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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17412-h.zip b/17412-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1656a1c --- /dev/null +++ b/17412-h.zip diff --git a/17412-h/17412-h.htm b/17412-h/17412-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eaa7cb7 --- /dev/null +++ b/17412-h/17412-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5602 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bobbsey Twins, by Laura Lee Hope</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + img {border: 0;} + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + .right {text-align: right;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + hr.full { width: 100%; } + pre {font-size: 75%;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Bobbsey Twins, by Laura Lee Hope</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Bobbsey Twins</p> +<p> Or, Merry Days Indoors and Out</p> +<p>Author: Laura Lee Hope</p> +<p>Release Date: December 28, 2005 [eBook #17412]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Emmy,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net/</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="250" height="400" alt="Cover" title="Cover" /> +</div> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[Pg i]</a></span></p> + + +<h1>THE BOBBSEY TWINS</h1> + +<h2>OR</h2> + +<h1><i>MERRY DAYS INDOORS AND OUT</i></h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>LAURA LEE HOPE</h2> + +<div class="center"><br /><br />AUTHOR OF "THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY,"<br /> +"THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE," ETC.<br /><br /></div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 64px;"> +<img src="images/emblem.jpg" width="64" height="35" alt="Emblem" title="Emblem" /> +</div> + +<div class="center"><br /><br />NEW YORK<br /> +GROSSET & DUNLAP<br /> +PUBLISHERS</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[Pg ii]</a></span></p> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<div class="center">COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY<br /> +THE MERSHON COMPANY</div> + +<div class="center"><br /><br /><i>All rights reserved</i> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 251px;"> +<img src="images/p001.jpg" width="251" height="400" alt="DOWN THE LONG HILL SWEPT THE TWO SLEDS.—P. 45." title="DOWN THE LONG HILL SWEPT THE TWO SLEDS.—P. 45." /> +<span class="caption">DOWN THE LONG HILL SWEPT THE TWO SLEDS.—<a href='#Page_45'>P. 45.</a></span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr><td align='center'>CHAPTER</td><td align='left'></td><td align='left'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The Bobbsey Twins at Home</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Rope Jumping, and What Followed</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_9'>9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The First Snow Storm</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_18'>18</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV.</td><td align='left'> <span class="smcap">The Broken Window</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_27'>27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>V.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Bert's Ghost</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_36'>36</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VI.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Coasting, and What Came of It</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_44'>44</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VII.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Freddie and Flossie's Snow House</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_52'>52</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VIII.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Fun on the Ice</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_61'>61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IX.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Freddie Loses Himself</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_70'>70</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>X.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Lost and Found</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_79'>79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XI.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The Cruise of the "Ice Bird"</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_88'>88</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XII.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Tige—Playing Theater</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_97'>97</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIII.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Nan's First Cake-Baking</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_106'>106</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIV.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Christmas</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_115'>115</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XV.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The Children's Party</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_124'>124</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVI.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">A Grand Sleigh Ride</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_133'>133</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVII.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The Race and the Runaway</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_142'>142</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVIII.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">A Quarrel in the Schoolyard</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_151'>151</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIX.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Nan's Plea</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_160'>160</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XX.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">St. Valentine's Day</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_169'>169</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXI.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The Rescue of Snoop, the Kitten</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_178'>178</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXII.</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The Last of the Ghost—Good-night</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_187'>187</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE BOBBSEY TWINS</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<h3>THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>There were four of the twins. Now that sounds funny, doesn't it? But, +you see, there <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>were two sets. Bert and Nan, age eight, and Freddie and +Flossie, age four.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 life<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>like. During the past year +Freddie had seen two fires, and the work of the firemen had interested +him deeply.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Nice as Aunt Emily's?" questioned Bert. "She's got a—a dandy, all +worked in roses."</p> + +<p>"This is going to be white, like the lace window curtains," replied Nan.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>with a sharp pair of +scissors. When the paper was unfolded once more a truly beautiful +pattern appeared.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how lubby!" screamed Flossie. "Make me one, Nan!"</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Freddie, let me have the red paper for my stairs," cried Bert, who +had had his eyes on the sheet for some time.</p> + +<p>"No, I want a table cover, like Nanny. You take the white paper."</p> + +<p>"Whoever saw white paper on a stairs—I mean white carpet," said +Flossie.</p> + +<p>"I'll give you a marble for the paper, Freddie," continued Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Well, I declare!" cried Nan, and burst out <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>laughing. "Oh, Freddie, how +will we ever set that on such a little pasteboard table?"</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Hullo! Freddie's breaking up housekeeping!" cried Bert.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Freddie! do take the flower-pot away!" came from Flossie. "It's too +big to go into the house."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert! what have you done?" cried Nan, in alarm. "Get the broom and +the dust-pan, before Dinah comes."</p> + +<p>"It was Freddie's fault."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my lilac tree is all gone!" cried the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>At that moment, Dinah, the cook, came in from the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"Well, I declar' to gracious!" she exclaimed. "If yo' chillun ain't gone +an' mussed up de floah ag'in!"</p> + +<p>"Bert broke my boiler!" said Freddie, and began to cry.</p> + +<p>"Oh, never mind, Freddie, there are plenty of others in the cellar," +declared Nan. "It was an accident, Dinah," she added, to the cook.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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 car<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>ried 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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"We learned it in the kindergarten class at school," answered Nan.</p> + +<p>"Yes, in the kindergarten," put in Flossie.</p> + +<p>"But we don't make fire engines there," came from Freddie.</p> + +<p>At this Dinah began to laugh, shaking from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"Fire enjuns, am it, Freddie? Reckon yo' is gwine to be a fireman when +yo' is a man, hey?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm going to be a real fireman," was the ready answer.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + +<p>"An' what am yo' gwine to be, Master Bert?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm going to be a soldier," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"I want to be a soldier, too," put in Freddie. "A soldier and a +fireman."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, I shouldn't want to be a soldier and kill folks," said Nan.</p> + +<p>"Girls can't be soldiers," answered Freddie. "They have to get married, +or be dressmakers, or sten'graphers, or something like that."</p> + +<p>"You mean sten<i>o</i>graphers, Bert. I'm going to be a sten<i>o</i>grapher when I +get big."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to be any sten<i>o</i>gerer," put in Flossie. "I'm going to +keep a candy store, and have all the candy I want, and ice cream——"</p> + +<p>"Me too!" burst in Freddie. "I'm going to have a candy store, an' be a +fireman, an' a soldier, all together!"</p> + +<p>"Dear! dear!" laughed Dinah. "Jess to heah dat now! It's wonderful wot +yo' is gwine to be when yo' is big."</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<h3>ROPE JUMPING, AND WHAT FOLLOWED</h3> + + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bobbsey kissed them all before speaking. "Have you been good while +I was gone?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"I guess we tried to be good," answered Bert meekly.</p> + +<p>"Freddie's boiler got broke, that's all," said Flossie. "Dinah swept up +the dirt."</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Oh, if only it would snow!" said Bert. He was anxious to try a sled he +had received the Christmas before.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Whoa! whoa!" screamed Flossie, jerking on the reins. "Whoa, you naughty +horse! If I had a whip, I'd beat you!"</p> + +<p>"If you did that, I'd kick," answered Freddie, and began to kick real +hard into the air.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Grace, don't jump so much. You'll get sick."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, I won't," returned Grace. She was a headstrong girl and always +wanted her own way.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, mamma made me trip," sighed Grace. "I don't think that was +fair."</p> + +<p>"But your mamma doesn't want you to jump any more," put in another girl, +Nellie Parks by name.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, she didn't say that. She said not to jump too much."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I'm going a hundred this time," said Grace, as she skipped into place.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Grace, you had better not!" cried Nan.</p> + +<p>"You're afraid I'll beat you," declared Grace.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not. But your mamma said——"</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'll turn," replied Nan, and at once the jumping started. Soon +Grace had reached forty. Then came fifty, and then sixty.</p> + +<p>"I do believe she will reach a hundred after all," declared Nellie +Parks, a little enviously.</p> + +<p>"I will, if you turn steadily," answered Grace, in a panting voice. Her +face was strangely pale.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Grace, hadn't you better stop?" ques<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>tioned Nan. She was a little +frightened, but, nevertheless, kept on turning the rope.</p> + +<p>"No!" puffed Grace. "Go—go on!"</p> + +<p>She had now reached eighty-five. Nellie Parks was counting:</p> + +<p>"Eighty-six, eighty-seven, eighty-eight, eighty-nine, ninety!" she went +on. "Ninety-one-, ninety-two——"</p> + +<p>"No—not so—so fast!" panted Grace. "I—I—oh!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>For a moment the other girls looked on in blank wonder, not knowing what +to make of it. Then Nan gave a scream.</p> + +<p>"Oh, girls, she has fainted!"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps she is dead!" burst out Nellie Parks. "And if she is, we killed +her, for we turned the rope!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Nellie, please don't say that!" said Nan. She could scarcely speak +the words.</p> + +<p>"Shall I go and tell Mrs. Lavine?" asked another girl who stood near.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No—yes," answered Nan. She was so bewildered she scarcely knew what to +say. "Oh, isn't it awful!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"What is the trouble?" he asked, and then saw Grace. "What happened to +her?"</p> + +<p>"She was—was jumping rope, and couldn't jump any more," sobbed Nan. +"Oh, papa, she—isn't de—dead, is she?"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, Doctor Briskett, do come at once!" she sobbed. "Grace Lavine is +dead, and we did it, turning the rope for her!"</p> + +<p>"Grace Lavine dead?" repeated the dumfounded doctor.</p> + +<p>"Yes! yes!"</p> + +<p>"Where is she?"</p> + +<p>"Papa just carried her into her house."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Is Grace really dead?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"It's no worse than playing football," said a big girl.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, it is, much worse," retorted Danny. "Rope jumping brings on heart +disease. I heard father tell about it."</p> + +<p>"I hope Grace didn't get heart disease," sobbed Nan.</p> + +<p>"You turned the rope," went on Danny maliciously. "If she dies, they'll +put you in prison, Nan Bobbsey."</p> + +<p>"They shan't do it!" cried Bert, coming to his sister's rescue. "I won't +let them."</p> + +<p>"Much you can stop 'em, Bert Bobbsey."</p> + +<p>"Can't I?"</p> + +<p>"No, you can't."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Nan, Nan! what can it mean?" said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma!" murmured Nan, and sank, limp and helpless, into her +mother's arms.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> + +<p>Just then Mr. Bobbsey came forth from the Lavine residence. Seeing his +wife supporting their daughter, he hurried in that direction.</p> + +<p>"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."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<h3>THE FIRST SNOW STORM</h3> + + +<p>Nan felt greatly relieved to learn that Grace was not dead.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma, I am <i>so</i> glad!" she said, over and over again.</p> + +<p>"I am glad too," answered Mrs. Bobbsey. "Her mamma has told her several +times not to jump so much."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I heard her." Nan's eyes dropped. "I was wicked to turn the rope +for her."</p> + +<p>In the end Nan told her mother the whole story, to which Mrs. Bobbsey +listened very gravely.</p> + +<p>"It was certainly wrong, Nan," she said. "After this I hope my little +girl will try to do better."</p> + +<p>"I shall try," answered Nan.</p> + +<p>It was long after the dinner hour before the excitement died away. Then +it was learned <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>The time was the fall of the year, and that Saturday evening there was a +feeling of snow in the air stronger than before.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if only it would snow!" came from Bert, several times. "I like +winter better than anything."</p> + +<p>"I don't," answered Nan. "Think of the nice flowers we have in the +summer."</p> + +<p>"You can't have much fun with flowers, Nan."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you can. And think of the birds——"</p> + +<p>"I like the summer," piped in Freddie, "cos then we go to the country +where the cows and the chickens are!"</p> + +<p>"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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> Meadow Brook the finest country place in all the world.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Winter has come after all!" cried the boy. "Wish it was Monday instead +of Sunday."</p> + +<p>"The snow is not quite deep enough for sleighing yet," returned his +father.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Bert, this will not do on Sunday," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and there the +snowballing came to an end.</p> + +<p>All through that night the snow continued <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"I want to go out in the snow!" cried Freddie. "I don't want to stay +indoors all day."</p> + +<p>"You shall go out later on, in the garden," replied his mother.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Better look out or we'll get in over our heads," cried Bert.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, wouldn't it be terrible to have such a thing happen!" +answered his twin sister. "How would we ever get out?"</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"I love it because it looks so white and pure, Bert."</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't stand that, Charley," said Danny Rugg, who was close at +hand. "I'd pitch into him if I were you."</p> + +<p>"You pitch into him," grumbled Charley. "You can throw awfully +straight."</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"For shame, Danny Rugg, to hit Bert so hard as that!" cried Nan.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you keep still, Nan Bobbsey!" retorted Danny. "This is our sport, +not yours."</p> + +<p>"But you shouldn't have come so close before you threw the snowball."</p> + +<p>"I know what I'm doing," growled the big boy, running off.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Did he hurt you very much, Bert?" asked one.</p> + +<p>"He hurt me enough. It wasn't fair to come so close, or to make the +snowballs so hard."</p> + +<p>"Let us duck Danny in the snow," suggested one of the boys.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I'll pay him back when we go home to dinner," Bert told himself, and +laid his plans accordingly.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"You shan't get away from me!" cried Bert, and ran after him. Soon he +threw one <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>snowball and this landed on Danny's back. Then he threw +another and knocked off the bully's cap.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"I'll fix you for that, Bert Bobbsey!" he said, stooping down in the +street. "How do you like that?"</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h3>THE BROKEN WINDOW</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Stop! stop!" roared the shoe dealer, coming after them. "Stop, I say!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Bert was greatly scared, for he was afraid <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter? Do you feel sick?" asked the father.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not sick," he answered.</p> + +<p>"You play altogether too hard. Take it easy. The snow will last a long +time," went on Mr. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with you, Bert?" questioned his twin sister, as they +trudged along.</p> + +<p>"Nothing is the matter, Nan."</p> + +<p>"But there is. You act <i>so</i> strange."</p> + +<p>"I—I don't feel very good."</p> + +<p>"Then you did run too hard, after all."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't that, Nan." Bert looked around him. "Do you see anything of +Danny Rugg?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No." Nan stopped short. "Bert Bobbsey, did you have a fight with him?"</p> + +<p>"No—that is, not a real fight. I chased him with some snowballs and he +threw a big chunk of ice at me."</p> + +<p>"Did he hit you?"</p> + +<p>"No, he—he—oh, Nan, perhaps I had better tell you. But you must +promise not to tell anybody else."</p> + +<p>"Tell me what?"</p> + +<p>"Will you promise not to tell?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Nan promptly, for she and her twin brother always trusted +each other.</p> + +<p>"When Danny threw the ice at me it flew past and broke Mr. Ringley's +window."</p> + +<p>"What, of the shoe store?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Does Mr. Ringley think you broke the window?"</p> + +<p>"I guess he does. Anyway, he followed me and not Danny."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"I—I got scared, that's why. I was afraid he'd get a policeman."</p> + +<p>"Danny ought to own up that he did it."</p> + +<p>"He won't do it. He'll put it off on me if he can,—because I chased him +in the first place."</p> + +<p>"Did Mr. Ringley know it was you?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. Now, Nan, remember, you promised not to tell."</p> + +<p>"All right, Bert, I won't say a word. But—but—what do you think Mr. +Ringley will do?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Bert, you are not paying attention," said the teacher severely. "You +just said the capi<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>tal of Pennsylvania was Albany. You must know better +than that."</p> + +<p>"Philadelphia," corrected Bert.</p> + +<p>"After this pay more attention."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Come here, I want to talk to you," he said, from across the street.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" asked Bert roughly.</p> + +<p>"I've got something to tell you. It won't take but a minute."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"You can't blame that broken window off on me, Danny Rugg," he began.</p> + +<p>"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."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Why should I? It was your fault."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>He clenched his fists as he spoke and looked so fierce that Bert +retreated a step.</p> + +<p>"I haven't said anything, Danny."</p> + +<p>"Then you had better not. Old Ringley doesn't know who broke his window. +So you keep quiet; do you hear?"</p> + +<p>"Are you sure he doesn't know?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, because he has been asking everybody about it."</p> + +<p>There was a pause and the two boys looked at each other.</p> + +<p>"You ought to pay for the window," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"What did he have to say?" questioned Nan, when Bert came back to her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p> + +<p>"He wants me to keep still. He says Mr. Ringley doesn't know who did +it."</p> + +<p>"Did you promise to keep still, Bert?"</p> + +<p>"No, but if I say anything Danny says he will give it to me."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I wish you was really and truly horses," said Flossie. "You go so +<i>beau</i>tifully!"</p> + +<p>"And if I had a whip I could make you go faster," put in Freddie.</p> + +<p>"For shame, Freddie!" exclaimed Nan. "Would you hit the horse that gave +you such a nice ride?"</p> + +<p>"Let me give <i>you</i> a ride," answered the little fellow, to change the +subject.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>kicked up his heels, very much to Flossie's delight.</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<h3>BERT'S GHOST</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"He may say I did it, just to clear himself," thought Bert. "And if Mr. +Ringley comes after me, he'll remember me sure."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p><i>There was nothing there!</i></p> + +<p>"But I saw something," he told himself. "I am sure I saw something. What +could it have been?"</p> + +<p>Ah, that was the question. For over an hour <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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?</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Why, Bert, what makes you sleep so soundly this morning?" said Mrs. +Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"I—I didn't get to sleep until late," he stammered. And then he added: +"Mamma, do you believe in ghosts?"</p> + +<p>"Why, of course not, Bert. What put that into your head?"</p> + +<p>"I—I thought I saw a ghost last night."</p> + +<p>"You must have been mistaken. There are no ghosts."</p> + +<p>"But I saw <i>something</i>," insisted the boy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Where?"</p> + +<p>"Right at the foot of the bed. It was all white."</p> + +<p>"When was this?"</p> + +<p>"Right in the middle of the night."</p> + +<p>"Did you see it come in, or go out?"</p> + +<p>"No, mamma. When I woke up it was standing there, and when I took a +second look at it, it was gone."</p> + +<p>"You must have been suffering from a nightmare, Bert," said Mrs. Bobbsey +kindly. "You should not have eaten those nuts before going to bed."</p> + +<p>"No, it wasn't a nightmare," said the boy.</p> + +<p>He had but little to say while eating breakfast, but on the way to +school he told Nan, while Freddie and Flossie listened also.</p> + +<p>"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!"</p> + +<p>"Mamma says there are no ghosts. But I saw something—I am sure of +that."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to see any ghostses," came from Flossie.</p> + +<p>"Nor I," added Freddie. "Sam told about <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>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?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"How many heads did it have?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know—one, I guess."</p> + +<p>"And was it as high as a tree?" went on the inquisitive little fellow.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it couldn't stand up in the room if it was as high as a tree," +burst out Flossie.</p> + +<p>"Could if it was a tiny <i>baby</i> tree," expostulated Freddie.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it was moonshine," suggested Nan, but at this Bert shook his +head. He felt certain it had been more substantial than moonshine.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I'll try my sled against yours!" cried Charley Mason to Bert.</p> + +<p>"Done!" returned Bert. "Are you going down alone, or are you going to +carry somebody?"</p> + +<p>"You must carry me down," insisted Nan.</p> + +<p>"Then I'll take Nellie Parks," went on Charley.</p> + +<p>Nellie was close at hand and soon the two sleds were side by side, with +a girl on each. Bert and Charley stood behind.</p> + +<p>"Are you ready?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then go!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"A race! A race!" shouted those standing near.</p> + +<p>"I think Charley will win!" said some.</p> + +<p>"I think Bert will win!" said others.</p> + +<p>"Oh, let us win if we can!" whispered Nan to her twin brother.</p> + +<p>"I'll do my best, Nan," was the answer.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Whoop!" roared Charley. "Clear the track, for I am coming!"</p> + +<p>"Make room for me!" sang out Bert. "We are bound to win!"</p> + +<p>The bottom of the hill was almost reached when Charley's sled began to +crawl a bit ahead.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, they are going to beat us after all," cried Nan +disappointedly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I knew we'd beat you," cried Nellie Parks. "Charley's is the best sled +on the hill."</p> + +<p>"The race isn't over yet," said Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Here we come!" shouted Bert. "Make room, I say! Make room."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"We've won!" cried Nan excitedly. "Oh, Bert, your sled is a wonder."</p> + +<p>"So it is," he answered, with pride. "But it was a close race, wasn't +it?"</p> + +<p>When they came back to where Charley and Nellie stood they found Charley +rather sulky.</p> + +<p>"Nellie is heavier than Nan," said he. "It wasn't a fair race. Let us +try it alone next time."</p> + +<p>"I'm willing," answered Bert.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<h3>COASTING, AND WHAT CAME OF IT</h3> + + +<p>It was a long walk back to the top of the hill, but Nan and Bert did not +mind it.</p> + +<p>"So you won, did you?" said one of the boys to Bert. "Good enough."</p> + +<p>"We are going to try it over again," put in Charley. "Come on."</p> + +<p>In the crowd was Danny Rugg, who had a brand-new sled.</p> + +<p>"I guess I can beat anybody!" cried Danny boastfully. "This new sled of +mine is bang-up."</p> + +<p>"What slang!" whispered Nan, to Bert. "If I were you I shouldn't race +with him."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to race with Charley," answered her twin brother, and took no +notice of Danny's challenge.</p> + +<p>Bert and Charley were soon ready for the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>test, and away they went amid +a cheer from their friends.</p> + +<p>"I think Charley will win this time," said Nellie.</p> + +<p>"And I think that Bert will win," answered Nan.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you think your brother is wonderful," sniffed Nellie, with a shrug +of her shoulders.</p> + +<p>"He is just as good as any boy," said Nan quickly.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Keep on your side, Bert Bobbsey!" shouted Charley warningly.</p> + +<p>"And you keep on yours, Charley Mason!" returned Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The bottom of the hill was barely reached when Charley's sled made an +unexpected turn <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>and crashed into Bert's, throwing Bert over on his side +in the snow.</p> + +<p>"What did you do that for?" demanded Bert angrily.</p> + +<p>"I—I—didn't do it," stammered Charley. "I guess you turned into me."</p> + +<p>"No, I didn't."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you get out of the way!" roared Danny Rugg roughly. "I +yelled loud enough."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my ankle!" groaned Bert. For the moment the wrecked sled was +forgotten.</p> + +<p>"I didn't touch your ankle," went on the big boy.</p> + +<p>"You did so, Danny—at least, the point of your sled did," answered +Bert.</p> + +<p>"You ran into me in the first place," came from Charley.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, Charley, you know better than that." Bert tried to stand, but had +to sit down. "Oh, my ankle!"</p> + +<p>"It wasn't my fault," said Danny Rugg, and began to haul his sled away. +Charley started to follow.</p> + +<p>"Don't leave me, Charley," called out Bert. "I—I guess I can't walk."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"The sled is broken," said Bert, surveying the wreck dismally.</p> + +<p>"That was Danny's fault."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, he ought to pay for having it fixed."</p> + +<p>"He never pays for anything he breaks, Bert,—you know that."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, what is the matter? Are you hurt?" she asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes,—Danny ran into me, and broke the sled."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't my fault, I say!" blustered the big boy. "You had a right to +get out of the way."</p> + +<p>"It was your fault, Danny Rugg, and you will have to have my sled +mended," cried Bert.</p> + +<p>Throwing down the rope of his own sled, Danny advanced and doubled up +his fists as if to fight.</p> + +<p>"Don't you talk like that to me," he said surlily. "I don't like it."</p> + +<p>Bert's ankle hurt too much for him to continue the quarrel. He felt +himself growing dizzy and he fell back.</p> + +<p>"Let us go home," whispered Nan.</p> + +<p>"I'll ride you home if you can't walk," put in Charley, who was growing +alarmed.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>and found +the ankle scratched and swollen, and bathed it and bound it up.</p> + +<p>"You must lie down on the sofa," she said. "Never mind the broken sled. +Perhaps your papa can fix it when he comes home."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"You must not have anything to do with Danny Rugg," said Mrs. Bobbsey to +her son. "He is very rough and ungentlemanly."</p> + +<p>"I'll leave him alone, mamma, if he'll leave me alone," answered Bert.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>Flossie wanted to divide the house into three rooms, "dining room, +kitchen, and bedroom," as she said, but Freddie objected.</p> + +<p>"'Taint big enough," said the little boy. "Make one big room and call it +ev'rything."</p> + +<p>"But we haven't got an <i>ev'rything</i>," said Flossie.</p> + +<p>"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."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's jess <i>beau</i>tiful!" he cried, "Try it, Flossie!" And Flossie +did try, and said the house was going to be perfect.</p> + +<p>"Only we must have a bay window," she added. "And a curtain, just like +mamma."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Where shall I put the bay window?" asked the little boy, presently.</p> + +<p>"On this side," answered Flossie, pointing with the shovel she held.</p> + +<p>At once Freddie began to dig a hole through the side of the pile of +snow.</p> + +<p>"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!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<h3>FREDDIE AND FLOSSIE'S SNOW HOUSE</h3> + + +<p>"Freddie! Freddie!" shrieked Flossie, when she saw her twin brother +disappear. "Do come out!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Dinah! Dinah! Freddie is buried! Freddie is buried!"</p> + +<p>"Wot's dat yo' say, Flossie?" demanded the cook, coming to the door.</p> + +<p>"Freddie is buried. The ceiling of the snow house came down on him!"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 244px;"> +<img src="images/p058.jpg" width="244" height="400" alt=""DAT CHILE DUN GWINE AN' BURIED HIMSELF ALIVE."—P. 53." title=""DAT CHILE DUN GWINE AN' BURIED HIMSELF ALIVE."—P. 53." /> +<span class="caption">"DAT CHILE DUN GWINE AN' BURIED HIMSELF ALIVE."—<a href='#Page_53'>P. 53.</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> + +<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.</p> + +<p>"What in the world is the matter?" questioned Mrs. Bobbsey, in alarm.</p> + +<p>"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!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Flossie, it's all spoilt! The bay window an' all!"</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Freddie dear," said his mother, taking him. "Be thankful +that you were not suffocated, as Dinah says."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but Flossie and me were makin' an <i>ev'rything</i> house, with a +parlor, an' a bay window, an' <i>ev'rything</i>. I didn't want it to fall +down." Freddie was still gasping, but now he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>struggled to the ground. +"Want to build it up again," he added.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid you'll get into trouble again, Freddie."</p> + +<p>"No, I won't, mamma. Do let us build it up again," pleaded the little +fellow.</p> + +<p>"I kin watch dem from de doah," suggested Dinah.</p> + +<p>"Let me help them, mamma," put in Nan. "Bert is reading a book, so he +won't want me for a while."</p> + +<p>"Very well, Nan, you may stay with them. But all of you be careful," +said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"To-night I'll poah some water ober dat house," said Sam. "Dat will make +de snow as <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>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. <i>Dong! dong!</i> would go the bell, and out he +would rush with his little engine and up the garden path, looking for a +fire.</p> + +<p>"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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>throwing the baby to her rushed off again with his +engine.</p> + +<p>"That wasn't very nice," pouted Flossie. "Dorothy might have fallen in +the snow."</p> + +<p>"Can't help it," answered Freddie. "A fireman can't stop for anything."</p> + +<p>"But—but—he doesn't have to throw his baby away, does he?" questioned +Flossie, with wide open eyes.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he does,—<i>ev'rything</i>."</p> + +<p>"But—but supposing he is—is eating his dinner?"</p> + +<p>"He has to throw it away, Flossie. Oh, it's awful hard to be a real +fireman."</p> + +<p>"Would he have to throw his jam away, and his pie?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>the labor, although being +careful not to injure the sore ankle.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Let us divide into two parties of soldiers," said Ralph. "One can +defend the fort and the others can attack it."</p> + +<p>"Hurrah! just the thing!" cried Bert. "When shall the battle begin?"</p> + +<p>The boys talked it over, and it was decided to have the battle come off +after lunch.</p> + +<p>The boys went home full of enthusiasm, and soon the news spread that a +real soldiers' battle was to take place at the lot.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, can't I go and look on?" asked Nan.</p> + +<p>"I want to go, too," put in Flossie.</p> + +<p>"Can't I be a soldier?" asked Freddie. "I can make snowballs, and throw +'em, too."</p> + +<p>"No, Freddie, you are too little to be a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>soldier," answered Bert. "But +you can all come and look on, if you wish."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Now, remember," said a gentleman who was placed in charge. "No icy +snowballs and no stones."</p> + +<p>"We'll remember, Mr. Potter," cried the young soldiers.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Are you all ready?" shouted Mr. Potter presently.</p> + +<p>A yell of assent came from nearly all of the young soldiers.</p> + +<p>"Very well, then; the battle may begin."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + +<p>Some of the boys had brought horns along, and now a rousing blast came +from behind the barn and then from the snow fort.</p> + +<p>"Come on and capture the fort!" cried Bert, and led the way, with his +arms full of snowballs.</p> + +<p>There was a grand cheer and up the hill rushed the young soldiers, ready +to capture the snow fort no matter what the cost.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<h3>FUN ON THE ICE</h3> + + +<p>"Oh, the fight is going to start!" cried Nan, in high excitement. "See +them coming up the hill!"</p> + +<p>"Will they shoot?" asked Flossie, just a bit nervously.</p> + +<p>"Course they won't shoot," answered Freddie. "Can't shoot snowballs. +Ain't got no powder in."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>Back of the barn the attacking party held a consultation.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"All right, let us do that," said Bert.</p> + +<p>Waiting until each boy had a dozen or more <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I hope they get into the fort this time," said Nan.</p> + +<p>"I hope they don't," answered another girl, who had a brother in the +fort.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Get back there!" roared a boy from the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"The fort has fallen!" screamed Nan, and clapped her hands.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" shouted Freddie. "The—the forters are beaten, aren't they?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Freddie."</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>came, one +after another, until the fort was in ruins, and the great contest came +to an end.</p> + +<p>"It was just splendid!" said Nan to Bert, on the way home. "Just like a +real battle."</p> + +<p>"Only the band didn't play," put in Freddie disappointedly. "Real +soldiers have a band. They don't play fish-horns."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Freddie!" cried Flossie. "They weren't fish-horns. They were +Christmas horns."</p> + +<p>"It's all the same. I like a band, with a big, fat bass-drum."</p> + +<p>"We'll have the band next time—just for your benefit, Freddie," said +Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Danny Rugg was terribly angry that we captured the fort," said he. "He +is looking for the boys who threw him on his face."</p> + +<p>"It served him right," answered Nan, remembering the trouble over the +broken show window.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Some day I am going to learn how to do fancy skating," said Bert. "The +Dutch roll, and spread the eagle, and all that."</p> + +<p>"There is Mr. Gifford," said Nan. "Let us watch him."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"It's beautiful to skate like that," cried Nan, when they skated away. +"It's just like knowing how to dance everything."</p> + +<p>"Only better," said Bert, who did not care for dancing at all.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The boys played tag, too, and "snapped the whip," as it is termed. All +of the boys <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>"Hi! you young rascal!" roared the man, trying to scramble up. "What do +you mean by bowling me over like that?"</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>sheet for a sail, if you will get your father to give you the +lumber."</p> + +<p>"I'll try," answered Bert, and it was agreed that the ice-boat should be +built during the following week, after school.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<h3>FREDDIE LOSES HIMSELF</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I want to see them, too!" cried Flossie, and begged her mother to +take her along the next time she went out.</p> + +<p>"I want to go, too," put in Freddie. "Bert says there are <i>sixteen</i> +rocking horses all in a row, with white and black tails. I want to see +them."</p> + +<p>"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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>later on, when +the places are filled with Christmas shoppers."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Let us buy mamma something for Christmas," said Flossie, who had the +same amount of money.</p> + +<p>"What shall we buy?"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma doesn't want a doll," said Nan. "And she ought to have a real +automobile, not a tin one."</p> + +<p>"Can't buy a real auto'bile," said Freddie. "Real auto'biles cost ten +dollars, or more."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"I'll buy her a big bottle of cologne," said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> Freddie. "That big!" and +he placed his hands about a foot apart.</p> + +<p>"And I'll get a real lace handkerchief," added Flossie.</p> + +<p>"You'll have to do the best you can," said practical Nan, and so it was +agreed.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I heard you had a window broken not long ago," said Mrs. Bobbsey, when +paying for her purchases.</p> + +<p>"Yes, two bad boys broke the window," answered the shoe dealer.</p> + +<p>"Who were they?"</p> + +<p>"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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>window." And then he turned +away to wait on another customer.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma, what a flock of dolls!" she cried. "Must be 'bout ten +millions of them, don't you think so?"</p> + +<p>"Hardly that many, Flossie; but there are a good many."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Do you think that is the nicest, Flossie?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed, indeed I do," answered the little miss. "It's too lovely for +anything. Can't we get it and take it home?"</p> + +<p>"No, dear; but you had better ask Santa Claus to send it to you," +continued her mother with a smile.</p> + +<p>Some wooden soldiers and building blocks caught Freddie's eye, and for +the time being his favorite fire engines were forgotten.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps Santa Claus will bring you some soldiers in your stocking, +Freddie."</p> + +<p>"Stocking ain't big enough—want big ones, like that," and he pointed +with his chubby hand.</p> + +<p>"Well, let us wait and see what Santa Claus can do," said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Bert said they had a lavater," said Freddie presently. "Mamma, I want +to go in the lavater."</p> + +<p>"Lavater?" repeated Mrs. Bobbsey, with a puzzled look. "Why, Freddie, +what do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"He means the stairs that runs up and down on a big rope," put in +Flossie.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, the elevator," said the mother. "Very well, you shall both ride in +the elevator."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Let us go down again," said Freddie. "It's ever so much nicer than +climbing the stairs."</p> + +<p>"I wish to make a few purchases first," answered the mother.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my, I must have some of those things <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>for my dolls," she said, half +aloud. There was a trunk she thought perfectly lovely and it was marked +39 cents. "Not so very much," she thought.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<h3>LOST AND FOUND</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>The darkness did not please him, and he was glad to have the black +kitten for a com<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>panion. 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.</p> + +<p>"Mamma! Mamma!" he cried out. "Mamma, where are you?"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"They have all gone home and left me here alone," he thought. "Oh, what +shall I do?"</p> + +<p>He knew the night was generally very long and he did not wish to remain +in the big, lonely building until morning.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>"Mamma!" he screamed again. "Oh, mamma, why don't you come?"</p> + +<p>He listened and presently he heard footsteps overhead.</p> + +<p>"Who's there?" came in the heavy voice of a man.</p> + +<p>The voice sounded so unnatural that Freddie was afraid to answer. +Perhaps the man might be a burglar come to rob the store.</p> + +<p>"I say, who's there?" repeated the voice. "Answer me."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>he was discovered, there was no +telling what such burglars might do with him.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Meow!" came from the black kitten, which was still in Freddie's arms. +Then the man looked in that direction.</p> + +<p>"Hullo!" he exclaimed, starting in amazement. "What are you doing here? +Are you alone?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, please, I want my mamma!" cried Freddie.</p> + +<p>"You want your mamma?" repeated the man. "Say!" he went on suddenly. +"Are you the kid that got lost this afternoon, youngster?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Well, I never!" cried the man. "And have you been down here ever +since?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. But I don't want to stay—I want to go home."</p> + +<p>"All right, you shall go. But this beats me!"</p> + +<p>"Are you the man who owns the store?" questioned Freddie curiously.</p> + +<p>At this the man laughed. "No; wish I did. I'm the night watchman. Let me +see, what is your name?"</p> + +<p>"Freddie Bobbsey. My papa owns the lumber yard."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Mrs. Bobbsey and the others of the family were almost +frantic with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>grief and alarm. Mr. Bobbsey had notified the police and +the town had been searched thoroughly for some trace of the missing boy.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>When the telephone bell rang Mr. Bobbsey had just come in from another +fruitless search. Both he and his wife ran to the telephone.</p> + +<p>"Hullo!" came over the wire. "Is this Mr. Bobbsey's house?"</p> + +<p>"It is," answered the gentleman quickly. "What do you want? Have you any +news?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I've found your little boy, sir," came back the reply. "He is safe and +sound with me."</p> + +<p>"And who are you?"</p> + +<p>"The night watchman at the department store. He went to sleep here, +that's all."</p> + +<p>At this news all were overjoyed.</p> + +<p>"Let me speak to him," said Mrs. Bobbsey eagerly. "Freddie dear, are you +there?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, mamma," answered Freddie, into the telephone. "And I want to come +home."</p> + +<p>"You shall, dear. Papa shall come for you at once."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he's found! He's found!" shrieked Nan. "Aren't you glad, Bert?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>As soon as possible Mr. Bobbsey drove around to the department store in +his sleigh. The watchman and Freddie were on the look-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>out for him, the +little boy with the kitten still in his arms.</p> + +<p>"Oh, papa!" cried Freddie. "I am so glad you have come! I—I don't want +to go to sleep here again!"</p> + +<p>The watchman's story was soon told, and Mr. Bobbsey made him happy by +presenting him with a two-dollar bill.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I do not know as I shall take you with me again," said Mrs. Bobbsey. +"You have given us all a great scare."</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma, I won't leave you like that <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>again," cried Freddie quickly. +"Don't like to be in the dark 'tall," he added.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it must have been awful," said Flossie. "Didn't you see any—any +ghosts?"</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<h3>THE CRUISE OF THE "ICE BIRD"</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The two boys worked with a will, and by Thursday evening had the ice +boat completed. They christened the craft the <i>Ice Bird</i>, and Bert +insisted upon it that his father come and see her.</p> + +<p>"You have certainly done very well," said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> Mr. Bobbsey. "This looks as +if you were cut out for a builder, Bert."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd like to build big houses and ships first-rate," answered +Bert.</p> + +<p>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 <i>Ice Bird</i> behaved handsomely, much to the boys' satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"She's a dandy!" cried Bert. "How she can whiz before the wind."</p> + +<p>"You must take me out soon," said Nan.</p> + +<p>"I will," answered Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I'll take you out Monday afternoon, after school," said Bert to his +twin sister.</p> + +<p>"Good!" cried Nan. "Let us go directly school is out, so as to have some +good, long rides."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>Nan took the seat mentioned, and her twin brother began to hoist the +mainsail of the <i>Ice Bird</i>. 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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but this is lovely!" cried Nan gleefully. "How fast the boat spins +along!"</p> + +<p>"I wish there were more ice boats around," answered Bert. "We might then +have a race."</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is pleasure enough just to sail around," said Nan.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Oh, let us take one more trip," pleaded her twin brother.</p> + +<p>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 <i>Ice Bird</i> +might move down the lake instead of across.</p> + +<p>It had grown dark and the stars which might have shone in the sky were +hidden by heavy clouds.</p> + +<p>"Not too far now, remember," said Nan.</p> + +<p>The wind had veered around and was blowing directly down the lake, so, +almost before they knew it, the <i>Ice Bird</i> 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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, this is too fast!" she gasped, catching her breath.</p> + +<p>"It's just glorious, Nan!" he cried. "Just hold on, it won't hurt you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But—but how are we to get back?"</p> + +<p>Bert had not thought of that, and at the question his face fell a +little.</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll get back somehow," he said evasively.</p> + +<p>"You had better turn around now."</p> + +<p>"Let us go just a little bit further, Nan," he pleaded.</p> + +<p>When at last he started to turn back he found himself unable to do so. +The wind was blowing fiercely and the <i>Ice Bird</i> swept on before it in +spite of all he could do.</p> + +<p>"Bert! Bert! Oh, why don't you turn around?" screamed Nan. She had to +scream in order to make herself heard.</p> + +<p>"I—I can't," he faltered. "She won't come around."</p> + +<p>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 <i>Ice Bird</i> 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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>full length, while the <i>Ice Bird</i> was tipped up on one side.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Bert, whatever shall we do now?" asked Nan, after a spell of silence. +"We'll never get home at all!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, we shall," he said, bravely enough, but with a sinking heart. +"We've got to get home, you know."</p> + +<p>"But the ice boat is upset, and it's so dark I can't see a thing."</p> + +<p>"I think I can right the ice boat. Anyway, I can try."</p> + +<p>Doing his best to appear brave, Bert tried to shove the <i>Ice Bird</i> 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.</p> + +<p>"Look out, or you'll hurt your foot," cried Nan. "Let me help you."</p> + +<p>Between them they presently got the craft <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>right side up. But now the +wind was blowing directly from the lake, so to get the <i>Ice Bird</i> out on +the ice again was beyond them. Every time they shoved the craft out the +wind drove her back.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, I guess we have got to stay here after all!" sighed Bert, at +last.</p> + +<p>"Not stay here all night, I hope!" gasped Nan. "That would be worse than +to stay in the store, as Freddie did."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Let us walk home," suggested Nan. "That will be better than staying out +here in the snow storm."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>The laugh put them both in better spirits, and leaving the <i>Ice Bird</i> +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.</p> + +<p>"It will take us over an hour to get home," said Nan.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I suppose we'll catch it for being late," grumbled Bert. +"Perhaps we won't get any supper."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know mamma won't scold us after she finds out why we were late, +Bert."</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>of this +for a moment, out of the way of the wind and driving snow.</p> + +<p>"Hark!" cried Bert as they were on the point of continuing their +journey.</p> + +<p>"It's a dog!" answered Nan. "Oh, Bert, he is coming this way. Perhaps he +is savage!"</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<h3>TIGE—PLAYING THEATER</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Bert! Bert! what shall we do?" she gasped as she clung to her twin +brother's arm.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Let us get into the shed," he said quickly. "Perhaps we can close the +door and keep the dog out."</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Do you—you think he can get in at the window?" faltered Nan. She was +so scared she could scarcely speak.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, I'm sure. If you'll stand by the door, Nan, I'll try to +guard the window."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Are there any cows here?" asked Nan. It was so dark she could see next +to nothing.</p> + +<p>"No cows here, I guess," answered Bert. "This building is 'most ready to +tumble down."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"He is trying to work his way in," she cried.</p> + +<p>"If he does that, I'll hit him with this," answered her twin brother, +and brandished the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Hi, Tige, what's the matter? Have you spotted a tramp in the shed?"</p> + +<p>"Help! help!" called out Bert. "Call off your dog!"</p> + +<p>"A tramp, sure enough," said the man who was coming toward the cow-shed.</p> + +<p>"I am not a tramp," answered Bert. "And my sister isn't a tramp, +either."</p> + +<p>"What's that? You've got your sister with you? Open the door."</p> + +<p>"Please, we are afraid of the dog," came from Nan. "He came after us and +we ran into the shed for shelter."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's it?" The farmer gave a short laugh. "Well, you needn't be +skeert! Tige won't hurt ye none."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure of that?" put in Bert. "He seems to be very savage."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I won't let him touch ye."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"I—I was so scared," said Nan.</p> + +<p>"May I ask what you be a-doin' on the road all alone and in this +snowstorm?"</p> + +<p>"We are going home," answered Bert, and then explained how they had been +ice-boating and what had happened on the lake.</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"I am Bert Bobbsey and this is my twin sister Nan."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I know now. You're one pair o'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> 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."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I guess you are a good dog after all," said she, patting his head. "But +you did give me <i>such</i> a scare!"</p> + +<p>Both of the twins were very cold and glad enough to warm themselves by +the kitchen fire <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"You can be thankful you weren't blown clear to the other end of the +lake," said Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> Bobbsey. "I think after this you had better leave +ice-boating alone."</p> + +<p>"I know I shall!" declared Nan.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll be more careful, papa, after this," pleaded Bert. "You know I +promised to go out again with Charley."</p> + +<p>"Well then, don't go when the wind is strong," and Bert promised.</p> + +<p>"I'm so glad the dog didn't bite you," said little Flossie. "He might +have given you hy—hy<i>dro</i>pics."</p> + +<p>"Flossie means hydrophobics," put in Freddie. "Ain't no hy<i>dro</i>pics, is +there, Bert?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Freddie, you mean hydrophobia!" burst out Nan, with a laugh.</p> + +<p>"No, I mean hydrophobics," insisted the little fellow. "That's what +Dinah calls them anyway."</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>children had great fun in the attic, where there +was a large storeroom, filled with all sort of things.</p> + +<p>"Let us play theater," said Nan, who had been to several exhibitions +while at home and while visiting.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"They won't clap their hands very much," said Bert. "But then they won't +make any disturbance either."</p> + +<p>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 mean<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>time. 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.</p> + +<p>But later, when mamma went below again, Bert and Nan sneaked back, and +put both the trunk and the screens in their proper places.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<h3>NAN'S FIRST CAKE-BAKING</h3> + + +<p>"Let's!" cried Nan.</p> + +<p>"Yes, let's!" echoed Flossie.</p> + +<p>"I want to help too," put in Freddie, "Want to make a cake all by my own +self."</p> + +<p>"Freddie can make a little cake while we make a big one," said Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"It ought to be easy to make a nice big plain cake," said Bert. "I've +seen Dinah do it lots <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>of times. She just mixes up her milk and eggs and +butter, and sifts in the flour, and there you are."</p> + +<p>"Much you know about it!" declared Nan. "If it isn't just put together +right, it will be as heavy as lead."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>The twins were soon in the kitchen, which Dinah had left spotlessly +clean and in perfect order.</p> + +<p>"We mustn't make a muss," warned Nan. "If we do, Dinah will never +forgive us."</p> + +<p>"As if we couldn't clean it up again," said Bert loftily.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Bert, you get the milk and sugar," said Nan, and began to roll up her +sleeves. "Flossie, you can get the butter."</p> + +<p>She would have told Freddie to get some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>thing, too—just to start them +all to work—but Freddie was out of sight.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>The others were working in the kitchen when they heard a strange <i>thump</i> +and then a spluttering yell.</p> + +<p>"It's Freddie," said Nan. "Bert, go and see what he is doing in the +pantry."</p> + +<p>Bert ran to the pantry door and pulled it open. A strange sight met his +gaze. Out of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Oh! oh! oh!" roared Freddie as soon as he could catch his breath. "Oh, +my! oh, my!"</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>Freddie was digging at the flour in his eyes. He was white from head to +feet, and coughing and spluttering.</p> + +<p>"Wait, I'll get the whisk-broom," said Bert, and ran for it.</p> + +<p>"Brush off his hair first, and then I'll wipe his face," came from Nan.</p> + +<p>"Here's the wash-rag," put in little Flos<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>sie, and catching it up, +wringing wet, she began to wipe off Freddie's face before anybody could +stop her.</p> + +<p>"Flossie! Flossie! You mustn't do that!" said Bert. "Don't you see you +are making paste of the flour?"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I'll dust him good first," said Bert, and began such a vigorous use of +the whisk-broom that everybody began to sneeze.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, not so hard!" said Nan, and ran to open the back door. "Bring +him here."</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Don't touch the barrel, Flossie!" called Bert. "You keep away, or +you'll be as dirty as Freddie."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"What were you doing near the flour barrel?" asked Nan.</p> + +<p>"Going to get flour for the cake."</p> + +<p>"But we don't want that kind of flour, Freddie. We want this," and she +brought forth the package.</p> + +<p>"Dinah uses this," answered the little boy.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Ain't no chairs to sit down on," said Freddie, after a look around. +"All full of flour."</p> + +<p>"I declare, we forgot to dust the chairs," answered Nan. "Bert, will you +clean them?"</p> + +<p>Bert did so, and Freddie and Flossie sat down to watch the process of +cake-making, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>being assured that they should have the first slices if +the cake was a success.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"'Most time for that cake to be done, isn't it?" questioned Bert, after +a quarter of an hour had passed.</p> + +<p>"Not quite," answered Nan.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Wished you had put raisins in it," said Freddie. "Raisins are +beautiful."</p> + +<p>"No, I like plain cake the best," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"I like chocolate," came from Flossie.</p> + +<p>"And I like layer cake, with currant jelly in between," said Nan. "But I +didn't dare to open any jelly without asking mamma."</p> + +<p>"Let us surprise her with the cake," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"Want cake now," protested Freddie. "Don't want to wait 't all!"</p> + +<p>But he was persuaded to wait, and the cake was hidden away in the +dining-room closet until the hour for the evening meal.</p> + +<p>When Dinah came home she noticed the mussed-up kitchen, but Nan begged +of her to keep quiet.</p> + +<p>"All right, honey," said the colored cook. "But I know youse been +a-bakin'—I kin smell it in de air."</p> + +<p>When they sat down to the evening meal all of the children produced the +cake in great triumph.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Nan, a real cake!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "How nice it looks!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> + +<p>"We've got some real housekeepers around here," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll +have to try that sure."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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'."</p> + +<p>"No, Dinah, you shall stay even if I do do the baking," answered Nan; +and went to bed feeling very happy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<h3>CHRISTMAS</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"All I want is a set of furs," said Nan, not once but many times. "A +beautiful brown set, just like mamma's."</p> + +<p>"And all I want is some good story books, some games, a new +pocket-knife, a big wagon, and some money," said Bert.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Mercy, you don't want much, Bert," cried Nan. "How much money—a +thousand dollars?"</p> + +<p>"I want money, too," piped in Freddie. "Want to start a bank account +just like papa's."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Santa Claus can spirit himself wherever he wants to, dear," said Mrs. +Bobbsey, with a quiet smile.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by <i>spirit</i> himself, mamma?"</p> + +<p>"Never mind now, Flossie; you'll understand that when you grow older."</p> + +<p>"Does mamma mean a ghost?" asked Flossie, later on, of Nan.</p> + +<p>"No, Flossie; she means the part of a person that lives but can't be +seen."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know," cried the child, brightening. "It's just like when a +person is good. Then they say it's the <i>spirit</i> 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."</p> + +<p>On the day before Christmas the sitting-room door was closed and locked, +so that none of the children might enter the room. Freddie <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>was very +anxious to look through the keyhole, but Bert told him that wouldn't be +fair, so he stayed away.</p> + +<p>"We are to hang up our stockings to-night," said Nan. "And mamma says we +must go to bed early, too."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Santa Claus must be a twin, just like you and me," said Flossie. "Maybe +he's a twin a hundred times over."</p> + +<p>At this Freddie roared. "What a funny twin that would be—with each one +having the same name!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>and Flossie were in dreamland, +and so were Bert and Nan.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>The last call awoke Nan and Bert, and before long all were scrambling +out to see what the stockings might contain.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I've got a doll!" shrieked Flossie, and brought forth a wonderful +affair of paper.</p> + +<p>"I have a jumping-jack!" came from Freddie, and he began to work the toy +up and down in a most comical fashion.</p> + +<p>There was some small gift for everybody and several apples and oranges +besides, and quantities of nuts in the stockings.</p> + +<p>"We must get the presents for the others," whispered Nan to Bert and the +smaller twins, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>and soon all were dressed and bringing the things down +from the storeroom.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, look at the big doll!" screamed Flossie, and caught the present up +in her arms and kissed it.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>twins were very, very proud. Bert felt as if he was truly +getting to be quite a business man.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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!"</p> + +<p>"You must try to keep them nice, Nan," answered the mother.</p> + +<p>"I shall take the very best of care of them," said Nan, and my readers +may be sure that she did.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Well this is truly a surprise!" cried Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> Bobbsey, as he inspected the +cravat. "It is just what I need."</p> + +<p>"And this flower is beautiful," said Mrs. Bobbsey as she smelt of the +potted plant. "It will bloom a long while, I am sure."</p> + +<p>Dinah was tickled over the apron and Sam with his gloves.</p> + +<p>"Yo' chillun am the sweetest in de world," said the cook.</p> + +<p>"Dem globes am de werry t'ing I needed to keep ma hands warm," came from +Sam.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> Meadow Brook, and the other from +their Uncle William Minturn, who lived at Ocean Cliff.</p> + +<p>"More presents!" cried Nan, and she was right. Uncles and aunts had sent +each something; and the twins were made happier than ever.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but Christmas is just the best day in the whole year," said Bert +that evening, after the eventful day was over.</p> + +<p>"Wish Christmas would come ev'ry week," said Freddie. "Wouldn't it be +<i>beau</i>tiful?"</p> + +<p>"If it did I'm afraid the presents wouldn't reach," said Mrs. Bobbsey, +and then took him and Flossie off to bed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<h3>THE CHILDREN'S PARTY</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>At first Freddie started to call the kitten Blackie, but Flossie said +that wasn't a very "'ristocratic" name at all.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>One day, when Snoop had been in the house <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>but a few months, he could +not be found anywhere.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps somebody has stolen him," said Freddie soberly.</p> + +<p>"Nobody been heah to steal dat kitten," answered Dinah. "He's jess +sneaked off, dat's all."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Well, I never!" she ejaculated. "Oh, Snoop! however could you do it!"</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>closet she made quite sure that Snoop was not inside.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Mamma knows best," she said to Nan. "I didn't think so then, but I do +now."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"Yes! yes!" the girls and boys cried.</p> + +<p>"B," said Nan.</p> + +<p>There was a second of silence.</p> + +<p>"Boston Baked Beans!" shouted Charley Mason.</p> + +<p>"That is right, Charley. Now it is your turn to give a letter."</p> + +<p>"F," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Five Fat Fairies!" cried Nellie Parks.</p> + +<p>"Four Fresh Fish," put in another of the girls.</p> + +<p>"Nellie has it," said Charley. "But I never heard of fat fairies, did +you?" and this question made everybody laugh.</p> + +<p>"My letter is M," said Nellie, after a pause.</p> + +<p>"More Minced Mushrooms," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"More Mean Men," said another boy.</p> + +<p>"Mind My Mule," said one of the girls.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 255px;"> +<img src="images/p136.jpg" width="255" height="400" alt="AT SEVEN O'CLOCK A SUPPER WAS SERVED.—P. 129." title="AT SEVEN O'CLOCK A SUPPER WAS SERVED.—P. 129." /> +<span class="caption">AT SEVEN O'CLOCK A SUPPER WAS SERVED.—<a href='#Page_129'>P. 129.</a></span> +</div> + +<p>"Oh, Helen, I didn't know you had a mule,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> cried Flossie, and this +caused a wild shriek of laughter.</p> + +<p>"Bert must love mushrooms," said Nellie.</p> + +<p>"I do," said Bert, "if they are in a sauce." And then the game went on, +until somebody suggested something else.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 chil<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>dren did not care to eat +them until the heat in the lighted dining room made them begin to melt +away.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>While the supper was going on, Mr. La<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>vine 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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>their host and hostess and each other +good-night.</p> + +<p>"Wasn't it splendid?" said Nan, on the way home. "I never had such a +good time before."</p> + +<p>"Didn't last half long enough," said Freddie. "Want it to last longer +next time."</p> + +<p>"I wanted my cow to last longer," said Flossie. "Oh, if only I could +have kept it from melting!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<h3>A GRAND SLEIGH RIDE</h3> + + +<p>For a long while all of the Bobbsey children had been begging their +parents for a sleigh ride into the country.</p> + +<p>"The winter will be gone soon, papa," said Nan. "Won't you take us +before the snow is all gone?"</p> + +<p>"You may as well take them, Richard," said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"What does it say in the newspapers?" asked Freddie. "They always know +what the weather is going to be."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Not so far ahead as that," answered his brother.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> Flossie +between them. "I do love sleigh riding so much!"</p> + +<p>"See me drive!" cried Freddie, who held the very end of the reins, the +part dangling from Sam's hands.</p> + +<p>"Well, Freddie, don't let the team run away," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a +laugh.</p> + +<p>"I shan't," answered the little fellow soberly. "If they try to run +away, I'll whip them good."</p> + +<p>"You'll never stop them that way," said Bert. "You want to talk gently +to them."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, jump in," said Mr. Bobbsey, and the boy got in and was taken to +his house almost before he knew it.</p> + +<p>"Much obliged," he said on leaving them. "You're fine people, you are," +and he took off his hat at parting.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"We must never forget to do a kindness when we can, Nan," said her +mamma.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I'm glad you've come," he cried. "I've been watching for you for an +hour."</p> + +<p>"It isn't noon yet," answered Bert.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>with the +baby, who was just old enough to be amusing.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"What is it?" questioned Bert.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Is it far from here?"</p> + +<p>"About two miles. We can drive down in our cutter. Father will let me +have the cutter and old Rusher, I'm sure."</p> + +<p>"I'll see about it," said Bert. "I'd like to see the hockey match very +much."</p> + +<p>As soon as he got the chance Bert questioned his parent about going.</p> + +<p>"I don't know about this," said Mr. Bobbsey slowly. "Do you think you +two boys can be trusted alone with the horse?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, papa. Bob has driven old Rusher many times."</p> + +<p>"You must remember, Rusher used to be a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>race horse. He may run away +with Bob and you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but that was years ago, papa. He is too old to run away now. Please +say yes."</p> + +<p>Bert continued to plead, and in the end Mr. Bobbsey gave him permission +to go to the hockey match.</p> + +<p>"But you must be back before five o'clock," said he. "We are going to +start for home at that time."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The road to Long Lake was a winding one, up one hill and down another, +and around a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>sharp turn where in years gone by there had been a sand +pit.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"He was," answered Bob. "He won ever so many prizes."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>an end he was +sorry to discover that it was after four o'clock.</p> + +<p>"We must get home," said he to Bob. "I promised to be back by five."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll get back in no time," said Bob. "Remember, Rusher has had a +good rest."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Sleighs were on all sides and, as the two boys drove along, two +different sleighing parties passed them.</p> + +<p>"Hullo, Ramdell!" shouted a young man in a cutter. "Got out old Rusher, +I see. Want a race?"</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bob, can you hold him?" cried Bert.</p> + +<p>"To be sure I can!" answered Bob. "Just you let me alone and see."</p> + +<p>"Come on!" yelled the stranger. "Come on, or I'll leave you behind in no +time!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<h3>THE RACE AND THE RUNAWAY</h3> + + +<p>Bert loved to ride and drive, but it must be confessed that he did not +enjoy racing.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Don't let Rusher run away," he said to his friend. "Be careful."</p> + +<p>Bob was by this time having his hands so full that he could not answer.</p> + +<p>"Steady, Rusher, steady!" he called out to the steed. "Steady, old boy!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Told you I could beat you!" flung back Bob.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The race is yours," answered the young man, in much disappointment, and +then he dropped further back than ever.</p> + +<p>"Better slacken up, Bob," said Bert. "There is no use in driving so hard +now."</p> + +<p>"I—I can't slacken up," answered Bob. "Steady, Rusher," he called out. +"Whoa, old fellow, whoa!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Be careful at the turn, Bob!" screamed Bert. "Be careful, or we'll go +over!"</p> + +<p>"Whoa, Rusher!" repeated Bob, and pulled in on the reins with all of his +might.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Hold on!" cried Bob, and the next instant<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bob!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert! Are you hurt?"</p> + +<p>"Don't know as I am. But what a tumble!"</p> + +<p>"Rusher has run away!"</p> + +<p>"I was afraid he'd do that."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"It's a wonder we weren't smothered," said Bob. "Are you quite sure no +bones have been broken?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Bones broken? Why, Bob, it was like coming down on a big feather bed. I +only hope Rusher doesn't do any damage."</p> + +<p>"So do I."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I don't see how we are going to get out of this," said Bert dolefully. +"We can't climb out."</p> + +<p>"We'll have to do it," answered Bob. "Come, follow me."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Let us try to climb up that slope," said the larger boy and led the +way, and Bert followed.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>At last they stood on the road, and this reached both struck out for +Dalton, less than a mile away.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I'll catch it, if Rusher has smashed up the cutter," said +Bob as they hurried along.</p> + +<p>"We did wrong to race," answered Bert.</p> + +<p>"Humph! it's no use to cry over spilt milk, Bert."</p> + +<p>"I know that, Bob. Was the cutter a new one?"</p> + +<p>"No, but I know father won't want it smashed up."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Maybe old Rusher ran right into town and smashed things right and +left," he said to his friend.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It would be just like him," sighed Bob. "It will make an awful bill to +pay, won't it?"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"My gracious me!" burst out Bob.</p> + +<p>"Why—why—is it Rusher?" gasped Bert.</p> + +<p>"It is!" shouted his friend.</p> + +<p>Both boys ran up, and as they did so a farmer came from the barn.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr. Daly, did you catch our horse?"</p> + +<p>"I did, Bob," said the farmer. "Had a runaway, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. Rusher threw us both into the old sand pit. I'm ever so glad +you caught him. Is the cutter broken?"</p> + +<p>"Not that I noticed. I knew you must have had a spill-out. I saw you +going to the lake right after dinner."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"It was nice of you to stop the horse," said Bert to Farmer Daly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"He was running fast enough when he threw us out," answered Bob.</p> + +<p>It did not take the boys long to get into the cutter again.</p> + +<p>"Don't let him get away on the road home," sang out Farmer Daly after +them.</p> + +<p>"No fear of that," answered Bob.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"You are late after all," said Mr. Bobbsey, rather displeased.</p> + +<p>"Oh, we've had such an adventure," cried Bert.</p> + +<p>"What happened to you?" questioned Mrs. Bobbsey quickly.</p> + +<p>"Rusher threw us into a sand pit," answered Bert, and then told the +whole story.</p> + +<p>"You can be thankful that you were not hurt," said his mamma.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am thankful, mamma."</p> + +<p>"Rusher is still full of go," said Mrs. Ramdell. "I have warned my +husband not to let Bob drive him."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I've had a lovely time!" called out Nan.</p> + +<p>"So have I had a lovely time," added little Flossie.</p> + +<p>"Splendid," came from Freddie. "The baby is awful nice to play with."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>voices +mingled sweetly with the sounds of the sleigh bells.</p> + +<p>"I shall not forget this outing in a hurry," said Nan, as she leaped to +the step and ran into the house.</p> + +<p>"I shan't forget it either," answered Bert. "But it turned out +differently for me from what I thought it would."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<h3>A QUARREL IN THE SCHOOLYARD</h3> + + +<p>Three days after the grand sleighing party to Dalton, Nan came down to +breakfast looking very pale and worried.</p> + +<p>"What is the trouble, Nan?" questioned her mamma. "What has happened?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma, I scarcely feel like telling," answered Nan. "I am afraid +you'll laugh at me."</p> + +<p>"I fancy you had best tell me," went on Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"I saw the ghost last night—or rather, early this morning."</p> + +<p>"What, the ghost that I saw?" shouted Bert.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Nan!" shivered Freddie. "Don't want no ghostses!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"This is certainly strange," came from Mr. Bobbsey. "Tell us all about +it, Nan."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"It's not very funny to see a ghost, Nan," said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" came from Flossie. "Two! Wasn't that simply dreadful!" And she +crouched closer than ever to her mamma.</p> + +<p>"As I was looking, the ghost moved away toward the window and then I saw +there was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>but one. I was so scared I couldn't call anybody."</p> + +<p>"I believe you," said Bert. "It's awful, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"This is certainly strange," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a grave look on his +face. "What did you do next, Nan?"</p> + +<p>"You—you won't laugh, papa?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"What did you want the umbrella for?" questioned Freddie, in great +wonder. "'Twasn't raining."</p> + +<p>"I thought I could—could punch the ghost with it," faltered Nan.</p> + +<p>At this Bert could hold in no longer, and he set up a shout of laughter, +which was instantly repressed by Mr. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Nan, I'm sorry I laughed," said her twin brother, when he could +speak. "But the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>idea of your poking at a ghost with an umbrella!"</p> + +<p>"It was more than you tried to do," said Mr. Bobbsey dryly.</p> + +<p>"That is so." Bert grew red in the face. "Did you see the ghost after +that?" he asked to hide his confusion.</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Not at all?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"No, mamma. I stayed under the covers for about a minute—just like Bert +did—and when I looked the ghost was gone."</p> + +<p>"I will have to investigate this," said Mr. Bobbsey seriously. "It is +queer that neither I nor your mamma has seen the ghost."</p> + +<p>"I ain't seen it," said Flossie.</p> + +<p>"Don't want to see it," piped in Freddie.</p> + +<p>Dinah, in the kitchen, had heard Nan's story and she was almost scared +to death.</p> + +<p>"Dat am de strangest t'ing," she said to Sam, when he came for his +dinner. "Wot yo' make of it, hey?"</p> + +<p>"Dunno," said Sam. "Maybe sumbuddy's gwine to die."</p> + +<p>The matter was talked over by the Bobbsey <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you were dreaming, Nan," said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"No, I wasn't dreaming, mamma, and Bert says he wasn't dreaming either."</p> + +<p>"It is strange. I cannot understand it at all."</p> + +<p>"Do you believe in ghosts, mamma?"</p> + +<p>"No, my dear."</p> + +<p>"But I saw something."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it was only a reflection. Sometimes the street lamps throw +strange shadows on the walls through the windows."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't a shadow," said Nan; and there the talk ended, for Mrs. +Bobbsey knew not what to say to comfort her daughter.</p> + +<p>In some way the news that a ghost had been seen in the Bobbsey house +spread throughout <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>The "ghost talk," as it was called, gave Danny Rugg a good chance to +annoy both Nan and Bert.</p> + +<p>"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!"</p> + +<p>"I think it is perfectly dreadful," said Nan one day, on returning from +school. Her eyes were red, showing that she had been crying.</p> + +<p>"I'll 'ghost' him, if he yells at us again," said Bert. "I'm not going +to stand it, so there!"</p> + +<p>"But what will you do, Bert?"</p> + +<p>"I'll fight him, that's what I'll do."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, you mustn't fight."</p> + +<p>"Then he has got to leave you alone—and leave me alone, too."</p> + +<p>"If you fight at school, you'll be expelled."</p> + +<p>"I don't care, I'm going to make him mind his own business," said Bert +recklessly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"They don't like me and they are setting everybody against me," he +thought. "I shan't stand it, not me!"</p> + +<p>Two days later he followed Bert into the schoolyard, in which a large +number of boys were playing.</p> + +<p>"Hullo! how's the ghost?" he cried. "Is it still living at your house?"</p> + +<p>"You be still about that ghost, Danny Rugg!" cried Bert, with flashing +eyes.</p> + +<p>"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!"</p> + +<p>"Will you be still, or not?"</p> + +<p>"Why should I be still? You've got the ghost, haven't you? And Nan is +scared to death of it, isn't she?"</p> + +<p>"No, she isn't."</p> + +<p>"Yes, she is, and so are you and all the rest of the family." And then +Danny set up <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>his old shout: "Afraid of a ghost! Afraid of a ghost!"</p> + +<p>Some of the other boys followed suit and soon a dozen or more were +crying, "Afraid of a ghost!" as loudly as they could.</p> + +<p>Bert grew very pale and his breath came thickly. He watched Danny and +when he came closer caught him by the arm.</p> + +<p>"Let go!" cried the big boy roughly.</p> + +<p>"I want you to stop calling like that."</p> + +<p>"I shan't stop."</p> + +<p>"I say you will!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> + +<p>The school principal, Mr. Tetlow, was just entering the school at the +time. Hearing the cry he ran around into the yard.</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<h3>NAN'S PLEA</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"It was Bert Bobbsey's fault," blustered Danny, wiping his bleeding nose +on his sleeve.</p> + +<p>"No, it wasn't," answered Bert quickly. "It was his fault."</p> + +<p>"I say it was your fault!" shouted Danny. "He started the fight, Mr. +Tetlow."</p> + +<p>"He struck first," went on Bert undauntedly.</p> + +<p>"He caught me by the arm and wouldn't let me go," came from Danny.</p> + +<p>"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."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Both of you march up to my office," said Mr. Tetlow sternly. "And +remain there until I come."</p> + +<p>"My nose is bleeding," whined Danny.</p> + +<p>"You may go and wash your nose first," said the principal.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I suppose you are going to try to get me into trouble," said Danny at +length.</p> + +<p>"You're trying to get me into trouble," returned Bert. "I didn't start +the quarrel, and you know it."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Really?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, really."</p> + +<p>"What can you tell?"</p> + +<p>"You know well enough. Mr. Ringley hasn't forgotten about his broken +window."</p> + +<p>"Well, you broke that, I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Humph! maybe I can prove that you broke it."</p> + +<p>"Danny Rugg, what do you mean?" exclaimed Bert. "You know I had nothing +to do with that broken window."</p> + +<p>The big boy was about to say something more in reply when Mr. Tetlow +entered the office.</p> + +<p>"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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span>example to +the rest of the scholars. I shall have to punish you both severely."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"I—I—he hit me in the chin. I told him to let me go."</p> + +<p>"He struck me first, Mr. Tetlow," put in Bert. "I am sure all of the +boys will say the same."</p> + +<p>"Hem! Bert, you can go to your classroom. I will talk to you after +school this afternoon."</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What did the principal do?" whispered the boy who sat next to him.</p> + +<p>"Hasn't done anything yet," whispered Bert in return.</p> + +<p>"It was Danny's fault," went on the boy. "We'll stick by you."</p> + +<p>At noontime Bert walked home with Nan, feeling very much downcast.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, what made you fight?" said his twin sister. "I told you not +to."</p> + +<p>"I couldn't help it, Nan. He told everybody that you were afraid of the +ghost."</p> + +<p>"And what is Mr. Tetlow going to do?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. He told me to stay in after school this afternoon, as he +wanted to talk with me."</p> + +<p>"If he expels you, mamma will never get over it."</p> + +<p>"I know that, Nan. But—but—I couldn't stand it to have him yelling +out, 'Afraid of a ghost!'"</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Come in," said the principal, who was at his desk looking over some +school reports.</p> + +<p>"If you please, Mr. Tetlow, I came to see you about my brother, Bert +Bobbsey," began Nan.</p> + +<p>Mr. Tetlow looked at her kindly, for he half expected what was coming.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Nan?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>There, it was out, and Nan felt the better for <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>it. Her deep brown eyes +looked squarely into the eyes of the principal.</p> + +<p>In spite of himself Mr. Tetlow was compelled to smile. He knew something +of how the Bobbsey twins were devoted to each other.</p> + +<p>"So you think you ought to be punished," he said slowly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, if Bert is, for you see, he did it mostly for me."</p> + +<p>"You are a brave sister to come in his behalf, Nan. I shall not punish +him very severely."</p> + +<p>"Oh, thank you for saying that, Mr. Tetlow."</p> + +<p>"It was very wrong for him to fight——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I told him that."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"He is a very bad boy," said Nan. "If I were you, Bert, I'd have nothing +more to do with him."</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"How would he dare, when he broke it himself?" burst out Nan.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I don't know. But if he did, what do you suppose Mr. Ringley +would do?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I don't know," came helplessly <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>from Nan. "You can't prove +that Danny did it, can you?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"It's too bad. I wish the window hadn't been broken."</p> + +<p>"So do I," said Bert; and there the talk came to an end, for there +seemed nothing more to say.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<h3>ST. VALENTINE'S DAY</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I know just the ones I am going to get," said Nan.</p> + +<p>"I want some big red hearts," put in Freddie. "Just love hearts, I do!"</p> + +<p>"I want the kind you can look into," came from Flossie. "Don't you know, +the kind that fold up?"</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, I saw just the valentine for Freddie," whispered Nan to Bert. "It +had a fireman running to a fire on it."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Where in the world did they come from?" cried Nan. "Oh, mamma, did you +put them there?"</p> + +<p>"No, Nan," said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"Then it must have been Dinah!" said Nan, and rushed into the kitchen. +"Oh, Dinah, how good of you!"</p> + +<p>"'Spect da is from St. Valentine," said the cook, smiling broadly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, I know you!" said Nan.</p> + +<p>"It's just lubby!" cried Freddie, breaking out into his baby talk. "Just +lubby, Dinah! Such a big red heart, too!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Nan, where is yours?" cried Bert.</p> + +<p>"I—I guess he forgot me," said Nan rather soberly.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Never mind, he'll come again this afternoon," said Mrs. Bobbsey, who +saw how keenly Nan was disappointed.</p> + +<p>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 <span class="smcap">ghost</span>. Nan put this out of +sight as soon as she saw it.</p> + +<p>All that day valentines were being delivered <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I have received just as many as I sent out," said Nan, counting them +over.</p> + +<p>"I sent out two more than I received," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Bert; boys don't expect so many as girls," answered Nan.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know who sent that mean thing that was marked +<span class="smcap">ghost</span>," went on her twin brother.</p> + +<p>"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 <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>had received it, +so his hoped-for fun over it was spoilt.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I really believe it is Danny Rugg!" cried Nan.</p> + +<p>"Wait, I'll go and catch him," said Bert, and started forward.</p> + +<p>But Danny saw him coming, and leaping over the side rail of the piazza, +he ran to the back garden.</p> + +<p>"Stop," called Bert. "I know you, Danny Rugg!"</p> + +<p>"I ain't Danny Rugg!" shouted Danny in a rough voice. "I'm somebody +else."</p> + +<p>He continued to run and Bert made after <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"Was it really Danny?" questioned Nan, when Bert came back to the front +piazza.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and he tore his coat—I heard it rip."</p> + +<p>"What do you think of that?"</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>"This is certainly awful," said Bert.</p> + +<p>The noise on the piazza had brought Mrs. Bobbsey to the door. At the +sight of the dead <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>rat, which Freddie had picked up by the tail, she +gave a slight scream.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Freddie, leave it go!" she said.</p> + +<p>"It won't hurt you, mamma," said the little boy. "The real is gone out +of it."</p> + +<p>"But—but—how did it get here?"</p> + +<p>"Danny Rugg brought it," said Bert. "Look at the tag."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>Winter was now going fast, and before long the signs of spring began to +show on every hand.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"There is a good breeze blowing," said Bert. "Let us go and fly it on +Roscoe's common."</p> + +<p>"I want to see you fly the kite," said Flossie. "Can I go along?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, come on," said Bert.</p> + +<p>Flossie had been playing with the kitten and hated to leave it. So she +went down to the common with Snoop in her arms.</p> + +<p>"Don't let Snoop run away from you," said Bert. "He might not find his +way back home."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 245px;"> +<img src="images/p187.jpg" width="245" height="400" alt="THE KITE WENT UP INTO THE AIR AND SNOOP WITH IT.—P. 177." title="THE KITE WENT UP INTO THE AIR AND SNOOP WITH IT.—P. 177." /> +<span class="caption">THE KITE WENT UP INTO THE AIR AND SNOOP WITH IT.—<a href='#Page_177'>P. 177.</a></span> +</div> + +<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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my kitten!" called out Freddie. "Snoop has gone up with the kite!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> + +<h3>THE RESCUE OF SNOOP, THE KITTEN</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Snoop will be killed!" exclaimed the little girl. "Oh, poor dear +Snoop!" and she wrung her hands in despair.</p> + +<p>"Let him down!" shrieked Freddie. "Oh, Bert, please let my dear kitten +down, won't you?"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Hullo, what's on the tail?" he yelled. "Is that a cat?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Well, I never!" ejaculated Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Snoop is on the barn!" cried Bert, as the kite settled on the grass a +few yards away.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Snoop! Snoop! are you hurt?" cried Freddie, running back a +distance, so that he might get a view of the barn top.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Meow! meow! meow!" he said plaintively.</p> + +<p>"He is asking for somebody to take him down," said Freddie. "Aren't you, +Snoop?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Meow!" answered the black kitten.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me, what will you do now?" cried Flossie, as she came chasing +up.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I can get to the roof from the inside," said Bert, and he +darted quickly into the barn.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Snoop! Snoop!" he called, putting his mouth close to one of the holes.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Come, Snoop!" he called, looking out of the hole. "Come here!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Where is he?" called the boy, to the twins below.</p> + +<p>"Gone to the other side," said Freddie. "Don't like the noise, I guess."</p> + +<p>"Chase him over here," returned Bert.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Don't jump, please don't jump, Snoop!" pleaded Flossie. "If you jump +you'll surely break a leg, or maybe your back!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Can't you drive him over?" asked Bert, after a long wait.</p> + +<p>"Won't come," said Freddie. "Wants to jump down, I guess."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p> + +<p>Hearing this, Bert ran down to the lower floor and outside.</p> + +<p>"Can't you get a ladder?" asked Flossie. "Perhaps Mr. Roscoe will lend +you one."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I—I can see," said Bert hesitatingly.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Who's there?" asked a voice from within.</p> + +<p>"Please, Mr. Roscoe, is that you?" asked Bert.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"He went up with a kite," said Bert, and ex<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>plained the case, to which +the old man listened with interest.</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"I think he had better stay on the ground after this."</p> + +<p>"He must be a high-flyer of a cat," and the old man chuckled over his +joke.</p> + +<p>"Will you lend me a ladder?" went on Bert.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"I'll try it alone first," answered the boy.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing with old Roscoe's ladder?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Bert was on the point of telling Danny it <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>was none of his business, but +he paused and reflected. He wanted no more quarrels with the big boy.</p> + +<p>"I am going to get our cat down from the barn roof," he answered.</p> + +<p>"Humph!"</p> + +<p>"Do you want to help me raise the ladder, Danny?"</p> + +<p>"Me? Not much! You can raise your own ladder."</p> + +<p>"All right, I will, if you don't want to help me," said Bert, the blood +rushing to his face.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"We like Snoop very much," answered Bert, and went on with his ladder.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Stop that, Danny Rugg!" cried a voice from the other end of the common, +and Nan appeared. She had just heard about the hap<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>pening to Snoop and +was hurrying to the spot to see if she could be of assistance.</p> + +<p>"Oh, go on with your old cat!" sneered Danny, and shuffled off past Mr. +Roscoe's house.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Well, is it possible!" murmured the old man to himself. "That boy must +belong around here after all!"</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Come, Snoop!" he called, and the kitten came and perched himself on +Bert's shoulder.</p> + +<p>When Bert came down the ladder those standing around set up a cheer, and +Freddie and Flossie clapped their hands in delight.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm so glad you got him back!" said Freddie and hugged the kitten +almost to death.</p> + +<p>"What boy was that who threw the stone?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> asked Mr. Roscoe of Nan, while +Bert was returning the ladder to the cow-shed.</p> + +<p>"That was Danny Rugg," answered Nan. "He is a bad boy."</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> + +<h3>THE LAST OF THE GHOST—GOOD-NIGHT</h3> + + +<p>The rescue of the kitten was the main subject of conversation that +evening in the Bobbsey household.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"I think he's an awful boy," declared Nan. "And Mr. Roscoe thinks he is +bad, too."</p> + +<p>"He had better stop throwing things or he'll get himself into trouble +before long," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"It's queer Mr. Ringley never heard about the window," whispered his +twin sister.</p> + +<p>"So it is. But it may come out yet," replied the brother.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Want another piece," said Freddie, smacking his lips. "It's so good, +mamma!"</p> + +<p>"Freddie, I think you have had enough," said Mrs. Bobbsey.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma, just a little piece more!" pleaded Freddie, and received the +piece, much to his satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"Strawberries is beautiful," he declared. "I'm going to raise a whole +lot on the farm this summer."</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma, are we going to Uncle Dan's farm this summer?" burst out Nan +eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps, Nan," was the reply. "I expect a letter very shortly."</p> + +<p>"Meadow Brook is a dandy place," said Bert. "Such a fine swimming hole +in the brook!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I love the flowers, and the chickens and cows!" said Flossie.</p> + +<p>"I like the rides on the loads of hay," said Nan.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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!</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p><i>The ghost was standing there!</i></p> + +<p>At first Bert could scarcely believe that he saw aright. But it was true +and he promptly dove under the covers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then he thought of Danny Rugg's cry, "Afraid of a ghost!" and he felt +that he ought to have more courage.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to see what that is," he said to himself, and shoved back the +covers once more.</p> + +<p>The figure in white had moved toward the corner of the room. It made no +noise and Bert wondered how it would turn next.</p> + +<p>"Wonder what will happen if I grab it, or yell?" he asked himself.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Want another piece of strawberry shortcake," came to his ears. "Please +give me another piece of strawberry shortcake."</p> + +<p>Bert could hardly believe his ears. It was the ghost that was speaking! +It wanted strawberry shortcake!</p> + +<p>"Freddie!" he almost shouted. "Freddie, is it you?"</p> + +<p>The ghost did not answer, but turned to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>wards the door leading into the +hallway. Bert ran after the figure in white and caught it by the arm.</p> + +<p>The ghost was really Freddie, and he was walking in his sleep, with his +eyes tightly closed.</p> + +<p>"Well, I declare!" murmured Bert. "Why didn't we think of this before?"</p> + +<p>"Please let me have another piece of strawberry shortcake, mamma," +pleaded the sleep-walker. "Just a tiny little piece."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Freddie. "Oh! Wha—what do you want? Let me sleep! It isn't +time to get up yet."</p> + +<p>"Freddie, I want you to wake up," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"Who is talking?" came from across the hallway, in Mr. Bobbsey's voice.</p> + +<p>"I'm talking, papa," answered Bert. He <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>ran to the doorway of his +parents' bedchamber. "I've just found out who the ghost is," he +continued.</p> + +<p>"The ghost?" Mr. Bobbsey leaped up. "Where is it?"</p> + +<p>"In bed now. It was Freddie, walking in his sleep. He was asking for +another piece of strawberry shortcake."</p> + +<p>By this time the whole household was wide awake.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Freddie, was it really you?" cried Nan, going to the little fellow.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>"I am glad you caught Freddie," said Nan, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>to her twin brother. "If you +hadn't, I should always have believed that we had seen a ghost."</p> + +<p>"Glad I don't walk in my sleep," said Flossie. "I might tumble +downstairs and break my nose."</p> + +<p>"I shall watch Freddie in the future," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and she did.</p> + +<p>When Bert went to school the next day he met Danny Rugg and the tall boy +glared at him very angrily.</p> + +<p>"Think you are smart, don't you?" said Danny. "I'm not going to stand +it, Bert Bobbsey."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bert, come along and don't speak to him," whispered Nan, who was +with her twin brother.</p> + +<p>"Went and saw Ringley, didn't you?" went on Danny, edging closer.</p> + +<p>"Keep away, Danny Rugg," answered Bert. "I want nothing to do with you, +and I haven't been to see Mr. Ringley."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you did go and see him," insisted Danny. "Wasn't he to see my +father last night?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Did Mr. Ringley come to see your father?" asked Bert curiously.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"Don't you dare to strike my brother, Danny Rugg!" put in Nan, stepping +in between them.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>When the children came from school they learned that Mrs. Bobbsey had +been down-town, buying some shoes for herself and Flossie.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"That Rugg boy is a bad one," answered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> Mr. Bobbsey. "I suppose Mr. +Ringley made the Ruggs pay for the window."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, and Mr. Rugg said he was going to correct Danny, too."</p> + +<p>The children heard this talk, but said nothing at the time. But later +Nan called Bert out into the garden.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what do you think?" cried Nan, dancing up to Bert. "We are to go to +Meadow Brook as soon as vacation begins!"</p> + +<p>"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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>"I'll be so glad to see Cousin Harry again," said Bert.</p> + +<p>"And I'll be glad to see Aunt Sarah," piped in Freddie. "She makes such +<i>beau</i>tiful pies!"</p> + +<p>"Think of the lovely big barn," put in Flossie. "It's just like a—a +palace to play in on wet days!"</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> All enjoyed it greatly and voted the little party a great +success.</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + + +<h2>THE END</h2> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>The Famous Rover Boys Series</h2> + +<h3>By ARTHUR W. WINFIELD</h3> + + +<p>Each volume is hailed with delight by boys and girls everywhere. 12mo. +Cloth. Handsomely printed and illustrated.</p> + + +<div class="center"><b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b> +<br /><br /></div> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="The Rover Boys"> +<tr><td align='left'>THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Right Road and the Wrong</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Brimming over with good nature and excitement.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Strange Cruise of the Steam Yacht</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A search for treasure; a particularly fascinating volume.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Last Days at Putnam Hall</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The boys find a mysterious cave used by freight thieves.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Deserted Steam Yacht</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A trip to the coast of Florida.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Relates adventures on the mighty Mississippi River.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The Ohio River is the theme of this spirited story.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Rivals of Pine Island</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">At the annual school encampment.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Full of strange and surprising adventures.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, A Hunt for Fame and Fortune</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The boys in the Adirondacks at a Winter camp.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Secret of the Island Cave</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A story of a remarkable Summer outing; full of fun.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Search for a Lost Mine</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A graphic description of the mines of the great Rockies.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The boys journey to the Dark Continent in search of their father.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, A Chase for a Fortune</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">From school to the Atlantic Ocean.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The doings of Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover.</span></td></tr> + +</table></div> +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + +<div class="center">GROSSET & DUNLAP — NEW YORK +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2><big>The Putnam Hall Series</big></h2> + +<h3>Companion Stories to the Famous Rover Boys Series</h3> + +<h3>By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD</h3> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated.</p> + +<div class="center"><b>Price, 60 Cents Per Volume, Postpaid.</b> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or, The Secret of the Old Mill</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or, The Rival Runaways</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>The boys had good reasons for running away during Captain Putnam's +absence. They had plenty of fun, and several queer adventures.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or, Bound to Win Out</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or, Good Times in School and Out</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="center"><b>Other Volumes in Preparation.</b></div> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<div class="center">GROSSET & DUNLAP — NEW YORK +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2><span class="smcap"><big>The Rise in Life Series</big></span></h2> + +<div class="center"><b>By Horatio Alger, Jr.</b> +</div> + +<p>These are Copyrighted Stories which cannot be obtained elsewhere. They +are the stories last written by this famous author.</p> + +<p>12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. Bound in cloth, stamped in +colored inks.</p> + +<div class="center"><b>Price. 40 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>A plain but uncommonly interesting tale of everyday life, describing the +ups and downs of a boy book-agent.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +FROM FARM TO FORTUNE: Or, Nat Nason's Strange<br /> +Experience<br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +OUT FOR BUSINESS: Or, Robert Frost's Strange Career<br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Experiences of a Young Secretary</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +YOUNG CAPTAIN JACK: Or, The Son of a Soldier<br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +NELSON THE NEWSBOY: Or, Afloat in New York<br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +LOST AT SEA: Or, Robert Roscoe's Strange Cruise<br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +JERRY, THE BACKWOODS BOY<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Parkhurst Treasure</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +RANDY OF THE RIVER<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Adventures of a Young Deckhand</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + +<div class="center">GROSSET & DUNLAP — NEW YORK +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2><big>The Flag of Freedom Series</big></h2> + +<h3>By CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL.</h3> + + +<p>A favorite Line of American Stories for American Boys. Every volume +complete in itself, and handsomely illustrated.</p> + +<p>12mo. Bound in cloth. Stamped in Colors.</p> + +<div class="center"><b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b> + +<b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b><br /></div> +<div class='unindent'><br /> +WITH CUSTER IN THE BLACK HILLS<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, A Young Scout among the Indians.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +BOYS OF THE FORT<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, A Young Captain's Pluck.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +THE YOUNG BANDMASTER<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Concert, Stage, and Battlefield.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +OFF FOR HAWAII<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Mystery of a Great Volcano.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +A SAILOR BOY WITH DEWEY<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Afloat in the Philippines.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +WHEN SANTIAGO FELL<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, the War Adventures of Two Chums.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + +<div class="center">GROSSET & DUNLAP — NEW YORK +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2><big>The Frontier Series</big></h2> + +<h3>Stories of Early American Exploration and Adventure for Boys.</h3> + +<h3>By CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL</h3> + +<div class="center">The Historical Background Is Absolutely Correct.<br /><br /> + +12 mo. Well printed and well illustrated. Handsomely bound in cloth, +stamped in Colors.</div> + +<div class="center"><b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b> + +<b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b><br /></div> + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +PIONEER BOYS OF THE GOLD FIELDS<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Or, The Nugget Hunters of '49</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>A tale complete in itself, giving the particulars of the great rush of +the gold seekers to California in 1849. 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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +PIONEER BOYS OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Or, With Lewis and Clark Across the Rockies</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<div class='unindent'><br /> +WITH BOONE ON THE FRONTIER<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Or, The Pioneer Boys of Old Kentucky</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + +<div class="center">GROSSET & DUNLAP — NEW YORK +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2><big>The Great Newspaper Series</big></h2> + +<h3>BY HOWARD R. GARIS</h3> + + +<p>The author is a practised journalist, and these stories convey a true +picture of the workings of a great newspaper.</p> + +<p>12mo. Well printed and finely illustrated.</p> + +<div class="center"><b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b></div> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Larry Dexter"> +<tr><td align='left'><br /><br />FROM OFFICE BOY TO REPORTER</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The First Step in Journalism</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />LARRY DEXTER, REPORTER</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Strange Adventures in a Great City</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />LARRY DEXTER'S GREAT SEARCH</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Hunt for a Missing Millionaire</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="The Deep Sea Series"> +<tr><td align='center'><h2><big>The Deep Sea Series</big></h2></td><td align='left'> +<b><big>BY ROY<br /> +ROCKWOOD</big></b></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p>No manly boy ever grew tired of sea stories—there is a fascination +about them, and they are a recreation to the mind.</p> + +<p>12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated.</p> + +<div class="center"><b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b></div> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="The Deep Sea Series"> +<tr><td align='left'><br /><br />ADRIFT ON THE PACIFIC</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Secret of the Island Cave</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE CRUISE OF THE TREASURE SHIP</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Castaways of Floating Island</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />THE RIVAL OCEAN DIVERS</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Search for a Sunken Treasure</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="The Deep Sea Series"> +<tr><td align='left'><h2><big>The Railroad Series</big></h2></td><td align='left'> +<b><big>BY ALLEN<br /> +CHAPMAN</big></b></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated.</p> + +<div class="center"><b>Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.</b></div> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="The Railroad Series"> +<tr><td align='left'><br /><br />RALPH ON THE OVERLAND EXPRESS</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, the Trials and Triumphs of a Young Engineer</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">A clean cut picture of railroading of to-day.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />RALPH OF THE ROUND HOUSE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Or, Bound to Become a Railroad Man</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><br />RALPH IN THE SWITCH TOWER</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Or, Clearing the Track</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + +<div class="center">GROSSET & DUNLAP — NEW YORK +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<div class='tnote'> +<p>Transcriber's Notes:</p> + +<p>Punctuation normalized.</p> + +<p>Page 36, V added to CHAPTER V.</p> + +<p>Page 204, advertisement for The Deep Sea Series, "area" changed to "are +a." (they are a recreation)</p></div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 17412-h.txt or 17412-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/1/17412">http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/4/1/17412</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Bobbsey Twins + Or, Merry Days Indoors and Out + + +Author: Laura Lee Hope + + + +Release Date: December 28, 2005 [eBook #17412] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS*** + + +E-text prepared by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Emmy, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/ + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 17412-h.htm or 17412-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/1/17412/17412-h/17412-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/1/17412/17412-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. 45.] + + +[Illustration] + + + +New York +Grosset & Dunlap +Publishers +Copyright, 1904, by +The Mershon Company +All rights reserved + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER PAGE + + I. THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME 1 + + II. ROPE JUMPING, AND WHAT FOLLOWED 9 + + III. THE FIRST SNOW STORM 18 + + IV. THE BROKEN WINDOW 27 + + V. BERT'S GHOST 36 + + VI. COASTING, AND WHAT CAME OF IT 44 + + VII. FREDDIE AND FLOSSIE'S SNOW HOUSE 52 + + VIII. FUN ON THE ICE 61 + + IX. FREDDIE LOSES HIMSELF 70 + + X. LOST AND FOUND 79 + + XI. THE CRUISE OF THE "ICE BIRD" 88 + + XII. TIGE--PLAYING THEATER 97 + + XIII. NAN'S FIRST CAKE-BAKING 106 + + XIV. CHRISTMAS 115 + + XV. THE CHILDREN'S PARTY 124 + + XVI. A GRAND SLEIGH RIDE 133 + + XVII. THE RACE AND THE RUNAWAY 142 + +XVIII. A QUARREL IN THE SCHOOLYARD 151 + + XIX. NAN'S PLEA 160 + + XX. ST. VALENTINE'S DAY 169 + + XXI. THE RESCUE OF SNOOP, THE KITTEN 178 + + XXII. THE LAST OF THE GHOST--GOOD-NIGHT 187 + + + + +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. +53.] + +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 +39 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. 129.] + +"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. +177.] + +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. + 12mo. Cloth. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + + +Price, 60 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. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price, 60 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. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. Bound in cloth, stamped in +colored inks. + +Price. 40 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. + +12mo. Bound in cloth. Stamped in Colors. + +Price, 60 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. + +12 mo. Well printed and well illustrated. Handsomely bound in cloth, +stamped in Colors. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid. + + PIONEER BOYS OF THE GOLD FIELDS + Or, The Nugget Hunters of '49 + +A tale complete in itself, giving the particulars of the great rush of +the gold seekers to California in 1849. 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. + +12mo. Well printed and finely illustrated. + +Price, 60 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. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price, 60 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. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price, 60 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 36, V added to CHAPTER V. + + Page 204, advertisement for The Deep Sea Series, "area" changed + to "are a." (they are a recreation) + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS*** + + +******* This file should be named 17412.txt or 17412.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/4/1/17412 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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