drift away again. then, too, he wanted to get nearer to the waterfall, so they could reach it early the next morning and look at it more closely. so the motor was kept in action by captain white until after supper, and finally the bluebird came to rest not far from the waterfall. then bert and nan, with dorothy and harry were so interested in listening to mr. bobbsey tell stories about waterfalls, and what caused them, that the older twins and their cousins did not get to bed until nearly ten o'clock, whereas nine was the usual hour. of course flossie and freddie "turned in," as sailors say, about eight o'clock, for their little eyes would not stay open any longer. "we'll wake up as soon as my father and mother are asleep," said bert to harry, as they went to their rooms, which were adjoining ones. "then we'll take turns watching that closet." "sure," agreed harry. "whoever wakes up first, will call the other." to this bert agreed, but the truth of it was that neither of them awakened until morning. whether it was that they were too tired, or slept later than usual, they could not tell. but it was broad daylight, when they sat up in their beds, or "bunks," as beds are called on ships. "i thought you were going to call me," said bert to his cousin. "and i thought you were going to call me," laughed the boy from the country. then they both laughed, for it was a good joke on each of them. "never mind," spoke bert, as he got up and dressed. "we'll try it again to-night." "try what?" asked nan from the next room, for she could hear her brother speak. "if you boys try to play any tricks on us girls---" "don't worry," broke in harry. "the secret isn't about you." "i think you're real mean not to tell us!" called dorothy, from her room. "nan and i are going to have a marshmallow roast, when we go on shore near the waterfall, and we won't give you boys a single one, will we, nan?" "not a one!" cried bert's sister. "will you give me one--whatever it is?" asked freddie from the room where his mother was dressing him. "and me, too?" added flossie, for she always wanted to share in her little twin brother's fun. "yes, you may have some, but not bert and harry," went on nan, though she knew when the time came, that she would share her treat with her brother and cousin. "well, i didn't hear any noises last night," said mr. bobbsey to his wife at the breakfast table. "nor i," said she. but when dinah came in with a platter of ham and eggs, there was such a funny look on the cook's face that mrs. bobbsey asked: "aren't you well, dinah?" "oh, yes'm, i'se well enough," the fat cook answered. "but dey shuah is suffin strange gwine on abo'd dish yeah boat." "what's the matter now?" asked mr. bobbsey. "a whole loaf of bread was tooken last night," said dinah. "it was tooken right out ob de bread box," she went on, "and i'se shuah it wasn't no rat, fo' he couldn't open my box." "i don't know," said mrs. bobbsey. "rats are pretty smart sometimes." "they are smart enough to keep out of my trap," said papa bobbsey. "i must set some new ones, i think." "well, i don't think it was any rat," said dinah, as she went on serving breakfast. there was so much to do that day, and so much to see, that the bobbsey twins, at least, and their cousins, paid little attention to the story of the missing loaf of bread. bert did say to harry: "it's too bad we didn't watch last night. we might have caught whoever it was that took the bread." "who do you think it was?" asked harry. "oh, some tramps," said bert. "it couldn't be anybody else." they went ashore after breakfast, close to the waterfall. "papa, you said you would show us where we could walk under the water without getting wet," nan reminded him. "oh, yes," said mr. bobbsey. "i have never been to these falls, but i have read about them." then he showed the children a place, near the shore of the lake, where they could slip in right behind the thin veil of water that fell over the black rocks, high above their heads. back of the falling water there was a space which the waves had worn in the stone. it was damp, but not enough to wet their feet. there they stood, behind the sheet of water, and looked out through it to the lake, into which it fell with a great splashing and foaming. "oh, isn't this wonderful!" cried nan. "it surely is," said dorothy, with a sigh. "i never saw anything so pretty." "and what queer stones!" cried bert, as he picked up some that had been worn into odd shapes by the action of the water. the bobbseys spent some little time at the waterfall, and then, as there was a pretty little island near it, where picnic parties often went for the day, they went there in the bluebird, going ashore for their dinner. "but i'm not going to play robinson crusoe again," said freddie, as he remembered the time he had been caught in the cave. at the end of a pleasant day on the island, the bobbseys again went on board the houseboat for supper. "we'll watch sure to-night," said bert to harry, as they got ready for bed. "we won't go to sleep at all." "all right," agreed the country cousin. it was hard work, but they managed to stay awake. when the boat was quiet, and every one else asleep, harry and bert stole softly out of their room and went to the passageway between the dining-room and kitchen. "you watch from the kitchen, and i'll watch from the dining-room," bert told his cousin. "then, no matter which way that rat goes, we'll see him." "do you think it was a rat?" asked harry. "well, i'm not sure," his cousin answered. "but maybe we'll find out to-night." "we ought to have something to hit him with, if we see a rat," suggested harry. "that's right," bert agreed. "i'll take the stove poker, and you can have the fire shovel. now keep very still." the two cousins took their places, bert in the dining-room, and harry in the kitchen. it was very still and quiet on the bluebird. up on deck snap, the dog, could be heard moving about now and then, for he slept up there. bert, who had sat down in a dining-room chair, began to feel sleepy. he tried to keep open his eyes, but it was hard work. suddenly he dozed off, and he was just on the point of falling asleep, when he heard a noise. it was a squeaking sound, as though a door had been opened. "or," thought bert, "it might be the squeak of a mouse. i wonder if harry heard it?" he wanted to call out, in a whisper, and ask his cousin in the dining-room, just beyond the passage. bert could not see harry. but bert thought if he called, even in a whisper, he might scare the rat, or whoever, or whatever, it was, that had caused the mystery. so bert kept quiet and watched. the squeaking noise of the loose boards in the floor went on, and then bert heard a sound, as though soft footsteps were coming toward him. he wanted to jump up and yell, but he kept still. then, suddenly, bert saw something. standing in the dining-room door, looking at him, was a boy, about his own age--a boy dressed in ragged clothes, and in bare feet, and in his hand this boy held a piece of bread, and a slice of cake. "you--you!" began bert, wondering where he had seen that boy before. and then, before bert could say any more, the boy turned to run away, and bert jumped up to catch him. chapter xxii the stowaway "come back here!" cried bert, as he rushed on. there was the sound of a fall in the passageway, and some one groaned. "what is it?" cried harry, running from the kitchen. "what's the matter, bert? did you catch the rat?" "no, but i caught something else," bert answered. by this time he had run into the passageway, and there, in front of the locker, or closet, where the strange noises had been heard, lay the ragged boy. he had fallen and hurt his head. the cake and bread had been knocked from his hands. the door of the locker or closet was open. "why--why---" began harry, in surprise. "it's a--a boy." "yes, and now i know who he is," said bert, as the stowaway sat up, not having been badly hurt by his fall. he had tripped in his bare feet. "who--who is it?" asked harry. "it's that boy who gave us the fish--will watson, who worked for the man that made the wire fence--mr. hardee." "yes, i'm that boy," said the other, slowly. "oh, i hope your folks won't be very mad at me. i--i didn't know what to do, so when i ran away, i hid on your boat." "and have you been here ever since?" asked bert. "yes," answered will. "i've been hiding here ever since." "and was it you who took the things?" harry wanted to know. "yes, i took them. i was half starved. but i'll pay you back as soon as i get out west, where my uncle lives. he's a gold miner, and i guess he's got lots of money. oh, i hope your father and mother will forgive me." "of course they will," said bert, seeing tears in the eyes of the ragged boy. "what's the matter there?" called mr. bobbsey. "has anything happened, bert?" "yes," answered bert. "we've solved the mystery--harry and i." "solved the mystery!" cried mr. bobbsey. "i'll be right there." "oh, what can it be?" his wife asked. meanwhile, captain white, dinah and the little bobbsey twins had been awakened by the loud voices. up on deck snap, the dog, feeling that something was wrong, was barking loudly. "i--i hope the dog doesn't get me!" said will, looking about. "i won't let him hurt you," promised bert. "so it was you, hiding in the closet that made snap act so funny?" he asked. "he knew you were there." "yes, only i wasn't in the closet all the while. there was a loose board at the back. i could slip out of the closet through that hole. i hid down in the lower part of the boat. i'll show you." "you poor boy!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey when, with her husband, she had come to see the "mystery," as bert laughingly called him. "indeed we'll forgive you. you must have had a terrible time, hiding away as you did. now tell us all about it. but first i want you to drink this warm milk dinah has made for you," for mrs. bobbsey had told the cook to heat some. "you look half starved," she said to the boy. "i am," answered will. "i--i didn't take any more of your food than i could help, though." "yo' am welcome to all yo' want, honey lamb!" exclaimed dinah. "mah land, but i shuah am glad yo' ain't no ghostest! i shuah am!" and she sighed in relief, as she saw that will was a real, flesh-and-blood boy. he was, however, very thin and starved-looking. "now tell us all about it," said mr. bobbsey. "how did you come on our boat?" will told them. after mr. bobbsey had stopped the cruel farmer from beating him, will crawled up to his room to sob himself to sleep. then he began to think that after the houseboat had gone, mr. hardee would probably treat him all the more meanly, on account of having been interfered with. "so i just ran away," said will. "i packed up what few things i had, and when i saw your boat near shore, i crept aboard and hid myself away. i easily found a place down--down cellar," he said with a smile. "i suppose you mean in the hold, or the place below the lower deck," spoke mr. bobbsey. "cellars on a boat are called 'holds.' well, what happened?" "i--i just stayed there. i found some old bags, and made a bed on them," will said. "then when my food gave out, i used to crawl out during the nights and take some from your kitchen. "i had some bread when i ran away," will went on. "i took it from mrs. hardee's kitchen, but they owed me money for working, and i didn't take more bread than i ought." "i'm sure you didn't," said mrs. bobbsey, kindly. "i didn't want you to know i was on board the boat," will resumed, "for i was afraid you'd send me off, and i didn't want mr. hardee to find me again. i was afraid he'd whip me." "but what did you intend to do?" asked mr. bobbsey. "well, i heard you say you were going to lake romano," said the boy, "and i thought i would ride as far as you went. then i wouldn't have so far to walk to get to my uncle out west. i'm going to him. he'll look after me, i know. i can't stand mr. hardee any more." "you poor boy. we'll help you find your uncle," said mrs. bobbsey. "and you've been on board ever since?" asked mr. bobbsey. "yes, sir. i hid down in the 'hold,' as you call it. then when i got hungry, i found a loose board, so i could get into the closet. then at night i would come out and get things to eat and a little water or milk to drink. i didn't mean any harm." "no, i'm sure you did not," the twins' father said. "well, i'm glad bert found you," he went on, as bert and harry told how they had kept watch. "so it was you who took the things, and who made the noises that frightened dinah?" "yes, but i didn't mean, to scare her," will said. "that day i got my hand caught in the loose board, and it hurt so, and i felt so bad that i--i cried. that was what she heard, i guess." "you poor boy!" said mrs. bobbsey again. "and--and did you see any rats in the cellar?" asked freddie, who was moving about in his little night dress. "no," answered will, "i didn't see any rats. it was bad enough in the dark place, without any rats." "well, i guess your troubles are over, for a time," said mr. bobbsey. "we'll fix you up a bed, and then i'll have a talk with you about this miner uncle of yours." will finished his warm milk, and ate some bread and cake--the same he had taken from dinah's kitchen. he had gone in there and taken it, but harry had not heard him, for harry had fallen asleep. "and so it was a stowaway boy, and not rats or ghosts or anything else that was the mystery," said mrs. bobbsey, when everything once more quiet on the bluebird. "that's what it was," her husband said "bert was real smart to sit up and watch." "and he never told us a thing about it." "oh, he wanted to surprise us," laughed mr. bobbsey. "and didn't i see you, the time i fell overboard?" asked flossie, looking at will. "i think you did," he laughed. "i happened to put my head out of a ventilating hole just as you looked. i pulled it in again, soon enough, though. i hope i didn't scare you." "not very much," flossie said. "i was sure i saw you, but nobody else would believe me." snap soon made friends with the new boy. it was will, hiding behind the closet wall, that had made the dog act as though a rat were there. i must bring my story to a close, now that the mystery is explained. and, really, there is little else to tell. will had, in the little bundle of things he had brought away from mr. hardee's with him, the address of a man he thought knew where the miner uncle was. mr. bobbsey wrote several letters, and, in due time, word came back that will's uncle was well off now, and would look after him. his name was mr. jackson. he had lost track of will for some years and had just begun a search for him, when mr. bobbsey's letter came. enough money was sent on to enable will to make the trip out west, where he would be well cared for. he could not thank the bobbsey family enough for what they had done for him. mr. hardee heard where his runaway boy had been found, and tried to get him back, but mr. bobbsey would not permit this. so will's life began to be a pleasant one. the time he had spent on the houseboat, after coming from his hiding place, was the happiest he had ever known. "well, what shall we do now?" asked bert one day, after will had gone. "it seems queer not to have to be on the lookout for a mystery or something like that." "doesn't it," agreed harry. "and so that was your secret?" asked nan. "yes, that was it," her brother answered. "but i wish we had something to do now." "whatever you do, you want to do in the next two weeks," said mr. bobbsey, coming up on deck. "why?" asked bert. "because our houseboat trip will come to an end then." "oh!" cried the bobbsey twins in a chorus. "that's too bad!" "but i have other pleasures for you," went on mr. bobbsey. "the summer vacation is not yet over." and those of you who wish to read of what further pleasures the children had, may do so in the following volume, which will be called "the bobbsey twins at meadow brook." "let's have one more picnic on an island!" proposed nan, a few days before the trip on lake romano was to end. "and a marshmallow roast!" added dorothy. "fine!" cried bert. "i'll eat all the candies you toast!" "and i'll help!" added harry. "you boys will have to make the fire," nan said. "i'll gather wood!" offered freddie. "and i'll have my little fire engine all ready to put out the blaze, if it gets too big." "a pail of water will be better," laughed bert. "your engine might get going so fast, like it did once, we couldn't stop it." "i'll sharpen the sticks to put the marshmallows on," offered harry. "i wish will watson was here to help us eat these," said nan a little later that afternoon, when the children were having their marshmallow roast on a little island in the lake. "he was a nice boy." "yes, and he will be well looked after now," said mrs. bobbsey. "your father had a letter from the miner uncle to-day, saying he was going to make a miner of will. he gave up the idea of going to sea." "and will he dig gold?" asked flossie. "i suppose so, dear!" "oh, i'm going to dig gold when i grow to be a man," said freddie. "may i have another marshmallow, nan?" "yes, little fat fireman," she laughed. a few days later, after making a trip around the lower end of the lake, the bobbsey twins started for home, reaching there safely, and having no more trouble with mr. hardee and his wire fence. and so, as they are now safe at home, we shall say good-bye to the bobbsey twins and their friends. the end the bobbsey twins at meadow brook by laura lee hope contents i. a crockery crash ii. new summer plans iii. the runaway boy iv. off for meadow brook v. snap's escape vi. at meadow brook vii. the picnic viii. lost in the hay ix. the five-pin show x. a sham battle xi. moving pictures xii. the bobbseys act xiii. the circus xiv. freddie is missing xv. found again xvi. frank's story xvii. a wild animal scare xviii. what freddie saw xix. in swimming xx. frank comes back xxi. bad money xxii. happy days chapter i a crockery crash "well, here we are back home again!" exclaimed nan bobbsey, as she sat down in a chair on the porch. "oh, but we have had _such_ a good time!" "the best ever!" exclaimed her brother bert, as he set down the valise he had been carrying, and walked back to the front gate to take a small satchel from his mother. "i'm going to carry mine! i want to carry mine all the way!" cried little fat freddie bobbsey, thinking perhaps his bigger brother might want to take, too, his bundle. "all right, you can carry your own, freddie," said bert, pleasantly. "but it's pretty heavy for you." "it--it isn't very heavy," panted freddie, as he struggled on with his bundle, his short fat legs fairly "twinkling" to and fro as he came up the walk. "it's got some cookies in, too, my bundle has; and flossie and i are going to eat 'em when we get on the porch." "oh, so that's the reason you didn't want bert to take your package, is it?" asked mrs. bobbsey, with a smile, as she patted the little fat chap on the head. "oh, well, i'll give bert a cookie if he wants one," said freddie, generously, "but i'm strong enough to carry my own bundle all the way; aren't i, dinah?" and he appealed to a fat, good-natured looking colored woman, who was waddling along, carrying a number of packages. "dat's what yo' is, honey lamb! dat's what yo' is!" dinah exclaimed. "an' ef i could see dat man ob mine, sam johnson, i'd make him take some ob dese yeah t'ings." as dinah spoke there came from around the corner of the house a tall, slim colored man, who as soon as he saw the party of returning travelers, ran forward to help them carry their luggage. "well, it's about time dat yo' come t' help us, sam johnson!" exclaimed his wife. "it's about time!" "didn't know yo' all was a-comin', dinah! didn't know yo' all would get heah so soon, 'deed i didn't!" sam exclaimed, with a laugh, that showed his white teeth in strange contrast to his black face. "freddie, shall i take yo' package? flossie, let me reliebe yo', little missie!" "no, sam, thank you!" answered the little girl, who was just about the size and build of freddie. "i have only snoop, our cat, and i can carry him easily enough. you help dinah!" "'deed an' he had better help me!" exclaimed the colored cook. sam took all the packages he could carry, and hurried with them to the stoop. but he had not gone very far before something happened. from behind him rushed a big dog, barking and leaping about, glad, probably, to be home again from part of the summer vacation. "look out, sam!" called bert bobbsey, who was carrying the valise his mother had had. "look out!" "what's de mattah? am i droppin' suffin?" asked sam, trying to turn about and look at all the bundles and packages he had in his arms and hands. "it's snap!" cried nan, who was sitting comfortably on the shady porch. "look out for him, sam." "snap! behave yourself!" ordered little fat flossie, as she set down a wooden cage containing a black cat. "be good, snap!" "here, snap! snap! come here!" called freddie. snap, the big dog, was too excited just then to mind. with another loud, joyous bark he rushed up behind sam, and, as the colored man of all work about the bobbsey place had very bow, or curved, legs, snap ran right between them. that is, he ran half way, and then, as he was a pretty fat dog, he stuck there. "good land ob massy!" exclaimed sam, as he looked down to see the dog half way between his bow legs, snap's head sticking out one way, and his wagging tail the other. "get out ob dat, snap!" cried sam. "get out! move on, sah!" "bow wow!" barked snap, which might have meant almost anything. "look out!" shouted sam. "yo'll upset me! dat's what you will!" and indeed it did seem as though this might happen. for sam was so laden down with packages that he could not balance himself very well, and had almost toppled over. "here, snap!" called bert, who was laughing so hard that he could hardly stand up, for really it was a funny sight. "don't call him, bert," advised mrs. bobbsey. "if you do he'll run out, and then sam surely will be knocked over. and there are some fresh eggs in one of those packages he took from dinah." snap himself did not seem to know what to do. there he was, tightly held fast, his fat sides between sam's bow legs. snap could go neither forward nor backward just then. he barked and wagged his tail, for he knew it was all in fun. "open your legs wider, sam, man!" exclaimed his wife. "den de dorg kin git out!" sam, holding tightly to the packages, did manage to stoop down and so spread his legs a little farther apart. this released snap, who, with a happy bark, and a wild wagging of his tail, bounded up on the stoop where nan sat. a little later the whole bobbsey family, with the exception of mr. bobbsey, were sitting comfortably in the porch chairs, while sam was opening the front shutters, having already unlocked the front door for the returning family. "home again!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, with a little sigh, as she looked around at the familiar scenes. "my, but how dusty it is after being on the lovely water." "yes'm, dey shuah has been lots ob dust!" exclaimed sam. "we need rain mighty bad, an' i've had de garden hose goin' ebery night, too." "i'll soon sweep off dish yeah porch," said dinah. "sam, yo' git me a broom." "oh, don't bother now, dinah," said mrs. bobbsey. "make a cup of tea, first. the dust doesn't matter, and we'll not be here long." "won't we?" exclaimed nan. "oh, where are we going next?" "we'll talk about it as soon as your father comes home," said mrs. bobbsey, for her husband had stopped on the way from the houseboat dock, where the family had lately landed, to go to his lumber office for a little while. "let snoop out!" begged little flossie. "snoop's tired of being shut up in that box." in order to carry him from the boat to the house snoop had been put in a small traveling crate. "i'll let him out as soon as i get a screwdriver," promised bert. "my, but it's hot here!" "indeed it is," agreed his mother, who was fanning herself with her pocket handkerchief as she sat in a rocking-chair. "it isn't much like our nice houseboat, is it?" "no, indeed," agreed nan. "i wish we hadn't come home." "and summer is only half over," went on bert. "here it is only august." "oh, well, there are plenty of good times ahead of you children yet, before school begins," said mrs. bobbsey. "now let's see. have we everything?" and she looked at the pile of bundles and valises on the porch. "i guess we didn't forget anything, except papa," said freddie. "and he's coming," he added, as the others laughed. "sam, am de fire made?" demanded dinah. "i wants t' make a cup ob tea." "fire all made," reported the colored man. "i'll go git a fresh pail ob water now. i didn't know jest prezackly when yo' was comin'," he said to mrs. bobbsey, "or i'd a' been down to de dock t' meet de houseboat." "might a' come anyhow," muttered dinah. "yo' all didn't hab nuffin' t' do heah!" "huh! i didn't, eh?" cried sam. "nuffin t' do! why, i cut de grass, an' fed de chickens, an' watered de lawn, an'--an'--" "go 'long wif yo'," ordered his wife with a laugh. "bring in some mo' wood for de fire!" "and get a screw-driver so i can let snoop out," begged flossie. "he's tired of being shut up in the crate!" "right away, missie! right away!" promised good-natured sam. a little later snoop, the black cat, was stretching himself on the porch, while snap, the big dog, rushed up and down the lawn, barking loudly to let all the neighbors' dogs know he was back home again--at least for a time. meanwhile bert, as the "little man of the house," had brought in the packages and satchels from the porch. nan was helping her mother get out a cool kimona, while dinah was down in the kitchen getting ready a cup of tea for mrs. bobbsey. flossie and freddie, as the youngest bobbsey twins, had nothing in particular to do, so they ran about, here, there, everywhere, renewing acquaintance with the familiar objects about the yard--things they had forgotten during the two months they had been away on a houseboat, for part of their summer vacation. "oh, look! my flower-bed is full of weeds!" cried flossie, as she came to a corner of the yard where she had set out some pansy plants just before going away. "and i can't even see the lettuce i planted," said freddie. "i guess sam didn't weed our gardens." "never mind, we can make new ones," flossie said. "oh, freddie, look! there's a strange cat!" both children ran to where snoop was making the acquaintance of a pussy friend. the cats seemed to like one another and the strange one let the little twins pet it as it lapped some milk from snoop's saucer. a little later dinah called flossie and freddie into the house to have a glass of milk and some bread and jam, for it was past lunch time. the small twins came willingly enough. "what are we going to do the rest of the summer?" asked nan, as she sat next to her mother at the table. "are we going away again?" "i hope so!" exclaimed bert. "the houseboat suited me, but if we can have a trip to the seashore, or go to the country, so much the better." "we shall see," half-promised mrs. bobbsey. "as soon as papa comes home from the office, he will know how much more time he can spare from business to go with us. then i can tell you--" "there he comes now, mamma!" exclaimed nan. "oh, excuse me for interrupting you," she went on, for mrs. bobbsey insisted upon the children being just as polite at home, and to one another, as they would be among strangers. "that's all right, nan," said her mother kindly. "when papa comes in, and has had a cup of tea, we'll talk over matters, and decide what to do." "well, are you all settled?" asked mr. bobbsey, as he came in, catching little freddie up in his strong arms. "haven't put out any fires since you got here, have you?" he asked, for freddie had a great love for playing fireman, and he often put out "make-believe" blazes with a toy fire engine he had, which squirted real water. "no alarms to-day," laughed freddie, for his father was tickling him in his "fat ribs," as freddie called them. "how's my little fat fairy?" went on mr. bobbsey, catching flossie up as he had freddie. "all right." she answered. "oh, papa, your whiskers prick!" she cried, as mr. bobbsey kissed her. "sit down and have a cup of tea," invited mrs. bobbsey. "then we can talk about what we are to do. the children are anxious to get away again, and if we _are_ to go there is no need of unpacking more than we have to." "would you like to go to meadow brook?" asked mr. bobbsey, looking at his happy family. "you know i would," answered his wife, with a smile. "meadow brook! oh, are we going there?" cried nan. "well, uncle daniel has sent us an invitation," said mr. bobbsey, "and your mother and i are thinking of it." "can you leave your lumber business long enough to go with us?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "i think so," replied her husband. "i just stopped at the office, and everything there is going along nicely. so i think we'll go to meadow brook, in the country, for the rest of the summer." "hurray! hurrah! oh, how nice!" cried the children. "dinah, i think i'll have another cup of tea," went on mr. bobbsey, as the colored cook waddled in. "make it cold, this time--with ice in it. i am very warm." "yais-sah," said dinah, taking his cup. then followed a confusion of talk, the two sets of twins doing the most. they were joyfully excited at the idea of going to meadow brook farm. "i'm going to turn somersaults in the grass--just like this," cried freddie, rolling over and over on the floor. he rolled toward the door that led from the dining-room to the kitchen, and, just as he reached it, dinah came in with mr. bobbsey's cup of iced tea. before freddie could stop himself, and before fat dinah could get out of the way, the little bobbsey chap had rolled right into the cook, and down she went in a heap on the floor, the cup and saucer crashing into dozens of pieces, and the tea spilling all over. chapter ii new summer plans "oh, freddie!" "oh, dinah!" "are you hurt?" thus came the cries, and as snap, the dog, rushed in just then, barking and leaping about, he made the confusion all the worse. mr. bobbsey sprang from his chair, lifted freddie out of the way, and then helped dinah to her feet. the fat, colored cook looked around in a dazed manner, and freddie, too, did not seem to know just what had happened to him. "oh, don't tell me he is hurt--or dinah, either!" cried mrs. bobbsey, holding her hands over her eyes, as though she might see something unpleasant. "i--i'm not hurt," said freddie, "but i--i'm all wet!" "bress yo' heart, honey lamb! i'se glad ob dat!" cried dinah, as she wiped her face on her apron, for the tea had splashed on her. "are you all right, dinah?" asked mr. bobbsey, setting freddie down, for he had caught his little fat son up in his arms. "shuah, i'se all right, sah," the colored cook answered. "jest shook up a bit. i'se so fat it doesn't hurt me t' fall," she explained. "an' i shuah am glad i didn't fall on freddie. he done knocked mah feet right out from under me!" "yes, you shouldn't have turned somersaults in the house," said mrs. bobbsey. "that wasn't right, freddie." "i--i wasn't exactly turning somersaults," freddie explained, as he dried his face in his pocket handkerchief. "i was jest rollin' over an' over, like i'm goin' to do down at meadow brook." "well, it was almost as bad as turning somersaults," said nan. "my, but i got _so_ excited." "pooh! it wasn't anything," spoke bert. "it's a good thing, though, that it was iced tea, instead of being hot." "indeed that was a blessing," said mrs. bobbsey, while dinah began picking up the pieces of the cup and saucer. "you must be more careful, freddie." "i will, ma," he promised. "but tell us about meadow brook. when can we go?" "not until you get a dry suit on, at least," said mr. bobbsey with a smile. "you had better change, freddie. you are all wet from my cup of tea." "i'll put dry things on him," offered nan, leading the little fellow from the room. "but don't talk over any plans until i come back," she begged. "we won't," promised her mother. and while the house is settling into quietness, after the confusion of the temporary home-coming, and the upsetting of dinah and freddie, i will take just a few moments to tell my new readers something about the bobbsey twins as they have been written about in the other books of this series. there were two sets of twins, and that may seem strange until i tell you that bert and nan, aged about nine, formed one set, and flossie and freddie, aged four years younger, made up the second set. bert and nan were tall and slim, with dark hair and eyes, while flossie and freddie were fat and short, with light hair and blue eyes, making a very different appearance from the older twins. besides the two sets of bobbsey twins, there was mr. richard bobbsey, and his wife mary. they lived in an eastern city called lakeport, on lake metoka, where mr. bobbsey had a large lumber business. i might say that dinah johnson, and her husband sam, also formed part of the bobbsey household, for without dinah to cook, and without sam to do everything around the house, from watering the grass to putting out the ashes, i do not know how mrs. bobbsey would have gotten along. and then, of course, there was snoop, the black cat, and snap, the nice dog, who had once been in a circus, and could do many tricks. so much for the bobbsey family. as for what they did, if you will read the first book of the series, which volume is called "the bobbsey twins," you will get a good idea of the many good times flossie, freddie, bert and nan had. uncle daniel bobbsey, who was mr. bobbsey's brother, and his wife, aunt sarah, lived in the country at meadow brook farm. they had a ten year old son, named harry, and he and bert were great chums whenever they were together. the bobbsey twins often went to the country, and also to the seashore, where their uncle william and aunt emily, as well as their cousin dorothy, lived, at a place called ocean cliff. you may read of the fun the twins had at these places in the country and seashore books. bert, nan, flossie and freddie also had fun at school, and when they went to snow lodge they had what were, to them, a wonderful series of adventures, and solved a strange mystery. their last trip had been on a houseboat. it was called the _bluebird_, and they had voyaged down lake metoka to lemby creek, and through that to lake romano, where they had fine times. there was a mystery on the _bluebird_, but bert, and his cousin harry, who was with him, found out what made the queer noises. cousin dorothy was also a guest on the houseboat trip, and she and nan, who were about the same age, greatly enjoyed themselves. the bobbseys, and their country and seashore cousins, had come back from the trip, dorothy going to her home, and harry to his, when there happened the little accident to freddie and dinah, which i have mentioned in the first chapter of this book. now the house was quiet once again. freddie had on a clean dry suit, dinah had changed her damp apron for a fresh one, and mr. bobbsey was sipping his cup of iced tea, which was not spilled this time. "now can you tell us what we are going to do the rest of this summer vacation?" asked bert. "yes," said mr. bobbsey, "i can. your uncle william, as i started to tell you, before freddie gave us that circus exhibition, has invited us up to meadow brook. and, as i have a little time i can spare from my business, i think i shall take you all down there. we can go to the country and have a fine time." "we had a good time on the houseboat," said nan. "it was lovely there." "indeed it was," agreed mrs. bobbsey. "and when we found the ghost!" exclaimed bert. "hush! you mustn't say ghost!" cautioned mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "it wasn't a ghost, you know." "well, we thought it was--at first," laughed bert. "anyhow we'll have some fun at meadow brook." "i'm going to fly a kite!" declared freddie. "all right, as long as you don't tie snoop to the tail of it," said his father. "and i'm going to feed the chickens," exclaimed flossie. "but you mustn't chase the rooster," cautioned her mother. "i won't," promised the little fat twin. "now when are we going?" asked nan. "what train do we take?" bert wanted to know. "i'll have to see to all that to-morrow," said mr. bobbsey. "we might as well go right off to the country, for it is not very pleasant staying in the hot city. we won't need to unpack much, for we'll stay here only this one night. to-morrow morning we shall start for meadow brook." "and are we going to take the _bluebird_ along?" inquired flossie. "no, the houseboat will stay at home this trip," her mother said. "there isn't enough water at meadow brook to sail the _bluebird_." they talked over their new summer plans, and the children were delighted at the prospect of going to see their cousin, their uncle and their aunt. "dinah is going, isn't she?" asked nan. "oh, yes, we couldn't get along without her," answered mrs. bobbsey with a smile. "and i'm going to take snoop!" cried freddie, hugging the big, black cat, which did not seem to mind being loved so hard. "well if snoop goes, then we ought to take snap, the dog, too," declared bert. "snap would be lonesome if he were left behind, wouldn't he?" "oh, may we take them both, mamma?" begged nan. "well, i guess so," was the answer, as mrs. bobbsey looked at her husband. "that will be all right," he nodded. "the country is just the place for dogs and cats--it's better for them than houseboats." "oh, what fun we'll have!" sang flossie. "what lovely times!" "and i'm going to take my fire engine, and squirt water in it from the brook," declared freddie. "well, be careful not to fall in," his father said. "and now i shall have to go back to the office again, to do a little work so as to get ready for going away again. so i'll leave my little fat fireman and fat fairy for a while," and he smiled at freddie and flossie, as he called them by their pet names. as the bobbseys were to leave town soon, they did not unpack very much from the valises they had brought from the houseboat. this boat was tied up at a dock in the lumber yard, which was on the edge of the lake. the children spent the morning playing about in the yard, some of their friends, who had not gone away for the summer, coming to join in their games. after lunch mr. bobbsey came up to the house in an automobile, bringing his wife some things she had asked him to get from the store. "oh, may i have a ride?" begged freddie, when he saw his father in the machine, which mr. bobbsey and some of the other members of his lumber firm used when they were in a hurry. "yes, jump in!" invited his father. "want to come, bert?" he asked of the older bobbsey boy. "yes, thank you," was the answer. "where are you going?" "i have to go up the lake shore, to a place called tenbly, to see another lumber dealer on some business," mr. bobbsey said. "where are nan and flossie?" he asked his wife, who had come out on the porch just then. "i could take them along also. there is plenty of room." "flossie and nan have gone over to mrs. black's house," mrs. bobbsey said. "run along without them. it's just as well. i'd rather they wouldn't be out in the hot sun, as we have to take a long train journey to-morrow." "all right," agreed mr. bobbsey, as he started off in the automobile with freddie and bert. "we'll soon be back." neither mr. bobbsey nor the boys knew what was to happen on that ride, nor how it was to affect them afterward. chapter iii the runaway boy it was a pleasant trip for freddie and bert to ride with their father in the automobile along the shady shores of the lake. the little twin, and the bigger one, sat back on the cushions, now and then bouncing up and down as the machine went over a rough place in the road. freddie, being lighter than bert, bounced up and down oftener, but then he was so fat, almost "like a lump of butter," as his mother used to say, that he did not much mind it. "i wish we could take this machine to meadow brook farm with us," said bert, as they neared the lumber yard of mr. mason, with whom mr. bobbsey had business that day. "we can ride in one of uncle daniel's carriages," said freddie. "or maybe i can ride horse-back. that would be fun!" he cried, his bright eyes sparkling. "it's fun--if you don't fall off," bert said. as the automobile passed around a curve in the road, where the lake could be seen stretching out its sparkling waters in the bright sun, bert suddenly uttered a cry, and pointed ahead. "look!" he exclaimed. "there are two little girls drifting out in that boat, and they don't seem to know how to row to shore." mr. bobbsey steered the machine down to the edge of the lake, over the grass at one side of the road. as he did so he and the two boys heard voices faintly calling: "help!! help! oh, somebody please come and get us!" "i'll get them--i can row, and there's another boat on shore," said bert, pointing to a craft drawn up on the sand. "i guess i'd better go out--you stay with freddie," directed the lumber merchant, as he brought the automobile to a stop, and jumped out. "i'm coming!" he called to the two little girls in the drifting boat. "don't be afraid, and sit still! don't stand up!" he needed to caution them thus, for one of the girls, seeing that help was on the way, grew so excited that she stood up, and this is always dangerous to do in a rowboat on the water. rowboats tip over very easily, and sometimes even good swimmers may be caught under them. "i wish i could help get them," sighed fat freddie, as he saw his father run down to the shore of the lake, and shove the other boat into the water. "it's best to let papa do it," said bert, though he himself would have liked to have gone to the rescue. "they'll mind papa, and sit down and keep still, but they wouldn't mind us," went on bert, explaining matters to his little brother. "that's right," agreed freddie. "girls are awful 'fraid in a boat, anyhow. i'm not afraid." "well, not all girls are afraid, either," said bert with a smile. "nan isn't afraid." "of course not--she's our sister, and so is flossie!" exclaimed freddie, as if that made a difference! mr. bobbsey was now rowing out to the two small girls in the drifting boat. they did not seem to have any oars, and bert and freddie heard their father call to them again to sit down, so they would not tip over. then the lumber man reached the drifting craft, and carefully fastened it by a rope to the boat he was in. "now sit quietly and i'll pull you to shore," he said to the girls. "you must not come out in a boat all alone. where is your home?" "up there," replied the older girl, pointing to a house back of the lake shore road. "we didn't mean to come out," she went on. "we just sat in the boat when it was tied fast to the dock, but the knot must have come loose, and we drifted out. we're ever so much obliged to you for coming out to us." "well, don't get in boats again, unless some older person is with you," cautioned mr. bobbsey. by this time he had towed the boat, with the girls in it, to shore. as he did so a woman came running from the house, calling out: "oh, what has happened? oh, are they drowned?" "nothing at all has happened," said mr. bobbsey, quietly. "your children just drifted out, and i went and got them." "oh, and i've told them never, never to get into a boat!" cried the mother. "girls, girls! what am i going to do to you?" she went on. "you might have fallen overboard." "yes, that is true, they might have," said mr. bobbsey. "but i think this will be a lesson to them, and no harm has come to them this time. but it is best for children to keep out of boats." "indeed it is," agreed the lady. "oh, i can't thank you enough, sir!" she said to mr. bobbsey. "i have told sallie and jane never to go out on the lake unless frank is with them, but he isn't here now." "is frank their brother?" asked mr. bobbsey. "not exactly a brother. my husband is his guardian," the lady went on. "i am mrs. mason." "oh, i am glad to know you," said mr. bobbsey. "i am on my way to your husband's office now, to see him on business. i am glad i could do you a favor." "indeed it is more than a favor," said mrs. mason. "i cannot thank you enough. when frank was home i did not worry so much about the girls, as he looked after them. but my husband thinks he is now old enough to help in the lumber yard, and so he keeps him down at the office. you are going down there, you say?" "yes," replied mr. bobbsey. "i am going along the river road." "i can show you a shorter route," said mrs. mason, who now had tight hold of her daughters' hands, as though she feared they would run down to the boats again. "my husband has cut a new road through the orchard, down to his office," she went on. "you can come that way in your machine, and save nearly a mile." "i shall be glad to do that," mr. bobbsey answered, "as i haven't very much time today. we are getting ready to go away." mrs. mason showed mr. bobbsey where he could cross the main road, and take a short cut through an old orchard, to reach the lumber office, and soon, after waving good-bye to the frightened little girls, mr. bobbsey, bert and freddie were again on their way. "is--is the lake very deep where those girls were?" freddie wanted to know. "it doesn't make much difference whether it is deep or not," said mr. bobbsey, "they would probably have been drowned if they had fallen overboard. you must always be careful about boats," he cautioned the little fellow. "i will," freddie promised. "that must be the lumber yard!" exclaimed bert a little later, when they turned from the new orchard road into another highway. "yes, that is it," mr. bobbsey agreed. "i never came this way before. it is a good road to know when you are in a hurry." mr. mason's lumber yard, like that of mr. bobbsey, was partly on the edge of the lake, so the logs, boards and planks could be easily loaded and unloaded from boats. part of the yard was on the other side of the road, back from the lake, and it was on this side that the office was built. as mr. bobbsey and his two boys rode up in the automobile, they saw out in front of the office a strange and not very pleasant sight. a man stood there, roughly shaking a boy about bert's age. the boy seemed to be crying, and trying to get away, but the man held him tightly by one arm, and shook him again and again. "i don't like that," said mr. bobbsey in a low voice, as he stopped the automobile. "what makes him do it?" asked freddie. "is the boy bad?" "i'll teach you to make me lose money that way!" cried the man as he again roughly shook the boy. "you ought to have better sense than to be cheated that way! it wasn't your money that you lost, it was mine, and money isn't so easily made these days!" "but i couldn't help it!" the boy cried, trying to pull his arm away. he could not do this, for the man held it too tightly. "yes, you could help it too, if you'd had your eyes open!" the man said in harsh tones. "i left you in charge of the office, and you ought to have been sharp enough not to be fooled and cheated. i--i don't know what to do to you!" again he shook the boy. "ouch! you hurt, mr. mason!" cried the lad. "well, you deserve to be hurt, losing money that way," was the answer. "i--i've a good notion to--" but the sentence was not finished. just then, by a sudden motion, the boy pulled away from the man who was shaking him, and ran down the road. for a moment it seemed as if the man would run after him, but he did not. the two stood looking at one another, while mr. bobbsey, having alighted from the automobile, walked up toward the lumber office. "you'd better come back here, frank," called the man who had been shaking the boy. "you'd better come back." "i'll never come back!" was the answer. "i--i'm going to run away! i'll never live with you again! you treat me too mean! it wasn't my fault about that bad money! i couldn't help it. i'm going to run away, and i'm never coming back again. i can't stand it here!" bursting into tears, the boy raced off down the road in a cloud of dust. chapter iv off for meadow brook little freddie, who sat beside his older brother, bert, in mr. bobbsey's automobile, looked on with wonder in his childish eyes, as he saw the boy mr. mason had been shaking run down the road. "what's the matter with him, bert?" freddie asked. "didn't he like to be shook?" "i should say _not_!" exclaimed bert "and i wouldn't myself. i don't think that man did right to shake him so." "it was too bad," added freddie. "say, bert," he went on eagerly, "maybe we could catch up to him in the automobile, and we could take him to meadow brook with us. nobody would shake him there." "no, i guess they wouldn't," said bert: slowly, thinking how kind his uncle and aunt were. "then let's go after him!" begged freddie. "no, we couldn't do that, freddie," bert said with a smile at his little brother. "the boy maybe wouldn't want to come with us, and besides, papa wouldn't let me run the auto, though i know which handles to turn, for i've watched him," bert went on, with a firm belief that he could run the big car almost as well as could mr. bobbsey. "well, when papa comes back i'm going to ask him to go after that boy and bring him with us," declared freddie. "i don't like to see boys shook." "i don't, either," murmured bert. by this time mr. bobbsey had come up to where mr. mason was standing. "oh, how do you do, mr. bobbsey," spoke the other lumber man. "i didn't expect to see you for some days." "i did come a little ahead of time," went on the twins' father. "but i am going to take my family off to the country, so i thought i would come and see you, and finish up our business before going away." "i'm always glad to talk business," mr. mason said, "but i thought your folks were out somewhere on a houseboat." "we were, and just came back to-day. but the summer isn't over, and we're going to my brother's place, at meadow brook farm. but you seem to be having some trouble," he went on, nodding down the road in the direction the sobbing boy had run. "of course it isn't any affair of mine, but--" "yes, trouble! lots of it!" interrupted mr. mason bitterly. "i have had a lot of trouble with that boy." "that's too bad," spoke mr. bobbsey. "he seems a bright sort of chap. he isn't your son, is he?" "no, i'm his guardian. he's my ward. his father was a friend of mine in business, and when he died he asked me to look after the boy. his name is frank kennedy." "oh, yes, i heard about him," said mr. bobbsey. "heard about him! i guess you didn't hear any good then!" exclaimed the other lumber man, rather crossly. "what do you mean?" "why, we came past your house a little while ago," said mr. bobbsey, "and your wife mentioned a frank kennedy who used to take your two daughters out rowing. if he had been there to-day the girls probably wouldn't have gone out alone, and drifted away." "drifted away! what do you mean?" cried mr. mason. "has anything happened?" "it's all right, my papa went out in a boat and got 'em!" cried freddie in his shrill, childish voice, for he heard what his father and mr. mason were saying. "i--i don't understand," said the other lumber dealer, seriously. "was there an accident?" "oh, it wasn't anything," mr. bobbsey said. "when i went past your house, near the river, i saw the two girls adrift in a boat, not far from shore. they had floated out while playing. i went after them and your wife, before she showed me this short cut to your place, spoke about an adopted boy, frank kennedy, who used to play with the children." "oh, i'm much obliged to you," said mr. mason, after a pause. "yes, frank did look after the girls some. that was he who just ran down the road. but he did better at home than he's doing in my office. "what do you mean?" asked mr. bobbsey, wondering why it was that mr. mason had so severely shaken the boy who had run away. "well, i mean that frank just lost twenty dollars for me," proceeded the lumber man. "twenty dollars! how was that?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i left him in charge of my office, while i was out on some other business," went on the lumber dealer, "and a strange man came in and bought two dollars worth of expensive boards. frank gave them to him, and the man took them away with him, as they were not very large, or heavy to carry." "two dollars--i thought you said twenty!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "so i did. wait until i tell you all. as i said, frank sold this strange man two dollars worth of boards. the man gave frank a twenty dollar bill, and frank gave him back eighteen dollars in change." "well, wasn't that right?" asked mr. bobbsey, with a smile. "two dollars from twenty leave eighteen--or it used to when i went to school." "that part is all right," mr. mason said, bitterly, "but the fact is that the twenty dollar bill frank took from the strange man is no good. it is bad money, and no one but a child would take it. it's a bill that was gotten out by the confederate states during the civil war, and of course their money isn't any better than waste-paper now. i don't see how frank was fooled that way. i wouldn't have been if i had been in the office." "perhaps the boy never saw a confederate bill before," suggested mr. bobbsey. "no matter, he should have known that it wasn't good united states' money!" declared mr. mason. "by his carelessness to-day he lost me twenty dollars; the eighteen dollars in my good money that he gave the man in change, and the two dollars worth of boards. and all i have to show for it is that worthless piece of paper!" and mr. mason took from his pocket a crumpled bill. mr. bobbsey looked at it carefully. "yes, that's one of the old confederate states' bills all right," he said, "and it isn't worth anything, except as a curiosity." "it cost me twenty dollars, all right," said mr. mason, with a sour look on his face. "i can't see how frank was so foolish as to be taken in by it." "well, the poor boy knew no better, and probably he is sorry enough now," said mr. bobbsey. "i guess he's sorry enough!" exclaimed mr. mason, bitterly. "i gave him a good shaking, as he is too big to whip. i shook him and scolded him." "well, almost anyone, not very familiar with money, might have made that mistake," spoke mr. bobbsey. "this confederate bill looks very much like some of ours, and a person in a hurry might have been fooled by it." "oh, nonsense!" broke in mr. mason. "there was no excuse for frank being fooled as he was. i won't listen to any such talk! he lost me twenty dollars and he'll have to make it up to me, somehow." "but how can he, when he has run away?" asked mr. bobbsey, and he felt very sorry for frank, who was not much older than bert. mr. bobbsey knew how grieved he would be if something like that happened to his son. "yes, he pretended to run away," said mr. mason, "but he'll soon run back again." "how do you know?" mr. bobbsey wanted to know. "did he ever run away before?" "no, he never did," admitted mr. mason, "but he'll have to run back because he has nowhere to run to. he can't get anything to eat, he has no money, and he can't find a place to sleep. of course he'll come back! "and when he does come back," mr. mason went on, "i'll make him work doubly hard to pay back that twenty dollars. i can't afford to lose that much money." "but it was an accident; a mistake that anyone might have made," said mr. bobbsey again. "nonsense!" cried the other lumber man. "i'll make frank kennedy pay for his mistake!" "perhaps the strange man did not mean to give him the confederate bill," went on bert's father. "some persons carry those old southern bills as souvenirs, or pocket-pieces, and this man might have paid his out by mistake. i know that once happened to me with a piece of money. he may come back and give you a good twenty dollar bill." "i am not so foolish as to hope anything like that will happen," said mr. mason. "no, i'm out twenty good hard-earned dollars. that's all there is to it. but i'll get it out of frank kennedy, somehow." "if he ever comes back," said mr. bobbsey, in a low voice. "oh, he'll come back--never fear!" responded the other lumber dealer. mr. bobbsey gently shook his head. he was not so sure of that. frank, as he ran down the road, crying, seemed to feel very badly indeed, and when he said he would never come back it sounded as though he meant it. "poor little chap!" thought mr. bobbsey to himself. "i am very sorry for him. i wonder where he will sleep to-night?" and he could not help thinking how badly he would feel if he knew his own two dear boys had to be without a place to sleep, or somewhere to get a meal. mr. mason did not appear to worry about the plight of his ward, for whom he was guardian. the lumber dealers finished their business and mr. mason again thanked mr. bobbsey for what he had done for the two girls in the boat. "i guess i'd better keep frank at the house after this," went on mr. mason. "he's safer there than at the office, and wouldn't lose me so much money. but i'll get it out of him, some way," and he thrust back into his pocket the bad twenty dollar bill. bert had understood most of the talk between his father and mr. mason, but little freddie did not know much of what went on except that frank had run away. "i wouldn't run away from my home," he said. "i like it too much." "yes, but you haven't anyone at your home to shake you as hard as that man did," said bert. "i don't blame frank for running away." "poor boy!" sighed mr. bobbsey. "life is a hard matter for a little chap with no real home." in the automobile the lumber man and his two boys went back to lakeport, passing on their way the house where mr. mason lived. the two little girls waved their hands to freddie and bert as the boys rode past. but there was no sign of frank kennedy. the sadness of the scene the two bobbsey boys had witnessed was soon forgotten in the joys of getting ready to go to meadow brook. they spent that night in their city house, unpacking only such few things as they needed. when morning came flossie and freddie were the first up. "we're going to the country!" sang flossie, walking about in a long night-gown that trailed over the floor. "going to meadow brook!" chanted freddie. "where's snoop? i'm going to take him!" "and may we take snap, too?" asked bert, who had taught the former circus dog many new tricks. [illustration: the bobbsey house was soon a very busy place] "yes, we'll take them both," said mrs. bobbsey. "now hurry, children dear. we are going to leave soon after breakfast, and it is a long ride in the train, you know." "are we going to ride in the 'merry-go-round car'?" asked flossie. "she means a parlor car, with chairs that swing around," said nan, with a laugh. "yes, we'll ride in a chair car," decided mr. bobbsey. the bobbsey house was soon a very busy place. valises that had been opened were packed again. dinah got a quick breakfast. mr. bobbsey had much telephoning to do about business matters, and mrs. bobbsey--well, she had to do what all mothers do on such occasions--look after everything. nan and bert helped as much as they could. flossie and freddie tried to help, but you know how it is with little children. the two smaller twins were very anxious that snoop, the black cat, be taken with them in his little traveling crate. "i'll get him and pack him up," said freddie. "and i'll help," offered flossie. soon all was in readiness for the start to the depot where the bobbseys would take the train for meadow brook. just as the automobile came up to the door to take the family, there arose a cry from the direction of the side porch where flossie and freddie had gone with the cat-cage, in which to put snoop. "oh, my!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "i wonder what has happened now? i hope those twins are all right!" "i'll go see!" offered nan, setting off on a run. chapter v snap's escape nan found flossie and freddie, standing one on either side of the wooden crate in which snoop made his journeys. the twins each had hold of the black cat, who did not seem to be enjoying life very much just then. "he goes in this way, i tell you!" shouted freddie. "no, he goes in the other way!" cried flossie, and then they both tried, at the same time, to thrust poor snoop into his cage. the cat cried out, and scrambled to get away. "what's the matter?" asked nan. "what does all this mean, flossie and freddie? don't you know the automobile is waiting to take us to the station?" "well, i want to put snoop in his cage!" insisted freddie. "and so do i!" cried flossie. "but she--she--flossie wants to put him in, tail end first!" went on the excited little boy. "course--'cause that's right!" went on the little girl. "freddie says he ought to go in head first," she exclaimed, "and you know, nan, if you stand snoop on his head he'll get dizzy, like i did when i hung dingle-dangle by my legs from the swing." "and if he goes in tail first he'll get all tangled up!" retorted freddie, who was almost crying now. "oh, dear!" exclaimed nan. "i guess i'll have to call papa or mamma, and they have enough to look after as it is, with the auto here, and almost train time. i never saw such children! what am i to do?" "let me put snoop in tail first!" cried flossie. "no, he ought to go in his box head first!" declared her brother, and neither one of them would let go of the black cat. snoop looked sadly at nan, as though he wished she would rescue him, and put him in the traveling box either end first, if only he might be left in peace and quietness. "oh, dear!" nan exclaimed again. "i really don't know what to do! i guess we'll leave snoop home altogether!" "oh, no!" cried flossie and freddie. "here! what's all the trouble?" asked bert, running around to the side porch. "hurry up! the auto is waiting." "it's these twins!" said nan, hopelessly. "it's flossie!" accused freddie. "she wants snoop to go in tail end first, and he'll get all tangled up, 'cause he's got an awful long tail." "and freddie wants to put him in head first, and he'll get dizzy same as i did in the swing!" accused flossie. "here! i'll settle this!" cried bert, like a manly little chap. "give me that cat!" he took snoop from flossie and freddie, who let go willingly enough. if snoop could have talked he would have said, "thank you, bert!" i am sure he would have. "there, we'll put him in feet first," bert went on, carefully lowering the black cat into the box that way. "a cat always likes to land feet first," he explained, "then he won't get tangled up in his tail, nor dizzy. now, flossie and freddie, hustle around front and get into the auto. i'll bring snoop" he continued, as he fastened down the lid of the traveling cage. "that's right! feet first!" cried freddie, a happy smile on his face. "of course! why didn't we think of putting snoop in that way?" asked flossie, as she put her chubby hand in her brother's and ran with him around to the front porch. "oh, such children!" sighed nan as she followed bert, who carried snoop in his cage. the black cat curled up and went to sleep. he was used to traveling this way. "my! what was the trouble?" asked mrs. bobbsey. nan and bert explained, while flossie and freddie took their places in the gasoline machine. "are you all ready?" asked mr. bobbsey. "how about you, dinah?" for the colored cook was being taken to the country to help look after the smaller twins. "oh, indeedy i'se all right, mrs. bobbsey," was dinah's answer. "heah, freddie, let ole dinah carry dat cat-box," for bert had given snoop in his cage to the small twin boy. "no, i want to hold him," freddie insisted, and he was allowed to have his way. sam, dinah's husband, was to stay home to look after the bobbsey city house, and he waved a good-bye as the automobile started off. "where's snap?" asked flossie, as they were rolling down the street. "he's coming," reported nan, for the big dog was running alongside the car. there would have been room for him to ride in it, but he preferred racing along the street, and he would be at the depot waiting for the family when they arrived. "the train will be here in about five minutes," said mr. bobbsey, after they had reached the depot, and he had purchased the tickets. then, while flossie and freddie took turns looking in at black snoop through the slats of the box, nan and bert helped gather the valises into one pile. mr. bobbsey went to see about getting the trunks checked, and also about sending snap in the baggage car, for the dog would have to ride that way to meadow brook. at last, with a toot of the whistle, and a ringing of the bell, the engine, drawing the train, puffed into the station. "all aboard!" called the conductor. many persons were getting on, while others were getting off. mr. bobbsey gathered his little family down toward the parlor, or chair, car. "heah you am, sah!" exclaimed the colored porter as he swung flossie and freddie up the steps, and helped mrs. bobbsey and dinah. nan and bert felt big enough not to need any help. "hello! what's dish yeah?" cried the porter, as he picked up the box containing snoop. "am dish good to eat?" he asked, looking in at the black cat. "what am it?" "oh, it's our snoop!" cried flossie. "don't hurt him!" "'deed an' i won't, little missie!" laughed the colored porter. "i thought maybe it was a watermelon yo' all had in dat box." "all aboard!" called the conductor again, and then, with the bobbseys safely in their chair car, the train puffed away again, going faster and faster. "the engine can hardly get its breath," remarked freddie, as he listened to the puffing of the locomotive. "i guess it's going up hill," said bert, with a laugh. the ride to meadow brook would take nearly all day, and mrs. bobbsey settled herself comfortably in the easy chair to look out of the window, after she had seen that flossie and freddie were all right. nan and bert looked after themselves, and mr. bobbsey, having seen that his family was comfortable, began to read his paper. dinah took a chair in one corner where she could doze off. it always made her sleepy to ride in a train, she said. nan and bert looked out at the passing scenery, as did flossie and freddie, when they were not taking turns peeking in at snoop. as for the black cat himself, he had curled up into a little round ball, and was fast asleep. he had become a traveler by this time, for once he had been to cuba, when the circus lady took him, as i told you in one of the other books. "i wonder how snap is getting along in the baggage car?" said bert to nan, after a bit. "i think i'll go in and see." "oh, will papa let you?" inquired his sister. "i don't know. i'll ask him." mr. bobbsey was a little doubtful about letting bert pass from one car to another when the train was moving. "but it's a vestibule train, papa," said the boy. "it's like one big car. i can't fall off." "well, i don't know," said mr. bobbsey, slowly. "i'll take him up front, if he wants to see about the dog," said a brakeman who had heard bert's talk. "oh, thank you," said mr. bobbsey. "be careful, bert." but, as it turned out, there was no danger at all. as bert had said, the cars were joined together with "vestibules," that made the train like one big railway coach. and as it was slowing up to stop at a station, when bert went forward to the baggage car, he had no trouble at all in walking along with the brake-man. bert found snap very glad indeed to see him, and as the train was then at a standstill the boy took the chain off the dog's collar, and let him run about the car a little, for he had to be kept chained fast while the cars were in motion. "i guess you want to run about a bit, eh, snap?" said bert. "bow wow!" barked the dog, and that was the best answer he could make. the man in the baggage car had seen to it that snap had plenty of water to drink, for the day was very hot. "better chain him up again, my boy," suggested the baggage man, after a bit. "we'll start pretty soon now." bert led snap over to the side of the car, where the collar-chain dangled, but, just then, snap, looking out of the door of the baggage car, saw a strange dog on the depot platform. whether snap knew this dog, or thought he did, bert could not tell. but, an instant later, with a bark, snap pulled away from bert's grasp on his collar, and leaped out of the open car door. at the same moment the train started off. "snap! snap!" cried bert. "come back here!" chapter vi at meadow brook the train was not going very fast when snap leaped from the baggage car, but, even if it had been moving at greater speed, it is not likely that snap would have been hurt. as it was, when the dog leaped from the open door, he did a somersault in the air, for he had learned to do that while in the circus, when he jumped from a high place. "snap! snap!" called bert again. but snap landed lightly on his feet, and raced across the depot platform toward the dog he had seen. "say, that's a fine dog of yours!" cried the baggage man admiringly to bert. "he must be a trick one." "he is!" answered bert. "but can i get him back again? oh, i must get him!" and he looked about for some way to do this. "don't jump out, whatever you do!" warned the brakeman who had brought bert to the baggage car. the man stood in front of the open door, out of which trunks were taken. but bert had no idea of doing what snap had done. besides, the train was moving quite rapidly now. "oh, how can i get my dog back?" bert wanted to know. "you can telegraph back, from the next station we stop at, and have the agent there send him on, wherever you are going," explained the baggage man. "oh, but we're going a long way," bert said. "i'm afraid snap would be lost, traveling alone. oh, what will nan say!" nan was as fond of snap as was bert himself, though perhaps the smaller twins, flossie and freddie cared more for snoop, the black cat. but of course they loved snap very much. poor bert did not know what to do. just then his father came running into the car. "did snap get away?" cried mr. bobbsey. "your mother saw a dog on the station platform that looked like him," went on the lumber man to bert. "is snap--" "he's gone!" interrupted bert. "he jumped out of the car just now, and--" "we must stop the train!" mr. bobbsey explained. "all right, i guess we can make up any time we lose," the brakeman said. he reached up and pulled the cord that ran overhead in the car. there was a hissing of air, the locomotive whistle blew sharply, and the train came slowly to a stop. the brakeman had pulled an air whistle in the engine cab, and the engineer, hearing it, and knowing the train ought to stop, had turned off the steam. mr. bobbsey then went to the door of the baggage car, and, leaning out, whistled in a way snap well knew. he could see the dog, back on the depot platform, "wagging tails" with another dog. "here, snap! snap!" called mr. bobbsey, as the train slowly came to a stop. "here snap!" bert leaned out beside his father, and also whistled and called. then snap knew he had done wrong to jump out, and back he came, racing as hard as he could. "i'll open the end door of the car if you wish, so he can come up the steps," offered the brakeman. "you don't need to, thank you," replied mr. bobbsey. "i guess snap can jump up here, though it is pretty high." by this time a number of persons from the train had either gotten out, or thrust their heads from the windows, to learn the reason for the sudden stop. but when they saw the dog they understood. "up, snap! up!" called mr. bobbsey, as the children's pet came leaping along beside the track. snap gave one look up at the high sill of the baggage car door, and then, with a loud bark, he gave a great leap and landed right beside bert. "say, that dog's a fine jumper!" cried several railroad men who had come up to see what the trouble was. "yes, he is a pretty good dog, nearly always," mr. bobbsey said, "but he made trouble for us to-day. now, snap, you'll have to stay chained up the rest of the trip, until we get to meadow brook." snap would not like that, bert knew, but nothing else could be done. the train soon started off again, and when bert and his father went back to the parlor car where the rest of the family were riding they told all that had happened. "snoop is better than snap," said freddie as he listened to the story. "yes, indeed," agreed his sister flossie. "snoop wouldn't jump out of a train and make a lot of trouble." "well, he did run away, once," declared nan, who did not like to hear snap talked about. "besides, snoop is fast in a box, and he wouldn't get out if he wanted to," added bert, with a laugh. so the children talked about their pets, now and then looking out of the windows at the scenery, while dinah dozed off in her chair, and mr. and mrs. bobbsey spoke of different matters. bert heard something of what his father and mother were saying, and once he heard mentioned the name of frank kennedy. "that's the boy who ran away from mr. mason, the lumber man," said bert to himself. "i wonder what became of him, and if we'll ever see poor frank again?" and he little thought how soon, and under what circumstances, he was to meet the unfortunate lad again. one of the porters, wearing a white cap, jacket and apron walked through the chair car about noon, calling out: "first call fo' dinner in de dinin' car! first call fo' dinner!" "do they eat on trains?" asked flossie. "yes, and at cute little tables," said nan. "did we eat at them the last time we went to meadow brook?" freddie wanted to know. "no, you were too little then," said mrs. bobbsey, "and we brought our lunch with us. but this time we shall go to the diner." "oh, what fun!" cried flossie. mr. bobbsey led the way for his family into the dining-coach. as nan had said, there were cute little tables against the side of the car, and on each table was a little dish of ferns, and other green plants, making a pretty decoration. dinah would not come. she said she would rather eat some chicken sandwiches she had in her bag, and mr. bobbsey let the dear old colored cook do as she pleased. the bobbsey twins found it so strange to eat in a car, at a real table, while rushing along, that i think they did not eat as much as they would have done at home. but they enjoyed it just the same, though freddie did splash some water from his finger bowl on the table cloth. "oh! oh!" he exclaimed when he saw what he had done. he looked anxiously at his mother. "dat's all right, little man," said the colored waiter with a smile that showed all his white teeth. "got t' put a clean cloth on anyhow, an' watah doesn't matter." freddie felt better then. the afternoon passed slowly enough. mr. bobbsey and bert went to the baggage car once more, to see about snap, but they found he was all right, having made friends with one of the men who looked after the travelers' trunks. nan read a story book which her mother bought from the train boy, and flossie and freddie did what dinah was doing--took a little nap. the train was due to arrive at meadow brook about five o'clock, and mr. bobbsey's brother, uncle daniel, was to meet the family at the station. "ours is the next stop," said the twins' papa, after a while. "get your things together now." "oh, i had a fine sleep!" cried freddie, stretching his chubby little arms. "so did i," added flossie. "i wonder if snoop slept any?" "i guess that's all he has been doing since we started," mrs. bobbsey answered. "he's all curled up into a black ball." flossie and freddie looked at their pet, and snoop stretched, and opened his mouth very wide, sticking out his red tongue. "my! what a lot of teeth snoop has!" cried flossie. "did we bring his tooth brush?" asked freddie. "cats don't have tooth brushes!" said flossie. "their tongue is their tooth brush," explained mrs. bobbsey. "did you ever feel how rough a cat's tongue is?" "i never did!" said flossie. "i'm going to feel now," and she knelt down on the carpeted floor of the car, and tried to get snoop to put his red tongue out between the bars of the box. "oh, we haven't time for that now," said mrs. bobbsey. "get ready to leave the train, flossie." bundles and valises were gotten together, and, a little later, with a screeching of the brakes on the wheels, the train pulled slowly into the meadow brook station. "i see uncle daniel!" cried nan, looking from a window. "yes, and there's harry!" cried bert, as he spied his country cousin. "oh, how glad i am!" "well, well! how are you all!" laughed uncle daniel as he hugged and kissed the two sets of twins. "my, but i'm glad to see you all!" he cried. "welcome to meadow brook!" "and we're glad to be here!" said mrs. bobbsey. "how is aunt sarah?" "just as fine as can be!" said her husband. "now i have the same big wagon i had when you were here before. there's room for everybody in it, and all your baggage, too. where's dinah? you didn't leave her home, i hope!" "no, indeedy! i'se heah!" exclaimed the fat, colored cook, who was carrying many bundles. "oh, we must get snap out of the baggage car, before the train carries him away," said mr. bobbsey, and he hurried to do that, while his brother, uncle daniel, helped the boys and girls and mrs. bobbsey into the big wagon from the bobbsey farm. the wagon had seats running along the side and was very comfortable to ride in. mr. bobbsey soon came back with snap, who was bouncing about, barking and wagging his tail, so glad was he to be among his friends again. "well, are you all ready to start?" asked uncle daniel, as i shall call him, to distinguish him from mr. bobbsey, who was the farmer's brother. "all ready, i think," answered mrs. bobbsey. and off they started for meadow brook farm, the horses prancing through the village streets. "we'll have a lot of fun," said harry to bert, the two boys sitting next each other. "maybe not as much fun as we had on your houseboat, bert, but some, anyhow." "i'm sure we shall," bert said. "i like a farm just as much as i do a houseboat," he added politely. "have you got any little calves, uncle daniel?" asked freddie. "yes," answered the farmer. "and are there any little lambs?" flossie wanted to know. "yes, but there's an old ram, too, and you want to look out that he doesn't chase you, and knock you down," mr. bobbsey's brother went on. "oh, is the ram dangerous?" asked mrs. bobbsey, quickly. "oh, no!" her brother-in-law informed her. "his horns are so curved that he can't use the sharp points, but he just does love to come up behind and butt you down. he did it to me the other day. but i keep the ram in a pasture by himself." the wagon rolled along the shady road, under the green trees, which made a grateful shade, for it was hot even though it was late in the afternoon. "oh, there is tom mason!" cried bert, as he saw a country boy he had met when on a visit to meadow brook some time before. he waved his hand to tom who was in his front yard, his house not being far from mr. bobbsey's. "and there's mabel herold!" added nan, as she saw a country girl she knew. "my, how she has grown!" nan went on. "she didn't use to be up to my shoulder, and now she is taller than i am." "oh, the country is a great place for growing," uncle daniel said, with a chuckle. "mabel and tom have been counting on your coming," said harry. "i told them we expected you. we'll have some fine times together!" "i'm sure of it," agreed bert. "here we are!" called uncle daniel a little later, as the horses turned up a driveway in front of the bobbsey country home. lines of boxwood hedge grew along the graveled drive, and back of this hedge were beds of beautiful flowers, the perfume of which could be smelled this warm, august day. "oh, how lovely it is here," sighed nan, turning around from having waved a welcome to mabel herold. "yes, i always like to come to meadow brook," said mrs. bobbsey. "whoa!" called uncle daniel. the door of the house opened, and in it stood aunt sarah, and behind her martha, the smiling servant. "oh, how glad i am to see you!" cried aunt sarah, as the children piled down from the wagon to hug and kiss her. "now get your things off, and we'll have supper," she went on. "i'm hungry!" announced freddie. "so am i!" added flossie. "there was so much to look at in that eating car, i didn't eat half enough. "well, we have plenty here, my dear," said her aunt. "we must let snoop out. i guess he's hungry, too," said freddie, who never forgot the black cat. snap, the dog, had raced along beside the wagon, and was now cooling his thirst at the spring near the side door. the bobbsey visitors were out on the shady porch, having laid aside their traveling wraps, and uncle daniel was coming down from the barn, having put away the horses, when a man rushed up the gravel drive, crying: "oh, mr. bobbsey! mr. bobbsey! he's out! he's loose!" "who's out? who's loose?" the twins' uncle wanted to know. "that old big ram! he's loose, and he's coming this way!" was the answer. chapter vii the picnic the man who had brought the news about the runaway ram, stood on the gravel drive near the porch, breathing hard, for he had run very fast to give the warning. he caught his breath, and then said again: "the old ram is loose! he butted down the fence and got out. he's headed this way. what'll we do?" "children! into the house with you--quick!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "oh! oh!" cried flossie. "let me hide! let me hide!" "pooh! i'm not afraid of a ram!" declared freddie. "if i had my fire engine unpacked, i'd squirt water on him!" "better not try that, little fat fireman," said his father with a laugh. "into the house with you, son. your mother will look after you." nan had already started from the porch, leading flossie, who kept looking back over her shoulder. from behind the hedge came a cry that sounded like: "baa! baa! baa!" "there he comes!" exclaimed nan. "come on in, bert and harry," she begged the two boy cousins, who were peering eagerly down the road. "i'm going to watch 'em catch him," said bert. "better not let him see you," advised harry, the country cousin. "that old ram is a hard hitter." "is there really any danger?" asked mr. bobbsey of his farmer-brother. "well, the old ram is pretty rough, i must say," answered uncle daniel, "and most of the men on the farm are afraid of him." "he's coming right this way, i tell you!" exclaimed the hired man who had brought the news. "why should he head this way?" asked mr. bobbsey. "come along and i'll tell you," his brother promised. "you children had better go into the house," he advised. "yes, you too, bert and harry," he went on, as he saw his own son and bert following him and mr. bobbsey. "no telling what notions old upsetter will take." "is his name upsetter?" asked bert. "it is," replied his uncle. "i call him that because he upsets so many things. he used to be a pet when he was little," he continued, "and that's what makes him come to the house now, whenever he gets loose. my wife got in the habit of feeding him salt, which all sheep like very much. i guess he must remember that. but aunt sarah wouldn't dare salt him now. go back into the house, boys, and we men folks will look after the ram." the sounds were nearer now: "baa! baa! baa!" "oh, he's coming!" cried flossie, who stood with her nose pressed flat against a window near the porch. "had we better go in?" asked bert of harry. "we really had," answered his cousin. uncle daniel, mr. bobbsey and the hired man found some heavy sticks with which to scare the ram if he came too close. the big sheep was not yet in sight, though he could be heard bleating. "up this way," directed uncle daniel. "we can head him off and drive him into the barnyard, perhaps. then i can shut him up until i have the fence mended that he knocked down." "why not get some salt for him?" suggested mr. bobbsey. "if he gets some to eat it may make him gentle, and then you could slip a rope around him and tie him up." "that's a good idea!" cried the farmer. "sam, please go to the house and get some salt," he directed. before the hired man returned, the ram had run into the driveway leading to the barn. just as uncle daniel had said, the ram was headed for the house, which he must have remembered as a pleasant place ever since the days when he was a baby lamb. but now the ram was big and strong, and not very good-natured. he stood for a moment, looking at uncle daniel, mr. bobbsey and the hired man. then, pawing the ground with his fore feet, and lowering and shaking his head with its big horns, the ram started forward again. "oh, he's going to butt papa!" cried flossie, who could see, from the window, what was going on. "papa will get out of the way, dear," said mrs. bobbsey. "don't worry." on came the ram, and then uncle daniel, taking the salt from the hired man, scattered some of it on the ground in front of the big sheep. "that will stop him, i think," said the farmer. and indeed it did. sheep, and all cattle, are very fond of licking up salt from the ground, and they will go a long way to find it. it keeps cattle healthy. the old ram, as soon as he smelled the salt, began licking it up with his tongue. he paid no more attention to the men standing in front of him, though if the salt had not been there he probably would have run at them, and knocked them down with his big curved horns. "now's our chance!" whispered mr. bobbsey, as if the ram could understand what was said. "get a rope and we can tie him up." "i'll get one," offered the hired man, and when he came back with the clothes line uncle daniel made a loop in one end, such as the cowboys on the western plains make when they lasso cattle. and while the ram was busy licking up the salt, uncle daniel tossed the noose of the rope around the sheep's head, and, in another second, he and mr. bobbsey pulled it tight. "oh, they've caught him! they've caught him!" cried nan, who stood near flossie at the window. "come on out and look at him!" said bert. "no, no!" objected his mother, as the two boy cousins started from the room. "oh, i guess there's no danger now, if they have a rope on him," said aunt sarah. "i'll go 'long with you," offered freddie, "and i'd squirt water on that ram from my fire engine--if i had it unpacked." "you stay right here with me," advised his mother, putting her arms around him. bert and harry went out to look at the captured ram. the animal was not ugly now. perhaps the salt made him good-natured. and he was soon led away, and tied up in a stable until his pasture fence could be mended. "my! what a lot of excitement!" exclaimed nan, when it was all over. "nothing like this happened when we were on the houseboat." "you forget the make-believe ghost," said harry, with a laugh, for he had helped solve that mystery. "oh, that's so," agreed nan. "that was exciting for a while." the bobbsey twins, as well as their father and mother, to say nothing of dinah, were so tired from their long railroad journey that they went to bed early that night. the sun was shining brightly when they awakened next morning. harry and bert slept in the same room, and when the country boy arose from bed he went to the window to look out. "oh, dear! the sun's shining!" he exclaimed. "well, isn't that a good thing?" bert wanted to know. "maybe," admitted harry. "but if it had been raining we might have gone fishing. as it is, i shall have to work." "what doing?" bert wanted to know. "help pick apples in the orchard. we are shipping them away this year, and they have to be picked, and packed in barrels." "i'll help you," offered bert, and, after breakfast, the two boys went out to the big orchard, where uncle daniel and some of his men already were busy. the apples were picked by men standing on long ladders that reached up into the trees. each filled a canvas bag with apples. these bags hung around their necks, and when one was full, the man came down the ladder with it. this was so the apples would not be bruised, for a bruised apple rots very quickly, and even one rotten apple in a barrel full, will soon make many bad ones. "can we pick apples on a ladder?" asked bert. "no, that's a little too dangerous for small boys," said uncle daniel. "but you and harry may pick those you can reach from the ground. some of the tree limbs are very low, and you won't have any trouble. take some of the bags to put the apples in. don't bruise them." harry and bert were soon busy, picking off as many apples as they could reach. when their bags were filled, they emptied them carefully in a wooden bin, and from that bin uncle daniel sorted the apples into barrels, which were "headed up" ready to be taken to the city. nan had gone over to the home of mabel herold, the country girl, and flossie and freddie found many things to amuse them about the farm. later on they came out to the orchard, and picked up apples from the ground. "i'll help fill bert's bag, and you can help harry," said freddie to flossie. "no, little fat fireman," said harry, using the pet name his uncle called freddie. "the apples on the ground are called 'windfalls.' the wind blows them down, and they get crushed and bruised by falling on the hard dirt, or stones. it would not do to put them in with the good hand-picked apples." "but what do you do with all those on the ground?" asked bert, for there were a great many of them. "send them to the cider-mill, or feed them to the pigs," said harry. "the grunters and squeakers don't mind bruised apples." the children spent nearly all day in the shady orchard, until uncle daniel said bert and harry had done enough work for the time. "then let's get our poles and go fishing," suggested harry. they did go, but got no bites. harry said that morning was the best time to fish. when flossie and freddie became tired of picking apples up from the ground, they found an old swing, and took turns in this, having lots of fun. snoop and snap enjoyed their life in the country. snoop did not go far from the house. there was another cat there, and the two soon became great friends. snap also found other dogs with whom he could romp and play in the long meadow grass. mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah spent many hours talking over matters of interest to them, while dinah, and martha, who was aunt sarah's cook, spent most of their time in the kitchen, making good things to eat. "'cause dem chilluns suttinly does eat a turrible lot!" exclaimed dinah, as she finished making several pies. picking the apples kept uncle daniel and his men busy for a number of days. harry had to help, for everyone on a farm has to work, and bert always lent his cousin a hand. but there were times when they were allowed a play-spell. sometimes tom mason, another country boy, would come over, and, when the work was done, the three boys would go off to have good times together. one or two days it rained, and then nothing could be done out of doors in the way of farm work. during one of the rainy days bert and harry went fishing. "we'll be sure to get plenty of bites to-day," harry said, as they started off with their poles and lines, well protected from the weather by rubber boots and coats. "i hope we catch a lot of fish," said bert. but they caught only two little sun-fish, which harry threw back into the creek, as they were too small to keep. "i guess we'll have to wait for a sunny day," sighed harry, as they started home. "i thought rain was good fishing-weather, but it doesn't seem to be." "never mind, we had a good time, anyhow." bert answered. when the two boys reached the farmhouse, they found flossie, freddie, nan and mabel herold sitting in the dining-room, all talking at once, it seemed. "and we'll take five baskets of lunch," freddie was saying, "and my fire engine is unpacked now, so i can take that with us, and i'll squirt water on snakes and--and other things." "oh, snakes!" cried mabel. "i hope we don't see any of the horrid things!" "i'm not afraid!" boasted freddie. "maybe there won't be any," suggested nan. "well, i'm going to take my doll, anyhow," said flossie. "what's this all about?" asked bert. "are you going somewhere?" "picnic!" exclaimed flossie. "we're going to have a picnic!" "i'm going!" added freddie, as though he was afraid of being left. "we all are," added nan. "first i heard about it," harry said, with a laugh. "we planned it while you and bert were off fishing," spoke his mother. "the children are going to take their lunch to the woods in a day or two, as soon as the weather clears." a few days later the sun came out from behind the clouds, the rain ceased falling and with joyous shouts and laughter the bobbsey twins, cousin harry, and some country boys and girls, who had been invited, went off on a woodland picnic. chapter viii lost in the hay "oh, isn't it just lovely in the woods," sighed nan, as she sat down on a green mossy seat beneath a great oak tree. "i could live here forever!" "so could i!" exclaimed mabel herold. "there is no place so lovely as the woods." "you--you wouldn't stay here all night, would you?" asked freddie, as he set down the basket of sandwiches he had been carrying, and looked at a dark hole under some bushes. "i wouldn't mind," sighed nan again. "it is so lovely here." "i used to think i liked the seashore best," said mabel, "but now i think the country is prettiest." "well, i'm not going to stay here all night," decided freddie. "there--there's bugs--and--and--things!" "i thought you weren't afraid of them," spoke nan with a smile. "i--i meant in daytime--i'm not afraid then," declared freddie. "but at night, why--why, i'd rather be home in bed." "and i guess we all would," exclaimed nan, hugging the little fat fellow. "oh, there goes a rabbit!" cried bert to harry. "let's see if we can catch him!" "come on!" agreed the country boy. "i'm with you!" shouted tom mason. "oh, will they hurt the little bunny?" asked flossie, with quivering lips, for she dearly loved all animals. "i guess there isn't much danger of them catching the rabbit," said mr. bobbsey, sitting down beside his wife in a shady green spot. "a bunny can hop very fast." and so it proved. the three boys raced about through the woods until they were quite tired, and very much heated up. but the rabbit got safely away. "ah, well, we didn't want him anyhow," said harry, fanning himself with his cap, after the chase. "no," agreed bert, "we just wanted to see if we could get him." "my! it's warm!" exclaimed tom, looking at the basket in which the lemonade was packed in bottles. "i'm very thirsty," he said. "you must not drink when you are too warm," advised mr. bobbsey. "wait until you cool off a bit. if you take cold water, or icy lemonade, into your stomach after you are all heated up from running, you may be made ill. rest a while before you drink, is good advice." so the boys waited, and a little later they were allowed to have some of the cool lemonade. "are we going to eat our lunch here?" asked freddie. "no, a little farther on in the woods," said his aunt sarah. so they walked on, under the shady trees, with the green carpet of moss under foot, until they came to a little glade, where the trees grew in a circle about a grassy space. "it--it's just like a circus ring!" exclaimed freddie. "oh, couldn't we have a circus, or a show, while we're here at the farm?" he asked. "we'll see," half-promised his mother. the table-cloth was spread out on the green grass, and the wooden plates set on it. then the lunch baskets were opened and the good things passed around. there were sandwiches of several kinds, and cake and cookies, as well as more lemonade. "isn't it nice to eat this way?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "when we have finished, there are no dishes to wash; just the wooden plates to throw away." "yes'm," declared dinah, with a chuckle. "i spects dish yeah would be a good way to do back home--but it would be kinder cold, eatin' out in de woods in de winter time." "i wouldn't want to live here in winter," said freddie. "there isn't any place to hang up your stocking christmas, and no chimney for santa claus to come down!" he added. "and that would never do!" laughed mr. bobbsey. "but we will enjoy these woods all we can." when the woodland picnic lunch was finished, the party sat about on the grass, in the shade of the trees, and mr. bobbsey told stories to the two small children. flossie and freddie enjoyed this very much. nan and mabel went for a little walk in the woods, and bert and harry said they were going to try for some fish, as they had brought hooks and lines along, and could cut poles in the woods. this time they had very good luck. "i have one!" suddenly called harry, pulling up his line. there was a flash, as of silver, in the air, and he hauled a fish up from the water, landing it flapping on the grass behind him. "oh, what a big one!" cried bert, running over to look. "i wish i could get one now." "maybe you will," said harry, trying to catch the flopping creature. "put on some fresh bait." but harry caught another fish before bert had even a good bite. by this time mr. bobbsey had finished his story, and flossie had taken out her doll to pretend to get it to sleep. freddie wandered over to where bert and harry were fishing. "oh, i have one! i have one!" bert suddenly shouted, and he, too, landed a good-sized fish. it was taken off the hook, and strung on a willow twig, and then, fastened so it could not swim away, it was put back into the water to keep fresh until it was time to go home. freddie was very much interested in the captive fish. he went down to the edge of the creek to watch them as they tried to swim away. but they could not, for the willow twigs held them. suddenly one of the fish gave a big jump in the shallow pool, where bert had put them. "oh!" exclaimed freddie, springing back. then his foot slipped on a wet, mossy stone, and the next moment the little fellow fell down into the water. "bert!! harry! come and get me! i'm in!" he cried. bert and harry dropped their poles and came up on the run, but there was no danger, for the water was only a few inches deep, near shore, and freddie was already on his feet when they reached him. "oh! oh!" sobbed the little fellow. "i--i'm all wet." "never mind, you have your old clothes on," said his brother. "and i'll tell mother it was an accident." it was a warm summer day and a little wetting would not harm freddie. he was taken back to a sunny place by bert, and told to sit in the warm spot until he had dried out. then the two larger boys went back to fish, but freddie's accident must have scared all the fish away, for bert and harry caught no more. "my, but you are a sight, freddie!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, when she saw the wet and muddy little twin. "but i suppose you could not help it." "no, mamma," he answered. "the fish made me fall in." it was almost time for the picnic party to start back home now. dinah was packing up the knives, forks, and glasses, and throwing away the wooden plates. as she knelt over to fold up the table-cloth, she felt something touch her back, and the next moment something cold and wet touched her cheek. "go 'long wif yo' now, bert!" she exclaimed, not turning around. "don't yo' put any ob dem wet slimy fish on me. don't you do it!" then something almost pushed dinah over, and again she felt the wet object on the back of her neck. "stop it! stop it!" cried the colored cook. "don't yo' put any toad down mah back, bert!" "i'm not doing anything," bert answered, and at the sound of his voice dinah looked up and saw him some distance off. at the same time, though, bert and harry burst into a laugh. "oh, look what dinah thought was me!" cried bert. dinah turned around, just as a loud "moo!" sounded in her ear, making her jump. "good land ob massy!" she cried. "it's a cow!" and, surely enough, so it was. the cow had wandered out of the woods, and, coming up behind dinah, had licked her neck with a big red tongue. perhaps the cow thought dinah was a lump of black salt! "go 'way! go 'long outer heah! leef me be!" screamed dinah, and catching up a handful of wooden plates she threw them at the cow. they rattled on the animal's horns, and then, with another "moo!" the creature turned and crashed back through the bushes. "and dinah thought that was i, tickling her with a fish tail," said bert, laughing. "dat's what i did, honey!" the colored cook said, with a laugh. "i s'pected yo' was up to some ob yo' all tricks!" they all laughed at this, and amid much fun and jollity the picnic things were packed up and the homeward walk begun. "oh, we have had _such_ a good time!" sighed nan. "i am sorry it is over." "oh, we'll have more good times," said bert, as he and harry walked along with the fish they had caught. their chum, tom mason, had two smaller ones. there were days of work and play on the farm, and harry had his share of tasks to perform. bert helped him all he could. one day, when the boys and girls had counted on going out rowing on a little lake not far from meadow brook, it rained. when they arose in the morning, ready for their fun, the big drops were splashing down. "oh, we can't go!" sighed freddie. "i don't like rain!" "i thought all firemen liked water," his father said, with a laugh. "this is too much water!" went on the little chap. "we can't have any fun." "oh, yes, we can," said harry. "we can go out in the barn and play in the hay. the big barn is full of new hay now, and we can slide down the mow and play hide and go seek in it." "that will be great!" exclaimed bert. "come on." snap, the dog, must have thought he was also invited, for he ran out barking, with the children. umbrellas kept the rain off them until they reached the barn, and then began a good time. they went to the top of the big pile of fragrant hay in the mow, and slid down it to the barn floor, where a carpet of more hay made a soft place on which to fall. snap slid with the rest, barking and wagging his tail every minute. "now let's play hide and go seek!" suggested harry after a bit. "i'll 'blind' and when i say 'ready or not, i'm coming,' i'm going to start to find you." the game began. harry closed his eyes, so he would not see where the others hid, and nan, bert and the rest of them picked out spots in the hay, and about the barn where they thought harry could not see them. but harry knew the old barn well, and he easily found bert. then he spied nan and flossie, hiding together. a little later he discovered where tom mason and mabel herold were. "now i've only to find freddie," said the country cousin. but freddie was not so easy to find. harry looked all over but could not locate him. "there are so many holes in the barn," the country boy said, "and freddie is so small, that i guess i'd better give him up. i'll let him come in free. givey-up! givey-up!" he called. "come on in free, freddie." but freddie did not answer. they all kept quiet, but all they could hear was the patter of rain drops on the barn roof. "freddie! freddie! freddie! where are you?" cried nan. "come on in free!" added harry. "come on, little fat fireman," went on bert. "harry won't tag you, and you can hide again." but freddie's childish voice did not reply. the boys and girls looked anxiously at one another. "where's freddie?" asked flossie, and her lips began to tremble as they did just before she started to cry. "oh, we'll find him," said bert, easily. "yes, he's probably hiding so far off he can't hear us," went on harry. "maybe he's lost under the hay," suggested tom. "i read of a boy getting caught under a pile of hay once, and they didn't get him out for a long time." "oh, freddie's lost! freddie's lost!" cried flossie, bursting into tears. chapter ix the five-pin show. "hush, flossie, don't cry, dear!" begged nan, putting her arms around her little sister. "but--but i--i can't help it," stammered flossie. "freddie's losted!" "we'll find him!" said bert. "he's somewhere inside the barn, that is sure. he'd never go out in all this rain," for the big drops were now coming down thick and fast. "freddie isn't afraid of water--he's a fireman--papa's little fat fireman, and i'm papa's little fat fairy, and freddie's losted--and--and--oh, dear!" sobbed flossie, as she thought of her missing brother. "come on, let's start in all together and find him," suggested harry. "he must be hid somewhere around here." "away down under the hay," suggested tom mason. "hush! don't say that," spoke bert in a low tone. "you'll scare the girls!" "maybe we'd better go tell papa and mamma," said nan. "let's try by ourselves, first," suggested her brother. "we'll find freddie, never fear." the children began a search of the barn, now almost filled with sweet-smelling hay. up and down in the mow they looked to find where freddie might have hidden himself away. they called and shouted to him, but no answer came. "i don't see why he doesn't reply to us," said nan to bert. "he wouldn't keep quiet when we've told him he could come in free. freddie is too fond of playing hide and go seek to stay away, unless he had to. i am afraid something has happened to him, bert." "what could happen to him?" he asked. "oh, i don't know, but--" and nan hesitated and looked worried. where could freddie have hidden himself away in the hay, and stranger, still, why did he not answer the many calls made for him? for the children kept shouting as they searched. bert had made up his mind, after looking about for some time, that perhaps, after all, he had better go into the house and tell his father what had happened. just then tom mason slid down from a high part of the haymow to a little hollowed-out place. as he landed, a crackling sound was heard, and then tom cried: "oh, my! now i have done it! oh, dear! what a mess! oh! oh!" "have you found him? is freddie there?" asked flossie from where she stood in the middle of the barn floor. "no, but i slid right into a hen's nest, and i've broken all the eggs!" cried tom. "oh, me! oh, my!" he managed to get to his feet, and there he stood, his hands held out in front of him, for they were dripping with the whites and yolks of the broken eggs. tom's clothes were pretty well splashed up. "what a sight i am!" he murmured. "and i've broken all the eggs!" "never mind! you couldn't help it," said harry kindly. "the old hen oughtn't to have laid her eggs in here, and they wouldn't have been smashed. hens like to steal away, and lay their eggs in hay." "oh, but you do look _so_ funny!" cried nan, then she laughed in spite of her worry about lost freddie. "he--he looks like a cake before it's baked!" giggled mabel. they all laughed heartily at tom's sorry plight. "please lend me a handkerchief, somebody," he begged. "i can't reach in my pocket to get mine, and there's some egg running in my eye." "i'll wipe it for you," offered bert, laughing so heartily that he could hardly stand up. "hark! what's that?" suddenly asked nan. they all stopped laughing at once. from somewhere down in the hay, near the smashed nest of eggs, came a voice, asking: "what's the matter? isn't anybody going to find me?" "it's freddie!" cried nan. "freddie!" shouted bert. "where are you?" "oh, freddie is found! freddie isn't lost any more!" exclaimed flossie, jumping up and down in delight. and then, from a little nest in the hay, crawled freddie himself, rubbing his eyes, and pulling wisps from his tousled hair. "have you been there all the while?" asked harry. "i--i guess so," answered freddie, as if he hardly knew himself. "well, then, why didn't you answer us?" asked nan. "we were so frightened about you, freddie. why didn't you answer when we called?" "i--i guess i was asleep," he said. "i didn't hear you until you all began to laugh. then i woke up." and that was what had happened. freddie had found a good hiding place in a hole in the hay, and, while waiting for harry to come and look for him, the little chap had dozed off, it was so warm and cozy in his hay-nest. and he had slept all through the search made for him, not hearing the calls. but when tom rolled into the hen's nest, and the others laughed so heartily at him, that awakened the sleeping "little fat fireman." "my! but you gave us a fright!" said nan. "but it's all right now, dear," and she helped freddie pull the hay out of his hair. "i guess we've had enough of this game," suggested harry. "let's do something else." "i'm hungry," announced freddie. "can't we play an eating game?" "i think so," said bert. "dinah and martha were starting to bake cookies before we came out to the barn, and they ought to be done now. let's go in." into the house, through the rain, tramped the children, and soon, eating cookies, they were telling about freddie going to sleep in the hay, and tom trying to make an omelet of himself in the hen's nest. "well, this certainly was a nice day, even if it did rain," said nan, as they were ready to go to bed that night. "i wonder what we can do to-morrow?" "i know," answered bert. "harry and i have a fine plan." "oh, tell me what it is," begged his sister. "it's a secret," he laughed as he went upstairs. after breakfast next morning nan, who did not get up very early, looked for harry and her brother. "where are the boys?" she asked her mother. "out in the barn," was the answer. "they took some big sheets of paper with them." "they must be going to make kites," nan said. but when she saw what bert and harry were doing, she knew it was not a kite game they were planning. for in letters, made with a black stick on the sheets of paper, nan read the words: five-pin show come one come all "oh, what is it?" she cried. "please tell me, bert!" "we're going to have a show," said harry, "and we're going to charge five pins to come in." "oh, may i be in it?" asked nan. "i'll do anything you want me to. mayn't i be in it?" "shall we let her?" asked bert of his country cousin. "sure," said harry kindly. "we boys won't be enough. we'll have to have the girls." "where's it going to be?" asked nan. "here in the barn," her brother said. "we're going to make a cage for snap--he's going to be the lion." "can snoop be one of the animals, too?" she inquired. "yes, snoop will be the black tiger," decided harry. "i only hope he keeps awake, and growls now and then. that will make it seem real." "snoop sometimes growls when he gets a piece of meat," suggested nan. "then we'll give him meat in the show," decided bert. he and harry finished making the show bills, and then began to get ready for the performance. with some old sheets they made a curtain across one corner of the barn, in front of the haymow. nan helped with this, as she could use a needle, thread and thimble better than could the boys. then tom mason, mabel herold and some other of the country boys and girls came over, and they were allowed to be in the show. bert was to be a clown, and he put on an old suit, turned inside out, and whitened his face with starch, which he begged from martha. harry was to be the wild animal trainer, and show off the black tiger, which was snoop, and the fierce lion in a cage, which lion was only snap, the dog. the show was not to take place until the next day, as bert said the performers needed time for practice. but some of the "show bills" were fastened up about the village streets, and many boys and girls said they would come if they could get the five pins. finally all was ready for the little play. flossie was made door-keeper and took up the admission pins. freddie wanted to be a fireman in the show, so they let him do this. his mother made a little red coat for him, and he had his toy fire engine that pumped real water. "but you mustn't squirt it on anyone in the audience," cautioned bert. "no, i'll just squirt it on the wild animals if they get bad," said the little fellow. nan was to be a bare-back rider, and harry had made her a wooden steed from a saw-horse, with rope for reins. nan perched herself up on the saw-horse, and pretended she was galloping about the ring. a number of boys and girls came to the show, each one bringing the five pins, so that flossie had many of them to stick on the cushion which was her cash-box. bert was very funny as a clown, and he turned somersaults in the hay. once he landed on a hard place on the barn floor, and cried: "ouch!" everyone laughed at that, and they laughed harder when bert made a funny face as he rubbed his sore elbow. harry exhibited snoop and snap as the wild animals, but snoop rather spoiled the performance by not growling as a black tiger should. "this tiger used to be very wild, ladies and gentlemen," said harry, "and no keeper dared go in the cage with him. but he is a good tiger now, and loves his keeper," and harry put his hand in, and stroked snoop, who purred happily. "oh, i think this is a lovely show!" exclaimed nellie johnson. "i'm coming every day." a little later, near the box which had been made into a cage for snoop, there came a loud noise. snoop meowed very hard, and hissed as he used to do when he saw a strange dog. at the same time something went: "gobble-obblcobble!" then came a great crash, more cries from snoop and out into the middle of the barn floor dashed the black cat with a big, long-legged, feathered creature clinging to poor snoop's tail. "oh! oh! oh!" cried flossie. "the wild animals are loose!" chapter x a sham battle for a few moments there was wild confusion in that part of the barn where the "show" was going on. nan gave one look at the strange mixture of the howling snoop and the gobbling bird in the centre of the floor, and then, catching flossie up in her arms, nan made a spring for the haymow. "wait! wait!" cried flossie. "i'm losing all the pins! i've dropped the pin cushion!" that was her cash-box--the pins she had taken in as admission to the little play. "we can't stop for it now!" cried nan. "we must get out of the way." "the cat has a fit!" cried tom mason. "oh, poor snoop!" wailed flossie. "grab him, somebody!" shouted harry. "no, let snoop alone!" advised bert. "he might bite, if you touched him now, though he wouldn't mean to." "but what is it? what gave him the fit?" asked mabel herold. "our old turkey gobbler," answered harry. "the gobbler has caught snoop by the tail. it's enough to give any cat a fit." "i should say so!" cried bert. "look out! they're coming over this way! look out!" the children scrambled to one side, for snoop and the big turkey gobbler were sliding, rolling and tumbling over the barn floor toward the board seats where the show audience, but a little while before, were enjoying the performance. the girls had followed nan and flossie up to a low part of the haymow, and were out of the way. but the boys wanted to be nearer where they could see what was going on. the noise and the excitement had roused snap, the dog, who had curled up in his cage and was sleeping, after having been exhibited as a raging and roaring lion, and now snap was barking and growling, trying to understand what was going on. perhaps he wanted to join in the fun, for it was fun for the turkey gobbler, if it was not for poor snoop. "look out the way! clear the track! toot! toot!" came a sudden cry and little freddie came running toward the gobbler and cat, dragging after him his much-prized toy fire engine. "get back out of the way, freddie!" ordered bert. "snoop may scratch or bite you, or the gobbler may pick you. get out of the way!" "i'm a fireman!" cried the fat little fellow. "firemans never get out of the way! toot! toot! clear the track! chuu! chuu! chuu!" and he puffed out his cheeks, making a noise like an engine. "you must come here!" insisted bert, making a spring toward his little brother. "i can't come back! firemans never come back!" half screamed freddie. "i'm going to squirt water on the bad gobble-obble bird that's biting my snoop!" and then, before anyone could stop him, freddie unreeled the little rubber hose of his fire engine, and pointed the nozzle at the struggling gobbler and cat in the middle of the barn floor. i have told you, i think, that freddie's engine held real water, and, by winding up a spring a little pump could be started, squirting a stream of water for some distance. "whoop! here comes the water!" cried freddie, as he started the pump working. then a stream shot out, right toward the cat and turkey. it was the best plan that could have been tried for separating them. with a howl and a yowl snoop pulled his claws loose from where they were tangled up in the turkey's feathers. with a final gobble, the turkey let go of snoop's tail. the water spurted out in a spraying stream, freddie's engine being a strong one, for a toy. "that's the way i do it!" cried freddie, just like mr. punch. "that's the way i do it! look, i made them stop!" "why--why, i believe you did!" exclaimed bert, with a laugh. the gobbler ran out through the open barn door, his feathers wet and bedraggled. he must have thought he had been caught in a rainstorm. and poor snoop was glad enough to crawl away in a dark corner, to lick himself dry with his red tongue. "poor snoop!" said freddie, as he stopped his engine from pumping any more water. "i'm sorry i got you wet, snoop, but i couldn't help it. i only meant to sprinkle the gobbler." he patted snoop, who began purring. "well, i guess that ends the show," said bert, who looked funnier than ever now, as a clown, for the white on his face was streaked in many ways with the water, some of which had sprayed on him. "yes, the performance is over," announced harry. "oh, but it was lovely!" said nan, as she slid down the hay with flossie. "i don't see how you boys ever got it up." "oh, we're smart boys!" laughed harry. "but i lost all the pins!" wailed flossie. "nan wouldn't let me stop to pick them up!" "i should say not! with that queer wild animal bursting in on us!" exclaimed mabel. "oh, but i was so frightened!" "pooh! i wasn't!" boasted freddie. "i knew my fire engine would scare them." "well, it did all right," announced bert "i guess we'd better let snap out now," he said, for the dog was barking loudly, and trying to break out of the packing box of which his cage was made. snoop's cage was broken, where the black cat had forced his way out. "his tail must have been hanging down through the bars," explained bert, "and the gobbler came along and nipped it. that made snoop mad, and he got out and clawed the turkey." "i guess that was it," agreed harry. "well, we had fun anyhow, if snoop and the turkey did have a hard time." snoop was soon dry again, and not much the worse for what had happened to him. the gobbler, except for the loss of a few feathers, was not hurt. but after that the turkey and cat kept well out of each other's way. everyone voted the show a great success, and the children planned to have another one before they left meadow brook farm. but the bobbsey twins did not know all that was in store for them before they went back to the city. one day, when they were all seated at dinner in the pleasant bobbsey farmhouse, uncle daniel paused, with a piece of pie half raised on his fork, and said: "hark!" "what's the matter?" asked aunt sarah. "did you think you heard the old ram coming again?" "no, but it sounded like thunder," replied her husband, "and if it's going to rain i must hurry, and get those tomatoes picked." "i heard something, too," said mr. bobbsey. "so did i," spoke up freddie. "maybe it's the old black bull down in the pasture." "no. there it goes again!" said uncle daniel. "it must be thunder!" there sounded a dull distant booming noise, that was repeated several times. uncle daniel got up hastily from the table and went to the door. "not a cloud in the sky," he remarked, "and yet that noise is growing louder." it was, indeed, as they all could hear. "it's guns, that's what it is," declared bert "it sounds like fourth of july." "that's what it does," agreed his cousin harry. "it's back of those hills. i'm going to see what it is." "so am i!" cried bert. the boys had finished their dinners, and now started off on a run in the direction of the booming sounds. "come along," said uncle daniel to mr. bobbsey. "we may as well go also." "i want to come!" cried freddie. "not now," said his mother. "wait until papa comes back." mr. bobbsey, with his brother and the two boys, soon reached the top of the hill. all the while the sound like thunder was growing louder. then puffs of smoke could be seen rising in the air. "what can it be?" asked bert. "i can't imagine," answered harry. they saw, in another minute, what it was. down in a valley below them was a crowd of soldiers, with cannon and guns, firing at one another. the soldiers were divided into two parties. first one party would run forward, and then the other, both sides firing as fast as they could. "it's a war!" cried bert. "it's a battle!" "it's only a sham battle!" said mr. bobbsey. "no one is being hurt, for they are using blank cartridges. it must be that the soldiers are practicing so as to know how to fight if a real war comes. it is only a sham battle." the cannons roared, the rifles rattled and flashes of fire and puffs of smoke were on all sides. "oh, look at the horses--the cavalry!" cried harry, as a company of men, mounted on horses, galloped toward some of the soldiers, who turned their rifles on them. then one man, on a big black horse, left the main body and came straight on toward mr. bobbsey, uncle daniel, and the two boys. "we'd better look out!" cried bert "maybe he wants to capture us!" chapter xi moving pictures the man on the black horse continued to ride toward the two boys, uncle daniel and mr. bobbsey. behind him more men on horses rushed forward, but they were going toward some soldiers on foot, who were firing their rifles at the "cavalry," as harry called them, that being the name for horse-soldiers. "oh, look, some of the men are falling off their horses!" cried bert "maybe they are hurt," harry said. "no, i guess it's only making believe, if this is a sham battle," went on bert. by this time the man on the black horse was near mr. bobbsey. "you had better stand farther back, if you don't mind," he said. "why, are we in danger here?" asked uncle daniel. "well, not exactly danger, for we are using only blank cartridges. but you are too near the camera. you'll have your pictures taken if you don't look out," and he smiled, while his horse pawed the ground, making the soldier's sword rattle against his spurs. "camera!" exclaimed mr. bobbsey. "is someone taking pictures of this sham battle?" "yes, we are taking moving pictures," replied the soldier. "the man with the camera is right over there," and he pointed to a little hill, on top of which stood a man with what looked like a little box on three legs. the man was turning a crank. "moving pictures!" repeated uncle daniel, looking in the direction indicated. "that's what this sham battle is for," went on the soldier who sat astride the black horse. "we are pretending to have a hard battle, to make an exciting picture. soon the camera will be pointed over this way, and as it wouldn't look well to have you gentlemen and boys in the picture, i'll be obliged to you if you'll move back a little." "of course we will," agreed mr. bobbsey. "especially as it looks as though the soldiers were coming our way." "yes, part of the sham battle will soon take place here," the cavalryman went on. "come on back, boys!" cried uncle daniel, "we can watch just as well behind those trees, and we won't be in the way, and have our pictures taken without knowing it." "yes, and we won't be in any danger of having some of the paper wadding from a blank cartridge blown into our eyes," added mr. bobbsey. "say, this is great!" cried harry. "i'm glad we came." "so am i," said bert the boys looked on eagerly while the battle kept up. they saw the soldiers charge back and forth. the cannon shot out puffs of white smoke, but no cannon balls, of course, for no one wanted to be hurt. back and forth rushed the soldiers on horses, and others on foot, firing with their rifles. of course they were not real soldiers, but were dressed in soldiers' uniforms to make the picture seem real. i suppose you have often seen in moving picture theatres pictures of a battle. it was well that mr. bobbsey and the others had gotten out of the way, for shortly afterward the men rushed right across the spot where bert and harry had been standing. "if we were there, then we'd have been walked on," said bert. "yes, and we'd have had our pictures taken, too," said harry, pointing to the man with the camera who had taken a new position. "i wouldn't mind that, would you?" asked bert. "no, i don't know as i would," replied the country cousin. "it would be fun to see yourself in moving pictures, i think. oh, look! that horse went down, and the soldier shot right over his head." a horse had stumbled and fallen, bringing down the rider with him. but whether this was an accident, or whether it was done on purpose, to make the moving picture look more natural, the boys could not tell. the firing was now louder than ever. a number of cannon were being used, horses drawing them up with loud rumblings, while the men wheeled the guns into place, loaded and fired them. on all sides men were falling down, pretending to be shot, for those who took the moving pictures wanted them to seem as nearly like real war as possible. "oh, here they are!" suddenly exclaimed a voice back of mr. bobbsey and the others. turning, bert saw his mother, with aunt sarah, flossie, freddie and nan. they had come up the hill to look down into the valley and see what all the excitement was about. "yes, here we are!" cried mr. bobbsey. "isn't this great? it's a sham battle." "what for?" asked his wife, and she had to speak loudly to be heard above the rattle and bang of the guns. "for moving pictures," answered mr. bobbsey, pointing to the men with the cameras, for now three or four of them were at work, taking views of the "fight" from different places. "mercy! what a racket!" exclaimed aunt sarah. "oh, i don't like it!" cried flossie, covering her ears with her chubby hands. "take me away, mamma; i'm afraid of the guns!" "pooh! there's nothing to be scared of!" exclaimed freddie. "i'm going to be a soldier when i grow up, and shoot a gun." "you can't play with me if you do," declared flossie, when the bang of the cannon stopped for a moment, leaving the air quiet. "i don't want to play with girls--i'm going to be a fighting soldier!" declared freddie. "hi! hark to the guns! boom! boom!" and he jumped up and down as the cannon thundered again. "oh, i don't like it! i want to go home and play with my doll!" half-sobbed flossie. "i don't like fighting." "and i don't, either," said nan, though she was not afraid. it was the noise for which she did not care. "hi! that was a fine one!" cried freddie, as one of the largest cannon fired a blank shot at a group of horse soldiers. "please take me home!" sobbed flossie, and there were tears in her blue eyes now. "yes, we'll go home," said mrs. bobbsey. "you can play you are a nurse, flossie, and take care of your doll. we'll leave the battle to the boys and men." "i can stay, can't i?" asked freddie, who was delighted at the lively scene down below, and he jumped about in delight as cannon after cannon went off. "yes, you may stay," said his father. "we'll look after him," he added to his wife. freddie crowded up to where bert and harry were eagerly watching the sham battle, and stood between his brother and cousin. "boom! boom!" he cried. "i like this!" but little flossie covered her ears with her hands and went on down the hill, toward the farmhouse, with her mother and aunt. nan went with them also, as she said the firing made her head ache. chapter xii the bobbseys act "well, i guess the battle is over now," said bert, after a while. the cannon had stopped firing, and the "soldiers" no longer "shot" at each other with their rifles. "see, the men on horses have captured the other men," spoke harry. and he pointed to where the cavalry had surrounded a number of the foot soldiers, or infantry, as they are called, and were driving them over the fields toward some log cabins. "they must have built those log houses on purposes for the moving picture play," said uncle daniel. "for they weren't here the other day, when i was over in this valley." "very likely they did," agreed mr. bobbsey. "it takes a great deal of work to make a moving picture play now-a-days, and often a company will build a whole house, only to set fire to it, or tear it down to make a good picture." "if they set a house on fire," broke in freddie, "i could put it out with my fire engine, and i'd be in the movies then." "oh, you and your fire engine!" laughed bert, ruffling up his little brother's hair. "you think you can do anything with it." "well, i stopped the turkey gobbler from eating up snoop," freddie cried. "didn't i?" "so you did!" exclaimed harry. "you and your fire engine are all right, freddie." the soldiers who had fallen off their horses, or who had toppled over in the grass, to pretend that they were shot in battle, now got up--"coming to life," bert called it. the battle scene was over, but the men were not yet done using the cameras, for they took them farther down the valley toward the log cabins. the soldiers were now grouped around these buildings, and bert and harry could see several ladies, in brightly colored dresses, mingled with the soldiers in uniform. "i wonder what they are doing now?" asked bert. "oh, taking a more peaceful scene for the movies," answered his father. "they have had enough of war, i guess." "that would suit flossie," remarked uncle daniel with a laugh. the valley was now quiet, but over it hung a cloud of smoke from the cannon. the wind was, however, blowing the smoke away. "can we go up to the log cabins and watch them make more pictures, father?" asked bert. "well, yes, i guess so; if you don't get in the way of the cameras. do you want to come?" asked mr. bobbsey of uncle daniel. "you don't often get a chance to see moving pictures out here, i guess. better come." "no, not now, thank you," was the answer, "i must get back and look after my tomatoes. they need to be picked. but you can go on with the boys." so mr. bobbsey took bert and harry up to where other moving pictures were being made. the boys did not understand all that was being done, but they watched eagerly just the same. they saw men and soldiers talking to the ladies, who were members of the moving picture company. then they saw soldiers, who pretended to have been hurt in the sham-battle, being put on cots, and bandaged up. "this is a make-believe hospital," mr. bobbsey explained to the boys. "they want it to look as natural as possible, you see." the boys watched while "doctors" went among the "wounded," giving them "medicine," all make-believe, of course. then one of the ladies, dressed as a nurse, came through the rows of cots which were placed in the open air, under some trees. "how do you like it?" asked one of the moving picture men of mr. bobbsey, coming over to where bert's father was standing. the man had been turning the crank of one of the cameras, but, just then, he had nothing to do. "it is very interesting," said mr. bobbsey. "we heard your firing and came over to look on. are you going to be here long?" "only a few days. but there will be no more battle pictures. they cost too much money to make. the rest of the scenes will be more peaceful." "that would suit my little girl," said mr. bobbsey, with a laugh. "she didn't like the cannon and guns." "oh, have you a little girl?" asked the moving picture man, who seemed to be one of those in charge of the actors and actresses. "yes, i have a little girl," mr. bobbsey replied. "and these two boys?" asked the camera man. "no, only one of the boys is mine," and bert's father nodded at his son. "the other is my nephew." "do you live around here?" the man went on. "excuse my asking you so many questions," he continued. "my name is weston, and i have charge of making these moving pictures. we need some children to take small parts in one of the scenes, and, as we have no little ones in our company, i was wondering whether we could not get some country boys and girls to pose for us, or, rather, act for us, for we want them to move, not to just stand still. and i thought if you lived around here," he said to mr. bobbsey, "you might know where we could borrow a dozen children for an hour or so." "i don't live here," mr. bobbsey replied, "but i am staying on my brother's farm. what sort of acting do you want the children to do for the moving pictures?" "oh, something very simple. you see, one of the ladies in our company is supposed to be a school teacher before the war breaks out. we have taken the war scenes already--that sham battle you looked at was all we need of that. "the school teacher goes to the front as a nurse, but before she goes, we want a scene showing her in front of the school surrounded by her pupils." "i see," said mr. bobbsey. "now we have the schoolhouse," said mr. weston, "or, rather, there is an old schoolhouse down the road that will do very nicely to photograph. we have permission to use it, as this is vacation time. we also have the lady who will act as the teacher, and, later as the red cross nurse. but we need children to act as school pupils. "i thought perhaps you might know of some children who would like to act for the movies," the man went on. "it will take only a little time, and it will not be at all unpleasant. they will just have to act naturally, as any school children would do." "well, i have four children of my own," said mr. bobbsey, as he thought of his two sets of twins, "and my brother has a boy. there are also several children in the village. perhaps it could be arranged to have their pictures taken." "i hope it can!" exclaimed mr. weston. "i'll talk to you about it in a few minutes. i must go see about this hospital scene now." he hurried away, while bert and harry looked at one another. "do you want to be in the movies?" asked mr. bobbsey. "i don't mind," spoke harry, smiling. "neither do i," added bert. "freddie would like it, too, but flossie wouldn't come if they shot any guns." "they wouldn't shoot guns where children were," said mr. bobbsey. "i'll see what your mother, and uncle daniel and aunt sarah say." later that day the moving picture man explained just what was wanted, and as mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah had no objections, it was decided to let the bobbsey twins, as well as harry, take part in the moving pictures. tom mason, mabel herold and some others of the country village were also to be in the scene. it was taken, or "filmed," as the moving picture people say, the next morning. down to the old schoolhouse, on the country road, went the children, laughing and talking, a little bit shy, some of them. but the actress who was to pretend to be a school teacher was so nice that she soon made the little children feel at ease. flossie and freddie loved her from the first, and each insisted upon walking along with her, hand in hand. "that will make a pretty picture," said the moving picture man. "just walk along the road, miss burns," he said to the actress, "with flossie on one side, and freddie on the other. i'll take your pictures as if you were going to school." this was done. flossie and freddie soon forgot that they were really "acting" for the movies, and were as natural as could be wished. "i--i've got a fire engine!" said freddie, as he trudged along with the actress-teacher. "have you, indeed?" she asked pleasantly. "don't look at the camera," she cautioned flossie. "just pretend it isn't there." "and i've got a doll!" flossie said, not to let freddie get the best of her. "and my fire engine pumps real water," freddie went on, "and i squirted it on our cat and on the old turkey gobbler." "oh, but why did you do that?" asked the actress. "wasn't that unkind?" "oh, no!" exclaimed freddie, his eyes big and round. "the gobbler was pinching our cat's tail, and snoop was scratching the turkey. i had to squirt water on them to make them stop." "oh, i see!" exclaimed miss burns with a jolly laugh. "well, anyhow, my doll can open and shut her eyes," said flossie. "so i don't care!" "that's enough of that scene," said mr. weston. "now all you children crowd up around the school steps, as if you were going in after the last bell had rung. pretend you are going into school." the village children were a little bashful at first, but bert, nan and harry, taking the lead, showed them what to do, and after one trial everything went off well. the children grouped themselves about the actress-teacher, who clasped her arms about the shoulders of as many as she could reach. it made a pretty scene in front of the old school-house, with the green trees for a background. the use of the school had been allowed the moving picture company for the day. "now play about, as if it were recess," directed mr. weston, after the first scene had been taken. "be as natural as you can. and you grown folks please keep back out of the way," he asked, for mrs. bobbsey and a number of the fathers and mothers had come to see their children pose for the moving picture camera. by this time the children had lost their bashfulness, and were acting as naturally as though they really were at school. they played tag and other simple games, while the camera clicked their images on the celluloid film. miss burns, as the teacher, took part in some of the girls' games. "now i want a larger boy and girl to walk down the road together, the boy carrying the girl's books," said mr. weston. "you'll do," he went on to nan, "and you," to harry. soon the two cousins were strolling along, having their pictures taken. "i want to go with nan!" cried freddie "i want my picture taken some more." "not now, dear," said miss burns, who was not in the scene with nan and harry. "wait a little." "no, i want to go with nan now," insisted freddie, and he broke from the hand of the actress and rushed after his sister. "oh, he'll spoil the picture!" cried bert, solicitously. "come back, freddie; that's a good boy!" but freddie did not intend to come back. "nan, nan! wait for me!" begged freddie. nan did not know what to do. she had been told to walk down the road, pretending to talk to harry, and to take half an apple which he would hand her, in view of the camera. "that's all right--let the little fellow get into the picture," directed mr. weston. "it will make it all the prettier." so freddie had his wish, to walk beside his sister. but he had not gone far before he saw, on the edge of a little brook, a bright red flower. "i'm going to get it!" he cried. "i can hold it in my hand. it will look nice in the picture." "no, no!" cried nan. "stay with me, freddie." "going to get the flower!" he shouted, as he ran on ahead. and, just as he reached the edge of the brook, his foot slipped, and down he went with a great splash, into the water. "oh, freddie's fallen in! freddie's fallen in!" cried nan, rushing forward. "i'll pull him out!" cried the man grinding away at the crank of the camera. "no, you stay there and get the moving picture," said mr. watson. "it will make a funny scene, and freddie is in no danger. the water isn't deep! i'll get him out!" "that's the second time freddie's fallen in," said bert, as he ran toward the brook. "help me out! help me out!" sobbed freddie, splashing about in the water. chapter xiii the circus "there you are, my little man! not hurt a bit! up again! out again!" and mr. weston picked little freddie out of the brook, and set him on his feet. "all right, aren't you?" asked the moving picture man. "ye--yes, i--i guess so," stammered the "little fat fireman," as he looked down at his dripping knickerbockers. "but i--i'm terrible wet! i'm awful wet--ma--mamma!" he stammered. "never mind, freddie," mrs. bobbsey answered with a smile. "you'll dry." "i say!" called one of the men who had been turning the crank of the moving picture camera. "i say, mr. weston, i got the picture of the boy falling in the water on this film. i couldn't help it." "that's all right," said the manager. "it won't spoil the picture any. it will only make it look more natural." "and it's natural for freddie to be wet;" said bert, with a laugh. "he's always playing with that toy fire engine of his, and getting soaked." "but i didn't have the fire engine this time, bert," said the chubby little chap. "i--i fell in!" "you poor little dear!" exclaimed the actress-schoolteacher, putting her arms around him. "it was all my fault, too!" "no, it was mine," said freddie, generously. "i don't mind. i like being wet!" they all laughed at this. mrs. bobbsey said freddie wanted to be polite. a few more pictures were made of the village children, the bobbsey twins, with the exception of freddie, taking part. freddie was hurried off by his mother to the farmhouse to be put into dry clothes. then, with thanks to those who had helped make the scenes, mr. weston, miss burns and the camera man went back to the village hotel where they were stopping. "wasn't it great, bert!" exclaimed harry, as he and his cousin strolled over the fields. "it certainly was," agreed bert. "if we could only see the pictures when they are finished," suggested mabel herold. "it must be queer to see yourself in the movies." "i think so, too," said nan. "i'm going to find out where this play will be shown, in some theatre, and maybe mamma will take us to it." "i hope she does," bert said. "it will be fun to see freddie falling in." "poor little fellow!" murmured nan. "but he was real brave," mabel added. for several days the bobbsey twins, their cousin and their country friends talked of the moving pictures in which they had had a part. they went again to the valley, where more scenes were being made, but none were as exciting as the sham-battle. "aren't they going to shoot any more guns?" asked freddie, his eyes big and shining with the hope of excitement. "i guess that's all over," spoke bert. "and i'm glad of it," nan declared. "so am i," exclaimed flossie, looking around as though she would hear a boom from a cannon. one day bert and harry went alone to the place where the moving picture company had erected tents and log cabins in the valley. they found the men packing things up, taking down the tents and knocking apart the wooden cabins. "are you all through?" bert asked mr. weston. "all through, my lad," was the answer. "we are going to another place soon, to get different moving pictures. but we'll be here for a day or two yet, at least some of the camera men will. they have to take pictures of a circus parade." "circus parade!" exclaimed harry. "is a circus coming here?" "well, not exactly here," replied mr. weston. "but it is coming to rosedale--that's the next town--and i am going to have some moving pictures made of it." "the circus coming to rosedale!" cried bert, looking at harry. the same thought came to both of them. "let's go!" exclaimed harry, eagerly. "if our folks will let us," added bert. "oh, i guess mine will," spoke the country boy. "circuses don't come around here very often, and when they do, we generally go. i do hope they'll let you come, bert." "it's going to be a large circus," said mr. weston. "they have a good collection of wild animals." "i don't believe they can beat our combination of a wild cat, snoop, and a crazy turkey gobbler," said bert to harry with a laugh, when the two boys were on their way back to the farmhouse. passing along a country road bert saw something that caused him to cry out: "look, there it is, harry!" "what?" "the circus! see it!" and bert pointed to a barn. "oh, you mean the circus posters," went on harry, for bert had pointed to the bright-colored pictures advertising the performance. there were shown men jumping through paper hoops or hanging from dizzy heights on trapeze bars, ladies riding galloping horses, and all sorts of wild animals, from the long-necked giraffe to the hippopotamus, who appeared to have no neck at all, and from the big elephant to the little monkey. "oh, i do hope we can see it!" cried bert, as he and his cousin stood before the gay pictures. "i'm going to do my best to go!" declared harry. the two boys hurried home, talking on the way of the circus posters they had seen, and wondering if there really would be shown all the wild animals pictured on the side of the barn. bert saw his father and mother sitting out in the side yard under a shady tree, and, running up to them he asked: "oh, can't we go? we want to so much! nan, you ask, too!" he cried. mr. and mrs. bobbsey looked at him rather surprised. "what's it all about?" asked mr. bobbsey, with a smile. "and what am i to ask?" "for a circus--wild animals--moving pictures--the parade--an elephant--lions, tigers--everything!" cried bert, stopping because he ran out of breath. "ask for all that?" exclaimed nan, wonderingly. "no, bert means the circus is coming," explained harry, with a laugh. "the moving picture people are going to get views of the parade. the posters are up on the barns and fences. it's coming to rosedale, the circus is, and--" "oh, do let us go!" broke in bert. mr. and mrs. bobbsey looked at one another, questioningly. "oh, wouldn't it be just grand!" sighed nan. "what is it?" demanded freddie, toddling up just then. "is there going to be a fire? can i squirt with my engine?" "always thinking of that, little fat fireman!" laughed his father. "no, it isn't a fire, freddie." "it's a circus coming!" cried bert "can't you take us, father?" "i'm afraid not, son," he said. "i have just had a letter calling me back to lakeport on business." "oh!" cried nan and bert in a chorus. "do we have to go back to the city, too?" asked bert, after a pause. "no, i am going to let you and mamma stay here," said mr. bobbsey, "but i have to go. i'll come back, of course, but not in time to take you to the circus, i'm afraid." "mamma can take us," said freddie. "hardly," said mrs. bobbsey with a smile. "i want papa along when i have four children to take to a circus." "my father will take us," said harry. "he always goes to a circus when one comes around here." "oh, fine!" cried bert. "uncle daniel will take us! uncle daniel will take us!" and he caught nan around the waist and went dancing over the lawn with her. "now may we go, papa?" asked nan, when bert let her go. "well, i guess so," answered mr. bobbsey. "uncle daniel can look after you as well as i could." "if uncle daniel goes, it will be all right," mrs. bobbsey said. "and will you go, too, mamma?" asked bert, slipping up to her, and giving her a kiss. "oh, yes, i suppose i'll have to help feed the elephant peanuts," she laughed. "hurray! hurrah!" cried bert, swinging his cap in the air. "we're going to the circus! we're going to the circus!" the children were delighted with the pleasure in store for them. they talked of little else, and when they found that tom mason and mabel herold were also going to the show, they were more than delighted. "oh, what fun we'll have!" cried nan. "i--i hope none of the wild animals get loose," said flossie, with rather a serious face. "nonsense! of course they won't!" cried bert. "if they do, i--i'll squirt my fire engine on them!" cried freddie. "lions and tigers are afraid of water." "but elephants aren't, are they, mamma?" asked flossie. "i saw a picture of an elephant squirting water through his nose-trunk just like your fire engine, freddie. elephants aren't afraid of water." "well, elephants won't hurt you, anyhow," spoke the little fat fellow. "and if a lion or tiger gets loose, i'll play the hose on him, just as i did at the five-pin show." mr. bobbsey was obliged to go back to the city next day, but he said he would return to meadow brook as soon as he could. "and if you see that poor boy, bring him back with you, and we'll take him to the circus with us," said freddie. "what poor boy?" asked mr. bobbsey. "you know, the one who had the no-good money, and who ran away when we were out with you in the auto that time, and the two girls in the boat--don't you remember?" asked freddie, ending somewhat breathlessly, for that was rather a long sentence for him. "oh, you mean frank kennedy, who worked for mr. mason," said the lumber merchant. "yes, that's the boy," went on freddie. "if you see him, tell him to run this way, and we'll take him to the circus with us." "poor boy," sighed mrs. bobbsey. "i wonder what has become of him?" "i don't know," answered her husband. "i'll ask mr. mason, if i see him. he said frank was sure to come back. it is a hard life for a boy to lead. well, take care of yourselves, children, and i'll come back as soon as i can. have a good time at the circus." "we will, papa!" chorused the bobbsey twins. uncle daniel readily promised to take the whole family to the circus. rosedale, where the show would be held, in the big tents, was not far from meadow brook. "i'll just hitch up the team to the big wagon," said the farmer, "put plenty of soft straw in the bottom, and we'll go over in style. we'll take our lunch with us, and have a good time." "is dinah going?" asked flossie. "yes, i think we'll take her and martha, too," said mrs. bobbsey, but when flossie went to tell the colored cook the treat in store for her, dinah cried: "'deed an' i ain't gwine t' no circus. i doan't want t' be et up by no ragin' lion who goeth about seekin' what he may devour, laik it says in de good book. dere's enough wild animiles right yeah on dish year farm--wild bulls, wild rams an' turkey gobblers, what pulls cats by dere tails. no, sah! honey lamb--i ain't gwine t' no circus!" chapter xiv freddie is missing flossie came back from her talk with dinah, looking very disappointed. "what is the matter, dear?" asked her mother, noting the sorrowful look on the little girl's face. "dinah isn't going to the circus," said flossie, almost ready to cry, for she was very fond of the faithful and loving colored woman. "oh, i guess she'll go with us," said mrs. bobbsey. "why doesn't she want to come?" "she's afraid of the wild animals," answered flossie. "pooh! i'm not afraid!" boasted freddie. "you tell her, flossie, that i'll take my fire engine along an' scare 'em. wait, i'll tell her myself." out freddie ran to the kitchen, where dinah was helping martha with the baking. "don't you be afraid, dinah!" he cried. "i won't let any of the wild animals get you!" "bress yo' heart, honey lamb!" exclaimed the colored cook with a laugh that made her shake "like a bowl full of jelly." "i--i'll scare 'em off with my fire engine," freddie went on. "will yo', honey lamb? so yo' won't let ole black dinah get hurted, eh? well, honey, lamb, i'd gib yo' all a hug but mah hands am all flour," and dinah held them up for freddie to see. "never mind, you can hug me some other time--you can hug me twice to make up for this," said freddie. "now you'll come to the circus, won't you?" "i--i'll see, honey lamb," dinah half-promised. later mrs. bobbsey told the colored cook there would be no danger, and when dinah learned that uncle daniel was going, as well as one of his hired men, she made no more objections. the day of the circus came, bright and sunny. everyone was up early in the farm-house, for uncle daniel said they wanted to be in time to see the morning parade. then they would eat their dinner, which they would take with them, as though it were a picnic, and go to the show in the afternoon. "oh, i wish papa were here!" sighed nan, as she and bert left the breakfast table. "why, you're not afraid, are you?" he asked. "no, only i'd like him to see the show," she said. nan was always thoughtful for her father. "yes, it would be nicer if he could come with us," agreed bert. and then he forgot all about it, because he and harry had a discussion as to whether an elephant or a hippopotamus could eat the most hay. work on the farm was almost forgotten that circus day. uncle daniel and the hired man did what had to be done, and then the horses were hitched to the big wagon, which was filled with straw. mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah were busy dressing flossie and freddie. bert, harry and nan could look out for themselves. dinah and martha were busy in the kitchen putting up the lunch. "here comes tom mason!" called bert to his cousin, as he saw the country boy, dressed in his best, coming up the walk. "oh, i do hope mabel isn't late," exclaimed flossie. mabel and tom were to go to the circus with uncle daniel, as the guests of the bobbsey twins. "there she comes--down the road," announced harry, after greeting tom. "here comes mabel!" the children gathered out on the lawn to wait for the older folks. finally everything was in readiness, the wagon, drawn by the prancing horses, rattled up, and into it piled the children, sitting down in the soft, clean straw. "where's dinah?" called flossie. "heah i is, honey lamb," answered the colored cook, as she came out with a big basket of good things to eat. "oh, i'm going to sit next to dinah!" cried bert with a laugh. "i always did like you, didn't i, dinah?" he demanded. "go 'long wif you, honey!" she exclaimed. "yo' all doan't git none ob de stuff in dish yeah basket 'till lunch time--no, suh! no mattah how lubbin' yo' is!" off they started, with laughter and shouts, uncle daniel and his hired man sitting on the front seat, taking turns driving the horses. freddie wanted to hold the reins, but his uncle said the animals were too frisky that morning for such little hands. "when they come back they will be tired, and won't be so anxious to run away," the farmer said. "then you may drive, freddie." all along the road were circus posters, and at each new one which they saw the children would shout and laugh in delight. they saw many other farm wagons going along, also filled with family parties, who, like themselves, were going to the circus. "hurrah for the big show!" bert or nan would call out. "hurray! hurray!" the children in other wagons would answer back. "isn't it jolly?" and indeed it was a jolly time for everyone. even dinah forgot her fear of the wild animals when from a distance she caught sight of the white circus tents with the gaily colored flags streaming from them. uncle bobbsey found a shed, near the circus grounds, where he could leave the horses and wagon, for he did not want to take the team into town, for fear the sight of the circus animals, and the music of the band, and the steam piano, or calliope, might scare them, and make them run away. "we'll watch the parade," uncle daniel said. "then we'll come back here, eat our lunch, and go to the show in the afternoon." this plan was carried out, and a little later the children and the old folks were standing in line in the big crowd, waiting for the circus parade to come past. every once in a while someone would step out into the middle of the street, and look up and down. "is it coming? is it coming?" others in the crowd would ask. "not yet," would be the answer. "oh, look!" suddenly exclaimed bert, pointing to the window of an office building near which they were standing. "there's mr. westen taking moving pictures!" "oh, so he is!" cried nan. and there indeed, with his camera pointed out of the window, was their old friend. he saw the children and waved to them. "here it comes! here it comes!" was the sudden cry, and from the distance came the sound of music. "the parade has started! the parade has started!" was the cry that ran through the crowd. "oh, isn't this great!" cried nan, clasping her chum mabel by the arm. "it's just lovely!" the country girl said, "and so nice of your mother and uncle and aunt to ask me." "oh, we were only too glad to have you," said nan, politely, but she meant it. freddie snuggled close up to fat dinah. "don't you be afraid," he said to the black cook. "i--i won't let any wild animals get you!" "dat's a good boy, honey lamb!" she murmured, as she took hold of his hand. louder played the music. the children in the crowd began dancing up and down, so excited were they. "here it comes! here it comes!" they cried over and over again. then swept past the horses, gay with plumes, and covered with blankets of gold and silver, of purple and red. on the backs of the horses rode men and women with scarlet cloaks, carrying spears tipped with glittering silver. then came a herd of elephants, swinging themselves along, now and then sucking up dust from the street and blowing it on their big backs to keep off the flies. men rode on top of the elephants' heads. "don't be afraid! don't be afraid, dinah!" said freddie over and over again. ponies, camels, donkeys, more horses, more elephants and other animals went past in the parade. then came the gilded wagons, filled with gaily dressed men and women who nodded, smiled and waved their hands at the crowds in the streets. bert looked up at the window where mr. weston was perched with his camera, and saw him taking moving pictures. "oh, look! there's a lion in a cage!" cried freddie, suddenly. just then the big beast sent out a roar that seemed to shake the very ground, and he threw himself against the bars of his cage. "oh, he's going to get out! he's going to get out!" came the cry and the people rushed back away from the street. "no danger! no danger!" shouted the circus men. "hold on to me, dinah!" cried freddie. "hold on to me. i won't let him bite you!" more cages of wild animals rumbled past, but most of the beasts slept peacefully. only the lion seemed to want to get out, and far down the street his roar could be heard. "he's a new lion," said someone in the crowd. "he isn't used to being shut up, and he is trying to get out." "well, i hope he done stays shut up," murmured dinah. the parade came to an end at last, with the steam piano bringing up in the rear of the procession. the man played puffy little tunes, with a tooting chorus that made one want to dance. [illustration: then came a herd of elephants.] "now for lunch, and then to see the big show," said uncle daniel, as he led the way back to where the wagon had been left. and what a jolly party it was, to sit in the straw and eat nice sandwiches, pies, cookies and cakes martha and dinah had put into the baskets. there was lemonade, too, and if it was not pink, like the kind the circus men sold, it was much better and sweeter. "but when are we going into the circus?" freddie wanted to know. "soon now," said uncle daniel. a little later they made their way to the big tents. first they went in the one where the wild animals, in cages, were drawn up in a circle inside. there were lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, rhinocerosi, hippopotami, and elephants, to say nothing of the cute monkeys. "are dem cages good an' strong, mistah?" asked dinah of one of the circus attendants. "oh, yes," he answered, as he passed a carrot in to one of the monkeys. "well, dat's good," she said. "'cause i doan't want none ob dem bears or lions t' come after me when i'se watchin' de circus performers." "i'll see that none of them get loose," promised the circus man with a laugh at dinah's fears. then the bobbsey party went on in to the main tent. i wish i could tell you all they saw, but i have not the room in this book. there was a parade around the ring to start with, and then in came rushing the comical clowns, the men and women who rode on horses and who jumped from one trapeze to another. jugglers they were, men with trained horses, trick ponies, trained dogs and trained elephants. some elephants played a ball game, others turned somersaults. clowns jumped over their backs, and through paper hoops. "look here!" nan would exclaim. "no, see over there!" bert would cry. "oh, mamma, a man jumped from the top of the tent right into a big fish net!" exclaimed freddie. "look at the monkey riding on the dog's back," flossie shouted. "and see that man jump off a horse and jump on him again backwards!" called tom mason. "oh, but look at the cute ponies," sighed mabel herold. there was so much to see and talk about that the children's eyes must have been tired, and their necks aching before the circus was over. at last it came to an end with the exciting chariot races, and the crowd began to leave the big tent. "now keep close together, children," warned mrs. bobbsey. "you must not get lost in this crowd." "yes, follow me," advised uncle daniel. how it happened they could not tell, but when they reached the outside of the tent, and found a space where the crowd was not so thick, freddie was missing. "where is freddie?" asked nan, looking about for him. "freddie!" exclaimed her mother! "isn't he here?" but freddie was not with them, and with anxious faces they looked at one another. chapter xv found again "where can he be?" asked bert. "i saw him but a moment ago," said aunt sarah. "an' he jest had hold ob mah hand!" cried dinah. "oh, mah honey lamb am done et up by de ragin' lion what goes about seekin' who he kin devouer! oh landy!" "quiet, dinah, please," said uncle daniel. for dinah had called out so loudly that many in the crowd turned to look at her. "but i wants freddie--mah honey lamb!" the loving colored woman went on. "i wants him an' he's losted!" "we'll find him," said uncle daniel. "now whom was he with when we came out of the tent?" "he had hold of my hand," said bert, "but he pulled away and said he wanted to walk with dinah." "de lubbin honey lamb!" crooned dinah. "did he come with you, dinah?" went on uncle daniel, trying to find out exactly who had seen freddie last. "yais, sah, he done comed wif me fo' a little while in de crowd, an' den he slid away--he just seem t' melt away laik," explained the cook. "which way did he go?" uncle daniel wanted to know. "which way? i dunno," dinah answered. "oh, perhaps he went back to the animal tent," suggested mrs. bobbsey. she was not really frightened as yet. often before freddie had been lost, but he had generally been found within a few minutes. but he had never before been lost at a circus. this time he seemed to have melted away in the big crowd. "let's go back to the animal tent," suggested uncle daniel. "freddie was so taken with feeding the elephants peanuts that he may have gone back to do that. we'll look." "oh, if only dem ugly lions or tigers habn't got him!" sighed dinah. "the wild animals couldn't get him, 'cause they're shut up in cages, aren't they?" asked flossie. "yes, dear," nan said to her, not wanting her little sister to be frightened. "no wild animals could get freddie." "we'll soon find him," declared bert. "we'll help you look," spoke tom mason. "come on, harry." the three boys started to push their way back through the crowd toward the animal tent. "now don't you three get lost," said uncle daniel. "we won't!" answered bert, "but we're going to find freddie!" "oh, where can the darling be?" gasped aunt sarah, looking around at the crowd all about her. "what is it? what's the matter?" asked several ladies. "a little boy is lost--my nephew," aunt sarah explained. "oh, isn't that too bad!" cried the sympathetic ladies. "we hope you find him!" back into the animal tent the bobbseys and their relatives and friends pushed their way. it was not easy to work back through the crowd that was anxious to get away, now that the afternoon performance of the circus was over. "he must be in there," said uncle daniel. "we'll find him." carefully he looked through the crowd of persons who were still in the animal tent. a number had remained, with their children, to get another look at the elephants, lions and tigers. men were feeding some of the animals, now that there was a little quiet spell, and this was interesting to the youngsters. "he doesn't seem to be here," said aunt sarah, as she peered through her spectacles. "oh, he must be!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "he can't have gone on ahead of us, and if he turned back he would have to come into this tent." "oh, isn't it too bad!" exclaimed nan, looking at her brother bert, as though he could help. but bert, harry and tom, though they had quickly made a round of the circle of animal cages, had come back to say that they found no trace of freddie. "i know what to do, mamma," spoke up flossie. "what, dear?" asked her mother, hardly knowing what she was saying. "we ought to get a policeman," went on flossie. "policemans can find losted people. one found me once." "that isn't a bad idea," spoke uncle daniel. "i think perhaps i had better speak to some of the town constables who are on duty here." "suppose we look in the big main tent," said tom mason. "freddie may have wandered back in there to try and turn a somersault on one of the trapezes." "yes, it wouldn't do any harm to take a look," agreed uncle daniel. "we'll go in the big tent." into that large canvas house they went. men were busy putting away some of the articles used for the animal tricks, and the balls, hoops knives and things the japanese jugglers had used. "oh, where can he be?" murmured mrs. bobbsey. "something the matter, ma'am?" asked the ring-master, in his shiny tall hat, as he cracked his long whip. "is someone lost?" "yes, my little boy freddie, and we are so worried about him!" "well, don't worry," said the ring-master kindly. "boys, and girls too, are lost every day at our circus performances, but they are always found all right. don't worry. i'll have some of the men hunt for him. and you folks come with me. it's just possible he has been found and taken to the lost tent." "the lost tent!" exclaimed uncle daniel. "have you lost a tent, too?" "no, but we have a sort of headquarters tent, or office, where all lost children are taken as soon as the circus men find them. a woman in the tent takes care of the little ones until their folks come for them. your boy may be there waiting for you." to the lost tent went the bobbseys. they found two or three youngsters there, crying for their fathers or mothers, but freddie was not among them. "oh, he isn't here!" cried mrs. bobbsey, and tears were in her eyes now. "i wish his father were here," she went on. "he would know what to do." "now don't you worry, ma'am," said the ring-master again. "we'll surely find him for you. he may have gone in one of the side shows, to see the fat lady, or the strong man. i'll have those places searched for you." the ring-master did send some of his men to look in the side-show tents, but they came back to say that no one like freddie had been seen. by this time mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah were almost frantic with fright. nan was crying, and even bert, brave as he was, looked worried. a number of persons who had come to the circus offered to help look for freddie, but, though they searched all over, the little fat fellow could not be found. "oh, dear! what shall we do!" cried mrs. bobbsey. "dat ugly ole lion--" began dinah, when nan gave a scream. "oh, what is it, child?" asked aunt sarah. "look. there's freddie!" cried nan. "there he comes!" and she pointed to her little brother being led toward them by a boy about bert's age. chapter xvi frank's story they all gazed in the direction in which nan pointed. the crowd of visitors to the circus was thinning out now, and down toward the edge of a little creek could be seen the missing freddie walking along, his hand thrust trustingly into that of the strange boy. "why--why!" began bert. "that fellow--that boy--he--" and then he stopped. bert was not exactly sure of what he was going to say. "oh, freddie!" cried mrs. bobbsey, running forward. "where have you been! such a start as you've given us! where were you?" but freddie himself did not seem as anxious to rush into his mother's arms as she was to clasp him. he plodded along with the strange boy, looking quite content, and as if he wondered what all the fuss was about. "dere de honey lamb am!" exclaimed black dinah, a grin spreading over her face. "de ole lion didn't cotch him after all. dere's mah honey lamb!" "freddie! freddie!" cried flossie, who had been resting in uncle daniel's arms, "did a lion eat you, freddie? did he?" "a lion eat him? of course not!" laughed bert. and bert was doing some hard thinking as he stared at the strange boy who had freddie by the hand. "i thought we should find him," said uncle daniel. "i knew he couldn't be lost with all these circus people around. i say!" called mr. bobbsey's brother to one of the men who had been helping hunt for the missing boy. "just tell them that we found him, will you, please? freddie's found." "yes, sir, i'll tell 'em," said the man. "i'm glad he's all right. i'll tell 'em!" "but where were you, freddie?" asked his mother, who by this time had him safely in her arms. "oh, where were you?" "i found him down by the edge of the creek, watching 'em water the elephants," explained the strange boy, who, mrs. bobbsey thought, had a good, kind face. "you see, we water the elephants every afternoon when the show is over," the boy went on, "and it was down there i found him." "oh, i can't thank you enough for bringing him back to us," said mrs. bobbsey. "you were so good!" "i didn't know just where he belonged," the strange boy explained. "but he told me his name, and where he lived, and of course i knew i could send word to his folks, though i didn't see, at first, how he got here all the way from lakeport." "oh, we are visiting at his uncle's farm at meadow brook," explained mrs. bobbsey. "so he said," went on the boy. "i was bringing him to the lost tent, when he spied you and said you were his folks." "and i saw 'em water the elephants!" cried freddie, struggling to get loose from his mother's arms. "the elephant sucked the water up into his nose, ma, and then he squirted it down his throat just like my fire engine squirts water. only, 'course an elephant squirts lots more water than my engine. but i'm goin' to get a bigger one that squirts as much as a elephant, that's what i goin' to do. and i saw one elephant, ma, he went right out in the water and laid down in it. what do you think of that!" "the elephants often do that, ma'am," explained the strange boy. "they like to get a bath now and then, but we don't often have time to give it to them." "you speak as though you belonged to the circus," said uncle daniel. "i do," answered the boy. "that is, i'm with one of the side-shows, and i help around when there's nothing else to do." "well, it was very kind of you to bring back my little boy," went on mrs. bobbsey. freddie was busy telling flossie all the wonderful things he had seen. "oh, i didn't do anything, ma'am," the boy said. "i sort of knew this little fellow." "you knew him?" questioned uncle daniel. "well, that is i'd seen him before." "but i can't understand how freddie became lost," said mrs. bobbsey, while uncle daniel was wondering where the strange boy had seen freddie before. "how did you get lost, freddie?" his mother asked him. "lost! i wasn't lost!" he exclaimed. "i knew where i was all the time. i was with the elephants. it was you who got lost, mamma--you and nan and flossie and bert--" "well, we called you lost," laughed uncle daniel. "but you're all right now, thanks to this boy. do you live around here?" he asked. "i don't seem to remember you, though i know most of the folks in this section. but if you have seen freddie before you must live around here." "oh, no, sir," was the answer. "i'm with the circus. but i used to live--" "i know you now!" interrupted bert. "you're frank kennedy, and i was with my father, calling on mr. mason, when i saw you. freddie was with me then. don't you remember, freddie?" asked bert. "this is the boy we saw--the boy we saw getting a--" and bert stopped. he did not want to say "shaking," for it was when frank kennedy was being severely shaken by mr. mason, on account of the bad twenty dollar bill, that the strange boy had last been seen by the bobbsey lads. and on that occasion frank had run away. "oh, now i know you!" cried freddie, laughing. "yes, i am the boy you saw getting a shaking, for something that wasn't my fault!" exclaimed frank, and his voice was hard and bitter. "i made up my mind i wouldn't stand mr. mason's cruel treatment any longer, so i ran away. i did see you two boys that time i got a shaking," frank admitted. "you were in an automobile then," he went on, "and mr. bobbsey was with you." he looked around as though in search of the twins' father. "mr. bobbsey had to go back to lakeport on business," explained mrs. bobbsey. "we came over from meadow brook to the circus here to-day. and i remember mr. bobbsey speaking of you. so you ran away?" "yes'm, i ran away. i couldn't stand it in that lumber office any longer the way mr. mason treated me. it wasn't fair. and i'm never going back again, either. i don't like him, and he doesn't like me. i'll never let him be my guardian again." "poor boy!" murmured mrs. bobbsey. "you must have had a hard time. did you come with this circus as soon as you ran away?" "no'm, i had a pretty bad spell first along. when i ran away i had only the clothes i wore, and only a little money. it was my own!" he said, quickly, lest they think he might have taken it from mr. mason's lumber office. but one look at frank's face showed that he was honest. "what did you do?" asked uncle daniel. "well, i walked as far as i could the first night," frank said, going on with his story. "then i crawled in a barn to sleep." "didn't you have anything to eat?" asked nan softly. she felt very sorry for the boy. "well, i had a couple of crackers i had saved from my lunch that day," he explained. "then near the barn was a cow, and i milked her. that and the crackers was all i had for supper. but i slept good in the hay." "i had a good sleep in some hay!" exclaimed freddie, as he remembered the time they had played hide-and-go-seek in the barn. "it makes a good bed when you're tired," said frank. "what did you have for breakfast?" asked flossie. "i like an orange and oatmeal for mine." "well, i didn't have anything like that for mine," explained frank with a smile. "i didn't have much of anything the first morning. i tramped on, and finally i found a place where i could chop some wood, and a lady gave me some bread and milk. it tasted very good." "how did you get with the circus?" asked bert. that part interested him more than how frank got something to eat. "well, i just happened to come to the town where the circus was giving a show," explained frank. "i was around when the men were watering the horses and other animals, and i helped carry water. then one of the men asked me if i didn't want work, and i said i did. i was hungry then, too, and i could smell the things cooking in the circus kitchen tent. so i went to work for this show, and i've been here ever since. it's better than working in a lumber office when you get shook up every now and then," he added with a smile. "and do you still help water the elephants?" asked uncle daniel. "oh, no, i help take tickets at one of the side shows," explained frank. "the one where the fat lady and snakes are. i like it, though sometimes i help water the animals when i have nothing else to do. the circus people are good to me. i've earned enough money to get some clothes, and i'm never hungry any more. i was pretty ragged when i came to the circus, for i had been tramping around sleeping in barns, or wherever i could." "wouldn't it have been better to have gone back to mr. mason, your guardian?" asked mrs. bobbsey, for she had heard her husband tell of the time he, bert and freddie had seen the boy shaken before he ran away. "oh, no'm!" frank exclaimed. "i'm never going back to that lumber office. mr. mason accused me of losing twenty dollars for him. well perhaps i did, but it wasn't my fault that the man gave me bad money that looked like good. i'm never going back!" "well, i don't know as i blame you," said uncle daniel softly, "but a circus is no place for a young boy. it's a hard life." "are you going to stay with this show?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "until i can get something better to do," answered frank. "i know it isn't a good business, but i'll stay here until i can save some money, and then i'll look for something better. but i'll have to stay here for a while." "maybe you could give him work on the farm," suggested aunt sarah to her husband in a whisper. "i don't like him to be with a circus. and he was so good to freddie that we ought to do something for him." "he's too young to work on a farm," replied uncle daniel. "and he might be in a worse place than this circus. but we must be starting back home. it's getting late." freddie was hugged and kissed by his sisters, mother and aunt, and mrs. bobbsey insisted on making frank a little present of money, for his kindness to freddie. frank did not want to take it, but finally he did. "i'll buy some new shoes with it," he said. "i shall tell my husband how good you were to find freddie," said mrs. bobbsey, "and i am sure he will want to do something for you. i wish you would write to me once in a while. we should like to keep track of you." "i will," promised the boy, as he put down the bobbsey address. "i expect to be with this circus all summer," he said, as freddie and the other children bade him good-bye. chapter xvii a wild animal scare back to the shed where they had left the horses, went the bobbsey party, the children talking on the way of the wonderful things they had seen in the circus, while the older folks spoke of freddie being lost, and found again, by frank kennedy. "but i wasn't lost!" the little chap insisted. "i knew where i was all the time. besides, the elephants were with me, and so was frank, the boy who was shooked. i saw him shooked and so did bert, didn't you?" and freddie looked at his older brother. "well, we won't talk about that part of it," said his mother with a smile. "it isn't nice to think about, and i am glad frank is in a place now where he will be kindly treated. though perhaps mr. mason did not mean to be cruel. he was probably very sorry at losing so much money." "i like frank," said freddie. "he let me, take hold of one of the elephant's tooths." "oh, freddie!" exclaimed dinah. "it's a wonder he didn't cotch an' bite yo, honey lamb!" "oh, i didn't take hold of one of his tooths away back in his mouth," explained freddie, "it was the long tooth-pick tooth that stuck out under his nose." "he means the elephant's tusk," explained bert with a laugh. "oh, freddie! i hope you weren't in any danger!" his mother cried. "what an escape he had!" sighed aunt sarah. "suppose an elephant had eaten him!" "pooh! elephants don't eat anything but hay," said freddie, who, of course, did not mean to be impolite, speaking to his aunt that way. "frank told me so," he went on, "and i saw them eat hay. they eat a awful lot, and one of them took all my peanuts." "well, i'll buy you some more," said uncle daniel with a laugh. "you deserve it after the trouble you have had--getting lost and all that." "i--i wasn't losted!" declared freddie again. "i knew--" "oh, look at the balloons!" cried flossie, as she saw a man outside the circus grounds selling the red, green and yellow gas-bags. "i want one, mamma!" cried the little girl. "and so do i!" added freddie, forgetting what he was going to say about not being lost "i want a balloon!" they each had one, and then the children and older folks took their places in the wagon, and soon were on their way to meadow brook farm again, talking over the wonderful good time they had had. "i'm coming to the circus to-morrow," announced freddie, as though going to circuses was all there was to do in this world. "the circus won't be there," said bert. "won't be there? where will it go?" asked freddie, wonderingly. "it will travel to the next town," bert went on. "a circus stays in a town only one day, unless it's a very big place. this show will be far away by this time to-morrow." "and will frank be away, too?" asked [illustration: up, up, up, went the red and blue balloons] flossie. "i like frank, 'cause he found freddie." "yes, frank will be away, too, poor boy," said mrs. bobbsey, "that is, if he stays with the circus. i wish richard could do something for him," she went on to uncle daniel and aunt sarah. "i feel sure that boy ought to be back in his guardian's home." "but he said mr. mason was cruel to him," declared aunt sarah. "perhaps he wouldn't be any more," remarked mrs. bobbsey, wondering how anyone could be really cruel to children. she loved her twins very much. "well, i'se glad mah honey lamb am safe!" murmured dinah, as she cuddled freddie up in her big arms. "oh--oh, dinah!" cried the little fellow with a laugh. "you squeeze me like an elephant's trunk!" "dat's 'cause i lubs yo', honey lamb!" went on the dear old colored woman. back to meadow brook in the cool of the evening came the bobbseys and their friends. tom and mabel declared they had never had such a good time, and as for freddie and flossie they were too busy playing with their toy balloons to say much. but you may be sure they had enjoyed themselves, and freddie forgot all about being lost. on their way home the bobbseys had met mr. weston with his moving picture camera. he said he had made several fine views of the circus. "what about _our_ pictures?" asked nan. "the ones you took of us children near the school?" "they will soon be finished," said mr. weston. "and when they are ready to be shown, i shall send your father word, so he may bring you, and let you look at yourselves on the white screen in our moving picture theatre. won't you like that?" "that will be great!" cried bert. "i never saw myself in moving pictures." "nor i," said nan. back in the pleasant farmhouse that evening all the happenings of the day were gone over again, until mrs. bobbsey, noticing that flossie and freddie were nodding their heads, and blinking their eyes real often, said: "come now, little tots, time you were in bed. to-morrow is another day." "i'm going to take my balloon to bed with me," said freddie. "so am i!" exclaimed flossie, who wanted to do as many things as did her brother. "oh, i wouldn't," their mother said. "leave the balloons here until morning." "and then we'll have a balloon race," proposed bert. "what's a balloon race?" freddie wanted to know. "no more talk to-night, little fat fireman!" said his mother. "off to bed you go!" and he and flossie were "packed off," the other children coming soon after. freddie and flossie were up bright and early next morning, out playing with their balloons before breakfast. they tied long threads to them, and let them float above the trees. "when will we have the balloon race?" asked freddie. "whenever you like," bert answered. "only to have a race you have to let your balloon sail off, without any string fast to it, and you will not get it back again." at first freddie would not hear of that, but finally he and flossie became tired of the toy circus balloons, and came to bert to beg him to make a race for them. bert cut the string off both balloons. freddie's was red and flossie's blue. "now we'll let go of both balloons at the same time," bert explained, "and the balloon that goes up highest will win the race. now watch, everyone!" they all watched, as bert let go the toys, one from either hand. up, up, up, went the red and blue balloons. "oh, mine's going faster!" cried freddie. "no, mine is!" exclaimed flossie. and, for a time first the red balloon would be ahead, and then the blue one. but finally they both were at exactly the same height, and in that way they sailed onward and upward until they were only little specks in the blue sky, so no one could tell which one was ahead in the race. it was while the children were out in the yard in front of the meadow brook farmhouse, watching the disappearing balloons, that bert heard a stranger's voice calling. "i say, do you children know where there is a circus around here?" was the question, and, turning, nan, bert and the others saw a man in a carriage, on the road just outside the fence. "a circus?" repeated bert. "yes, i heard there was one showing around here," the man went on, "and i'd like to find it." "there was a circus over at rosedale yesterday," spoke bert, "but it has traveled on by this time. if you inquired there you could find out where it went." "i'll do that," the man said. "i'm much obliged to you," and he was about to drive on, when bert asked: "aren't you mr. mason, who has a lumber yard near my father's?" "whoa!" called the man to his horse. "yes, i'm mr. mason," he went on, "and i have a lumber yard. but i don't seem to know you." "i'm bert bobbsey," the lad said, "and my father--" "oh, yes, to be sure! of course i know you!" the man exclaimed. "why, you were the boy in the automobile the day my ward, frank kennedy, ran away from me." "yes, i was there," said bert. "well, it's about frank that i came on here," said mr. mason. "i have been tracing him. i heard he joined a circus when he ran away from me, and i want to find him and take him back. i came on here by train, and hired this horse and carriage to drive about the country. but now, when i am almost up to the circus, you tell me it has moved. that's too bad, and i'm not sure, when i find it, that frank will be with it." "i think he will be, mr. mason," said bert, quietly. "what's that?" cried mr. mason. "you think frank will be with the circus? what makes you think so?" "because we saw him with it yesterday," said nan, taking part in the talk, "and he said he was going to travel with it." "yes, that's right," agreed bert. he thought it only fair to give information about frank, since mrs. bobbsey had said she thought it would be best for the runaway boy to go back to his guardian. "hum!" exclaimed mr. mason. "if frank is with the circus, i'll soon get him. i'll drive over to rosedale, and inquire where the show went from there. i can easily trace it. much obliged to you for your information," he called over his shoulder, as he drove off. he did not stop to inquire how frank was, nor how he had fared since running away. perhaps mr. mason did not think of this. "oh, i hope he--i hope he doesn't shake frank, when he finds him," said nan, as the lumber man drove on. "i don't believe he will," remarked bert. "i fancy frank will make his guardian promise to treat him better if he goes back to the lumber office." nan and bert went in the house to tell their mother of meeting the man who was looking for frank. she said they had done right to tell what they knew. "poor boy," she sighed, "he hasn't had a very happy life, but perhaps this will be all for the good, and he may be better treated now." that afternoon, as harry and the bobbsey children, with tom mason and mabel herold were going down the road to pick some blackberries, they met a farmer boy driving an empty hay wagon. this boy knew bert, harry and tom. "hello!" he called to them, "did you hear the news about the circus?" "what news?" asked bert, wondering if the boy meant that mr. mason had reached the show and taken away frank. "news about the wild animals escaping from the circus," went on the boy on the hay-wagon. "wild animals escaping!" exclaimed nan, with a frightened look over her shoulder, while flossie came over closer to her sister. "that's it!" said the boy. "when the show was moving out of rosedale last night, some tigers and lions got loose, and ran off in the woods. they looked for 'em, but couldn't find 'em. some of the farmers around here are out now with guns." "oh, nan!" exclaimed flossie. "let's go back home! i don't like wild animals!" chapter xviii what freddie saw for a few seconds bert and harry, his cousin, stared at the boy on the hay-wagon. then harry, who knew him well, asked: "say, jim bates, are you joking or did you really hear about some wild animals escaping from the circus?" "indeed i'm not joking!" cried jim. "i did hear it! bill snowden told me. you know he lives over on the road that runs from rosedale to blaisdell and the circus went there. it went right past his house in the night, and he looked out of his window and saw the camels and elephants and wild animal cages." "i saw the elephants, too!" exclaimed freddie. "i took hold of one's big toothpick tooth. elephants eat hay. were they eating any hay when that boy saw 'em? i wish elephants would go past our house." "quiet, freddie dear, please," said nan. "we want to hear about the wild animals. did they really get loose?" she asked, and she looked over her shoulder, as did flossie and mabel herold. "well, that's what bill snowden said," replied jim bates. "of course i didn't see 'em run away myself, but i'm all ready for 'em, if i meet any bears, or lions or tigers," he added. "ready for 'em--how do you mean?" asked bert. "i've got a big club, and some stones," answered jim, and he took up from the seat beside him a stout stick, and showed where he had made a little pile of stones in the wagon. "they wouldn't hurt a lion," said freddie. "lions or tigers aren't afraid of sticks or stones. i'm going to get my fire engine. it squirts water, and wild animals is afraid of water." "yes, we've heard that story before," said bert, with a laugh. "but don't you go out hunting for wild animals with that toy engine of yours, freddie!" his older brother advised. "no, indeed," added nan. "oh, i think we ought to go home, bert." "i'm going home," said the boy on the wagon, "and if i meet any animals on the way; i'm going to throw stones at 'em." "pooh! they won't be afraid of stones," declared freddie. "yes, they will, too!" declared jim bates. "i read in a book that a bear's nose is very soft and tender, and if you hit him on it he'll howl, and run away." "i heard that, too," said harry. "i hope it's true." "well, if a bear's nose is tender, a lion's or a tiger's must be tender also," went on jim, "and if i meet any wild animals i'm going to hit 'em on the nose." "that's a good idea," bert said, with a laugh. "but how can you be sure you'll hit 'em on the nose?" "oh, i can't be sure," admitted jim, "but i'm a pretty good shot throwing stones, and i've got plenty, so if i miss the first time i'll hit 'em on the nose later. there isn't any wild animal going to get me. no sir!" and he looked at the stones and his stout club. "i should think," said mabel herold, "that if you had a good team of horses you could drive fast and get away from any wild animals you might meet." "well, i could do that, too," replied the boy on the hay-wagon. "and if i throw all my stones, and don't hit a lion or a bear on the nose, i'll whip up and get away." "well, i'm going to get away now," decided nan. "come on, flossie and mabel. we won't go berrying to-day. bears like blackberries, so i've read, and no one can tell but that there might be one in the berry patch where we are going." "oh, i don't think so!" exclaimed bert. "maybe there isn't any truth in that story after all, about the wild animals escaping. that other boy didn't see 'em get away, did he?" asked bert of jim. "no, he didn't exactly see 'em," admitted the boy on the hay-wagon, "but he heard the circus men talking in the night about how the lion and the bear and the tiger got out of their cages." "oh, come on home, nan! come on home!" begged flossie. "this is worse than the shooting in the moving pictures. let's go home." nan was very willing to go, and so was mabel. freddie, too, after thinking it over, decided that he had better go back with the girls, and get his toy fire engine ready for any possible danger. "what do you say, bert, shall we go back?" inquired harry. "well, i don't know," slowly replied the older bobbsey lad. "i don't really believe in the least that any wild animals are loose, but if the girls aren't going berrying there's no use in us going." "i guess that's right," agreed tom. "no use going on alone." and, though none of the older boys would admit it, i think they, too, were rather glad to turn back after having heard the story of the escape of the wild circus animals. "well, i'm all ready for 'em, if i meet any," declared jim, as he drove on, having told the news. on the way back bert and the others met several farmers who knew harry or tom, and each of these men said they had also heard the story of the escape of a lion, tiger and bear. "and if they are loose, some of us may miss some cattle or sheep," declared mr. ames, who lived not far from uncle daniel. "i think we farmers will have to get up a hunting party." "i'd like to come," broke in freddie. "i've got a fire engine, and wild animals is afraid--" "that will do, dear," said nan, gently putting her finger across his lips. "little boys can't go hunting wild animals." by the time the bobbsey twins and their friends had almost reached meadow brook, on their way back, they had met several persons--men or boys--who spoke of having heard of the escape of the circus animals. when the children came up the gravel walk of the farmhouse, mrs. bobbsey, seeing them from the side porch, where she was sitting, stringing beans for supper, called out: "well you are back early. did you get many berries?" "we didn't get any, mother," said nan. "we--" "it's wild animals!" burst out freddie, unable to keep quiet any longer. "a lion, a tiger and a bear! they got away from the circus, and they--they--" "what's all this?" interrupted aunt sarah, coming out with her sewing in her hands. then, by turns, with many interruptions from freddie, the story was told. dinah listened with wide-opened eyes, and if she could have turned pale i think she would have done so. but of course she could not, for she was the color of a chocolate cake, and had to stay that way. "oh, i don't believe a word of it!" exclaimed uncle daniel, when he heard the tale. "every time a circus comes to town there is a story of wild animals escaping, but i've never seen any yet. i don't believe it at all!" but the children did, and later, when uncle daniel came back from a visit to the village store that evening, he had to admit that several persons had spoken to him about the wild beasts being loose. "hadn't you better see if your shot gun is loaded?" his wife asked him. "well, i will, if it will make you feel any easier," he agreed. "but there's no danger of any of them coming near here, even if they have escaped, which i don't believe." the children were rather frightened that night, and would not go far from the porch to play in the moonlight, which they usually did before going to bed. of course bert and harry were not as frightened as were flossie and freddie, but they looked nervously over their shoulders at the dark places under the bushes as they passed them. freddie, true to his promise, got out his toy fire engine, and filled the tank with water, winding up the spring that worked the pump and sent out the stream from the little rubber hose. "now i'm ready for a lion or a tiger or a bear," he said. "well, don't dream of them," said his mother. "now it's time for bed." whether the talk of the circus animals had made freddie nervous, or whether he did dream of them, he could not clearly tell afterward. all he knew was that he did not sleep well, and, some time after going to bed he awakened with a start. there was no light in his room, but the moon shone in. he could look across to where flossie was asleep in her crib. then freddie heard a noise. it came from outside and sounded like: "wuff!" "oh! oh!" whispered freddie to himself. "that's him! that's one of the wild animals! it's a bear! that's how bears go--'wuff!' oh, it's come, and what shall i do!" he sat up in bed listening. he heard the noise again! "wuff! wuff!" then freddie decided he must be brave. without waking flossie, the little fellow slid from bed, and crossed to the window. the bear, if such it was, could not be in his room. he was sure of that, for the place was made bright by the moonlight that streamed in the window. over to this window freddie went. he looked out, and as he did so, he saw something shaggy and black walk under the lilac bush in front of the house. "there he is!" whispered freddie to himself. then in his shrill childish voice he called loud: "mamma! bert! nan! it's come! the bear! he's out in front under the bush! oh! oh! oh!" chapter xix in swimming freddie's cries roused the whole house at meadow brook, for the little bobbsey boy had a strong, ringing voice. his mother was suddenly awakened from her sleep in the next room. aunt sarah and uncle daniel heard him in their apartment. nan, bert and harry also heard him. "oh, freddie!" cried flossie, who slept in the same room with her little brother. "what is it? what is it, freddie?" and she sat up in her crib. "it's a bear--out in front--under a bush. the circus bear!" answered freddie. "i didn't see the lion or tiger, but they must be out there too, unless the bear ate them up!" "oh! oh!" cried flossie. "oh, dear!" "mamma! nan! bert!" cried nan. "come, oh, come here! dinah!" "i'se comin', honey lamb! i'se comin'!" cried the colored cook, as she heard freddie's wild cry. "what am de mattah, honey lamb?" others were asking this question now. "what's it all about?" called bert. "a bear!" answered freddie. "lions and tigers," added flossie, half sobbing. "gracious! freddie's been dreaming, or else he's talking in his sleep," said bert to harry, who was also awakened by the shouts of the little boy. by this time mrs. bobbsey was up, and had put on a dressing gown and slippers. she hurried out into the hall, to meet aunt sarah. "oh, something dreadful must have happened," said freddie's mother. but when she went in his room, she found him and flossie safe, with the little boy standing in the moonlight, near the open window. "what is it, little man?" asked aunt sarah. "hush! not so loud!" cautioned flossie. "it's bears and lions and tigers. freddie saw 'em!" she was not so frightened now. "i did not see 'em!" cried freddie. "i only saw a bear!" "oh, yes, the bear ate the lion and tiger," went on flossie, "and if snap or snoop would only eat the bear now, it would be all right." "what does it all mean?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "did you really see something, freddie, or were you dreaming?" "i did see something, mamma, and it went: 'wuff! wuff!'" freddie explained. "then it went and hid under the lilac bush. i'll show you," and, taking his mother's hand, he led her to the window, out of which he pointed. now nan, bert and harry came into the small twins' room. "what is it?" they asked. by turns flossie and freddie told their story, freddie doing the "wuff! wuff!" part very earnestly, until flossie begged him to stop, as he "skeered" her. dinah, too, came waddling into the room, bringing a candle which dripped grease down on her bare feet. the grease was hot, and as dinah felt it, she gave a yell which was almost as startling as was freddie's. "oh, what is it?" cried mrs. bobbsey. "candle grease done splashed on mah toe, an' burnt me," dinah explained, as she stood on one foot, and held the other on top of it to ease the pain. "there it is! there it is!" suddenly cried freddie. "there's the bear!" and he leaned so far out of the window that bert had to catch his little brother by his night gown to save him from a possible fall. mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah looked out, and saw a big black object come into the moonlight. "oh, it _is_ a bear!" declared mrs. bobbsey. "it does look like some strange beast," agreed aunt sarah. "i wish mr. bobbsey were here," said the lumber merchant's wife. "uncle daniel will fix him!" declared freddie. "uncle daniel's got a gun. mamma, can't i take my fire engine and squirt water on that bear?" "no, indeed!" answered mrs. bobbsey. "get back to bed right away." "dan, you'd better see what it is," said aunt sarah, as her husband, half dressed, was heard out in the hall. "there _is_ some animal under the lilac bush." "i'll soon have him out of that," said the farmer. he had his gun with him, and while the children watched from the window, they saw him step out of the kitchen door. "oh, he's going to shoot!" cried freddie in a shrill whisper, as he watched his uncle. "i don't want to hear him!" murmured flossie, as she got into her crib, and pulled the bed clothes over her ears. but bert, nan and the others watched. then, just as uncle daniel raised the gun, to shoot at something black which he saw beneath the lilac bush, an animal rushed out, and gave a howl. hardly had that died away than there sounded a loud: "bow! wow! wow!" this was repeated several times. "oh, it's only a dog!" cried bert. "is it snap?" freddie wanted to know. "no, it's a big black stray dog," answered bert. "no wonder freddie thought it was a bear," said mrs. bobbsey. "now it's all over, go back to bed, and sleep in peace." and it was only a dog that had caused all the excitement. the animal ran out into the moonlight, stood a moment looking at uncle daniel with the gun, and then gave more barks. it was as if he said he did not like to be chased away in that fashion. "well, it's a good thing i didn't shoot him," said uncle daniel as he came back into the house. "whose dog was it?" asked his wife. "snook's big black one. he was hunting for a bone, i guess, and he must have sniffed and snuffed when the dirt got up his nose. that woke freddie. it was only a dog." "only a dog!" murmured freddie. "i thought it was a bear!" "well, i'm glad it wasn't, or a tiger or lion, either," said flossie, as she curled up in her cot. soon the house was quiet again, and everyone went to sleep. in the morning freddie and flossie went out to look at the place under the lilac bush where the dog had been seen. they found a hole where he had been digging up a bone he had hidden there. and, a little later that day, the dog himself came over, to make friends with snap. he let freddie pat him. "he isn't half as big as he looked in the night," said the little fellow. "no, daylight often makes many things seem smaller--even troubles, that look very big at night," said mrs. bobbsey, with a smile. "but maybe we'll see some wild animals that got away from the circus," hopefully said freddie at dinner. "no, you won't!" exclaimed his uncle with a laugh. "why not?" asked bert. "because none got away," was the answer. "i met one of the circus men in the village this morning. he stayed behind to settle up some bills, and he said not a single animal got away. it was all a false alarm; no truth in it." "well, i'm glad of it!" declared mrs. bobbsey, and i think everyone felt better on hearing that news. mr. bobbsey came back to meadow brook the next day, and heard all about the wild animal scare, and also about freddie being lost at the circus, and frank kennedy finding him. "and mr. mason is looking for frank at the circus, wherever the show is now," said bert. "yes, so i heard," remarked mr. bobbsey. "well, i hope he treats the poor boy kindly if he takes him back." it was a hot, quiet summer afternoon, a few days later, that bert and harry, with tom mason, sat under the trees in front of the farmhouse. mrs. bobbsey and aunt sarah had gone calling, flossie and freddie were asleep in the house, and nan had gone over to see mabel herold. "what can we do?" asked bert, stretching his arms. "i don't want to do much except keep cool," spoke harry. "that's what i say!" exclaimed tom. "and i know a good way to get that way, too." "what way?" asked bert, closing his eyes. "cool. let's go swimming. it's just right for that!" "all right!" agreed harry. "fine!" cried bert. "let's do it." a little later they were on their way to the old swimming hole, near the willow tree that grew on the edge of the brook, or little river. chapter xx frank comes back "watch me dive in!" "i can swim under water!" "let's see who can first swim across to the other side of the big hole!" bert bobbsey, his cousin harry, tom mason and some other boys were standing on the bank of the little brook, or river, as it was sometimes called, all ready for a cool bath that hot summer day. the water of the "old swimming hole," as it was called, was not deep enough to be dangerous, and mrs. bobbsey was not afraid to have bert go there without his father. bert's father had taught him to swim. "all ready now?" asked harry, as the boys stood in line on the edge of the little pool, waiting for the dive. "all ready!" answered bert. "then go!" cried the farm-boy. into the water they splashed, head first, disappearing under the waves. up they bounced again, like corks, and then they began swimming for the other side. "a race! a race!" cried bert, shaking his head to get the water out of his eyes and nose. he had held his mouth tightly shut when diving, so no water had been able to get between his lips. "i'll race you!" exclaimed tom mason, and soon the boys were swimming as hard as they could toward the other bank. some of them could not swim very well, but they paddled, or swam "dog-fashion." "tom's going to win!" cried one of the boys who could not swim fast. he was now standing up in the water, looking at the three boys in the lead. "no, i think bert will get to the other side first!" said another boy, who stood on the bank, not yet having dived in. "you're all wrong, harry will beat!" exclaimed a third boy, and so it proved. harry soon passed bert and tom, and reached the farther bank first. then tom came next, while poor bert was last. "too bad you couldn't win," said harry kindly. "oh, you two are better swimmers than i am," said bert. "i don't mind being beaten that way. i guess i need more practice." "that's it," his cousin said. "i have had more chances to swim than you do, so of course i ought to be better." "you can beat me, and i swim as much as you do," said tom, who had lived in the country all his life, and near the little river. "i used to beat harry every time," said tom to bert, "but now he goes ahead of me." "well, maybe you'll beat him next time," remarked bert, with a laugh. after the little race the boys swam about as they pleased, now jumping in, or diving head first from the bank near the deeper part of the pool, sometimes swimming under water, and then jumping out to lie in the warm sand, or on the green grass. "oh, this is great fun!" exclaimed bert, as he sat on the edge of the bank, swinging his bare feet to and fro. "i'm glad we came!" "look out!" suddenly called tom, but he spoke too late. just then harry slipped quietly up behind bert and pushed him into the water. "whoop!" yelled bert, as he splashed in. he went under, but soon came up again, and, swimming to shore, crawled out. "you wait until i get hold of you!" he cried laughingly to harry. "i'll toss you in! just wait!" "you've got to get me first!" replied harry, keeping out of bert's way. bert raced after harry but did not catch him. however, bert waited his chance and a little later, when he saw harry sitting on the edge of the hole, talking to one of the other boys, bert stole softly up behind his cousin, and pushed him into the water. "wow!" cried harry as he splashed in. "now we're even," bert said with a laugh. after this the boys played some games in the water, swimming about, "ducking" one another, and having lots of fun. "well, i guess it's about time we started for home," said harry, after a bit, as he noticed the sun, like a ball of fire, sinking to rest in the western sky. "i'll have to go after the cows soon." "i'll go with you," offered bert, as the boys came out of the water, and began to dress. they were almost ready to start back home when bert noticed a boy walking along the path that extended on one side of the river. at first bert did not pay much attention to the boy, after giving him one glance, but as the strange lad came nearer bert looked at him more closely. "i wonder where i've seen that boy before?" he said aloud. "what boy?" "over there," replied bert, pointing. harry gave one look, and exclaimed: "why, don't you remember? that's the boy who found freddie when he was lost at the circus!" "oh, so it is!" exclaimed bert. "but what is he doing here? why isn't he with the show?" "i don't know," answered harry, who was trying to untangle a hard knot in his shoe lace. "better ask him." "i will, if he comes near enough," decided bert, as he finished dressing. then he "ruffled" up his hair, so it would dry more quickly. by this time they had on their clothes, and the other boy had noticed the lads who had just finished swimming. he gave them one look, and then turned hurriedly away, as if he did not want them to see him. "hold on wait a minute--frank!" called bert. the boy stopped as he heard his name mentioned. "who wants me?" he asked. "i do--bert bobbsey," was the answer. "you know me. you found my little brother freddie, when he was lost at the circus. don't you remember?" "oh--yes," was the answer. the boy walked slowly forward, and as he came nearer bert could see that he looked tired and hungry. "what's the matter?" harry asked. "why aren't you with the circus any more? did you lose your place?" "well, no, not exactly," replied frank, "but the side show i worked for busted up--i mean it failed, and i was out of a place. there was nothing else for me to do in the circus, so i had to leave it. i haven't any work now, and i don't know what to do." "that's too bad," said bert kindly. "what are you going to do?" "i don't know," and frank's voice was sad. "are you going back to the lumber office?" asked harry, for he had heard his cousin tell how frank had run away from his guardian, mr. mason, who punished the boy for taking in a confederate twenty dollar bill, that was worthless. "no, i'll never go back there!" exclaimed frank, with flashing eyes. "mr. mason was looking for you, the day after the circus showed in rosedale," said bert. "did he see you?" "no, he didn't, and i don't want to see him," frank said. "after i lost my place in the side show, where i took in tickets at the tent entrance, i started to tramp, and look for work. but i haven't found any yet. so i thought i'd come back to meadow brook. i heard there were some farms around here, and i thought maybe i could get work on one of them. if i can't--i don't know what to do," and it sounded as if frank was trying to keep from crying. chapter xxi bad money bert, harry and their chums hardly knew what to do. they felt sorry for frank, and wanted to help him, but they did not know just how to go about it. "do you know how to work on a farm?" asked harry. "well, no, not exactly," replied frank. "but i know something about the lumber business, and i guess i could chop wood. they have to do that on farms, don't they?" he asked, and he was smiling a little now. "oh, yes, wood has to be chopped," said harry. "entirely too much of it, i think. it makes my back ache." "say, why can't we ask him to come back with us?" whispered bert to harry, as frank picked up a stone and tossed it into the water. "i guess we could," said harry, slowly. "then i'm going to do it," went on bert. "i say," he spoke to frank, "wouldn't you like to come back to my uncle's house, and get something to eat? maybe he could give you work. i know harry and i have plenty to do." "i would like to come, very much," replied frank, a brighter look coming over his face. "i'll do all the work i can, too," he added, quickly. "come along then," invited harry, and as bert and frank walked along together, ahead of the others, harry told his chums how he had first met frank at the circus, the time freddie was lost. he also explained to the boys what bert had told him about frank running away. leaving their chums with whom they had gone swimming, bert and harry led frank down toward the pleasant farmhouse. freddie was out in front, playing with his toy fire engine as usual. as soon as the little bobbsey twin saw the circus lad, he exclaimed: "oh, there's my boy--my elephant-boy that found me when everybody was lost but me. oh, i'm glad to see you!" he cried, and he ran to frank, who caught freddie up in his arms, and kissed him. nan and flossie came down off the porch to see what all the excitement was about. "oh, it's the circus-boy!" flossie cried. "did you bring any trained monkeys or elephants with you?" she asked. "no, not this time, i'm sorry to say," replied frank. "they wouldn't let me take any of the animals with me when i came away." "well, did you bring any--any peanuts?" asked freddie. "peanuts are good, even if you haven't any elephants to eat 'em." "no peanuts, either," went on frank. poor lad! he looked so hungry that if he had had any peanuts he probably would have eaten them himself. "well, did you bring any--any balloons?" flossie wanted to know. "well, yes, i have some toy balloons," said frank, and he pulled some pieces of rubber from his pocket. "these are circus balloons before they are blown up," explained frank. "you can use a hollow goose quill to blow them full of air, and then tie a string, or thread, around the bottom, so the air won't come out. they won't go up like circus balloons, though," frank said. "why not?" freddie wanted to know. "because they have only air in them, instead of gas," frank explained. "gas is lighter than air, and that makes it lift the balloon. but you can have some fun with these," and he gave two each to flossie and freddie. "one of the circus men gave them to me," he went on. the children were soon playing with the balloons. by this time mrs. bobbsey had come out of the house, and when she saw frank she remembered him at once. "oh, it is very good to see you again," she exclaimed, and she looked sorry when he told her he had lost his place with the circus. "well, perhaps it is all for the best," said mr. bobbsey, when he heard the news. "a circus is not the nicest place in the world for a growing boy, though many good men and women are in circuses." "i think i'd like to work on a farm for a change," said frank. "well, you won't find farm work very easy," spoke uncle daniel, as he came out to listen to the runaway's story. "and i think you had better go back to your guardian," he added. "he has been looking for you." "so bert said," remarked frank, "but i'll never go back to that lumber office to be treated as i was before. mr. mason really wasn't fair to me." "perhaps he meant to be," said mr. bobbsey. "well, didn't he punish me for something that wasn't my fault--taking that bad twenty dollar bill?" asked frank. "he did punish you, yes," admitted mr. bobbsey, "and i am not saying he did right in that. but you were put in his charge by the courts, and he has authority to look after you, the same as a father would look after his children." "i think it is best that you go back to him," went on uncle daniel. "i never will!" exclaimed frank. "would you if i saw mr. mason and got him to promise to treat you more kindly, and overlook the loss of the twenty dollars?" asked the farmer. "well, i might," replied frank, slowly. "that's better!" exclaimed uncle daniel. "i like a young lad to have a real home," he went on, "and not be traveling about with a circus, no matter how good a show it is. what happened to the side-show you were with?" he asked frank. "oh, our biggest snake died," said the boy, "and the fat lady was taken sick, and got so thin she wasn't a curiosity any more, so the show 'busted up,' as the circus people called it." "well, maybe it's just as well," said mrs. bobbsey. "i never did like snakes, anyhow, and it can't be healthful to be as fat as that lady was. i hope she gets better, and is thin enough to be comfortable. and now we must look after you, frank. you will stay with us a few days, until mr. bobbsey and uncle daniel can arrange about your going back to your guardian." "yes," said mr. bobbsey. "now that you have promised, frank, i shall write to mr. mason, telling him you are here. he is probably searching for you, wondering what has happened to you since you lost your place with the circus." "you are very kind to me," murmured the homeless boy. "yes, and i think mr. mason will be kind to you, too, after we have had a talk with him," said mr. bobbsey. "now, frank, make yourself at home here, and have a good time." frank certainly needed a good time if anyone did, for he had not had much fun thus far in life. aunt sarah took frank to the dining-room, and soon dinah had served a meal that would make any hungry boy feel very much at home, frank said. "he shore hab got some appetite!" exclaimed dinah, as she looked in through a crack in the kitchen door, and watched frank eat. "well, i guess anyone would have an appetite if they had to live on hay and oats," said martha. "hay an' oats!" cried dinah. "did he hab t' eat hay an' oats?" "he must have," martha replied. "that's about all they have in circuses." "pore boy!" sighed dinah. "i'se gwine t' bake him a whole chocolate cake fo' his ownse'f; dat's what i am!" and she did, too, though frank shared his treat with the others, a day or so later, when it was given to him. meanwhile frank was taken in almost as one of the family by the bobbseys and their relatives and friends. freddie never wanted to be away from his "circus-boy," as he called frank, and flossie, too, was quite in love with the wanderer. "it makes me homesick for mrs. mason's two little girls," said frank to mrs. bobbsey, as he came in one day from having taken freddie and flossie for a walk. "well, it's a good sign to be homesick," said mrs. bobbsey. "it shows you like your home, in spite of some bad times there. you will soon be back again." mr. mason had been written to, and told that his ward was at meadow brook, and would go back with him if he called. but no answer had yet been received. "i suppose he is trying to find you by following up the circus," said mr. bobbsey to frank. a few days after this bert, harry and frank were on their way to the village store to get some groceries for aunt sarah. as they came near the place, in front of which was a large porch, a man was seen peering around the corner of the building. at the sight of him frank started and pulled bert by the sleeve. "what's the matter?" asked harry's cousin. "that man!" whispered frank. "see him! that's the one who gave me the bad money--the confederate twenty dollar bill. what can he be doing here? oh, if i could only get mr. mason's money back from that man!" "let's wait and see what he is doing," suggested harry. the man had not yet seen them. the boys could watch him as he seemed to be hiding back of the corner of the country store. "he's up to some trick, i'm sure," said bert. a few seconds later mr. mack, the owner of the store, came out and walked down the village street. hardly had he started off than the strange man quickly went into the store. "he's going to take the money!" exclaimed bert. "there's no one in the store now. he waited for mr. mack to come out, so he could go in and get the money." "no, i don't think that," spoke harry. "george smith, a boy i know, works for mr. mack, and attends to the store when mr. mack goes out. george must be in there now." "well, that man is up to some trick, i'm sure!" exclaimed frank. "how can we find out what it is?" "we can go in the store through the back door," said harry. "come on, we'll do it, and sneak in quietly! then we can see what's going on." quietly the three boys went into the store through the rear entrance. no one up front could see them because of the piles of boxes and barrels in front of the counters. "well, what can i do for you to-day?" the three heard george smith ask the stranger. "i want two pounds of the best butter," was the man's answer. "and i suppose you can change a twenty dollar bill, can't you?" "oh, yes," said george. "we've got that much change." "you were sure of that?" asked the man, glancing around the store nervously. "yes, sir, we always keep plenty of change on hand." "very well then, go and weigh out the butter and be sure and give me good weight." "we always give full weight, sir," answered george. bert and the others could hear, but could not see george as he weighed out the butter. then frank whispered: "i want to get near enough so i can see what kind of a twenty dollar bill that man gives this boy. maybe it will be no good, just as he fooled me." "come over here," whispered harry. "you can look through this crack between two boxes. it's right near the cash drawer, and you can see the bill when george makes change for it." frank crept up to make an observation, and as the store boy took the bill from the man, and began making change, frank could not hold back any longer. he saw that the bill was the same kind that had fooled him. it was confederate money, and utterly worthless. "don't give that man any change!" cried frank. "that's bad money!" chapter xxii happy days bert and harry were so surprised at frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say. george smith, the boy in the store, was also startled. he stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from. and then frank showed how quick he could be. "hurry up!" he whispered to bert and harry. "one of you slip around and lock the front door, and the other one lock the back. then we'll have this man trapped, and maybe i can make him pay back the money he got from me. quick!" "i'll go to the front door!" exclaimed harry. "and i'll lock the back one!" said bert. the man, who had heard frank's call from behind the pile of boxes, must have known something had gone wrong with his plan to cheat. "never mind about the butter," he said quickly. "i guess i won't buy any after all. just give me back my twenty dollar bill, and i'll get along." "oh, no, you won't!" exclaimed harry, as he slipped around some barrels. quickly running to the front door, the country boy locked it, and stood in front of it. "hurry! give me my money back, i tell you!" cried the man to george, who stood near the cash drawer, not knowing what to do. "don't you give it to him!" advised frank, stepping out. "lock the back door, bert," he called. "i have!" cried the older bobbsey boy. the man started to run behind the counter, to find a way out, but he was too late. bert had locked the door, and taken out the key. "let me out of here!" cried the stranger. "let me out!" bert and harry were somewhat frightened, but frank was brave. "you don't get out of here until you pay back the twenty dollars you cheated out of mr. mason," he said. "i don't know anything about any mr. mason!" the stranger said. "i want my twenty dollar bill back, i won't need any butter to-day!" "don't give him that money!" cried frank to george. "it's bad, and if you give it to him, he'll try to cheat someone else with it." "i'll fix you!" cried the man. but at that instant there was a rattling sound at the front door, and harry, looking through the glass panels, saw mr. mack, the store owner, and two or three other men outside. "what's the matter? what has happened? why am i locked out of my own store?" cried mr. mack, rattling the knob. "there's a cheat in here!" cried harry, unlocking the door. "there he is!" he went on, as mr. mack rushed in. "that man tried to pass a bad twenty dollar bill on your boy," went on harry. "he did, eh?" cried mr. mack. "well, i'll see about that!" "you let me go!" exclaimed the strange man. "i haven't done anything. i wanted some butter, but i changed my mind. there isn't anything wrong in that. give me my twenty dollar bill and i'll go!" "oh, no, you'll not--not until you explain," said mr. mack, and he caught the man by the arm. then the man tried to break away. "here, help me hold him!" mr. mack called to some of his friends who had come in with him. "we'll see what this is all about. who can explain?" he asked, looking at bert, harry and frank, in turn. "he can," said bert, pointing to the former circus boy. at this the stranger took a good look at frank, and he seemed much worried. "i see you know me," said frank with a smile. the man muttered something to himself. in a few words frank told how he had been cheated by the old twenty dollar confederate bill the man had passed on him some time ago, in the lumber office. "and when i saw that man, to-day, for the first time since, hiding around your store," went on frank to mr. mack, "i thought perhaps he was up to some of his old tricks. he went in as soon as you went out, and i saw him give your clerk the same kind of a bad bill he gave me. only i gave him eighteen good dollars in change." "but i didn't," said george smith with a grateful look at frank. "i was warned in time." "i tell you it is all a mistake," said the man. "you had better let me go." "the only place you will go to is prison," cried mr. mack. "take him away, constable sprigg," he said to one of the men who had come into the store with him. "take him away!" so the man who had cheated frank, and who had nearly cheated mr. mack, was locked up in jail. it was found that he had many confederate bills with him. that money was once good in the southern states, during war-times, but now it is of no value, and will not buy even a stick of candy. of course grown persons could not be fooled by the confederate bills, but boys, who had never seen any of that money, might be easily deceived. and it was on boys that the man played his tricks, giving them bad twenty dollar bills for some small purchase, and getting good money in change. "he just waited until mr. mack went out of his store," explained frank, "and he knew only a boy was left in charge. that's how he tricked me, waiting until mr. mason was out of the office." "well, you did me a good service," said mr. mack, "and if ever you are in need of work, i'll give you a place in my store to help george when i am out." "i guess frank is going back in the lumber business," said bert. the next day mr. mason came in answer to the letter he had received about frank. he brought with him the bad twenty dollar bill the man had cheated frank with, and a little later the dishonest man was taken away by a policeman, and put in a place where he would have to work hard as a punishment for cheating honest persons. the bobbseys never saw him again. everyone said frank was very smart to catch the cheat as he had done. mr. mason received back his twenty dollars, for the man had some good money in his pockets when arrested. "and now are you ready to come back with me, frank?" asked mr. mason, when everything had come out right. "i--i guess so," was the rather slow answer. "my girls are anxious to see you again," the lumber merchant went on. "they have missed you very much. and i want to say i am sorry i was so cross and severe with you," he added. "i was provoked that you should be cheated, but i realize now that it was not your fault. that man made it his business to fool boys with his bad bills. will you come back, frank? i promise to treat you better from now on." "yes, he will go back," said uncle daniel, "but he hasn't had much fun this summer. suppose you leave him here at meadow brook for a while. i think it will do frank good." "all right," agreed mr. mason. "but my wife and the girls are anxious to have him home. but let him stay here for a time." and so happy days began for frank kennedy, and the happy days continued for the bobbsey twins, and their friends and relatives. the long summer days on the farm were filled with good times. one morning freddie and flossie went out in the kitchen where dinah and martha were busy making sandwiches and wrapping cakes in waxed paper. "are we going to have company?" asked flossie. "we's gwine t' hab annuder picnic!" exclaimed dinah. "a big one!" "oh, goodie!" cried freddie. "and i'm going to take my fire engine to the woods and squirt water on snakes." "well, don't pump any fire engine watah on ole dinah, honey lamb!" begged the fat cook. "oh, a picnic! what fun!" cried nan, when she heard about it. and such good times as the bobbseys had when they went to the cool green woods, with well-filled lunch baskets! mr. mack, the store keeper, was so grateful to frank, for having saved the twenty dollars for him, that he sent a large bag of cakes and oranges for the woodland-dinner. frank went with the others, and a number of country boys and girls were invited. they played games and sat about in the long grass under shady trees to eat the good things dinah and martha had cooked. freddie played with his fire engine to his heart's content, and, though he managed to get pretty wet himself, no one else suffered much. and, a few days before frank was to go back to his guardian mr. bobbsey gave the children another treat. they were taken to a nice moving picture show at rosedale where the circus had been. after some funny reels had been shown, there was flashed on the screen a schoolhouse, with the children clustering about the teacher. "oh, it's us! it's us!" whispered nan. "those are our pictures!" "so they are!" agreed bert. and they were. views of the sham battle the children had witnessed were thrown on the screen, and then came a scene showing freddie. no sooner had he noticed himself in the pictures than he cried out loud: "oh, that's me! now watch me fall in the brook!" and he did, amid the laughter of the audience. i wish i had space to tell you of all the other things the bobbseys did at meadow brook, but this book is as full as it will hold. so i will just say that when the time came frank went back to mr. mason's home, and, a little later, the bobbseys taking snoop and snap, went back to lakeport, there to spend some weeks at home, until it was time to go on another vacation. and so, having enjoyed the company of the twins, we will say goodbye to them. the end the bobbsey twins at the seashore laura lee hope chapter i chasing the duck "suah's yo' lib, we do keep a-movin'!" cried dinah, as she climbed into the big depot wagon. "we didn't forget snoop this time," exclaimed freddie, following close on dinah's heels, with the box containing snoop, his pet cat, who always went traveling with the little fellow. "i'm glad i covered up the ferns with wet paper," flossie remarked, "for this sun would surely kill them if it could get at them." "bert, you may carry my satchel," said mrs. bobbsey, "and be careful, as there are some glasses of jelly in it, you know." "i wish i had put my hat in my trunk," remarked nan. "i'm sure someone will sit on this box and smash it before we get there." "now, all ready!" called uncle daniel, as he prepared to start old bill, the horse. "wait a minute!" aunt sarah ordered. "there was another box, i'm sure. freddie, didn't you fix that blue shoe box to bring along?" "oh, yes, that's my little duck, downy. get him quick, somebody, he's on the sofa in the bay window!" bert climbed out and lost no time in securing the missing box. "now we are all ready this time," mr. bobbsey declared, while bill started on his usual trot down the country road to the depot. the bobbseys were leaving the country for the seashore. as told in our first volume, "the bobbsey twins," the little family consisted of two pairs of twins, nan and bert, age eight, dark and handsome, and as like as two peas, and flossie and freddie, age four, as light as the others were dark, and "just exactly chums," as flossie always declared. the bobbsey twins lived at lakeport, where mr. richard bobbsey had large lumber yards. the mother and father were quite young themselves, and so enjoyed the good times that came as naturally as sunshine to the little bobbseys. dinah, the colored maid, had been with the family so long the children at lakeport called her dinah bobbsey, although her real name was mrs. sam johnston, and her husband, sam, was the man of all work about the bobbsey home. our first volume told all about the lakeport home, and our second book, "the bobbsey twins in the country," was the story of the bobbseys on a visit to aunt sarah and uncle daniel bobbsey in their beautiful country home at meadow brook. here cousin harry, a boy bert's age, shared all the sports with the family from lakeport. now the lakeport bobbseys were leaving meadow brook, to spend the month of august with uncle william and aunt emily minturn at their seashore home, called ocean cliff, located near the village of sunset beach. there they were also to meet their cousin, dorothy minturn, who was just a year older than nan. it was a beautiful morning, the very first day of august, that our little party started off. along the meadow brook road everybody called out "good-by!" for in the small country place all the bobbseys were well known, and even those from lakeport had many friends there. nettie prentice, the one poor child in the immediate neighborhood (she only lived two farms away from aunt sarah), ran out to the wagon as uncle daniel hurried old bill to the depot. "oh, here, nan!" she called. "do take these flowers if you can carry them. they are in wet cotton battin at the stems, and they won't fade a bit all day," and nettie offered to nan a gorgeous bouquet of lovely pure white, waxy lilies, that grow so many on a stalk and have such a delicious fragrance. nettie's house was an old homestead, and there delicate blooms crowded around the sitting-room window. nan let her hatbox down and took the flowers. "these are lovely, nettie," she exclaimed; "i'll take them, no matter how i carry them. thank you so much, and i hope i'll see you next summer." "yes, do come out again!" nettie faltered, for she would miss nan, the city girl had always been so kind--even lent her one of her own dresses for the wonderful fourth of july parade. "maybe you will come down to the beach on an excursion," called nan, as bill started off again with no time to lose. "i don't think so," answered nettie, for she had never been on an excursion--poor people can rarely afford to spend money for such pleasures. "i've got my duck," called freddie to the little girl, who had given the little creature to freddie at the farewell party as a souvenir of meadow brook. "have you?" laughed nettie. "give him plenty of water, freddie, let him loose in the ocean for a swim!" then nettie ran back to her home duties. "queer," remarked nan, as they hurried on. "the two girls i thought the most of in meadow brook were poor: nettie prentice, and nellie the little cash girl at the fresh-air camp. somehow, poor girls seem so real and they talk to you so close--i mean they seem to just speak right out of their eyes and hearts." "that's what we call sincerity, daughter," said mrs. bobbsey. "you see, children who have trials learn to appreciate more keenly than we, who have everything we need. that appreciation shows in their eyes, and so they seem closer to you, as you say." "oh! oh! oh!" screamed freddie, "i think my duck is choked. he's got his head out the hole. take snoop, quick, bert, till i get downy in again," and the poor little fellow looked as scared as did the duck with his "head out of the hole." "he can't get it in again," cried freddie, pushing gently on the little lump of down with the queer yellow bill--the duck's head. "the hole ain't big enough and he'll surely choke in it." "tear the cardboard down," said bert. "that's easy enough," and the older brother, coming to the rescue, put his fingers under the choking neck, gave the paper box a jerk, and freed poor downy. "when we get to the depot we will have to paste some paper over the tear," continued bert, "or downy will get out further next time." "here we are," called uncle daniel, pulling up to the old station. "i'll attend to the baggage," announced mr. bobbsey, "while you folks all go to the farther end of the platform. our car will stop there." for a little place like meadow brook seven people getting on the express seemed like an excursion, and dave, the lame old agent, hobbled about with some consequence, as he gave the man in the baggage car instruction about the trunk and valises. during that brief period, harry, aunt sarah, and uncle daniel were all busy with "good-byes": aunt sarah giving flossie one kiss more, and uncle daniel tossing freddie up in the air in spite of the danger to downy, the duck. "all aboard!" called the conductor. "good-by!" "good-by!" "come and see us at christmas!" called bert to harry. "i may go down to the beach!" answered harry while the train brakes flew off. "we will expect you thanksgiving," mrs. bobbsey nodded out the window to aunt sarah. "i'll come if i can," called back the other. "good-by! good-by!" "now, let us all watch out for the last look at dear old meadow brook," exclaimed nan, standing up by the window. "let snoop see!" said freddie, with his hand on the cover of the kitten's box. "oh, no!" called everybody at once. "if you let that cat out we will have just as much trouble as we did coming up. keep him in his box." "he would like to see too," pouted freddie. "snoop liked meadow brook. didn't you, snoopy!" putting his nose close to the holes in the box. "i suppose by the time we come back from the beach freddie will have a regular menagerie," said bert, with a laugh. "he had a kitten first, now he has a kitten and a duck, and next he'll have a kitten, a duck, and a---" "sea-serpent," put in freddie, believing that he might get such a monster if he cared to possess one. "there goes the last of meadow brook," sighed nan, as the train rounded a curve and slowed up on a pretty bridge. "and we did have such a lovely time there!" "isn't it going to be just as nice at the ocean?" freddie inquired, with some concern. "we hope so," his mother replied, "but sister nan always likes to be grateful for what she has enjoyed." "so am i," insisted the little fellow, not really knowing what he meant himself. "i likes dis yere car de best," spoke up dinah, looking around at the ordinary day coach, the kind used in short journeys. "de red velvet seats seems de most homey," she went on, throwing her kinky head back, "and i likes to lean back wit'out tumbling ober." "and there's more to see," agreed bert. "in the pullman cars there are so few people and they're always---" "proud," put in flossie. "yes, they seem so," declared her brother, "but see all the people in this car, just eating and sleeping and enjoying themselves." now in our last book, "the bobbsey twins in the country," we told about the trip to meadow brook in the pullman car, and how snoop, the kitten, got out of his box, and had some queer experiences. this time our friends were traveling in the car with the ordinary passengers, and, of course, as bert said, there was more to be seen and the sights were different. "it is splendid to have so much room," declared mrs. bobbsey, for nan and flossie had a big seat turned towards bert and freddie's, while dinah had a seat all to herself (with some boxes of course), and mr. and mrs. bobbsey had another seat. the high-back, broad plush seats gave more room than the narrow, revolving chairs, besides, the day coach afforded so much more freedom for children. "what a cute little baby!" exclaimed nan, referring to a tiny tot sleeping under a big white netting, across the aisle. "we must be quiet," said mrs. bobbsey, "and let the little baby sleep. it is hard to travel in hot weather." "don't you think the duck should have a drink?" suggested mr. bobbsey. "you have a little cup for him, haven't you, freddie?" "yep!" answered freddie, promptly, pulling the cover off downy's box. instantly the duck flew out! "oh! oh! oh!" yelled everybody, as the little white bird went flying out through the car. first he rested on the seat, then he tried to get through the window. somebody near by thought he had him, but the duck dodged, and made straight for the looking glass at the end of the car. "oh, do get him, somebody!" cried freddie, while the other strange children in the car yelled in delight at the fun. "he's kissing himself in the looking glass," declared one youngster, as the frightened little duck flapped his wings helplessly against the mirror. "he thinks it's another duck," called a boy from the back of the car, clapping his hands in glee. mr. bobbsey had gone up carefully with his soft hat in his hand. everybody stopped talking, so the duck would keep in its place. nan held freddie and insisted on him not speaking a word. mr. bobbsey went as cautiously as possible. one step more and he would have had the duck. he raised his hand with the open hat--and brought it down on the looking glass! the duck was now gazing down from the chandelier! "ha! ha! ha!" the boys laughed, "that's a wild duck, sure!" "who's got a gun!" the boy in the back hollered. "oh, will they shoot my duck!" cried freddie, in real tears. "no, they're only making fun," said bert. "you keep quiet and we will get him all right." by this time almost everyone in the car had joined in the duck hunt, while the frightened little bird seemed about ready to surrender. downy had chosen the highest hanging lamps as his point of vantage, and from there he attempted to ward off all attacks of the enemy. no matter what was thrown at him he simply flew around the lamp. as it was a warm day, chasing the duck was rather too vigorous exercise to be enjoyable within the close confines of a poorly ventilated car, but that bird had to be caught somehow. "oh, the net!" cried bert, "that mosquito netting over there. we could stretch it up and surely catch him." this was a happy thought. the baby, of course, was awake and joined in the excitement, so that her big white mosquito netting was readily placed at the disposal of the duck hunters. a boy named will offered to help bert. "i'll hold one end here," said will, "and you can stretch yours opposite, so we will screen off half of the car, then when he comes this way we can readily bag him." will was somewhat older than bert, and had been used to hunting, so that the present emergency was sport to him. the boys now brought the netting straight across the car like a big white screen, for each held his hands up high, besides standing on the arm of the car seats. "now drive him this way," called bert to his father and the men who were helping him. "shoo! shoo! shoo!" yelled everybody, throwing hats, books, and newspapers at the poor lost duck. "shoo!" again called a little old lady, actually letting her black silk bag fly at the lamp. of course poor downy had to shoo, right into the net! bert and will brought up the four ends of the trap and downy flopped. "that's the time we bagged our game," laughed will, while everybody shouted and clapped, for it does not take much to afford real amusement to passengers, who are traveling and can see little but the other people, the conductor, and newspapers. "we've got him at last," cried freddie in real glee, for he loved the little duck and feared losing his companionship. "and he will have to have his meals served in his room for the rest of his trip," laughed mrs. bobbsey, as the tired little downy was once more put in his perforated box, along the side of the tin dipper of water, which surely the poor duck needed by this time. chapter ii a traveling menagerie it took some time for the people to get settled down again, for all had enjoyed the fun with the duck. the boys wanted freddie to let him out of the box, on the quiet, but bert overheard the plot and put a stop to it. then, when the strange youngsters got better acquainted, and learned that the other box contained a little black kitten, they insisted on seeing it. "we'll hold him tight," declared the boy from the back seat, "and nothing will happen to him." "but you don't know snoop," insisted bert. "we nearly lost him coming up in the train, and he's the biggest member of freddie's menagerie, so we have to take good care of him." mr. bobbsey, too, insisted that the cat should not be taken out of the box; so the boys reluctantly gave in. "now let us look around a little," suggested mrs. bobbsey, when quiet had come again, and only the rolling of the train and an occasional shrill whistle broke in on the continuous rumble of the day's journey. "yes, dinah can watch the things and we can look through the other cars," agreed mr. bobbsey. "we might find someone we know going down to the shore." "be awful careful of snoop and downy," cautioned freddie, as dinah took up her picket duty. "look out the boys don't get 'em," with a wise look at the youngsters, who were spoiling for more sport of some kind. "dis yeah circus won't move 'way from dinah," she laughed. "when i goes on de police fo'ce i takes good care ob my beat, and you needn't be a-worryin', freddie, de snoopy kitty cat and de downy duck will be heah when you comes back," and she nodded her wooly head in real earnest. it was an easy matter to go from one car to the other as they were vestibuled, so that the bobbsey family made a tour of the entire train, the boys with their father even going through the smoker into the baggage car, and having a chance to see what their own trunk looked like with a couple of railroad men sitting on it. "don't you want a job?" the baggagemaster asked freddie. "we need a man about your size to lift trunks off the cars for us." of course the man was only joking, but freddie always felt like a real man and he answered promptly: "nope, i'm goin' to be a fireman. i've put lots of fires out already, besides gettin' awful hurted on the ropes with 'frisky.'" "frisky, who is he?" inquired the men. "why, our cow out in meadow brook. don't you know frisky?" and freddie looked very much surprised that two grown-up people had never met the cow that had given him so much trouble. "why didn't you bring him along?" the men asked further. "have you got a cow car?" freddie asked in turn. "yes, we have. would you like to see one?" went on one of the railroaders. "if your papa will bring you out on the platform at the next stop, i'll show you how our cows travel." mr. bobbsey promised to do this, and the party moved back to meet nan, flossie, and their mamma. freddie told them at once about his promised excursion to the cattle car, and, of course, the others wanted to see, too. "if we stop for a few minutes you may all come out," mr. bobbsey said. "but it is always risky to get off and have to scramble to get back again. sometimes they promise us five minutes and give us two, taking the other three to make up for lost time." the train gave a jerk, and the next minute they drew up to a little way station. "here we are, come now," called mr. bobbsey, picking freddie up in his arms, and telling the others to hurry after him. "oh, there go the boys from our car!" called bert, as quite a party of youngsters alighted. "they must be going on a picnic; see their lunch boxes." "i hope snoop is all right," freddie reflected, seeing all the lunch boxes that looked so much like snoop's cage. "come on, little fellow," called the baggage man, "we only have a few minutes." then they took freddie to the rear car and showed him a big cage of cows--it was a cage made of slates, with openings between, and through the openings could be seen the crowded cattle. "oh, i would never put frisky in a place like that," declared freddie; "he wouldn't have room to move." "there is not much room, that's a fact," agreed the man. "but you see cows are not first-class passengers." "but they are good, and know how to play, and they give milk," said freddie, speaking up bravely for his country friends. "what are you going to do with all of these cows?" "i don't know," replied the man, not just wanting to talk about beefsteak. "maybe they're going out to the pasture." one pretty little cow tried to put her head out through the bars, and bert managed to give her a couple of crackers from his pocket. she nibbled them up and bobbed her head as if to say: "thank you, i was very hungry." "they are awfully crowded," nan ventured, "and it must be dreadful to be packed in so. how do they manage to get a drink?" "they will be watered to-night," replied the man, and then the bobbseys had to all hurry to get on the train again, for the locomotive whistle had blown and the bell was ringing. they found dinah with her face pressed close to the window pane, enjoying the sights on the platform. "i specked you was clean gone and left me," she laughed. "s'pose you saw lots of circuses, freddie?" "a whole carful," he answered, "but, dinah," he went on, looking scared, "where's snoop?" the box was gone! "right where you left him," she declared. "i nebber left dis yeah spot, and nobody doan come ter steal de snoopy kitty cat." dinah was crawling around much excited, looking for the missing box. bert, nan, and flossie, of course, all rummaged about, and even mr. and mrs. bobbsey joined in the search. but there was no box to be found. "oh, the boys have stoled my cat!" wailed freddie. "i dust knowed they would!" and he cried outright, for snoop was a dear companion of the little fellow, and why should he not cry at losing his pet? "now wait," commanded his father, "we must not give up so easily. perhaps the boys hid him some place." "but suah's you lib i nebber did leab dis yeah seat," insisted dinah, which was very true. but how could she watch those boys and keep her face so close to the window? besides, a train makes lots of noise to hide boys' pranks. "now, we will begin a systematic search," said mr. bobbsey, who had already found out from the conductor and brakeman that they knew nothing about the lost box. "we will look in and under every seat. then we will go through all the baggage in the hangers" (meaning the overhead wire baskets), "and see if we cannot find snoop." the other passengers were very kind and all helped in the hunt. the old lady who had thrown her hand bag at downy thought she had seen a boy come in the door at the far end of the car, and go out again quickly, but otherwise no one could give any information that would lead to the discovery of the person or parties who had stolen snoop. all kinds of traveling necessities were upset in the search. some jelly got spilled, some fresh country eggs were cracked, but everybody was good-natured and no one complained. yet, after a thorough overhauling of the entire car there was no snoop to be found! "he's gone!" they all admitted, the children falling into tears, while the older people looked troubled. "they could hardly have stolen him," mr. bobbsey reflected, "and the conductor is sure not one of those boys went in another car, for they all left the train at ramsley's." "i don't care!" cried freddie, aloud, "i'll just have every one of them arrested when we get to auntie's. i knowed they had snoop in their boxes." how snoop could be "in boxes" and how the boys could be found at auntie's were two much mixed points, but no one bothered freddie about such trifles in his present grief. "why doan you call dat kitty cat?" suggested dinah, for all this time no one had thought of that. "i couldn't," answered freddie, "'cause he ain't here to call." and he went on crying. "snoop! snoop! snoop cat!" called dinah, but there was no familiar "me-ow" to answer her. "now, freddie boy," she insisted, "if dat cat is alibe he will answer if youse call him, so just you stop a-sniffing and come along. dere's a good chile," and she patted him in her old way. "come wit dinah and we will find snoop." with a faint heart the little fellow started to call, beginning at the front door and walking slowly along toward the rear. "stoop down now and den," ordered dinah, "cause he might be hiding, you know." freddie had reached the rear door and he stopped. "now jist gib one more good call" said dinah, and freddie did. "snoop! snoop!" he called. "me-ow," came a faint answer. "oh, i heard him!" cried freddie. "so did i!" declared dinah. instantly all the other bobbseys were on the scene. "he's somewhere down here," said dinah. "call him, freddie!" "snoop! snoop!" called the boy again. "me-ow--me-ow!" came a distant answer. "in the stove!" declared bert, jerking open the door of the stove, which, of course, was not used in summer, and bringing out the poor, frightened, little cat. chapter iii railroad tennis "oh, poor little snoop!" whispered freddie, right into his kitten's ear. "i'm so glad i got you back again!" "so are we all," said a kind lady passenger who had been in the searching party. "you have had quite some trouble for a small boy, with two animals to take care of." everybody seemed pleased that the mischievous boys' pranks had not hurt the cat, for snoop was safe enough in the stove, only, of course, it was very dark and close in there, and snoop thought he surely was deserted by all his good friends. perhaps he expected freddie would find him, at any rate he immediately started in to "purr-rr," in a cat's way of talking, when freddie took him in his arms, and fondled him. "we had better have our lunch now," suggested mrs. bobbsey, "i'm sure the children are hungry." "it's just like a picnic," remarked flossie, when dinah handed around the paper napkins and mrs. bobbsey served out the chicken and cold-tongue sandwiches. there were olives and celery too, besides apples and early peaches from uncle daniel's farm. "let us look at the timetable, see where we are now, and then see where we will be when we finish," proposed bert. "oh yes," said nan, "let us see how many miles it takes to eat a sandwich." mr. bobbsey offered one to the conductor, who just came to punch tickets. "this is not the regular business man's five-minute lunch, but the five-mile article seems more enjoyable," said mr. bobbsey. "easier digested," agreed the conductor, accepting a sandwich. "you had good chickens out at meadow brook," he went on, complimenting the tasty morsel he was chewing with so much relish. "yes, and ducks," said freddie, which remark made everybody laugh, for it brought to mind the funny adventure of little white downy, the duck. "they certainly can fly," said the conductor with a smile, as he went along with a polite bow to the sandwich party. bert had attended to the wants of the animals, not trusting freddie to open the boxes. snoop got a chicken leg and downy had some of his own soft food, that had been prepared by aunt sarah and carried along in a small tin can. "well, i'se done," announced dinah, picking up her crumbs in her napkins. "bert, how many miles you say it takes me to eat?" "let me see! five, eight, twelve, fourteen: well, i guess dinah, you had fifteen miles of a chicken sandwich." "an' you go 'long!" she protested. "'taint no sech thing. i ain't got sich a long appetite as date. fifteen miles! lan'a massa! whot you take me fo?" everybody laughed and the children clapped hands at the length of dinah's appetite, but when the others had finished they found their own were even longer than the maid's, the average being eighteen miles! "when will we get to aunt emily's?" flossie asked, growing tired over the day's journey. "not until night," her father answered. "when we leave the train we will have quite a way to go by stage. we could go all the way by train, but it would be a long distance around, and i think the stage ride in the fresh air will do us good." "oh yes, let's go by the stage," pleaded freddie, to whom the word stage was a stranger, except in the way it had been used at the meadow brook circus. "this stage will be a great, big wagon," bert told him, "with seats along the sides." "can i sit up top and drive?" the little one asked. "maybe the man will let you sit by him," answered mr. bobbsey, "but you could hardly drive a big horse over those rough roads." the train came to a standstill, just then, on a switch. there was no station, but the shore train had taken on another section. "can flossie and i walk through that new car?" nan asked, as the cars had been separated and the new section joined to that directly back of the one which the bobbseys were in. "why, yes, if you are very careful," the mother replied, and so the two little girls started off. dinah took freddie on her lap and told him his favorite story about "pickin' cotton in de souf," and soon the tired little yellow head fell off in the land of nod. bert and his father were enjoying their magazines, while mrs. bobbsey busied herself with some fancy work, so a half-hour passed without any more excitement. at the end of that time the girls returned. "oh, mother!" exclaimed nan, "we found mrs. manily, the matron of the meadow brook fresh air camp, and she told us nellie, the little cash girl, was so run down the doctors think she will have to go to the seashore. mother, couldn't we have her down with us awhile?" "we are only going to visit, you know, daughter, and how can we invite more company? but where is mrs. manily? i would like to talk to her," said mrs. bobbsey, who was always interested in those who worked to help the poor. nan and flossie brought their mother into the next car to see the matron. we told in our book, "the bobbsey twins in the country," how good a matron this mrs. manily was, and how little nellie, the cash girl, one of the visitors at the fresh air camp, was taken sick while there, and had to go to the hospital tent. it was this little girl that nan wanted to have enjoy the seashore, and perhaps visit aunt emily. mrs. manily was very glad to see mrs. bobbsey, for the latter had helped with money and clothing to care for the poor children at the meadow brook camp. "why, how pleasant to meet a friend in traveling!" said the matron as she shook hands with mrs. bobbsey. "you are all off for the seashore, the girls tell me." "yes," replied mrs. bobbsey. "one month at the beach, and we must then hurry home to lakeport for the school days. but nan tells me little nellie is not well yet?" "no, i am afraid she will need another change of air to undo the trouble made by her close confinement in a city store. she is not seriously sick, but so run down that it will take some time for her to get strong again," said the matron. "have you a camp at the seashore?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "no; indeed, i wish we had," answered the matron. "i am just going down now to see if i can't find some place where nellie can stay for a few weeks." "i'm going to visit my sister, mrs. minturn, at ocean cliff, near sunset beach," said mrs. bobbsey. "they have a large cottage and are always charitable. if they have no other company i think, perhaps, they would be glad to give poor little nellie a room." "that would be splendid!" exclaimed the matron. "i was going to do a line of work i never did before. i was just going to call on some of the well-to-do people, and ask them to take nellie. we had no funds, and i felt so much depended on the change of air, i simply made up my mind to go and do what i could." "then you can look in at my sister's first," said mrs. bobbsey. "if she cannot accommodate you, perhaps she can tell who could. now, won't you come in the other car with us, and we can finish our journey together?" "yes, indeed i will. thank you," said the matron, gathering up her belongings and making her way to the bobbsey quarters in the other car. "won't it be lovely to have nellie with us!" nan said to flossie, as they passed along. "i am sure aunt emily will say yes." "so am i," said little flossie, whose kind heart always went out when it should. "i know surely they would not let nellie die in the city while we enjoy the seaside." freddie was awake now, and also glad to see mrs. manily. "where's sandy?" he inquired at once. sandy had been his little chum from the meadow brook camp. "i guess he is having a nice time somewhere," replied mrs. manily. "his aunt found him out, you know, and is going to take care of him now." "well, i wish he was here too," said freddie, rubbing his eyes. "we're goin' to have lots of fun fishing in the ocean." the plan for nellie was told to mr. bobbsey, who, of course agreed it would be very nice if aunt emily and uncle william were satisfied. "and what do you suppose those boxes contain?" said mrs. bobbsey to mrs. manily, pointing to the three boxes in the hanger above them. "shoes?" ventured the matron. "nope," said freddie. "one hat, and my duck and my cat. downy is my duck and snoop is my cat." then nan told about the flight of the duck and the "kidnapping" of snoop. "we put them up there out of the way," finished nan, "so that nothing more can happen to them." the afternoon was wearing out now, and the strong summer sun shrunk into thin strips through the trees, while the train dashed along. as the ocean air came in the windows, the long line of woodland melted into pretty little streams, that make their way in patches for many miles from the ocean front. "like 'baby waters'" nan said, "just growing out from the ocean, and getting a little bit bigger every year." "won't we soon be there?" asked freddie, for long journeys are always tiresome, especially to a little boy accustomed to many changes in the day's play. "one hour more," said mr. bobbsey, consulting his watch. "let's have a game of ball, nan?" suggested bert, who never traveled without a tennis ball in his pocket. "how could we?" the sister inquired. "easily," said bert. "we'll make up a new kind of game. we will start in the middle of the car, at the two center seats, and each move a seat away at every catch. then, whoever misses first must go back to center again, and the one that gets to the end first, wins." "all right," agreed nan, who always enjoyed her twin brother's games. "we will call it railroad tennis." just as soon as nan and bert took their places, the other passengers became very much interested. there is such a monotony on trains that the sports the bobbseys introduced were welcome indeed. we do not like to seem proud, but certainly these twins did look pretty. nan with her fine back eyes and red cheeks, and bert just matching her; only his hair curled around, while hers fell down. their interest in railroad tennis made their faces all the prettier, and no wonder the people watched them so closely. freddie was made umpire, to keep him out of a more active part, because he might do damage with a ball in a train, his mother said; so, as nan and bert passed the ball, he called,--his father prompting him: "ball one!" "ball two!" "ball three!" bert jerked with a sudden jolt of the train and missed. "striker's out!" called the umpire, while everybody laughed because the boy had missed first. then bert had to go all the way back to center, while nan was four seats down. three more balls were passed, then nan missed. "i shouldn't have to go all the way back for the miss," protested nan. "you went three seats back, so i'll go three back." this was agreed to by the umpire, and the game continued. a smooth stretch of road gave a good chance for catching, and both sister and brother kept moving toward the doors now, with three points "to the good" for nan, as a big boy said. who would miss now? everybody waited to see. the train struck a curve! bert threw a wild ball and nan missed it. "foul ball!" called the umpire, and bert did not dispute it. then nan delivered the ball. "oh, mercy me!" shrieked the old lady, who had thrown the handbag at downy, the duck, "my glasses!" and there, upon the floor, lay the pieces. nan's ball had hit the lady right in the glasses, and it was very lucky they did not break until they came in contact with the floor. "i'm so sorry!" nan faltered. "the car jerked so i could not keep it." "never mind, my dear," answered the nice old lady, "i just enjoyed that game as much as you did, and if i hadn't stuck my eyes out so, they would not have met your ball. so, it's all right. i have another pair in my bag." so the game ended with the accident, for it was now time to gather up the baggage for the last stop. chapter iv night in a barn "beach junction! all off for the junction!" called the train men, while the bobbseys and mrs. manily hurried out to the small station, where numbers of carriages waited to take passengers to their cottages on the cliffs or by the sea. "sure we haven't forgotten anything?" asked mrs. bobbsey, taking a hasty inventory of the hand baggage. "bert's got snoop and i've got downy," answered freddie, as if the animals were all that counted. "and i've got my hatbox and flowers," added nan. "and i have my ferns," said little flossie. "i guess we're all here this time," mr. bobbsey finished, for nothing at all seemed to be missing. it was almost nightfall, and the beautiful glow of an ocean sunset rested over the place. at the rear of the station an aged stage driver sat nodding on his turnout. the stage coach was an "old timer," and had carried many a merry party of sightseers through the sandy roads of oceanport and sunset beach, while hank, the driver, called out all spots of interest along the way. and hank had a way of making things interesting. "pike's peak," he would call out for cliff hill. "the giant's causeway," he would announce for rocky turn. and so hank was a very popular stage driver, and never had to look for trade--it always came to him. "that's our coach," said mr. bobbsey, espying hank. "hello there! going to the beach?" he called to the sleepy driver. "that's for you to say," replied hank, straightening up. "could we get to ocean cliff--minturn's place--before dark?" asked mr. bobbsey, noticing how rickety the old stagecoach was. "can't promise," answered hank, "but you can just pile in and we'll try it." there was no choice, so the party "piled" into the carryall. "isn't this fun?" remarked mrs. manily, taking her seat up under the front window. "it's like going on a may ride." "i'm afraid it will be a moonlight ride at this rate," laughed mr. bobbsey, as the stagecoach started to rattle on. freddie wanted to sit in front with hank but mrs. bobbsey thought it safer inside, for, indeed, the ride was risky enough, inside or out. as they joggled on the noise of the wheels grew louder and louder, until our friends could only make themselves heard by screaming at each other. "night is coming," called mrs. bobbsey, and dinah said: "suah 'nough we be out in de night dis time." it seemed as if the old horses wanted to stand still, they moved so slowly, and the old wagon creaked and cracked until hank, himself, turned round, looked in the window, and shouted: "all right there?" "guess so," called back mr. bobbsey, "but we don't see the ocean yet." "oh, we'll get there," drawled hank, lazily. "we should have gone all the way by train," declared mrs. bobbsey, in alarm, as the stage gave one squeak louder than the others. "haven't you got any lanterns?" shouted mr. bobbsey to hank, for it was pitch-dark now. "never use one," answered the driver. "when it's good and dark the moon will come up, but we'll be there 'fore that. get 'long there, doll!" he called to one horse. "go 'long, kit!" he urged the other. the horses did move a little faster at that, then suddenly something snapped and the horses turned to one side. "whoa! whoa!" called hank, jerking on the reins. but it was too late! the stage coach was in a hole! several screamed. "sit still!" called mr. bobbsey to the excited party. "it's only a broken shaft and the coach can't upset now." flossie began to cry. it was so dark and black in that hole. hank looked at the broken wagon. "well, we're done now," he announced, with as little concern as if the party had been safely landed on aunt emily's piazza, instead of in a hole on the roadside. "do you mean to say you can't fix it up?" mr. bobbsey almost gasped. "not till i get the stage to the blacksmith's," replied hank. "then, what are we going to do?" mr. bobbsey asked, impatiently. "well, there's an empty barn over there," hank answered. "the best thing you can do is pitch your tent there till i get back with another wagon." "barn!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "how long will it take you to get a wagon?" demanded mr. bobbsey. "not long," said hank, sprucing up a trifle. "you just get yourselves comfortable in that there barn. i'll get the coach to one side, and take a horse down to sterritt's. he'll let me have a horse and a wagon, and i'll be back as soon as i kin make it." "there seems nothing else to do," mr. bobbsey said. "we may as well make the best of it." "why, yes," mrs. manily spoke up, "we can pretend we are having a barn dance." and she smiled, faintly. nevertheless, it was not very jolly to make their way to the barn in the dark. dinah had to carry freddie, he was so sleepy; mrs. manily took good care of flossie. but, of course, there was the duck and the cat, that could not be very safely left in the broken-down stagecoach. "say, papa!" bert exclaimed, suddenly, "i saw an old lantern up under the seat in that stagecoach. maybe it has some oil in it. i'll go back and see." "all right, son," replied the father, "we won't get far ahead of you." and while bert made his way back to the wagon, the others bumped up and down through the fields that led to the vacant barn. there was no house within sight. the barn belonged to a house up the road that the owners had not moved into that season. "i got one!" called bert, running up from the road. "this lantern has oil in, i can hear it rattle. have you a match, pa?" mr. bobbsey had, and when the lantern had been lighted, bert marched on ahead of the party, swinging it in real signal fashion. "you ought to be a brakeman," nan told her twin brother, at which remark bert swung his light above his head and made all sorts of funny railroad gestures. the barn door was found unlocked, and excepting for the awful stillness about, it was not really so bad to find refuge in a good, clean place like that, for outside it was very damp--almost wet with the ocean spray. mr. bobbsey found seats for all, and with the big carriage doors swung open, the party sat and listened for every sound that might mean the return of the stage driver. "come, freddie chile," said dinah, "put yer head down on dinah's lap. she won't let nothin' tech you. an' youse kin jest go to sleep if youse a mind ter. i'se a-watchin' out." the invitation was welcome to the tired little youngster, and it was not long before he had followed dinah's invitation. next, flossie cuddled up in mrs. manily's arms and stopped thinking for a while. "it is awfully lonely," whispered nan, to her mother, "i do wish that man would come back." "so do i," agreed the mother. "this is not a very comfortable hotel, especially as we are all tired out from a day's journey." "what was that?" asked bert, as a strange sound, like a howl, was heard. "a dog," lightly answered the father. "i don't think so," said bert. "listen!" "oh!" cried flossie, starting up and clinging closer to mrs. manily, "i'm just scared to death!" "dinah, i want to go home," cried freddie. "take me right straight home." "hush, children, you are safe," insisted their mother. "the stage driver will be back in a few minutes." "but what is that funny noise?" asked freddie. "it ain't no cow, nor no dog." the queer "whoo-oo-oo" came louder each time. it went up and down like a scale, and "left a hole in the air," bert declared. "it's an owl!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, and she was right, for up in the abandoned hay loft the queer old birds had found a quiet place, and had not been disturbed before by visitors. "let's get after them," proposed bert, with lantern in hand. "you would have a queer hunt," his father told him; "i guess you had better not think of it. hark! there's a wagon! i guess hank is coming back to us," and the welcome sound of wheels on the road brought the party to their feet again. "hello there!" called hank. "here you are. come along now, we'll make it this time." it did not take the bobbseys long to reach the roadside and there they found hank with a big farm wagon. the seats were made of boards, and there was nothing to hold on to but the edge of the boards. but the prospect of getting to aunt emily's at last made up for all their inconveniences, and when finally hank pulled the reins again, our friends gave a sigh of relief. chapter v a queer stage driver "i reckon i'll have to make another trip to get that old coach down to the shop," growled the stage driver, as he tried to hurry the horses, kit and doll, along. "i hardly think it is worth moving," mr. bobbsey said, feeling somewhat indignant that a hackman should impose upon his passengers by risking their lives in such a broken-down wagon. "not worth it? wall! i guess hank don't go back on the old coach like that. why, a little grease and a few bolts will put that rig in tip-top order." and he never made the slightest excuse for the troubles he had brought upon the bobbseys. "oh, my!" cried nan, "my hatbox! bert you have put your foot right into my best hat!" "couldn't help it," answered the brother; "i either had to go through your box or go out of the back of this wagon, when that seat slipped," and he tried to adjust the board that had fallen into the wagon. "land sakes alive!" exclaimed dinah. "say, you driver man there!" she called in real earnest, "ef you doan go a little carefuler wit dis yere wagon you'll be spilling us all out. i just caught dat cat's box a-sliding, and lan' only knows how dat poor little downy duck is, way down under dat old board." "hold on tight," replied hank, as if the whole thing were a joke, and his wagon had the privilege of a toboggan slide. "my!" sighed mrs. bobbsey, putting her arms closer about flossie, "i hope nothing more happens." "i am sure we are all right now," mrs. manily assured her. "the road is broad and smooth here, and it can't be far to the beach." "here comes a carriage," said bert, as two pretty coach lights flashed through the trees. "hello there!" called someone from the carriage. "uncle william!" nan almost screamed, and the next minute the carriage drew up alongside the wagon. "well, i declare," said uncle william minturn, jumping front his seat, and beginning to help the stranded party. "we are all here," began mr. bobbsey, "but it was hard work to keep ourselves together." "oh, uncle william," cried freddie, "put me in your carriage. this one is breakin' down every minute." "come right along, my boy. i'll fix you up first," declared the uncle, giving his little nephew a good hug as he placed him on the comfortable cushions inside the big carriage. there was not much chance for greetings as everybody was too anxious to get out of the old wagon. so, when all the boxes had been carefully put outside with the driver, and all the passengers had taken their places on the long side seats (it was one of those large side-seated carriages that uncle william had brought, knowing he would have a big party to carry), then with a sigh of relief mrs. bobbsey attempted to tell something of their experiences. "but how did you know where we were?" bert asked. "we had been waiting for you since four o'clock," replied uncle william. "then i found out that the train was late, and we waited some more. but when it came to be night and you had not arrived, i set out looking for you. i went to the junction first, and the agent there told me you had gone in hank's stage. i happened to be near enough to the livery stable to hear some fellows talking about hank's breakdown, with a big party aboard. i knew then what had happened, and sent dorothy home,--she had been out most of the afternoon waiting--got this carryall, and here we are," and uncle william only had to hint "hurry up" to his horses and away they went. "oh, we did have the awfulest time," insisted freddie. "i feel as if we hadn't seen a house in a whole year," sighed little flossie. "and we only left meadow brook this morning," added nan. "it does seem much longer than a day since we started." "well, you will be in aunt emily's arms in about two minutes now," declared uncle william, as through the trees the lights from ocean cliff, the minturn cottage, could now be seen. "hello! hello!" called voices from the veranda. "aunt emily and dorothy!" exclaimed bert, and called back to them: "here we come! here we are!" and the wagon turned in to the broad steps at the side of the veranda. "i've been worried to death," declared aunt emily, as she began kissing the girls. "we have brought company," said mrs. bobbsey, introducing mrs. manily, "and i don't know what we should have done in all our troubles if she had not been along to cheer us up." "we are delighted to have you," said aunt emily to mrs. manily, while they all made their way indoors. "oh, nan!" cried dorothy, hugging her cousin as tightly as ever she could, "i thought you would never come!" "we were an awfully long time getting here," nan answered, returning her cousin's caress, "but we had so many accidents." "nothing happened to your appetites, i hope," laughed uncle william, as the dining-room doors were swung open and a table laden with good things came into sight. "i think i could eat," said mrs. bobbsey, then the mechanical piano player was started, and the party made their way to the dining room. uncle william took mrs. manily to her place, as she was a stranger; bert sat between dorothy and nan, mr. bobbsey looked after aunt emily, and mr. jack burnet, a friend of uncle william, who had been spending the evening at the cottage, escorted mrs. bobbsey to her place. "come, flossie, my dear, you see i have gotten a tall chair for you," said aunt emily, and flossie was made comfortable in one of those "between" chairs, higher than the others, and not as high as a baby's. it was quite a brilliant dinner party, for the minturns were well-to-do and enjoyed their prosperity as they went along. mrs. minturn had been a society belle when she was married. she was now a graceful young hostess, with a handsome husband. she had married earlier than her sister, mrs. bobbsey, but kept up her good times in spite of the home cares that followed. during the dinner, dinah helped the waitress, being perhaps a little jealous that any other maid should look after the wants of flossie and freddie. "oh, dinah!" exclaimed freddie, as she came in with more milk for him, "did you take snoop out of the box and did you give downy some water?" "i suah did, chile," said dinah, "and you jest ought ter see that downy duck fly 'round de kitchen. why, he jest got one of dem fits he had on de train, and we had to shut him in de pantry to get hold ob him." the waitress, too, told about the flying duck, and everybody enjoyed hearing about the pranks of freddie's animals. "we've got a lovely little pond for him, freddie," said dorothy. "there is a real little lake out near my donkey barn, and your duck will have a lovely time there." "but he has to swim in the ocean," insisted freddie, "'cause we're going to train him to be a circus duck." "you will have to put him in a bag and tie a rope to him then," uncle william teased, "because that's the only way a duck can swim in the ocean." "but you don't know about downy," argued freddie. "he's wonderful! he even tried to swim without any water, on the train." "through the looking glass!" said bert, laughing. "and through the air," added nan. "i tell you, freddie," said uncle william, quite seriously: "we could get an airship for him maybe; then he could really swim without water." but freddie took no notice of the way they tried to make fun of his duck, for he felt downy was really wonderful, as he said, and would do some wonderful things as soon as it got a chance. when dinner was over, dorothy took nan up to her room. on the dresser, in a cut-glass bowl, were little nettie prentice's lilies that nan had carried all the way from meadow brook, and they were freshened up beautifully, thanks to dorothy's thoughtfulness in giving them a cold spray in the bath tub. "what a lovely room!" nan exclaimed, in unconcealed admiration. "do you like it?" said dorothy. "it has a lovely view of the ocean and i chose it for you because i know you like to see pretty sights out of your window. the sun seems to rise just under this window," and she brushed aside the dainty curtains. the moonlight made a bright path out on the ocean and nan stood looking out, spellbound. "i think the ocean is so grand," she said. "it always makes me feel so small and helpless." "when you are under a big wave," laughed her cousin, who had a way of being jolly. "i felt that way the other day. just see my arm," and dorothy pushed up her short sleeve, displaying a black and blue bruise too high up to be seen except in an evening dress or bathing costume. "how did you do that?" asked nan, in sympathy. "ran into a pier," returned the cousin, with unconcern. "i thought my arm was broken first. but we must go down," said dorothy, while nan wanted to see all the things in her pretty room. "we always sit outside before retiring. mamma says the ocean sings a lullaby that cures all sorts of bad dreams and sleeplessness." on the veranda nan and dorothy joined the others. freddie was almost asleep in aunt emily's arms; uncle william, mr. bobbsey, and mr. burnet were talking, with bert as an interested listener; while mrs. manily told aunt emily of her mission to the beach. as the children had thought, aunt emily readily gave consent to have nellie, the little cash girl, come to ocean cliff, and on the morrow nan and dorothy were to write the letter of invitation. chapter vi the ocean is there anything more beautiful than sunrise on the ocean? nan crept out of bed at the first peep of dawn, and still in her white robe, she sat in the low window seat to see the sun rise "under her window." "what a beautiful place!" nan thought, when dawn gave her a chance to see ocean cliff. "dorothy must be awfully happy here. to see the ocean from a bedroom window!" and she watched the streaks of dawn make maps on the waves. "if i were a writer i would always put the ocean in my book," she told herself, "for there are so many children who never have a chance to see the wonderful world of water!" nettie's flowers were still on the dresser. "poor little nettie prentice," thought nan. "she has never seen the ocean and i wonder if she ever will!" nan touched the lilies reverently. there was something in the stillness of daybreak that made the girl's heart go out to poor nettie, just like the timid little sunbeams went out over the waters, trying to do their small part in lighting up a day. "i'll just put the lilies out in the dew," nan went on to herself, raising the window quietly, for the household was yet asleep. "perhaps i'll find someone sick or lonely to-morrow who will like them, and it will be so much better if they bring joy to someone, for they are so sweet and pretty to die just for me." "oh!" screamed nan the next minute, for someone had crept up behind her and covered her eyes with hands. "it is you, dorothy!" she declared, getting hold of the small fingers. "did i wake you with the window?" "yes, indeed, i thought someone was getting in from the piazza. they always come near morning," said dorothy, dropping down on the cushions of the window seat like a goddess of morn, for dorothy was a beautiful girl, all pink and gold, bert said, excepting for her eyes, and they were like meadow brook violets, deep blue. "did you have the nightmare?" she asked. "nightmare, indeed!" nan exclaimed. "why, you told me the sun would rise under my window and i got up to---" "see it do the rise!" laughed dorothy, in her jolly way. "well, if i had my say i'd make mr. sol-sun wear a mask and keep his glare to himself until respectable people felt like crawling out. i lower my awning and close the inside blinds every night. i like sunshine in reasonable doses at reasonable hours, but the moon is good enough for me in the meantime," and she fell over in a pretty lump, feigning sleep in nan's cushions. "i hope i did not wake anyone else," said nan. "makes no difference about me, of course," laughed the jolly dorothy. "well, i'll pay you back, nan. be careful. i am bound to get even," and nan knew that some trick was in store for her, as dorothy had the reputation of being full of fun, and always playing tricks. the sun was up in real earnest now, and the girls raised the window sash to let in the soft morning air. "i think this would really cure nellie, my little city friend," said nan, "and you don't know what a nice girl she is." "just bring her down and i'll find out all about her," said dorothy. "i love city girls. they are so wide awake, and never say silly things like--like some girls i know," she finished, giving her own cousin a good hug that belied the attempt at making fun of her. "nellie is sensible," nan said, "and yet she knows how to laugh, too. she said she had never been in a carriage until she had a ride with us at meadow brook. think of that!" "wait till she sees my donkeys!" dorothy finished, gathering herself up from the cushions and preparing to leave. "well, nannie dear, i have had a lovely time," and she made a mock social bow. "come to see me some time and have some of my dawn, only don't come before eleven a.m. or you might get mixed up, for its awful dark in the blue room until that hour." and like a real fairy dorothy shook her golden hair and, stooping low in myth fashion, made a "bee-line" across the hall. "she doesn't need any brother," nan thought as she saw dorothy bolt in her door like a squirrel; "she is so jolly and funny!" but the girls were not the only ones who arose early that morning, for bert and his father came in to breakfast from a walk on the sands. "it's better than meadow brook," bert told nan, as she took her place at the table. "i wish harry would come down." "it is so pleasant we want all our friends to enjoy it," said mrs. bobbsey. "but i'm sure you have quite a hotel full now, haven't you, dorothy?" "lots more rooms up near the roof," replied dorothy, "and it's a pity to waste them when there's plenty of ocean to spare. now, freddie," went on dorothy, "when we finish breakfast i am going to show you my donkeys. i called one doodle and the other dandy, because papa gave them to me on decoration day." "why didn't you call one uncle sam?" asked freddie, remembering his part in the meadow brook parade. "well, i thought doodle dandy was near enough red, white, and blue," said dorothy. the children finished breakfast rather suddenly and then made their way to the donkey barn. "oh, aren't they lovely!" exclaimed nan, patting the pretty gray animals. "i think they are prettier than horses, they are not so tall." "i know all about goats and donkeys," declared freddie. "i know nan likes everything early, so we will give her an early ride," proposed dorothy. the bobbseys watched their cousin with interest as she fastened all the bright buckles and put the straps together, harnessing the donkeys. bert helped so readily that he declared he would do all the harnessing thereafter. the cart was one of those pretty, little basket affairs, with seats at the side, and bert was very proud of being able to drive a team. there were dorothy, nan, freddie, flossie, and bert in the cart when they rode along the sandy driveway, and they made a very pretty party in their bright summer costumes. freddie had hold of doodle's reins, and he insisted that his horse went along better than did dandy, on the other side. "oh, won't nellie enjoy this!" cried nan, thinking of the little city girl who had only had one carriage ride in all her life. "mrs. manily is going up to the city to bring her to-day," said bert. "aunt emily sent for the depot wagon just as we came out." like many people at the seashore, the minturns did not keep their own horses, but simply had to telephone from their house to the livery stable when they wanted a carriage. "oh, i see the ocean!" called out freddie, as bert drove nearer the noise of the waves. "why didn't we bring downy for his swim?" "too early to bathe yet!" said dorothy. "we have a bathing house all to ourselves,--papa rented it for the summer,--and about eleven o'clock we will come down and take a dip. mamma always comes with me or sends susan, our maid. mamma cannot believe i really know how to swim." "and do you?" asked nan, in surprise. "wait until you see!" replied the cousin. "and i am going to teach you, too." "i'd love to know how, but it must be awfully hard to learn," answered nan. "not a bit," went on dorothy; "i learned in one week. we have a pool just over there, and lots of girls are learning every day. you can drive right along the beach, bert; the donkeys are much safer than horses and never attempt to run away." how delightful it was to ride so close to the great rolling ocean! even freddie stopped exclaiming, and just watched the waves, as one after another they tried to get right under dorothy's cart. "it makes me almost afraid!" faltered little flossie, as the great big waves came up so high out on the waters, they seemed like mountains that would surely cover up the donkey cart. but when they "broke" on the sands they were only little splashy puddles for babies to wash their pink toes in. "there's blanche bowden," said dorothy, as another little cart, a pony cart, came along. "we have lovely times together. i have invited her up to meet us this afternoon, nan." the other girl bowed pleasantly from her cart, and even freddie remembered to raise his cap, something he did not always think necessary for "just girls." "some afternoon our dancing class is going to have a matinee," said dorothy. "do you like dancing, bert?" "some," replied her cousin in a boy's indifferent way. "nan is a good dancer." "oh, we don't have real dances," protested nan; "they are mostly drills and exercises. mamma doesn't believe in young children going right into society. she thinks we will be old soon enough." "we don't have grown-up dances," said dorothy, "only the two-step and minuet. i think the minuet is the prettiest of all dances." "we have had the varsovienne," said nan, "that is like the minuet. mother says they are old-time dances, but they are new in our class." "we may have a costume affair next month," went on dorothy. "some of the girls want it, but i don't like wigs and long dresses, especially for dancing. i get all tangled up in a train dress." "i never wore one," said nan, "excepting at play, and i can't see how any girl can dance with a lot of long skirts dangling around." "oh, they mostly bow and smile," put in bert, "and a boy has to be awfully careful at one of those affairs. if he should step on a skirt there surely would be trouble," and he snapped his whip at the donkeys with the air of one who had little regard for the graceful art of dancing. "we had better go back now," said dorothy, presently. "you haven't had a chance to see our own place yet, but i thought you wanted to get acquainted with the ocean first. everybody does!" "i have enjoyed it so much!" declared nan. "it is pleasanter now than when the sun grows hot." "but we need the sun for bathing," dorothy told her. "that is why we 'go in' at the noon hour." the drive back to the cliff seemed very short, and when the children drove up to the side porch they found mrs. bobbsey and aunt emily sitting outside with their fancy work. freddie could hardly find words to tell his mother how big the ocean was, and flossie declared the water ran right into the sky it was so high. "now, girls," said aunt emily, "mrs. manily has gone to bring nellie down, so you must go and arrange her room. i think the front room over nan's will be best. now get out all your pretty things, dorothy, for little nellie may be lonely and want some things to look at." "all right, mother," answered dorothy, letting bert put the donkeys away, "we'll make her room look like--like a valentine," she finished, always getting some fun in even where very serious matters were concerned. the two girls, with flossie looking on, were soon very busy with nellie's room. "we must not make it too fussy," said dorothy, "or nellie may not feel at home; and we certainly want her to enjoy herself. will we put a pink or blue set on the dresser?" "blue," said nan, "for i know she loves blue. she said so when we picked violets at meadow brook." "all right," agreed dorothy. "and say! let's fix up something funny! we'll get all the alarm clocks in the house and set them so they will go off one after the other, just when nellie gets to bed, say about nine o'clock. we'll hide them so she will just about find one when the other starts! she isn't really sick, is she?" dorothy asked, suddenly remembering that the visitor might not be in as good spirits as she herself was. "oh, no, only run down," answered nan, "and i'm sure she would enjoy the joke." so the girls went on fixing up the pretty little room. nan ran downstairs and brought up nettie prentice's flowers. "i thought they would do someone good," she said. "they are so fragrant." "aren't they!" dorothy said, burying her pretty nose in the white lilies. "they smell better than florists' bouquets. i suppose that's from the country air. now i'll go collect clocks," and without asking anyone's permission dorothy went from room to room, snatching alarm clocks from every dresser that held one. "susan's is a peach," she told nan, apologizing with a smile, for the slang. "it goes off for fifteen minutes if you don't stop it, and it sounds like a church bell." "nellie will think she has gotten into college," nan said, laughing. "this is like hazing, isn't it?" "only we won't really annoy her," said dorothy. "we just want to make her laugh. college boys, they say, do all sorts of mean things. make a boy swim in an icy river and all that." "i hope bert never goes to a school where they do hazing," said nan, feeling for her brother's safety. "i think such sport is just wicked!" "so do i," declared dorothy, "and if i were a new fellow, and they played such tricks on me, i would just wait for years if i had to, to pay them back." "i'd put medicine in their coffee, or do something." "they ought to be arrested," nan said, "and if the professors can't stop it they should not be allowed to run such schools." "there," said dorothy, "i guess everything is all right for nellie." she put a rose jar on a table in the alcove window. "now i'll wind the clocks. you mustn't look where i put them," and she insisted that not even nan should know the mystery of the clocks. "this will be a real surprise party," finished dorothy, having put each of five clocks in its hiding place, and leaving the tick-ticks to think it over, all by themselves, before going off. chapter vii nellie "shall i take my cart over to meet nellie and mrs. manily, mother?" dorothy asked mrs. minturn, that afternoon, when the city train was about due. "why, yes, daughter, i think that would be very nice," replied the mother. "i intended to send the depot wagon, but the cart would be very enjoyable." bert had the donkeys hitched up and at the door for nan and dorothy in a very few minutes, and within a half-hour from that time nan was greeting nellie at the station, and making her acquainted with dorothy. if dorothy had expected to find in the little cash girl a poor, sickly, ill child, she must have been disappointed, for the girl that came with mrs. manily had none of these failings. she was tall and graceful, very pale, but nicely dressed, thanks to mrs. manily's attention after she reached the city on the morning train. with a gift from mrs. bobbsey, nellie was "fitted up from head to foot," and now looked quite as refined a little girl as might be met anywhere. "you were so kind to invite me!" nellie said to dorothy, as she took her seat in the cart. "this is such a lovely place!" and she nodded toward the wonderful ocean, without giving a hint that she had never before seen it. "yes, you are sure the air is so strong you must swallow strength all the time," and nellie knew from the remark that dorothy was a jolly girl, and would not talk sickness, like the people who visit poor children at hospital tents. even mrs. manily, who knew nellie to be a capable girl, was surprised at the way she "fell in" with nan and dorothy, and mrs. manily was quite charmed with her quiet, reserved manner. the fact was that nellie had met so many strangers in the big department store, she was entirely at ease and accustomed to the little polite sayings of people in the fashionable world. when nellie unpacked her bag she brought out something for freddie. it was a little milk wagon, with real cans, which freddie could fill up with "milk" and deliver to customers. "that is to make you think of meadow brook," said nellie, when she gave him the little wagon. "yes, and when there's a fire," answered freddie, "i can fill the cans with water and dump it on the fire like they do in meadow brook, too." freddie always insisted on being a fireman and had a great idea of putting fires out and climbing ladders. there was still an hour to spare before dinner, and nan proposed that they take a walk down to the beach. nellie went along, of course, but when they got to the great stretch of white sand, near the waves, the girls noticed nellie was about to cry. "maybe she is too tired," nan whispered to dorothy, as they made some excuse to go back home again. all along the way nellie was very quiet, almost in tears, and the other girls were disappointed, for they had expected her to enjoy the ocean so much. as soon as they reached home nellie went to her room, and nan and dorothy told mrs. minturn about their friend's sudden sadness. mrs. minturn of course, went up to see if she could do anything for nellie. there she found the little stranger crying as if her heart would break. "oh, i can't help it, mrs. minturn!" she sobbed. "it was the ocean. father must be somewhere in that big, wild sea!" and again she cried almost hysterically. "tell me about it, dear," said mrs. minturn, with her arm around the child. "was your father drowned at sea?" "oh no; that is, we hope he wasn't." said nellie, through her tears, "but sometimes we feel he must be dead or he would write to poor mother." "now dry your tears, dear, or you will have a headache," said mrs. minturn, and nellie soon recovered her composure. "you see," she began, "we had such a nice home and father was always so good. but a man came and asked him to go to sea. the man said they would make lots of money in a short time. this man was a great friend of father and he said he needed someone he could trust on this voyage. first father said no, but when he talked it over with mother, they, thought it would be best to go, if they could get so much money in a short time, so he went." here nellie stopped again and her dark eyes tried hard to keep back the tears. "when was that?" mrs. minturn asked. "a year ago," nellie replied, "and he was only to be away six months at the most." "and that was why you had to leave school, wasn't it?" mrs. minturn questioned further. "yes, we had not much money saved, and mother got sick from worrying, so i did not mind going to work. i'm going back to the store again as soon as the doctor says i can," and the little girl showed how anxious she was to help her mother. "but your father may come back," said mrs. minturn; "sailors are often out drifting about for months, and come in finally. i would not be discouraged--you cannot tell what day your father may come back with all the money, and even more than he expected." "oh, i know," said nellie. "i won't feel like that again. it was only because it was the first time i saw the ocean. i'm never homesick or blue. i don't believe in making people pity you all the time." and the brave little girl jumped up, dried her eyes, and looked as if she would never cry again as long as she lived--like one who had cried it out and done with it. "yes, you must have a good time with the girls," said mrs. minturn. "i guess you need fun more than any medicine." that evening at dinner nellie was her bright happy self again, and the three girls chatted merrily about all the good times they would have at the seashore. there was a ride to the depot after dinner, for mrs. manily insisted that she had to leave for the city that evening, and after a game of ball on the lawn, in which everybody, even flossie and freddie, had a hand, the children prepared to retire. there was to be a shell hunt very early in the morning (that was a long walk on the beach, looking for choice shells), so the girls wanted to go to bed an hour before the usual time. "wait till the clock strikes, nellie," sang dorothy, as they went upstairs, and, of course, no one but nan knew what she meant. two hours after this the house was all quiet, when suddenly, there was the buzz of an alarm clock. "what was that?" asked mrs. minturn, coming out in the hall. "an alarm clock," called nellie, in whose room the disturbance was. "i found it under my pillow," she added innocently, never suspecting that dorothy had put it there purposely. by and by everything was quiet again, when another gong went off. "well, i declare!" said mrs. minturn. "i do believe dorothy has been up to some pranks." _"ding--a-ling--a-long--a-ling!"_ went the clock, and nellie was laughing outright, as she searched about the room for the newest alarm. she had a good hunt, too, for the clock was in the shoe box in the farthest corner of the room. after that there was quite an intermission, as dorothy expressed it. even nellie had stopped laughing and felt very sleepy, when another clock started. this was the big gong that belonged in susan's room, and at the sound of it freddie rushed out in the hall, yelling. "that's a fire bell! fire! fire! fire!" he shouted, while everybody else came out this time to investigate the disturbance. "now, dorothy!" said mrs. minturn, "i know you have done this. where did you put those clocks?" dorothy only laughed in reply, for the big bell was ringing furiously all the time. nellie had her dressing robe on, and opened the door to those outside her room. "i guess it's ghosts," she laughed. "they are all over." "a serenade," called bert, from his door. "what ails dem der clocks?" shouted dinah. "'pears like as if dey had a fit, suah. nebber heard such clockin' since we was in de country," and susan, who had discovered the loss of her clock, laughed heartily, knowing very well who had taken the alarm away. when the fifteen minutes were up that clock stopped, and another started. then there was a regularly cannonading, bert said, for there was scarcely a moment's quiet until every one of the six clocks had gone off "bing, bang, biff," as freddie said. there was no use trying to locate them, for they went off so rapidly that nellie knew they would go until they were "all done," so she just sat down and waited. "think you'll wake up in time?" asked dorothy, full of mischief as she came into the clock corner. "i guess so," nellie answered, laughing. "we surely were alarmed to-night." then aside to nan, nellie whispered: "wait, we'll get even with her, won't we?" and nan nodded with a sparkle in her eyes. chapter viii exploring--a race for pond lilies "now let's explore," bert said to the girls the next morning. "we haven't had a chance yet to see the lake, the woods, or the island." "hal bingham is coming over to see you this morning," dorothy told bert. "he said you must be tired toting girls around, and he knows everything interesting around here to show you." "glad of it," said bert. "you girls are very nice, of course, but a boy needs another fellow in a place like this," and he swung himself over the rail of the veranda, instead of walking down the steps. it was quite early, for there was so much planned, to be accomplished before the sun got too hot, that all the children kept to their promise to get up early, and be ready for the day's fun by seven o'clock. the girls, with mrs. bobbsey, mrs. minturn, and freddie, were to go shell hunting, but as bert had taken that trip with his father on the first morning after their arrival, he preferred to look over the woods and lake at the back of the minturn home, where the land slid down from the rough cliff upon which the house stood. "here comes hal now," called dorothy, as a boy came whistling up the path. he was taller than bert, but not much older, and he had a very "jolly squint" in his black eyes; that is, dorothy called it a "jolly squint," but other people said it was merely a twinkle. but all agreed that hal was a real boy, the greatest compliment that could be paid him. there was not much need of an introduction, although dorothy did call down from the porch, "bert that's hal; hal that's bert," to which announcement the boys called back, "all right, dorothy. we'll get along." "have you been on the lake yet?" hal asked, as they started down the green stretch that bounded the pretty lake on one side, while a strip of woodland pressed close to the edge across the sheet of water. "no," bert answered, "we have had so much coming and going to the depot since we came down, i couldn't get a chance to look around much. it's an awfully pretty lake, isn't it?" "yes, and it runs in and out for miles," hal replied. "i have a canoe down here at our boathouse. let's take a sail." the bingham property, like the minturn, was on a cliff at the front, and ran back to the lake, where the little boathouse was situated. the house was made of cedars, bound together in rustic fashion, and had comfortable seats inside for ladies to keep out of the sun while waiting for a sail. "father and i built this house," hal told bert. "we were waiting so long for the carpenters, we finally got a man to bring these cedars in from oakland. then we had him cut them, that is, the line of uprights, and we built the boathouse without any trouble at all. it was sport to arrange all the little turns and twists, like building a block house in the nursery." "you certainly made a good job of it," said bert, looking critically over the boathouse. "it's all in the design, of course; the nailing together is the easiest part." "you might think so," said hal, "but it's hard to drive a nail in round cedar. but we thought it so interesting, we didn't mind the trouble," finished hal, as he prepared to untie his canoe. "what a pretty boat!" exclaimed bert, in real admiration. the canoe was green and brown, the body being colored like bark, while inside, the lining was of pale green. the name, _dorothy_, shone in rustic letters just above the water edge. "and you called it _dorothy_," bert remarked. "yes, she's the liveliest girl i know, and a good friend of mine all summer," said hal. "there are some boys down the avenue, but they don't know as much about good times as dorothy does. why, she can swim, row, paddle, climb trees, and goes in for almost any sport that's on. last week she swam so far in the sun she couldn't touch an oar or paddle for days, her arms were so blistered. but she didn't go around with her hands in a muff at that. dorothy's all right," finished hal. bert liked to hear his cousin complimented, especially when he had such admiration himself for the girl who never pouted, and he knew that the tribute did not in any way take from dorothy's other good quality, that of being a refined and cultured girl. "girls don't have to be babies to be ladylike," added bert. "nan always plays ball with me, and can skate and all that. she's not afraid of a snowball, either." "well, i'm all alone," said hal. "haven't even got a first cousin. we've been coming down here since i was a youngster, so that's why dorothy seems like my sister. we used to make mud pies together." the boys were in the canoe now, and each took a paddle. the water was so smooth that the paddles merely patted it, like "brushing a cat's back," bert said, and soon the little bark was gliding along down the lake, in and out of the turns, until the "narrows" were reached. "here's where we get our pond lilies," said hal. "oh, let's get some!" exclaimed bert. "mother is so fond of them." it was not difficult to gather the beautiful blooms, that nested so cosily on the cool waters, too fond of their cradle to ever want to creep, or walk upon their slender green limbs. they just rocked there, with every tiny ripple of the water, and only woke up to see the warm sunlight bleaching their dainty, yellow heads. "aren't they fragrant?" said bert, as he put one after the other into the bottom of the canoe. "there's nothing like them," declared hal. "some people like roses best, but give me the pretty pond lilies," he finished. the morning passed quickly, for there was so much to see around the lake. wild ducks tried to find out how near they could go to the water without touching it, and occasionally one would splash in, by accident. "what large birds there are around the sea," bert remarked. "i suppose they have to be big and strong to stand long trips without food when the waves are very rough and they can hardly see fish." "yes, and they have such fine plumage," said hal. "i've seen birds around here just like those in museums, all colors, and with all kinds of feathers--birds of paradise, i guess they call them." "do you ever go shooting?" "no, not in summer time," replied hal. "but sometimes father and i take a run down here about thanksgiving. that's the time for seaside sport. why, last year we fished with rakes; just raked the fish up in piles--'frosties,' they call them." "that must be fun," reflected bert. "maybe you could come this year," continued hal. "we might make up a party, if you have school vacation for a week. we could camp out in our house, and get our meals at the hotel." "that would be fine!" exclaimed bert. "maybe uncle william would come, and perhaps my cousin harry, from meadow brook. he loves that sort of sport. by the way, we expect him down for a few days; perhaps next week." "good!" cried hal. "the boat carnival is on next week. i'm sure he would enjoy that." the boys were back at the boathouse now, and bert gathered up his pond lilies. "there'll be a scramble for them when the girls see them," he said. "nellie mclaughlin, next to dorothy, is out for fun. she is not a bit like a sick girl." "perhaps she isn't sick now," said hal, "but has to be careful. she seems quite thin." "mother says she wants fun, more than medicine," went on bert. "i guess she had to go to work because her father is away at sea. he's been gone a year and he only expected to be away six months." "so is my uncle george," remarked hal. "he went to the west indies to bring back a valuable cargo of wood. he had only a small vessel, and a few men. say, did you say her name was mclaughlin?" exclaimed hal, suddenly. "yes; they call him mack for short, but his name is mclaughlin." "why, that was the name of the man who went with uncle george!" declared hal. "maybe it was her father." "sounds like it," bert said. "tell uncle william about it sometime. i wouldn't mention it to nellie, she cut up so, they said, the first time she saw the ocean. poor thing! i suppose she just imagined her father was tossing about in the waves." the boys had tied the canoe to its post, and now made their way up over the hill toward the house. "here they come," said bert, as nan, nellie, and dorothy came racing down the hill. "oh!" cried dorothy, "give me some!" "oh, you know me, bert?" pleaded nellie. "hal, i wound up your kite string, didn't i?" insisted nan, by way of showing that she surely deserved some of hal's pond lilies. "and i found your ball in the bushes, bert," urged dorothy. "they're not for little girls," hal said, waving his hand comically, like a duke in a comic opera. "run along, little girls, run along," he said, rolling his r's in real stage fashion, and holding the pond lilies against his heart. "but if we get them, may we have them sir knight?" asked dorothy, keeping up the joke. "you surely can!" replied hal, running short on his stage words. at this nellie dashed into the path ahead of hal, and dorothy turned toward bert. nan crowded in close to dorothy, and the boys had some dodging to get a start. finally hal shot out back of the big bush, and nellie darted after him. of course, the boys were better runners than the girls, but somehow, girls always expect something wonderful to happen, when they start on a race like that. hal had tennis slippers on, and he went like a deer. but just as he was about to call "home free" and as he reached the donkey barn, he turned on his ankle. nellie had her hands on the pond lilies instantly, for hal was obliged to stop and nurse his ankle. "they're yours," he gave in, handing her the beautiful bunch of blooms. "oh, aren't they lovely!" exclaimed the little cash girl, but no one knew that was the first time she ever, in all her life, held a pond lily in her hand. "i'm going to give them to mrs. bobbsey," she decided, starting at once to the house with the fragrant prize in her arms. neither dorothy nor nan had caught bert, but he handed his flowers to his cousin. "give them to aunt emily," he said gallantly, while dorothy took the bouquet and declared she could have caught bert, anyhow, if she "only had a few more feet," whatever that meant. chapter ix fun on the sands "how many shells did you get in your hunt?" bert asked the girls, when the excitement over the pond lilies had died away. "we never went," replied dorothy. "first, freddie fell down and had to cry awhile, then he had to stop to see the gutter band, next he had a ride on the five-cent donkey, and by that time there were so many people out, mother said there would not be a pretty shell left, so we decided to go to-morrow morning." "then hal and i will go along," said bert. "i want to look for nets, to put in my den at home." "we are going for a swim now," went on dorothy; "we only came back for our suits." "there seems so much to do down here, it will take a week to have a try at everything," said bert. "i've only been in the water once, but i'm going for a good swim now. come along, hal." "yes, we always go before lunch," said hal starting off for his suit. soon dorothy, nan, nellie, and flossie appeared with their suits done up in the neat little rubber bags that aunt emily had bought at a hospital fair. then freddie came with mrs. bobbsey, and dorothy, with her bag on a stick over her shoulder, led the procession to the beach. as dorothy told nan, they had a comfortable bathhouse rented for the season, with plenty of hooks to hang things on, besides a mirror, to see how one's hair looked, after the waves had done it up mermaid fashion. it did not take the girls long to get ready, and presently all appeared on the beach in pretty blue and white suits, with the large white sailor collars, that always make bathing suits look just right, because real sailors wear that shape of collar. flossie wore a white flannel suit, and with her pretty yellow curls, she "looked like a doll," so nellie said. freddie's suit was white too, as he always had things as near like his twin sister's as a boy's clothes could be. altogether the party made a pretty summer picture, as they ran down to the waves, and promptly dipped in. "put your head under or you'll take cold," called dorothy, as she emerged from a big wave that had completely covered her up. nellie and nan "ducked" under, but flossie was a little timid, and held her mother's right hand even tighter than freddie clung to her left. "we must get hold of the ropes," declared mrs. bobbsey, seeing a big wave coming. they just reached the ropes when the wave caught them. nellie and nan were out farther, and the billow struck nellie with such force it actually washed her up on shore. "ha! ha!" laughed dorothy, "nellie got the first tumble." and then the waves kept dashing in so quickly that there was no more chance for conversation. freddie ducked under as every wave came, but flossie was not always quick enough, and it was very hard for her to keep hold of the ropes when a big splasher dashed against her. dorothy had not permission to swim out as far as she wanted to go, for her mother did not allow her outside the lines, excepting when mr. minturn was swimming near her, so she had to be content with floating around near where the other girls bounced up and down, like the bubbles on the billows. "look out, nan!" called dorothy, suddenly, as nan stood for a moment fixing her belt. but the warning came too late, for the next minute a wave picked nan up and tossed her with such force against a pier, that everybody thought she must be hurt. mrs. bobbsey was quite frightened, and ran out on the beach, putting freddie and flossie at a safe distance from the water, while she made her way to where nan had been tossed. for a minute or so, it seemed, nan disappeared, but presently she bobbed up, out of breath, but laughing, for hal had her by the hand, and was helping her to shore. the boys had been swimming around by themselves near by, and hal saw the wave making for nan just in time to get there first. "i had to swim that time," laughed nan, "whether i knew how or not." "you made a pretty good attempt," hal told her; "and the water is very deep around those piles. you had better not go out so far again, until you've learned a few strokes in the pools. get dorothy to teach you." "oh, oh, oh, nellie!" screamed mrs. bobbsey. "where is she? she has gone under that wave!" sure enough, nellie had disappeared. she had only let go the ropes one minute, but she had her back to the ocean watching nan's rescue, when a big billow struck her, knocked her down, and then where was she? "oh," cried freddie. "she is surely drowned!" hal struck out toward where nellie had been last seen, but he had only gone a few strokes when bert appeared with nellie under his arm. she had received just the same kind of toss nan got, and fortunately bert was just as near by to save her, as hal had been to save nan. nellie, too, was laughing and out of breath when bert towed her in. "i felt like a rubber ball," she said, as soon as she could speak, "and bert caught me on the first bounce." "you girls should have ropes around your waists, and get someone to hold the other end," teased dorothy, coming out with the others on the sands. "well, i think we have all had enough of the water for this morning," said mrs. bobbsey, too nervous to let the girls go in again. boys and girls were willing to take a sun bath on the beach, so, while hal and bert started in to build a sand house for freddie, the four girls capered around, playing tag and enjoying themselves generally. flossie thought it great fun to dig for the little soft crabs that hide in the deep damp sand. she found a pasteboard box and into this she put all her fish. "i've got a whole dozen!" she called to freddie, presently. but freddie was so busy with his sand castle he didn't have time to bother with baby crabs. "look at our fort," called bert to the girls. "we can shoot right through our battlements," he declared, as he sank down in the sand and looked out through the holes in the sand fort. "shoot the indian and you get a cigar," called dorothy, taking her place as "indian" in front of the fort, and playing target for the boys. first hal tossed a pebble through a window in the fort, then bert tried it, but neither stone went anywhere near dorothy, the "indian." "now, my turn," she claimed, squatting down back of the sand wall and taking aim at hal, who stood out front. and if she didn't hit him--just on the foot with a little white pebble! "hurrah for our sharpshooter!" cried bert. of course the hard part of the trick was to toss a pebble through the window without knocking down the wall, but dorothy stood to one side, and swung her arm, so that the stone went straight through and reached hal, who stood ten feet away. "i'm next," said nellie, taking her place behind "the guns." nellie swung her arm and down came the fort! "oh my!" called freddie, "you've knocked down the whole gun wall. you'll have to be---" "court-martialed," said hal, helping freddie out with his war terms. "she's a prisoner of war," announced bert, getting hold of nellie, who dropped her head and acted like someone in real distress. just as if it were all true, nan and dorothy stood by, wringing their hands, in horror, while the boys brought the poor prisoner to the frontier, bound her hands with a piece of cord, and stood her up against an abandoned umbrella pole. hal acted as judge. "have you anything to say why sentence should not be pronounced upon you?" he asked in a severe voice. "i have," sighed nellie. "i did not intend to betray my country. the enemy caused the--the--downfall of quebec," she stammered, just because the name of that place happened to come to her lips. "who is her counsel?" asked the judge. "your honor," spoke up dorothy, "this soldier has done good service. she has pegged stones at your honor with good effect, she has even captured a company of wild pond lilies in your very ranks, and now, your honor, i plead for mercy." the play of the children had, by this time, attracted quite a crowd, for the bathing hour was over, and idlers tarried about. "fair play!" called a strange boy in the crowd, taking up the spirit of fun. "that soldier has done good service. she took a sassy little crab out of my ear this very day!" freddie looked on as if it were all true. flossie did not laugh a bit, but really seemed quite frightened. "i move that sentence be pronounced," called bert, being on the side of the prosecution. "the prisoner will look this way!" commanded hal. nellie tossed back her wet brown curls and faced the crowd. "the sentence of the court is that the prisoner be transported for life," announced hal, while four boys fell in around nellie, and she silently marched in military fashion toward the bathing pavilion, with dorothy and nan at her heels. here the war game ended, and everyone was satisfied with that day's fun on the sands. chapter x the shell hunt "now, all ready for the hunting expedition," called uncle william, very early the next morning, he having taken a day away from his office in the city, to enjoy himself with the bobbseys at the seashore. it was to be a long journey, so aunt emily thought it wise to take the donkey cart, so that the weary travelers, as they fell by the wayside, might be put in the cart until refreshed. besides, the shells and things could be brought home in the cart. freddie expected to capture a real sea serpent, and dorothy declared she would bring back a whale. nellie had an idea she would find something valuable, maybe a diamond, that some fish had swallowed in mistake for a lump of sugar at the bottom of the sea. so, with pleasant expectations, the party started off, bert and hal acting as guides, and leading the way. "if you feel like climbing down the rocks here we can walk all along the edge," said hal. "but be careful!" he cautioned, "the rocks are awfully slippery. dorothy will have to go on ahead down the road with the donkeys, and we can meet her at the point." freddie and flossie went along with dorothy, as the descent was considered too dangerous for the little ones. dorothy let freddie drive to make up for the fun the others had sliding down the rocks. uncle daniel started down the cliffs first, and close behind him came mrs. bobbsey and aunt emily. nan and nellie took another path, if a small strip of jagged rock could be called a path, while hal and bert scaled down over the very roughest part, it seemed to the girls. "oh, mercy!" called nan, as a rock slipped from under her foot and she promptly slipped after it. "nellie, give me your hand or i'll slide into the ocean!" nellie tried to cross over to nan, but in doing so she lost her footing and fell, then turned over twice, and only stopped as she came in contact with uncle william's heels. "are you hurt?" everybody asked at once, but nellie promptly jumped up, showing the toss had not injured her in the least. "i thought i was going to get an unexpected bath that time," she said, laughing, "only for mr. minturn interfering. i saw a star in each heel of his shoe," she declared' "and i was never before glad to bump my nose." without further accident the party reached the sands, and saw dorothy and the little ones a short distance away. freddie had already filled his cap with little shells, and flossie was busy selecting some of the finest from a collection she had made. "let's dig," said hal to bert. "there are all sorts of mussels, crabs, clams, and oysters around here. the fisheries are just above that point." so the boys began searching in the wet sand, now and then bringing up a "fairy crab" or a baby clam. "here's an oyster," called nellie, coming up with the shellfish in her hand. it was a large oyster and had been washed quite clean by the noisy waves. "let's open it," said hal. "shall i, nellie?" "yes, if you want to," replied the girl, indifferently, for she did not care about the little morsel. hal opened it easily with his knife, and then he asked who was hungry. "oh, see here!" he called, suddenly. "what this? it looks like a pearl." "let me see," said mr. minturn, taking the little shell in his hand, and turning out the oyster. "yes, that surely is a pearl. now, nellie, you have a prize. sometimes these little pearls are quite valuable. at any rate, you can have it set in a ring," declared mr. minturn. "oh, let me see," pleaded dorothy. "i've always looked for pearls, and never could find one. how lucky you are, nellie. it's worth some money." "maybe it isn't a pearl at all," objected nellie, hardly believing that anything of value could be picked up so easily. "yes, it is," declared mr. minturn. "i've seen that kind before. i'll take care of it for you, and find out what it is worth," and he very carefully sealed the tiny speck in an envelope which he put in his pocketbook. after that everybody wanted to dig for oysters, but it seemed the one that nellie found had been washed in somehow, for the oyster beds were out in deeper water. yet, every time freddie found a clam or a mussel, he wanted it opened to look for pearls. "let us get a box of very small shells and we can string them for necklaces," suggested nan. "we can keep them for christmas gifts too, if we string them well." "oh, i've got enough for beads and bracelets," declared flossie, for, indeed, she had lost no time in filling her box with the prettiest shells to be found on the sands. "oh, i see a net," called bert, running toward a lot of driftwood in which an old net was tangled. bert soon disentangled it and it proved to be a large piece of seine, the kind that is often used to decorate walls in libraries. "just what i wanted!" he declared. "and smell the salt. i will always have the ocean in my room now, for i can close my eyes and smell the salt water." "it is a good piece," declared hal. "you were lucky to find it. those sell for a couple of dollars to art dealers." "well, i won't sell mine at any price," bert said. "i've been wishing for a net to put back of my swords and indian arrows. they make a fine decoration." the grown folks had come up now, and all agreed the seine was a very pretty one. "well, i declare!" said uncle william, "i have often looked for a piece of net and never could get that kind. you and nellie were the lucky ones to-day." "oh, oh, oh!" screamed freddie. "what's that?" and before he had a chance to think, he ran down to the edge of the water to meet a big barrel that had been washed in. "look out!" screamed bert, but freddie was looking in, and at that moment the water washed in right over freddie's shoes, stockings, and all. "oh!" screamed everybody in chorus, for the next instant a stronger wave came in and knocked freddie down. quick as a flash dorothy, who was nearest the edge, jumped in after freddie, for as the wave receded the little boy fell in again, and might have been washed out into real danger if he had not been promptly rescued. but as it was he was dripping wet, even his curls had been washed, and his linen suit looked just like one of dinah's dish towels. dorothy, too, was wet to the knees, but she did not mind that. the day was warming up and she could get along without shoes or stockings until she reached home. "freddie's always fallin' in," gasped flossie, who was always getting frightened at her twin brother's accidents. "well, i get out, don't i?" pouted freddie, not feeling very happy in his wet clothing. "now we must hurry home," insisted mrs. bobbsey, as she put freddie in the donkey cart, while dorothy, after pulling off her wet shoes and stockings, put a robe over her feet, whipped up the donkeys, doodle and dandy, and with freddie and flossie in the seat of the cart, the shells and net in the bottom, started off towards the cliffs, there to fix freddie up in dry clothing. of course he was not "wet to the skin," as he said, but his shoes and stockings were soaked, and his waist was wet, and that was enough. five minutes later dorothy pulled up the donkeys at the kitchen door, where dinah took freddie in her arms, and soon after fixed him up. "you is de greatest boy for fallin' in," she declared. "nebber saw sech a faller. but all de same you'se dinah's baby boy," and kind-hearted dinah rubbed freddie's feet well, so he would not take cold; then, with fresh clothing, she made him just as comfortable and happy as he had been when he had started out shell hunting. chapter xi downy on the ocean "harry is coming to-day," bert told freddie, on the morning following the shell hunt, "and maybe aunt sarah will come with him. i'm going to get the cart now to drive over to the station. you may come along, freddie, mother said so. get your cap and hurry up," and bert rushed off to the donkey barn to put doodle and dandy in harness. freddie was with bert as quickly as he could grab his cap off the rack, and the two brothers promptly started for the station. "i hope they bring peaches," freddie said, thinking of the beautiful peaches in the meadow brook orchard that had not been quite ripe when the bobbseys left the country for the seaside. numbers of people were crowded around the station when the boys got there, as the summer season was fast waning, so that bert and freddie had hard work to get a place near the platform for their cart. "that's the train!" cried bert. "now watch out so that we don't miss them in the crowd," and the older brother jumped out of the cart to watch the faces as they passed along. "there he is," cried freddie, clapping his hands. "harry! harry! aunt sarah!" he called, until everybody around the station was looking at him. "here we are!" exclaimed aunt sarah the next minute, having heard freddie's voice, and followed it to the cart. "i'm so glad you came," declared bert to harry. "and i'm awfully glad you came," freddie told aunt sarah, when she stopped kissing him. "but we cannot ride in that little cart," aunt sarah said, as bert offered to help her in. "oh, yes, you can," bert assured her. "these donkeys are very strong, and so is the cart. put your satchel right in here," and he shoved the valise up in front, under the seat. "but we have a basket of peaches somewhere," said aunt sarah. "they came in the baggage car." "oh goody! goody!" cried freddie, clapping his little brown hands. "let's get them." "no, we had better have them sent over," bert insisted, knowing that the basket would take up too much room, also that freddie might want to sample the peaches first, and so make trouble in the small cart. much against his will the little fellow left the peaches, and started off for the cliffs. the girls, dorothy, nellie, and nan, were waiting at the driveway, and all shouted a welcome to the people from meadow brook. "you just came in time," declared dorothy. "we are going to have a boat carnival tomorrow, and they expect it will be lovely this year." aunt emily and mrs. bobbsey met the others now, and extended such a hearty welcome, there could be no mistaking how pleased they all were to see harry and aunt sarah. as soon as harry had a chance to lay his traveling things aside bert and freddie began showing him around. "come on down to the lake, first," bert insisted. "hal bingham may have his canoe out. he's a fine fellow, and we have splendid times together." "and you'll see my duck, downy," said freddie. "oh, he's growed so big--he's just like a turkey." harry thought downy must be a queer duck if he looked that way, but, of course, he did not question freddie's description. "here, downy, downy!" called freddie, as they came to the little stream where the duck always swam around. but there was no duck to be seen. "where is he?" freddie asked, anxiously. "maybe back of some stones," ventured harry. then he and bert joined in the search, but no duck was to be found. "that's strange," bert reflected. "he's always around here." "where does the lake run to?" harry inquired. "into the ocean," answered bert; "but downy never goes far. there's hal now. we'll get in his boat and see if we can find the duck." hal, seeing his friends, rowed in to the shore with his father's new rowboat that he was just trying. "we have lost freddie's duck," said bert. "have you seen him anywhere?" "no, i just came out," replied hal. "but get in and we'll go look for him." "this is my cousin harry i told you about," said bert, introducing harry, and the two boys greeted each other, cordially. all four got into the boat, and harry took care of freddie while the other boys rowed. "oh. i'm afraid someone has stoled downy," cried freddie, "and maybe they'll make--make--pudding out of him." "no danger," said hal, laughing. "no one around here would touch your duck. but he might have gotten curious to see the ocean. he certainly doesn't seem to be around here." the boys had reached the line where the little lake went in a tunnel under a road, and then opened out into the ocean. "we'll have to leave the boat here," said hal, "and go and ask people if downy came down this way." tying up the boat to a stake, the boys crossed the bridge, and made their way through the crowd of bathers down to the waves. "oh, oh!" screamed freddie. "i see him! there he is!" and sure enough, there was downy, like a tiny speck, rolling up and down on the waves, evidently having a fine swim, and not being in the least alarmed at the mountains of water that came rolling in. "oh, how can we get him?" cried freddie, nearly running into the water in his excitement. "i don't know," hal admitted. "he's pretty far out." just then a life-saver came along. freddie always insisted the life-guards were not white people, because they were so awfully browned from the sun, and really, this one looked like some foreigner, for he was almost black. "what's the trouble?" he asked, seeing freddie's distress. "oh, downy is gone!" cried the little fellow in tears now. "gone!" exclaimed the guard, thinking downy was some boy who had swam out too far. "yes, see him out there," sobbed freddie, and before the other boys had a chance to tell the guard that downy was only a duck, the life-saver was in his boat, and pulling out toward the spot where freddie said downy was "downing"! "there's someone drowning!" went up the cry all around. then numbers of men and boys, who had been bathing, plunged into the waves, and followed the life-saver out to the deeper water. it was useless for harry, hal, or bert to try to explain to anyone about the duck, for the action of the life-saver told a different story. another guard had come down to the beach now, and was getting his ropes ready, besides opening up the emergency case, that was locked in the boat on the shore. "wait till they find out," whispered hal to bert, watching the guard in the boat nearing the white speck on the waves. it was a long ways out, but the boys could see the guard stop rowing. "he's got him," shouted the crowd, also seeing the guard pick something out of the water. "i guess he had to lay him in the bottom of the boat." "maybe he's dead!" the people said, still believing the life-saver had been after some unfortunate swimmer. "oh, he's got him! he's got him!" cried freddie, joyfully, still keeping up the mistake for the sightseers. as the guard in the boat had his back to shore, and pulled in that way, even his companion on land had not yet discovered his mistake, and he waited to help revive whoever lay in the bottom of the boat. the crowd pressed around so closely now that freddie's toes were painfully trampled upon. "he's mine," cried the little fellow. "let me have him." "it's his brother," whispered a sympathetic boy, almost in tears. "let him get over by the boat," and so the crowd made room for freddie, as the life-saver pulled up on the beach. the people held their breath. "he's dead!" insisted a number, when there was no move in the bottom of the boat. then the guard stooped down and brought up--downy! "only a duck!" screamed all the boys in the crowd, while the other life-saver laughed heartily over his preparations to restore a duck to consciousness. "he's mine! he's mine!" insisted freddie, as the life-saver fondled the pretty white duck, and the crowd cheered. "yes, he does belong to my little brother," bert said, "and he didn't mean to fool you at all. it was just a mistake," the older brother apologized. "oh, i know that," laughed the guard. "but when we think there is any danger we don't wait for particulars. he's a very pretty duck all the same, and a fine swimmer, and i'm glad i got him for the little fellow, for likely he would have kept on straight out to smooth water. then he would never have tried to get back." the guard now handed downy over to his young owner, and without further remarks than "thank you," freddie started off through the crowd, while everybody wanted to see the wonderful duck. the joke caused no end of fun, and it took harry, hal, and bert to save freddie and downy from being too roughly treated, by the boys who were over-curious to see both the wonderful duck and the happy owner. chapter xii real indians "now we will have to watch downy or he will be sure to take that trip again," said bert, as they reached home with the enterprising duck. "we could build a kind of dam across the narrowest part of the lake," suggested hal; "kind of a close fence he would not go through. see, over there it is only a little stream, about five feet wide. we can easily fence that up. i've got lots of material up in our garden house." "that would be a good idea," agreed bert. "we can put downy in the barn until we get it built. we won't take any more chances." so downy was shut up in his box, back of the donkey stall, for the rest of the day. "how far back do these woods run?" harry asked his companions, he always being interested in acres, as all real country boys are. "i don't know," hal bingham answered. "i never felt like going to the end to find out. but they say the indians had reservations out here not many years ago." "then i'll bet there are lots of arrow heads and stone hatchets around. let's go look. have we time before dinner, bert?" harry asked. "i guess so," replied the cousin. "uncle william's train does not get in until seven, and we can be back by that time. we'll have to slip away from freddie, though. here he comes. hide!" and at this the boys got behind things near the donkey house, and freddie, after calling and looking around, went back to the house without finding the "boy boys." "we can cross the lake in my boat," said hal, as they left their hiding-places. "then, we will be right in the woods. i'll tie the boat on the other side until we come back; no one will touch it." "is there no bridge?" harry asked. "not nearer than the crossings, away down near the ocean beach," said bert. "but the boat will be all right. there are no thieves around here." it was but a few minutes' work to paddle across the lake and tie up the canoe on the opposite shore. hal and bert started off, feeling they would find something interesting, under harry's leadership. it was quite late in the afternoon, and the thick pines and ferns made the day almost like night, as the boys tramped along. "fine big birds around here," remarked harry, as the feathered creatures of the ocean darted through the trees, making their way to the lake's edge. "yes, we're planning for a thanksgiving shoot," hal told him. "we hope, if we make it up, you can come down." "i'd like to first-rate," said harry. "hello!" he suddenly exclaimed, "i thought i kicked over a stone hatchet head." instantly the three boys were on their knees searching through the brown pine needles. "there it is!" declared harry, picking up a queer-shaped stone. "that's real indian--i know. father has some, but this is the first i was ever lucky enough to find." the boys examined the stone. there were queer marks on it, but they were so worn down it was impossible to tell what they might mean. "what tribe camped here?" asked harry. "i don't know," answered hal. "i just heard an old farmer, out berkley way, talking about the indians. you see, we only come down here in the summer time. then we keep so close to the ocean we don't do much exploring." the boys were so interested now they did not notice how dark it was getting. neither did they notice the turns they were making in the deep woodlands. now and then a new stone would attract their attention. they would kick it over, pick it up, and if it were of queer shape it would be pocketed for further inspection. "say," said hal, suddenly, "doesn't it look like night?" and at that he ran to a clear spot between the trees, where he might see the sky. "sure as you live it is night!" he called back to the others. "we better pick the trail back to our canoe, or we may have to become real indians and camp out here in spite of our appetites." then the boys discovered that the trees were much alike, and there were absolutely no paths to follow. "well, there's where the sun went down, so we must turn our back to that," advised hal, as they tramped about, without making any progress toward finding the way home. what at first seemed to be fun, soon turned out to be a serious matter; for the boys really could not find their way home. each, in turn, thought he had the right way, but soon found he was mistaken. "well, i'll give up!" said hal. "to think we could be lost like three babies!" "only worse," added harry, "for little fellows would cry and someone might help them." "oh! oh! oh! oh! we're lost! we're the babes in the woods!" shouted bert at the top of his voice, joking, yet a little in earnest. "let's build a fire," suggested harry. "that's the way the indians used to do. when our comrades see the smoke of the fire they will come and rescue us." the other boys agreed to follow the chief's direction. so they set to work. it took some time to get wood together, and to start the fire, but when it was finally lighted, they sat around it and wasted a lot of time. it would have been better had they tried to get out of the woods, for as they waited, it grew darker. "i wouldn't mind staying here all night," drawled harry, stretching himself out on the dry leaves alongside the fire. "well, i'd like supper first," put in hal. "we were to have roast duck to-night," and he smacked his lips. "what was that!" harry exclaimed, jumping up. "a bell, i thought," whispered hal, quite frightened. "indians!" added bert. "oh, take me home!" he wailed, and while he tried to laugh, it was a failure, for he really felt more like crying. "there it is again. a cow bell!" declared harry, who could not be mistaken on bells. "let's find the cow and maybe she will then find us," he suggested, starting off in the direction that the "tink-tink-tink-tink" came from. "here she is!" he called, the next moment, as he walked up to a pretty little cow with the bell on her neck. "now, where do you belong?" harry asked the cow. "do you know where the cliffs are, and how we can get home?" the cow was evidently hungry for her supper, and bellowed loud and long. then she rubbed her head against harry's sleeve, and started to walk through the dark woods. "if we follow her she will take us out, all right," said harry, and so the three boys willingly started off after the cow. just as harry had said, she made her way to a path, then the rest of the way was clear. "hurrah!" shouted hal, "i smell supper already," and now, at the end of the path, an opening in the trees showed a few scattered houses. "why, we are away outside of berkley," went on hal. "now, we will have a long tramp home, but i'm glad even at that, for a night under the trees was not a pleasant prospect." "we must take this cow home first," said harry, with a farmer's instinct. "where do you suppose she belongs?" "we might try that house first," suggested bert, pointing to a cottage with a small barn, a little way from the wood. "come, cush," said harry, to the strange cow, and the animal obediently walked along. there was no need to make inquiries, for outside of the house a little woman met them. "oh, you've found her!" she began. "well, my husband was just going to the pound, for that old miser of a pound master takes a cow in every chance he gets, just for the fine. come, daisy, you're hungry," and she patted the cow affectionately. "now, young men, i'm obliged to you, and you have saved a poor man a day's pay, for that is just what the fine would be. if you will accept a pail of milk each, i have the cans, and would be glad to give you each a quart. you might have berries for dinner," she finished. "we would be very glad of the milk," spoke up harry, promptly, always wide awake and polite when there was a question that concerned farmers. "do you live far?" asked the woman. "only at the cliffs," said harry. "we will soon he home now. but we were lost until your cow found us. she brought us here, or we would be in the woods yet." "well, i do declare!" laughed the little woman, filling each of three pails from the fresh milk, that stood on a bench, under the kitchen window. "now, our man goes right by your house to-morrow morning, and if you leave the pails outside he will get them. maybe your mothers might like some fresh milk, or buttermilk, or fresh eggs, or new butter?" she asked. "shouldn't wonder," said hal. "we have hard work to get fresh stuff; they seem to send it all to the hotels. i'll let the man know when he comes for the pails." "thank you, thank you," replied the little woman, "and much obliged for bringing daisy home. if you ever want a drink of milk, and are out this way, just knock at my door and i'll see you don't go away thirsty." after more thanks on both sides, the lost boys started homeward, like a milk brigade, each with his bright tin pail of sweet new milk in his hand. chapter xiii the boat carnival "it didn't seem right to take all this milk," remarked hal, as the three boys made their way in the dark, along the ocean road. "but we would have offended the lady had we refused," said harry. "besides, we may be able to get her good customers by giving out the samples," he went on. "i'm sure it is good milk, for the place was clean, and that cow we found, or that found us, was a real jersey." the other boys did not attempt to question harry's right to give expert views where cows and milk were concerned; so they made their way along without further comment. "i suppose our folks will think we are lost," ventured hal. "then they will think right," admitted bert, "for that was just what we were, lost." crossing the bridge, the boys could hear voices. "that's father," declared hal. then they listened. "and that's uncle william," said bert, as another voice reached them. "gracious! i'm sorry this happened the first day i came," spoke up harry, realizing that the other boys would not have gone into the deep woods if he had not acted as leader. "here we are!" called hal. "hello there! that you, hal?" came a call. "yes; we're coming," hal answered, and the lost boys quickened their steps, as much as the pails of milk allowed. presently uncle william and mr. bingham came up, and were so glad to find that hal, harry, and bert were safe, they scarcely required any explanation for the delay in getting home. of course, both men had been boys themselves, and well remembered how easy it was to get lost, and be late reaching home. the milk pails, too, bore out the boys' story, had there been any doubt about it, but beyond a word of caution about dangerous places in deep woodlands there was not a harsh word spoken. a little farther on the road home, dorothy, nan, and nellie met the wanderers, and then the woodland escapade seemed a wild tale about bears, indians, and even witches, for each girl added, to the boys' story, so much of her own imagination that the dark night and the roaring of the ocean, finished up a very wild picture, indeed. "now, you are real heroes," answered dorothy, "and you are the bravest boys i know. i wish i had been along. just think of sitting by a campfire in a dark woods, and having no one to bring you home but a poor little cow!" and dorothy insisted on carrying bert's milk pail to show her respect for a real hero. even dinah and susan did not complain about serving a late dinner to the boys, and both maids said they had never before seen such perfectly splendid milk as came from the farmhouse. "we really might take some extra milk from that farm," said aunt emily, "for what we get is nothing like as rich in cream as this is." so, as harry said, the sample brought good results, for on the following morning, when the man called for the empty pail, susan ordered two quarts a day, besides some fresh eggs and new butter to be delivered twice a week. "do you know," said uncle william to mrs. bobbsey next morning at breakfast, when the children had left the table, "mr. bingham was telling me last night that his brother is at sea, on just such a voyage as little nellie's father went on. and a man named mclaughlin went with him, too. now, that's nellie's name, and i believe george bingham is the very man he went with." "you don't tell me!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey. "and have they heard any news from mr. bingham's brother?" "nothing very definite, but a vessel sighted the schooner ten days ago. mr. bingham has no idea his brother is lost, as he is an experienced seaman, and the binghams are positive it is only a matter of the schooner being disabled, and the crew having a hard time to reach port," replied mr. minturn. "if nellie's mother only knew that," said mrs. bobbsey. "tell you what i'll do," said the brother-in-law; "just give me mrs. mclaughlin's address, and i'll go to see her to-day while i'm in town. then i can find out whether we have the right man in mind or not." of course, nothing was said to nellie about the clew to her father's whereabouts, but mrs. bobbsey and aunt emily were quite excited over it, for they were very fond of nellie, and besides, had visited her mother and knew of the poor woman's distress. "if it only could be true that the vessel is trying to get into port," reflected mrs. bobbsey. "surely, there would be enough help along the coast to save the crew." while this very serious matter was occupying the attention of the grown-up folks, the children were all enthusiasm over the water carnival, coming off that afternoon. hal and bert were dressed like real indians, and were to paddle in hal's canoe, while harry was fixed up like a student, a french explorer, and he was to row alone in hal's father's boat, to represent father marquette, the discoverer of the upper mississippi river. it was quite simple to make harry look like the famous discoverer, for he was tall and dark, and the robes were easily arranged with susan's black shawl, a rough cord binding it about his waist. uncle william's traveling cap answered perfectly for the french skullcap. "then i'm going to be pocahontas," insisted dorothy, as the boys' costumes brought her mind back to colonial days. "oh, no," objected hal, "you girls better take another period of history. we can't all be indians." "well, i'll never be a puritan, not even for fun," declared dorothy, whose spirit of frolic was certainly quite opposite that of a priscilla. "who was some famous girl or woman in american history?" asked harry, glad to get a chance to "stick" dorothy. "oh, there are lots of them," answered the girl, promptly. "don't think that men were the only people in america who did anything worth while." "then be one that you particularly admire," teased harry, knowing very well dorothy could not, at that minute, name a single character she would care to impersonate. "oh, let us be real," suggested nellie. "everybody will be all make-believe. i saw lots of people getting ready, and i'm sure they will all look like christmas-tree things, tinsel and paper and colored stuffs." "what would be real?', questioned dorothy. "well, the fisherman's daughters," nellie said, very slowly. "we have a picture at home of two little girls waiting--for their--father." the boys noticed nellie's manner, and knew why she hesitated. surely it would be real for her to be a fisherman's daughter, waiting for her father! "oh, good!" said dorothy. "i've got that picture in a book, and we can copy it exactly. you and i can be in a boat alone. i can row." "you had better have a line to my boat," suggested harry. "it would be safer in the crowd." it had already been decided that flossie, freddie, and nan should go in the minturn launch, that was made up to look like a venetian gondola. mrs. bobbsey and aunt emily and aunt sarah were to be italian ladies, not that they cared to be in the boat parade, but because aunt emily, being one of the cottagers, felt obliged to encourage the social features of the little colony. it was quite extraordinary how quickly and how well dorothy managed to get up her costume and nellie's. of course, the boys were wonderful indians, and harry a splendid frenchman; mrs. bobbsey, aunt sarah, and aunt emily only had to add lace headpieces to their brightest dinner gowns to be like the showy italians, while freddie looked like a little prince in his black velvet suit, with flossie's red sash tied from shoulder to waist, in gay court fashion. flossie wore the pink slip that belonged under her lace dress, and on her head was a silk handkerchief pinned up at the ends, in that square quaint fashion of little ladies of venice. there were to be prizes, of course, for the best costumes and prettiest boats, and the judges' stand was a very showy affair, built at the bridge end of the lake. there was plenty of excitement getting ready, but finally all hands were dressed, and the music from the lake told our friends the procession was already lining up. mrs. minturn's launch was given second place, just back of the mayor's, and mrs. bingham's launch, fixed up to represent an automobile, came next. then, there were all kinds of boats, some made to represent impossible things, like big swans, eagles, and one even had a lot of colored ropes flying about it, while an automobile lamp, fixed up in a great paper head, was intended to look like a monster sea-serpent, the ropes being its fangs. by cutting out a queer face in the paper over the lighted lamp the eyes blazed, of course, while the mouth was red, and wide open, and there were horns, too, made of twisted pieces of tin, so that altogether the sea-serpent looked very fierce, indeed. the larger boats were expected to be very fine, so that as the procession passed along the little lake the steam launches did not bring out much cheering from the crowd. but now the single boats were coming. "father marquette!" cried the people, instantly recognizing the historic figure harry represented. so slowly his boat came along, and so solemn he looked! then, as he reached the judges' stand, he stood up, put his hand over his eyes, looking off in the distance, exactly like the picture of the famous french explorer. this brought out long and loud cheering, and really harry deserved it, for he not only looked like, but really acted, the character. there were a few more small boats next. in one the summer girl was all lace and parasol, in another there was a rude fisherman, then; some boys were dressed to look like dandies, and they seemed to enjoy themselves more than did the people looking at them. there was also a craft fixed up to look like a small gunboat. hal and bert then paddled along. they were perfect indians, even having their faces browned with dark powder. susan's feather duster had been dissected to make up the boys' headgear, and two overall suits, with jumpers, had been slashed to pieces to make the indian suits. the canoe, of course, made a great stir. "who are they?" everybody wanted to know. but no one could guess. "oh, look at this!" called the people, as an old boat with two little girls drifted along. the fisherman's daughters! perhaps it was because there was so much gayety around that these little girls looked so real. from the side of their weather-beaten boat dragged an old fishnet. each girl had on her head a queer half-hood, black, and from under this nellie's brown hair fell in tangles on her bare shoulders, and dorothy's beautiful yellow ringlets framed in her own pretty face. the children wore queer bodices, like those seen in pictures of dutch girls, and full skirts of dark stuff finished out their costumes. as they sat in the boat and looked out to sea, "watching for the fisherman's return," their attitude and pose were perfect. the people did not even cheer. they seemed spellbound. "that child is an actress," they said, noting the "real" look on nellie's face. but nellie was not acting. she was waiting for the lost father at sea. when would he come back to her? chapter xiv the first prize when the last craft in the procession had passed the judges' stand, and the little lake was alive with decorations and nautical novelties, everybody, of course, in the boats and on land, was anxious to know who would get the prizes. there were four to be given, and the fortunate ones could have gifts in silver articles or the value in money, just as they chose. everybody waited anxiously, when the man at the judges' stand stood up and called through the big megaphone: "let the fisherman's daughters pass down to the stand!" "oh, we are going to get a prize," dorothy said to nellie. "i'll just cut the line to harry's boat and row back to the stand." then, when the two little girls sailed out all by themselves, dorothy rowing gracefully, while nellie helped some, although not accustomed to the oars, the people fairly shouted. for a minute the girls waited in front of the stand. but the more people inspected them the better they appeared. finally, the head judge stood up. "first prize is awarded to the fisherman's daughters," he announced. the cheering that followed his words showed the approval of the crowd. nellie and dorothy were almost frightened at the noise. then they rowed their boat to the edge, and as the crowd gathered around them to offer congratulations, the other prizes were awarded. the second prize went to the indians! "lucky they don't know us," said hal to bert, "for they would never let the two best prizes get in one set." the indians were certainly well made-up, and their canoe a perfect redman's bark. the third prize went to the "sea-serpent," for being the funniest boat in the procession; and the fourth to the gunboat. then came a great shouting! a perfect day had added to the success of the carnival, and now many people adjourned to the pavilion, where a reception was held, and good things to eat were bountifully served. "but who was the little girl with dorothy minturn?" asked the mayor's wife. of course everybody knew dorothy, but nellie was a stranger. mrs. minturn, mrs. bobbsey, aunt sarah, mrs. bingham, and mrs. blake, the latter being the mayor's wife, had a little corner in the pavilion to themselves. here nellie's story was quietly told. "how nice it was she got the prize," said mrs. blake, after hearing about nellie's hardships. "i think we had better have it in money--and we might add something to it," she suggested. "i am sure mr. blake would be glad to. he often gives a prize himself. i'll just speak to him." of course dorothy was to share the prize, and she accepted a pretty silver loving cup. but what do you suppose they gave nellie? fifty dollars! was not that perfectly splendid? the prize for nellie was twenty-five dollars, but urged by mrs. blake, the mayor added to it his own check for the balance. naturally nellie wanted to go right home to her mother with it, and nothing about the reception had any interest for her after she received the big check. however, mrs. bobbsey insisted that mr. minturn would take the money to nellie's mother the next day, so the little girl had to be content. then, when all the festivities were over, and the children's excitement had brought them to bed very tired that night, nellie sat by her window and looked out at the sea! always the same prayer, but to-night, somehow, it seemed answered! was it the money for mother that made the father seem so near? the roaring waves seemed to call out: "nellie--nellie dear! i'm coming--coming home to you!" and while the little girl was thus dreaming upstairs, mr. minturn down in the library was telling about his visit to nellie's mother. "there is no doubt about it," he told mrs. bobbsey. "it was nellie's father who went away with george bingham, and it was certainly that schooner that was sighted some days ago." the ladies, of course, were overjoyed at the prospect of the best of luck for nellie--her father's possible return,--and then it was decided that uncle william should again go to mrs. mclaughlin, this time to take her the prize money, and that mrs. bobbsey should go along with him, as it was such an important errand. "and you remember that little pearl that nellie found on the beach? well, i'm having it set in a ring for her. it is a real pearl, but not very valuable, yet i thought it would be a souvenir of her visit at the cliffs," said mr. minturn. "that will be very nice," declared mrs. bobbsey. "i am sure no one deserves to be made happy more than that child does, for just fancy, how she worked in that store as cash girl until her health gave way. and now she is anxious to go back to the store again. of course she is worried about her mother, but the prize money ought to help mrs. mclaughlin so that nellie would not need to cut her vacation short." "what kind of treasure was it that these men went to sea after?" aunt emily asked uncle william. "a cargo of mahogany," mr. minturn replied. "you see, that wood is scarce now, a cargo is worth a fortune, and a shipload was being brought from the west indies to new york when a storm blew the vessel out to a very dangerous point. of course, the vessel was wrecked, and so were two others that later attempted to reach the valuable cargo. you see the wind always blows the one way there, and it is impossible to get the mahogany out of its trap. now, george bingham was offered fifty thousand dollars to bring that wood to port, and he decided that he could do it by towing each log around the reef by canoes. the logs are very heavy, each one is worth between eighty and one hundred dollars, but the risk meant such a reward, in case of success, that they went at it. of course the real danger is around the wreck. once free from that point and the remainder of the voyage would be only subject to the usual ocean storms." "and those men were to go through the dangerous waters in little canoes!" exclaimed aunt emily. "but the danger was mostly from winds to the sails of vessels," explained uncle william. "small craft are safest in such waters." "and if they succeeded in bringing the mahogany in?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "nellie would be comparatively rich, for her father went as george bingham's partner," finished mr. minturn. so, the evening went into night, and nellie, the fisherman's daughter, slept on, to dream that the song of the waves came true. chapter xv lost on an island the calm that always follows a storm settled down upon the cliffs the day after the carnival. the talk of the entire summer settlement was nellie and her prize, and naturally, the little girl herself thought of home and the lonely mother, who was going to receive such a surprise--fifty dollars! it was a pleasant morning, and freddie and flossie were out watching downy trying to get through the fence that the boys had built to keep him out of the ocean. freddie had a pretty little boat uncle william had brought down from the city. it had sails, that really caught the wind, and carried the boat along. of course freddie had a long cord tied to it, so it could not get out of his reach, and while flossie tried to steer the vessel with a long whip, freddie made believe he was a canal man, and walked along the tow path with the cord in hand. "i think i would have got a prize in the boat parade if i had this steamer," said freddie, feeling his craft was really as fine as any that had taken part in the carnival. "maybe you would," agreed flossie. "now let me sail it a little." "all right," said freddie, and he offered the cord to his twin sister. "oh," she exclaimed, "i dropped it!" the next minute the little boat made a turn with the breeze, and before flossie could get hold of the string it was all in the water! "oh, my boat!" cried freddie. "get it quick!" "i can't!" declared flossie. "it is out too far! oh, what shall we do!" "now you just get it! you let it go," went on the brother, without realizing that his sister could not reach the boat, nor the string either, for that matter. "oh, it's going far away!" cried flossie; almost in tears. the little boat was certainly making its way out into the lake, and it sailed along so proudly, it must have been very glad to be free. "there's hal bingham's boat," ventured flossie. "maybe i could go out a little ways in that." "of course you can," promptly answered freddie. "i can row." "i don't know, we might upset!" flossie said, hesitating. "but it isn't deep. why, downy walks around out here," went on the brother. this assurance gave the little girl courage, and slipping the rope off the peg that secured the boat to the shore, very carefully she put freddie on one seat, while she sat herself on the other. the oars were so big she did not attempt to handle them, but just depended on the boat to do its own sailing. "isn't this lovely!" declared freddie, as the boat drifted quietly along. "yes, but how can we get back?" asked flossie, beginning to realize their predicament. "oh, easy!" replied freddie, who suddenly seemed to have become a man, he was so brave. "the tide comes down pretty soon, and then our boat will go back to shore." freddie had heard so much about the tide he felt he understood it perfectly. of course, there was no tide on the lake, although the waters ran lazily toward the ocean at times. "but we are not getting near my boat," freddie complained, for indeed the toy sailboat was drifting just opposite their way. "well, i can't help it, i'm sure," cried flossie. "and i just wish i could get back. i'm going to call somebody." "nobody can hear you," said her brother. "they are all down by the ocean, and there's so much noise there you can't even hear thunder." where the deep woods joined the lake there was a little island. this was just around the turn, and entirely out of view of either the minturn or the bingham boat landing. toward this little island the children's boat was now drifting. "oh, we'll be real robinson crusoes!" exclaimed freddie, delighted at the prospect of such an adventure. "i don't want to be no robinson crusoe!" pouted his sister. "i just want to get back home," and she began to cry. "we're going to bunk," announced freddie, as at that minute the boat did really bump into the little island. "come, flossie, let us get ashore," said the brother, in that superior way that had come to him in their distress. flossie willingly obeyed. "be careful!" she cautioned. "don't step out till i get hold of your hand. it is awfully easy to slip getting out of a boat." fortunately for the little ones they had been taught to be careful when around boats, so that they were able to take care of themselves pretty well, even in their present danger. once on land, flossie's fears left her, and she immediately set about picking the pretty little water flowers, that grew plentifully among the ferns and flag lilies. "i'm going to build a hut," said freddie, putting pieces of dry sticks up against a willow tree. soon the children became so interested they did not notice their boat drift away, and really leave them all alone on the island! in the meantime everybody at the house was looking for the twins. their first fear, of course, was the ocean, and down to the beach mrs. bobbsey, aunt sarah, and the boys hurried, while aunt emily and the girls made their way to the gypsy camp, fearing the fortune tellers might have stolen the children in order to get money for bringing them back again. dorothy walked boldly up to the tent. an old woman sat outside and looked very wicked, her face was so dark and her hair so black and tangled. "have you seen a little boy and girl around here?" asked dorothy, looking straight into the tent. "no, nobody round here. tell your fortune, lady?" this to aunt emily, who waited for dorothy. "not to-day," answered aunt emily. "we are looking for two children. are you sure you have not seen them?" "no, lady. gypsy tell lady's fortune, then lady find them," she suggested, with that trick her class always uses, trying to impose on persons in trouble with the suggestion of helping them out of it. "no, we have not time," insisted aunt emily; really quite alarmed now that there was no trace of the little twins. "let me look through your tent?" asked dorothy, bravely. "what for?" demanded the old woman. "to make sure the children are not hiding," and without waiting for a word from the old woman, dorothy walked straight into that gypsy tent! even aunt emily was frightened. suppose somebody inside should keep dorothy? "come out of my house!" muttered the woman, starting after dorothy. "come out, dorothy," called her mother, but the girl was making her way through the old beds and things inside, to make sure there was no freddie or flossie to be found in the tent. it was a small place, of course, and it did not take dorothy very long to search it. presently she appeared again, much to the relief of her mother, nan, and nellie, who waited breathlessly outside. "they are not around here," said dorothy. "now, mother, give the old woman some change to make up for my trespassing." aunt emily took a coin from her chatelaine. "thank the lady! good lady," exclaimed the old gypsy. "lady find her babies; babies play--see!" (and she pretended to look into the future with some dirty cards.) "babies play in woods. natalie sees babies picking flowers." now, how could anybody ever guess that the old gypsy had just come down from picking dandelions by the lake, where she really had seen freddie and flossie on the island? and how could anybody know that she was too wicked to tell aunt emily this, but was waiting until night, to bring the children back home herself, and get a reward for doing so? she had seen the boat drift away and she knew the little ones were helpless to return home unless someone found them. mrs. bobbsey and the boys were now coming up from the beach. what, at first, seemed only a mishap, now looked like a very serious matter. "we must go to the woods," insisted dorothy. "maybe that old woman knew they were in the woods." but as such things always happen, the searchers went to the end of the woods, far away from the island. of course they all called loudly, and the boys gave the familiar yodel, but the noise of the ocean made it impossible for the call to reach freddie and flossie. "oh, i'm so afraid they are drowned!" exclaimed mrs. bobbsey, breaking down and crying. "no, mamma," insisted nan, "i am sure they are not. flossie is so afraid of the water, and freddie always minds flossie. they must be playing somewhere. maybe they are home by this time," and so it was agreed to go back to the house and if the little ones were not there--then---- "but they must be there," insisted nellie, starting on a run over the swampy grounds toward the cliffs. and all this time freddie and flossie were quite unconcerned playing on the island. "oh, there's a man!" shouted freddie, seeing someone in the woods. "maybe it's friday. say there, mister!" he shouted. "say, will you help us get to land?" the man heard the child's voice and hurried to the edge of the lake. "wall, i declare!" he exclaimed, "if them babies ain't lost out there. and here comes their boat. well, i'll just fetch them in before they try to swim out," he told himself, swinging into the drifting boat, and with the stout stick he had in his hand, pushing off for the little island. the island was quite near to shore on that side, and it was only a few minutes' work for the man to reach the children. "what's your name?" he demanded, as soon as he touched land. "freddie bobbsey," spoke up the little fellow, bravely, "and we live at the cliffs." "you do, eh? then it was your brothers who brought my cow home, so i can pay them back by taking you home now. i can't row to the far shore with this stick, so we'll have to tramp it through the woods. come along." and carefully he lifted the little ones into the boat, pushing to the woods, and started off to walk the round-about way, through the woods, to the bridge, then along the road back to the cliffs, where a whole household was in great distress because of the twins' absence. chapter xvi dorothy's doings "here they come!" called nellie, who was searching around the barn, and saw the farmer with the two children crossing the hill. "i'm robinson crusoe!" insisted freddie, "and this is my man, friday," he added, pointing to the farmer. of course it did not take long to clear up the mystery of the little ones' disappearance. but since his return freddie acted like a hero, and certainly felt like one, and flossie brought home with her a dainty bouquet of pink sebatia, that rare little flower so like a tiny wild rose. the farmer refused to take anything for his time and trouble, being glad to do our friends a favor. aunt sarah and harry were to leave for meadow brook that afternoon, but the worry over the children being lost made aunt sarah feel quite unequal to the journey, so aunt emily prevailed upon her to wait another day. "there are so many dangers around here," remarked aunt sarah, when all the "scare" was over. "it is different in the country. we never worry about lost children out in meadow brook." "but i often got lost out there," insisted freddie. "don't you remember?" aunt sarah had some recollection of the little fellow's adventures in that line, and laughed over them, now that they were recalled. late that afternoon dorothy, nan, and nellie had a conference: that is, they talked with their heads so close together not even flossie could get an idea of what they were planning. but it was certainly mischief, for dorothy had most to say, and she would rather have a good joke than a good dinner any day, so susan said. harry, hal, and bert had been chasing through the woods after a queer-looking bird. it was large, and had brilliant feathers, and when it rested for a moment on a tree it would pick at the bark as if it were trying to play a tune with its beak. each time it struck the bark its head bobbed up and down in a queer way for a bird. but the boys could not get it. they set hal's trap, and even used an air rifle in hopes of bringing it down without killing it, but the bird puttered from place to place, not in a very great hurry, but just fast enough to keep the boys busy chasing it. that evening, at dinner, the strange bird was much talked about. "dat's a ban-shee!" declared dinah, jokingly. "dat bird came to bring a message from somebody. you boys will hear dat tonight, see if you doesn't," and she gave a very mysterious wink at dorothy, who just then nearly choked with her dessert. a few hours later the house was all quiet. the happenings of the day brought a welcome night, and tired little heads comfortably hugged their pillows. it must have been about midnight, bert was positive he had just heard the clock strike a lot of rings, surely a dozen or so, when at his window came a queer sound, like something pecking. at first bert got it mixed up with his dreams, but as it continued longer and louder, he called to harry, who slept in the alcove in bert's room, and together the boys listened, attentively. "that's the strange bird," declared harry. "sure enough it is bringing us a message, as dinah said," and while the boys took the girl's words in a joke, they really seemed to be coming true. "don't light the gas," cautioned bert, "or that will surely frighten it off. we can get our air guns, and i'll go crawl out on the veranda roof back of it, so as to get it if possible." all this time the "peck-peck-peck" kept at the window, but just as soon as bert went out in the hall to make his way through the storeroom window to the veranda roof, the pecking ceased. harry hurried after bert to tell him the bird was gone, and then together the boys put their heads out of their own window. but there was not a sound, not even the distant flutter of a bird's wing to tell the boys the messenger had gone. "back to bed for us," said harry, laughing. "i guess that bird is a joker and wants to keep us busy," and both boys being healthy were quite ready to fall off to sleep as soon as they felt it was of no use to stay awake longer looking for their feathered visitor. "there it is again," called bert, when harry had just begun to dream of hazelnuts in meadow brook. "i'll get him this time!" and without waiting to go through the storeroom, bert raised the window and bolted out on the roof. "what's de matter down dere?" called dinah from the window above. "'pears like as if you boys had de nightmare. can't you let nobody get a wink ob sleep? ebbery time i puts my head down, bang! comes a noise and up pops my head. now, what's a-ailin' ob you, bert?" and the colored girl showed by her tone of voice she was not a bit angry, but "chock-full of laugh," as bert whispered to harry. but the boys had not caught the bird, had not even seen it, for that matter. both bert and harry were now on the roof in their pajamas. "what's--the--matter--there?" called dorothy, in a very drowsy voice, from her window at the other end of the roof. "what are you boys after?" called uncle william, from a middle window. "anything the matter?" asked aunt sarah, anxiously, from the spare room. "got a burgulor?" shrieked freddie, from the nursery. "do you want any help?" offered susan, her head out of the top-floor window. all these questions came so thick and fast on the heads of bert and harry that the boys had no idea of answering them. certainly the bird was nowhere to be seen, and they did not feel like advertising their "april-fool game" to the whole house, so they decided to crawl into bed again and let others do the same. the window in the boys' room was a bay, and each time the pecking disturbed them they thought the sound came from a different part of the window. bert said it was the one at the left, so where the "bird" called from was left a mystery. but neither boy had time to close his eyes before the noise started up again! "well, if that isn't a ghost it certainly is a ban-shee, as dinah said," whispered bert. "i'm going out to uncle william's room and tell him. maybe he will have better luck than we had," and so saying, bert crept out into the hall and down two doors to his uncle's room. uncle william had also heard the sound. "don't make a particle of noise," cautioned the uncle, "and we can go up in the cupola and slide down a post so quietly the bird will not hear us," and as he said this, he, in his bath robe, went cautiously up the attic stairs, out of a small window, and slid down the post before bert had time to draw his own breath. but there was no bird to be seen anywhere! "i heard it this very minute!" declared harry, from the window. "it might be bats!" suggested uncle william. "but listen! i thought i heard the girls laughing," and at that moment an audible titter was making its way out of nan's room! "that's dorothy's doings!" declared uncle william, getting ready to laugh himself. "she's always playing tricks," and he began to feel about the outside ledge of the bay window. but there was nothing there to solve the mystery. "a tick-tack!" declared harry, "i'll bet, from the girls' room!" and without waiting for another word he jumped out of his window, ran along the roof to nan's room, and then grabbed something. "here it is!" he called, confiscating the offending property. "you just wait, girls!" he shouted in the window. "if we don't give you a good ducking in the ocean for this to-morrow!" the laugh of the three girls in nan's room made the joke on the boys more complete, and as uncle william went back to his room he declared to mrs. bobbsey and aunt emily that his girl, dorothy, was more fun than a dozen boys, and he would match her against that number for the best piece of good-natured fun ever played. "a bird!" sneered bert, making fun of himself for being so easily fooled. "a girls' game of tick-tack!" laughed harry, making up his mind that if he did not "get back at dorothy," he would certainly have to haul in his colors as captain of the boys' brigade of meadow brook; "for she certainly did fool me," he admitted, turning over to sleep at last. chapter xvii old friends "now, aunt sarah," pleaded nan the next morning, "you might just as well wait and go home on the excursion train. all meadow brook will be down, and it will be so much pleasanter for you. the train will be here by noon and leave at three o'clock." "but think of the hour that would bring us to meadow brook!" objected aunt sarah. "well, you will have lots of company, and if uncle daniel shouldn't meet you, you can ride up with the hopkinses or anybody along your road." mrs. bobbsey and aunt emily added their entreaties to nan's, and aunt sarah finally agreed to wait. "if i keep on," she said, "i'll be here all summer. and think of the fruit that's waiting to be preserved!" "hurrah!" shouted bert, giving his aunt a good hug. "then harry and i can have a fine time with the meadow brook boys," and bert dashed out to take the good news to harry and hal bingham, who were out at the donkey house. "come on, fellows!" he called. "down to the beach! we can have a swim before the crowd gets there." and with renewed interest the trio started off for the breakers. "i would like to live at the beach all summer," remarked harry. "even in winter it must be fine here." "it is," said hal. "but the winds blow everything away regularly, and they all have to be carted back again each spring. this shore, with all its trimmings now, will look like a bald head by the first of december." all three boys were fine swimmers, and they promptly struck off for the water that was "straightened out," as bert said, beyond the tearing of the breakers at the edge. there were few people in the surf and the boys made their way around as if they owned the ocean. suddenly hal thought he heard a call! then a man's arm appeared above the water's surface, a few yards away. "cramps," yelled hal to harry and bert, while all three hurried to where the man's hand had been seen. but it did not come up again. "i'll dive down!" spluttered hal, who had the reputation of being able to stay a long time under water. it seemed quite a while to bert and harry before hal came up again, but when he did he was trying to pull with him a big, fat man, who was all but unconscious. "can't move," gasped hal, as the heavy burden was pulling him down. bit by bit the man with cramps gained a little strength, and with the boys' help he was towed in to shore. there was not a life-guard in sight, and hal had to hurry off to the pier for some restoratives, for the man was very weak. on his way, hal met a guard who, of course, ran to the spot where harry and bert were giving the man artificial respiration. "you boys did well!" declared the guard, promptly, seeing how hard they worked with the sick man. "yes--they saved--my life!" gasped the half-drowned man. "this little fellow"--pointing to hal--"brought--me up--almost--from--the bottom!" and he caught his breath, painfully. the man was assisted to a room at the end of the pier, and after a little while he became much better. of course the boys did not stand around, being satisfied they could be of no more use. "i must get those lads' names," declared the man to the guard. "mine is ----," and he gave the name of the famous millionaire who had a magnificent summer home in another colony, three miles away. "and you swam from the cedars, mr. black," exclaimed the guard. "no wonder you got cramps." an hour later the millionaire was walking the beach looking for the life-savers. he finally spied hal. "here, there, you boy," he called, and hal came in to the edge, but hardly recognized the man in street clothes. "i want your name," demanded the stranger. "do you know there are medals given to young heroes like you?" "oh, that was nothing," stammered hal, quite confused now. "nothing! why, i was about dead, and pulled on you with all my two hundred pounds. you knew, too, you had hardly a chance to bring me up. yes, indeed, i want your name," and as he insisted, hal reluctantly gave it, but felt quite foolish to make such a fuss "over nothing," as he said. it was now about time for the excursion train to come in, so the boys left the water and prepared to meet their old friends. "i hope jack hopkins comes," said bert, for jack was a great friend. "oh, he will be along," harry remarked. "nobody likes a good time better than jack." "here they come!" announced hal, the next minute, as a crowd of children with many lunch boxes came running down to the ocean. "hello there! hello there!" called everybody at once, for, of course, all the children knew harry and many also knew bert. there were tom mason, jack hopkins, august stout, and ned prentice in the first crowd, while a number of girls, friends of nan's, were in another group. nan, nellie, and dorothy had been detained by somebody further up on the road, but were now coming down, slowly. such a delight as the ocean was to the country children! as each roller slipped out on the sands the children unconsciously followed it, and so, many unsuspected pairs of shoes were caught by the next wave that washed in. "well, here comes uncle daniel!" called bert, as, sure enough, down to the edge came uncle daniel with dorothy holding on one arm, nan clinging to the other, while nellie carried his small satchel. santa claus could hardly have been more welcome to the bobbseys at that moment than was uncle daniel. they simply overpowered him, as the surprise of his coming made the treat so much better. the girls had "dragged him" down to the ocean, he said, when he had intended first going to aunt emily's. "i must see the others," he insisted; "freddie and flossie." "oh, they are all coming down," nan assured him. "aunt sarah, too, is coming." "all right, then," agreed uncle daniel. "i'll wait awhile. well, harry, you look like an indian. can you see through that coat of tan?" harry laughed and said he had been an indian in having a good time. presently somebody jumped up on uncle daniel's back. as he was sitting on the sands the shock almost brought him down. of course it was freddie, who was so overjoyed he really treated the good-natured uncle a little roughly. "freddie boy! freddie boy!" exclaimed uncle daniel, giving his nephew a good long hug. "and you have turned indian, too! where's that sea-serpent you were going to catch for me?" "i'll get him yet," declared the little fellow. "it hasn't rained hardly since we came down, and they only come in to land out of the rain." this explanation made uncle daniel laugh heartily. the whole family sat around on the sands, and it was like being in the country and at the seashore at the one time, flossie declared. the boys, of course, were in the water. august stout had not learned much about swimming since he fell off the plank while fishing in meadow brook, so that out in the waves the other boys had great fun with their fat friend. "and there is nettie prentice!" exclaimed nan, suddenly, as she espied her little country friend looking through the crowd, evidently searching for friends. "oh, nan!" called nettie, in delight, "i'm just as glad to see you as i am to see the ocean, and i never saw that before," and the two little girls exchanged greetings of genuine love for each other. "won't we have a perfectly splendid time?" declared nan. "dorothy, my cousin, is so jolly, and here's nellie--you remember her?" of course nettie did remember her, and now all the little girls went around hunting for fun in every possible corner where fun might be hidden. as soon as the boys were satisfied with their bath they went in search of the big sun umbrellas, so that uncle william, aunt emily, mrs. bobbsey, and aunt sarah might sit under the sunshades, while eating lunch. then the boys got long boards and arranged them from bench to bench in picnic style, so that all the meadow brook friends might have a pleasant time eating their box lunches. "let's make lemonade," suggested hal. "i know where i can get a pail of nice clean water." "i'll buy the lemons," offered harry. "i'll look after sugar," put in bert. "and i'll do the mixing," declared august stout, while all set to work to produce the wonderful picnic lemonade. "now, don't go putting in white sand instead of sugar," teased uncle daniel, as the "caterers," with sleeves rolled up, worked hard over the lemonade. "what can we use for cups?" asked nan. "oh, i know," said harry, "over at the indian stand they have a lot of gourds, the kind of mock oranges that mexicans drink out of. i can buy them for five cents each, and after the picnic we can bring them home and hang them up for souvenirs." "just the thing!" declared hal, who had a great regard for things that hang up and look like curios. "i'll go along and help you make the bargain." when the boys came back they had a dozen of the funny drinking cups. the long crooked handles were so queer that each person tried to get the cup to his or her mouth in a different way. "we stopped at the hydrant and washed the gourds thoroughly," declared hal, "so you need not expect to find any mexican diamonds in them." "or tarantulas," put in uncle daniel. "what's them?" asked freddie, with an ear for anything that sounded like a menagerie. "a very bad kind of spider, that sometimes comes in fruit from other countries," explained uncle daniel. then nan filled his gourd from the dipper that stood in the big pail of lemonade, and he smacked his lips in appreciation. there was so much to do and so much to see that the few hours allowed the excursionists slipped by all too quickly. dorothy ran away and soon returned with her donkey cart, to take nettie prentice and a few of nettie's friends for a ride along the beach. nan and nellie did not go, preferring to give the treat to the little country girls. "now don't go far," directed aunt emily, for aunt sarah and uncle daniel were already leaving the beach to make ready for the train. of course harry and aunt sarah were all "packed up" and had very little to do at aunt emily's before starting. hal and bert were sorry, indeed, to have harry go, for harry was such a good leader in outdoor sports, his country training always standing by him in emergencies. finally dorothy came back with the girls from their ride, and the people were beginning to crowd into the long line of cars that waited on a switch near the station. "now, nettie, be sure to write to me," said nan, bidding her little friend good-by. "and come down next year," insisted dorothy. "i had such a lovely time," declared nettie. "i'm sure i will come again if i can." the meadow brook bobbseys had secured good seats in the middle car,--aunt sarah thought that the safest,--and now the locomotive whistle was tooting, calling the few stragglers who insisted on waiting at the beach until the very last minute. freddie wanted to cry when he realized that uncle daniel, aunt sarah, and even harry were going away, but with the promises of meeting again christmas, and possibly thanksgiving, all the good-bys were said, and the excursion train puffed out on its long trip to dear old meadow brook, and beyond. chapter xviii the storm when uncle william minturn came in from the city that evening he had some mysterious news. everybody guessed it was about nellie, but as surprises were always cropping up at ocean cliff, the news was kept secret and the whispering increased. "i had hard work to get her to come," said uncle william to mrs. bobbsey, still guarding the mystery, "but i finally prevailed upon her and she will be down on the morning train." "poor woman, i am sure it will do her good," remarked mrs. bobbsey. "your house has been a regular hotel this summer," she said to mr. minturn. "that's what we are here for," he replied. "we would not have much pleasure, i am sure, if our friends were not around us." "did you hear anything more about the last vessel?" asked aunt emily. "yes, i went down to the general office today, and an incoming steamer was sure it was the west indies vessel that was sighted four days ago." "then they should be near port now?" asked mrs. bobbsey. "they ought to be," replied uncle william, "but the cargo is so heavy, and the schooner such a very slow sailer, that it takes a long time to cover the distance." next morning, bright and early, dorothy had the donkeys in harness. "we are going to the station to meet some friends, nellie," she said. "come along?" "what! more company?" exclaimed nellie. "i really ought to go home. i am well and strong now." "indeed you can't go until we let you," said dorothy, laughing. "i suppose you think all the fun went with harry," she added, teasingly, for dorothy knew nellie had been acting lonely ever since the carnival. she was surely homesick to see her mother and talk about the big prize. the two girls had not long to wait at the station, for the train pulled in just as they reached the platform. dorothy looked about a little uneasily. "we must watch for a lady in a linen suit with black hat," she said to nellie; "she's a stranger." that very minute the linen suit appeared. "oh, oh!" screamed nellie, unable to get her words. "there is my mother!" and the next thing dorothy knew, nellie was trying to "wear the same linen dress" that the stranger appeared in--at least, that was how dorothy afterwards told about nellie's meeting with her mother. "my daughter!" exclaimed the lady, "i have been so lonely i came to bring you home." "and this is dorothy," said nellie, recovering herself. "dorothy is my best friend, next to nan." "you have surely been among good friends," declared the mother, "for you have gotten the roses back in your cheeks again. how well you do look!" "oh, i've had a perfectly fine time," declared nellie. "fine and dandy," repeated dorothy, unable to restrain her fun-making spirit. at a glance dorothy saw why nellie, although poor, was so genteel, for her mother was one of those fine-featured women that seem especially fitted to say gentle things to children. mrs. mclaughlin was not old,--no older than nan's mother,--and she had that wonderful wealth of brown hair, just like nellie's. her eyes were brown, too, while nellie's were blue, but otherwise nellie was much like her mother, so people said. aunt emily and mrs. bobbsey had visited mrs. mclaughlin in the city, so that they were quite well acquainted when the donkey cart drove up, and they all had a laugh over the surprise to nellie. of course that was uncle william's secret, and the mystery of the whispering the evening before. "but we must go back on the afternoon train," insisted mrs. mclaughlin, who had really only come down to the shore to bring nellie home. "indeed, no," objected aunt emily, "that would be too much traveling in one day. you may go early in the morning." "everybody is going home," sighed dorothy. "i suppose you will be the next to go, nan," and she looked quite lonely at the prospect. "we are going to have a big storm," declared susan, who had just come in from the village. "we have had a long dry spell, now we are going to make up for it." "dear me," sighed mrs. mclaughlin, "i wish we had started for home." "oh, there's lots of fun here in a storm," laughed dorothy. "the ocean always tries to lick up the whole place, but it has to be satisfied with pulling down pavilions and piers. last year the water really went higher than the gas lights along the boulevard." "then that must mean an awful storm at sea," reflected nellie's mother. "storms are bad enough on land, but at sea they must be dreadful!" and she looked out toward the wild ocean, that was keeping from her the fate of her husband. long before there were close signs of storm, life-guards, on the beach, were preparing for it. they were making fast everything that could be secured and at the life-saving station all possible preparations were being made to help those who might suffer from the storm. it was nearing september and a tidal wave had swept over the southern ports. coming in all the way from the tropics the storm had made itself felt over a great part of the world, in some places taking the shape of a hurricane. on this particular afternoon, while the sun still shone brightly over sunset beach, the storm was creeping in under the big waves that dashed up on the sands. "it is not safe to let go the ropes," the guards told the people, but the idea of a storm, from such a pretty sky, made some daring enough to disobey these orders. the result was that the guards were kept busy trying to bring girls and women to their feet, who were being dashed around by the excited waves. this work occupied the entire afternoon, and as soon as the crowd left the beach the life-guards brought the boats down to the edge, got their lines ready, and when dark came on, they were prepared for the life-patrol,--the long dreary watch of the night, so near the noisy waves, and so far from the voice of distress that might call over the breakers to the safe shores, where the life-savers waited, watched, and listened. the rain began to fall before it was entirely dark. the lurid sunset, glaring through the dark and rain, gave an awful, yellow look to the land and sea alike. "it is like the end of the world," whispered nellie to nan, as the two girls looked out of the window to see the wild storm approaching. then the lightning came in blazing blades, cutting through the gathering clouds. the thunder was only like muffled rolls, for the fury of the ocean deadened every other sound of heaven or earth. "it will be a dreadful storm," said aunt emily to mrs. bobbsey. "we must all go into the sitting room and pray for the sailors." everyone in the house assembled in the large sitting room, and uncle william led the prayers. poor mrs. mclaughlin did not once raise her head. nellie, too, hid her pale face in her hands. dorothy was frightened, and when all were saying good-night she pressed a kiss on nellie's cheek, and told her that the life-savers on sunset beach would surely be able to save all the sailors that came that way during the big storm. nellie and her mother occupied the same room. of course the mother had been told that the long delayed boat had been sighted, and now, how anxiously she awaited more news of nellie's father. "we must not worry," she told nellie, "for who knows but the storm may really help father's boat to get into port?" so, while the waves lashed furiously upon sunset beach, all the people in the minturn cottage were sleeping, or trying to sleep, for, indeed, it was not easy to rest when there was so much danger at their very door. chapter xix life-savers "mother, mother!" called nellie, "look down at the beach. the life-guards are burning the red signal lights! they have found a wreck!" it was almost morning, but the black storm clouds held the daylight back. mrs. mclaughlin and her little daughter strained their eyes to see, if possible, what might be going on down at the beach. while there was no noise to give the alarm, it seemed, almost everybody in that house felt the presence of the wreck, for in a very few minutes, bert was at his window, dorothy and nan were looking out of theirs, while the older members of the household were dressing hastily, to see if they might be of any help in case of accident at the beach. "can i go with you, uncle?" called bert, who had heard his uncle getting ready to run down to the water's edge. "yes, come along," answered mr. minturn, and as day began to peep through the heavy clouds, the two hurried down to the spot where the life-guards were burning their red light to tell the sailors their signal had been seen. "there's the vessel!" exclaimed bert, as a rocket flew up from the water. "yes, that's the distress signal," replied the uncle. "it is lucky that daylight is almost here." numbers of other cottagers were hurrying to the scene now, mr. bingham and hal being among the first to reach the spot. "it's a schooner," said mr. bingham to mr. minturn, "and she has a very heavy cargo." the sea was so wild it was impossible to send out the life-savers' boats, so the guards were making ready the breeches buoy. "they are going to shoot the line out now," explained hal to bert, as the two-wheel car with the mortar or cannon was dragged down to the ocean's edge. instantly there shot out to sea a ball of thin cord. to this cord was fastened a heavy rope or cable. "they've got it on the schooner." exclaimed a man, for the thin cord was now pulling the cable line out, over the water. "what's that board for?" asked bert, as he saw a board following the cable. "that's the directions," said hal. "they are printed in a number of languages, and they tell the crew to carry the end of the cable high up the mast and fasten it strongly there." "oh, i see," said bert, "the line will stretch then, and the breeches buoy will go out on a pulley." "that's it," replied hal. "see, there goes the buoy," and then the queer-looking life-preserver made of cork, and shaped like breeches, swung out over the waves. it was clear day now, and much of the wicked storm had passed. its effect upon the sea was, however, more furious every hour, for while the storm had left the land, it was raging somewhere else, and the sensitive sea felt every throb of the excited elements. with the daylight came girls and women to the beach. mrs. bobbsey, mrs. minturn, nellie and her mother, besides dorothy and nan, were all there; flossie and freddie being obliged to stay home with dinah and susan. of course the girls asked all sorts of questions and bert and hal tried to answer them as best they could. it seemed a long time before any movement of the cable showed that the buoy was returning. "here she comes! here she comes!" called the crowd presently, as the black speck far out, and the strain on the cord, showed the buoy was coming back. up and down in the waves it bobbed, sometimes seeming to go all the way under. nearer and nearer it came, until now a man's head could be seen. "there's a man in it!" exclaimed the boys, all excitement, while the life-guards pulled the cord steadily, dragging in their human freight. the girls and women were too frightened to talk, and nellie clung close to her mother. a big roller dashing in finished the work for the life-guards, and a man in the cork belt bounded upon shore. he was quite breathless when the guards reached him, but insisted on walking up instead of being carried. soon he recovered himself and the rubber protector was pulled off his face. everybody gathered around, and nellie with a strange face, and a stranger hope, broke through the crowd to see the rescued man. "oh--it is--_my_--_father_!" she screamed, falling right into the arms of the drenched man. "be careful," called mr. minturn, fearing the child might be mistaken, or mrs. mclaughlin might receive too severe a shock from the surprise. but the half-drowned man rubbed his eyes as if he could not believe them, then the next minute he pressed his little daughter to his heart, unable to speak a word. what a wonderful scene it was! the child almost unconscious in her father's arms, he almost dead from exhaustion, and the wife and mother too overcome to trust herself to believe it could be true. even the guards, who were busy again at the ropes, having left the man to willing hands on the beach, could not hide their surprise over the fact that it was mother, father, and daughter there united under such strange conditions. "my darling, my darling!" exclaimed the sailor to nellie, as he raised himself and then he saw his wife. mrs. bobbsey had been holding mrs. mclaughlin back, but now the sailor was quite recovered, so they allowed her to speak to him. mr. bingham and hal had been watching it all, anxiously. "are you mclaughlin?" suddenly asked mr. bingham. "i am," replied the sailor. "and is george bingham out there?" anxiously asked the brother. "safe and well," came the welcome answer. "just waiting for his turn to come in." "oh!" screamed dorothy, "hal's uncle is saved too. i guess our prayers were heard last night." "here comes another man!" exclaimed the people, as this time a big man dashed on the sands. "all right!" exclaimed the man, as he landed, for he had had a good safe swing in, and was in no way exhausted. "hello there!" called mr. bingham: "well, if this isn't luck. george bingham!" sure enough it was hal's uncle george, and hal was hugging the big wet man, while the man was jolly, and laughing as if the whole thing were a good joke instead of the life-and-death matter it had been. "i only came in to tell you," began george bingham, "that we are all right, and the boat is lifting off the sand bar we stuck on. but i'm glad i came in to--the reception," he said, laughing. "so you've found friends, mclaughlin," he added, seeing the little family united. "why, how do you do, mrs. mclaughlin?" he went on, offering her his hand. "and little nellie! well, i declare, we did land on a friendly shore." just as mr. bingham said, the life-saving work turned out to be a social affair, for there was a great time greeting nellie's father and hal's uncle. "wasn't it perfectly splendid that nellie and her mother were here!" declared dorothy. "and hal and his father, too," put in nan. "it is just like a story in a book." "but we don't have to look for the pictures," chimed in bert, who was greatly interested in the sailors, as well as in the work of the life-saving corps. as mr. bingham told the guards it would not be necessary to haul any more men in, and as the sea was calm enough now to launch a life-boat, both nellie's father and hal's uncle insisted on going back to the vessel to the other men. nellie was dreadfully afraid to have her father go out on the ocean again, but he only laughed at her fears, and said he would soon be in to port, to go home with her, and never go on the big, wild ocean again. two boats were launched, a strong guard going in each, with mr. mclaughlin in one and mr. bingham in the other, and now they pulled out steadily over the waves, back to the vessel that was freeing itself from the sand bar. what a morning that was at sunset beach! the happiness of two families seemed to spread all through the little colony, and while the men were thinking of the more serious work of helping the sailors with their vessel, the girls and women were planning a great welcome for the men who had been saved from the waves. "i'm so glad we prayed," said little flossie to freddie, when she heard the good news. "it was uncle william prayed the loudest," insisted freddie, believing, firmly, that to reach heaven a long and loud prayer is always best. "but we all helped," declared his twin sister, while surely the angels had listened to even the sleepy whisper of the little ones, who had asked help for the poor sailors in their night of peril. chapter xx the happy reunion a beautiful day had grown out of the dreadful storm. the sun seemed stronger each time it made its way out from behind a cloud, just as little girls and boys grow strong in body by exercise, and strong in character by efforts to do right. and everybody was so happy. the _neptune_--the vessel that had struck on the sand bar--was now safely anchored near shore, and the sailors came in and out in row-boats, back and forth to land, just as they wished. of course captain bingham, hal's uncle, was at the bingham cottage, and the first mate, nellie's father, was at minturn's. but that evening there was a regular party on minturn's veranda. numbers of cottagers called to see the sailors, and all were invited to remain and hear about the strange voyage of the _neptune_. "there is not much to tell," began the captain. "of course i knew we were going to have trouble getting that mahogany. two vessels had been wrecked trying to get it, so when we got to the west indies i decided to try canoes and not risk sails, where the wind always blew such a gale, it dragged any anchor that could be dropped. well, it was a long, slow job to drag those heavy logs around that point, and just when we were making headway, along comes a storm that drove the schooner and canoes out of business." here mate mclaughlin told about the big storm and how long it took the small crew to repair the damage done to the sails. "then we had to go back to work at the logs," went on the captain, "and then one of our crew took a fever. well, then we were quarantined. couldn't get things to eat without a lot of trouble, and couldn't go on with the carting until the authorities decided the fever was not serious. that was what delayed us so. "finally, we had every log loaded on the schooner and we started off. but i never could believe any material would be as heavy as that mahogany; why, we just had to creep along, and the least contrary wind left us motionless on the sea. "we counted on getting home last week, when this last storm struck us and drove us out of our course. but we are not sorry for our delay now, since we have come back to our own." "about the value?" asked mr. bobbsey, who was down from the city. "the value," repeated the captain aside, so that the strangers might not hear. "well, i'm a rich man now, and so is my mate, mclaughlin, for that wood was contracted for by the largest and richest piano firm in this country, and now it is all but delivered to them and the money in our hands." "then it was well worth all your sacrifice?" said mr. minturn. "yes, indeed. it would have taken us a lifetime to accumulate as much money as we have earned in this year. of course, it was hard for the men who had families, mclaughlin especially; the others were all working sailors, but he was a landsman and my partner in the enterprise; but i will make it up to him, and the mahogany hunt will turn out the best paying piece of work he ever undertook." "oh, isn't it perfectly splendid!" declared nan and dorothy, hugging nellie. "you will never again have to go back to that horrid store that made you so pale, and your mother will have a lovely time and nothing to worry about." "i can hardly believe it all," replied their little friend. "but having father back is the very best of all." "but all the same," sighed dorothy, "i just know you will all be going home before we leave for the city, and i shall just die of loneliness." "but we have to go to school," said nan, "and we have only a few days more." "of course," continued dorothy; "and our school will not open for two weeks yet." "maybe aunt emily will take you down to the city on her shopping tour," suggested nan. "indeed i do not like shopping," answered the cousin. "every time i go in a store that is crowded with stuff on the counters under people's elbows, i feel like knocking the things all over. i did a lot of damage that way once. it was holiday time, and a counter that stuck out in the middle of the store was full of little statues. my sleeve touched one, and the whole lot fell down as if a cannon had struck them. i broke ten and injured more than i wanted to count." "and aunt emily had to pay for them?" said nan. "no, she didn't, either," corrected dorothy. "the manager came up and said the things should not be put out in people's way. he made the clerks remove all the truck from the aisles and i guess everybody was glad the army fell down. i never can forget those pink-and-white soldiers," and dorothy straightened herself up in comical "soldier's arms" fashion, imitating the unfortunate statues. "i hope you can come to lakeport for thanksgiving," said nan. "we have done so much visiting this summer, out to aunt sarah's and down here, mamma feels we ought to have a grand reunion at our house next. if we do, i am going to try to have some of the country girls down and give them all a jolly good time." "oh, i'll come if you make it jolly," answered dorothy. "if there is one thing in this world worth while, it is fun," and she tossed her yellow head about like a buttercup, that has no other way of laughing. that had been an eventful day at ocean cliff, and the happy ending of it, with a boat and its crew saved, was, as some of the children said, just like a story in a book, only the pictures were all alive! the largest hotel at sunset beach was thrown open to the sailors that night, and here captain bingham and mate mclaughlin, together with the rest of the crew, took up comfortable lodgings. it was very late, long after the little party had scattered from minturn's piazza, that the sailors finished dancing their hornpipe for the big company assembled to greet them in the hotel. never had they danced to such fine music before, for the hotel orchestra played the familiar tune and the sailors danced it nimbly, hitching up first one side then the other--crossing first one leg then the other, and wheeling around in that jolly fashion. how rugged and handsome the men looked! the rough ocean winds had tanned them like bronze, and their muscles were as firm and strong almost as the cables that swing out with the buoys. the wonderful fresh air that these men lived in, night and day, had brightened their eyes too, so that even the plainest face, and the most awkward man among them, was as nimble as an athlete, from his perfect exercise. "and last night what an awful experience they had!" remarked one of the spectators. "it is no wonder that they are all so happy to-night." "besides," added someone else, "they are all going to receive extra good pay, for the captain and mate will be very rich when the cargo is landed." so the sailors danced until they were tired, and then after a splendid meal they went to sleep, in as comfortable beds as might be found in any hotel on sunset beach. chapter xxi good-by "i don't know how to say good-by to you," nellie told dorothy and nan next morning. "to think how kind you have been to me, and how splendidly it has all turned out! now father is home again, i can hardly believe it! mother told me last night she was going to put back what money she had to use out of my prize, the fifty dollars you know, and i am to make it a gift to the fresh air fund." "oh, that will be splendid!" declared nan. "perhaps they will buy another tent with it, for they need more room out at meadow brook." "you are quite rich now, aren't you?" remarked dorothy. "i suppose your father will buy a big house, and maybe next time we meet you, you will put on airs and walk like this?" and dorothy went up and down the room like the pictures of cinderella's proud sisters. "no danger," replied nellie, whose possible tears at parting had been quickly chased away by the merry dorothy. "but i hope we will have a nice home, for mother deserves it, besides i am just proud enough to want to entertain a few young ladies, among them miss nan bobbsey and miss dorothy minturn." "and we will be on hand, thank you," replied the joking dorothy. "be sure to have ice cream and chocolates--i want some good fresh chocolates. those we get down here always seem soft and salty, like the spray." "come, nellie," called mrs. mclaughlin, "i am ready. where is your hat?" "oh, yes, mother, i'm coming!" replied nellie. bert had the donkey cart hitched and there was now no time to spare. nellie kissed freddie and flossie affectionately, and promised to bring the little boy all through a big city, real fire-engine house when he came to see her. "and can i ring the bell and make the horses jump?" he asked. "we might be able to manage that, too," nellie told him. "my uncle is a fireman and he can take us through his engine house." nan went to the station with her friends, and when the last good-bys were said and the train steamed out, the twins turned back again to the minturn cottage. "our turn next," remarked bert, as he pulled the donkeys into the drive. "yes, it seems it is nothing but going and coming all the time. i wonder if all the other girls will be home at lakeport in time for the first day of school?" said nan. "most of them, i guess," answered bert. "well, we have had a good vacation, and i am willing to go to work again." "so am i!" declared nan. "vacation was just long enough, i think." mr. bobbsey was down from the city, of course, to take the family home, and now all hands, even freddie and flossie, were busy packing up. there were the shells to be looked after, the fish nets, besides downy, the duck, and snoop, the cat. "and just to add one more animal to your menagerie," said uncle william, "i have brought you a little goldfinch. it will sing beautifully for you, and be easy to carry in its little wooden cage. then, i have ordered, sent directly to your house, a large cage for him to live in, so he will have plenty of freedom, and perhaps christmas you may get some more birds to put in the big house, to keep dick company." of course freddie was delighted with the gift, for it was really a beautiful little bird, with golden wings, and a much prettier pet than a duck or a cat, although he still loved his old friends. the day passed very quickly with all that was crowded into it: the last ocean bath taking up the best part of two hours, while a sail in hal's canoe did away with almost as much, more time. dorothy gave nan a beautiful little gold locket with her picture in it, and flossie received the dearest little real shell pocketbook ever seen. hal bingham gave bert a magnifying glass, to use at school in chemistry or physics, so that every one of the bobbseys received a suitable souvenir of sunset beach. "you-uns must be to bed early and not go sleep in de train," insisted dinah, when freddie and flossie pleaded for a little more time on the veranda that evening. "come along now; dinah hab lots to do too," and with her little charges the good-natured colored girl hobbled off, promising to tell freddie how nellie's father and hal's uncle were to get into port again when they set out to sea, instead of trying to get the big boat into land at sunset beach. and so our little friends had spent all their vacation. the last night at the seashore was passed, and the early morning found them once more traveling away--this time for dear old home, sweet home. "if we only didn't have to leave our friends," complained nan, brushing back a tear, as the very last glint of cousin dorothy's yellow head passed by the train window. "i hope we will meet them all soon again," said nan's mother. "it is not long until thanksgiving. then, perhaps, we can give a real harvest party out at lakeport and try to repay our friends for some of their hospitality to us." "well, i like hal bingham first-rate," declared bert, thinking of the friend from whom he had just parted. "there goes the last of the ocean. look!" called flossie, as the train made a turn, and whistled a good-by to the bobbsey twins at the seashore.