diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:26:33 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:26:33 -0700 |
| commit | 777e0cfe8dc3f0a3215f07cf1ad98125de3c55bc (patch) | |
| tree | 47a8b4e78ef70e14b02f94d189a0704481860eff | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5948.txt | 6128 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5948.zip | bin | 0 -> 85822 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/tbthb10.txt | 6101 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/tbthb10.zip | bin | 0 -> 85336 bytes |
7 files changed, 12245 insertions, 0 deletions
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/5948.txt b/5948.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c014736 --- /dev/null +++ b/5948.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6128 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat, by Laura Lee Hope + +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 www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat + +Author: Laura Lee Hope + +Posting Date: September 26, 2012 [EBook #5948] +Release Date: June, 2004 +First Posted: September 23, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT + +BY + +LAURA LEE HOPE + +Author Of The "Bobbsey Twins," "The Outdoor Girls Of Deepdale," "The +Outdoor Girls In Florida," "The Moving Picture Girls," "The Moving +Picture Girls At Rocky Ranch," Etc. + +ILLUSTRATED + + + + +BOOKS BY LAURA LEE HOPE + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES +For Little Men and Women + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS +THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE +THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK + +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES + + +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA + +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES + +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. GOOD NEWS + II. SNAP SAVES FREDDIE + III. DINAH'S UPSET + IV. AT THE HOUSEBOAT + V. THE STRANGE BOY + VI. FREDDIE'S FIRE ENGINE + VII. THE TWO COUSINS + VIII. OFF IN THE "BLUEBIRD" + IX. SNOOP AND SNAP + X. DOWN THE CREEK + XI. THE MEAN MAN + XII. THE WIRE FENCE + XIII. THE RUNAWAY BOY + XIV. OFF AGAIN + XV. OVERBOARD + XVI. THE MISSING SANDWICHES + XVII. IN THE STORM +XVIII. STRANGE NOISES + XIX. SNAP'S QUEER ACTIONS + XX. AT THE WATERFALL + XXI. WHAT BERT SAW + XXII. THE STOWAWAY + + + + +CHAPTER I + +GOOD NEWS + + +"What are you doing, Freddie?" asked Bert Bobbsey, leaning over to oil +the front wheel of his bicycle, while he glanced at his little +brother, who was tying strings about the neck of a large, handsome +dog. + +"Making a harness," answered Freddie, not taking time to look up. + +"A harness?" repeated Bert, with a little laugh. "How can you make a +harness out of bits of string?" + +"I'm going to have straps, too," went on Freddie, keeping busily on +with his work. "Flossie has gone in after them. It's going to be a +fine, strong harness." + +"Do you mean you are going to harness up Snap?" asked Bert, and he +stood his bicycle against the side of the house, and came over to +where Freddie sat near the big dog. + +"Yes. Snap is going to be my horse," explained Freddie. "I'm going to +hitch him to my express wagon, and Flossie and I are going to have a +ride." + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed Bert. "You won't get much of a ride with THAT +harness," and he looked at the thin cord which the small boy was +winding about the dog's neck. + +"Why not?" asked Freddie, a little hurt at Bert's laughter. Freddie, +like all small boys, did not like to be laughed at. + +"Why, Snap is so strong that he'll break that string in no time," said +Bert. "Besides--" + +"Flossie's gone in for our booty straps, I tell you!" said Freddie. +"Then our harness will be strong enough. I'm only using string for +part of it. I wish she'd hurry up and come out!" and Freddie glanced +toward the house. But there was no sign of his little sister Flossie. + +"Maybe she can't find them," suggested Bert. "You know what you and +Flossie do with your books and straps, when you come home from school +Friday afternoons--you toss them any old place until Monday morning." + +"I didn't this time!" said sturdy little Freddie, looking up quickly. +"I--I put 'em--I put 'em--oh, well, I guess Flossie can find 'em!" he +ended, for trying to remember where he had left his books was more +than he could do this bright, beautiful, Saturday morning, when there +was no school. + +"I thought so!" laughed Bert, as he turned to go back to his bicycle, +for he intended to go for a ride, and had just cleaned, and was now +oiling, his wheel. + +"Well, Flossie can find 'em, so she can," went on Freddie, as he held +his head on one side and looked at a knotted string around the neck of +Snap, the big dog. + +"I wonder how Snap is going to like it?" asked Bert. "Did you ever +hitch him to your express wagon before, Freddie?" + +"Yes. But he couldn't pull us." + +"Why not?" + +"'Cause I only had him tied with strings, and they broke. But I'm +going to use our book straps now, and they'll hold." + +"Maybe they will--if you can find 'em--or if Flossie can," Bert went +on with a laugh. + +Freddie said nothing. He was too busy tying more strings about Snap's +neck. These strings were to serve as reins for the dog-horse. Since +Snap would not keep them in his mouth, as a horse does a bit, they had +to go around his neck, as oxen wear their yokes. + +Snap stretched out comfortably on the grass, his big red tongue +hanging out of his mouth. He was panting, and breathing hard, for he +and Freddie had had a romping play in the grass, before quieting down +for the horse-game. + +"There, Snap!" Freddie exclaimed, after a bit. "Now you're almost +hitched up. I wish Flossie would hurry up with those straps." + +Freddie Bobbsey stood up to look once more toward the house, which his +little twin sister had entered a few minutes before, having offered to +go in and look for the book straps. She had not come back, and Freddie +was getting Impatient. + +At last the little girl appeared on the side porch. Her yellow hair +blew in the gentle June breeze, making sort of a golden light about +her head. + +"Freddie! Freddie!" she cried. "I can't find 'em! I can't find the +book straps anywhere!" + +"Why, I put 'em--I put 'em--" said Freddie helplessly, trying to +remember where he had put them, when he came in from school the day +before. + +"You've got to come and help me hunt for 'em!" Flossie went on. "Mamma +says she can't find the straps." + +"All right. I'll come," spoke Freddie. "Snap, you stay here!" he +ordered, but the big dog only blinked, and stuck out his tongue +farther than ever. Perhaps he had already made up his mind what he +would do when Freddie let him alone. + +Off toward the house went the little fat Freddie. He was pretty +plump--so much so that his father often called him a little "fat +fireman." Freddie was very fond of playing fireman, ever since the +time he had owned a toy fire engine. But to-day he had other ideas. + +"I'll find those straps," he said, as he toddled off. "Then we'll +hitch Snap to my express wagon, and Flossie and I'll have a fine ride. +Don't you run away, Snap." + +Snap did not say whether he would or not. Flossie, standing on the +side porch, waited for her little brother. She was just his age, and +only a little smaller in height. She was just about as fat and plump +as was Freddie, and both had light curly hair. They made a pretty +picture together, and if Freddie was a "fat fireman" Flossie was a +"fat fairy," which pet name her father often called her. + +"Did you look under the sofa for the straps?" asked Freddie when he +had joined his sister. + +"Yes. I looked there, and--and--everywhere," she answered. "I can't +find 'em." + +"Maybe Snap hid 'em," suggested Freddie. + +"Maybe," agreed Flossie. "He would, if he knew you were going to hitch +him up with 'em." + +"Pooh. He couldn't know that," said Freddie. "I didn't know it myself +until a little while ago, and I didn't tell anybody but you." + +"Well, maybe Snap heard us talking about it," went on Flossie. "He's +awful smart, you know, Freddie, from having been in a circus." + +"But he isn't smart enough for that, even if he can do lots of +tricks," Freddie went on. "There's Snoop!" he exclaimed, as a big, +black cat ran across the lawn. "Maybe SHE took our book straps." + +"She couldn't," said Flossie. "Our books were in 'em, and they'd be +too heavy for Snoop to drag." + +"That's so," admitted Freddie. "Well, come on, we'll find 'em!" + +The twins went into the house and began searching for the straps. High +and low they looked, in all the usual, and unusual, places, where they +sometimes tossed their books when they came in from school Friday +afternoons, with the joyous cry of: + +"No more lessons until Monday! Hurray!" + +But this time they seemed to have tossed their books and straps into +some very much out-of-the-way place, indeed. + +"We can't find 'em," said Flossie. "Can't you take some strong string, +to tie Snap to the wagon, instead of the straps, Freddie?" + +"I don't think so," he answered. "I know what to do. Let's ask Dinah. +Maybe she's seen 'em." + +"Oh, yes, let's!" agreed Flossie, and together they hurried to the +kitchen where Dinah, the big, good-natured, colored cook, was rattling +the pots and pans. + +"Dinah! Dinah!" cried Flossie and Freddie in a twins' chorus. + +"Yep-um, honey-lambs! What yo' all want?" asked Dinah, opening the +oven door, to let out a little whiff of a most delicious smell, and +then quickly closing it again. "Ef yo' wants a piece ob cake, it ain't +done yit!" + +"Oh, Dinah! We don't want any cake!" said Freddie. + +"What's dat? Yo' don't want cake?" and Dinah quickly straightened up, +put her fat hands on her fat hips, and looked at the two children in +surprise. "Yo--don't--want--no cake!" gasped Dinah. "What's de mattah? +Yo' all ain't sick, is yo'?" + +For that was the only reason she could think of why Flossie and +Freddie should not want cake--as they generally did Saturday morning. + +"No, we're not sick," said Flossie, "and we'd like a piece of cake a +little later, please Dinah. But just now we want our book straps. Have +you seen 'em?" + +"Book straps! Book straps!" exclaimed Dinah in great surprise. "Go +'long wif yo' now! I ain't got no time to be bodderin' wif book +straps, when dey's pies an' puddin's an' cakes t' bake. Trot along +now, an' let ole Dinah be! Book straps! Huh!" + +Flossie and Freddie knew there was little use in "bodderin'" Dinah any +more, especially when she was in the midst of her baking. + +"Come on, Flossie," spoke Freddie. "We'll have another look for those +straps. Next time I'll put our books where we can find 'em." + +Once more the children started through the different rooms. They +looked everywhere. But no straps could they find. + +"You see what a lot of trouble it makes, not only for you, but for +others as well, when you don't take care of your books," said Mrs. +Bobbsey gently. She knew it would be a good lesson for the twins to +search for their things. Next time they might remember. + +Suddenly, from out in the yard, came a shout. + +"Freddie! Freddie! Come out here, quick!" + +"That's Bert!" exclaimed Freddie. + +"Oh, maybe he's found the straps, so we can harness up Snap," cried +Flossie. + +But Bert's next words soon told the younger twins that it was no such +good luck as that, for he cried: + +"Snap's running away, Freddie! He's running away. If you're going to +harness him up you'll have to catch him!" + +"Oh dear!" cried Flossie. + +"Come on, help me catch him!" called Freddie. + +Together they ran into the yard. As Bert had said, Snap, getting tired +of being tied to a post with a thin string, had broken the cord, and +now was racing over the fields after another dog with whom he often +played. + +"Come back, Snap! Come back!" cried Freddie. + +Snap paid no heed. + +Just then, through the front gate, came a girl. She looked so much +like Bert, with his dark hair and eyes, with his slimness and his +tallness, that you could tell at once she was his sister. As soon as +Flossie saw her, she cried: + +"Oh, Nan! We were going to hitch Snap to the express wagon, but +Freddie and I can't find our straps, and Snap ran away, and--and--" + +"Never mind, Flossie dear," said Nan. "Wait until you hear the good +news I have for you!" + +"Good news?" exclaimed Bert, coming away from his bicycle, toward his +twin sister. + +"Yes, the very best!" Nan went on. "It's about a houseboat! Now, +Flossie and Freddie, sit down on the grass and I'll tell you all about +the good news!" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SNAP SAVES FREDDIE + + +Down on the soft green grass of the lawn, sat the two sets of Bobbsey +twins. Yes, there were two "sets" of them, and I shall tell you how +that was, in a little while. + +"Begin at the beginning," suggested Bert to his sister. He always +liked to hear all of anything, so Nan prepared to skip nothing. + +"Well," said Nan, as she leaned over to re-tie the bow of Flossie's +hair ribbon. It had become loose in the hurried search for the book +straps. "Well, you know I went down to papa's lumber office this +morning, to bring him the letter that came here to the house by +mistake. It was a letter from--" + +"You can skip that part of it," suggested Bert. "I don't want to wait +so long about hearing the news." + +"Well, I thought I'd tell you everything," said Nan. "Anyhow, when I +was in papa's office he bought it." + +"What did he buy?" asked Freddie, getting to the point more quickly +than Bert would have done. "What'd he buy, Nan?" + +"A houseboat," went on the older girl twin. "Mr. Marvin was there, and +he sold papa the Marvin houseboat. Oh! and such fun as we're--" + +"What's a houseboat?" interrupted Flossie. + +"It's a boat with a house on it, of course," spoke Bert, eagerly. "I +know. I've seen lots of them. You can live in them just like in a +house, only it's on water. There's more room in a houseboat than in a +regular boat. Go on, Nan." + +"Are we going to live in it?" asked Freddie. + +"I think so--at least part of the time," said Nan. "Now I'll tell you +all I know about it. I couldn't stay to ask all I wanted to, as papa +was busy. Besides, it was sort of a secret, and I found it out by +accident before he meant me to. So you mustn't tell mamma yet--it's to +be a surprise to her," and Nan looked at the two smaller twins, and +raised a cautioning finger. + +"I won't tell," promised Flossie. + +"Neither will I," promised Freddie. "Is that all you're going to tell +us, Nan?" + +"Well, isn't that enough?" demanded Nan. "I think it's just fine, that +we're going to have a houseboat! I've always wanted one." + +"So have I," spoke Bert. "Go on, Nan! Tell me more about it. How big +is it? Is there an engine in it? Where is it? Can we go on board? When +is papa going to get it? Is there a room for me in it? I wonder if I +can run the engine and steer? How much did it cost?" + +"Gracious!" cried Nan, pretending to cover her ears with her hands. +"It will take me all morning, Bert, to answer those questions. Please +start over again." + +"First tell me where I can see the boat," suggested Bert. "I want to +go look at it." + +"It's down in the lake," said Nan. + +"Come on, Flossie," spoke Freddie. "There's Snap coming back now, and +maybe we can catch him. Then we'll harness him up. Dinah ought to be +done with her baking now, and maybe she can find those straps for us. +Here, Snap!" + +Flossie and Freddie, being some years younger than Bert and Nan, did +not care to bear much more about the houseboat just then. That they +were going to have one was enough for them. They were much pleased and +delighted, but they had the idea of hitching Snap to the express +wagon, and they could not get that out of their minds. + +"You go in and ask Dinah to help you look for the straps," directed +Freddie to his little sister, "and I'll catch Snap. Here, Snap! Snap!" +he called to the dog who had come back into the yard after a romp and +frolic with his animal friend. + +Snap was glad enough to stretch out on the grass and rest. He was +tired from his run. Freddie put his arms around the dog's neck, and +laid his head down on the shaggy coat. + +"Now you can't run away again," said Freddie, as he pretended to go to +sleep, while Flossie toddled into the house once more, to have another +look for the missing book straps. + +At a little distance from Freddie sat Nan and Bert, talking about the +houseboat, and the good times they would have on board. Freddie roused +up, and looked toward the house. Flossie had not yet come out. + +"It takes her a long time," said the little boy. "We won't have any +ride at all, if she doesn't hurry up." + +Then Freddie saw something else that attracted his attention. This was +Bert's bicycle, leaning now against the side of a shed. Bert was too +much interested in the houseboat to want to ride just then. + +A new idea came into Freddie's head. + +"I'm going to have a ride on Bert's wheel, while I'm waiting for +Flossie to come out with the straps," said the little twin chap. "Bert +won't care." + +Freddie did not take any chances on asking Bert. His elder brother was +still busy talking to Nan about the new houseboat. Freddie scrambled +to his feet. + +"Now you stay there, Snap!" he commanded the big dog, for Snap, ready +again for some fun, was anxious to follow his little master. "Lie +down, Snap!" ordered Freddie, and Snap again stretched out. + +Freddie walked slowly over toward the bicycle. Of course he was too +small to ride it in the regular way, with his feet on the pedals, for +his little legs were not long enough to reach them. But he could sit +on the seat, and Bert had taught him how to steer a little, so that +though a bicycle has only two wheels, and will tip over if it is not +properly guided, Freddie could manage to ride a little way on it +without toppling over, especially if some one put him on and gave him +a push, or if he was given a start down a little hill. + +"I'm going to have a ride," thought Freddie. "I'll have a little ride, +while I'm waiting for Flossie." + +Freddie had a velocipede of his own, but that had three wheels instead +of two. Freddie thought two wheels were much more fun than three. + +"If I can get up on that bicycle, I'll have a nice ride," murmured +Freddie. He looked toward the house. Flossie was not in sight. She had +not yet found the straps. + +Then Freddie looked toward Bert and Nan. They were still busy talking +about the houseboat. They paid no attention to Freddie. + +The little twin chap looked around until he had found a small box. By +stepping on this he could get up on the seat of the bicycle, which was +leaning against the shed. Then Freddie could give himself a little +push, and away he would go. There was a little hill leading from where +the bicycle stood down to the gate, and into the road. The gate was +open. + +"Maybe I can even ride down the road a little way," thought Freddie to +himself. "That would be great." + +It was rather hard work for Freddie to get up on the bicycle from the +box, but he managed it. Then he sat on the leather saddle, and took +hold of the handle bars. As I have told you, he knew how to steer, +even though he could not reach the pedals. + +"Here I go!" cried Freddie softly, as he gave himself a little push. +Down the hill he went, along the path, straight for the yard gate. + +"Oh! I'm going out in the road!" exclaimed Freddie, this time out +loud, for he was far enough away from Nan and Bert now. + +And into the road he did go, on Bert's bicycle. The wheel was going +faster and faster, for Bert had just oiled it and it rode very +smoothly. + +"This is great!" Freddie cried. "Maybe I can ride all the way to the +bridge." + +He looked down the road to where a little white bridge spanned a small +brook. And then, as Freddie looked, he saw something which made his +heart beat very fast indeed. For, coming right toward him, was a team +of horses, hitched to a big lumber wagon--it was one of Freddie's +papa's own lumber teams, as the little boy could see for himself. + +On came the trotting team, pulling the heavily laden lumber wagon, +and, worst of all, there was no driver on the seat to guide the +horses. They were trotting away all by themselves, and Freddie was out +in the road, on the bicycle that was far too big for him. + +"Oh dear!" cried Freddie. + +Just then he heard Flossie scream. She had come out on the side porch, +and she saw the team coming toward her little brother. + +"Nan! Bert!" screamed Flossie. "Look at Freddie!" + +Nan and Bert jumped up and raced down the path. + +"Freddie's in trouble again!" thought Bert. + +It was not the first time Freddie had gotten into mischief. Though +usually he was a pretty good boy, he sometimes made trouble without +intending to. + +I have told you there were two sets of Bobbsey twins, and those of you +who have read the first book of this series know what I mean by that. +The first book is called "The Bobbsey Twins," and in that I told you +how the Bobbsey family lived in an eastern city called Lakeport, at +the head of Lake Metoka. Mr. Bobbsey was a lumber merchant, and owned +a large sawmill, and a yard, near the lake, in which yard were piled +many stacks of lumber. + +Nan and Bert were the older Bobbsey twins, being past nine, while +Flossie and Freddie were about "half-past-five." So you see that is +how there were two sets of twins. Nan was a tall, slender girl, with a +dark face and red cheeks. Her eyes were brown, and so were her curls. +Bert, too, was quite dark, like Nan. + +Flossie and Freddie were very light, with blue eyes. They were short +and fat, instead of tall and thin. So you see the two sets of twins +were very different. + +Oh! such good times as the Bobbsey twins had! I could not tell you all +of them, if I wrote a dozen books. But some of the good times I have +related in the first book. In the second, called "The Bobbsey Twins in +the Country," there are more happenings mentioned. + +Uncle Daniel Bobbsey, his wife Sarah, and their son Harry lived in the +country, at a place called Meadow Brook, and there the twins often +went on their vacation. + +Uncle William Minturn, and his wife Emily, with their nine-year-old +daughter Dorothy, lived at Ocean Cliff. As you might guess, this was +on the coast, and in the third book, "The Bobbsey Twins at the +Seashore," I have told you of the good times the children had there, +how they saw a wreck, and what came of it. + +In "The Bobbsey Twins at School" you will find out how they came to +get the dog Snap, as a pet. They already had a black cat, named Snoop, +but one day, when the twins, with their father and mother, were on a +railroad train, something happened, and Snoop was lost. + +They found Snap, instead. He was a circus dog, and--but there, if you +want to read of Snap, you must do so in the book about him. I shall +tell you this much, though. Snap was a very fine dog, and could do +many tricks, and in the end the Bobbseys kept him for a pet, as well +as getting back their lost cat Snoop. + +When school was over for the winter holidays one year, the Bobbseys +went to "Snow Lodge," and in the book of that name I have told you +about a queer mystery the twins helped solve while out amid the snow +and ice. + +Now the Bobbseys were back in their fine house in Lakeport, where +Dinah, the fat cook, gave them such good things to eat, and where Sam +Johnson, her husband, kept the lawns so nice and green for the +children to play on. + +Just now Freddie Bobbsey would have been very glad, indeed, to be +playing on that same lawn instead of being on his brother's bicycle, +rolling toward the team of lumber horses, who were coming straight for +him. + +"Oh, look at Freddie! Look at Freddie!" screamed Flossie, dropping the +two book straps which she had at last found. "Save him, Nan! Bert! Oh, +Freddie!" + +"I 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed fat Dinah in the kitchen. "Dem +chillens am up t' some mo' trouble!" + +"Freddie, steer to one side! Steer out of the way!" shouted Bert, as +he ran for the gate. He could not hope to reach his little brother in +time, though. + +Freddie was too frightened and excited to steer. The bicycle was going +fast--faster than he had ever ridden on it before. All he could do was +to sit tight, and hold fast to the handle bars. + +"Oh, he'll be run over!" cried Nan, as she, too, raced after Bert. + +The team, with no driver to guide it, ran faster and faster. Freddie +began to cry. And then, all at once, the front wheel of the bicycle +ran over a stone, and turned to one side. The handle bars were jerked +from Freddie's grasp, and over he went, wheel and all! + +Luckily for him, he fell to one side of the road, on the soft grass, +or he might have been injured, but, as it was, the fall did not hurt +him at all. One of his little fat legs, though, became tangled up in +the wire spokes of the front wheel, and Freddie lay there, with the +wheel on top of him, unable to get up. + +"Oh, Bert! Bert!" screamed Nan. + +"Grab him--quick!" shouted Dinah, waddling down the walk. But she was +too fat to go fast enough to do any good. + +"Roll out of the way, Freddie!" cried Bert. + +Freddie was too much entangled in the wheel to be able to move. And, +all the while, the lumber team was coming nearer and nearer to him. +Would the horses, with no driver at the reins, know enough to turn to +one side, or would the wheels roll over poor Freddie and the bicycle? + +Nan covered her face with her hands. She did not want to look at what +was going to happen. + +"I must get there in time to pull him out of the way!" thought Bert, +as he ran as fast as he could. But the team was almost on Freddie now. + +Suddenly the dog Snap, who had jumped up when he heard the shouts, saw +what the danger was. Snap knew about horses, and he was smart enough +to know that Freddie was in danger. + +Without waiting for anyone to tell him what to do, Snap ran straight +for the lumber team. Leaping up in front of them, and barking as +loudly as he could, Snap turned the trotting horses to one side. And +just in time, too, for, a little more, and one of the front wheels of +the heavily loaded lumber wagon would have run over the bicycle in +which Freddie was still entangled. + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. The horses were perhaps afraid of being +bitten, though Snap was very gentle. At any rate, they turned aside, +and would have run on faster, only Snap, leaping up, grabbed the +dangling reins in his teeth and pulled hard on them. "Whoa!" called +Bert. When the horses heard this, and felt the tug on the lines, they +knew it meant to stop. And stop they did. Snap had saved Freddie. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +DINAH'S UPSET + + +"What's the matter? What has happened?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, who had +run out to the front porch, upon hearing the excited cries, and the +exclamations of fat Dinah, the cook. "Oh! has anything happened to any +of the children?" + +"Yes'm, I s'pects there has, ma'am," said Dinah. "Pore li'l Freddie am +done smashed all up flatter'n a pancake, Mrs. Bobbsey!" + +"Freddie--Oh!" + +"He's all right!" shouted Bert, who had, by this time, reached his +little brother, and was lifting him out of the bicycle. "Not hurt a +bit, are you, Freddie?" + +"N--no, I--I guess not," said Freddie, a bit doubtfully. "I--I'm +scared, though." + +"Nothing to be frightened at now, Freddie," said Bert, holding up the +little chap, so his mother could see him. + +"Why, Freddie isn't hurt, Dinah," said Mrs. Bobbsey, in great relief. +"What made you think so?" + +"Well, I seed him all tangled up in dat two-wheeled velocipede ob +Bert's, an' de hoss team was comin' right down on de honey-lamb. I +thought shuah he was gwine t' be squashed flatter'n a pancake. But he +ain't! Bless mah soul he ain't! Oh, dere's mah cake burnin'!" and into +the kitchen ran Dinah, glad, indeed, that nothing had happened worse +than the scare Freddie received. + +"Good Snap! Good old dog!" said Nan, as she patted his head. + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. He still held the horse reins in his strong +white teeth. He was not going to let the horses go yet. + +"Oh, Freddie!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, when she understood what had +happened. "What danger you were in! Why did you take Bert's wheel?" + +"I--I wanted a ride, Mamma. I didn't think I'd fall off, or that the +team would come." + +"You must never do it again," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Never get on Bert's +wheel again, unless he is with you to hold you. You are, too small, +yet, for a bicycle." + +"Yes'm," said Freddie in a low voice. + +"But where is the driver of the wagon?" went on Mrs. Bobbsey, looking +at the empty seat. + +"Maybe he fell off," suggested Nan, who had taken Freddie from Bert, +the latter picking up his wheel, and looking to see if it had been +damaged by the fall. But it was all right. + +"Here comes a driver now," said Flossie, who saw one of the men from +her father's lumber yard hurrying along the road. + +"Is anybody hurt?" the man asked, as he came up, running and breathing +fast, for he had come a long way. + +"No one, I think," answered Mrs. Bobbsey. "But my little boy had a +very narrow escape." + +"I am sorry," said the driver. "I left the team standing out in front +of the lumber yard, while I went in the office to find out where I was +to deliver the planks. When I came out the horses were trotting away. +I guess they were scared by something. I ran fast, but I could not +catch them." + +"Snap caught them for you," said the twins' mother, as she looked at +the former circus dog, who was still holding the horse-reins. + +"Yes, he's a good dog," the lumber wagon driver said. "I was afraid, +when I saw how far the horses had gone, that they might do some +damage. But I'm glad no one was hurt." + +"I think we all are glad," spoke Mrs. Bobbsey. "It was partly my +little boy's own fault, for he should not have gotten on his brother's +bicycle. But he won't do it again." + +"No, I never will!" promised Freddie, as he rubbed his leg where it +had been bruised a little from becoming tangled up in the wire spokes. + +Snap barked and wagged his tail, as the driver took the lines from +him, and then, when the man drove off with the horses and the load of +lumber, Mrs. Bobbsey went with the twins back into the yard. + +"Well, I'm glad all the excitement is over," she said. "Where were +you, Nan? Grace Lavine called for you, but I looked out in the yard +and did not see you, so she went away again." + +"Why, I went down to papa's office, Mamma, with that letter you gave +me for him." + +"Yes, I know, but I supposed you had come back. What kept you so +long?" + +"Well, I--er--I was talking to papa, and---" + +Nan did not want to go on, for she did not want to tell that she had +been talking about the houseboat. + +Mr. Bobbsey had been intending to keep that as a little secret +surprise for his wife, but now, if her mother asked about it, Nan felt +she would have to tell. She hardly knew what to say, but just then +something happened that made everything all right. + +Mr. Bobbsey himself came hurrying down the street, from the direction +of his lumber office. He seemed much excited, and his hat was on +crooked, as though he had not taken time to put it on straight. + +"Is everything all right?" he called to his wife. "None of the +children hurt?" + +"No, none of them," she answered with a smile. Mr. Bobbsey could see +that for himself now, since Freddie and Flossie were going up the walk +together, Freddie tying one of the book straps around the dog's neck, +while Nan and Bert followed behind them, with Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Someone telephoned to me," said the lumber merchant, "that they saw +one of our teams running away down this street, and I was afraid our +children, or those of some of the neighbors, might be hurt. So I +hurried down to see. Did you notice anything of a runaway team?" + +"Yes," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "But everything is all right now. Only I +haven't yet heard what it was that kept Nan so long down at your +office," and she smiled. + +Nan looked at her father, and Mr. Bobbsey looked at Nan. Then they +both smiled and laughed. + +"To tell you the truth," said Mr. Bobbsey, with another smile, "Nan +discovered a secret I was not going to tell at once." + +"A secret?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey in surprise. + +"Yes, it's about---" began Nan. + +Then she stopped. + +"Go on. You might as well tell her," said Mr. Bobbsey, laughing. + +"I know!" exclaimed Freddie, who was all over his fright now. "It's +about a boathouse and---" + +"A houseboat!" interrupted Bert. "You've got the cart before the +horse, Freddie." + +"That's it!" exclaimed Nan. "Papa has bought the Marvin's houseboat, +Mamma, and we're going to have lovely times in it this summer." + +"And I'm going to run the engine," declared Bert. + +"I'm going to be fireman!" cried fat Freddie. "I'm going to put on +coal and squirt water on the fires!" + +"I'm going to sit on deck and play with my dolls," spoke Flossie, who +was trying to climb up on Snap's back to get a ride. + +Mrs. Bobbsey looked at her husband. + +"Really?" she asked. "Have you bought the boat?" + +"Yes," he replied, "I have. You know we have been thinking of it for +some time. Lake Metoka would be just fine for a houseboat, and we +could go on quite a cruise with one. Mr. Marvin wanted to sell his +boat, and as he and I had some business dealings, and as he owed me +some money, I took the boat in part payment." + +"And is it ours now, Papa?" asked Bert. + +"Yes, the houseboat is ours. It is called the Bluebird, and that is a +good name for it, since it is painted blue--like your eyes, little fat +fairy!" he cried, catching Flossie up in his arms. + +"Is it a big boat, Papa?" asked Bert. Like most boys he liked things +big and strong. + +"Well, I think it will be large enough," said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile +as he set down Flossie and caught up Freddie in the same way. "Were +you frightened when you fell down and saw the lumber team coming +toward you?" he asked. + +"A little," Freddie said. "But I wished my legs were long enough so I +could ride Bert's bicycle. Then I could get out of the way." + +"You'd better keep away from the wheel until you are bigger," said his +father, who had been told about the accident and the excitement. "But +now I must get back to the office. I have plenty of work to do." + +"Oh, but can't you stay just a little longer, to tell us more about +the boat!" pleaded Nan. "When can we have a ride in it?" + +"A boat is called 'her,'" interrupted Bert, + +"Well, 'her' then," said Nan. "Tell us about HER, papa. I didn't hear +much at your office." + +"You heard more than I meant you to," said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile. +"Nan came in with that letter just as Mr. Marvin and I were finishing +our talk about the houseboat," he went on. "I was going to keep it +secret a little longer, but it's just as well you should know now. + +"I think you will like the Bluebird. It has a little gasoline engine, +so we can travel from place to place. And there is a large living +room, a kitchen, several bed rooms and a nice open deck, where we can +sit, when it is too hot to be inside." + +"Oh, that's going to be great!" cried Bert. "I want a room near the +engine." + +"And can I be a fireman?" asked Freddie. + +"I want to be near mamma--and you," spoke little Flossie. + +"Oh, isn't it going to be lovely!" exclaimed Nan, clapping her hands. + +"Scrumptious, I call it!" cried Bert, and he ran into the house, +through the hall, and into the dining-room, just as big, fat Dinah, +the cook, was entering the same room, carefully holding a big cake +which she had just covered with white frosting. + +"Oh dear!" cried Bert, as he ran, full tilt, Into the big cook. + +"Good land ob massy!" fairly yelled Dinah. "Wha--wha---" + +But that was all she could say. She tried to save herself from +falling, but she could not. Nor could Bert. He went down, on one side +of the doorsill, and Dinah sat down, very hard, on the other, the cake +bouncing from her hands, up toward her head, and then falling into her +lap. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AT THE HOUSEBOAT + + +"Did--did I hurt you, Dinah?" asked Bert, after he had gotten his +breath. "I'm--I'm sorry--but did I hurt you?" + +"Hurt me? Hurt me, honey lamb? No indeedy, but I done reckon yo' has +hurt yo'se'f, honey! Look at yo' pore haid!" and she pointed her fat +finger at Bert. + +"Why, what's the matter with my head?" he asked, putting up his hand. +He felt something sticky, and when he looked at his fingers, he saw +that they were covered with white stuff. + +"Oh, it's the frosting off the cake!" said Nan with a laugh. "You look +something like one of the clowns in the circus, Bert, only you haven't +enough of the white stuff on." + +"And look at Dinah!" laughed Freddie. "She's turning white!" + +"What's dat, honey lamb? Turnin' white?" gasped the big, colored cook. +"Don't say dat!" + +"It's the cake frosting on Dinah, too!" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, Bert! +why aren't you a little more careful?" + +"I'm sorry, mamma," Bert said, as he watched Dinah wipe the frosting +off her face with her apron. "I didn't know she was coming through the +door then." + +"And I shore didn't see yo', honey lamb," went on the cook. "Land ob +massy! Look at mah cake!" she cried, as she gazed at the mass in her +lap. "All de frostin' am done slid off it!" + +"Yes, you're a regular wedding cake yourself, Dinah," said Mr. +Bobbsey, who had come in to see what all the noise meant. "Well, this +seems to be a day of excitement. I'm glad it was no worse, though. +Better go up stairs and wash, Bert." + +"The cake itself isn't spoiled," said Mrs. Bobbsey, lifting it from +Dinah's lap, so the colored cook could get up. It was no easy work for +her to do this, as she was so fat. But at last, after many groanings +and gruntings, she rose to her feet, and took the cake from Mrs. +Bobbsey. + +"I'll put some mo' frostin' on it right away, ma'am," she said. "An' I +hopes nobody else runs inter me," she went on with a laugh. "I shuah +did feel skeered dat Bert was hurt bad." + +They could all laugh at the happening now, and after Mr. Bobbsey had +told a little more about the new houseboat, he went back to the +office. + +"Come on, Flossie," suggested Freddie. "Now you've found the book +straps, we can hitch Snap to the express wagon. Where'd you find 'em?" + +"The straps were on our books, under the hall rack," said Flossie. + +"That's just where I left 'em!" exclaimed Freddie. "I knew I left 'em +somewhere." + +"But next time you must remember," cautioned his mother. "And remember +another thing--no more bicycle rides--you stay on your velocipede." + +"Yes'm," said Freddie. "Come on, Flossie. Where's Snap?" + +When the little twins went to look for their big, shaggy pet, who +could do so many circus tricks, they could not find him. + +"Have you seen Snap?" asked Freddie of Dinah's husband, Sam Johnson, +who was out in the barn. + +"Snap?" repeated the colored man. "Why, Freddie, I done jest see Snap +paradin' down de road wif dat black dog from Mr. Brown's house." + +"Then Snap's gone away again," said Flossie with a sigh. "Never mind, +Freddie. Let's play steamboat, and you can be the fireman." + +"All right," he agreed, much pleased with this idea. "We'll make +believe we're in our new houseboat. Come on." + +"Steamboat" was a game the smaller twins often played on the long +Saturdays, when there was no school. All they needed was an old soap +box for the boat, and some sticks for oars. Then, with some bits of +bread or cake, which Dinah gave them to eat, in case they were +"shipwrecked," they had fine times. + +Meanwhile, Bert and Nan had asked permission of their mother to go +over to where some of their boy and girl friends lived, so they were +prepared to have a good time, too. + +"Oh, but what fun we'll have on the houseboat, won't we, Bert?" said +Nan. + +"That's what we will," he agreed with a laugh. + +Monday morning came, after Sunday (as it always does if you wait long +enough) and the two sets of Bobbsey twins started for school. + +"I wish we didn't have to go," said Bert, as he strapped up his books. +"I want to go down to our new houseboat." + +"But you must go to school," said his mother with a smile. "There will +not be many more days now. June will soon be over, and you know school +closes a little earlier than usual this year. So run along, like good +children." + +Off they hurried and soon they were mingling with their boy and girl +friends, who were also on their way to their classes. + +"You can't guess what we're going to have," said Freddie to a boy +named Johnnie Wilson, who was in his room. + +"Kittens?" asked Johnnie. + +"No." + +"Puppies?" + +"No." + +"I give up--what is it?" + +"A houseboat," said Freddie. "It's a house on a boat, and you can live +in it on water." + +"Huh!" said Johnnie. "There isn't any such thing." + +"Yes, there is, too, isn't there, Flossie?" and Freddie appealed to +his small sister. + +"'Course there is," she said. "Our papa bought one, and Freddie's +going to be the fireman, and I'm going to cook the meals, so there! +Haven't we got a houseboat, Nan?" + +"Yes, dear," answered the older sister, who was walking with Bert. At +this, coming from Nan, Johnnie had nothing to say, except that he +murmured, as he walked away: + +"Huh! A houseboat's nothing. We've got a baby at our house, and it's +got hair on its head, and two teeth!" + +"A houseboat's better'n a baby," was Freddie's opinion. + +"It is not!" cried Johnnie. + +"It is so!" Freddie exclaimed. + +"Hush!" begged Nan. "Please don't dispute. Houseboats and babies are +both nice. But now it's time to go to school." + +The Bobbsey twins could hardly wait for the classes to be out that +day, for their mother had promised to call for them after lessons, +and, with their father, they were going to see the Bluebird. The +houseboat had been brought up the lake by Mr. Marvin, and tied to a +dock not far from Mr. Bobbsey's lumber office. The boat was now the +property of Mr. Bobbsey, but that gentleman had not yet fully planned +what he would do with her. + +Just as the children were trooping out of the school yard, along came +Mrs. Bobbsey. Nan and Flossie saw their mother and hastened toward +her, while Freddie and Bert came along more slowly. + +In a little while all five of them were at Mr. Bobbsey's lumber +office. He came out of his private room, when one of his clerks told +him Mrs. Bobbsey and the children were there. + +"Ah, what can I do for you to-day?" asked Mr. Bobbsey of his wife, +just like Mr. Fitch, the grocery-store-keeper. "Would you like a +barrel of sawdust, ma'am; or a bundle of shingles to fry for the +children's suppers?" and Mr. Bobbsey pretended he was no relation to +his family. + +"I think we'll have a houseboat," said his wife with a laugh. "Have +you time to take us down to it? I can't do a thing with these +children, they are so anxious to see the Bluebird." "Well, I hope +they'll like her," said Mr. Bobbsey, "and not pull any feathers out of +her tail." + +"Oh, is there a real bird on the boat?" asked Flossie. + +"No, papa is only joking," said Nan, with a smile. + +Mr. Bobbsey put on his hat, and soon the whole Bobbsey family had +reached the place where the boat was tied. At the first sight of her, +with her pretty blue paint and white trimming, Nan cried: + +"Oh, how lovely!" + +"And how big it is!" exclaimed Freddie his eyes large and round with +wonder. + +"Let's go aboard--where's the gang-plank?" asked Bert, trying to use +some boat language he had heard from his father's lumbermen. + +The Bluebird was indeed a fine, large houseboat, roomy and +comfortable. The children went inside, and, after looking around the +main, or living room, and peering into the dining-room, Nan opened the +door of a smaller compartment. Inside she saw a cunning little bed. + +"Oh, may I have this room?" she asked. "Isn't it sweet!" + +"Here's another just like it," said Mrs. Bobbsey, opening the next +door. + +"That will be mine," said Flossie. + +"My room's going to be back here, by the engine," spoke Bert, as he +picked out his sleeping place. + +"And I'll come with you," said Freddie. "I'm going to be fireman!" +Gleefully the children were running about, clapping their hands, and +finding something new and strange every minute. + +"Where is your room, mamma?" asked Nan. "We ought to have let you and +papa have first choice." + +"Oh, there are plenty of rooms," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Let's go up on +deck and---" + +He stopped suddenly, and seemed to be listening. + +"What is it?" asked his wife. + +"There seems to be some one on this boat beside ourselves," answered +Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll go look." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE STRANGE BOY + + +The Bobbsey twins looked at one another, and then at their mother, as +Mr. Bobbsey went out of the living room of the houseboat, toward the +stairway that led up on deck. + +Bert tried to look brave, and as though he did not care. Nan moved a +little closer to her mother. As for Flossie, she, too, was a little +frightened, but Freddie did not seem at all alarmed. + +"Is it somebody come to take the boat away from us?" he asked in his +high-pitched, childish voice. "If it is--don't let 'em, papa." + +They all laughed at this--even Mr. Bobbsey, and he turned to look +around, half way up the stairs, saying: + +"No, Freddie, I won't let them take our boat." + +"Pooh! Just as if they could--it's ours!" spoke Bert. + +"Who could it be on board here, mamma?" asked Nan. + +"I don't know, dear, unless it was some one passing through the lumber +yard, who stopped to see what the boat looked like," answered Mrs. +Bobbsey. "Papa will soon find out." + +The noise they had heard was the footsteps of some one walking about +on the deck of the houseboat. + +"Perhaps it was one of the men from the office, who came to tell papa +he was wanted up there, or that some one wanted to speak to him on the +telephone," went on Mrs. Bobbsey. She saw that the children, even +Bert, were a little alarmed, for the boat was tied at a lonely place +in the lumber yard, and tramps frequently had to be driven away from +the piles of boards under which there were a number of good places to +sleep. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not mean to be unkind to the poor men who had no +homes, but tramps often smoke, and are not careful about their +matches. There had been one or two fires in the lumber yard, and Mr. +Bobbsey did not want any more blazes. + +Soon the footsteps of the children's father were heard on the deck +above them, and, a little later Freddie and the others could hear the +talk of two persons. + +"I guess it was one of the men," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'm going to see," spoke Bert, and he moved toward the stairway, +followed by Nan, Flossie and Freddie. They went up on deck and saw +their father talking to a strange boy. None of the Bobbsey children +knew him. + +"Are you looking for some one?" asked Mr. Bobbsey kindly, of the +strange boy. Often, when he was in distant parts of the lumber yard, +and he was wanted at the office, or telephone, his men might ask some +boy to run and tell the owner of the yard he was needed. But Mr. +Bobbsey had never seen this lad before. + +"No, sir, I--I wasn't looking for any one," said the boy, as he looked +down at his shoes, which were full of holes, and put his hands into +the pockets of his trousers, which were quite ragged. "I was just +looking at the boat. It's a fine one!" + +"I'm glad you like it," said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile. + +"Could you go to sea in this boat?" asked the boy, who was not very +much older than Bert. + +"Go to sea? Oh, no!" answered Mr. Bobbsey. "This boat is all right on +a lake, or river, but the big waves of the ocean would be too strong +for it. We don't intend to go to sea. Why? Are you fond of sailing?" + +"That's what I am!" cried the boy. "I'm going to sea in a ship some +day. I'm sick of farm-life!" and his eyes snapped. + +"Are you a farmer?" asked the twins' father. + +"I work for a farmer, and I don't like it--the work is too hard," the +boy said, as he hung his head. + +"There is plenty of hard work in this world," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "Of +course too much hard work isn't good for any one, but we must all do +our share. Where do you work?" + +"I work for Mr. Hardee, who lives just outside the town of Lemby," +answered the boy. + +"Oh, yes, I know Mr. Hardee," spoke Mr. Bobbsey. "I sold him some +lumber with which he built his house. So you work for him? But what +are you doing so far away from the farm?" + +"Mr. Hardee sent me over here, to Lakeport, on an errand." + +"Well, if I were you I wouldn't come so far away from where I left my +horse and wagon," cautioned Mr. Bobbsey, for the place where the boat +was tied was a long distance from the main road leading from Lakeport +to Lemby. + +"I didn't come in a wagon," said the boy. "I walked." + +"What! You don't mean to say you walked all the way from Lemby to +Lakeport?" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, who had now come up on deck. + +"Yes'm, I did," answered the boy. "Mr. Hardee said he needed the +horses to work on the farm. He said I was young, and the walk would do +me good. So Mrs. Hardee, she gave me some bread and butter for my +lunch, and I walked. I'm walking back now, and I came this way by the +lake. It's a short cut. + +"Then I happened to see this boat here. I like boats, so I thought it +wouldn't hurt to come on board." + +"Oh, no, that's all right!" said Mr. Bobbsey quickly. "I'll be glad to +have you look around, though this is only a houseboat, and not built +for ocean travel. So you work for Mr. Hardee, eh? What's your name?" + +"Will Watson," the boy said. Mrs. Bobbsey was trying to motion to her +husband to come toward her. It seemed as though she wanted to say +something to him privately. + +"Will Watson, eh?" went on Mr. Bobbsey. "I don't seem to know any +family of that name around here." + +"No, I don't belong around here," the boy said. "I come from out +west--or I used to live there when I was littler. I've got an uncle out +there now, if I could ever find him. He's a gold miner." + +"A gold miner?" said Mr. Bobbsey, and then his wife came up to him, +and whispered in his ear. Just what she said the twins could not hear, +but, a moment later Mr. Bobbsey said: + +"Bert, suppose you take Will down and show him the boat, since he is +so interested." + +"Oh, I'm going to!" cried Freddie. "I want to show him where I'm going +to be a fireman." + +"And I want to show him my room," said Flossie. + +The strange boy looked at the little twins and smiled. He had a nice +face, and was quite clean, though his clothes were ragged and poor. + +"Come along down if you like," said Bert kindly. "There's a lot to see +below the deck." + +With a friendly nod of his head Will Watson followed the three +children. Nan stayed on deck with her parents. + +"It's a shame to make him walk all the way from Lemby here and back," +said Mrs. Bobbsey. "It must be all of five miles each way." + +"It is," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Quite a tramp for a little fellow." + +"Can't you find some way to give him a ride back?" asked his wife. +"Aren't any of your wagons going that way?" + +"Perhaps," replied Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll find out, and I'll send him as +near to Mr. Hardee's place as I can." + +"Poor little fellow," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and she thought how hard it +would be if her son Bert had to go to work for his living so young. + +"He seems like a nice boy," spoke Mr. Bobbsey, "and from what I know +of Mr. Hardee he isn't an easy man to work for. Well, have you seen +enough of the boat, Nan? Do you think you'll like it?" + +"Oh, I just love it," Nan answered. "I'm so anxious for the time to +come when we can go sailing, or whatever you do in a boat like this. +Mamma, may I bring some of my things from home to fix up my room?" + +"I think so--yes. We shall have to talk about that later. I think it +is time we started home now. Dinah will not want to wait supper for +us." + +"Well then, run along," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll get the others up +from down below." + +"And you won't forget about trying to give that boy a ride home?" +asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"No, indeed," replied her husband. "I'm going right back to the office +now, and I'll take him with me. I'll let him ride on the wagon that's +going nearest to Lemby." + +Mr. Bobbsey met Bert and the strange boy coming up. + +"It sure is a dandy boat!" said Will Watson with a sigh of envy. "If +ever I go away to sea, I hope I'll have as nice a room as yours," and +he looked at Bert. "I just couldn't help coming on the boat when I saw +her tied here," he went on. "I hope you didn't mind." + +"Not a bit!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, wishing she had some of Dinah's +cake or crullers with her to give to the boy, for the twins' mother +thought he looked hungry. + +The door, leading into the cabin of the houseboat was locked, and they +all went on shore, over the gangplank, the board that extended from +the dock to the boat. + +"Good-bye, Bluebird!" called Flossie, waving her fat, chubby, little +hand toward the houseboat. "We'll soon be back." + +"And I'm going to bring my fire engine, when I come again," exclaimed +Freddie. "If the boat gets on fire I can put it out." + +"Boats can't get on fire in the water!" declared Flossie. + +"They can so--can't they, papa?" appealed the little boy. + +"Well, sometimes, perhaps. But we hope ours doesn't," replied Mr. +Bobbsey with a smile. He led the way off the boat, and as Will was +about to walk on along the lake shore, on his return to Lemby, Mrs. +Bobbsey said: + +"Wouldn't you like a ride back, little boy?" + +"Indeed I would," he said. "My feet hurt, on account of my shoes being +so full of holes, I guess. I'm pretty tired, but I had a little rest. +I don't expect to get back much before dark." + +"Well, perhaps you can ride nearly all the way," went on Mrs. Bobbsey. +"My husband has some lumber wagons going in your direction." + +"Yes, come along and we'll see what we can do for you," put in the +twins' father, nodding at the strange boy. + +Will went off with Mr. Bobbsey, while Nan, Bert, Flossie and Freddie +walked with their mother. + +"Oh, mamma, when do you think we can go in our boat?" asked Flossie. + +"Well, as soon as school closes, my dear." + +"And will we sail across the ocean?" Freddie wanted to know. + +"Of course not!" cried Bert. "A houseboat isn't a ship." + +"That boy knew about ships," said Nan. "I like him, don't you, mamma?" + +"Yes, he seemed real nice. He hasn't a very easy life, I'm afraid, +working on a farm. But we must hurry on to supper. We'll talk about +the boat after papa comes home." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +FREDDIE'S FIRE ENGINE + + +"Papa, when can we go sailing in the houseboat?" + +"May I take my fire engine along?" + +"Where did you leave that boy?" + +"Did he get a ride to Lemby?" + +"Thus Bert, Freddie, Flossie and Nan questioned Mr. Bobbsey when he +came home to supper after the visit to the Bluebird. + +"My! My!" exclaimed the lumber merchant, as he stopped in the hall to +hang up his hat. "What a lot of talk all at once! Let me see--whose +question shall I answer first?" + +"Did you manage to get that poor boy a ride?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +It was the first time she had had a chance to ask her question. + +"Answer mamma first," said Bert politely. "The rest of us can wait." + +Mr. Bobbsey gave his older son a pleased look, and then replied: + +"Yes, I found that one of our lumber wagons was going within half a +mile of the village of Lemby, so I let the boy ride with the driver. +It will give him a good lift." + +"Indeed it will," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I felt so sorry for him. I wish +I could help him!" + +"I hope the horses don't run away," spoke Freddie with such a serious +air that they all laughed. + +"I guess they won't run away, little fat fireman!" said Mr. Bobbsey, +as he caught Freddie up in his arms. "They are good, steady horses, +and they had a pretty heavy load to drag. So Will won't be in any +danger. But I hope supper is ready. I'm hungry!" + +"But you didn't answer my question," said Nan. "When are we going in +the houseboat, father?" + +"Oh, whenever school ends and your mother is ready," was the answer. +"I should say in about two weeks." + +"Good!" cried Bert. "And are we going to take Snap along?" he asked, +as he caught sight of the trick dog outside, standing on his hind +legs, while Sam Johnson held up a bone for him. Snap was "begging" for +his supper, as he often did. + +"Yes, I think we can find room for Snap on board," the lumber man +said. + +"What about our cat, Snoop?" asked Flossie. "I want to take Snoop +along. Wouldn't you like to go in a boat, Snoop?" and Flossie picked +the fat cat up in her arms. Snoop was quite an armful now. "Don't you +want to go, Snoop?" + +"Meow!" was all Snoop said, and that might have meant anything at all. + +"Supper first," suggested Mr. Bobbsey, "and after that we'll talk +about the boat." + +The meal was a merry one, and there was much talk and laughter. As +Dinah brought on one good thing to eat after another, Mrs. Bobbsey +said: + +"I hope every one has as nice a supper as we have." + +"Were you thinking of any one in particular?" asked her husband. + +"Yes, of that poor boy who came on the boat to-day," she answered. "I +wonder if he has a good supper after his long walk this morning?" + +"Well, they say Mr. Hardee doesn't feed his help any too well," spoke +Mr. Bobbsey. "But now let's talk about our houseboat trip." + +"Oh, what fun we'll have!" cried Freddie and Flossie, clapping their +chubby hands. + +"Did you plan a trip?" Mrs. Bobbsey wanted to know. + +"Well, partly, yes. I thought we could go down Lake Metoka to Lemby +Creek. We haven't been down that direction in some time." + +"Lemby Creek!" exclaimed Bert. "Isn't that the name of the place where +that boy came from?" "Well, Lemby is a town on Lemby Creek," spoke his +father. "Will Watson works on Mr. Hardee's farm, and that is just +outside the village. Lemby Creek is about ten miles long, and by going +along that we can get into Lake Romano. That is a large body of water, +and there is a waterfall at the farther end." + +"A waterfall!" cried Freddie. "Oh, goodie! Can we go see it, papa?" + +"I guess so," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We'll make this a long trip. It will +take over a month, but of course we won't travel every day. Some days +we'll just anchor the boat in a shady place, and---" + +"Fish!" interrupted Bert. + +"Yes, fish, or go in swimming--anything to have a good time," Mr. +Bobbsey said. + +"Oh, won't we have fun!" cried Freddie again. "We'll take Snoop and +Snap along, and they'll like it, too." + +"I guess Snap will, because he's fond of the water," said Bert, with a +laugh. "But Snoop doesn't care for it." + +"Snoop can sleep on deck in the sun," said Nan. "She'll like that. I +wish I could ask one of my girl friends to come along with us for the +houseboat trip. We have so many nice rooms on the Bluebird it seems a +pity not to use them." + +"And I'd like one of my boy chums, too," spoke Bert. Flossie and +Freddie were busy trying to make Snoop do one of the tricks the circus +lady had taught her. But Snoop wanted to go out in the kitchen, and +have Dinah give her some supper. + +"Company, eh?" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey, slowly. "Well, I don't know. We +have plenty of room on the Bluebird. I wonder how it would do to ask +Harry and Dorothy to come with us?" he inquired of his wife. + +"Oh, Cousin Harry!" cried Bert. "That would be fine!" + +"And Cousin Dorothy!" added Nan. "She and I could have lovely times +together. Do ask her, mother!" + +"We might ask the cousins," agreed Mrs. Bobbsey. "They haven't been to +visit us in some time, and I think both Harry and Dorothy would enjoy +the trip." + +Harry and Dorothy, as I have told you, were cousins of the Bobbseys. +Harry lived at Meadow Brook, in the country, and Dorothy at Ocean +Cliff, near the sea. + +"I'll write to-morrow," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "and find out if they can +go with us. Now have we anything else to settle about our trip?" + +"What about something to eat?" asked Freddie, in such a funny, anxious +voice, that all the others laughed. + +"My goodness, little fat fireman!" exclaimed his father. "Here you +have just finished your supper, and you are already hungry again." + +"Oh, I'm not hungry now," explained Freddie, "but I will be on the +boat." + +"Don't worry," said his mother. "Dinah is coming with us." + +"Oh, then it will be all right," went on the little twin, with a +contented sigh. "Come on, Flossie," he called to his small sister, "I +know how we can have some fun. 'Scuse me," he murmured, as he and the +other little twin slipped from their chairs. + +Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, with Nan and Bert, remained at the table for +some time longer, talking about the coming trip in the Bluebird. As +Mr. Bobbsey had said, it would be about two weeks, yet, before they +could start. There were two weeks more of school, but the classes +would close earlier than usual that summer, because an addition was to +be built to the school building, and the men wanted to get to work on +it, to have it finished in time for school early in September. + +"So we'll get an extra week or so of vacation," explained Bert. "And +we'll spend it all on the houseboat." + +"Well, perhaps not all of it," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I may not be able to +stay with you all that while. But we'll spend a month or two on the +Bluebird." + +"What will we do the rest of vacation?" asked Bert. + +"Oh, perhaps we'll go to the mountains, or some place like that," his +mother said with a smile. "It isn't settled yet." + +"Is it a high waterfall at Lake Romano?" asked Nan. "I just love +them." + +"Yes, it's a pretty high one," her father said. "I haven't been to +Lake Romano in some years, but I remember it as a very beautiful +place." + +"I'm sure we shall enjoy it," Mrs. Bobbsey said. + +"Is the fishing good?" Bert wanted to know. + +"So I have heard. We'll take some poles and lines along, anyhow, and +try our luck," his father replied. + +Mr. Bobbsey pushed back his chair from the table, and looked around +for the evening paper. Bert and Nan had some home work to do, to get +ready their lessons for the next day's school classes, and Mrs. +Bobbsey got out her sewing basket. There were always stockings to +mend, if there was nothing else of the children's that needed +attention. + +The house was quiet except for the distant rattling of dishes in the +kitchen, where fat Dinah was singing away as she worked. Suddenly her +song ceased, and she was heard to exclaim: + +"Now yo' want t' be careful, honey lamb! Doan't yo' go to muxin' up +Dinah's clean kitchen flo'." + +"No, we won't, Dinah!" replied Freddie's voice. + +"If any gets spilled, I'll wipe it up," said Flossie. + +"I wonder what those children are up to now?" remarked Mrs. Bobbsey, +as she rolled up two stockings she had just darned. + +"Oh, I guess they're all right," said Mr. Bobbsey easily, as he turned +over a page of the evening paper. + +The next moment there came a shout from Dinah in the kitchen. + +"Stop it, Freddie. Stop it, I say!" cried the fat, colored cook. "Yo' +suah am gittin' me all wet! Oh, there it goes ag'in! Stop it!" + +"I--I can't!" cried Freddie. "Hold your hand over it, Flossie!" + +"Oh, now it's squirting on me!" came in Flossie's tones. "Make it +stop, Freddie." + +"It--it won't stop!" was the frightened answer. + +"Oh! Land ob massy!" shouted Dinah. "Sam! Sam! Mr. Bobbsey, come heah +quick! It's squirtin' all ober!" + +"Oh! Something has happened!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, starting toward +the kitchen. + +"Maybe a water pipe has burst," suggested Mr. Bobbsey, dropping his +paper and making a jump toward the kitchen. As he did so, he heard +Dinah cry again: + +"Oh, yo' am all wet, honey lamb! Yo' is all soakin' wet! Oh, now it's +comin' fo' me ag'in! Oh, stop it, Freddie! Stop it!" + +"I--I can't!" was all Freddie said. + +The next moment Mr. Bobbsey, followed by his wife, had reached the +kitchen. There they saw a queer sight. + +In the middle of the floor stood Flossie and Freddie, water dripping +from their hands and faces. Dinah, too, was wet, and she was fairly +flying around, with a plate in one hand and a dish towel in the other. + +And, all about the kitchen was spurting a stream of water, while over +by the stove stood Freddie's toy fire engine. It was this engine that +was spraying the water all over the room. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE TWO COUSINS + + +"Oh, Freddie! What has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"It--it's the---" began Freddie, but that was as far as he got, for +just then the stream of water from his toy engine spurted right into +his open mouth. + +"Shut it off!" cried Mr. Bobbsey. "Here, I'll do it!" + +He started across the kitchen floor. + +"Look out, Massa Bobbsey!" yelled Dinah. "It'll cotch yo' shuah. It +done cotched me!" and then as she saw the little rubber hose of +Freddie's fire engine swing around, and the nozzle point at her, the +fat cook ran into the dish-closet and shut the door. + +"How did it happen?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, not so excited, now that she +found nothing serious was the matter. + +"Freddie--Freddie--he wanted to try how his fire engine worked, 'cause +he hadn't played with it this week," explained Flossie. Freddie was +busy wiping the water from his face. "So he filled the tank, and wound +it up, and now--and now--it won't--it won't stop-squirtin'!" went on +Flossie. "It--it---" + +And then she, too, had to stop talking, for the hose was spurting +water at her now. + +"I'll shut it off. Something must be the matter with the spring," said +Mr. Bobbsey. He walked toward Freddie's fire engine, which was pretty +large, for a toy. But before he reached it, the water hose had swung +around, and, instead of sprinkling Flossie, was aimed at Mr. Bobbsey. +However he did not mind. Holding the newspaper in front of his face, +Freddie's father reached the fire engine, and turned off the machinery +that pumped the water. + +"There!" he cried. "The fire's out! The only damage is from water," +and he laughed, for he was wet, and so were Mrs. Bobbsey, Flossie and +Freddie; and the kitchen itself was pretty well sprinkled. + +"What's it all about?" asked Bert, for he and Nan, who had been +studying their lessons, had heard the noise of the excitement, and had +run to the kitchen to see what had caused it. + +"Oh, Freddie turned in a false alarm," said Mr. Bobbsey. "How did you +come to put water in your engine, when mamma has told you not to do so +in the house?" he asked the little boy. + +"Be--be--cause," said Freddie slowly, "I wanted to see if it +would--work. I'm going to take it on the houseboat with me." + +"Well, I guess it WORKED all right," Bert said, as he looked around at +the wet kitchen. Luckily there was oil cloth on the floor, and the +walls were painted, so the water really did no harm. + +Dinah slowly opened the door of the dish-closet, and peered out. + +"Am it all done, honey lamb?" she asked, looking at Freddie. + +"Yes, Dinah! It's all done squirtin'," he said. "I guess there isn't +any more water, anyhow." + +"No," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a smile, as he looked in the tank of the +engine, "it's all pumped out." + +Freddie's toy fire engine was a large and expensive one his uncle had +given him on Christmas. It was made as nearly like a real engine as +possible, only instead of working by steam, it worked by a spring. +When a spring was wound up, it operated a small pump in the engine. +The pump made water spurt out through a little rubber hose, and the +water for the engine was poured into a tank. The tank held about two +gallons, so you see when it was all pumped out in the kitchen, and +spurted on those in the room, it made them pretty wet. + +"It's clean water," said Nan, when every one had somewhat cooled down, +"and it's so warm to-night, I wouldn't mind being sprayed with a hose +myself." + +"Still, Freddie shouldn't have done it," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I have +told you not to play with your engine in the house, when it had water +in it, Freddie. How did you come to disobey me?" she asked, for +usually the little fellow was very good about minding. + +"I--I didn't mean to, mamma," he said "First I just wanted to see if +the engine tank leaked, so I put in some water. I didn't think it +would hurt, out here on the kitchen oil cloth, and honestly I wasn't +going to squirt it." + +"No, I suppose not," said Mr. Bobbsey, wiping the water from his face, +and glancing at his soaked newspaper. + +"So I just filled the tank with water from the sink," explained +Freddie. + +"I--I helped him," confessed Flossie, ready to take her share of the +blame. + +"What happened next?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Why--er--I just wanted to see if the spring was all right, so I wound +that up," Freddie went on. "Then I sort of forgot about the water in +the tank, and before I knew it, why it--it went off--sudden like." + +"Land ob massy! I should say it done did go off--suddint laik!" +exclaimed Dinah. "Fust I knowed I was dryin' de dishes an' den I got a +mouth full ob watah. I shuah did t'ink a watah pipe had done gone an' +busted. I shuah did!" + +"It--it just kept on squirtin'!" said Freddie. "I couldn't stop it +like it always used to stop." + +"No, the pump is out of order," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he looked at the +now empty fire engine. "It wouldn't stop pumping. Well, I'm glad it +wasn't a real fire, and glad that no one is hurt. Put your engine away +now, Freddie, and, after this, don't play with water in the house, +when mamma has told you not to." + +"I won't," promised Freddie. "But it's a good engine, isn't it?" + +"Oh, yes, it's a good engine, all right." + +"And I can take it on the houseboat, can't I?" + +"Yes, but you won't need to put any water in. There'll be enough in +the creek and lakes," said Mrs. Bobbsey with a smile. "Come now, +Flossie and Freddie, you are wet, so you might as well get undressed +and go to bed. It is nearly time, anyhow, and you have had quite a day +of it. Off to bed!" + +Off to bed the twins went. + +Dinah wiped up the kitchen, and, as she did so, she murmured over and +over again: "It shuah did go off suddint laik! It shuah did!" + +Flossie and Freddie, little the worse for their wetting, went off to +school next day, with Nan and Bert. The two sets of twins talked of +many things on their way to their classes, but, most of all, they +talked of the coming trip on the houseboat, and of the accident to the +fire engine the night before. + +"I do hope Cousin Dorothy can come with us," said Nan, as she left +Bert to walk along with Nellie Parks. + +"And I hope Harry can go," said Bert. "Better hurry along, Freddie," +he called to his little brother. "There goes your bell, and yours, +too, Flossie." + +The two little tots turned into the gate of the school that led to the +yard where the smallest pupils formed in line. + +"Well, even if Harry and Dorothy can't go, I'll take my fire engine," +said Freddie. + +"And we'll take Snoop and Snap, so we won't be lonesome," suggested +Flossie. "Oh, won't it be fun, Freddie!" + +"Yes, I wish it was time to go now. I'm tired of school," said the +little fellow. + +But school must go on, whether there are houseboat parties or not, so +the Bobbsey twins had to study their lessons. I think that day, +however, Bert must have been thinking of other things than his books, +for when the teacher asked him what an island was, Bert gave a queer +answer. Instead of saying it was a body of land, surrounded by water, +Bert said: + +"An island is a fire engine in the kitchen." + +"Why, Bert Bobbsey! What ARE you thinking of?" asked the teacher. + +"Oh, I--I was thinking of something that happened at our house last +night," Bert went on, while all the children in the room laughed. + +"Then you'd better tell us about it," suggested Miss Teeter, the +instructor, for she was very kind. So Bert told of Freddie's mishap, +and how it was he happened to be thinking of that instead of the right +answer to the question about the island. + +"I hear you have a houseboat, Bert," said John Blake, a boy in the +same room, as the children came out of school that afternoon. + +"Yes, my father bought the one Mr. Marvin owned," said Bert. "It's a +fine one, too. We're going to have a trip in her soon." + +"You're a lucky boy!" exclaimed John. "Can't you take me down and show +me over the boat?" + +"I'd like to," said Bert, "but father said I wasn't to go aboard, when +he was not with me." + +"Pooh! He'll never know," suggested Danny Rugg, a boy with whom Bert +had had more or less trouble. "You needn't tell your father you went +to the boat. Come on, take us down and let's see it." + +"No," said Bert, quietly but firmly. "Maybe my father wouldn't know I +had been on board, but I'd know it." + +"Aw, you're a fraid-cat!" sneered Danny. "Come on, take us down, and +we'll have some fun." + +"No," said Bert with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry. Some other time, +after I've asked my father if I may, I'll show you all over the +Bluebird." + +"I want to go now," Danny said. + +"Oh, there's plenty of time," spoke John, pleasantly. "I wouldn't want +Bert to do what his father told him not to, just to oblige me. I'll +see the boat some other time, Bert; that will do just as well." + +"Huh! He's a fraid-cat!" muttered Danny again, as he shuffled off, +muttering to himself. Several times he had made trouble for the +Bobbsey twins, and Bert was not any too friendly with him. Danny was a +bully in the school. + +Bert wished, very much indeed, that he could have taken some of his +boy friends down to the houseboat, but his father had a good reason +for not wanting any boys aboard, unless he could be with them. Workmen +were making certain changes in the craft, and doing some painting +inside and outside. + +A few days after this, when the Bobbsey twins reached home from +school, Mrs. Bobbsey met them at the door, saying: + +"I have good news for you, children!" + +"What is it?" cried Bert. + +"Don't we have to go to school any more?" Freddie. + +"Are we going on the houseboat sooner than we expected?" Nan wanted to +know. + +"It's about your two cousins--Harry and Dorothy," went on Mrs. +Bobbsey. "They have both accepted our invitations, and they will come +with us on the trip! Won't that be nice?" + +"Lovely!" exclaimed Nan, her eyes shining with delight. "Dorothy and +I'll have such nice times together!" + +"And Harry and I'll catch a lot of fish," declared Bert. + +The days went on. The houseboat was nearly ready for her trip. Very +soon school would close. + +"Come on, Bert, can't you show us over the boat now?" asked Danny Rugg +one afternoon, on his way home from school, with Nan's brother, and +some other boys. + +"I can't to-day, but perhaps I can to-morrow," said Bert. "I'll ask my +father." + +"He'll never know about it," tempted Danny again, but Bert could not +be influenced that way. + +"Never mind, I'll fix you!" threatened Danny, which was what he +usually said, when he could not have his own way. + +Bert thought little of the threat at the time, though later he +recalled it vividly. + +It was that night, just as the smaller twins were getting ready for +bed, that the telephone in the Bobbsey house rang out a call. + +"I'll answer it," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he went to the instrument. +"Hello!" he called. Then his wife and children heard him cry: + +"What! Is that so! That's too bad! Yes, I'll attend to it right away. +I wonder how it happened?" + +"Oh, what has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, in alarm. + +"Is the lumber yard on fire again?" asked Freddie, thinking of his toy +engine. + +"Not as bad as that," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he quickly put on his hat. +"But the watchman at the dock just telephoned me that our houseboat, +the Bluebird, has gotten adrift, and is floating out into the lake." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +OFF IN THE "BLUEBIRD" + + +For a few seconds after Mr. Bobbsey told of the news he had heard over +the telephone, none of the twins seemed to know what to say. They just +stared at their father, and I really believe, for a moment, that +Flossie and Freddie thought he was playing a joke on them. Then Mrs. +Bobbsey seemed to understand it. + +"What!" she cried. "Our houseboat adrift?" + +"That's what the watchman tells me," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he started +for the front door. + +"But who did it?" asked Bert, managing to get his tongue in working +order. + +"Can't you get her back again?" asked Nan. "Our boat, I mean." + +"Let me come with you!" pleaded Freddie. + +"And I want to come, too!" added Flossie. She seldom wanted to be left +behind, when her twin brother went anywhere. + +"No, no! You children must stay here," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I will hurry +down to the lake, and come right back. I'll tell you all about it, +when I return." + +"But what could have happened?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "What would make +our boat go adrift?" + +"Oh, some of the ropes might have come loose," replied her husband. +"Or the ropes might even have been cut through, rubbing against the +dock. The wind is blowing a little, and that is sending the boat out +into the lake. I'll get one of our steam tugs, and go after her. It +will not take long nor be hard work to bring her back." + +A number of small steam tugs were owned by Mr. Bobbsey for use in +hauling lumber boats, and lumber rafts about Lake Metoka. Some of +these tugs were always at the dock, and one always had steam up, ready +for instant use. + +"Well, I hope you get the Bluebird back all right," said Bert. "We +don't want to miss our trip, especially after we have asked Harry and +Dorothy." + +"Oh, it would be too bad to disappoint them," put in Nan. + +"Oh, I'll get the boat back all right," declared Mr. Bobbsey. + +Flossie and Freddie breathed sighs of relief. They were not worried +now, for they knew their father would do as he said. + +Fat Dinah put her head in through the door of the sitting room. + +"Am anyt'ing de mattah?" she asked. "I done heah yo' all talkin' in +heah, an' I t'inks maybe dat honey lamb Freddie done got his steam +enjine squirtin' watah ag'in." + +"Not this time, Dinah," said Mrs. Bobbsey, for the cook was almost +like one of the family. Then the twins' mother explained what the +trouble was. + +"I 'clar t' goodness!" Dinah exclaimed. "Suffin's always happenin' in +dish yeah fambily." + +It was not a very serious happening this time. Mr. Bobbsey hurried +down to his lumber yard in the darkness of the June evening. + +He was gone about an hour, when the telephone rang. On account of the +little excitement Flossie and Freddie had been allowed to stay up, +although it was long past their usual bedtime. + +"I'll answer it," said Mrs. Bobbsey, as the telephoned bell stopped +jingling, for Bert had started from his seat. + +"Oh, it's papa," the twins' mother went on, after she had listened for +a second after saying "Hello!" + +"Is the boat all right?" asked Nan, anxiously. + +"Yes," answered her mother, and then she turned to listen to the rest +of Mr. Bobbsey's talk over the telephone. + +"Papa went after the Bluebird, and brought her safely back," Mrs. +Bobbsey explained, when she had hung up the receiver. "He'll be here +in a few minutes to tell us all about it. He telephoned from the +lumber office after he had our boat safe." + +"Oh, I'm so glad the boat's all right," said Nan. + +"Pooh, I knowed it would be--when papa went after it," said Freddie, +with a sleepy yawn. + +"You must say 'knew,' not 'knowed,' dear," spoke Mamma Bobbsey. "And +now I think it is time for you and Flossie to go to bed." + +Neither of the smaller twins offered any objection. They were too +sleepy to want to stay up and listen to the story of the bringing back +of the Bluebird. + +Nan and Bert were anxious to hear it, and Mr. Bobbsey came in soon +after Flossie and Freddie were tucked in bed. He told the story of the +drifting houseboat. + +"How did it break loose?" asked Bert. + +"It didn't break loose," said his father. "Some one untied the knots +in the ropes." + +"Untied!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "How did it happen?" + +"Why, some one went aboard the boat," explained Mr. Bobbsey, "and I +think it must have been some boys, for I found this cap," and he held +up a gray one. + +"Why!" cried Bert when he saw it. "That's Danny Rugg's cap!" + +"I thought so," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "Danny, and some of his chums, +must have gone on the boat early this evening. They played about, as +boys will, and some of them, either on purpose or accidentally, must +have loosed the knots in the ropes before coming ashore. Then the boat +just drifted away after that." + +"Those boys had no right to go on our boat!" said Nan. + +"No, they had not," agreed her father, "But I'm glad there was no real +damage done. The watchman saw the Bluebird soon after she had drifted +away from the dock, and he telephoned me. I went out in one of our +tugs and soon brought her back. So you think this is Danny Rugg's cap, +Bert?" + +"I'm sure of it, yes, sir. Danny wanted me to take him, and some of +the other boys, on the boat, but I wouldn't." + +"I'm glad you remembered what I told you," spoke Mr. Bobbsey, and Bert +blushed with pleasure. + +"I'll give Danny his cap in the morning," Bert went on. "It may +surprise him to know where he lost it." + +"I don't believe you can surprise that Danny Rugg very much," said +Mrs. Bobbsey. + +The next morning, when Bert took Danny's cap to school with him, and +handed it to the boy who had caused so much trouble, a queer look came +over Danny's face. + +"Thanks," he said. "I was wondering where I left that. I guess I must +have dropped it, when I was--playing football over in the fields." + +"No, you dropped it on our houseboat, the Bluebird, just before you +and the other fellows untied the ropes that let her go adrift," said +Bert. "And you'd better keep off her after this!" + +"Huh! I'm not afraid of your father!" was all Danny growled, as he +stuffed his cap in his pocket, for he had worn another to school. + +When Danny's chums learned that it was known who had set the boat +adrift, they were rather frightened. When they realized the damage +they might have done, they kept away from Mr. Bobbsey's lumber yard +for a long time. + +One day, about a week after this, the Bobbsey twins hurried home from +school without stopping to play with any of their friends. + +"Why are you in such a hurry?" asked Grace Lavine of Nan. + +"We expect our cousins to-day," Nan answered. "Then we are going to +get ready to go away in our houseboat." + +Surely enough, when the twins reached home, there the cousins were to +greet them--Dorothy and Harry, one from the seashore, and the other +from the country. + +"Oh, but I'm SO glad to see you!" cried Nan, as she hugged and kissed +Dorothy. + +"And I'm SO glad to come," Dorothy answered with a smile. "It was +lovely of you to invite me to go on your boat." + +"We'll have a lot of fun," said Bert to Harry. + +"That's what we will," replied the boy from the country. + +"We're both awful glad to see you!" chimed in Flossie, speaking both +for herself and for Freddie. "But we can't play with the fire engine." + +"Not if we put water in," added Freddie. + +"What in the world do they mean?" asked Dorothy, wonderingly. + +"Oh, I'll have to tell you," laughed Nan, as she explained about the +accident. + +The cousins had much to tell the twins, and talk about, and the twins +had as much more to tell, so, for a time, there was a merry sound of +talk and laughter. + +Dorothy and Harry had come by different trains, one from the seashore +and the other from the country, but they had reached the Bobbsey house +at the same time. Their schools had not yet closed, but as they were +both well advanced in their studies, their parents had allowed them to +leave their classes ahead of time, since they were both sure to +"pass." + +"Just think!" cried Nan, when there was a moment of quiet. "In three +days more OUR school will close, and then we'll go on the trip." + +"Won't it be lovely!" murmured Dorothy. + +I leave you to imagine all that took place in those three days. +Schooldays came to an end, and the Bobbsey twins were among those at +the heads of their classes. Then came a packing-up time, and the +Bobbsey house was a scene of great excitement. Trunks and boxes were +taken aboard the Bluebird, a man was hired to run the gasoline engine. +Plenty of good things to eat were stowed away in the kitchen lockers, +as cupboards are called on a boat. At last all was ready for the +start. + +Snoop and Snap, of course, were on hand, as was Dinah. Mr. Bobbsey saw +to it that his family, and the two cousins, were safely aboard, and +then he gave the order to cast off the lines. The Bluebird floated +away from the dock, and out into the lake that was almost as blue as +her name. + +"All aboard!" cried Bert. + +"Toot! Toot!" whistled Freddie, pretending to be an engine. + +"Oh, look out! You're stepping on my doll!" screamed Flossie, who had +put her toy down on the deck a moment. + +"Good-bye! Good-bye!" called Nan to Grace Lavine, and some others of +her girl friends, who had come down to the dock to see them off. +"Good-bye!" + +"Good-bye!" echoed the girls, waving their hands. + +"Come on!" called Bert to Harry, as he started for the lower cabin. + +"What are you going to do?" asked the boy from the country. + +"Let's get out our fishing poles. Maybe we can catch something for +dinner." + +"That's right!" agreed Harry. + +Slowly the Bluebird moved out into the lake, for the gasoline engine +was working. The houseboat trip of the Bobbsey twins had begun, and +many things were to happen before it was to end. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SNOOP AND SNAP + + +Nan and Dorothy, after waving good-bye to the girl friends on the +dock, went down to the living room of the houseboat. There they found +Mrs. Bobbsey and Dinah putting away some of the things that had been +brought on board at the last moment. + +"I 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed the colored cook, "dish yeah +houseboatin' am wuss dan movin'!" + +"Oh, not quite as bad as that," said Mrs. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "But +what are you going to do, Nan, dear? Do you like it, Dorothy?" + +"Oh! indeed I do," answered the "seashore cousin," as Nan called her +to distinguish her from Harry, who lived in the country. + +"We are just going to our rooms for a minute, mother," Nan answered. +"I want to show Dorothy my new sailor suit." + +Every body on the houseboat was busy, even down to Flossie and +Freddie, and the two little twins were busy having fun. + +Mrs. Bobbsey and Dinah were engaged in putting to rights the different +rooms, for there were a number on the Bluebird, which was built for a +large family. Bert and Harry were up on deck fishing, as the boat +moved slowly through the blue waters of Metoka Lake. Flossie and +Freddie, as I have said, were playing, the little girl with her doll, +and Freddie with a new toy his father had bought him. + +As for Mr. Bobbsey, he was down in the engine room with "Captain +White." Mr. White was one of Mr. Bobbsey's men who had once been in +charge of a tugboat, but one day there was an accident aboard, and Mr. +White was made lame for life. + +But Mr. Bobbsey liked his faithful employee, and kept him at work, and +since Mr. White could not do heavy tasks, he was allowed to do easy +ones. + +Mr. White was called "Captain" by every one, though he was not really +a captain. Still, he knew a great deal about boats, the weather clouds +and storms, and all things such as sea captains are supposed to know. + +When Mr. Bobbsey bought Mr. Marvin's houseboat, he at once began to +think of some one who could sail it for him, and take care of the +gasoline engine. Naturally, he thought of Captain White. So the +Bluebird was put in charge of Captain White, who, you may be sure, was +very glad to be on the water again, even if it was only in a +slow-moving houseboat, and not in a swift steam tug. + +Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White were down in the motor, or engine room +together. Mr. Bobbsey was learning how to run the gasoline engine. + +I have told you how the Bluebird was driven along through the water by +a small engine. It was not a steam engine, such as are found in many +boats, but a gasoline one, such as those in most automobiles. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not intend to sail very fast in the houseboat. In +fact, for many days, he expected to just drift along, or push the boat +with a long pole through some shallow creek, or in parts of the lake +where it was not deep. When he wanted to move more quickly from place +to place, there was the gasoline engine all ready to use. And Captain +White knew how to use it. + +Mr. Bobbsey came up out of the little motor room after a while, and +watched his wife and Dinah putting things away. The boat was moving +down the lake. + +"Oh, look at your face!" suddenly cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"What's the matter with it?" asked her husband, putting his hand up to +his nose, as almost any person will do when you speak of his face. + +"It's all black!" went on Mrs. Bobbsey. "So are your hands. Oh, +Richard! What have you been doing?" + +"Learning to run the gasoline engine," he said. "I want to know how it +works so that if we need to start any time when Captain White is on +shore, or asleep, I can do it." + +"I hope you won't start off any time when Captain White is on shore," +said Mrs. Bobbsey. "You don't know enough about a boat to run it +without him." + +"Very well, then. I promise I'll run the gasoline engine only when +Captain White is asleep," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "And then, +if anything happens, I'll only have to awaken him, and ask him what is +wrong." + +"That's the best plan," said Mrs. Bobbsey, also laughing. "And now you +had better go wash your face. Some one might see you--looking like +that." + +There was a nice little bathroom aboard the Bluebird, and Mr. Bobbsey +was soon splashing away with the water and soap. Meanwhile Mrs. +Bobbsey and Dinah finished their work, and went up on deck. + +It was a very pleasant day, and with the sun shining down from a blue +sky overhead, just warm enough, and not too hot, with a gentle breeze +that hardly ruffled the surface of the lake, but which made it +delightfully cool as the boat moved slowly along. In short, it was +just perfect weather, as the Bobbsey twins started off on their +houseboat. + +Nan and Dorothy, having finished looking at each other's dresses, +which always seems to delight girls, had come up on deck so that now +the whole Bobbsey family, and their country, and seashore cousin +visitors also, were there. + +"Have you caught any fish yet?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, walking over to +where Bert and Harry were dangling their lines in the water. + +"Not yet, but we've had two or three bites," said Bert, hopefully. + +"I think you'll have better luck when we reach some quiet place, and +anchor," Mr. Bobbsey went on. "At any rate, you need not worry, if you +don't catch any fish. Dinah will be able to give us something else for +dinner, I think." + +"I think so, too," said Harry with a laugh. "I can smell something +cooking now." + +This was so. For, though the Bobbseys had started early that morning, +there was so much to do that it was now nearly noon. To them it seemed +only an hour or so since they had started. Dinah was a good cook. She +kept one eye on the clock and the other on the things she was cooking. +And she made up her mind that the meals would be on time, even if they +were served on a houseboat. So it was the cooking of dinner that Harry +smelled. + +"Oh, Dorothy!" exclaimed Nan, after a little while, during which the +two girls looked across the lake to the distant shores they had left. +"I must show you a new trick Snap has learned." + +"What! Another trick?" cried Dorothy. "My! He knows a lot of them now. +He certainly is a clever dog!" + +Snap, as I have told you, used to belong to a circus before the +Bobbseys bought him, so perhaps learning tricks came easier to him +than to most dogs. + +"Yes, I taught him this trick myself," went on Nan. "He will walk +around on his hind legs, and carry a doll in his front paws, just like +a nurse girl. When I dress him up in one of my old skirts and a +jacket, he is too funny for anything! I'll make him do the trick now, +only I won't dress him up, for I can't find the clothes he wears. I +don't believe we brought them. But I'll make him carry the doll for +you. Here, Snap!" called Nan. + +The dog, who had been sleeping in a sunny Spot on deck, near Snoop, +the black cat, sprang up, when he heard his name called. + +"Where are you going to get a doll for him to carry?" asked Dorothy. + +"I'll take Flossie's. You'll let sister take your doll to make Snap do +a trick, won't you, dear?" she asked. + +"Yes, Nan," answered flaxen-haired Flossie. "I just love to see Snap +do that trick! He carries the doll so cute!" + +Flossie brought her doll to Nan, and Snap stood near, wagging his +tail, for he seemed to know what was coming. + +"Now, Snap," said Nan, pointing her finger at the dog, "I want you to +show Dorothy how you play nurse-girl, and carry a doll." + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. That was what he always said when any one +spoke to him. I suppose HE knew what he meant, but no one else did. At +any rate, he seemed to understand what was said to him. + +"Up, Snap! Up!" called Nan suddenly, and Snap rose on his hind legs, +holding his fore paws out in front of him, so Nan could place the doll +on them. + +This the little girl did, putting Flossie's "sawdust baby" carefully +across Snap's paws. + +"Now take the doll for a walk!" ordered Nan, and, with another bark, +off Snap started, parading across the deck. + +"Oh, isn't he too cute!" cried Dorothy, laughing and clapping her +hands. "Oh, what a smart dog he is!" + +"Isn't he!" agreed Nan. "Bert said I never could teach him to do a +trick, but I did." + +"Indeed you did!" agreed Dorothy. + +"Now come back here, Snap!" ordered Nan. But just then something +happened. + +How it was no one knew exactly, but Bert suddenly caught a fish. He +was so surprised at getting a hard bite on his line, that he jerked it +up quickly. Something flashed in the sunlight, and, the next moment, a +little sunfish landed flapping on the deck, right in front of the +sleeping black cat Snoop. + +"Flop!" went the fish, and Snoop awakened with a jump. Up to her feet +she leaped like a flash, and then she saw the fish. Snoop was very +fond of fish, and made a spring for the one Bert had caught. But the +fish was wet and slippery, and no sooner had Snoop pounced on it with +her claws than the fish slid across the deck of the houseboat. Snoop +slid after it, just as she often slid across the kitchen oilcloth, +when she sprang for a piece of string that Flossie or Freddie would +pull along to make the cat play. + +Right across the deck, after the slippery fish slid Snoop, and, the +next instant, the poor cat had slid right off the deck, and fallen +into the lake with a splash! + + + + +CHAPTER X + +DOWN THE CREEK + + +"There goes Snoop!" + +"Oh, somebody get her!" + +Nan and Dorothy both shouted at the same time. As for Bert, he was so +surprised at having caught a fish, and at seeing the cat slide off the +deck with it, that he could say nothing. It was almost the same with +Harry. He had jumped to his feet, however, and had run toward Snoop, +but too late. + +Then, all of a sudden, Snap, with a loud bark, gave one spring, and +the next moment he had jumped right over the deck railing, under which +Snoop had slid. Right over it went Snap, and down into the lake. For +he knew that Snoop had fallen in, and, being the kind of a dog that +asks nothing better than to save something, or somebody, from the +water, Snap was right on hand. + +"Oh, my doll! My doll!" cried Flossie. "Snap is taking my doll into +the lake with him! Come back, Snap! Come back!" + +Snap did not stop to listen. He had, indeed, taken Flossie's doll with +him. He had been holding it on his front paws as Snoop slid overboard, +and, as he gave a jump, Snap did not come down on all four legs. He +jumped while he was yet standing on his hind ones, and of course the +doll went over the rail with him. + +"What has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, as she heard the screaming, +and the splashes in the water. "Have any of the children fallen in?" +For she had gone to another part of the deck, with Dinah, out of sight +of the twins for a moment. Now she came hurrying back, and a single +look showed her that the children were all safe. + +"What has happened?" she asked again. + +"As nearly as I can figure out," said Mr. Bobbsey, "Bert caught a +fish, Snoop tried to get it and fell into the water, and now Snap has +gone in after Snoop." + +"And Snap has my doll! She'll get all wet--she'll be drowned!" cried +Flossie. + +"I'll get her for you," offered Harry. But just now they were all +anxious to see what Snap and Snoop did. Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey and the +children looked over the side of the houseboat. They saw the black cat +swimming about in the lake, and Snap, who was a fine water-dog, was +paddling toward her. + +"Hadn't you better stop the boat?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, for the +Bluebird was slowly floating away from the dog and the cat. + +"Yes, I guess it would be best," said Mr. Bobbsey. So he called out: + +"Captain! Captain White! Stop the boat! Something overboard!" + +Down in the little motor room Mr. White heard the shout, and he at +once shut off the gasoline engine. Then he came up on deck as fast as +his lame leg would let him, to see what was wrong. + +"What's that you say?" he asked. "Somebody fell overboard?" + +"The dog and the cat," explained Mr. Bobbsey. "I wonder how we can get +them out? It's Snoop and Snap who are in the water." + +"And my doll!" added Flossie. "I want my doll back!" + +"Oh, yes, and Flossie's doll," added Mr. Bobbsey. "I guess you'd +better get in the rowboat, Captain White. It will be easier to lift +them out from there." + +"I'll do it, Mr. Bobbsey," the captain said, as he limped down stairs +again. By this time Snap had swum to where poor Snoop was paddling +about in the water. The dog gently took hold of the cat by the back of +the neck, where her loose fur would give a good hold. Then Snap, +holding Snoop's head well up out of the water, started back for the +houseboat. + +"Good old Snap!" called Mr. Bobbsey. Snap wanted to bark and wag his +tail, as he always did when any one spoke pleasantly to him, but he +knew if he opened his mouth to bark now, he would have to drop Snoop. +And Snap had hard enough work swimming, without trying to wag his +tail. On he came toward the boat. + +By this time Captain White had gotten into the small boat, which was +pulled after the Bluebird, by a rope, and he was rowing toward the +dog. Seeing that the smaller boat was nearer, Snap swam toward that, +instead of toward the larger one. He held Snoop carefully up out of +the water. + +"That's a good dog, Snap!" called Captain White, as Snap came nearer. +"I'll take her now." + +The engineer lifted poor, wet, dripping Snoop into his boat. She +crawled close up to Captain White, for she was much frightened. After +Snap had delivered the cat he had rescued, he turned back again. + +"Where are you going?" asked Captain White. "Don't you want to get in +my boat, too, Snap?" + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. This time he could open his mouth, as he was +not carrying a cat. + +"Oh, he's going to get my doll!" cried Flossie. "Look, Snap is after +my doll!" + +And so he was. After taking Snoop safely to the boat, Snap had seen +Flossie's doll floating on the top of the water, and had swum toward +that, just as he would have gone toward a floating stick, had there +been one near. + +"OK, now he's got her!" cried the happy Flossie. "Now Snap has my +doll. Goodie!" + +"And, as she's a wooden doll, the water won't hurt her," said Nan, +with a laugh, "Everything is coming out all right." + +And so it seemed. + +Taking the doll in his mouth, as he had taken the cat, Snap swam back +toward the small boat, where Captain White waited for him, now and +then petting poor Snoop. Just as the dog had done with the cat, so he +did with the doll, giving her to the engineer of the Bluebird. Then, +seeing that his work was all done, Snap once more swam toward the big +boat, not trying to get into the small one. + +"Good dog, Snap!" cried Mr. Bobbsey, as he leaned over to lift him in, +for there were no steps by which to climb up the side of the Bluebird. + +This time Snap barked and wagged his tail, and then he gave himself a +big shake to get rid of the water. He sent a regular shower of spray +all about. + +"Come, girls!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey with a laugh, "this is no place for +us. We haven't our bathing suits on!" and she, with Nan and Dorothy, +ran back out of the way of the scattering drops from Snap's shaggy +coat. + +A little later Captain White rowed up with Snoop and Flossie's doll, +and the little girl at once said she was going to put a dry dress on +the doll, so she wouldn't "take cold." + +"Well," said Mr. Bobbsey, when the excitement had died down. "That's +over, at any rate. All that over one little fish!" + +"That's so--my fish started it all!" said Bert. "I wonder what became +of it?" and he looked at his empty hook, dangling from the line of his +pole. + +"The fish dropped off," said Harry. "I saw it. But it was only a +little one. It wouldn't have been any good." + +"Poor Snoop!" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "All your trouble for nothing! You +didn't get the fish." + +"Oh, I'll soon catch some more for her, won't we, Harry?" Bert asked. + +"That's what we will," answered the country cousin. + +"Now if yo' folks am all done fallin' ovahbo'd I'se ready t' gib yo' +all suffin t' eat," said Dinah, coming up from the dining-room. + +"And I think we are ready to eat," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "This traveling +on the water has given me an appetite." + +"I guess it has all of us," spoke Mr. Bobbsey with a laugh, as he +noticed the eager, hungry looks on the faces of the children. + +"And give Snoop and Snap something good and hot, so they won't take +cold," suggested Nan. "Though I don't believe they will this weather, +it's so warm." + +"I'm going to give my dollie hot chocolate," said Flossie, who, by +this time, had put a dry dress on her pet. + +The meal was a merry one, though at first the children, especially +Flossie and Freddie, were too excited to eat. Then, too, it was so +strange eating on a boat that was moving through the water, for the +engine had been started again. Several times, during the meal, the two +smaller twins jumped up from the table to run to the windows and look +out over the lake. At last their mother said: + +"Now, Flossie and Freddie, you must sit still and finish your dinner. +Otherwise you may be ill. You'll have plenty of time to see things +after you leave the table." + +Snap was soon dry, from lying in the sun, and, a little later, Snoop +was as warm and fluffy as before she had fallen into the lake. She +picked out a warm spot on deck near Snap, for they had been the best +of friends since the first day they had met, when Snoop came back from +her long trip to Cuba, as I have told you in another book. + +All the rest of that day the houseboat traveled over Lake Metoka. The +children sat on Heck, and watched other boats pass them. Some of them +were loaded with lumber for Mr. Bobbsey. Others were pleasure boats, +and those on board waved their hands to the Bobbsey twins and their +cousins. + +"Are we going to travel all night?" asked Bert of his father, when +Dinah called that supper was ready. + +"No, we are going to anchor soon. We will go a little nearer shore +first, though." + +"And when will we start through Lemby Creek toward Lake Romano?" + +"Oh, in a day or so, I fancy." + +It was such a pleasant evening, that even the little twins were +allowed to stay up on deck past their usual bedtime, looking at the +twinkling stars, and the lights of other boats on the lake. + +When Flossie and Freddie did get to bed, they did not go to sleep at +once. It was very strange to them, sleeping on a boat in the water. + +Finally the two little people dozed off, and then the older folks went +to bed. In the middle of the night Freddie woke up. At first he could +not remember where he was, and he wondered at the queer rocking motion +of the boat, for a little wind was ruffling the lake. + +Suddenly there came a loud toot. + +"Mamma! Papa! I heard something!" cried Freddie, sitting up. + +"Yes, dear. It was only the whistle of another boat," said his mother, +who was in the room next to him. "Go to sleep again." + +Freddie did. + +"Well, I sure am going to catch some fish to-day," said Bert, when he +and Harry went up on deck next morning, after breakfast. + +"We'll try, anyhow," Harry said. "We're nearer shore now, and the +fishing ought to be better. I'll get my line.". + +Whether it was on account of the bait they used, or because the fish +were not plentiful, the boys did not know, but they did not get even +one bite. Anyhow, they had fun. + +The Bluebird went slowly across the lake. The Bobbseys were in no +hurry, and they wanted to enjoy the pleasant weather. For three days +they sailed over the blue waters, and then Mr. Bobbsey told Captain +White to steer toward Lemby Creek. + +"We'll go through the creek into Lake Romano," said the twins' father. +"That is a much larger lake. We'll spend most of our houseboat +vacation there. We will also visit the big waterfall." + +"That will be lovely!" exclaimed Dorothy. Though she lived near the +sea, she also loved inland waters, such as rivers and lakes. + +The houseboat moved so slowly, and was such a safe craft, that Bert +and Harry were allowed to steer at times, when Mr. Bobbsey or Captain +White stood near them in case of any danger. The two boy cousins had +taken turns steering, until the Bluebird was close to the place where +Lemby Creek emptied into Lake Metoka. + +"You'd better let me take the steering wheel, now," said Mr. Bobbsey +to Bert. "There is a little current from the creek into the lake, and +we don't want to run ashore." + +In a little while the houseboat was safely in the creek. This stream +of water was narrow, though it was deep enough to float the Bluebird +easily. The shores were so close, at times, that the tree branches +overhung the deck, and brushed the rails. + +"I could almost jump ashore," said Harry. + +"But you mustn't try it!" cautioned his aunt. "You might fall in, and +Snap couldn't rescue you as easily as he did Snoop or the doll." + +As the houseboat went slowly around a bend in the creek, Nan, who +stood in front, near her father, suddenly uttered a cry, and pointed +toward shore. + +"What is it?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"There's that boy--Will Watson!" spoke Nan. "You know--the one who +liked our boat so," and she pointed to the strange lad who worked for +Mr. Hardee. The boy was walking along the shore of the creek, a fish +pole over his shoulder. + +"Oh, let's ask him how to catch fish!" proposed Bert. "We haven't had +any luck at all!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE MEAN MAN + + +Certainly it seemed a good place to fish, in Lemby Creek, for there +were many shady pools near the banks--pools that looked as though fish +swam in them, just waiting to be caught. + +As Harry and Bert looked more closely at the boy Nan had pointed out +to them, they saw that he carried a string of fish, as well as the +pole. + +"Oh, he's caught some!" cried Bert. "Let's ask how he does it." + +"And where he caught them," suggested Harry. + +"I will," agreed Bert. "Hey there, Will!" he called. "Where'd you get +the fish?" + +The farm boy, who had seen the houseboat, and who was hurrying toward +her, waved his hand as Bert called to him. Then, as he came nearer +across the green meadow through which the creek ran, he shouted: + +"Plenty of fish all around you. Just throw in from the boat, and +you'll get all you want." + +"What kind of bait do you use?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, for neither Bert +nor Harry had thought to inquire about that, and the right kind of +bait is as much needed in catching fish, as is water itself. + +"Grasshoppers are best just now," answered Will. + +"And we've been fishing with worms!" said Bert. "No wonder!" + +"Oh, worms are all right most times," Will went on. "But the fish are +hungry for grasshoppers now. I'll give you some. I've got lots left." + +He came to the edge of the creek, and Mr. Bobbsey, who was steering +the boat, sent it in close to shore. + +"We might as well tie up here for the night, I think," he said. "That +will give you boys a chance to talk to Will, and learn how to catch +fish." + +A little later the houseboat was rubbing along the grassy bank, and +the water was so deep close to shore that there was really no need of +putting out the board, called the "gangplank," for any one to get off. +Mr. Bobbsey, knowing that Flossie and Freddie could not make the +little jump needed to take them ashore, called to Captain White to run +out a small board instead of the regular large one. + +"Come on, Harry!" called Bert. "We'll get some of those grasshoppers." + +He started down the stairs leading from the deck, intending to go +ashore, but his mother touched him on the arm, and said, in a low +voice: + +"Why don't you ask that boy to come on board?" + +"Why?" asked Bert. + +"Well, I was just going to give you children some of the corn muffins +Dinah has just baked, and perhaps Will would like---" + +"Oh, of course! Now I understand!" cried Bert. "Of course. I say, +Will!" he went on, calling down from the upper deck, "can't you come +aboard? We're going to have some of Dinah's corn muffins, and maybe +you'd like to sample one." + +Somewhat to the surprise of Mrs. Bobbsey, as well as to the wonderment +of Bert and Harry, Will did not seem eager to accept the invitation. + +"I'd like to come on board, very much," he said, looking back of him, +and on all sides, as though he feared some one was after him. "But you +see I haven't got much time. I ought to be back at the farm now. Mr. +Hardee set me to hoeing a patch of corn, and I'm supposed to be back +in time to feed the horses before supper. And it's almost supper time +now." + +"Well, we don't want you to be late," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Here, Bert," +she said, as Dinah came out of the kitchen with a big plate of +muffins, "you take some of these to Will, and you can walk along a +little way with him, and talk about fishing. Then he won't be late. + +"But don't go too far," she added, "for supper will soon be ready." + +"We won't!" promised Bert. Taking some of the delicious corn muffins, +the two boys hurried ashore, Snap, the dog, barking joyously, bounding +along with them. Flossie and Freddie did not care to go ashore just +then, as the little girl twin was playing with her doll, and her +brother was trying to make Snoop do one of the tricks that the circus +lady had taught the cat in Cuba. + +Mrs. Bobbsey went down to the dining-room, to talk to Dinah about the +evening meal, while Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White got out the ropes +with which to tie the houseboat fast to some trees on the bank of the +creek. + +Meanwhile Bert and Harry walked along with Will. + +"Have some muffins," invited Bert politely, passing his new friend +some of the corn cakes that Dinah knew so well how to bake. + +"Thanks! They're good!" said Will, as he bit into one. + +"Say, you have some fine fish!" exclaimed Harry, half enviously. +"Where'd you catch them?" + +"Oh, up the creek aways--near where I was hoeing corn. You can have +'em, if you want 'em." + +"What! Do you mean to GIVE them to us?" asked Bert in surprise. "After +all the work you had catching them?" + +"Oh, it wasn't any work catching 'em," said Will quickly. "It was fun. +But it won't be any fun taking 'em home, for Mr. Hardee will be mad." + +"Why?" asked Harry, as he began eating a second muffin. + +"Well, he'll say I was catching fish instead of hoeing corn. But I +caught all these in the noon hour, when I'm supposed to have a little +time off. But he wouldn't believe that, so there's no use taking the +fish home. You can have 'em. There's some pretty big sunnies, and a +couple o' nice perch." + +"Sure you don't want them?" asked Bert. + +"No. I'd be glad to give 'em to you. And here's some grasshoppers I +didn't use. They'll be good to fish with to-morrow." + +"Thanks," said Bert, as he took the tin box Will held out. Inside +could be heard a queer little "ticking" noise, as the grasshoppers +leaped up against the cover. + +"Say, these are sure some fine fish!" exclaimed Will. + +"Oh, you'll catch just as nice ones to-morrow," the country boy said. +"I'll have to run now, or I'll be late at the farm." + +"Good-bye!" called Bert and Harry as Will hurried off along the edge +of the creek. "See you to-morrow, maybe." + +Will had no idea that he would see his friends then. He knew he had a +hard day's work in prospect for the next day--weeding a large patch of +onions that were so far away from the creek that he would have no +chance, even at his noon hour, of going down to the water for a cool +little swim. + +Will did not know what queer things were going to happen to him very +soon, nor did any of the Bobbseys realize what a part they were to +play in the life of poor, friendless Will Watson. + +"He's a nice boy, isn't he?" asked Harry of Bert, as they turned back +toward the boat, with their fish and bait. + +"Yes, I like him a lot. It's too bad he has to work so hard on the +farm." + +"Yes, it sure is." + +Talking of the luck they expected to have the next day, fishing, the +cousins soon reached the Bluebird. There they found their father and +Captain White waiting for them. + +"We've decided to move the boat farther down the creek before we tie +up for the night," said Mr. Bobbsey, "but we didn't want to go before +you boys came back." + +"Are you going to start up the engine again?" asked Bert. "If you are, +I wish you'd let me try to do it." + +"No, you are too small to go near gasoline motors," said his father. +"Besides, we are not going to use the engine. We'll just push the boat +along with poles from the bank. We're not going very far, but your +mother thought it would be nicer to spend the night in a more open +place." + +"Yes," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "I thought perhaps some animals might jump +out of the trees on our deck." + +The trees on shore were very close to the boat, some of the branches +overhanging the railing. At the mention of animals, Bert's eyes opened +wider. + +"Say, if I had a gun I could shoot them, if they came aboard," he +said, his eyes glistening. + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed his mother. "I'd rather have an animal on board +than let you have a gun. You might get shot." + +"I--I could squirt water on 'em with my fire engine!" shouted Freddie, +who had given up trying to make Snoop do any tricks. + +"Oh, we had enough of your engine, little fat fireman," said Mr. +Bobbsey with a laugh. "Now then, if you're all ready, we'll move the +boat." + +It was rather hard work to start the Bluebird, but once it had begun +to move, it went more easily through the water. Captain White had one +pushing pole, Mr. Bobbsey another, and Bert and Harry used one between +them. Soon the houseboat moved out from the narrow part of the creek, +and from under the trees, to a place where wide meadows were found on +either side. A little farther, going around a bend in the stream, the +Bobbseys came in sight of a farmhouse, a barn and several other +buildings near it. + +"Oh, look!" cried Nan. "Somebody lives there." + +"Yes, that's Mr. Hardee's farm, I think," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We can +tie up our boat here, and then, if we want some milk or eggs, we can +easily get them." + +"I needs some aigs," spoke Dinah. "Done used de lastest one in dem +muffins." + +"Then we'll make the boat fast here," decided Mr. Bobbsey. "With your +corn muffins, Dinah, and the fish Will gave us, we'll have a fine +supper. As soon as the boat is fast you and Harry can clean the fish, +Bert." + +Beyond the broad expanse which lay between the wide meadows, the creek +had narrowed again opposite the farmhouse and barn. In fact, it was so +narrow, that if there had been another houseboat on the stream, there +would have been trouble for the Bluebird to pass. This narrow part was +not, however, very long, and beyond it the creek broadened out again. + +Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White had just finished fastening the ropes +from the boat to some stakes driven into the ground, when Mrs. +Bobbsey, who had come up from the dining-room, called out: + +"Oh, look, Richard!" + +"What is it?" asked her husband. + +"That man! See! I'm afraid he is going to give that boy a whipping. +And see, it's Will--the boy who gave Bert the fish!" + +Mr. Bobbsey looked to where his wife pointed, and saw, coming out of +the barn, a grizzled farmer, leading by the arm a boy whom Mr. Bobbsey +at once recognized as Will Watson. Keeping a tight grip on the lad's +arm with one hand, the farmer raised his other hand, in which was a +long horsewhip. + +Then he cried: + +"I'll teach you to waste your time goin' fishin'! I'll teach you! Th' +idea o' fishin' when I set you to hoein' corn! Wastin' my time! I'll +learn you!" + +"Oh, but, Mr. Hardee!" cried poor Will. "I only fished in the noon +hour when I'm not supposed to work!" + +"Not supposed to work!" cried the mean man, as he brought the whip +down on Will's shoulders. "You're supposed t' work here all th' while +I tell you--'cept when you're asleep! I'll teach you!" and again the +cruel whip swished down. + +"Oh, Richard!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey faintly, as she covered her eyes +with her hands. "Can't you stop that?" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE WIRE FENCE + + +Mr. Bobbsey did not waste any time talking. With a run and a jump he +was on shore, and then he started across the meadow toward the place +where the mean farmer was whipping Will, who was crying out loud. For +the cruel whip hurt. + +"Hold on a minute, Mr. Hardee!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey, when he was +near enough to make himself heard. Back on the deck of the houseboat +Mrs. Bobbsey, the twins, their cousins and Dinah watched and waited to +see what would happen. + +"You talkin' to me?" sharply demanded the mean farmer of Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Yes, Mr. Hardee. I asked you to wait a minute before you keep on +whipping that boy. I happened to hear part of what he said, and I +think he is in the right." + +"In th' right? What do you mean?" + +"I mean I think he tells the truth, when he says he fished only during +the noon hour. We saw him as he came along, and he gave the fish he +had caught to my boy." + +"Oh, he did, hey?" exclaimed Mr. Hardee. "I was wonderin' what become +of 'em. Give 'em away, did he? Wa'al, he knowed better'n to bring 'em +here. I knowed he'd been wastin' his time. When I set a boy to hoein' +corn, an' he comes home smellin' of fish, I know what he's been doin' +jest th' same as when I see a boy's head wet on a hot day I know he's +been in swimmin'! You can't fool me. He's frittered away his time, +when he ought t' be hoein' corn, an' now I'm goin' to take it out of +him!" + +Again he raised the whip, and struck the boy. + +"Oh, please don't!" begged Will. "Honest I didn't fish except at noon +hour, an' I ate my lunch in one hand, and fished with the other, so I +wouldn't waste any time. I only took half an hour, instead of +three-quarters you said I could have at noon, and I went right to work +hoein' corn again." + +"Humph! That's easy enough to say," spoke Mr. Hardee, "but I don't +believe you. I told you I'd whip you if you went fishin' ag'in, an' +I'm goin' to do it!" + +Again the lash fell. + +"Please don't!" begged Will, trying to break loose. But the angry +farmer held him in too firm a grip. + +"Look here!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey with flashing eyes. "I believe that +boy is telling the truth!" + +"Wa'al, I don't," snapped the mean farmer. "An' I'm goin' to give him +a good lesson." + +"Not that way, Mr. Hardee!" cried Mr. Bobbsey, taking a step forward. + +"Huh! You seem to know my name," said the farmer, stopping in his +beating of the boy, "but I don't know you." + +"My name is Bobbsey," said the twins' lather, and the farmer started. +"I'm in the lumber business over at Lakeport. I guess you bought some +lumber of me, didn't you, for your house." + +"Wa'al, s'posin' I did?" asked Mr. Hardee. "I paid you for it, didn't +I?" + +"Yes, I think so." + +"Wa'al, then that don't give you no right to interfere with me! This +is my hired boy, an' I can do as I please with him." + +"Oh, no, you can't, Mr. Hardee!" said Mr. Bobbsey quickly. + +"What's that? I can't? Wa'al, I'll show you! Stand back now, I'm goin' +to give him a good threshin'!" + +Again he raised the whip, but it did not fall on poor, timid, +shrinking Will. For Mr. Bobbsey snatched it away from the angry +farmer's hand and flung it far to one side. + +"Here! What'd you mean by that?" demanded Mr. Hardee, his face more +flushed than ever with anger. + +"I mean you're not going to beat that boy!" replied the twins' father. +"He hasn't done anything to deserve it, and I'm not going to stand by +and see him abused. Is he your hired boy?" + +"I took him out of the poorhouse--nobody would hire him. He's bound +out to me until he's of age, an' I can do as I please with him." + +"Oh, no, you can't," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I happen to know something of +the law. You have no right to beat this boy, and if you try to do it +now, or again, and I hear of it, I'll make a complaint against you. +Don't you strike him again, especially when he hasn't done anything." + +Mr. Hardee seemed so surprised that he did not know what to say. His +grip on Will's arm slipped off, and Will quickly stepped to one side. +There were tears in his eyes, and on his face. + +"I believe this boy was telling the truth," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Even if +he did fish a little during the time you call yours, that would be no +excuse for using a horsewhip on him." + +"I tell you he's bound out to me, and I can do as I please with him!" +cried Mr. Hardee. + +"No, you can't," said Mr. Bobbsey. "You have no right to be cruel, +even if he is a poor boy, and is bound out to you. Haven't you any +folks, Will?" he asked. + +"No--no, sir," was the half-sobbed answer. "No near folks. I come from +th' poorhouse, just as he says. But I've got an uncle somewhere out +west. He's a miner. If he knew where I was, he'd look after me." + +"Where is your uncle?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"I--I got his address, but I can't write very good, or I'd send him a +letter." + +"Let me have his address," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "And I'll see what I +can do." + +"Look here!" cried the farmer. "I won't have you interferin' in my +business! You ain't got a right to!" + +"Every one has a right to stop a poor boy from being unjustly beaten," +said the twins' father. "Will, you get me that address. I'll be here a +day or so, in my houseboat, and you can bring it down to me. Do you +think you can find it, and let me know where your uncle lives?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then do it." + +"Now you look-a-here!" began Mr. Hardee, "I won't have you, nor +anybody else, interferin' with my hired help. I---" + +"I'm not interfering except to stop you from horsewhipping a boy," +said Mr. Bobbsey. "Any one has a right to do that." + +"Humph!" was all the farmer said, as he over and picked up the +horsewhip Mr. Bobbsey had taken from him. The twins' father thought +perhaps the farmer was going to use it again, but he did not. Mr. +Hardee turned to Will and said: + +"Get along up to the house, and eat your supper! There's lots o' work +to be done afore dark. An' if I catch you fishin' any more, I'll make +you---" + +"But I wasn't fishin' except at the noon hour," the boy interrupted. + +"That's enough of your talk!" the farmer cried as he walked toward the +barn. "Go on!" + +Mr. Bobbsey went back to the houseboat. + +"It's all right," he said cheerfully to his wife and children. "I made +him stop hurting Will." + +"Did he--did he hit him very hard?" asked Freddie, for punishment of +that sort was totally unknown in the Bobbsey home. Of course the +children did not always do right, but they were punished by having +some pleasure taken away from them, and never whipped. + +"No, Will wasn't much hurt," said Mr. Bobbsey, for he did not want his +children, or their cousins, to worry too much over what they had seen. +Yet Mr. Bobbsey could not help but think that the cruel lash must have +hurt Will more than the boy himself showed. + +"He--he won't whip him any more, will he?" asked little Flossie. + +"No, not any more," said Mr. Bobbsey, for he had made up his mind he +would, if necessary, take the boy away from the mean farmer before any +more whipping could be done. + +"Suppah am ready!" called Dinah from the kitchen. "An' I done wants +yo' all t' come right away fo' it gits cold!" + +"We're coming!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "And after supper we'll sit on +deck and sing songs." + +She wanted to do something to take out of the minds of the children +the memory of the unpleasant scene they had just observed. + +"I wish it would hurry up and come morning," said Bert. + +"Why?" asked his father. + +"So Harry and I can go fishing. I'm sure we'll catch some with the +grasshoppers for bait." + +"Well, I hope you have good luck," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. + +The supper was much enjoyed. The fish, which Will had given the +Bobbseys, made a fine meal, with the corn muffins and other things +Dinah cooked. After supper they all sat out on the deck of the +houseboat, enjoying the beautiful June evening. From the farm of Mr. +Hardee came the sounds of mooing cows, and whinnying horses, with an +occasional grunt of the pigs, or the barking of dogs. + +Nothing was seen of the farmer himself, or of poor Will. + +"Can you do anything for him?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey of her husband, +after the children had gone to bed that night. + +"I hope so, yes. If, as he says, he has an uncle somewhere in the +West, and I can get his address, I'll write to him, and ask him to +look after Will. The boy needs a good home." + +"Indeed he does. Oh, I'm so glad you didn't let him get that +whipping!" + +"I'll help him all I can," promised Mr. Bobbsey. + +The twins' father rather hoped that the hired boy might slip down to +the houseboat that evening, with his uncle's address, but nothing was +seen of him. + +In the morning a strange thing happened. + +Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White decided that it would be better to take +the boat a little farther down Lemby Creek, and tie it fast to the +bank in a more shady spot than the one opposite the farm buildings. + +"It will be better fishing in the shade, too," Mr. Bobbsey said to the +boys. + +So the gasoline engine was started, and the boat started off. It had +not gone very far, though, before Mr. Bobbsey, who was steering, +called to Captain White to shut off the engine. + +"What's the matter?" asked Captain White. "You're going farther than +this; aren't you?" + +"I wanted to, yes. But we can't go any farther." + +"Why not?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Nothing has happened to the boat, has +there, Richard?" + +"No, not to the boat. But look there!" and Mr. Bobbsey pointed ahead. +Stretched across a narrow part of Lemby Creek was a strong wire fence, +fastened to posts driven into the bottom of the stream. The Bluebird +could go no farther on her voyage. The fence stopped her. + +As Mr. Bobbsey, the twins and the cousins looked at the strong wire +fence, they saw Mr. Hardee come along the shore. He looked at the +houseboat, and shook his fist, grinning in no pleasant fashion. + +"I guess you won't go no farther!" he cried. "I've put a stop to your +fancy trip all right! Huh!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE RUNAWAY BOY + + +"Oh, papa, can't we go on to Lake Romano?" asked Nan, as she came up +on deck with Dorothy, and saw the big wire fence stretched across the +creek to stop them. + +"It doesn't look so--unless we can fly over that," and her brother +Bert pointed to the metal strands that went from post to post. + +"It does seem to hinder us," said Mr. Bobbsey. He was trying to think +of what would be best to do. He looked at Mr. Hardee, who seemed to +think it all a fine joke. + +"Papa, I know how we can get through," eagerly said little Freddie, +who was holding Snoop in his arms. The big black cat was almost too +much of a load for the little boy, but Freddie wanted her to do some +tricks, and he held her so she would not run away. + +"I know how to get past that fence," the little twin went on. + +"How?" asked his father, rather absentmindedly. "How?" + +"Just cut the wires!" said Freddie, as though no one but himself had +thought of that. "If I had one of those cutter-things the telephone +man had, when he climbed the pole in front of our house, I could cut +the wires and we could go right on up the creek." + +"Yes, I suppose so, my little fat fireman," said Mr. Bobbsey. "But I +don't believe the man who put that fence up there would let us cut the +wires." + +"It's queer," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "That fence wasn't across the creek +before, was it?" + +"I don't know," answered her husband. "It looks as though it had been +put up lately--even last night, perhaps. But I haven't been along the +creek in some time, so I can't be sure." + +"It wasn't here last week, that's certain," Captain White spoke. "For +I was up here then fishing, and I didn't see it. I fancy that Mr. +Hardee knows something about it." + +"I shouldn't wonder," agreed Mr. Bobbsey. "Now the question is: What +are we to do? We can't go on through the fence, and we can't very well +go around it, for the Bluebird won't float on dry ground. And I don't +want to go back. This is the only way to get to Lake Romano." + +"I know what to do, papa," spoke Flossie. "We can ask that man to take +down the wires, if Freddie can't cut them with the cutter-thing." + +"Yes, I suppose we could do that," Mr. Bobbsey said, slowly. + +By this time Mr. Hardee had come closer to the houseboat, which had +drifted near to the shore. + +"Will you take that fence down, and let us go past?" asked Mr. +Bobbsey, as politely as he could. + +"No, I won't!" snapped Mr. Hardee in reply. "No!" + +"But we want to go on down the creek," explained the twins' father, +"and we can't get past the fence." + +"I know you can't!" said Mr. Hardee with a chuckle. "That's what I put +it up there for. I strung it last night--me and my hired men. I didn't +think you'd hear, and you didn't. Give you a sort of surprise, didn't +it?" + +"It certainly did," and Mr. Bobbsey's voice was stern. "And I want to +say that you had no right to stretch that fence across the creek to +stop my boat. You had no right!" + +"Oh, yes, I had!" said Mr. Hardee with a sneer. + +"This is a public creek," went on Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Maybe it is, in certain places," said the mean farmer, "but here the +creek runs through my land. I own on both sides of it, and I own the +creek itself. If I don't want to let anybody go through in a boat, I +don't have to." + +"Oh, so you own the creek here, do you?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, rather +surprised. + +"Yes, I do." + +"And you aren't going to let us pass?" + +"Nope! That's why I strung that fence last night. It's a good, strong +fence, and if you run into it, and try to bust it I'll have th' law on +ye!" + +"Oh, you needn't worry that I'll do anything like that," spoke Mr. +Bobbsey. "But why won't you let us pass?" + +"Because of what you did last night--interferin' between me and my +help. You wouldn't let me give Will Watson the threshin' he deserved, +an' I won't let you pass through my creek. I want you to back up your +boat, too, and go back where you come from. I own that part of the +creek where you are now." + +"Come now, be reasonable," suggested Mr. Bobbsey. "I stopped you from +beating that boy only because you were in the wrong. If you'll just +think it over, you'll say so yourself. And, just for that, you +shouldn't stop my boat from going up the creek." + +"Well, I have stopped you, and I'm going to keep on stoppin' you!" +cried Mr. Hardee, again shaking his fist. "You can't get past my +fence. It's a good strong fence." + +"I--I could cut it, if I had one of those cutter-things, the telephone +man had," said Freddie, in his clear, high voice. + +"Hush, Freddie dear," said his mother. "Leave it to papa." + +Mr. Bobbsey was silent a moment, and then he went on: + +"And so you strung that fence in the night, and won't let my houseboat +pass, just because I stopped you from beating that boy?" + +"That's it," the mean farmer said. "And for more than that, too." + +"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Bobbsey quickly. + +"I mean that you made that boy, Will Watson, run away." + +"Run away!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, in surprise. + +"Yes, run away," repeated the farmer. "He didn't come down to +breakfast this mornin', and when I went to call him to do the chores, +he was gone. And, what's more, I think you had somethin' to do with +him runnin' away," went on the angry farmer. "You put a lot o' notions +in his head. You're to blame!" + +"Now look here!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "We don't know any more about +that boy running away than you do, Mr. Hardee. If he has gone, I'm +sorry for him, for he may have a hard time. I'm not sorry I stopped +you from beating him, though. Perhaps he is around the farm +somewhere." + +"No, he isn't!" insisted the farmer. "He's gone. What clothes he had +he took with him. He's run away, and it's your fault, too. I put up +that fence last night to pay you back for interferin', an' now I'm +glad I did, for you're to blame for Will runnin' off." + +"I tell you that you are mistaken," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "But if you +feel that way about it, there is no use talking to you. Then you won't +take down that wire fence and let us pass?" + +"No, I won't, and I order you, and your boat, out of my part of the +creek. Go back where you come from. You can't go through to Lake +Romano this way!" + +Mr. Bobbsey turned and looked at the wire fence. It certainly was a +strong one, and the farmer and his hired men had worked well during +the night. It was far enough off from where the Bluebird then was so +that the pounding on the posts, to drive them into the mud of the +creek bottom, was not heard. + +"Well, I guess there's nothing for us to do but to go back," said Mr. +Bobbsey. He felt very sorry, when he saw the looks of disappointment +on the faces of the twins and their cousins. + +"Papa," said Freddie again, "if I had one of those wire-cutter things, +I could snip that wire like the telephone men did." + +"Yes, but we haven't one, little fat fireman, and we would have no +right to use it if we had," said Mr. Bobbsey. "No, I must think of +some other way." + +"It's too bad," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I wonder what has become of that +poor runaway boy?" she asked. + +"I don't know," answered Mr. Bobbsey. But, had he only known it, Will +Watson was nearer than any one suspected. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +OFF AGAIN + + +"What are we going to do?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, as she stood at the +side of her husband on the deck of the houseboat. Mr. Bobbsey was +looking at the wire fence, as though trying to find a way to get past +it--either under it, or over it, or to one side or the other of it. Of +course he did not think it wise to try little Freddie's plan of +breaking the wire with a "cutter thing" such as the telephone men +carried. + +"Well," said Mr. Bobbsey, after a bit, "I guess the only thing for us +to do is to go back, until we are anchored in some part of Lemby Creek +that doesn't belong to Mr. Hardee." + +"Does he really own this water?" asked Bert. + +"Well, he says so, and I have no doubt but what he does," said Mr. +Bobbsey. "If he owns land on both sides of the creek, naturally he +owns the creek, too." + +"And we can't go up or down it?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Not unless he lets us." + +"What about the fishes?" asked Bert "He can't stop them from swimming +up and down." + +"No, he can't do that," agreed his father, with a smile. + +"Then can he stop Harry and me from catching fish?" Bert wanted next +to know. + +"Not if you fish somewhere else than in his waters," spoke the twins' +father. "The best thing for us to do is to go back where we were at +first, near where the creek runs into Lake Metoka. There we can anchor +for a time." + +"But how are we going to get to Lake Romano?" asked Nan. "I want to +show Dorothy the big waterfall." + +"Well, perhaps we can get there a little later," her father said. +"Just now Mr. Hardee has the best of us, and we'll have to do as he +says. So, Captain White, I guess we'll have to back up the boat, as we +can't go past the fence." + +"If I had one of those wire-cutter things," began Freddie, "I could +snip that wire as easy as anything." He seemed to think of nothing +else. + +"Oh, you and Flossie had better go play with Snap, or Snoop," +suggested Bert with a laugh. "Or you can come and watch Harry and me +fish. We're going to as soon as we get back aways." + +"I'm going to fish, too," declared Freddie, eagerly. + +The creek, near Mr. Hardee's farm, was so narrow that the houseboat +could not be turned around in it, and it had to go backward. This was +easy, since the Bluebird was something like a ferry boat, built to go +backward or forward. + +The twins were a little sad as they saw their boat backing up, but it +could not be helped. + +"We'll have a good time fishing, anyhow," said Harry. + +"That's right," agreed Bert. "I wonder if that boy Will took his +fishing rod with him? He'd probably need it, if he has run away, and +is going out west to find his uncle." + +"Why would he need a fish-rod?" asked Nan. + +"To catch fish to eat," her brother said. "He'll have to have +something, and fish are the easiest to get. I almost wish I had gone +with him. It will be lots of fun." + +"Oh, but it will be very hard, too," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Think of the +lonely nights he'll have to spend, and perhaps with no place to sleep, +but on the hard ground. And when it rains---" + +"I guess I'll stay home!" laughed Bert, as though he had ever had an +idea of running away from home. + +Slowly the Bluebird made her way backward until she had passed some +posts near the edge of the water. These posts marked the boundary line +of Mr. Hardee's farm. He did not own beyond them, and Captain White +said the creek was public property there. + +"Then we'll anchor here," decided Mr. Bobbsey, as he steered the +houseboat toward shore. "Then I think I'll take a little trip back to +Lakeport." + +"And leave us alone?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Only for a short while. I want to see some friends of mine, and find +out if Mr. Hardee really has the right to fence off Lemby Creek. I +don't believe he has." + +"Will you be back to-night?" + +"Oh, yes. It isn't far to Lakeport. I can walk across the fields and +go by trolley." + +"I do hope you can find some way of getting past the fence," said Mrs. +Bobbsey. "It would be too bad to have our trip spoiled." + +As Mr. Bobbsey was getting ready to go back to town, Dinah came out of +the dining-room, looking rather puzzled. + +"What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Are you worried because we +can't get those eggs from Mr. Hardee?" + +"Well, yessum, dat's partly it," said the fat cook. "We's got t' hab +eggs, an' other things too." + +"Bert and Harry can walk to the village," said Mr. Bobbsey. "It isn't +far from here. I'll go part way with them. So don't worry, Dinah." + +"Oh, dat isn't all dat's worryin' me, Massa Bobbsey. But did yo' say +de chillums could hab dem corn muffins whut was left over?" and she +looked at Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"The corn muffins that were left over?" repeated the twins' mother. +"No, I said nothing about them. And they know they should not eat +between meals without asking me. Why, are the muffins gone, Dinah?" + +"Yessum; fo' ob 'em. I put 'em on a plate on de dinin' room table, but +now dey's gone." + +"Maybe Snap took them," suggested Mr. Bobbsey. "Snoop wouldn't, for +she doesn't like such things. But Snap is very fond of them." + +Freddie, who heard the talk, hurried over to where the dog was lying +asleep in a patch of sunlight, and opened his mouth. + +"No, Snap didn't take 'em," said Freddie. "There aren't any crumbs in +his teeth." + +"Well, maybe you can tell that way, but I doubt it," laughed Mr. +Bobbsey. "Perhaps you forgot where you put the muffins, Dinah, or +maybe there were none left." + +"Oh, I'se shuah I done put 'em on de table," said the fat cook, "an' +I'se shuah dey was some left. I'll go look some mo', though." + +As there were a few other things besides eggs that were needed for the +kitchen of the houseboat, Bert and Harry planned to take a basket, and +go to the nearest village store for them. They would walk across the +fields with Mr. Bobbsey. + +"We'll fish when we come back," said Bert. + +"And get enough for dinner and supper," added Harry. + +"Better get enough for one meal first," suggested Nan, with a laugh. + +The houseboat was now made fast to the bank of the creek some distance +away from the wire fence Mr. Hardee had stretched across the stream. +It was not to be seen, nor were the farm buildings. The last the +Bobbseys had observed of the farmer was as he stood near his wire +fence, shaking his fist at the houseboat. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not just know how he was going to get past the fence +with the Bluebird, or how he could get Mr. Hardee to cut the wire. The +twins' father decided to ask the advice of some friends. + +Meanwhile Bert and Harry had reached the store, and had brought the +eggs, and other groceries, back to Dinah. + +"Did you find those corn muffins?" asked Bert. "Because, if you did, +Harry and I would like some. May we have one, mother?" + +"If Dinah has them, yes." + +"But I cain't find 'em!" complained the fat cook. "Dem muffins hab +jest done gone an' hid de'se'ves." + +"Oh, I guess we ate them up without knowing it," Bert said, with a +laugh. "Never mind, Dinah, a piece of cake, or pie will do just as +well." + +"Go 'long wif yo'!" cried the cook with a laugh. "I'se got suffin else +t' do 'cept make cake an' pies fo' two hungry boys. Yo' jest take a +piece ob bread an' butter 'till dinnah am ready." + +"All right," agreed Bert. "It won't be long until twelve o'clock. Come +on, Harry, and we'll see what luck we have fishing." + +"I'm ready," was Harry's answer. + +"I'll get you the bread and butter," offered Nan, and she did, adding +some jam to the bread, which was a delightful surprise to the two +boys. + +"I want to fish, too," said Freddie. + +"All right, I'll fix you a line," offered Bert. "But be careful you +don't fall in. A fish might pull you overboard." + +Soon the three boys were dangling their lines over the rail of the +Bluebird, while Nan helped her mother with some of the rooms, which, +even though they were on a boat, needed "putting to rights." Dinah was +busy in the kitchen. + +By this time Mr. Bobbsey had reached Lakeport by the trolley. He was +going to his lumber office, thinking some of his friends, whom he +might call on the telephone could suggest a way out of the trouble. +Before he reached the lumber yard, however, he met an acquaintance on +the street, a Mr. Murphy. + +"Why, hello, Mr. Bobbsey!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy. "I thought you were +off on a vacation with your family in a houseboat." + +"I was," said the lumber merchant, "but I came back." + +"Back so soon? Didn't you like it?" + +"Oh, yes, first rate. But we can't go any farther." + +"Can't go any farther? What's the matter, did your boat sink?" + +"No, but we're stuck in Lemby Creek. Mr. Hardee, a farmer who owns +land on both sides of the creek, has put a wire fence across to stop +us from going on to Lake Romano." + +"Is that so! Well, that's too bad. How did it happen?" + +"I'll tell you," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +Then he told the story of stopping the angry farmer from beating Will +Watson, and how the fence had been built in the night. + +"Well, that certainly was a mean trick on the part of Mr. Hardee," +said Mr. Murphy. "And so the boy ran away?" + +"Yes, and Mr. Hardee accused me of knowing something about him, but I +don't--any more than you do." + +"I suppose not. But now the question is, How are you going to get past +that wire fence?" + +"I don't know. The only way I see is to get Mr. Hardee to cut it, or +take it down, and he says he won't do either." + +"Humph! Let me see. There ought to be a way out of it. I believe he +has the right, as far as the law goes, to put that fence up, but no +one else would be so mean. I guess we'll just have to force him to cut +those wires, as your little boy, Freddie, suggested." + +"Yes, but how can we do it?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. "Mr. Hardee is very +headstrong, and set in his ways." + +"Let me see," spoke Mr. Murphy slowly, "isn't his name Jake Hardee?" + +"Yes, I believe it is." + +"And didn't he buy from you the lumber to build his house?" + +"Yes, I sold him the lumber, but he paid me for it," said Mr. Bobbsey. +"I couldn't get any hold on him that way. He paid for the lumber in +cash." + +"Yes," cried Mr. Murphy, "but he got the money from me to pay you, and +he hasn't paid ME back. He still owes ME the money, and he gave me a +mortgage on his house as security. I've got a hold on him all right. +He owes me some interest money, too." + +I might say to you little children that when a man wants to build a +house and has not enough money, he goes to another man and borrows +cash, just as your mamma sometimes borrows sugar, or tea, from the +lady next door. + +When the man borrows money to build his house, he gives to the man who +lends him the cash, a piece of paper, called a mortgage. That paper +says that if the man who borrowed the money does not pay it back, and +also pay interest for the use of it, the man who lent him the money +can take the house. The house is "security" for the loaned money. + +It is just as if your mamma went next door to borrow a cup of sugar, +and said: + +"Now, Mrs. Jones, if I don't pay you back this sugar, and a little +more than you gave me, for being so kind as to lend it to me--if I +don't pay it back in a week, why you can keep my new Sunday hat." And +your mamma might give Mrs. Jones a Sunday hat as "security" for the +cup of sugar. Of course ladies do not do those things, but that is +what a mortgage is like. + +"Yes." said Mr. Murphy to Mr. Bobbsey, "Mr. Hardee borrowed from me +the money to buy from you the lumber for his house. And he hasn't paid +me back the money, nor any interest on it. I think I'll go up and have +a talk with him. And, when I get through talking, I guess he'll let +you go through his wire fence." + +"I hope he will," said Mr. Bobbsey, "for it would be too bad to have +our trip spoiled." + +"I'll go right back with you," offered Mr. Murphy. + +So it happened that Mr. Bobbsey, with his friend, reached the +houseboat, in Lemby Creek, shortly after dinner. + +"Oh, back so soon?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "What are you going to do, Mr. +Murphy?" + +"Have a talk with Mr. Hardee." + +Mr. Bobbsey and Mr. Murphy walked down the bank of the creek to the +farm. They found Mr. Hardee mending a broken harness. + +"Mr. Hardee," said Mr. Murphy, "I hear you have put a wire fence +across Lemby Creek, so my friend, Mr. Bobbsey, can't get past with his +houseboat." + +"Yes, I have," growled the farmer, "and that fence is going to stay +up, too! I'll show him he can't come around here, interferin' with me +when I try to punish my help. He made Will run away too." + +"No, I did not. I know nothing of him," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Mr. Hardee," went on Mr. Murphy. "I want you to take down that fence, +and let the houseboat go on up the creek." + +"And I'm not going to!" + +"Very well, then," said Mr. Murphy, quietly, "perhaps you are ready to +pay me the interest on my mortgage which has been due me for some +time, Mr. Hardee." + +The farmer seemed uneasy. + +"Well, to tell you the truth," he said, "I haven't got that money just +now, Mr. Murphy. Times have been hard, and crops are poor, and I'm +short of cash. Can't you wait a while?" + +"I have waited some time." + +"Well, I'd like to have you wait a little longer. I'll pay you after a +while." + +"And I suppose you'll take down that wire fence, and let Mr. Bobbsey +and the twins go past--after a while?" + +"Well--maybe," growled the mean farmer. + +"Maybe won't do!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy. "I want you to take the wire +fence down RIGHT AWAY." + +"Well, I'm not going to do it. He interfered with me, and made that +boy run away, and I'm not going to let him go up my part of the +creek." + +"Well, then, Mr. Hardee, if you can't do something for Mr. Bobbsey, as +a favor, I can't do anything to oblige you. Mr. Bobbsey is a friend of +mine and unless you cut your wire fence, I'll have to foreclose that +mortgage, and take your house in payment for the money you owe me. +That's all there is about it. Either pay me my money--or cut that +fence. It must be one or the other." + +Mr. Hardee squirmed in his seat, and seemed very uneasy. + +"I--I just can't pay that money," he said. + +"Then I'll have to take your house away." + +"I--I don't want you to do that, either." + +"Then cut the wire fence!" cried Mr. Murphy. + +"Wa'al, I--I guess I'll have to," said Mr. Hardee, but it was clearly +to be seen that he did not want to. He went into the barn, and came +out wearing a pair of rubber boots, and carrying a pair of +pincers--the "wire-cutting things," as Freddie called them. + +Wading out into the creek Mr. Hardee snipped the wires of the fence. + +"There, now you can go on," he said to Mr. Bobbsey, but his tone was +not pleasant. + +"I thought I knew how to make him give in," whispered Mr. Murphy. + +"Thank you," said Mr. Bobbsey to his friend. They hurried back to the +houseboat. + +"We're going on again!" cried the twins' father. "The fence is down." + +"Oh, fine!" said Bert. + +"Now for the waterfall!" sighed Nan, who loved beautiful scenery. + +"Oh, I've caught a fish!" suddenly shouted Freddie and he jumped about +so that his mother, with a scream, ran toward him, fearing he would go +overboard. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +OVERBOARD + + +"Look out, Freddie!" + +"Be careful there, little fat fireman!" + +Thus Mrs. Bobbsey cried to the small twin, and thus Mr. Bobbsey also +warned his son, who had pulled up his pole with a jerk, when he felt a +nibble on the fish-line. + +"I'll look out for him!" cried Bert, and he got between his little +brother and the railing of the boat, so there would be no danger of +Freddie's falling overboard. Freddie had no intention of getting into +the water, but he was much excited over his fish. + +"I caught it all myself!" he cried. "I caught a fish all by myself, +and nobody helped me. Didn't I, Bert?" + +"Yes, Freddie, except that Harry put on the grasshopper bait." + +"But where's the fish?" asked Nan, who, as yet, had not seen one. + +"Here it is!" cried Freddie, as he ran toward the end of his line +which lay on deck. "I caught a fish, and it's all mine--every bit," +and he held up a little, wiggling sunfish which, somehow or other, had +been caught on the tiny hook. + +"Oh, it's a real, live fish!" squealed Flossie, dropping her doll to +get a better view of this new plaything. "Are we going to have it for +supper, Freddie?" + +"No!" cried the little fat fellow, as he tried to hold the fish up by +the swinging line in one hand, and grasp it in the other. The fish was +so slippery that, every time Freddie had it, his hand slid off of it. +"We're not going to eat my fish!" cried Freddie. "I'm going to keep it +forever, in a glass globe, and make it do tricks!" + +The others gathered around to see Freddie's catch, for the little +fellow was very proud of his success, though, once or twice before, on +trips to the country, he had been allowed to fish with Bert and Nan. +He was too impatient to sit still long, so he never caught much. + +"Here comes Snoop," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a laughing glance at his +friend Mr. Murphy, who had come back to the houseboat with him, after +the mean farmer had cut the wire fence. + +"Snoop can't have my fish!" cried Freddie, now hugging his dangling +prize close to his waist. + +"Oh, you'll get your clothes all dirty!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, as the +black cat came snooping and sniffing around, for she smelled fish, +which she very much liked. + +"Go 'way, Snoop! You can't have my fish!" cried Freddie. "I'm going to +put it in a glass globe, and keep it forever and teach it to do +tricks." + +"I guess swimming is the only trick a fish can do," said Bert, with a +laugh, "and you don't have to teach them that. They know it already." + +Freddie was so afraid that Snoop might get his fish, that Dinah +brought him up a glass dish, in which, when it was filled with water, +the little "sunny" was allowed to swim around. The hook had become +fastened in only a corner of the mouth, and the fish was not hurt in +the least. + +Freddie was as proud as though he had caught a whale or a shark. He +did not care to fish any more, but stood on deck near the box on which +had been placed the dish containing his fish. + +Bert and Harry, who had caught some larger fish, went back to their +rods and lines, while Nan took up Freddie's pole and used it for +herself. Flossie divided her time between getting her doll to "sleep" +and watching Freddie's fish. + +"Well, are we really going up the creek?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Yes, Mr. Murphy got the farmer to cut the wire fence, so we can get +past," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We had better start, too, for Mr. Hardee +might change his mind, and put back the wire fence." + +"I guess there isn't much danger of that," spoke Mr. Murphy. "But you +have a fine boat. I don't wonder that you didn't want to stay cooped +up here in this creek." + +Flossie, who had come over near the visitor, said: + +"There's a stove in our kitchen, and Dinah cooks things on it--good +things to eat!" + +"Does she?" cried Mr. Murphy, catching the little girl up in his arms. +"That's fine!" + +"I think you might take that as an invitation to dinner," said Mrs. +Bobbsey, with a laugh. + +"Thanks, I will stay, and see how it feels to eat on board a +houseboat," replied the man who had helped Mr. Bobbsey. + +Bert and Harry decided that they had caught enough fish now, so they +pulled in their lines, and soon the Bluebird was moving slowly up the +creek, toward Lake Romano, though it would be a day or so before the +Bobbseys reached it. + +As the houseboat went past the wire fence, which had been cut, the +twins and their cousins looked at it in wonder. Only the posts stood +there now, and there was room enough between them for the houseboat to +pass. A little way back from the shore stood Mr. Hardee. + +"I'm not going to let every boat go past that wants to!" he called to +Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll let you through, as a favor to Mr. Murphy, but I'm +not going to have a whole lot of them sailin' up and down my creek!" + +"Just as if it would hurt the water," said Bert, in a low voice. + +They were all glad when a turn of the stream hid Mr. Hardee from +sight. The mean farmer evidently thought he had not been unpleasant +enough, for he ran after the houseboat a little way, crying: + +"If you see anything of that good-for-nothing boy of mine, I want you +to tell him to come back here, or it will be the worse for him." + +"We're not likely to see him," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +"I don't know about that," went on the farmer. "I believe you folks +know something about him." + +"That's all nonsense!" said Mr. Bobbsey, sharply. "I've told you we +don't know where he is, and haven't seen him since you tried to +horsewhip him. That ought to be enough." + +"Wa'al, we'll see," was the growling answer, as the mean farmer turned +away. + +The houseboat kept on, until it was well past Mr. Hardee's land, and +then, in a pleasant part of the creek, it was tied to the bank. Dinah +served supper. + +"See! I told you we had a stove, and that Dinah could cook things," +said Flossie, as a plate full of steaming hot corn muffins was set on +the table. + +"So you did, my dear!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy, who sat next to the +little "fat fairy." + +Flossie seemed to think the most wonderful part of the houseboat was +the kitchen and the stove. + +When the pleasant meal was over, they sat on deck in the evening, +until it was time for Mr. Murphy to go home. He was to walk across the +meadow, about a mile, to get a trolley car. Mr. Bobbsey went with him, +part of the way. + +For several days after this, the Bobbsey twins had all sorts of +amusements on the house-boat. The BLUEBIRD was still kept in the +creek, for it was so pleasant there, along the shady waterway, that +Mrs. Bobbsey said they might as well enjoy it as long as possible. + +"But I want to see the big lake and the waterfall," said Nan. + +"We'll soon be there," promised her father. + +One day the houseboat was moved along the creek for about a mile, and +anchored there. Bert and Harry found the fishing so good, that they +wanted to stay a long time. They really caught some large perch and +chub. + +"But we didn't come on this trip just to fish," said Mr. Bobbsey. +"There are other things to do. We want to go in swimming, when it gets +a little warmer, and then, too, we can take some walks in the woods on +the shores of Lake Romano." + +"And can we have picnics, and take our lunch?" asked Freddie. + +"Yes, little fat fireman," answered his father, laughing. + +Freddie had been kept so busy with other amusements, that he had not +once played with his fire engine, since coming on board. + +"Let me catch some fish," begged Flossie, on the afternoon of the day +when they were to move from the place that Bert and Harry liked so +well. + +"You may take my line," offered Freddie. "I'm tired of fishing." + +I think perhaps Freddie grew weary because he had had no bites. That +one fish he had caught, and which had caused so much excitement, +seemed to be all he could get. That one was still alive in the glass +dish, which Bert had made into sort of an aquarium. + +"I'm going to catch a big fish," said Flossie, as she laid her doll +down beside the sleeping dog Snap, and took Freddie's pole. + +"Don't fall in--that's all," cautioned Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'll watch her," offered Dorothy, for Nan had gone down to help dry +the dishes, it being her "turn." + +Somehow or other, every one forgot Flossie for a moment, and even +Dorothy, who had promised to watch her, forgot when she saw some small +boats, filled with young folks on an excursion, pass the houseboat. + +Suddenly there came a scream from little Flossie. + +"I see him! I see him!" she cried. "He's on our boat!" + +The next moment her mother, who turned quickly as she heard Flossie's +voice, saw the little girl lean far over the rail of the Bluebird. +Then came a splash. Flossie had fallen overboard! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE MISSING SANDWICHES + + +"Flossie is in the water!" + +"Get the boat!" + +"Snap! Jump in and get her!" + +"Oh, Flossie!" + +So many were the excited cries that followed the falling over the rail +of little Flossie, that no one could tell who was speaking, or crying +out. + +Harry, who was near the rail, turned sharply as he heard the splash, +and then, quickly casting off his coat, he gave a clean dive over the +side. Harry was a country boy, and had learned to swim when very +young. He was not at all afraid of the water, and, more than once, he +had pulled from "the old swimming hole," boys smaller than himself, +who had gone beyond their depth, and could not get out. + +"I'll get her!" cried Harry, as he dived over the side. + +"Oh, it's all my fault!" sobbed Dorothy. "I said I'd watch her. But I +forgot! It's all my fault!" + +"No, it isn't, dear!" said Nan, quickly putting her arms around her +cousin. "Flossie does things so quickly, sometimes, that no one can +watch her. But we'll get her out, for the water isn't deep." + +It was deep enough though, on that side of the boat, to be well over +Flossie's head, and of course, plunging down from the height she did, +she at once went under water. + +Snap seemed to understand what had happened, and to know that his +services were needed, for he gave a bark, and made a rush for the +rail. + +"Don't let him jump in!" cried Mr. Bobbsey to Bert. "If Harry can get +her, Snap might only make trouble. Hold him back, Bert, while I get +the rowboat." + +Mrs. Bobbsey, with one arm around Freddie, had rushed to the rail to +look down. She saw Flossie come to the surface, choking and gasping +for breath, and then saw Harry, who had gone under, but who had come +up again, strike out for the little girl. + +"Oh, save her!" gasped Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"He will!" said Bert. "Harry's a fine swimmer. Come back, Snap!" he +called to the big dog, getting his hands on his collar, just in time, +for Snap was determined to go to the rescue himself. He whined, pulled +and tugged to get away from Bert. + +"Help me hold him!" cried Bert to Nan. + +"I will!" she answered, glad to be doing something. Together the two +older Bobbsey twins managed to keep Snap back. Dorothy, too, helped, +for Snap was very strong. + +"Did Flossie go after a fish?" asked Freddie, and he asked it in such +a queer way that it would have caused a laugh at any other time. Just +now every one was too frightened to laugh. + +After all, there really was not so much danger. Mr. Bobbsey had taught +Flossie some of the things one must do when learning to swim, and that +is to hold your breath when you are under water. For it is the water +getting into the lungs that causes a person to drown. After her first +plunge into the creek, the little girl thought of what her father had +told her, and did hold her breath. + +"I--I'll get you!" called Harry to her. "Don't be afraid, Flossie! +I'll get you!" + +Flossie was too much out of breath to answer, so she did not try to +speak. Harry was soon at her side, and called to her: + +"Now put your hands on my shoulders, Flossie, and I'll swim to the +boat with you. Don't try to grab me around the neck." + +Harry knew how dangerous it was for a person trying to rescue another +in the water to be choked. Flossie was a wise little girl, even if she +was not very old. She did as her cousin told her, and, with Flossie's +hands on his shoulders, Harry began to swim toward the Bluebird. + +He did not have to go very far, though, for by this time Mr. Bobbsey +and Captain White were there with the rowboat, and the two children +were soon lifted in. They were safe, and not harmed a bit, except for +being wet through. + +"Oh, Flossie, whatever did you do it for?" asked her mother, when she +had hugged the dripping little girl in her arms. "Why did you do it?" + +"Do what, mamma?" Flossie asked. + +"Lean over so far." + +"I wanted to see if I had a fish," went on Flossie. "And I had to lean +over. And then I saw him." + +"Saw whom?" asked her father. "What do you mean?" + +"Why, I saw him--that boy," and Flossie seemed surprised that her +father did not understand. + +"What boy?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Did you fall asleep there, Flossie, +and were you dreaming, when you fell in?" + +"No, mamma. I didn't fall asleep. I saw HIM, I tell you." + +"I heard her say something about seeing some one, just as she went +over the rail, head first," Dorothy said. + +"But whom do you mean, Flossie?" asked puzzled Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Why, that boy--the one the bad man whipped." + +"Oh, Will Watson!" exclaimed Bert. "Where did you see him, Flossie? +Was he in one of the excursion boats that went past?" + +"No, he was on our boat--down there," and Flossie pointed straight +down. "I saw him!" she declared. + +"I guess she must have dozed off a little, and dreamed it," spoke Mr. +Bobbsey, with a smile. "That was it. The sun was so hot, that she just +slept a little as she was fishing. She might have had a bite, and that +awakened her so suddenly that she gave a jump and fell over the rail. +I must have it built higher. Then there won't be any danger." + +"Yes, do," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "We've had scares enough." + +"But I did see that boy--the one that gave Bert the fish," insisted +Flossie. "He was on our boat. I saw him as plain as anything." + +"It must have been some one in the excursion boats that looked like +him," spoke Nan. + +"No, I saw Will!" declared the little twin, and, rather than get her +excited by disputing, they allowed her to think she really had seen a +strange face, as she leaned over. + +"But of course she either dreamed it, or saw some one she thought was +that runaway boy," Mr. Bobbsey said, afterward. "It's all nonsense to +think he was on our boat." + +Snap, who had not been allowed to go to the rescue, much as he had +wanted to, leaped about Flossie, barking and wagging his tail in joy. + +"Anybody would think he'd done it all," said Bert. "Say, Harry, you're +all right! That was a dandy dive!" and he clapped his cousin on the +back. + +"Indeed we never can thank you enough. Harry," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and +tears of thankfulness glistened in her eyes. + +"Oh, it wasn't anything at all," the country boy said, modestly +blushing, for he did not like such a "fuss" made over him. "I knew I +could get her out." + +"Well, it was very fine of you," said Mr. Bobbsey, warmly. "Now then, +you had better change your clothes, for, though it is summer, you +might take cold. And Flossie, too, must change." + +"Yes, I'll look after her," said her mother "Now remember, little fat +fairy," Mrs. Bobbsey went on, giving Flossie her father's pet name, +"you must never lean over the rail again. If you do---" + +"But I saw---" began Flossie. + +"No matter what you saw--don't lean over the rail!" said her mother. +"If you do, we shall have to give up this houseboat trip." + +This seemed such a dreadful thing, that Flossie quickly promised to be +very careful indeed. + +"But I did see him, all the same!" she murmured, as her mother took +her to the bedroom to change her clothes. "I saw that boy on our +boat." + +The others only laughed at Flossie for thinking such a queer thing. + +"That poor boy is far enough away from here now," said Bert. "I wonder +if he will really try to make his way out west?" + +"I don't know," answered Harry, who had changed to a dry suit, hanging +his other in the sun to let the water drip out of it. "I've read of +boys making long journeys that way." + +"I wouldn't want to try it," spoke Bert. + +"Neither would I," said his cousin. "This houseboat suits me!" + +Flossie was little the worse for her accident, and was soon playing +about again with Snoop and Snap, and with Freddie. The little fellow +and his sister made the dog and cat do many tricks. + +It was the day after this, when the Bluebird had gone a little farther +up the creek, that Mrs. Bobbsey planned a little picnic on shore. They +were not far from a nice, green forest. + +"We'll have Dinah put us up a little lunch, and we'll go in the woods +and eat it," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Oh, that will be fun!" cried Nan. "Won't it, Dorothy?" + +"Indeed it will," said the seashore cousin. + +"I'm going to take my doll," Flossie said. "There's no water in the +woods for her to fall in, is there, mamma?" + +"No, not unless you drop her into a spring," laughed Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'll see if Dinah has finished making the sandwiches," offered Nan. +"She had them almost finished a little while ago." + +But when Nan went to the dining-room, she found the colored cook very +much excited. + +"What is the matter, Dinah?" asked Nan. + +"Mattah! What am de mattah?" Dinah repeated, "Dey's lots de mattah, +Missie Nan." + +"Why, what can it be?" + +"De sandwiches is gone, dat's what's de mattah!" + +"The sandwiches, Dinah?" + +"Yes'm, de sandwiches what I done make fo' de excursnick!" + +"Oh, you mean for our picnic, Dinah?" + +"Yes'm, dat's it. Excursnick I calls it. But de sandwiches I done jest +made am gone. I s'pects Massa Bert or his cousin done take 'em fo' +fun." + +"Oh, no, Dinah. Bert nor Harry wouldn't do that. Are you sure you made +the sandwiches?" + +"I'se jest as shuah, Missie Nan, as I am dat I'se standin' heah. I'se +jest as shuah as I is dat time when I made de corn cakes, an' somebody +tuck dem! Dat's how shuah I is! Dem sandwiches what was fo' de +excursnick am done gone completely." + +"But have you looked everywhere, Dinah?" asked Nan. + +"Eberywhere! Under de table an' on top ob de table. I had dem +sandwiches all made an' on a plate. I left dem in de dinin' room to go +git a basket, an' when I come back, dey was gone entirely. I want t' +see yo' ma, Missie Nan. I ain't gwing t' stay on dish yeah boat no mo, +dat's what I ain't!" + +"But why not, Dinah?" asked Nan, in some alarm. + +"Because dey's ghostests on dish yeah boat; dat's what dey is! An' I +ain't gwine stay on no ha'nted boat. Fust it were de corn cakes, an' +now it's de sandwiches. I'se gwine away--I ain't gwine stay heah no +mo'!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +IN THE STORM + + +Dinah was certainly very much frightened, but Nan was not. She knew +better than to believe in such things as "ghosts," and, though the +sandwiches might have disappeared, the little girl felt sure there +must be some reasonable explanation about the mystery. + +"I'll call mamma, Dinah," offered Nan. "She won't want you to leave us +now, when we have just started on this trip." + +"Go on, honey lamb, call yo' ma," agreed the fat cook. "But I ain't +gwine t' stay on dish yeah boat no mo'! Dat's settled. Call yo' ma, +honey lamb, an' I'll tell her about it." + +Mrs. Bobbsey had heard the excited voice of Dinah and had come down to +the dining-room of the houseboat to see what it was all about. + +"What is it, Dinah?" she asked. + +"It's ghostests, Mrs. Bobbsey--dat's what it is," said the cook. +"Ghostests what takes de sandwiches as fast as I make 'em--dat's de +trouble. I can't stay heah no mo'!" + +Mrs. Bobbsey looked to Nan for an explanation. The little girl said: + +"Dinah made a plate of sandwiches for our picnic---" + +"Dat's right, for de excursnick," put in Dinah. + +"And she left them on the table," went on Nan. "But when she went to +get a basket to put them in, and came back---" + +"Dey was clean gone!" burst out the colored cook, finishing the story +for Nan. "An' ghostests took 'em; ob dat I'se shuah. So you'd bettah +look fo' anoder cook, Mrs. Bobbsey." + +"Nonsense, Dinah! We can't let you go that way. It's all foolishness +to talk about ghosts. Probably the door was left open, and Snap might +have taken the sandwiches, though I never knew him to take anything +off the table. But it must have been Snap." + +"No'm, it couldn't be," said Dinah. "It wasn't Snap." + +"How do you know?" + +"Could Snap come through a closed do', Mrs. Bobbsey. Could Snap do +that?" + +"Come through a door? No, I don't believe he could. But he might open +it. Snoop can open doors." + +"Yes, maybe do's that hab a catch on, but not knob-do's, Snoop can't +open, an' Snap can't neither. Besides, de do' was shut when I left de +sandwiches on de table an' went fo' de basket." + +"Oh, was it?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, trying to think of how the pieces of +bread and meat could have been taken. + +"It shuah was," went on Dinah. "Nobody took dem sandwiches, but a +ghostest, an' I can't stay in no boat what has ghostests." + +"Nonsense!" laughed Mrs. Bobbsey. "I know how it was done, Dinah. I +know how the sandwiches were taken." + +"How, Mrs. Bobbsey?" asked the colored cook, as she stood looking +first at the empty plate on the table, and then at Nan and lastly at +Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Why, through that window," said the twins' mother, pointing to an +open window on the side of the Bluebird. "Snap must have come in that +window, and taken the sandwiches. He was probably very hungry, poor +dog, though he knows better than to do anything like that." "No'm, +Mrs. Bobbsey," went on Dinah. "Snap couldn't hab come in fru dat +window, fo' it opens right on to de watah. He'd hab to stand in de +watah to jump in, an' he can't do that." + +"No, perhaps not," admitted Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, I dare say you forgot +where you put the sandwiches, Dinah. Now don't worry a bit more about +them. Just make some fresh ones, and we'll go on our little picnic." + +"But I'se gwine t' leab," said Dinah. "I ain't gwine stay on a boat, +where ghostests takes sandwiches as fast as I can make 'em." + +"You shall come with us on the picnic," said Nan's mother. "When we +come back, there won't be any ghost. Now don't fuss. Just make some +fresh sandwiches, and we'll go. I'm sure it was Snap." + +"And I'se shuah it were a ghostest," murmured Dinah, as she went out +to the kitchen. + +"Mamma, who do you think it could have been?" asked Nan of her mother. + +"Why, Snap, to be sure, little daughter." + +"But with the door shut, and the window opening out on the water?" +went on Nan. + +"Oh, dogs are very smart," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Smarter than we think. +Now suppose you help Dinah make more sandwiches. We are late." + +Nan went out to the kitchen, while Mrs. Bobbsey made her way up on +deck, where she found her husband talking to Captain White about the +motor engine of the houseboat. + +"Richard, I want to speak to you," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and when she and +the twins' father were in a quiet corner of the deck, Mrs. Bobbsey +went on: + +"Richard, I think there are thieves about here." + +"Bless my soul!" he exclaimed. "Thieves! What do you mean?" + +"Well, I mean that Dinah says a plate of sandwiches was just taken, +and you remember the time the corn muffins were missing?" + +"Yes, but perhaps Dinah was mistaken both times, or Snap might have +taken a bite between meals." + +"Hardly Snap this time," Mrs. Bobbsey went on, "and Dinah, though she +does forget once in a while, would not be likely to do so twice in +such a short time. No, I think some tramps along shore must have come +along quietly in a boat, reached or climbed in through the window and +taken the sandwiches." + +"Well, perhaps they did," Mr. Bobbsey, said. "I'll tell Captain White, +and we'll keep a lookout. We don't want thieves coming around." + +"No, indeed," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Dinah threatens to leave, if any +more queer things happen." + +"Well, we wouldn't know how to get along without Dinah," said Mr. +Bobbsey, with a smile. "I'll put some wire netting over the windows. I +was going to do it anyhow, for the mosquitoes will soon be buzzing +around. The netting will keep thieves from reaching in and taking our +nice sandwiches." + +"Yes, I think the netting would be a good idea," said his wife. "But +it certainly is queer." + +A little later, the Bobbsey twins--both sets of them--with their +cousins, mother, father, and Dinah went ashore for the little picnic +in the woods, taking with them the fresh sandwiches that Nan had +helped to make. + +"You shan't have any of these--at least not until we want you to have +them," said Nan to Snap, the dog, who, of course, was not left behind. +Yet, the more she thought of it the more sure Nan was that Snap had +not taken the others. + +"But, if he didn't, who did?" she wondered. + +"Oh, isn't it just lovely in these woods!" exclaimed Dorothy, as they +walked along on the soft moss under the trees. At the seashore, where +she lived, the woods were too far away to allow her to pay many visits +to them, and she always liked to walk in the cool forests. + +Harry, though he lived in the country, not far from the woods, liked +them as well as did the Bobbsey twins, and the children were soon +running about, playing games, while Snap raced about with them, +barking and wagging his tail. + +Dinah sat down near the lunch basket. + +"Don't you want to walk around a bit?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"No'm," answered the fat cook. "I ain't gwine t' leab dish yeah basket +ob victuals until dey's eaten. Dey ain't no ghostests, nor no dogs, +gwine t' git nothin' when I'se heah! No'm!" and Dinah slipped her fat +arm in through the handle of the basket. + +"Let's look for chestnuts!" cried Freddie. "I love chestnuts!" + +"It's too early for them," said his father. "But if you find me a +willow tree, I can make you some whistles." + +The children found one, near a little brook, and Mr. Bobbsey was soon +busy with his knife. The bark slipped off easily from the willow wood, +which is why it is so often used for whistles. + +Soon all four children were blowing whistles of different tones, and +making so much noise that, with the barking of Snap, who seemed to +think he must bark every time a whistle was blown, Mrs. Bobbsey cried +out for quietness. + +"Come on, we'll go farther off in the woods and play Indian," +suggested Bert, and soon this game was under way. + +It was lunch time almost before the children knew it, and what fun it +was to sit around the table cloth Dinah spread out on the grass, and +eat the good things from the basket. Snap was given his share, but +Snoop, the black cat, had not come along, staying on the houseboat +with Captain White. + +"Isn't this fun?" cried Nan to Dorothy. + +"Indeed it is! Oh, I can't tell you how glad I am that you asked me to +come on this trip!" + +"Oh! Look at that big bug!" suddenly cried Freddie, and he made a jump +toward his mother, to get out of the way of a big cricket that had +hopped onto the white table cloth. + +"Look out, Freddie!" called his father. "You'll upset your glass of +lemonade!" + +Mr. Bobbsey spoke too late. Freddie's heel kicked over the glass, and +the lemonade spilled right into Mrs. Bobbsey's lap. + +"Oh, Freddie!" cried Bert. + +"Never mind--it's an old dress," laughed Mrs. Bobbsey, "and there's +more lemonade. Accidents will happen on picnics. Never mind, Freddie." + +The cricket was "shooed" away by Nan, Freddie's glass was filled +again, and the picnic went on merrily. Soon it was time to go back to +the boat. + +As they walked along through the woods, Mr. Bobbsey glanced up now and +then through the trees at the sky. + +"Do you think it's going to rain?" his wife asked. + +"Not right away, but I think we are soon going to have a storm," he +said. + +"Oh, well, the houseboat doesn't leak, does it?" + +"No, but I don't want to go out on Lake Romano in a storm, and I +intended this evening to go on up the creek until we reached the lake. +But I'll wait and see what the weather does." + +"Well, did anything happen while we were gone?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey of +Captain White, as they got back to the houseboat. + +"No, not a thing," he answered. "It was so still and quiet here, that +Snoop and I had a nice sleep," and he pointed to the black cat, who +was stretched out in his lap, as he sat on deck. + +As it did not look so much like a storm now, Mr. Bobbsey decided to +move the houseboat farther up the creek, almost to where the stream +flowed from Lake Romano, so as to be ready to go out on the larger +body of water in the morning, if everything was all right. + +The engine was started, and just before supper, the Bluebird came to a +stop in Lemby Creek about a mile from the big lake. She was tied to +the bank, and then supper was served. + +Then followed a pleasant hour or two on deck, and when it was dark, +the children went into the cabin and played games until bedtime--Nan +and Bert, as well as the smaller twins and the cousins, were asleep +when Mrs. Bobbsey, who had sat up to write some letters, heard her +husband walking about on deck. + +"What are you doing?" she called to him through a window. + +"Oh, just looking at the weather," he answered. "I think we're going +to have a storm after all, and a hard one, too. I'm glad we're safely +anchored." + +Sure enough. That night, about twelve o'clock, the storm came. There +was at first distant, muttering thunder, which soon became louder. +Then lightning followed, flashing in through the windows of the +houseboat, so that Mrs. Bobbsey was awakened. + +"Oh, it's going to be a terrible storm," she said to her husband. + +"Oh, perhaps not so very bad," he answered. "Here comes the rain!" + +Then it began to pour. But the houseboat was well built, and did not +leak a bit. + +Next the wind began to blow, gently at first, but finally so hard that +Mr. Bobbsey could hear the creaking of the ropes that tied the boat to +trees on shore. + +"I think I'd better look and see if those ropes are well tied," he +said, getting up to dress, and putting on a raincoat. + +He had hardly gotten out on deck, before the houseboat gave a sudden +lurch to one side, and then began to move quickly down stream. + +"Oh, what has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +At the same time Flossie and Freddie awakened, because of the loud +noise from the storm. + +"Mamma! Mamma!" they cried. + +"Richard, has anything happened?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Yes!" he shouted. "The strong wind has broken the ropes, and we are +adrift. But don't worry. We'll soon be all right!" + +Faster and faster went the Bluebird, while all about her the rain +splashed down, the wind blew, the thunder roared, and the lightning +flashed. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +STRANGE NOISES + + +The frightened cries of Flossie and Freddie soon awakened Nan and +Bert, and it was not long before Harry and Dorothy, too, had roused +themselves. + +"What's the matter?" asked Bert. + +"Oh, we've gone adrift in the storm," his mother said. "But don't +worry. Papa says it will be all right." + +"Come up on deck and see what's going on!" cried Bert to Harry. + +He had begun to dress, and now he thrust his head out from his room. +"Hurry up, Harry," he added. "We want to see this storm." + +"No, you must stay here," Mrs. Bobbsey said. "It is too bad a storm +for you children to be out in, especially this dark night. Your papa +and Captain White will do all that needs to be done." + +"Mamma, it--it isn't dark when the lightning comes," said Freddie. He +did not seem to be afraid of the brilliant flashes. + +"No, it's light when the flashes come," said his mother. "But I want +you all to stay here with me. It is raining very hard." + +"I should say it was!" exclaimed Harry, as he heard the swish of the +drops against the windows of the houseboat. + +"Is Snap all right, mamma?" asked Flossie. "And Snoop? I wouldn't want +them out in the storm." + +"They're all right," Mrs. Bobbsey said. + +"Oh, what's that!" suddenly cried Nan, as the houseboat gave a bump, +and leaned to one side. + +"We hit something," Bert said. "Oh, I wish I could go out on the +deck!" + +"No, indeed!" cried his mother. "There! They've started the engine. +Now we'll be all right." + +As soon as Mr. Bobbsey had found out that the houseboat had broken +loose from the mooring ropes in the storm, he awakened Captain White, +and told him to start the motor. + +This had been done, and now, instead of drifting with the current of +the creek, the boat could be more easily steered. Soon it had been run +into a sheltered place, against the bank, where, no matter how hard +the wind blew, it would be safe. + +"Are we all right now?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, as her husband came down +to the cabin. + +"Yes, all right again," he said. "There really was not much danger, +once we got the motor started." + +"Is it raining yet?" asked Freddie, who was sitting in his mother's +lap, wrapped in a sweater. + +"Indeed it is, little fat fireman," his father answered. "You wouldn't +need your engine to put out a fire to-night." + +The patter of the raindrops on the deck of the houseboat could still +be heard, and the wind still blew hard. But the thunder and lightning +were not so bad, and gradually the storm grew less. + +"Well, we'd better get to bed now," said Mr. Bobbsey. "To-morrow we +shall go to the big lake." + +"Did the storm take us far back down the creek?" asked Bert. + +"Not more than a mile," said his father. + +"And the man can't tie us in with wire again, can he?" Freddie wanted +to know. "If he does, and I had one of those cutter-things, I could +snip it." + +"You won't have to, Freddie," laughed Bert. + +"Speaking of that mean farmer reminds me of the poor boy who ran away +from him," said Mrs. Bobbsey to her husband, when the children had +gone to bed. "I wonder where he is to-night, in this storm?" + +"I hope he has a sheltered place," spoke the father of the Bobbsey +twins. + +Not very much damage had been done by the storm, though it was a very +hard one. In the morning the children could see where some big tree +branches had blown off, and there had been so much rain, that the +water of the creek was higher. But the houseboat was all right, and +after breakfast, when they went up the creek again, they stopped and +got the pieces of broken rope, where the Bluebird had been tied +before. + +The houseboat then went on, and at noon, just before Dinah called them +to dinner, Nan, who was standing near her father at the steering +wheel, cried: + +"Oh, what a lot of water!" + +"Yes, that is Lake Romano," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We'll soon be floating +on that, and we'll spend the rest of our houseboat vacation there." + +"And where shall we spend the rest of our vacation?" asked Bert, for +it had been decided that the houseboat voyage would last only until +about the middle of August. + +"Oh, we haven't settled that yet," his father answered. + +On and on went the Bluebird, and, in a little while, she was on the +sparkling waters of the lake. + +"I don't see any waterfall," said Freddie, coming toward his father, +after having made Snap do some of his circus tricks. + +"The waterfall is at the far end of the lake," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +"I wonder if there are any fish in this lake?" spoke Bert. + +"Let's try to catch some," suggested his cousin Harry, and soon the +two boys were busy with poles and lines. + +The Bobbsey twins, and their cousin-guests, liked Lake Romano very +much indeed. It was much bigger than the lake at home, and there were +some very large boats on it. + +Bert and Harry caught no fish before dinner, but in the afternoon they +had better luck, and got enough for supper. The evening meal had been +served by Dinah, Snap and Snoop had been fed, and the family and their +guests were up on deck, watching the sunset, when Dinah came waddling +up the stairs, with a queer look on her face. + +"Why, Dinah! What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, seeing that +something was wrong. "Have you lost some more sandwiches?" + +"No'm, it ain't sandwiches dish yeah time," Dinah answered. "But I +done heard a funny noise jest now down near mah kitchen." + +"A funny noise?" repeated Mr. Bobbsey. "What was it like?" + +"Jes like some one cryin'," Dinah answered. "I thought mebby one ob de +chilluns done got locked in de pantry, but I opened de do', an' dey +wasn't anybody dere. 'Sides, all de chilluns is up heah. But I shuah +did heah a funny noise ob somebody cryin'!" + +Mrs. Bobbsey looked at her husband and said: + +"You'd better go see what it is, Richard." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SNAP'S QUEER ACTIONS + + +The Bobbsey twins looked at one another. Then they glanced at their +cousins, Harry and Dorothy. Next the eyes of all the children were +turned on fat Dinah. + +"Was--was it a baby crying?" Freddie wanted to know. + +"Yes, honey lamb--it done did sound laik a baby--only a big baby," +explained the colored cook. + +"Maybe it was one of Flossie's dolls," the little "fat fireman" went +on. + +"Flossie's dolls can't cry!" exclaimed Nan. "Not even the one that +says 'mama,' when you punch it in the back. That can't cry, because +it's broken." + +"Well, Flossie says her dolls cry, sometimes," said Freddie, "and I +thought maybe It was one of them now." + +"It was Snoop, our cat," said Bert, with a laugh. "That's what you +heard, Dinah, Snoop crying for something to eat. Maybe she's shut up +in a closet." + +"Probably that's what it was, Dinah," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'll go let her out," said Mr. Bobbsey, starting toward the lower +part of the houseboat. + +"'Scuse me, Mr. Bobbsey," said Dinah firmly, "but dey ain't no use yo' +going t' let out no cat Snoop." + +"Why not, Dinah?" + +"Because it wasn't any cat dat I done heah. It was a human bein' dat I +heard cryin', dat's what it was, an' I know who it was, too," the +colored woman insisted. + +"Who, Dinah?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"It was de same ghostest dat done took mah cakes an' sandwiches, dat's +who it was. I'se mighty sorry t' leab yo', Mrs. Bobbsey, but I guess +I'll done be goin' now." + +"What, Dinah!" cried her mistress. "Going? Where?" + +"Offen dish yeah boat, Mrs. Bobbsey. I cain't stay heah any mo' wif a +lot of ghostests." + +"Nonsense, Dinah!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "There isn't any such thing +as a ghost, and you know it! It's silly to even talk about such a +thing. Now you just come with me, and show me where you heard those +noises." + +"No, sah, I cain't do it, Mr. Bobbsey," the colored cook exclaimed, +moving backward. + +"Why not?" Mr. Bobbsey wanted to know. + +"'Cause it's bad luck, dat's why. I ain't goin' neah no ghostest---" + +"Don't say that again, Dinah!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey sharply, with a +glance at the children. + +"Oh, we're not afraid, mother!" chimed in Bert. "We know there's no +such thing as a ghost." + +"That's right," spoke his father. "But, Dinah, I must get this matter +settled. It won't do for you to be frightened all the while. You must +come and show me where you heard the noise." + +"Has I got to do it, Mrs. Bobbsey?" asked Dinah. + +"Yes, I think you had better." + +"Well, den, I heard de noise right down in de passageway dat goes from +de kitchen to de dinin' room. Dat's where it was. A noise laik +somebody cryin' an' weepin'." + +"And are you sure it wasn't Snoop, Dinah?" + +"Shuah, Mr. Bobbsey. 'Cause why? 'Cause heah's Snoop now, right ober +by Miss Dorothy." + +This was very true. The little seashore Cousin had been playing with +the black cat. + +"Snap howls sometimes," said Freddie, who seemed to be trying to find +some explanation of the queer noise. "Lots of times he used to howl +under my window, and I'd think it was some boy, but it was only Snap. +He used to like to howl at the moon." + +"Dat's right, so he does, honey lamb," Dinah admitted. "But dere ain't +no moon now, an' Snap's eatin' a bone. He don't never howl when he's +eatin' a bone, I'se sartain ob dat." + +"Oh, well, if it wasn't the dog or cat, it was some other noise that +can easily be found," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll go have a look." + +"I'm coming, too," said Nan. + +"And so am I!" exclaimed Bert. + +Harry and Dorothy looked at each other a moment, and then Dorothy +said, rather unhesitatingly: + +"I'm not afraid!" + +"I should say not!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "What is there to be afraid +of, just in a noise?" + +"Let's all go!" suggested Harry. + +"Good!" cried Mr. Bobbsey, for he wanted his children not to give way +to foolish fears. They were not "afraid of the dark," as some children +are, and from the time when they were little tots, their parents had +tried to teach them that most things, such as children fear, are +really nothing but things they think they see, or hear. + +"Aren't you coming, Dinah?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, as they all started +for the lower part of the houseboat. + +"No'm, I'll jest stay up heah an'--an' git a breff ob fresh air," said +the colored cook. + +"Come on, children," called Mr. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "We'll very +soon find out what it was." + +They went down off the deck, to the passageway between the kitchen and +dining-room. This place was like a long, narrow hall, and on one side +of it were closets, or "lockers," as they are called on ships. They +were places where different articles could be stored away. Just now, +the lockers were filled with odds and ends--bits of canvass that were +sometimes used as sails, or awnings, old boxes, barrels and the like. +Mr. Bobbsey opened the lockers and looked in. + +"There isn't a thing here that could make a crying noise, unless it +was a little mouse," he said, "and they are so little, I can't see +them. I guess Dinah must have imagined it." + +"Let's listen and see if we can hear it," suggested Mrs. Bobbsey. + +All of them, including the children, kept very quiet. Snap, the trick +dog, was still gnawing his bone in the kitchen. They could hear him +banging it on the floor as he tried to get from it the last shreds of +meat. Snoop, the black cat, was up on deck in the sun. + +"I don't hear a thing," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +Indeed it was very quiet. + +"Hark!" suddenly called Nan. "Isn't that a noise?" + +They all listened sharply, and then they did hear a faint sort of +crying, or whining, noise. + +"Oh!" exclaimed Freddie. "It's a---" + +"It's the boat pulling on one of the anchor ropes," said Mr. Bobbsey, +for the Bluebird was anchored out in the lake by two anchors and +ropes, one at each end. "The wind blows the boat a little," the +children's father explained, "and that makes it pull on the ropes, +which creak on the wooden posts with a crying noise." + +"I know!" exclaimed Flossie. "Just like our swing rope creaks, when +it's going slow." + +"Exactly," said her mother. Mrs. Bobbsey was glad that the little girl +could think out an explanation for herself that way. + +"There it goes again!" suddenly exclaimed Bert. + +They all heard the funny noise. There was no doubt but that it was the +creaking of the rope by which the boat was tied. + +"Here, Dinah!" called Mr. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "Come down here. +We've found your ghost." + +"I doan't want to see it!" exclaimed the colored cook, "Jest toss it +overbo'd!" + +"It's nothing but a noise made by a creaking rope," said Nan. "And you +can't throw that overboard." + +"All right, honey lamb. Yo' can call it a rope-noise ef yo' all +laiks," said Dinah, when finally she had been induced to come down. +"But I knows it wasn't. It was some real pusson cryin', dat's what it +was." + +"But you said it was a ghost, Dinah!" laughed Bert, "and a ghost is +never a real person, you know. Oh, Dinah!" + +"Oh, go long wif yo', honey lamb!" exclaimed the fat cook. "I ain't +got no time t' bodder wif you'. I'se got t' set mah bread t' bake +t'morrow. An' dere's some corn cakes, ef yo' ma will let yo' hab 'em." + +"I guess she will," said Bert, with a laugh. "Some cakes and then +bed." + +They all thought the "ghost" scare was over, but Mr. Bobbsey noticed +that when Dinah went through the passage between the kitchen and +dining-room, she hurried as fast as her feet would take her, and she +glanced from side to side, as though afraid of seeing something. + +Every one slept soundly that sight, except perhaps Dinah, but if +anything disturbed her, she said nothing about it, when she got up to +get breakfast. It was a fine, sunny day, and a little later the +Bluebird was moving across the lake, the motor turning the propeller, +which churned the blue water into foam. + +Mr. Bobbsey steered the boat to various places of interest on the +lake. There were several little islands that were to be visited, and +on one of the tiniest, they went ashore to eat their lunch. + +"Let's play we're shipwrecked," suggested Freddie, who was always +anxious to "pretend" something or other. + +"All right," agreed Flossie. "You'll be Robinson Crusoe, and I'll be +your man Thursday." + +"Friday--not Thursday," corrected Freddie, for his father had read to +him part of Robinson's adventures. + +The little twins were allowed to take some of their lunch, and go off +to one side of the island, there to play at being shipwrecked. Mr. and +Mrs. Bobbsey sat in the shade and talked, while Nan, Dorothy, Bert and +Harry went off on a little "exploring expedition," as Bert called it. +Bert was making a collection of stones and minerals that year, and he +wanted to see what new specimens he could find. + +Suddenly the peacefulness of the little island was broken by a cry of: + +"Oh, Mamma! Papa! Come quick! Freddie's in the cave, and can't get +out. Oh, hurry!" + +"That's Flossie's voice!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, in alarm. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not say anything. He just ran, and soon he came to the +place where Flossie and Freddie had gone to play shipwreck. He saw +Flossie jumping up and down in front of a little hill. + +"Where's Freddie?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"In there," Flossie answered, pointing to the pile of dirt that looked +to have been freshly dug. "We made a cave in the side of the and +Freddie went in to hide, but he dirt slid down on him and he--he's +there yet!" + +"Gracious!" cried Mr. Bobbsey. "It's a good thing we're here!" + +With a piece of board he soon scattered the dirt until he came to +Freddie's head. Fortunately the little fellow was covered with only a +few inches of the soil, and as a piece of brush had fallen over his +face, he had had no trouble in breathing. He was rather badly +frightened, however, when he was dug out, little the worse, otherwise, +for his adventure. + +"What did you do it for?" asked his father, when he and his mother had +brushed the dirt from the little chap, while the other children +gathered around to look on. + +"I--I was making a cave, same as Robinson Crusoe did," Freddie +explained. "I dug it with a board in the sand, and I went in--I mean, +I went in the cave, and it--it came down--all of a sudden." + +"Well, don't do it again," cautioned his mother. "You might have been +badly hurt." + +They finished their visit on the island, and went back on board the +Bluebird again. Snap, who always went with them on these little +excursions, bounded on deck, and then made a rush for the kitchen, for +he was hungry, and he knew Dinah generally had a bone, or something +nice for him. + +Mr. Bobbsey, who was following close behind Snap, was surprised to see +the dog come to a sudden stop in the passageway between the kitchen +and dining-room. Snap growled, and showed his teeth, as he did when +some savage dog, or other enemy, was near at hand. + +"What's the matter, old fellow?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. "Do you see +something?" + +Snap turned and looked at Mr. Bobbsey. Then the dog looked at one of +the locker doors, and, with a loud bark, sprang toward it, as though +he would go through the panels. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +AT THE WATERFALL + + +"What's the matter?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, who had followed her husband +into the passageway. "Snap and Snoop aren't quarreling, are they?" + +"Indeed, no," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "But Snap is acting very +strangely. I don't know what to make of him." + +By this time Mrs. Bobbsey had come up, where she could see the dog. +Snap was still standing in front of the door, growling, whining, and, +now and then, uttering a low bark. + +"What's the matter with him?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Is he hungry?" + +"Well, I guess he's always more or less hungry," her husband said, +"but that isn't the matter with him now. I think perhaps he imagines +he sees Dinah's ghost!" and he laughed. + +"Snap, come here!" called Mrs. Bobbsey, and, though the dog usually +minded her, this time he did not obey. He only stood near the door, +growling. + +"Why don't you open it, and let him see what's in there," said Bert. +"Maybe it's only some of those mice that made the noise," he went on. + +"Perhaps it is," his father answered. "I'll let Snap have a chance at +them." + +As Mr. Bobbsey stepped up to turn the knob of the "locker," or closet +door, there was a noise inside, as though something had been knocked +down off a shelf. Snap barked loudly and made a spring, to be ready to +jump inside the closet as soon as it was opened. + +"What's that?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, while Flossie and Freddie, a little +alarmed, clung together and moved nearer to their mother. + +"There's something inside there, that's sure," declared Mr. Bobbsey. +"It must be a big rat!" + +"Mercy!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "A rat!" + +"I'll have to set a trap," Mr. Bobbsey went on. "That rat has probably +been taking the things to eat that Dinah missed--the corn-cakes and +the sandwiches." + +"That's right!" cried Bert. "That ends the mystery. Go for him, Snap!" + +"Bow wow!" barked the dog, only too willing to get in the closet and +shake the rat. + +But, when Mr. Bobbsey opened the door, no rat ran out, not even a +little mouse. Snap was ready for one, had there been any; but though +he pawed around on the floor, and nosed behind the boxes and barrels, +he caught nothing. + +"Where is it?" asked Flossie. + +"I want to see the rat!" cried Freddie. Neither of the smaller twins +was afraid of animals. Of course, they did not know that rats can +sometimes bite very fiercely, or they might not have been nearly so +anxious to see one. + +"I guess the rat got away," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he watched Snap +pawing around in the locker, even pushing aside boxes with his nose. + +"Hab yo' cotched de ghost?" asked Dinah, looking out from her kitchen. + +"Not yet--but almost," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I must clean out this +closet, and find the rat-hole. Then I'll set the trap. Come away Snap. +You missed him that time." + +The dog was not so sure of this. He stayed near the closet, while Mr. +Bobbsey set out the boxes and barrels, but no rat was to be seen, nor +even a mouse. And, the odd part of it was that, when everything was +out of the locker, there was no hole to be seen, through which any of +the gnawing animals might have slipped. + +"That's funny," said the twins' father, as he peered about. "I don't +see how that rat got in here, or got out again." + +"Perhaps it wasn't a rat," suggested Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"What was it, then, that made the noise?" asked her husband. + +"I don't know," she answered. "Something might have bumped against the +boat outside." + +"Yes, that's so," admitted Mr. Bobbsey. "But Snap wouldn't act that +way just on account of a noise." + +The boxes and barrels were put back into the closet, but even that did +not seem to satisfy Snap. He remained near the locker for some time, +now and then growling and showing his teeth. Mr. Bobbsey looked in +some of the other, and smaller, lockers, but all he found was a tiny +hole, hardly big enough for a mouse. + +"Perhaps it was a mouse," he said. "Anyhow, I'll set a trap there. +Dinah, toast me a bit of cheese." + +"Cheese, Massa Bobbsey!" exclaimed the colored cook. "Yo' knows yo' +cain't eat cheese. Ebery time yo' does, yo' gits de insispepsia suffin +terrible--specially toasted cheese." + +"I don't intend to eat it!" answered the twins' father, with a laugh. +"I'm going to bait a trap with cheese to catch the mice. I don't care +whether they get the indigestion or not." + +"Oh! Dat's diffunt," said Dinah. "I'll toast yo' some." + +The trap was set, but for two or three days, though it was often +looked at, no mice were caught. Meanwhile, several times, Dinah said +she missed food from her kitchen. It was only little things, though, +and the Bobbseys paid small attention to her, for Dinah was often +forgetful, and might have been mistaken. + +"I really think we have some rats aboard," said Mr. Bobbsey. "There +are some on nearly every boat. I have heard noises in the night that +could be made only by rats." + +"And Snap still acts queerly, whenever he passes that locker," said +Mrs. Bobbsey. "I'm not so sure it is a rat that made that noise, +Richard." + +"No?" her husband asked. "What was it, then?" + +But Mrs. Bobbsey either could not, or would not, say. + +"I say, Harry," said Bert to his country cousin one day, when the +Bluebird had come to anchor some distance down the lake, "let's try to +get to the bottom of this mystery." + +"What mystery?" + +"Why, the one about the noise, and the sandwiches and cakes being +taken, and Snap acting so funny. I'm sure there's a mystery on this +boat, and we ought to find out what it is." + +"I'm with you!" exclaimed Harry. "What shall we do?" + +"Let's sit up some night and watch that closet," said Bert. "We can +easily do it." + +"Will your folks let us?" + +"We won't ask them. Oh, I wouldn't do anything I knew they didn't want +me to do without asking," Bert said quickly, as he saw his cousin's +startled glance. + +"But there's no harm in this," Bert went on. "We'll go to bed early +some night, and, when all the rest of them are asleep, we'll get up +and stand watch all night. You can watch part of the time, and when +you get sleepy I'll take my turn. Then we can see whether anything is +hiding in that closet." + +"Do you think there is?" asked Harry. + +"I'm sure I don't know what to think," Bert answered. "Only it's a +mystery, and we ought to find out what it is." + +"I'm with you," said Harry again. + +"Are you talking secrets?" asked Nan, suddenly coming up just then. + +"Sort of," admitted her brother, laughing. + +"Oh, tell me--do!" she begged. + +"No, Nan. Not now," said Bert. "This is only for us boys." + +Nan tried to find out the secret, but they would not tell her. + +Two days later, during which the Bluebird cruised about on the lake, +Bert said to Harry, after supper: + +"We'll watch to-night, and find out what's, in that closet. Snap +barked and growled every time to-day, that he passed it. I'm sure +something's there." + +"It does seem so," admitted Harry. + +Mr. Bobbsey was steering the boat toward shore, intending to come to +anchor for the night, when Flossie, who was standing up in front +cried: + +"Oh, look! Here's the waterfall! Oh, isn't it beautiful!" + +Just before them, as they turned around a bend in the bank, was a +cataract of white water, tumbling down into the lake over a precipice +of black rocks--a most beautiful sight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +WHAT BERT SAW + + +The waterfall of Lake Romano was still some little distance off, and, +as the wind was blowing toward it, only a faint roar of the falling +water came to the ears of the Bobbsey twins, and the others on the +houseboat. + +"Oh, papa!" exclaimed Nan. "May we go close up and see the cataract?" + +"Yes," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I intended to give you a good view of the +waterfall. We shall spend a day or so here, as it is a great +curiosity. There is one place where you can walk right behind the +falls." + +"Behind it!" cried Harry. "I don't understand how that can be, uncle." + +"You'll see to-morrow, when we visit them," said the twins' father. +"And there are some oddly-marked stones to be picked up, too, Bert. +They will do for your collection." + +"Fine!" Bert exclaimed. "Say, this has been a dandy trip all right!" + +"It isn't ended yet, is it, Dorothy?" asked Nan. + +"No, indeed," replied the seashore cousin, with a smile. + +"And we haven't solved the mystery," said Bert in a low voice to +Harry. "But we will to-night, all right." + +"We sure will," agreed the boy from the country. + +The Bobbsey twins stayed up rather later that night than usual. Mr. +Bobbsey did not find a good anchorage for the boat for some time, as +he wanted to get in a safe place. It looked as though there might be a +storm before morning, and he did not want to drift away again. Then, +too, he wanted to get nearer to the waterfall, so they could reach it +early the next morning and look at it more closely. + +So the motor was kept in action by Captain White until after supper, +and finally the Bluebird came to rest not far from the waterfall. Then +Bert and Nan, with Dorothy and Harry were so interested in listening +to Mr. Bobbsey tell stories about waterfalls, and what caused them, +that the older twins and their cousins did not get to bed until nearly +ten o'clock, whereas nine was the usual hour. + +Of course Flossie and Freddie "turned in," as sailors say, about eight +o'clock, for their little eyes would not stay open any longer. + +"We'll wake up as soon as my father and mother are asleep," said Bert +to Harry, as they went to their rooms, which were adjoining ones. +"Then we'll take turns watching that closet." + +"Sure," agreed Harry. "Whoever wakes up first, will call the other." + +To this Bert agreed, but the truth of it was that neither of them +awakened until morning. Whether it was that they were too tired, or +slept later than usual, they could not tell. But it was broad +daylight, when they sat up in their beds, or "bunks," as beds are +called on ships. + +"I thought you were going to call me," said Bert to his cousin. + +"And I thought you were going to call ME," laughed the boy from the +country. + +Then they both laughed, for it was a good joke on each of them. + +"Never mind," spoke Bert, as he got up and dressed. "We'll try it +again to-night." + +"Try what?" asked Nan from the next room, for she could hear her +brother speak. "If you boys try to play any tricks on us girls---" + +"Don't worry," broke in Harry. "The secret isn't about you." + +"I think you're real mean not to tell us!" called Dorothy, from her +room. "Nan and I are going to have a marshmallow roast, when we go on +shore near the waterfall, and we won't give you boys a single one, +will we, Nan?" + +"Not a one!" cried Bert's sister. + +"Will you give me one--whatever it is?" asked Freddie from the room +where his mother was dressing him. + +"And me, too?" added Flossie, for she always wanted to share in her +little twin brother's fun. + +"Yes, you may have some, but not Bert and Harry," went on Nan, though +she knew when the time came, that she would share her treat with her +brother and cousin. + +"Well, I didn't hear any noises last night," said Mr. Bobbsey to his +wife at the breakfast table. + +"Nor I," said she. But when Dinah came in with a platter of ham and +eggs, there was such a funny look on the cook's face that Mrs. Bobbsey +asked: + +"Aren't you well, Dinah?" + +"Oh, yes'm, I'se well enough," the fat cook answered. "But dey shuah +is suffin strange gwine on abo'd dish yeah boat." + +"What's the matter now?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"A whole loaf of bread was tooken last night," said Dinah. "It was +tooken right out ob de bread box," she went on, "and I'se shuah it +wasn't no rat, fo' he couldn't open my box." + +"I don't know," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Rats are pretty smart sometimes." + +"They are smart enough to keep out of my trap," said Papa Bobbsey. "I +must set some new ones, I think." + +"Well, I don't think it was any rat," said Dinah, as she went on +serving breakfast. + +There was so much to do that day, and so much to see, that the Bobbsey +twins, at least, and their cousins, paid little attention to the story +of the missing loaf of bread. Bert did say to Harry: + +"It's too bad we didn't watch last night. We might have caught whoever +it was that took the bread." + +"Who do you think it was?" asked Harry. + +"Oh, some tramps," said Bert. "It couldn't be anybody else." + +They went ashore after breakfast, close to the waterfall. + +"Papa, you said you would show us where we could walk under the water +without getting wet," Nan reminded him. + +"Oh, yes," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I have never been to these falls, but I +have read about them." Then he showed the children a place, near the +shore of the lake, where they could slip in right behind the thin veil +of water that fell over the black rocks, high above their heads. Back +of the falling water there was a space which the waves had worn in the +stone. It was damp, but not enough to wet their feet. There they +stood, behind the sheet of water, and looked out through it to the +lake, into which it fell with a great splashing and foaming. + +"Oh, isn't this wonderful!" cried Nan. + +"It surely is," said Dorothy, with a sigh. "I never saw anything so +pretty." + +"And what queer stones!" cried Bert, as he picked up some that had +been worn into odd shapes by the action of the water. + +The Bobbseys spent some little time at the waterfall, and then, as +there was a pretty little island near it, where picnic parties often +went for the day, they went there in the Bluebird, going ashore for +their dinner. + +"But I'm not going to play Robinson Crusoe again," said Freddie, as he +remembered the time he had been caught in the cave. + +At the end of a pleasant day on the island, the Bobbseys again went on +board the houseboat for supper. + +"We'll watch sure to-night," said Bert to Harry, as they got ready for +bed. "We won't go to sleep at all." + +"All right," agreed the country cousin. + +It was hard work, but they managed to stay awake. When the boat was +quiet, and every one else asleep, Harry and Bert stole softly out of +their room and went to the passageway between the dining-room and +kitchen. + +"You watch from the kitchen, and I'll watch from the dining-room," +Bert told his cousin. "Then, no matter which way that rat goes, we'll +see him." + +"Do you think it was a rat?" asked Harry. + +"Well, I'm not sure," his cousin answered. "But maybe we'll find out +to-night." + +"We ought to have something to hit him with, if we see a rat," +suggested Harry. + +"That's right," Bert agreed. "I'll take the stove poker, and you can +have the fire shovel. Now keep very still." + +The two cousins took their places, Bert in the dining-room, and Harry +in the kitchen. It was very still and quiet on the Bluebird. Up on +deck Snap, the dog, could be heard moving about now and then, for he +slept up there. + +Bert, who had sat down in a dining-room chair, began to feel sleepy. +He tried to keep open his eyes, but it was hard work. Suddenly he +dozed off, and he was just on the point of falling asleep, when he +heard a noise. It was a squeaking sound, as though a door had been +opened. + +"Or," thought Bert, "it might be the squeak of a mouse. I wonder if +Harry heard it?" + +He wanted to call out, in a whisper, and ask his cousin in the +dining-room, just beyond the passage. Bert could not see Harry. But Bert +thought if he called, even in a whisper, he might scare the rat, or +whoever, or whatever, it was, that had caused the mystery. + +So Bert kept quiet and watched. The squeaking noise of the loose +boards in the floor went on, and then Bert heard a sound, as though +soft footsteps were coming toward him. He wanted to jump up and yell, +but he kept still. + +Then, suddenly, Bert saw something. + +Standing in the dining-room door, looking at him, was a boy, about his +own age--a boy dressed in ragged clothes, and in bare feet, and in his +hand this boy held a piece of bread, and a slice of cake. + +"You--you!" began Bert, wondering where he had seen that boy before. +And then, before Bert could say any more, the boy turned to run away, +and Bert jumped up to catch him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE STOWAWAY + + +"Come back here!" cried Bert, as he rushed on. + +There was the sound of a fall in the passageway, and some one groaned. + +"What is it?" cried Harry, running from the kitchen. "What's the +matter, Bert? Did you catch the rat?" + +"No, but I caught something else," Bert answered. By this time he had +run into the passageway, and there, in front of the locker, or closet, +where the strange noises had been heard, lay the ragged boy. He had +fallen and hurt his head. The cake and bread had been knocked from his +hands. The door of the locker or closet was open. + +"Why--why---" began Harry, in surprise. "It's a--a boy." + +"Yes, and now I know who he is," said Bert, as the stowaway sat up, +not having been badly hurt by his fall. He had tripped in his bare +feet. + +"Who--who is it?" asked Harry. + +"It's that boy who gave us the fish--Will Watson, who worked for the +man that made the wire fence--Mr. Hardee." + +"Yes, I'm that boy," said the other, slowly. "Oh, I hope your folks +won't be very mad at me. I--I didn't know what to do, so when I ran +away, I hid on your boat." + +"And have you been here ever since?" asked Bert. + +"Yes," answered Will. "I've been hiding here ever since." + +"And was it you who took the things?" Harry wanted to know. + +"Yes, I took them. I was half starved. But I'll pay you back as soon +as I get out west, where my uncle lives. He's a gold miner, and I +guess he's got lots of money. Oh, I hope your father and mother will +forgive me." + +"Of course they will," said Bert, seeing tears in the eyes of the +ragged boy. + +"What's the matter there?" called Mr. Bobbsey. "Has anything happened, +Bert?" + +"Yes," answered Bert. "We've solved the mystery--Harry and I." + +"Solved the mystery!" cried Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll be right there." + +"Oh, what can it be?" his wife asked. + +Meanwhile, Captain White, Dinah and the little Bobbsey twins had been +awakened by the loud voices. Up on deck Snap, the dog, feeling that +something was wrong, was barking loudly. + +"I--I hope the dog doesn't get me!" said Will, looking about. + +"I won't let him hurt you," promised Bert. "So it was you, hiding in +the closet that made Snap act so funny?" he asked. "He knew you were +there." + +"Yes, only I wasn't in the closet all the while. There was a loose +board at the back. I could slip out of the closet through that hole. I +hid down in the lower part of the boat. I'll show you." + +"You poor boy!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey when, with her husband, she had +come to see the "mystery," as Bert laughingly called him. + +"Indeed we'll forgive you. You must have had a terrible time, hiding +away as you did. Now tell us all about it. But first I want you to +drink this warm milk Dinah has made for you," for Mrs. Bobbsey had +told the cook to heat some. "You look half starved," she said to the +boy. + +"I am," answered Will. "I--I didn't take any more of your food than I +could help, though." + +"Yo' am welcome to all yo' want, honey lamb!" exclaimed Dinah. "Mah +land, but I shuah am glad yo' ain't no ghostest! I shuah am!" and she +sighed in relief, as she saw that Will was a real, flesh-and-blood +boy. He was, however, very thin and starved-looking. + +"Now tell us all about it," said Mr. Bobbsey. "How did you come on our +boat?" + +Will told them. After Mr. Bobbsey had stopped the cruel farmer from +beating him, Will crawled up to his room to sob himself to sleep. Then +he began to think that after the houseboat had gone, Mr. Hardee would +probably treat him all the more meanly, on account of having been +interfered with. + +"So I just ran away," said Will. "I packed up what few things I had, +and when I saw your boat near shore, I crept aboard and hid myself +away. I easily found a place down--down cellar," he said with a smile. + +"I suppose you mean in the hold, or the place below the lower deck," +spoke Mr. Bobbsey. "Cellars on a boat are called 'holds.' Well, what +happened?" + +"I--I just stayed there. I found some old bags, and made a bed on +them," Will said. "Then when my food gave out, I used to crawl out +during the nights and take some from your kitchen. + +"I had some bread when I ran away," Will went on. "I took it from Mrs. +Hardee's kitchen, but they owed me money for working, and I didn't +take more bread than I ought." + +"I'm sure you didn't," said Mrs. Bobbsey, kindly. + +"I didn't want you to know I was on board the boat," Will resumed, +"for I was afraid you'd send me off, and I didn't want Mr. Hardee to +find me again. I was afraid he'd whip me." + +"But what did you intend to do?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Well, I heard you say you were going to Lake Romano," said the boy, +"and I thought I would ride as far as you went. Then I wouldn't have +so far to walk to get to my uncle out west. I'm going to him. He'll +look after me, I know. I can't stand Mr. Hardee any more." + +"You poor boy. We'll help you find your uncle," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"And you've been on board ever since?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Yes, sir. I hid down in the 'hold,' as you call it. Then when I got +hungry, I found a loose board, so I could get into the closet. Then at +night I would come out and get things to eat and a little water or +milk to drink. I didn't mean any harm." + +"No, I'm sure you did not," the twins' father said. "Well, I'm glad +Bert found you," he went on, as Bert and Harry told how they had kept +watch. "So it was you who took the things, and who made the noises +that frightened Dinah?" + +"Yes, but I didn't mean, to scare her," Will said. "That day I got my +hand caught in the loose board, and it hurt so, and I felt so bad that +I--I cried. That was what she heard, I guess." + +"You poor boy!" said Mrs. Bobbsey again. + +"And--and did you see any rats in the cellar?" asked Freddie, who was +moving about in his little night dress. + +"No," answered Will, "I didn't see any rats. It was bad enough in the +dark place, without any rats." + +"Well, I guess your troubles are over, for a time," said Mr. Bobbsey. +"We'll fix you up a bed, and then I'll have a talk with you about this +miner uncle of yours." + +Will finished his warm milk, and ate some bread and cake--the same he +had taken from Dinah's kitchen. He had gone in there and taken it, but +Harry had not heard him, for Harry had fallen asleep. + +"And so it was a stowaway boy, and not rats or ghosts or anything else +that was the mystery," said Mrs. Bobbsey, when everything once more +quiet on the Bluebird. + +"That's what it was," her husband said "Bert was real smart to sit up +and watch." + +"And he never told us a thing about it." + +"Oh, he wanted to surprise us," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. + +"And didn't I see you, the time I fell overboard?" asked Flossie, +looking at Will. + +"I think you did," he laughed. "I happened to put my head out of a +ventilating hole just as you looked. I pulled it in again, soon +enough, though. I hope I didn't scare you." + +"Not very much," Flossie said. "I was sure I saw you, but nobody else +would believe me." + +Snap soon made friends with the new boy. It was Will, hiding behind +the closet wall, that had made the dog act as though a rat were there. + +I must bring my story to a close, now that the mystery is explained. +And, really, there is little else to tell. Will had, in the little +bundle of things he had brought away from Mr. Hardee's with him, the +address of a man he thought knew where the miner uncle was. Mr. +Bobbsey wrote several letters, and, in due time, word came back that +Will's uncle was well off now, and would look after him. His name was +Mr. Jackson. He had lost track of Will for some years and had just +begun a search for him, when Mr. Bobbsey's letter came. Enough money +was sent on to enable Will to make the trip out west, where he would +be well cared for. He could not thank the Bobbsey family enough for +what they had done for him. + +Mr. Hardee heard where his runaway boy had been found, and tried to +get him back, but Mr. Bobbsey would not permit this. So Will's life +began to be a pleasant one. The time he had spent on the houseboat, +after coming from his hiding place, was the happiest he had ever +known. + +"Well, what shall we do now?" asked Bert one day, after Will had gone. +"It seems queer not to have to be on the lookout for a mystery or +something like that." + +"Doesn't it," agreed Harry. + +"And so that was your secret?" asked Nan. + +"Yes, that was it," her brother answered. "But I wish we had something +to do now." + +"Whatever you do, you want to do in the next two weeks," said Mr. +Bobbsey, coming up on deck. + +"Why?" asked Bert. + +"Because our houseboat trip will come to an end then." + +"Oh!" cried the Bobbsey twins in a chorus. "That's too bad!" + +"But I have other pleasures for you," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "The summer +vacation is not yet over." + +And those of you who wish to read of what further pleasures the +children had, may do so in the following volume, which will be called +"The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook." + +"Let's have one more picnic on an island!" proposed Nan, a few days +before the trip on Lake Romano was to end. + +"And a marshmallow roast!" added Dorothy. + +"Fine!" cried Bert. "I'll eat all the candies you toast!" + +"And I'll help!" added Harry. + +"You boys will have to make the fire," Nan said. + +"I'll gather wood!" offered Freddie. "And I'll have my little fire +engine all ready to put out the blaze, if it gets too big." + +"A pail of water will be better," laughed Bert. "Your engine might get +going so fast, like it did once, we couldn't stop it." + +"I'll sharpen the sticks to put the marshmallows on," offered Harry. + +"I wish Will Watson was here to help us eat these," said Nan a little +later that afternoon, when the children were having their marshmallow +roast on a little island in the lake. "He was a nice boy." + +"Yes, and he will be well looked after now," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Your +father had a letter from the miner uncle to-day, saying he was going +to make a miner of Will. He gave up the idea of going to sea." + +"And will he dig gold?" asked Flossie. + +"I suppose so, dear!" + +"Oh, I'm going to dig gold when I grow to be a man," said Freddie. +"May I have another marshmallow, Nan?" "Yes, little fat fireman," she +laughed. + +A few days later, after making a trip around the lower end of the +lake, the Bobbsey twins started for home, reaching there safely, and +having no more trouble with Mr. Hardee and his wire fence. + +And so, as they are now safe at home, we shall say good-bye to the +Bobbsey twins and their friends. + +THE END + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat, by Laura Lee Hope + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT *** + +***** This file should be named 5948.txt or 5948.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/9/4/5948/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +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. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/5948.zip b/5948.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e354a9f --- /dev/null +++ b/5948.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..51553e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #5948 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5948) diff --git a/old/tbthb10.txt b/old/tbthb10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f41cb78 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tbthb10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6101 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat, by Laura Lee Hope +#9 in our series by Laura Lee Hope + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat + +Author: Laura Lee Hope + +Release Date: June, 2004 [EBook #5948] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on September 23, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT + +BY + +LAURA LEE HOPE + +Author Of The "Bobbsey Twins," "The Outdoor Girls Of Deepdale," "The +Outdoor Girls In Florida," "The Moving Picture Girls," "The Moving +Picture Girls At Rocky Ranch," Etc. + +ILLUSTRATED + + + + +BOOKS BY LAURA LEE HOPE + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES +For Little Men and Women + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS +THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE +THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK + +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES + + +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA + +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES + +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. GOOD NEWS + II. SNAP SAVES FREDDIE + III. DINAH'S UPSET + IV. AT THE HOUSEBOAT + V. THE STRANGE BOY + VI. FREDDIE'S FIRE ENGINE + VII. THE TWO COUSINS + VIII. OFF IN THE "BLUEBIRD" + IX. SNOOP AND SNAP + X. DOWN THE CREEK + XI. THE MEAN MAN + XII. THE WIRE FENCE + XIII. THE RUNAWAY BOY + XIV. OFF AGAIN + XV. OVERBOARD + XVI. THE MISSING SANDWICHES + XVII. IN THE STORM +XVIII. STRANGE NOISES + XIX. SNAP'S QUEER ACTIONS + XX. AT THE WATERFALL + XXI. WHAT BERT SAW + XXII. THE STOWAWAY + + + + +CHAPTER I + +GOOD NEWS + + +"What are you doing, Freddie?" asked Bert Bobbsey, leaning over to oil +the front wheel of his bicycle, while he glanced at his little +brother, who was tying strings about the neck of a large, handsome +dog. + +"Making a harness," answered Freddie, not taking time to look up. + +"A harness?" repeated Bert, with a little laugh. "How can you make a +harness out of bits of string?" + +"I'm going to have straps, too," went on Freddie, keeping busily on +with his work. "Flossie has gone in after them. It's going to be a +fine, strong harness." + +"Do you mean you are going to harness up Snap?" asked Bert, and he +stood his bicycle against the side of the house, and came over to +where Freddie sat near the big dog. + +"Yes. Snap is going to be my horse," explained Freddie. "I'm going to +hitch him to my express wagon, and Flossie and I are going to have a +ride." + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed Bert. "You won't get much of a ride with THAT +harness," and he looked at the thin cord which the small boy was +winding about the dog's neck. + +"Why not?" asked Freddie, a little hurt at Bert's laughter. Freddie, +like all small boys, did not like to be laughed at. + +"Why, Snap is so strong that he'll break that string in no time," said +Bert. "Besides--" + +"Flossie's gone in for our booty straps, I tell you!" said Freddie. +"Then our harness will be strong enough. I'm only using string for +part of it. I wish she'd hurry up and come out!" and Freddie glanced +toward the house. But there was no sign of his little sister Flossie. + +"Maybe she can't find them," suggested Bert. "You know what you and +Flossie do with your books and straps, when you come home from school +Friday afternoons--you toss them any old place until Monday morning." + +"I didn't this time!" said sturdy little Freddie, looking up quickly. +"I--I put 'em--I put 'em--oh, well, I guess Flossie can find 'em!" he +ended, for trying to remember where he had left his books was more +than he could do this bright, beautiful, Saturday morning, when there +was no school. + +"I thought so!" laughed Bert, as he turned to go back to his bicycle, +for he intended to go for a ride, and had just cleaned, and was now +oiling, his wheel. + +"Well, Flossie can find 'em, so she can," went on Freddie, as he held +his head on one side and looked at a knotted string around the neck of +Snap, the big dog. + +"I wonder how Snap is going to like it?" asked Bert. "Did you ever +hitch him to your express wagon before, Freddie?" + +"Yes. But he couldn't pull us." + +"Why not?" + +"'Cause I only had him tied with strings, and they broke. But I'm +going to use our book straps now, and they'll hold." + +"Maybe they will--if you can find 'em--or if Flossie can," Bert went +on with a laugh. + +Freddie said nothing. He was too busy tying more strings about Snap's +neck. These strings were to serve as reins for the dog-horse. Since +Snap would not keep them in his mouth, as a horse does a bit, they had +to go around his neck, as oxen wear their yokes. + +Snap stretched out comfortably on the grass, his big red tongue +hanging out of his mouth. He was panting, and breathing hard, for he +and Freddie had had a romping play in the grass, before quieting down +for the horse-game. + +"There, Snap!" Freddie exclaimed, after a bit. "Now you're almost +hitched up. I wish Flossie would hurry up with those straps." + +Freddie Bobbsey stood up to look once more toward the house, which his +little twin sister had entered a few minutes before, having offered to +go in and look for the book straps. She had not come back, and Freddie +was getting Impatient. + +At last the little girl appeared on the side porch. Her yellow hair +blew in the gentle June breeze, making sort of a golden light about +her head. + +"Freddie! Freddie!" she cried. "I can't find 'em! I can't find the +book straps anywhere!" + +"Why, I put 'em--I put 'em--" said Freddie helplessly, trying to +remember where he had put them, when he came in from school the day +before. + +"You've got to come and help me hunt for 'em!" Flossie went on. "Mamma +says she can't find the straps." + +"All right. I'll come," spoke Freddie. "Snap, you stay here!" he +ordered, but the big dog only blinked, and stuck out his tongue +farther than ever. Perhaps he had already made up his mind what he +would do when Freddie let him alone. + +Off toward the house went the little fat Freddie. He was pretty plump +--so much so that his father often called him a little "fat fireman." +Freddie was very fond of playing fireman, ever since the time he had +owned a toy fire engine. But to-day he had other ideas. + +"I'll find those straps," he said, as he toddled off. "Then we'll +hitch Snap to my express wagon, and Flossie and I'll have a fine ride. +Don't you run away, Snap." + +Snap did not say whether he would or not. Flossie, standing on the +side porch, waited for her little brother. She was just his age, and +only a little smaller in height. She was just about as fat and plump +as was Freddie, and both had light curly hair. They made a pretty +picture together, and if Freddie was a "fat fireman" Flossie was a +"fat fairy," which pet name her father often called her. + +"Did you look under the sofa for the straps?" asked Freddie when he +had joined his sister. + +"Yes. I looked there, and--and--everywhere," she answered. "I can't +find 'em." + +"Maybe Snap hid 'em," suggested Freddie. + +"Maybe," agreed Flossie. "He would, if he knew you were going to hitch +him up with 'em." + +"Pooh. He couldn't know that," said Freddie. "I didn't know it myself +until a little while ago, and I didn't tell anybody but you." + +"Well, maybe Snap heard us talking about it," went on Flossie. "He's +awful smart, you know, Freddie, from having been in a circus." + +"But he isn't smart enough for that, even if he can do lots of +tricks," Freddie went on. "There's Snoop!" he exclaimed, as a big, +black cat ran across the lawn. "Maybe SHE took our book straps." + +"She couldn't," said Flossie. "Our books were in 'em, and they'd be +too heavy for Snoop to drag." + +"That's so," admitted Freddie. "Well, come on, we'll find 'em!" + +The twins went into the house and began searching for the straps. High +and low they looked, in all the usual, and unusual, places, where they +sometimes tossed their books when they came in from school Friday +afternoons, with the joyous cry of: + +"No more lessons until Monday! Hurray!" + +But this time they seemed to have tossed their books and straps into +some very much out-of-the-way place, indeed. + +"We can't find 'em," said Flossie. "Can't you take some strong string, +to tie Snap to the wagon, instead of the straps, Freddie?" + +"I don't think so," he answered. "I know what to do. Let's ask Dinah. +Maybe she's seen 'em." + +"Oh, yes, let's!" agreed Flossie, and together they hurried to the +kitchen where Dinah, the big, good-natured, colored cook, was rattling +the pots and pans. + +"Dinah! Dinah!" cried Flossie and Freddie in a twins' chorus. + +"Yep-um, honey-lambs! What yo' all want?" asked Dinah, opening the +oven door, to let out a little whiff of a most delicious smell, and +then quickly closing it again. "Ef yo' wants a piece ob cake, it ain't +done yit!" + +"Oh, Dinah! We don't want any cake!" said Freddie. + +"What's dat? Yo' don't want cake?" and Dinah quickly straightened up, +put her fat hands on her fat hips, and looked at the two children in +surprise. "Yo--don't--want--no cake!" gasped Dinah. "What's de mattah? +Yo' all ain't sick, is yo'?" + +For that was the only reason she could think of why Flossie and +Freddie should not want cake--as they generally did Saturday morning. + +"No, we're not sick," said Flossie, "and we'd like a piece of cake a +little later, please Dinah. But just now we want our book straps. Have +you seen 'em?" + +"Book straps! Book straps!" exclaimed Dinah in great surprise. "Go +'long wif yo' now! I ain't got no time to be bodderin' wif book +straps, when dey's pies an' puddin's an' cakes t' bake. Trot along +now, an' let ole Dinah be! Book straps! Huh!" + +Flossie and Freddie knew there was little use in "bodderin'" Dinah any +more, especially when she was in the midst of her baking. + +"Come on, Flossie," spoke Freddie. "We'll have another look for those +straps. Next time I'll put our books where we can find 'em." + +Once more the children started through the different rooms. They +looked everywhere. But no straps could they find. + +"You see what a lot of trouble it makes, not only for you, but for +others as well, when you don't take care of your books," said Mrs. +Bobbsey gently. She knew it would be a good lesson for the twins to +search for their things. Next time they might remember. + +Suddenly, from out in the yard, came a shout. + +"Freddie! Freddie! Come out here, quick!" + +"That's Bert!" exclaimed Freddie. + +"Oh, maybe he's found the straps, so we can harness up Snap," cried +Flossie. + +But Bert's next words soon told the younger twins that it was no such +good luck as that, for he cried: + +"Snap's running away, Freddie! He's running away. If you're going to +harness him up you'll have to catch him!" + +"Oh dear!" cried Flossie. + +"Come on, help me catch him!" called Freddie. + +Together they ran into the yard. As Bert had said, Snap, getting tired +of being tied to a post with a thin string, had broken the cord, and +now was racing over the fields after another dog with whom he often +played. + +"Come back, Snap! Come back!" cried Freddie. + +Snap paid no heed. + +Just then, through the front gate, came a girl. She looked so much +like Bert, with his dark hair and eyes, with his slimness and his +tallness, that you could tell at once she was his sister. As soon as +Flossie saw her, she cried: + +"Oh, Nan! We were going to hitch Snap to the express wagon, but +Freddie and I can't find our straps, and Snap ran away, and--and--" + +"Never mind, Flossie dear," said Nan. "Wait until you hear the good +news I have for you!" + +"Good news?" exclaimed Bert, coming away from his bicycle, toward his +twin sister. + +"Yes, the very best!" Nan went on. "It's about a houseboat! Now, +Flossie and Freddie, sit down on the grass and I'll tell you all about +the good news!" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SNAP SAVES FREDDIE + + +Down on the soft green grass of the lawn, sat the two sets of Bobbsey +twins. Yes, there were two "sets" of them, and I shall tell you how +that was, in a little while. + +"Begin at the beginning," suggested Bert to his sister. He always +liked to hear all of anything, so Nan prepared to skip nothing. + +"Well," said Nan, as she leaned over to re-tie the bow of Flossie's +hair ribbon. It had become loose in the hurried search for the book +straps. "Well, you know I went down to papa's lumber office this +morning, to bring him the letter that came here to the house by +mistake. It was a letter from--" + +"You can skip that part of it," suggested Bert. "I don't want to wait +so long about hearing the news." + +"Well, I thought I'd tell you everything," said Nan. "Anyhow, when I +was in papa's office he bought it." + +"What did he buy?" asked Freddie, getting to the point more quickly +than Bert would have done. "What'd he buy, Nan?" + +"A houseboat," went on the older girl twin. Mr. Marvin was there, and +he sold papa the Marvin houseboat. Oh! and such fun as we're--" + +"What's a houseboat?" interrupted Flossie. + +"It's a boat with a house on it, of course," spoke Bert, eagerly. "I +know. I've seen lots of them. You can live in them just like in a +house, only it's on water. There's more room in a houseboat than in a +regular boat. Go on, Nan." + +"Are we going to live in it?" asked Freddie. + +"I think so--at least part of the time," said Nan. "Now I'll tell you +all I know about it. I couldn't stay to ask all I wanted to, as papa +was busy. Besides, it was sort of a secret, and I found it out by +accident before he meant me to. So you mustn't tell mamma yet--it's to +be a surprise to her," and Nan looked at the two smaller twins, and +raised a cautioning finger. + +"I won't tell," promised Flossie. + +"Neither will I," promised Freddie. "Is that all you're going to tell +us, Nan?" + +"Well, isn't that enough?" demanded Nan. "I think it's just fine, that +we're going to have a houseboat! I've always wanted one." + +"So have I," spoke Bert. "Go on, Nan! Tell me more about it. How big +is it? Is there an engine in it? Where is it? Can we go on board? When +is papa going to get it? Is there a room for me in it? I wonder if I +can run the engine and steer? How much did it cost?" + +"Gracious!" cried Nan, pretending to cover her ears with her hands. +"It will take me all morning, Bert, to answer those questions. Please +start over again." + +"First tell me where I can see the boat," suggested Bert. "I want to +go look at it." + +"It's down in the lake," said Nan. + +"Come on, Flossie," spoke Freddie. "There's Snap coming back now, and +maybe we can catch him. Then we'll harness him up. Dinah ought to be +done with her baking now, and maybe she can find those straps for us. +Here, Snap!" + +Flossie and Freddie, being some years younger than Bert and Nan, did +not care to bear much more about the houseboat just then. That they +were going to have one was enough for them. They were much pleased and +delighted, but they had the idea of hitching Snap to the express +wagon, and they could not get that out of their minds. + +"You go in and ask Dinah to help you look for the straps," directed +Freddie to his little sister, "and I'll catch Snap. Here, Snap! Snap!" +he called to the dog who had come back into the yard after a romp and +frolic with his animal friend. + +Snap was glad enough to stretch out on the grass and rest. He was +tired from his run. Freddie put his arms around the dog's neck, and +laid his head down on the shaggy coat. + +"Now you can't run away again," said Freddie, as he pretended to go to +sleep, while Flossie toddled into the house once more, to have another +look for the missing book straps. + +At a little distance from Freddie sat Nan and Bert, talking about the +houseboat, and the good times they would have on board. Freddie roused +up, and looked toward the house. Flossie had not yet come out. + +"It takes her a long time," said the little boy. "We won't have any +ride at all, if she doesn't hurry up." + +Then Freddie saw something else that attracted his attention. This was +Bert's bicycle, leaning now against the side of a shed. Bert was too +much interested in the houseboat to want to ride just then. + +A new idea came into Freddie's head. + +"I'm going to have a ride on Bert's wheel, while I'm waiting for +Flossie to come out with the straps," said the little twin chap. "Bert +won't care." + +Freddie did not take any chances on asking Bert. His elder brother was +still busy talking to Nan about the new houseboat. Freddie scrambled +to his feet. + +"Now you stay there, Snap!" he commanded the big dog, for Snap, ready +again for some fun, was anxious to follow his little master. "Lie +down, Snap!" ordered Freddie, and Snap again stretched out. + +Freddie walked slowly over toward the bicycle. Of course he was too +small to ride it in the regular way, with his feet on the pedals, for +his little legs were not long enough to reach them. But he could sit +on the seat, and Bert had taught him how to steer a little, so that +though a bicycle has only two wheels, and will tip over if it is not +properly guided, Freddie could manage to ride a little way on it +without toppling over, especially if some one put him on and gave him +a push, or if he was given a start down a little hill. + +"I'm going to have a ride," thought Freddie. "I'll have a little ride, +while I'm waiting for Flossie." + +Freddie had a velocipede of his own, but that had three wheels instead +of two. Freddie thought two wheels were much more fun than three. + +"If I can get up on that bicycle, I'll have a nice ride," murmured +Freddie. He looked toward the house. Flossie was not in sight. She had +not yet found the straps. + +Then Freddie looked toward Bert and Nan. They were still busy talking +about the houseboat. They paid no attention to Freddie. + +The little twin chap looked around until he had found a small box. By +stepping on this he could get up on the seat of the bicycle, which was +leaning against the shed. Then Freddie could give himself a little +push, and away he would go. There was a little hill leading from where +the bicycle stood down to the gate, and into the road. The gate was +open. + +"Maybe I can even ride down the road a little way," thought Freddie to +himself. "That would be great." + +It was rather hard work for Freddie to get up on the bicycle from the +box, but he managed it. Then he sat on the leather saddle, and took +hold of the handle bars. As I have told you, he knew how to steer, +even though he could not reach the pedals. + +"Here I go!" cried Freddie softly, as he gave himself a little push. +Down the hill he went, along the path, straight for the yard gate. + +"Oh! I'm going out in the road!" exclaimed Freddie, this time out +loud, for he was far enough away from Nan and Bert now. + +And into the road he did go, on Bert's bicycle. The wheel was going +faster and faster, for Bert had just oiled it and it rode very +smoothly. + +"This is great!" Freddie cried. "Maybe I can ride all the way to the +bridge." + +He looked down the road to where a little white bridge spanned a small +brook. And then, as Freddie looked, he saw something which made his +heart beat very fast indeed. For, coming right toward him, was a team +of horses, hitched to a big lumber wagon--it was one of Freddie's +papa's own lumber teams, as the little boy could see for himself. + +On came the trotting team, pulling the heavily laden lumber wagon, +and, worst of all, there was no driver on the seat to guide the +horses. They were trotting away all by themselves, and Freddie was out +in the road, on the bicycle that was far too big for him, + +"Oh dear!" cried Freddie. + +Just then he heard Flossie scream. She had come out on the side porch, +and she saw the team coming toward her little brother. + +"Nan! Bert!" screamed Flossie. "Look at Freddie!" + +Nan and Bert jumped up and raced down the path. + +"Freddie's in trouble again!" thought Bert. + +It was not the first time Freddie had gotten into mischief. Though +usually he was a pretty good boy, he sometimes made trouble without +intending to. + +I have told you there were two sets of Bobbsey twins, and those of you +who have read the first book of this series know what I mean by that. +The first book is called "The Bobbsey Twins," and in that I told you +how the Bobbsey family lived in an eastern city called Lakeport, at +the head of Lake Metoka. Mr. Bobbsey was a lumber merchant, and owned +a large sawmill, and a yard, near the lake, in which yard were piled +many stacks of lumber. + +Nan and Bert were the older Bobbsey twins, being past nine, while +Flossie and Freddie were about "half-past-five." So you see that is +how there were two sets of twins. Nan was a tall, slender girl, with a +dark face and red cheeks. Her eyes were brown, and so were her curls. +Bert, too, was quite dark, like Nan. + +Flossie and Freddie were very light, with blue eyes. They were short +and fat, instead of tall and thin. So you see the two sets of twins +were very different. + +Oh! such good times as the Bobbsey twins had! I could not tell you all +of them, if I wrote a dozen books. But some of the good times I have +related in the first book. In the second, called "The Bobbsey Twins in +the Country," there are more happenings mentioned. + +Uncle Daniel Bobbsey, his wife Sarah, and their son Harry lived in the +country, at a place called Meadow Brook, and there the twins often +went on their vacation. + +Uncle William Minturn, and his wife Emily, with their nine-year-old +daughter Dorothy, lived at Ocean Cliff. As you might guess, this was +on the coast, and in the third book, "The Bobbsey Twins at the +Seashore," I have told you of the good times the children had there, +how they saw a wreck, and what came of it. + +In "The Bobbsey Twins at School" you will find out how they came to +get the dog Snap, as a pet. They already had a black cat, named Snoop, +but one day, when the twins, with their father and mother, were on a +railroad train, something happened, and Snoop was lost. + +They found Snap, instead. He was a circus dog, and--but there, if you +want to read of Snap, you must do so in the book about him. I shall +tell you this much, though. Snap was a very fine dog, and could do +many tricks, and in the end the Bobbseys kept him for a pet, as well +as getting back their lost cat Snoop. + +When school was over for the winter holidays one year, the Bobbseys +went to "Snow Lodge," and in the book of that name I have told you +about a queer mystery the twins helped solve while out amid the snow +and ice. + +Now the Bobbseys were back in their fine house in Lakeport, where +Dinah, the fat cook, gave them such good things to eat, and where Sam +Johnson, her husband, kept the lawns so nice and green for the +children to play on. + +Just now Freddie Bobbsey would have been very glad, indeed, to be +playing on that same lawn instead of being on his brother's bicycle, +rolling toward the team of lumber horses, who were coming straight for +him. + +"Oh, look at Freddie! Look at Freddie!" screamed Flossie, dropping the +two book straps which she had at last found. "Save him, Nan! Bert! Oh, +Freddie!" + +"I 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed fat Dinah in the kitchen. "Dem +chillens am up t' some mo' trouble!" + +"Freddie, steer to one side! Steer out of the way!" shouted Bert, as +he ran for the gate. He could not hope to reach his little brother in +time, though. + +Freddie was too frightened and excited to steer. The bicycle was going +fast--faster than he had ever ridden on it before. All he could do was +to sit tight, and hold fast to the handle bars. + +"Oh, he'll be run over!" cried Nan, as she, too, raced after Bert. + +The team, with no driver to guide it, ran faster and faster. Freddie +began to cry. And then, all at once, the front wheel of the bicycle +ran over a stone, and turned to one side. The handle bars were jerked +from Freddie's grasp, and over he went, wheel and all! + +Luckily for him, he fell to one side of the road, on the soft grass, +or he might have been injured, but, as it was, the fall did not hurt +him at all. One of his little fat legs, though, became tangled up in +the wire spokes of the front wheel, and Freddie lay there, with the +wheel on top of him, unable to get up. + +"Oh, Bert! Bert!" screamed Nan. + +"Grab him--quick!" shouted Dinah, waddling down the walk. But she was +too fat to go fast enough to do any good. + +"Roll out of the way, Freddie!" cried Bert. + +Freddie was too much entangled in the wheel to be able to move. And, +all the while, the lumber team was coming nearer and nearer to him. +Would the horses, with no driver at the reins, know enough to turn to +one side, or would the wheels roll over poor Freddie and the bicycle? + +Nan covered her face with her hands. She did not want to look at what +was going to happen. + +"I must get there in time to pull him out of the way!" thought Bert, +as he ran as fast as he could. But the team was almost on Freddie now. + +Suddenly the dog Snap, who had jumped up when he heard the shouts, saw +what the danger was. Snap knew about horses, and he was smart enough +to know that Freddie was in danger. + +Without waiting for anyone to tell him what to do, Snap ran straight +for the lumber team. Leaping up in front of them, and barking as +loudly as he could, Snap turned the trotting horses to one side. And +just in time, too, for, a little more, and one of the front wheels of +the heavily loaded lumber wagon would have run over the bicycle in +which Freddie was still entangled. + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. The horses were perhaps afraid of being +bitten, though Snap was very gentle. At any rate, they turned aside, +and would have run on faster, only Snap, leaping up, grabbed the +dangling reins in his teeth and pulled hard on them. "Whoa!" called +Bert. When the horses heard this, and felt the tug on the lines, they +knew it meant to stop. And stop they did. Snap had saved Freddie. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +DINAH'S UPSET + + +"What's the matter? What has happened?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, who had +run out to the front porch, upon hearing the excited cries, and the +exclamations of fat Dinah, the cook. "Oh! has anything happened to any +of the children?" + +"Yes'm, I s'pects there has, ma'am," said Dinah. "Pore li'l Freddie am +done smashed all up flatter'n a pancake, Mrs. Bobbsey!" + +"Freddie--Oh!" + +"He's all right!" shouted Bert, who had, by this time, reached his +little brother, and was lifting him out of the bicycle. "Not hurt a +bit, are you, Freddie?" + +"N--no, I--I guess not," said Freddie, a bit doubtfully. "I--I'm +scared, though." + +"Nothing to be frightened at now, Freddie," said Bert, holding up the +little chap, so his mother could see him. + +"Why, Freddie isn't hurt, Dinah," said Mrs. Bobbsey, in great relief. +"What made you think so?" + +"Well, I seed him all tangled up in dat two-wheeled velocipede ob +Bert's, an' de hoss team was comin' right down on de honey-lamb. I +thought shuah he was gwine t' be squashed flatter'n a pancake. But he +ain't! Bless mah soul he ain't! Oh, dere's mah cake burnin'!" and into +the kitchen ran Dinah, glad, indeed, that nothing had happened worse +than the scare Freddie received. + +"Good Snap! Good old dog!" said Nan, as she patted his head. + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. He still held the horse reins in his strong +white teeth. He was not going to let the horses go yet. + +"Oh, Freddie!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, when she understood what had +happened. "What danger you were in! Why did you take Bert's wheel?" + +"I--I wanted a ride, Mamma. I didn't think I'd fall off, or that the +team would come." + +"You must never do it again," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Never get on Bert's +wheel again, unless he is with you to hold you. You are, too small, +yet, for a bicycle." + +"Yes'm," said Freddie in a low voice. + +"But where is the driver of the wagon?" went on Mrs. Bobbsey, looking +at the empty seat. + +"Maybe he fell off," suggested Nan, who had taken Freddie from Bert, +the latter picking up his wheel, and looking to see if it had been +damaged by the fall. But it was all right. + +"Here comes a driver now," said Flossie, who saw one of the men from +her father's lumber yard hurrying along the road. + +"Is anybody hurt?" the man asked, as he came up, running and breathing +fast, for he had come a long way. + +"No one, I think," answered Mrs. Bobbsey. "But my little boy had a +very narrow escape." + +"I am sorry," said the driver. "I left the team standing out in front +of the lumber yard, while I went in the office to find out where I was +to deliver the planks. When I came out the horses were trotting away. +I guess they were scared by something. I ran fast, but I could not +catch them." + +"Snap caught them for you," said the twins' mother, as she looked at +the former circus dog, who was still holding the horse-reins. + +"Yes, he's a good dog," the lumber wagon driver said. "I was afraid, +when I saw how far the horses had gone, that they might do some +damage. But I'm glad no one was hurt." + +"I think we all are glad," spoke Mrs. Bobbsey. "It was partly my +little boy's own fault, for he should not have gotten on his brother's +bicycle. But he won't do it again." + +"No, I never will!" promised Freddie, as he rubbed his leg where it +had been bruised a little from becoming tangled up in the wire spokes. + +Snap barked and wagged his tail, as the driver took the lines from +him, and then, when the man drove off with the horses and the load of +lumber, Mrs. Bobbsey went with the twins back into the yard. + +"Well, I'm glad all the excitement is over," she said. "Where were +you, Nan? Grace Lavine called for you, but I looked out in the yard +and did not see you, so she went away again." + +"Why, I went down to papa's office, Mamma, with that letter you gave +me for him." + +"Yes, I know, but I supposed you had come back. What kept you so +long?" + +"Well, I--er--I was talking to papa, and---" + +Nan did not want to go on. for she did not want to tell that she had +been talking about the houseboat. + +Mr. Bobbsey had been intending to keep that as a little secret +surprise for his wife, but now, if her mother asked about it, Nan felt +she would have to tell. She hardly knew what to say, but just then +something happened that made everything all right. + +Mr. Bobbsey himself came hurrying down the street, from the direction +of his lumber office. He seemed much excited, and his hat was on +crooked, as though he had not taken time to put it on straight. + +"Is everything all right?" he called to his wife. "None of the +children hurt?" + +"No, none of them," she answered with a smile. Mr. Bobbsey could see +that for himself now, since Freddie and Flossie were going up the walk +together, Freddie tying one of the book straps around the dog's neck, +while Nan and Bert followed behind them, with Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Someone telephoned to me," said the lumber merchant, "that they saw +one of our teams running away down this street, and I was afraid our +children, or those of some of the neighbors, might be hurt. So I +hurried down to see. Did you notice anything of a runaway team?" + +"Yes," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "But everything is all right now. Only I +haven't yet heard what it was that kept Nan so long down at your +office," and she smiled. + +Nan looked at her father, and Mr. Bobbsey looked at Nan. Then they +both smiled and laughed. + +"To tell you the truth," said Mr. Bobbsey, with another smile, "Nan +discovered a secret I was not going to tell at once." + +"A secret?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey in surprise. + +"Yes, it's about---" began Nan. + +Then she stopped. + +"Go on. You might as well tell her," said Mr. Bobbsey, laughing. + +"I know!" exclaimed Freddie, who was all over his fright now. "It's +about a boathouse and---" + +"A houseboat!" interrupted Bert. "You've got the cart before the +horse, Freddie." + +"That's it!" exclaimed Nan. "Papa has bought the Marvin's houseboat, +Mamma, and we're going to have lovely times in it this summer." + +"And I'm going to run the engine," declared Bert. + +"I'm going to be fireman!" cried fat Freddie. "I'm going to put on +coal and squirt water on the fires!" + +"I'm going to sit on deck and play with my dolls," spoke Flossie, who +was trying to climb up on Snap's back to get a ride. + +Mrs. Bobbsey looked at her husband. + +"Really?" she asked. "Have you bought the boat?" + +"Yes," he replied, "I have. You know we have been thinking of it for +some time. Lake Metoka would be just fine for a houseboat, and we +could go on quite a cruise with one. Mr. Marvin wanted to sell his +boat, and as he and I had some business dealings, and as he owed me +some money, I took the boat in part payment." + +"And is it ours now, Papa?" asked Bert. + +"Yes, the houseboat is ours. It is called the Bluebird, and that is a +good name for it, since it is painted blue--like your eyes, little fat +fairy!" he cried, catching Flossie up in his arms. + +"Is it a big boat, Papa?" asked Bert. Like most boys he liked things +big and strong. + +"Well, I think it will be large enough," said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile +as he set down Flossie and caught up Freddie in the same way. "Were +you frightened when you fell down and saw the lumber team coming +toward you?" he asked. + +"A little," Freddie said. "But I wished my legs were long enough so I +could ride Bert's bicycle. Then I could get out of the way." + +"You'd better keep away from the wheel until you are bigger," said his +father, who had been told about the accident and the excitement. "But +now I must get back to the office. I have plenty of work to do." + +"Oh, but can't you stay just a little longer, to tell us more about +the boat!" pleaded Nan. "When can we have a ride in it?" + +"A boat is called 'her,'" interrupted Bert, + +"Well, 'her' then," said Nan. "Tell us about HER, papa. I didn't hear +much at your office." + +"You heard more than I meant you to," said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile. +"Nan came in with that letter just as Mr. Marvin and I were finishing +our talk about the houseboat," he went on. "I was going to keep it +secret a little longer, but it's just as well you should know now. + +"I think you will like the Bluebird. It has a little gasoline engine, +so we can travel from place to place. And there is a large living +room, a kitchen, several bed rooms and a nice open deck, where we can +sit, when it is too hot to be inside." + +"Oh, that's going to be great!" cried Bert. "I want a room near the +engine." + +"And can I be a fireman?" asked Freddie. + +"I want to be near mamma--and you," spoke little Flossie. + +"Oh, isn't it going to be lovely!" exclaimed Nan, clapping her hands. + +"Scrumptious, I call it!" cried Bert, and he ran into the house, +through the hall, and into the dining-room, just as big, fat Dinah, +the cook, was entering the same room, carefully holding a big cake +which she had just covered with white frosting. + +"Oh dear!" cried Bert, as he ran, full tilt, Into the big cook. + +"Good land ob massy!" fairly yelled Dinah. "Wha--wha---" + +But that was all she could say. She tried to save herself from +falling, but she could not. Nor could Bert. He went down, on one side +of the doorsill, and Dinah sat down, very hard, on the other, the cake +bouncing from her hands, up toward her head, and then falling into her +lap. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AT THE HOUSEBOAT + + +"Did--did I hurt you, Dinah?" asked Bert, after he had gotten his +breath. "I'm--I'm sorry--but did I hurt you?" + +"Hurt me? Hurt me, honey lamb? No indeedy, but I done reckon yo' has +hurt yo'se'f, honey! Look at yo' pore haid!" and she pointed her fat +finger at Bert. + +"Why, what's the matter with my head?" he asked, putting up his hand. +He felt something sticky, and when he looked at his fingers, he saw +that they were covered with white stuff. + +"Oh, it's the frosting off the cake!" said Nan with a laugh. "You look +something like one of the clowns in the circus, Bert, only you haven't +enough of the white stuff on." + +"And look at Dinah!" laughed Freddie. "She's turning white!" + +"What's dat, honey lamb? Turnin' white?" gasped the big, colored cook. +"Don't say dat!" + +"It's the cake frosting on Dinah, too!" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, Bert! +why aren't you a little more careful?" + +"I'm sorry, mamma," Bert said, as he watched Dinah wipe the frosting +off her face with her apron. "I didn't know she was coming through the +door then." + +"And I shore didn't see yo', honey lamb," went on the cook. "Land ob +massy! Look at mah cake!" she cried, as she gazed at the mass in her +lap. "All de frostin' am done slid off it!" + +"Yes, you're a regular wedding cake yourself, Dinah," said Mr. +Bobbsey, who had come in to see what all the noise meant. "Well, this +seems to be a day of excitement. I'm glad it was no worse, though. +Better go up stairs and wash, Bert." + +"The cake itself isn't spoiled," said Mrs. Bobbsey, lifting it from +Dinah's lap, so the colored cook could get up. It was no easy work for +her to do this, as she was so fat. But at last, after many groanings +and gruntings, she rose to her feet, and took the cake from Mrs. +Bobbsey. + +"I'll put some mo' frostin' on it right away, ma'am," she said. "An' I +hopes nobody else runs inter me," she went on with a laugh. "I shuah +did feel skeered dat Bert was hurt bad." + +They could all laugh at the happening now, and after Mr. Bobbsey had +told a little more about the new houseboat, he went back to the +office. + +"Come on, Flossie," suggested Freddie. "Now you've found the book +straps, we can hitch Snap to the express wagon. Where'd you find 'em?" + +"The straps were on our books, under the hall rack," said Flossie. + +"That's just where I left 'em!" exclaimed Freddie. "I knew I left 'em +somewhere." + +"But next time you must remember," cautioned his mother. "And remember +another thing--no more bicycle rides--you stay on your velocipede." + +"Yes'm," said Freddie. "Come on, Flossie. Where's Snap?" + +When the little twins went to look for their big, shaggy pet, who +could do so many circus tricks, they could not find him. + +"Have you seen Snap?" asked Freddie of Dinah's husband, Sam Johnson, +who was out in the barn. + +"Snap?" repeated the colored man. "Why, Freddie, I done jest see Snap +paradin' down de road wif dat black dog from Mr. Brown's house." + +"Then Snap's gone away again," said Flossie with a sigh. "Never mind, +Freddie. Let's play steamboat, and you can be the fireman." + +"All right," he agreed, much pleased with this idea. "We'll make +believe we're in our new houseboat. Come on." + +"Steamboat" was a game the smaller twins often played on the long +Saturdays, when there was no school. All they needed was an old soap +box for the boat, and some sticks for oars. Then, with some bits of +bread or cake, which Dinah gave them to eat, in case they were +"shipwrecked," they had fine times. + +Meanwhile, Bert and Nan had asked permission of their mother to go +over to where some of their boy and girl friends lived, so they were +prepared to have a good time, too. + +"Oh, but what fun we'll have on the houseboat, won't we, Bert?" said +Nan. + +"That's what we will," he agreed with a laugh. + +Monday morning came, after Sunday (as it always does if you wait long +enough) and the two sets of Bobbsey twins started for school. + +"I wish we didn't have to go," said Bert, as he strapped up his books. +"I want to go down to our new houseboat." + +"But you must go to school," said his mother with a smile. "There will +not be many more days now. June will soon be over, and you know school +closes a little earlier than usual this year. So run along, like good +children." + +Off they hurried and soon they were mingling with their boy and girl +friends, who were also on their way to their classes. + +"You can't guess what we're going to have," said Freddie to a boy +named Johnnie Wilson, who was in his room. + +"Kittens?" asked Johnnie. + +"No." + +"Puppies?" + +"No." + +"I give up--what is it?" + +"A houseboat," said Freddie. "It's a house on a boat, and you can live +in it on water." + +"Huh!" said Johnnie. "There isn't any such thing." + +"Yes, there is, too, isn't there, Flossie?" and Freddie appealed to +his small sister. + +"'Course there is," she said. "Our papa bought one, and Freddie's +going to be the fireman, and I'm going to cook the meals, so there! +Haven't we got a houseboat, Nan?" + +"Yes, dear," answered the older sister, who was walking with Bert. At +this, coming from Nan, Johnnie had nothing to say, except that he +murmured, as he walked away: + +"Huh! A houseboat's nothing. We've got a baby at our house, and it's +got hair on its head, and two teeth!" + +"A houseboat's better'n a baby," was Freddie's opinion. + +"It is not!" cried Johnnie. + +"It is so!" Freddie exclaimed. + +"Hush!" begged Nan. "Please don't dispute. Houseboats and babies are +both nice. But now it's time to go to school." + +The Bobbsey twins could hardly wait for the classes to be out that +day, for their mother had promised to call for them after lessons, +and, with their father, they were going to see the Bluebird. The +houseboat had been brought up the lake by Mr. Marvin, and tied to a +dock not far from Mr. Bobbsey's lumber office. The boat was now the +property of Mr. Bobbsey, but that gentleman had not yet fully planned +what he would do with her. + +Just as the children were trooping out of the school yard, along came +Mrs. Bobbsey. Nan and Flossie saw their mother and hastened toward +her, while Freddie and Bert came along more slowly. + +In a little while all five of them were at Mr. Bobbsey's lumber +office. He came out of his private room, when one of his clerks told +him Mrs. Bobbsey and the children were there. + +"Ah, what can I do for you to-day?" asked Mr. Bobbsey of his wife, +just like Mr. Fitch, the grocery-store-keeper. "Would you like a +barrel of sawdust, ma'am; or a bundle of shingles to fry for the +children's suppers?" and Mr. Bobbsey pretended he was no relation to +his family. + +"I think we'll have a houseboat," said his wife with a laugh. "Have +you time to take us down to it? I can't do a thing with these +children, they are so anxious to see the Bluebird." "Well, I hope +they'll like her," said Mr. Bobbsey, "and not pull any feathers out of +her tail." + +"Oh, is there a real bird on the boat?" asked Flossie. + +"No, papa is only joking," said Nan, with a smile. + +Mr. Bobbsey put on his hat, and soon the whole Bobbsey family had +reached the place where the boat was tied. At the first sight of her, +with her pretty blue paint and white trimming, Nan cried: + +"Oh, how lovely!" + +"And how big it is!" exclaimed Freddie his eyes large and round with +wonder. + +"Let's go aboard--where's the gang-plank?" asked Bert, trying to use +some boat language he had heard from his father's lumbermen. + +The Bluebird was indeed a fine, large houseboat, roomy and +comfortable. The children went inside, and, after looking around the +main, or living room, and peering into the dining-room, Nan opened the +door of a smaller compartment. Inside she saw a cunning little bed. + +"Oh, may I have this room?" she asked. "Isn't it sweet!" + +"Here's another just like it," said Mrs. Bobbsey, opening the next +door. + +"That will be mine," said Flossie. + +"My room's going to be back here, by the engine," spoke Bert, as he +picked out his sleeping place. + +"And I'll come with you," said Freddie. "I'm going to be fireman!" +Gleefully the children were running about, clapping their hands, and +finding something new and strange every minute. + +"Where is your room, mamma?" asked Nan. "We ought to have let you and +papa have first choice." + +"Oh, there are plenty of rooms," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Let's go up on +deck and---" + +He stopped suddenly, and seemed to be listening. + +"What is it?" asked his wife. + +"There seems to be some one on this boat beside ourselves," answered +Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll go look." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE STRANGE BOY + + +The Bobbsey twins looked at one another, and then at their mother, as +Mr. Bobbsey went out of the living room of the houseboat, toward the +stairway that led up on deck. + +Bert tried to look brave, and as though he did not care. Nan moved a +little closer to her mother. As for Flossie, she, too, was a little +frightened, but Freddie did not seem at all alarmed. + +"Is it somebody come to take the boat away from us?" he asked in his +high-pitched, childish voice. "If it is--don't let 'em, papa." + +They all laughed at this--even Mr. Bobbsey, and he turned to look +around, half way up the stairs, saying: + +"No, Freddie, I won't let them take our boat." + +"Pooh! Just as if they could--it's ours!" spoke Bert. + +"Who could it be on board here, mamma?" asked Nan. + +"I don't know, dear, unless it was some one passing through the lumber +yard, who stopped to see what the boat looked like," answered Mrs. +Bobbsey. "Papa will soon find out." + +The noise they had heard was the footsteps of some one walking about +on the deck of the houseboat. + +"Perhaps it was one of the men from the office, who came to tell papa +he was wanted up there, or that some one wanted to speak to him on the +telephone," went on Mrs. Bobbsey. She saw that the children, even +Bert, were a little alarmed, for the boat was tied at a lonely place +in the lumber yard, and tramps frequently had to be driven away from +the piles of boards under which there were a number of good places to +sleep. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not mean to be unkind to the poor men who had no +homes, but tramps often smoke, and are not careful about their +matches. There had been one or two fires in the lumber yard, and Mr. +Bobbsey did not want any more blazes. + +Soon the footsteps of the children's father were heard on the deck +above them, and, a little later Freddie and the others could hear the +talk of two persons. + +"I guess it was one of the men," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'm going to see," spoke Bert, and he moved toward the stairway, +followed by Nan, Flossie and Freddie. They went up on deck and saw +their father talking to a strange boy. None of the Bobbsey children +knew him. + +"Are you looking for some one?" asked Mr. Bobbsey kindly, of the +strange boy. Often, when he was in distant parts of the lumber yard, +and he was wanted at the office, or telephone, his men might ask some +boy to run and tell the owner of the yard he was needed. But Mr. +Bobbsey had never seen this lad before. + +"No, sir, I--I wasn't looking for any one," said the boy, as he looked +down at his shoes, which were full of holes, and put his hands into +the pockets of his trousers, which were quite ragged. "I was just +looking at the boat. It's a fine one!" + +"I'm glad you like it," said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile. + +"Could you go to sea in this boat?" asked the boy, who was not very +much older than Bert. + +"Go to sea? Oh, no!" answered Mr. Bobbsey. "This boat is all right on +a lake, or river, but the big waves of the ocean would be too strong +for it. We don't intend to go to sea. Why? Are you fond of sailing?" + +"That's what I am!" cried the boy. "I'm going to sea in a ship some +day. I'm sick of farm-life!" and his eyes snapped. + +"Are you a farmer?" asked the twins' father. + +"I work for a farmer, and I don't like it--the work is too hard," the +boy said, as he hung his head. + +"There is plenty of hard work in this world," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "Of +course too much hard work isn't good for any one, but we must all do +our share. Where do you work?" + +"I work for Mr. Hardee, who lives just outside the town of Lemby," +answered the boy. + +"Oh, yes, I know Mr. Hardee," spoke Mr. Bobbsey. "I sold him some +lumber with which he built his house. So you work for him? But what +are you doing so far away from the farm?" + +"Mr. Hardee sent me over here, to Lakeport, on an errand." + +"Well, if I were you I wouldn't come so far away from where I left my +horse and wagon," cautioned Mr. Bobbsey, for the place where the boat +was tied was a long distance from the main road leading from Lakeport +to Lemby. + +"I didn't come in a wagon," said the boy. "I walked." + +"What! You don't mean to say you walked all the way from Lemby to +Lakeport?" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, who had now come up on deck. + +"Yes'm, I did," answered the boy. "Mr. Hardee said he needed the +horses to work on the farm. He said I was young, and the walk would do +me good. So Mrs. Hardee, she gave me some bread and butter for my +lunch, and I walked. I'm walking back now, and I came this way by the +lake. It's a short cut. + +"Then I happened to see this boat here. I like boats, so I thought it +wouldn't hurt to come on board." + +"Oh, no, that's all right!" said Mr. Bobbsey quickly. "I'll be glad to +have you look around, though this is only a houseboat, and not built +for ocean travel. So you work for Mr. Hardee, eh? What's your name?" + +"Will Watson," the boy said. Mrs. Bobbsey was trying to motion to her +husband to come toward her. It seemed as though she wanted to say +something to him privately. + +"Will Watson, eh?" went on Mr. Bobbsey. "I don't seem to know any +family of that name around here." + +"No, I don't belong around here," the boy said. "I come from out west +--or I used to live there when I was littler. I've got an uncle out +there now, if I could ever find him. He's a gold miner." + +"A gold miner?" said Mr. Bobbsey, and then his wife came up to him, +and whispered in his ear. Just what she said the twins could not hear, +but, a moment later Mr. Bobbsey said: + +"Bert, suppose you take Will down and show him the boat, since he is +so interested." + +"Oh, I'm going to!" cried Freddie. "I want to show him where I'm going +to be a fireman." + +"And I want to show him my room," said Flossie. + +The strange boy looked at the little twins and smiled. He had a nice +face, and was quite clean, though his clothes were ragged and poor. + +"Come along down if you like," said Bert kindly. "There's a lot to see +below the deck." + +With a friendly nod of his head Will Watson followed the three +children. Nan stayed on deck with her parents. + +"It's a shame to make him walk all the way from Lemby here and back," +said Mrs. Bobbsey. "It must be all of five miles each way." + +"It is," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Quite a tramp for a little fellow." + +"Can't you find some way to give him a ride back?" asked his wife. +"Aren't any of your wagons going that way?" + +"Perhaps," replied Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll find out, and I'll send him as +near to Mr. Hardee's place as I can." + +"Poor little fellow," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and she thought how hard it +would be if her son Bert had to go to work for his living so young. + +"He seems like a nice boy," spoke Mr. Bobbsey, "and from what I know +of Mr. Hardee he isn't an easy man to work for. Well, have you seen +enough of the boat, Nan? Do you think you'll like it?" + +"Oh, I just love it," Nan answered. "I'm so anxious for the time to +come when we can go sailing, or whatever you do in a boat like this. +Mamma, may I bring some of my things from home to fix up my room?" + +"I think so--yes. We shall have to talk about that later. I think it +is time we started home now. Dinah will not want to wait supper for +us." + +"Well then, run along," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll get the others up +from down below." + +"And you won't forget about trying to give that boy a ride home?" +asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"No, indeed," replied her husband. "I'm going right back to the office +now, and I'll take him with me. I'll let him ride on the wagon that's +going nearest to Lemby." + +Mr. Bobbsey met Bert and the strange boy coming up. + +"It sure is a dandy boat!" said Will Watson with a sigh of envy. "If +ever I go away to sea, I hope I'll have as nice a room as yours," and +he looked at Bert. "I just couldn't help coming on the boat when I saw +her tied here," he went on. "I hope you didn't mind." + +"Not a bit!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, wishing she had some of Dinah's +cake or crullers with her to give to the boy, for the twins' mother +thought he looked hungry. + +The door, leading into the cabin of the houseboat was locked, and they +all went on shore, over the gangplank, the board that extended from +the dock to the boat. + +"Good-bye, Bluebird!" called Flossie, waving her fat, chubby, little +hand toward the houseboat. "We'll soon be back." + +"And I'm going to bring my fire engine, when I come again," exclaimed +Freddie. "If the boat gets on fire I can put it out." + +"Boats can't get on fire in the water!" declared Flossie. + +"They can so--can't they, papa?" appealed the little boy. + +"Well, sometimes, perhaps. But we hope ours doesn't," replied Mr. +Bobbsey with a smile. He led the way off the boat, and as Will was +about to walk on along the lake shore, on his return to Lemby, Mrs. +Bobbsey said: + +"Wouldn't you like a ride back, little boy?" + +"Indeed I would," he said. "My feet hurt, on account of my shoes being +so full of holes, I guess. I'm pretty tired, but I had a little rest. +I don't expect to get back much before dark." + +"Well, perhaps you can ride nearly all the way," went on Mrs. Bobbsey. +"My husband has some lumber wagons going in your direction." + +"Yes, come along and we'll see what we can do for you," put in the +twins' father, nodding at the strange boy. + +Will went off with Mr. Bobbsey, while Nan, Bert, Flossie and Freddie +walked with their mother. + +"Oh, mamma, when do you think we can go in our boat?" asked Flossie. + +"Well, as soon as school closes, my dear." + +"And will we sail across the ocean?" Freddie wanted to know. + +"Of course not!" cried Bert. "A houseboat isn't a ship." + +"That boy knew about ships," said Nan. "I like him, don't you, mamma?" + +"Yes, he seemed real nice. He hasn't a very easy life, I'm afraid, +working on a farm. But we must hurry on to supper. We'll talk about +the boat after papa comes home." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +FREDDIE'S FIRE ENGINE + + +"Papa, when can we go sailing in the houseboat?" + +"May I take my fire engine along?" + +"Where did you leave that boy?" + +"Did he get a ride to Lemby?" + +"Thus Bert, Freddie, Flossie and Nan questioned Mr. Bobbsey when he +came home to supper after the visit to the Bluebird. + +"My! My!" exclaimed the lumber merchant, as he stopped in the hall to +hang up his hat. "What a lot of talk all at once! Let me see--whose +question shall I answer first?" + +"Did you manage to get that poor boy a ride?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +It was the first time she had had a chance to ask her question. + +"Answer mamma first," said Bert politely. "The rest of us can wait." + +Mr. Bobbsey gave his older son a pleased look, and then replied: + +"Yes, I found that one of our lumber wagons was going within half a +mile of the village of Lemby, so I let the boy ride with the driver. +It will give him a good lift." + +"Indeed it will," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I felt so sorry for him. I wish +I could help him!" + +"I hope the horses don't run away," spoke Freddie with such a serious +air that they all laughed. + +"I guess they won't run away, little fat fireman!" said Mr. Bobbsey, +as he caught Freddie up in his arms. "They are good, steady horses, +and they had a pretty heavy load to drag. So Will won't be in any +danger. But I hope supper is ready. I'm hungry!" + +"But you didn't answer my question," said Nan. "When are we going in +the houseboat, father?" + +"Oh, whenever school ends and your mother is ready," was the answer. +"I should say in about two weeks." + +"Good!" cried Bert. "And are we going to take Snap along?" he asked, +as he caught sight of the trick dog outside, standing on his hind +legs, while Sam Johnson held up a bone for him. Snap was "begging" for +his supper, as he often did. + +"Yes, I think we can find room for Snap on board," the lumber man +said. + +"What about our cat, Snoop?" asked Flossie. "I want to take Snoop +along. Wouldn't you like to go in a boat, Snoop?" and Flossie picked +the fat cat up in her arms. Snoop was quite an armful now. "Don't you +want to go, Snoop?" + +"Meow!" was all Snoop said, and that might have meant anything at all. + +"Supper first," suggested Mr. Bobbsey, "and after that we'll talk +about the boat." + +The meal was a merry one, and there was much talk and laughter. As +Dinah brought on one good thing to eat after another, Mrs. Bobbsey +said: + +"I hope every one has as nice a supper as we have." + +"Were you thinking of any one in particular?" asked her husband. + +"Yes, of that poor boy who came on the boat to-day," she answered. "I +wonder if he has a good supper after his long walk this morning?" + +"Well, they say Mr. Hardee doesn't feed his help any too well," spoke +Mr. Bobbsey. "But now let's talk about our houseboat trip." + +"Oh, what fun we'll have!" cried Freddie and Flossie, clapping their +chubby hands. + +"Did you plan a trip?" Mrs. Bobbsey wanted to know. + +"Well, partly, yes. I thought we could go down Lake Metoka to Lemby +Creek. We haven't been down that direction in some time." + +"Lemby Creek!" exclaimed Bert. "Isn't that the name of the place where +that boy came from?" "Well, Lemby is a town on Lemby Creek," spoke his +father. "Will Watson works on Mr. Hardee's farm, and that is just +outside the village. Lemby Creek is about ten miles long, and by going +along that we can get into Lake Romano. That is a large body of water, +and there is a waterfall at the farther end." + +"A waterfall!" cried Freddie. "Oh, goodie! Can we go see it, papa?" + +"I guess so," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We'll make this a long trip. It will +take over a month, but of course we won't travel every day. Some days +we'll just anchor the boat in a shady place, and---" + +"Fish!" interrupted Bert. + +"Yes, fish, or go in swimming--anything to have a good time," Mr. +Bobbsey said. + +"Oh, won't we have fun!" cried Freddie again. "We'll take Snoop and +Snap along, and they'll like it, too." + +"I guess Snap will, because he's fond of the water," said Bert, with a +laugh. "But Snoop doesn't care for it." + +"Snoop can sleep on deck in the sun," said Nan. "She'll like that. I +wish I could ask one of my girl friends to come along with us for the +houseboat trip. We have so many nice rooms on the Bluebird it seems a +pity not to use them." + +"And I'd like one of my boy chums, too," spoke Bert. Flossie and +Freddie were busy trying to make Snoop do one of the tricks the circus +lady had taught her. But Snoop wanted to go out in the kitchen, and +have Dinah give her some supper. + +"Company, eh?" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey, slowly. "Well, I don't know. We +have plenty of room on the Bluebird. I wonder how it would do to ask +Harry and Dorothy to come with us?" he inquired of his wife. + +"Oh, Cousin Harry!" cried Bert. "That would be fine!" + +"And Cousin Dorothy!" added Nan. "She and I could have lovely times +together. Do ask her, mother!" + +"We might ask the cousins," agreed Mrs. Bobbsey. "They haven't been to +visit us in some time, and I think both Harry and Dorothy would enjoy +the trip." + +Harry and Dorothy, as I have told you, were cousins of the Bobbseys. +Harry lived at Meadow Brook, in the country, and Dorothy at Ocean +Cliff, near the sea. + +"I'll write to-morrow," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "and find out if they can +go with us. Now have we anything else to settle about our trip?" + +"What about something to eat?" asked Freddie, in such a funny, anxious +voice, that all the others laughed. + +"My goodness, little fat fireman!" exclaimed his father. "Here you +have just finished your supper, and you are already hungry again." + +"Oh, I'm not hungry now," explained Freddie, "but I will be on the +boat." + +"Don't worry," said his mother. "Dinah is coming with us." + +"Oh, then it will be all right," went on the little twin, with a +contented sigh. "Come on, Flossie," he called to his small sister, "I +know how we can have some fun. 'Scuse me," he murmured, as he and the +other little twin slipped from their chairs. + +Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, with Nan and Bert, remained at the table for +some time longer, talking about the coming trip in the Bluebird. As +Mr. Bobbsey had said, it would be about two weeks, yet, before they +could start. There were two weeks more of school, but the classes +would close earlier than usual that summer, because an addition was to +be built to the school building, and the men wanted to get to work on +it, to have it finished in time for school early in September. + +"So we'll get an extra week or so of vacation," explained Bert. "And +we'll spend it all on the houseboat." + +"Well, perhaps not all of it," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I may not be able to +stay with you all that while. But we'll spend a month or two on the +Bluebird." + +"What will we do the rest of vacation?" asked Bert. + +"Oh, perhaps we'll go to the mountains, or some place like that," his +mother said with a smile. "It isn't settled yet." + +"Is it a high waterfall at Lake Romano?" asked Nan. "I just love +them." + +"Yes, it's a pretty high one," her father said. "I haven't been to +Lake Romano in some years, but I remember it as a very beautiful +place." + +"I'm sure we shall enjoy it," Mrs. Bobbsey said. + +"Is the fishing good?" Bert wanted to know. + +"So I have heard. We'll take some poles and lines along, anyhow, and +try our luck," his father replied. + +Mr. Bobbsey pushed back his chair from the table, and looked around +for the evening paper. Bert and Nan had some home work to do, to get +ready their lessons for the next day's school classes, and Mrs. +Bobbsey got out her sewing basket. There were always stockings to +mend, if there was nothing else of the children's that needed +attention. + +The house was quiet except for the distant rattling of dishes in the +kitchen, where fat Dinah was singing away as she worked. Suddenly her +song ceased, and she was heard to exclaim: + +"Now yo' want t' be careful, honey lamb! Doan't yo' go to muxin' up +Dinah's clean kitchen flo'." + +"No, we won't, Dinah!" replied Freddie's voice. + +"If any gets spilled, I'll wipe it up," said Flossie. + +"I wonder what those children are up to now?" remarked Mrs. Bobbsey, +as she rolled up two stockings she had just darned. + +"Oh, I guess they're all right," said Mr. Bobbsey easily, as he turned +over a page of the evening paper. + +The next moment there came a shout from Dinah in the kitchen. + +"Stop it, Freddie. Stop it, I say!" cried the fat, colored cook. "Yo' +suah am gittin' me all wet! Oh, there it goes ag'in! Stop it!" + +"I--I can't!" cried Freddie. "Hold your hand over it, Flossie!" + +"Oh, now it's squirting on me!" came in Flossie's tones. "Make it +stop, Freddie." + +"It--it won't stop!" was the frightened answer. + +"Oh! Land ob massy!" shouted Dinah. "Sam! Sam! Mr. Bobbsey, come heah +quick! It's squirtin' all ober!" + +"Oh! Something has happened!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, starting toward +the kitchen. + +"Maybe a water pipe has burst," suggested Mr. Bobbsey, dropping his +paper and making a jump toward the kitchen. As he did so, he heard +Dinah cry again: + +"Oh, yo' am all wet, honey lamb! Yo' is all soakin' wet! Oh, now it's +comin' fo' me ag'in! Oh, stop it, Freddie! Stop it!" + +"I--I can't!" was all Freddie said. + +The next moment Mr. Bobbsey, followed by his wife, had reached the +kitchen. There they saw a queer sight. + +In the middle of the floor stood Flossie and Freddie, water dripping +from their hands and faces. Dinah, too, was wet, and she was fairly +flying around, with a plate in one hand and a dish towel in the other. + +And, all about the kitchen was spurting a stream of water, while over +by the stove stood Freddie's toy fire engine. It was this engine that +was spraying the water all over the room. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE TWO COUSINS + + +"Oh, Freddie! What has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"It--it's the---" began Freddie, but that was as far as he got, for +just then the stream of water from his toy engine spurted right into +his open mouth. + +"Shut it off!" cried Mr. Bobbsey. "Here, I'll do it!" + +He started across the kitchen floor. + +"Look out, Massa Bobbsey!" yelled Dinah. "It'll cotch yo' shuah. It +done cotched me!" and then as she saw the little rubber hose of +Freddie's fire engine swing around, and the nozzle point at her, the +fat cook ran into the dish-closet and shut the door. + +"How did it happen?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, not so excited, now that she +found nothing serious was the matter. + +"Freddie--Freddie--he wanted to try how his fire engine worked, 'cause +he hadn't played with it this week," explained Flossie. Freddie was +busy wiping the water from his face. "So he filled the tank, and wound +it up, and now--and now--it won't--it won't stop-squirtin'!" went on +Flossie. "It--it---" + +And then she, too, had to stop talking, for the hose was spurting +water at her now. + +"I'll shut it off. Something must be the matter with the spring," said +Mr. Bobbsey. He walked toward Freddie's fire engine, which was pretty +large, for a toy. But before he reached it, the water hose had swung +around, and, instead of sprinkling Flossie, was aimed at Mr. Bobbsey. +However he did not mind. Holding the newspaper in front of his face, +Freddie's father reached the fire engine, and turned off the machinery +that pumped the water. + +"There!" he cried. "The fire's out! The only damage is from water," +and he laughed, for he was wet, and so were Mrs. Bobbsey, Flossie and +Freddie; and the kitchen itself was pretty well sprinkled. + +"What's it all about?" asked Bert, for he and Nan, who had been +studying their lessons, had heard the noise of the excitement, and had +run to the kitchen to see what had caused it. + +"Oh, Freddie turned in a false alarm," said Mr. Bobbsey. "How did you +come to put water in your engine, when mamma has told you not to do so +in the house?" he asked the little boy. + +"Be--be--cause," said Freddie slowly, "I wanted to see if it would-- +work. I'm going to take it on the houseboat with me." + +"Well, I guess it WORKED all right," Bert said, as he looked around at +the wet kitchen. Luckily there was oil cloth on the floor, and the +walls were painted, so the water really did no harm. + +Dinah slowly opened the door of the dish-closet, and peered out. + +"Am it all done, honey lamb?" she asked, looking at Freddie. + +"Yes, Dinah! It's all done squirtin'," he said. "I guess there isn't +any more water, anyhow." + +"No," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a smile, as he looked in the tank of the +engine, "it's all pumped out." + +Freddie's toy fire engine was a large and expensive one his uncle had +given him on Christmas. It was made as nearly like a real engine as +possible, only instead of working by steam, it worked by a spring. +When a spring was wound up, it operated a small pump in the engine. +The pump made water spurt out through a little rubber hose, and the +water for the engine was poured into a tank. The tank held about two +gallons, so you see when it was all pumped out in the kitchen, and +spurted on those in the room, it made them pretty wet. + +"It's clean water," said Nan, when every one had somewhat cooled down, +"and it's so warm to-night, I wouldn't mind being sprayed with a hose +myself." + +"Still, Freddie shouldn't have done it," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I have +told you not to play with your engine in the house, when it had water +in it, Freddie. How did you come to disobey me?" she asked, for +usually the little fellow was very good about minding. + +"I--I didn't mean to, mamma," he said "First I just wanted to see if +the engine tank leaked, so I put in some water. I didn't think it +would hurt, out here on the kitchen oil cloth, and honestly I wasn't +going to squirt it." + +"No, I suppose not," said Mr. Bobbsey, wiping the water from his face, +and glancing at his soaked newspaper. + +"So I just filled the tank with water from the sink," explained +Freddie. + +"I--I helped him," confessed Flossie, ready to take her share of the +blame. + +"What happened next?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Why--er--I just wanted to see if the spring was all right, so I wound +that up," Freddie went on. "Then I sort of forgot about the water in +the tank, and before I knew it, why it--it went off--sudden like." + +"Land ob massy! I should say it done did go off--suddint laik!" +exclaimed Dinah. "Fust I knowed I was dryin' de dishes an' den I got a +mouth full ob watah. I shuah did t'ink a watah pipe had done gone an' +busted. I shuah did!" + +"It--it just kept on squirtin'!" said Freddie. "I couldn't stop it +like it always used to stop." + +"No, the pump is out of order," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he looked at the +now empty fire engine. "It wouldn't stop pumping. Well, I'm glad it +wasn't a real fire, and glad that no one is hurt. Put your engine away +now, Freddie, and, after this, don't play with water in the house, +when mamma has told you not to." + +"I won't," promised Freddie. "But it's a good engine, isn't it?" + +"Oh, yes, it's a good engine, all right." + +"And I can take it on the houseboat, can't I?" + +"Yes, but you won't need to put any water in. There'll be enough in +the creek and lakes," said Mrs. Bobbsey with a smile. "Come now, +Flossie and Freddie, you are wet, so you might as well get undressed +and go to bed. It is nearly time, anyhow, and you have had quite a day +of it. Off to bed!" + +Off to bed the twins went. + +Dinah wiped up the kitchen, and, as she did so, she murmured over and +over again: "It shuah did go off suddint laik! It shuah did!" + +Flossie and Freddie, little the worse for their wetting, went off to +school next day, with Nan and Bert. The two sets of twins talked of +many things on their way to their classes, but, most of all, they +talked of the coming trip on the houseboat, and of the accident to the +fire engine the night before. + +"I do hope Cousin Dorothy can come with us," said Nan, as she left +Bert to walk along with Nellie Parks. + +"And I hope Harry can go," said Bert. "Better hurry along, Freddie," +he called to his little brother. "There goes your bell, and yours, +too, Flossie." + +The two little tots turned into the gate of the school that led to the +yard where the smallest pupils formed in line. + +"Well, even if Harry and Dorothy can't go, I'll take my fire engine," +said Freddie. + +"And we'll take Snoop and Snap, so we won't be lonesome," suggested +Flossie. "Oh, won't it be fun, Freddie!" + +"Yes, I wish it was time to go now. I'm tired of school," said the +little fellow. + +But school must go on, whether there are houseboat parties or not, so +the Bobbsey twins had to study their lessons. I think that day, +however, Bert must have been thinking of other things than his books, +for when the teacher asked him what an island was, Bert gave a queer +answer. Instead of saying it was a body of land, surrounded by water, +Bert said: + +"An island is a fire engine in the kitchen." + +"Why, Bert Bobbsey! What ARE you thinking of?" asked the teacher. + +"Oh, I--I was thinking of something that happened at our house last +night," Bert went on, while all the children in the room laughed. + +"Then you'd better tell us about it," suggested Miss Teeter, the +instructor, for she was very kind. So Bert told of Freddie's mishap, +and how it was he happened to be thinking of that instead of the right +answer to the question about the island. + +"I hear you have a houseboat, Bert," said John Blake, a boy in the +same room, as the children came out of school that afternoon. + +"Yes, my father bought the one Mr. Marvin owned," said Bert. "It's a +fine one, too. We're going to have a trip in her soon." + +"You're a lucky boy!" exclaimed John. "Can't you take me down and show +me over the boat?" + +"I'd like to," said Bert, "but father said I wasn't to go aboard, when +he was not with me." + +"Pooh! He'll never know," suggested Danny Rugg, a boy with whom Bert +had had more or less trouble. "You needn't tell your father you went +to the boat. Come on, take us down and let's see it." + +"No," said Bert, quietly but firmly. "Maybe my father wouldn't know I +had been on board, but I'd know it." + +"Aw, you're a fraid-cat!" sneered Danny. "Come on, take us down, and +we'll have some fun." + +"No," said Bert with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry. Some other time, +after I've asked my father if I may, I'll show you all over the +Bluebird." + +"I want to go now," Danny said. + +"Oh, there's plenty of time," spoke John, pleasantly. "I wouldn't want +Bert to do what his father told him not to, just to oblige me. I'll +see the boat some other time, Bert; that will do just as well." + +"Huh! He's a fraid-cat!" muttered Danny again, as he shuffled off, +muttering to himself. Several times he had made trouble for the +Bobbsey twins, and Bert was not any too friendly with him. Danny was a +bully in the school. + +Bert wished, very much indeed, that he could have taken some of his +boy friends down to the houseboat, but his father had a good reason +for not wanting any boys aboard, unless he could be with them. Workmen +were making certain changes in the craft, and doing some painting +inside and outside. + +A few days after this, when the Bobbsey twins reached home from +school, Mrs. Bobbsey met them at the door, saying: + +"I have good news for you, children!" + +"What is it?" cried Bert. + +"Don't we have to go to school any more?" Freddie. + +"Are we going on the houseboat sooner than we expected?" Nan wanted to +know. + +"It's about your two cousins--Harry and Dorothy," went on Mrs. +Bobbsey. "They have both accepted our invitations, and they will come +with us on the trip! Won't that be nice?" + +"Lovely!" exclaimed Nan, her eyes shining with delight. "Dorothy and +I'll have such nice times together!" + +"And Harry and I'll catch a lot of fish," declared Bert. + +The days went on. The houseboat was nearly ready for her trip. Very +soon school would close. + +"Come on, Bert, can't you show us over the boat now?" asked Danny Rugg +one afternoon, on his way home from school, with Nan's brother, and +some other boys. + +"I can't to-day, but perhaps I can to-morrow," said Bert. "I'll ask my +father." + +"He'll never know about it," tempted Danny again, but Bert could not +be influenced that way. + +"Never mind, I'll fix you!" threatened Danny, which was what he +usually said, when he could not have his own way. + +Bert thought little of the threat at the time, though later he +recalled it vividly. + +It was that night, just as the smaller twins were getting ready for +bed, that the telephone in the Bobbsey house rang out a call. + +"I'll answer it," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he went to the instrument. +"Hello!" he called. Then his wife and children heard him cry: + +"What! Is that so! That's too bad! Yes, I'll attend to it right away. +I wonder how it happened?" + +"Oh, what has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, in alarm. + +"Is the lumber yard on fire again?" asked Freddie, thinking of his toy +engine. + +"Not as bad as that," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he quickly put on his hat. +"But the watchman at the dock just telephoned me that our houseboat, +the Bluebird, has gotten adrift, and is floating out into the lake." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +OFF IN THE "BLUEBIRD" + + +For a few seconds after Mr. Bobbsey told of the news he had heard over +the telephone, none of the twins seemed to know what to say. They just +stared at their father, and I really believe, for a moment, that +Flossie and Freddie thought he was playing a joke on them. Then Mrs. +Bobbsey seemed to understand it. + +"What!" she cried. "Our houseboat adrift?" + +"That's what the watchman tells me," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he started +for the front door. + +"But who did it?" asked Bert, managing to get his tongue in working +order. + +"Can't you get her back again?" asked Nan. "Our boat, I mean." + +"Let me come with you!" pleaded Freddie. + +"And I want to come, too!" added Flossie. She seldom wanted to be left +behind, when her twin brother went anywhere. + +"No, no! You children must stay here," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I will hurry +down to the lake, and come right back. I'll tell you all about it, +when I return." + +"But what could have happened?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "What would make +our boat go adrift?" + +"Oh, some of the ropes might have come loose," replied her husband. +"Or the ropes might even have been cut through, rubbing against the +dock. The wind is blowing a little, and that is sending the boat out +into the lake. I'll get one of our steam tugs, and go after her. It +will not take long nor be hard work to bring her back." + +A number of small steam tugs were owned by Mr. Bobbsey for use in +hauling lumber boats, and lumber rafts about Lake Metoka. Some of +these tugs were always at the dock, and one always had steam up, ready +for instant use. + +"Well, I hope you get the Bluebird back all right," said Bert. "We +don't want to miss our trip, especially after we have asked Harry and +Dorothy." + +"Oh, it would be too bad to disappoint them," put in Nan. + +"Oh, I'll get the boat back all right," declared Mr. Bobbsey. + +Flossie and Freddie breathed sighs of relief. They were not worried +now, for they knew their father would do as he said. + +Fat Dinah put her head in through the door of the sitting room. + +"Am anyt'ing de mattah?" she asked. "I done heah yo' all talkin' in +heah, an' I t'inks maybe dat honey lamb Freddie done got his steam +enjine squirtin' watah ag'in." + +"Not this time, Dinah," said Mrs. Bobbsey, for the cook was almost +like one of the family. Then the twins' mother explained what the +trouble was. + +"I 'clar t' goodness!" Dinah exclaimed. "Suffin's always happenin' in +dish yeah fambily." + +It was not a very serious happening this time. Mr. Bobbsey hurried +down to his lumber yard in the darkness of the June evening. + +He was gone about an hour, when the telephone rang. On account of the +little excitement Flossie and Freddie had been allowed to stay up, +although it was long past their usual bedtime. + +"I'll answer it," said Mrs. Bobbsey, as the telephoned bell stopped +jingling, for Bert had started from his seat. + +"Oh, it's papa," the twins' mother went on, after she had listened for +a second after saying "Hello!" + +"Is the boat all right?" asked Nan, anxiously. + +"Yes," answered her mother, and then she turned to listen to the rest +of Mr. Bobbsey's talk over the telephone. + +"Papa went after the Bluebird, and brought her safely back," Mrs. +Bobbsey explained, when she had hung up the receiver. "He'll be here +in a few minutes to tell us all about it. He telephoned from the +lumber office after he had our boat safe." + +"Oh, I'm so glad the boat's all right," said Nan. + +"Pooh, I knowed it would be--when papa went after it," said Freddie, +with a sleepy yawn. + +"You must say 'knew,' not 'knowed,' dear," spoke Mamma Bobbsey. "And +now I think it is time for you and Flossie to go to bed." + +Neither of the smaller twins offered any objection. They were too +sleepy to want to stay up and listen to the story of the bringing back +of the Bluebird. + +Nan and Bert were anxious to hear it, and Mr. Bobbsey came in soon +after Flossie and Freddie were tucked in bed. He told the story of the +drifting houseboat. + +"How did it break loose?" asked Bert. + +"It didn't break loose," said his father. "Some one untied the knots +in the ropes." + +"Untied!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "How did it happen?" + +"Why, some one went aboard the boat," explained Mr. Bobbsey, "and I +think it must have been some boys, for I found this cap," and he held +up a gray one. + +"Why!" cried Bert when he saw it. "That's Danny Rugg's cap!" + +"I thought so," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "Danny, and some of his chums, +must have gone on the boat early this evening. They played about, as +boys will, and some of them, either on purpose or accidentally, must +have loosed the knots in the ropes before coming ashore. Then the boat +just drifted away after that." + +"Those boys had no right to go on our boat!" said Nan. + +"No, they had not," agreed her father, "But I'm glad there was no real +damage done. The watchman saw the Bluebird soon after she had drifted +away from the dock, and he telephoned me. I went out in one of our +tugs and soon brought her back. So you think this is Danny Rugg's cap, +Bert?" + +"I'm sure of it, yes, sir. Danny wanted me to take him, and some of +the other boys, on the boat, but I wouldn't." + +"I'm glad you remembered what I told you," spoke Mr. Bobbsey, and Bert +blushed with pleasure. + +"I'll give Danny his cap in the morning," Bert went on. "It may +surprise him to know where he lost it." + +"I don't believe you can surprise that Danny Rugg very much," said +Mrs. Bobbsey. + +The next morning, when Bert took Danny's cap to school with him, and +handed it to the boy who had caused so much trouble, a queer look came +over Danny's face. + +"Thanks," he said. "I was wondering where I left that. I guess I must +have dropped it, when I was--playing football over in the fields." + +"No, you dropped it on our houseboat, the Bluebird, just before you +and the other fellows untied the ropes that let her go adrift," said +Bert. "And you'd better keep off her after this!" + +"Huh! I'm not afraid of your father!" was all Danny growled, as he +stuffed his cap in his pocket, for he had worn another to school. + +When Danny's chums learned that it was known who had set the boat +adrift, they were rather frightened. When they realized the damage +they might have done, they kept away from Mr. Bobbsey's lumber yard +for a long time. + +One day, about a week after this, the Bobbsey twins hurried home from +school without stopping to play with any of their friends. + +"Why are you in such a hurry?" asked Grace Lavine of Nan. + +"We expect our cousins to-day," Nan answered. "Then we are going to +get ready to go away in our houseboat." + +Surely enough, when the twins reached home, there the cousins were to +greet them--Dorothy and Harry, one from the seashore, and the other +from the country. + +"Oh, but I'm SO glad to see you!" cried Nan, as she hugged and kissed +Dorothy. + +"And I'm SO glad to come," Dorothy answered with a smile. "It was +lovely of you to invite me to go on your boat." + +"We'll have a lot of fun," said Bert to Harry. + +"That's what we will," replied the boy from the country. + +"We're both awful glad to see you!" chimed in Flossie, speaking both +for herself and for Freddie. "But we can't play with the fire engine." + +"Not if we put water in," added Freddie. + +"What in the world do they mean?" asked Dorothy, wonderingly. + +"Oh, I'll have to tell you," laughed Nan, as she explained about the +accident. + +The cousins had much to tell the twins, and talk about, and the twins +had as much more to tell, so, for a time, there was a merry sound of +talk and laughter. + +Dorothy and Harry had come by different trains, one from the seashore +and the other from the country, but they had reached the Bobbsey house +at the same time. Their schools had not yet closed, but as they were +both well advanced in their studies, their parents had allowed them to +leave their classes ahead of time, since they were both sure to +"pass." + +"Just think!" cried Nan, when there was a moment of quiet. "In three +days more OUR school will close, and then we'll go on the trip." + +"Won't it be lovely!" murmured Dorothy. + +I leave you to imagine all that took place in those three days. +Schooldays came to an end, and the Bobbsey twins were among those at +the heads of their classes. Then came a packing-up time, and the +Bobbsey house was a scene of great excitement. Trunks and boxes were +taken aboard the Bluebird, a man was hired to run the gasoline engine. +Plenty of good things to eat were stowed away in the kitchen lockers, +as cupboards are called on a boat. At last all was ready for the +start. + +Snoop and Snap, of course, were on hand, as was Dinah. Mr. Bobbsey saw +to it that his family, and the two cousins, were safely aboard, and +then he gave the order to cast off the lines. The Bluebird floated +away from the dock, and out into the lake that was almost as blue as +her name. + +"All aboard!" cried Bert. + +"Toot! Toot!" whistled Freddie, pretending to be an engine. + +"Oh, look out! You're stepping on my doll!" screamed Flossie, who had +put her toy down on the deck a moment. + +"Good-bye! Good-bye!" called Nan to Grace Lavine, and some others of +her girl friends, who had come down to the dock to see them off. +"Good-bye!" + +"Good-bye!" echoed the girls, waving their hands. + +"Come on!" called Bert to Harry, as he started for the lower cabin. + +"What are you going to do?" asked the boy from the country. + +"Let's get out our fishing poles. Maybe we can catch something for +dinner." + +"That's right!" agreed Harry. + +Slowly the Bluebird moved out into the lake, for the gasoline engine +was working. The houseboat trip of the Bobbsey twins had begun, and +many things were to happen before it was to end. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SNOOP AND SNAP + + +Nan and Dorothy, after waving good-bye to the girl friends on the +dock, went down to the living room of the houseboat. There they found +Mrs. Bobbsey and Dinah putting away some of the things that had been +brought on board at the last moment. + +"I 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed the colored cook, "dish yeah +houseboatin' am wuss dan movin'!" + +"Oh, not quite as bad as that," said Mrs. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "But +what are you going to do, Nan, dear? Do you like it, Dorothy?" + +"Oh! indeed I do," answered the "seashore cousin," as Nan called her +to distinguish her from Harry, who lived in the country. + +"We are just going to our rooms for a minute, mother," Nan answered. +"I want to show Dorothy my new sailor suit." + +Every body on the houseboat was busy, even down to Flossie and +Freddie, and the two little twins were busy having fun. + +Mrs. Bobbsey and Dinah were engaged in putting to rights the different +rooms, for there were a number on the Bluebird, which was built for a +large family. Bert and Harry were up on deck fishing, as the boat +moved slowly through the blue waters of Metoka Lake. Flossie and +Freddie, as I have said, were playing, the little girl with her doll, +and Freddie with a new toy his father had bought him. + +As for Mr. Bobbsey, he was down in the engine room with "Captain +White." Mr. White was one of Mr. Bobbsey's men who had once been in +charge of a tugboat, but one day there was an accident aboard, and Mr. +White was made lame for life. + +But Mr. Bobbsey liked his faithful employee, and kept him at work, and +since Mr. White could not do heavy tasks, he was allowed to do easy +ones. + +Mr. White was called "Captain" by every one, though he was not really +a captain. Still, he knew a great deal about boats, the weather clouds +and storms, and all things such as sea captains are supposed to know. + +When Mr. Bobbsey bought Mr. Marvin's houseboat, he at once began to +think of some one who could sail it for him, and take care of the +gasoline engine. Naturally, he thought of Captain White. So the +Bluebird was put in charge of Captain White, who, you may be sure, was +very glad to be on the water again, even if it was only in a slow- +moving houseboat, and not in a swift steam tug. + +Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White were down in the motor, or engine room +together. Mr. Bobbsey was learning how to run the gasoline engine. + +I have told you how the Bluebird was driven along through the water by +a small engine. It was not a steam engine, such as are found in many +boats, but a gasoline one, such as those in most automobiles. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not intend to sail very fast in the houseboat. In +fact, for many days, he expected to just drift along, or push the boat +with a long pole through some shallow creek, or in parts of the lake +where it was not deep. When he wanted to move more quickly from place +to place, there was the gasoline engine all ready to use. And Captain +White knew how to use it. + +Mr. Bobbsey came up out of the little motor room after a while, and +watched his wife and Dinah putting things away. The boat was moving +down the lake. + +"Oh, look at your face!" suddenly cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"What's the matter with it?" asked her husband, putting his hand up to +his nose, as almost any person will do when you speak of his face. + +"It's all black!" went on Mrs. Bobbsey. "So are your hands. Oh, +Richard! What have you been doing?" + +"Learning to run the gasoline engine," he said. "I want to know how it +works so that if we need to start any time when Captain White is on +shore, or asleep, I can do it." + +"I hope you won't start off any time when Captain White is on shore," +said Mrs. Bobbsey. "You don't know enough about a boat to run it +without him." + +"Very well, then. I promise I'll run the gasoline engine only when +Captain White is asleep," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "And then, +if anything happens, I'll only have to awaken him, and ask him what is +wrong." + +"That's the best plan," said Mrs. Bobbsey, also laughing. "And now you +had better go wash your face. Some one might see you--looking like +that." + +There was a nice little bathroom aboard the Bluebird, and Mr. Bobbsey +was soon splashing away with the water and soap. Meanwhile Mrs. +Bobbsey and Dinah finished their work, and went up on deck. + +It was a very pleasant day, and with the sun shining down from a blue +sky overhead, just warm enough, and not too hot, with a gentle breeze +that hardly ruffled the surface of the lake, but which made it +delightfully cool as the boat moved slowly along. In short, it was +just perfect weather, as the Bobbsey twins started off on their +houseboat. + +Nan and Dorothy, having finished looking at each other's dresses, +which always seems to delight girls, had come up on deck so that now +the whole Bobbsey family, and their country, and seashore cousin +visitors also, were there. + +"Have you caught any fish yet?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, walking over to +where Bert and Harry were dangling their lines in the water. + +"Not yet, but we've had two or three bites," said Bert, hopefully. + +"I think you'll have better luck when we reach some quiet place, and +anchor," Mr. Bobbsey went on. "At any rate, you need not worry, if you +don't catch any fish. Dinah will be able to give us something else for +dinner, I think." + +"I think so, too," said Harry with a laugh. "I can smell something +cooking now." + +This was so. For, though the Bobbseys had started early that morning, +there was so much to do that it was now nearly noon. To them it seemed +only an hour or so since they had started. Dinah was a good cook. She +kept one eye on the clock and the other on the things she was cooking. +And she made up her mind that the meals would be on time, even if they +were served on a houseboat. So it was the cooking of dinner that Harry +smelled. + +"Oh, Dorothy!" exclaimed Nan, after a little while, during which the +two girls looked across the lake to the distant shores they had left. +"I must show you a new trick Snap has learned." + +"What! Another trick?" cried Dorothy. "My! He knows a lot of them now. +He certainly is a clever dog!" + +Snap, as I have told you, used to belong to a circus before the +Bobbseys bought him, so perhaps learning tricks came easier to him +than to most dogs. + +"Yes, I taught him this trick myself," went on Nan. "He will walk +around on his hind legs, and carry a doll in his front paws, just like +a nurse girl. When I dress him up in one of my old skirts and a +jacket, he is too funny for anything! I'll make him do the trick now, +only I won't dress him up, for I can't find the clothes he wears. I +don't believe we brought them. But I'll make him carry the doll for +you. Here, Snap!" called Nan. + +The dog, who had been sleeping in a sunny Spot on deck, near Snoop, +the black cat, sprang up, when he heard his name called. + +"Where are you going to get a doll for him to carry?" asked Dorothy. + +"I'll take Flossie's. You'll let sister take your doll to make Snap do +a trick, won't you, dear?" she asked. + +"Yes, Nan," answered flaxen-haired Flossie. "I just love to see Snap +do that trick! He carries the doll so cute!" + +Flossie brought her doll to Nan, and Snap stood near, wagging his +tail, for he seemed to know what was coming. + +"Now, Snap," said Nan, pointing her finger at the dog, "I want you to +show Dorothy how you play nurse-girl, and carry a doll." + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. That was what he always said when any one +spoke to him. I suppose HE knew what he meant, but no one else did. At +any rate, he seemed to understand what was said to him. + +"Up, Snap! Up!" called Nan suddenly, and Snap rose on his hind legs, +holding his fore paws out in front of him, so Nan could place the doll +on them. + +This the little girl did, putting Flossie's "sawdust baby" carefully +across Snap's paws. + +"Now take the doll for a walk!" ordered Nan, and, with another bark, +off Snap started, parading across the deck. + +"Oh, isn't he too cute!" cried Dorothy, laughing and clapping her +hands. "Oh, what a smart dog he is!" + +"Isn't he!" agreed Nan. "Bert said I never could teach him to do a +trick, but I did." + +"Indeed you did!" agreed Dorothy. + +"Now come back here, Snap!" ordered Nan. But just then something +happened. + +How it was no one knew exactly, but Bert suddenly caught a fish. He +was so surprised at getting a hard bite on his line, that he jerked it +up quickly. Something flashed in the sunlight, and, the next moment, a +little sunfish landed flapping on the deck, right in front of the +sleeping black cat Snoop. + +"Flop!" went the fish, and Snoop awakened with a jump. Up to her feet +she leaped like a flash, and then she saw the fish. Snoop was very +fond of fish, and made a spring for the one Bert had caught. But the +fish was wet and slippery, and no sooner had Snoop pounced on it with +her claws than the fish slid across the deck of the houseboat. Snoop +slid after it, just as she often slid across the kitchen oilcloth, +when she sprang for a piece of string that Flossie or Freddie would +pull along to make the cat play. + +Right across the deck, after the slippery fish slid Snoop, and, the +next instant, the poor cat had slid right off the deck, and fallen +into the lake with a splash! + + + + +CHAPTER X + +DOWN THE CREEK + + +"There goes Snoop!" + +"Oh, somebody get her!" + +Nan and Dorothy both shouted at the same time. As for Bert, he was so +surprised at having caught a fish, and at seeing the cat slide off the +deck with it, that he could say nothing. It was almost the same with +Harry. He had jumped to his feet, however, and had run toward Snoop, +but too late. + +Then, all of a sudden, Snap, with a loud bark, gave one spring, and +the next moment he had jumped right over the deck railing, under which +Snoop had slid. Right over it went Snap, and down into the lake. For +he knew that Snoop had fallen in, and, being the kind of a dog that +asks nothing better than to save something, or somebody, from the +water, Snap was right on hand. + +"Oh, my doll! My doll!" cried Flossie. "Snap is taking my doll into +the lake with him! Come back, Snap! Come back!" + +Snap did not stop to listen. He had, indeed, taken Flossie's doll with +him. He had been holding it on his front paws as Snoop slid overboard, +and, as he gave a jump, Snap did not come down on all four legs. He +jumped while he was yet standing on his hind ones, and of course the +doll went over the rail with him. + +"What has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, as she heard the screaming, +and the splashes in the water. "Have any of the children fallen in?" +For she had gone to another part of the deck, with Dinah, out of sight +of the twins for a moment. Now she came hurrying back, and a single +look showed her that the children were all safe. + +"What has happened?" she asked again. + +"As nearly as I can figure out," said Mr. Bobbsey, "Bert caught a +fish, Snoop tried to get it and fell into the water, and now Snap has +gone in after Snoop." + +"And Snap has my doll! She'll get all wet--she'll be drowned!" cried +Flossie. + +"I'll get her for you," offered Harry. But just now they were all +anxious to see what Snap and Snoop did. Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey and the +children looked over the side of the houseboat. They saw the black cat +swimming about in the lake, and Snap, who was a fine water-dog, was +paddling toward her. + +"Hadn't you better stop the boat?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, for the +Bluebird was slowly floating away from the dog and the cat. + +"Yes, I guess it would be best," said Mr. Bobbsey. So he called out: + +"Captain! Captain White! Stop the boat! Something overboard!" + +Down in the little motor room Mr. White heard the shout, and he at +once shut off the gasoline engine. Then he came up on deck as fast as +his lame leg would let him, to see what was wrong. + +"What's that you say?" he asked. "Somebody fell overboard?" + +"The dog and the cat," explained Mr. Bobbsey. "I wonder how we can get +them out? It's Snoop and Snap who are in the water." + +"And my doll!" added Flossie. "I want my doll back!" + +"Oh, yes, and Flossie's doll," added Mr. Bobbsey. "I guess you'd +better get in the rowboat, Captain White. It will be easier to lift +them out from there." + +"I'll do it, Mr. Bobbsey," the captain said, as he limped down stairs +again. By this time Snap had swum to where poor Snoop was paddling +about in the water. The dog gently took hold of the cat by the back of +the neck, where her loose fur would give a good hold. Then Snap, +holding Snoop's head well up out of the water, started back for the +houseboat. + +"Good old Snap!" called Mr. Bobbsey. Snap wanted to bark and wag his +tail, as he always did when any one spoke pleasantly to him, but he +knew if he opened his mouth to bark now, he would have to drop Snoop. +And Snap had hard enough work swimming, without trying to wag his +tail. On he came toward the boat. + +By this time Captain White had gotten into the small boat, which was +pulled after the Bluebird, by a rope, and he was rowing toward the +dog. Seeing that the smaller boat was nearer, Snap swam toward that, +instead of toward the larger one. He held Snoop carefully up out of +the water. + +"That's a good dog, Snap!" called Captain White, as Snap came nearer. +"I'll take her now." + +The engineer lifted poor, wet, dripping Snoop into his boat. She +crawled close up to Captain White, for she was much frightened. After +Snap had delivered the cat he had rescued, he turned back again. + +"Where are you going?" asked Captain White. "Don't you want to get in +my boat, too, Snap?" + +"Bow wow!" barked Snap. This time he could open his mouth, as he was +not carrying a cat. + +"Oh, he's going to get my doll!" cried Flossie. "Look, Snap is after +my doll!" + +And so he was. After taking Snoop safely to the boat, Snap had seen +Flossie's doll floating on the top of the water, and had swum toward +that, just as he would have gone toward a floating stick, had there +been one near. + +"OK, now he's got her!" cried the happy Flossie. "Now Snap has my +doll. Goodie!" + +"And, as she's a wooden doll, the water won't hurt her," said Nan, +with a laugh, "Everything is coming out all right." + +And so it seemed. + +Taking the doll in his mouth, as he had taken the cat, Snap swam back +toward the small boat, where Captain White waited for him, now and +then petting poor Snoop. Just as the dog had done with the cat, so he +did with the doll, giving her to the engineer of the Bluebird. Then, +seeing that his work was all done, Snap once more swam toward the big +boat, not trying to get into the small one. + +"Good dog, Snap!" cried Mr. Bobbsey, as he leaned over to lift him in, +for there were no steps by which to climb up the side of the Bluebird. + +This time Snap barked and wagged his tail, and then he gave himself a +big shake to get rid of the water. He sent a regular shower of spray +all about. + +"Come, girls!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey with a laugh, "this is no place for +us. We haven't our bathing suits on!" and she, with Nan and Dorothy, +ran back out of the way of the scattering drops from Snap's shaggy +coat. + +A little later Captain White rowed up with Snoop and Flossie's doll, +and the little girl at once said she was going to put a dry dress on +the doll, so she wouldn't "take cold." + +"Well," said Mr. Bobbsey, when the excitement had died down. "That's +over, at any rate. All that over one little fish!" + +"That's so--my fish started it all!" said Bert. "I wonder what became +of it?" and he looked at his empty hook, dangling from the line of his +pole. + +"The fish dropped off," said Harry. "I saw it. But it was only a +little one. It wouldn't have been any good." + +"Poor Snoop!" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "All your trouble for nothing! You +didn't get the fish." + +"Oh, I'll soon catch some more for her, won't we, Harry?" Bert asked. + +"That's what we will," answered the country cousin. + +"Now if yo' folks am all done fallin' ovahbo'd I'se ready t' gib yo' +all suffin t' eat," said Dinah, coming up from the dining-room. + +"And I think we are ready to eat," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "This traveling +on the water has given me an appetite." + +"I guess it has all of us," spoke Mr. Bobbsey with a laugh, as he +noticed the eager, hungry looks on the faces of the children. + +"And give Snoop and Snap something good and hot, so they won't take +cold," suggested Nan. "Though I don't believe they will this weather, +it's so warm." + +"I'm going to give my dollie hot chocolate," said Flossie, who, by +this time, had put a dry dress on her pet. + +The meal was a merry one, though at first the children, especially +Flossie and Freddie, were too excited to eat. Then, too, it was so +strange eating on a boat that was moving through the water, for the +engine had been started again. Several times, during the meal, the two +smaller twins jumped up from the table to run to the windows and look +out over the lake. At last their mother said: + +"Now, Flossie and Freddie, you must sit still and finish your dinner. +Otherwise you may be ill. You'll have plenty of time to see things +after you leave the table." + +Snap was soon dry, from lying in the sun, and, a little later, Snoop +was as warm and fluffy as before she had fallen into the lake. She +picked out a warm spot on deck near Snap, for they had been the best +of friends since the first day they had met, when Snoop came back from +her long trip to Cuba, as I have told you in another book. + +All the rest of that day the houseboat traveled over Lake Metoka. The +children sat on Heck, and watched other boats pass them. Some of them +were loaded with lumber for Mr. Bobbsey. Others were pleasure boats, +and those on board waved their hands to the Bobbsey twins and their +cousins. + +"Are we going to travel all night?" asked Bert of his father, when +Dinah called that supper was ready. + +"No, we are going to anchor soon. We will go a little nearer shore +first, though." + +"And when will we start through Lemby Creek toward Lake Romano?" + +"Oh, in a day or so, I fancy." + +It was such a pleasant evening, that even the little twins were +allowed to stay up on deck past their usual bedtime, looking at the +twinkling stars, and the lights of other boats on the lake. + +When Flossie and Freddie did get to bed, they did not go to sleep at +once. It was very strange to them, sleeping on a boat in the water. + +Finally the two little people dozed off, and then the older folks went +to bed. In the middle of the night Freddie woke up. At first he could +not remember where he was, and he wondered at the queer rocking motion +of the boat, for a little wind was ruffling the lake. + +Suddenly there came a loud toot. + +"Mamma! Papa! I heard something!" cried Freddie, sitting up. + +"Yes, dear. It was only the whistle of another boat," said his mother, +who was in the room next to him. "Go to sleep again." + +Freddie did. + +"Well, I sure am going to catch some fish to-day," said Bert, when he +and Harry went up on deck next morning, after breakfast. + +"We'll try, anyhow," Harry said. "We're nearer shore now, and the +fishing ought to be better. I'll get my line.". + +Whether it was on account of the bait they used, or because the fish +were not plentiful, the boys did not know, but they did not get even +one bite. Anyhow, they had fun. + +The Bluebird went slowly across the lake. The Bobbseys were in no +hurry, and they wanted to enjoy the pleasant weather. For three days +they sailed over the blue waters, and then Mr. Bobbsey told Captain +White to steer toward Lemby Creek. + +"We'll go through the creek into Lake Romano," said the twins' father. +"That is a much larger lake. We'll spend most of our houseboat +vacation there. We will also visit the big waterfall." + +"That will be lovely!" exclaimed Dorothy. Though she lived near the +sea, she also loved inland waters, such as rivers and lakes. + +The houseboat moved so slowly, and was such a safe craft, that Bert +and Harry were allowed to steer at times, when Mr. Bobbsey or Captain +White stood near them in case of any danger. The two boy cousins had +taken turns steering, until the Bluebird was close to the place where +Lemby Creek emptied into Lake Metoka. + +"You'd better let me take the steering wheel, now," said Mr. Bobbsey +to Bert. "There is a little current from the creek into the lake, and +we don't want to run ashore." + +In a little while the houseboat was safely in the creek. This stream +of water was narrow, though it was deep enough to float the Bluebird +easily. The shores were so close, at times, that the tree branches +overhung the deck, and brushed the rails. + +"I could almost jump ashore," said Harry. + +"But you mustn't try it!" cautioned his aunt. "You might fall in, and +Snap couldn't rescue you as easily as he did Snoop or the doll." + +As the houseboat went slowly around a bend in the creek, Nan, who +stood in front, near her father, suddenly uttered a cry, and pointed +toward shore. + +"What is it?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"There's that boy--Will Watson!" spoke Nan. "You know--the one who +liked our boat so," and she pointed to the strange lad who worked for +Mr. Hardee. The boy was walking along the shore of the creek, a fish +pole over his shoulder. + +"Oh, let's ask him how to catch fish!" proposed Bert. "We haven't had +any luck at all!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE MEAN MAN + + +Certainly it seemed a good place to fish, in Lemby Creek, for there +were many shady pools near the banks--pools that looked as though fish +swam in them, just waiting to be caught. + +As Harry and Bert looked more closely at the boy Nan had pointed out +to them, they saw that he carried a string of fish, as well as the +pole. + +"Oh, he's caught some!" cried Bert. "Let's ask how he does it." + +"And where he caught them," suggested Harry. + +"I will," agreed Bert. "Hey there, Will!" he called. "Where'd you get +the fish?" + +The farm boy, who had seen the houseboat, and who was hurrying toward +her, waved his hand as Bert called to him. Then, as he came nearer +across the green meadow through which the creek ran, he shouted: + +"Plenty of fish all around you. Just throw in from the boat, and +you'll get all you want." + +"What kind of bait do you use?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, for neither Bert +nor Harry had thought to inquire about that, and the right kind of +bait is as much needed in catching fish, as is water itself. + +"Grasshoppers are best just now," answered Will. + +"And we've been fishing with worms!" said Bert. "No wonder!" + +"Oh, worms are all right most times," Will went on. "But the fish are +hungry for grasshoppers now. I'll give you some. I've got lots left." + +He came to the edge of the creek, and Mr. Bobbsey, who was steering +the boat, sent it in close to shore. + +"We might as well tie up here for the night, I think," he said. "That +will give you boys a chance to talk to Will, and learn how to catch +fish." + +A little later the houseboat was rubbing along the grassy bank, and +the water was so deep close to shore that there was really no need of +putting out the board, called the "gangplank," for any one to get off. +Mr. Bobbsey, knowing that Flossie and Freddie could not make the +little jump needed to take them ashore, called to Captain White to run +out a small board instead of the regular large one. + +"Come on, Harry!" called Bert. "We'll get some of those grasshoppers." + +He started down the stairs leading from the deck, intending to go +ashore, but his mother touched him on the arm, and said, in a low +voice: + +"Why don't you ask that boy to come on board?" + +"Why?" asked Bert. + +"Well, I was just going to give you children some of the corn muffins +Dinah has just baked, and perhaps Will would like---" + +"Oh, of course! Now I understand!" cried Bert. "Of course. I say, +Will!" he went on, calling down from the upper deck, "can't you come +aboard? We're going to have some of Dinah's corn muffins, and maybe +you'd like to sample one." + +Somewhat to the surprise of Mrs. Bobbsey, as well as to the wonderment +of Bert and Harry, Will did not seem eager to accept the invitation. + +"I'd like to come on board, very much," he said, looking back of him, +and on all sides, as though he feared some one was after him. "But you +see I haven't got much time. I ought to be back at the farm now. Mr. +Hardee set me to hoeing a patch of corn, and I'm supposed to be back +in time to feed the horses before supper. And it's almost supper time +now." + +"Well, we don't want you to be late," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Here, Bert," +she said, as Dinah came out of the kitchen with a big plate of +muffins, "you take some of these to Will, and you can walk along a +little way with him, and talk about fishing. Then he won't be late. + +"But don't go too far," she added, "for supper will soon be ready." + +"We won't!" promised Bert. Taking some of the delicious corn muffins, +the two boys hurried ashore, Snap, the dog, barking joyously, bounding +along with them. Flossie and Freddie did not care to go ashore just +then, as the little girl twin was playing with her doll, and her +brother was trying to make Snoop do one of the tricks that the circus +lady had taught the cat in Cuba. + +Mrs. Bobbsey went down to the dining-room, to talk to Dinah about the +evening meal, while Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White got out the ropes +with which to tie the houseboat fast to some trees on the bank of the +creek. + +Meanwhile Bert and Harry walked along with Will. + +"Have some muffins," invited Bert politely, passing his new friend +some of the corn cakes that Dinah knew so well how to bake. + +"Thanks! They're good!" said Will, as he bit into one. + +"Say, you have some fine fish!" exclaimed Harry, half enviously. +"Where'd you catch them?" + +"Oh, up the creek aways--near where I was hoeing corn. You can have +'em, if you want 'em." + +"What! Do you mean to GIVE them to us?" asked Bert in surprise. "After +all the work you had catching them?" + +"Oh, it wasn't any work catching 'em," said Will quickly. "It was fun. +But it won't be any fun taking 'em home, for Mr. Hardee will be mad." + +"Why?" asked Harry, as he began eating a second muffin. + +"Well, he'll say I was catching fish instead of hoeing corn. But I +caught all these in the noon hour, when I'm supposed to have a little +time off. But he wouldn't believe that, so there's no use taking the +fish home. You can have 'em. There's some pretty big sunnies, and a +couple o' nice perch." + +"Sure you don't want them?" asked Bert. + +"No. I'd be glad to give 'em to you. And here's some grasshoppers I +didn't use. They'll be good to fish with to-morrow." + +"Thanks," said Bert, as he took the tin box Will held out. Inside +could be heard a queer little "ticking" noise, as the grasshoppers +leaped up against the cover. + +"Say, these are sure some fine fish!" exclaimed Will. + +"Oh, you'll catch just as nice ones to-morrow," the country boy said. +"I'll have to run now, or I'll be late at the farm." + +"Good-bye!" called Bert and Harry as Will hurried off along the edge +of the creek. "See you to-morrow, maybe." + +Will had no idea that he would see his friends then. He knew he had a +hard day's work in prospect for the next day--weeding a large patch of +onions that were so far away from the creek that he would have no +chance, even at his noon hour, of going down to the water for a cool +little swim. + +Will did not know what queer things were going to happen to him very +soon, nor did any of the Bobbseys realize what a part they were to +play in the life of poor, friendless Will Watson. + +"He's a nice boy, isn't he?" asked Harry of Bert, as they turned back +toward the boat, with their fish and bait. + +"Yes, I like him a lot. It's too bad he has to work so hard on the +farm." + +"Yes, it sure is." + +Talking of the luck they expected to have the next day, fishing, the +cousins soon reached the Bluebird. There they found their father and +Captain White waiting for them. + +"We've decided to move the boat farther down the creek before we tie +up for the night," said Mr. Bobbsey, "but we didn't want to go before +you boys came back." + +"Are you going to start up the engine again?" asked Bert. "If you are, +I wish you'd let me try to do it." + +"No, you are too small to go near gasoline motors," said his father. +"Besides, we are not going to use the engine. We'll just push the boat +along with poles from the bank. We're not going very far, but your +mother thought it would be nicer to spend the night in a more open +place." + +"Yes," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "I thought perhaps some animals might jump +out of the trees on our deck." + +The trees on shore were very close to the boat, some of the branches +overhanging the railing. At the mention of animals, Bert's eyes opened +wider. + +"Say, if I had a gun I could shoot them, if they came aboard," he +said, his eyes glistening. + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed his mother. "I'd rather have an animal on board +than let you have a gun. You might get shot." + +"I--I could squirt water on 'em with my fire engine!" shouted Freddie, +who had given up trying to make Snoop do any tricks. + +"Oh, we had enough of your engine, little fat fireman," said Mr. +Bobbsey with a laugh. "Now then, if you're all ready, we'll move the +boat." + +It was rather hard work to start the Bluebird, but once it had begun +to move, it went more easily through the water. Captain White had one +pushing pole, Mr. Bobbsey another, and Bert and Harry used one between +them. Soon the houseboat moved out from the narrow part of the creek, +and from under the trees, to a place where wide meadows were found on +either side. A little farther, going around a bend in the stream, the +Bobbseys came in sight of a farmhouse, a barn and several other +buildings near it. + +"Oh, look!" cried Nan. "Somebody lives there." + +"Yes, that's Mr. Hardee's farm, I think," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We can +tie up our boat here, and then, if we want some milk or eggs, we can +easily get them." + +"I needs some aigs," spoke Dinah. "Done used de lastest one in dem +muffins." + +"Then we'll make the boat fast here," decided Mr. Bobbsey. "With your +corn muffins, Dinah, and the fish Will gave us, we'll have a fine +supper. As soon as the boat is fast you and Harry can clean the fish, +Bert." + +Beyond the broad expanse which lay between the wide meadows, the creek +had narrowed again opposite the farmhouse and barn. In fact, it was so +narrow, that if there had been another houseboat on the stream, there +would have been trouble for the Bluebird to pass. This narrow part was +not, however, very long, and beyond it the creek broadened out again. + +Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White had just finished fastening the ropes +from the boat to some stakes driven into the ground, when Mrs. +Bobbsey, who had come up from the dining-room, called out: + +"Oh, look, Richard!" + +"What is it?" asked her husband. + +"That man! See! I'm afraid he is going to give that boy a whipping. +And see, it's Will--the boy who gave Bert the fish!" + +Mr. Bobbsey looked to where his wife pointed, and saw, coming out of +the barn, a grizzled farmer, leading by the arm a boy whom Mr. Bobbsey +at once recognized as Will Watson. Keeping a tight grip on the lad's +arm with one hand, the farmer raised his other hand, in which was a +long horsewhip. + +Then he cried: + +"I'll teach you to waste your time goin' fishin'! I'll teach you! Th' +idea o' fishin' when I set you to hoein' corn! Wastin' my time! I'll +learn you!" + +"Oh, but, Mr. Hardee!" cried poor Will. "I only fished in the noon +hour when I'm not supposed to work!" + +"Not supposed to work!" cried the mean man, as he brought the whip +down on Will's shoulders. "You're supposed t' work here all th' while +I tell you--'cept when you're asleep! I'll teach you!" and again the +cruel whip swished down. + +"Oh, Richard!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey faintly, as she covered her eyes +with her hands. "Can't you stop that?" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE WIRE FENCE + + +Mr. Bobbsey did not waste any time talking. With a run and a jump he +was on shore, and then he started across the meadow toward the place +where the mean farmer was whipping Will, who was crying out loud. For +the cruel whip hurt. + +"Hold on a minute, Mr. Hardee!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey, when he was +near enough to make himself heard. Back on the deck of the houseboat +Mrs. Bobbsey, the twins, their cousins and Dinah watched and waited to +see what would happen. + +"You talkin' to me?" sharply demanded the mean farmer of Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Yes, Mr. Hardee. I asked you to wait a minute before you keep on +whipping that boy. I happened to hear part of what he said, and I +think he is in the right." + +"In th' right? What do you mean?" + +"I mean I think he tells the truth, when he says he fished only during +the noon hour. We saw him as he came along, and he gave the fish he +had caught to my boy." + +"Oh, he did, hey?" exclaimed Mr. Hardee. "I was wonderin' what become +of 'em. Give 'em away, did he? Wa'al, he knowed better'n to bring 'em +here. I knowed he'd been wastin' his time. When I set a boy to hoein' +corn, an' he comes home smellin' of fish, I know what he's been doin' +jest th' same as when I see a boy's head wet on a hot day I know he's +been in swimmin'! You can't fool me. He's frittered away his time, +when he ought t' be hoein' corn, an' now I'm goin' to take it out of +him!" + +Again he raised the whip, and struck the boy. + +"Oh, please don't!" begged Will. "Honest I didn't fish except at noon +hour, an' I ate my lunch in one hand, and fished with the other, so I +wouldn't waste any time. I only took half an hour, instead of three- +quarters you said I could have at noon, and I went right to work +hoein' corn again." + +"Humph! That's easy enough to say," spoke Mr. Hardee, "but I don't +believe you. I told you I'd whip you if you went fishin' ag'in, an' +I'm goin' to do it!" + +Again the lash fell. + +"Please don't!" begged Will, trying to break loose. But the angry +farmer held him in too firm a grip. + +"Look here!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey with flashing eyes. "I believe that +boy is telling the truth!" + +"Wa'al, I don't," snapped the mean farmer. "An' I'm goin' to give him +a good lesson." + +"Not that way, Mr. Hardee!" cried Mr. Bobbsey, taking a step forward. + +"Huh! You seem to know my name," said the farmer, stopping in his +beating of the boy, "but I don't know you." + +"My name is Bobbsey," said the twins' lather, and the farmer started. +"I'm in the lumber business over at Lakeport. I guess you bought some +lumber of me, didn't you, for your house." + +"Wa'al, s'posin' I did?" asked Mr. Hardee. "I paid you for it, didn't +I?" + +"Yes, I think so." + +"Wa'al, then that don't give you no right to interfere with me! This +is my hired boy, an' I can do as I please with him." + +"Oh, no, you can't, Mr. Hardee!" said Mr. Bobbsey quickly. + +"What's that? I can't? Wa'al, I'll show you! Stand back now, I'm goin' +to give him a good threshin'!" + +Again he raised the whip, but it did not fall on poor, timid, +shrinking Will. For Mr. Bobbsey snatched it away from the angry +farmer's hand and flung it far to one side. + +"Here! What'd you mean by that?" demanded Mr. Hardee, his face more +flushed than ever with anger. + +"I mean you're not going to beat that boy!" replied the twins' father. +"He hasn't done anything to deserve it, and I'm not going to stand by +and see him abused. Is he your hired boy?" + +"I took him out of the poorhouse--nobody would hire him. He's bound +out to me until he's of age, an' I can do as I please with him." + +"Oh, no, you can't," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I happen to know something of +the law. You have no right to beat this boy, and if you try to do it +now, or again, and I hear of it, I'll make a complaint against you. +Don't you strike him again, especially when he hasn't done anything." + +Mr. Hardee seemed so surprised that he did not know what to say. His +grip on Will's arm slipped off, and Will quickly stepped to one side. +There were tears in his eyes, and on his face. + +"I believe this boy was telling the truth," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Even if +he did fish a little during the time you call yours, that would be no +excuse for using a horsewhip on him." + +"I tell you he's bound out to me, and I can. do as I please with him!" +cried Mr. Hardee. + +"No, you can't," said Mr. Bobbsey. "You have no right to be cruel, +even if he is a poor boy, and is bound out to you. Haven't you any +folks, Will?" he asked. + +"No--no, sir," was the half-sobbed answer. "No near folks. I come from +th' poorhouse, just as he says. But I've got an uncle somewhere out +west. He's a miner. If he knew where I was, he'd look after me." + +"Where is your uncle?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"I--I got his address, but I can't write very good, or I'd send him a +letter." + +"Let me have his address," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "And I'll see what I +can do." + +"Look here!" cried the farmer. "I won't have you interferin' in my +business! You ain't got a right to!" + +"Every one has a right to stop a poor boy from being unjustly beaten," +said the twins' father. "Will, you get me that address. I'll be here a +day or so, in my houseboat, and you can bring it down to me. Do you +think you can find it, and let me know where your uncle lives?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then do it." + +"Now you look-a-here!" began Mr. Hardee, "I won't have you, nor +anybody else, interferin' with my hired help. I---" + +"I'm not interfering except to stop you from horsewhipping a boy," +said Mr. Bobbsey. "Any one has a right to do that." + +"Humph!" was all the farmer said, as he over and picked up the +horsewhip Mr. Bobbsey had taken from him. The twins' father thought +perhaps the farmer was going to use it again, but he did not. Mr. +Hardee turned to Will and said: + +"Get along up to the house, and eat your supper! There's lots o' work +to be done afore dark. An' if I catch you fishin' any more, I'll make +you---" + +"But I wasn't fishin' except at the noon hour," the boy interrupted. + +"That's enough of your talk!" the farmer cried as he walked toward the +barn. "Go on!" + +Mr. Bobbsey went back to the houseboat. + +"It's all right," he said cheerfully to his wife and children. "I made +him stop hurting Will." + +"Did he--did he hit him very hard?" asked Freddie, for punishment of +that sort was totally unknown in the Bobbsey home. Of course the +children did not always do right, but they were punished by having +some pleasure taken away from them, and never whipped. + +"No, Will wasn't much hurt," said Mr. Bobbsey, for he did not want his +children, or their cousins, to worry too much over what they had seen. +Yet Mr. Bobbsey could not help but think that the cruel lash must have +hurt Will more than the boy himself showed. + +"He--he won't whip him any more, will he?" asked little Flossie. + +"No, not any more," said Mr. Bobbsey, for he had made up his mind he +would, if necessary, take the boy away from the mean farmer before any +more whipping could be done. + +"Suppah am ready!" called Dinah from the kitchen. "An' I done wants +yo' all t' come right away fo' it gits cold!" + +"We're coming!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "And after supper we'll sit on +deck and sing songs." + +She wanted to do something to take out of the minds of the children +the memory of the unpleasant scene they had just observed. + +"I wish it would hurry up and come morning," said Bert. + +"Why?" asked his father. + +"So Harry and I can go fishing. I'm sure we'll catch some with the +grasshoppers for bait." + +"Well, I hope you have good luck," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. + +The supper was much enjoyed. The fish, which Will had given the +Bobbseys, made a fine meal, with the corn muffins and other things +Dinah cooked. After supper they all sat out on the deck of the +houseboat, enjoying the beautiful June evening. From the farm of Mr. +Hardee came the sounds of mooing cows, and whinnying horses, with an +occasional grunt of the pigs, or the barking of dogs. + +Nothing was seen of the farmer himself, or of poor Will. + +"Can you do anything for him?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey of her husband, +after the children had gone to bed that night. + +"I hope so, yes. If, as he says, he has an uncle somewhere in the +West, and I can get his address, I'll write to him, and ask him to +look after Will. The boy needs a good home." + +"Indeed he does. Oh, I'm so glad you didn't let him get that +whipping!" + +"I'll help him all I can," promised Mr. Bobbsey. + +The twins' father rather hoped that the hired boy might slip down to +the houseboat that evening, with his uncle's address, but nothing was +seen of him. + +In the morning a strange thing happened. + +Mr. Bobbsey and Captain White decided that it would be better to take +the boat a little farther down Lemby Creek, and tie it fast to the +bank in a more shady spot than the one opposite the farm buildings. + +"It will be better fishing in the shade, too," Mr. Bobbsey said to the +boys. + +So the gasoline engine was started, and the boat started off. It had +not gone very far, though, before Mr. Bobbsey, who was steering, +called to Captain White to shut off the engine. + +"What's the matter?" asked Captain White. "You're going farther than +this; aren't you?" + +"I wanted to, yes. But we can't go any farther." + +"Why not?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Nothing has happened to the boat, has +there, Richard?" + +"No, not to the boat. But look there!" and Mr. Bobbsey pointed ahead. +Stretched across a narrow part of Lemby Creek was a strong wire fence, +fastened to posts driven into the bottom of the stream. The Bluebird +could go no farther on her voyage. The fence stopped her. + +As Mr. Bobbsey, the twins and the cousins looked at the strong wire +fence, they saw Mr. Hardee come along the shore. He looked at the +houseboat, and shook his fist, grinning in no pleasant fashion. + +"I guess you won't go no farther!" he cried. "I've put a stop to your +fancy trip all right! Huh!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE RUNAWAY BOY + + +"Oh, papa, can't we go on to Lake Romano?" asked Nan, as she came up +on deck with Dorothy, and saw the big wire fence stretched across the +creek to stop them. + +"It doesn't look so--unless we can fly over that," and her brother +Bert pointed to the metal strands that went from post to post. + +"It does seem to hinder us," said Mr. Bobbsey. He was trying to think +of what would be best to do. He looked at Mr. Hardee, who seemed to +think it all a fine joke. + +"Papa, I know how we can get through," eagerly said little Freddie, +who was holding Snoop in his arms. The big black cat was almost too +much of a load for the little boy, but Freddie wanted her to do some +tricks, and he held her so she would not run away. + +"I know how to get past that fence," the little twin went on. + +"How?" asked his father, rather absentmindedly. "How?" + +"Just cut the wires!" said Freddie, as though no one but himself had +thought of that. "If I had one of those cutter-things the telephone +man had, when he climbed the pole in front of our house, I could cut +the wires and we could go right on up the creek." + +"Yes, I suppose so, my little fat fireman," said Mr. Bobbsey. "But I +don't believe the man who put that fence up there would let us cut the +wires." + +"It's queer," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "That fence wasn't across the creek +before, was it?" + +"I don't know," answered her husband. "It looks as though it had been +put up lately--even last night, perhaps. But I haven't been along the +creek in some time, so I can't be sure." + +"It wasn't here last week, that's certain," Captain White spoke. "For +I was up here then fishing, and I didn't see it. I fancy that Mr. +Hardee knows something about it." + +"I shouldn't wonder," agreed Mr. Bobbsey. "Now the question is: What +are we to do? We can't go on through the fence, and we can't very well +go around it, for the Bluebird won't float on dry ground. And I don't +want to go back. This is the only way to get to Lake Romano." + +"I know what to do, papa," spoke Flossie. "We can ask that man to take +down the wires, if Freddie can't cut them with the cutter-thing." + +"Yes, I suppose we could do that," Mr. Bobbsey said, slowly. + +By this time Mr. Hardee had come closer to the houseboat, which had +drifted near to the shore. + +"Will you take that fence down, and let us go past?" asked Mr. +Bobbsey, as politely as he could. + +"No, I won't!" snapped Mr. Hardee in reply. "No!" + +"But we want to go on down the creek," explained the twins' father, +"and we can't get past the fence." + +"I know you can't!" said Mr. Hardee with a chuckle. "That's what I put +it up there for. I strung it last night--me and my hired men. I didn't +think you'd hear, and you didn't. Give you a sort of surprise, didn't +it?" + +"It certainly did," and Mr. Bobbsey's voice was stern. "And I want to +say that you had no right to stretch that fence across the creek to +stop my boat. You had no right!" + +"Oh, yes, I had!" said Mr. Hardee with a sneer. + +"This is a public creek," went on Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Maybe it is, in certain places," said the mean farmer, "but here the +creek runs through my land. I own on both sides of it, and I own the +creek itself. If I don't want to let anybody go through in a boat, I +don't have to." + +"Oh, so you own the creek here, do you?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, rather +surprised. + +"Yes, I do." + +"And you aren't going to let us pass?" + +"Nope! That's why I strung that fence last night. It's a good, strong +fence, and if you run into it, and try to bust it I'll have th' law on +ye!" + +"Oh, you needn't worry that I'll do anything like that," spoke Mr. +Bobbsey. "But why won't you let us pass?" + +"Because of what you did last night--interferin' between me and my +help. You wouldn't let me give Will Watson the threshin' he deserved, +an' I won't let you pass through my creek. I want you to back up your +boat, too, and go back where you come from. I own that part of the +creek where you are now." + +"Come now, be reasonable," suggested Mr. Bobbsey. "I stopped you from +beating that boy only because you were in the wrong. If you'll just +think it over, you'll say so yourself. And, just for that, you +shouldn't stop my boat from going up the creek." + +"Well, I have stopped you, and I'm going to keep on stoppin' you!" +cried Mr. Hardee, again shaking his fist. "You can't get past my +fence. It's a good strong fence." + +"I--I could cut it, if I had one of those cutter-things, the telephone +man had," said Freddie, in his clear, high voice. + +"Hush, Freddie dear," said his mother. "Leave it to papa." + +Mr. Bobbsey was silent a moment, and then he went on: + +"And so you strung that fence in the night, and won't let my houseboat +pass, just because I stopped you from beating that boy?" + +"That's it," the mean farmer said. "And for more than that, too." + +"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Bobbsey quickly. + +"I mean that you made that boy, Will Watson, run away." + +"Run away!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, in surprise. + +"Yes, run away," repeated the farmer. "He didn't come down to +breakfast this mornin', and when I went to call him to do the chores, +he was gone. And, what's more, I think you had somethin' to do with +him runnin' away," went on the angry farmer. "You put a lot o' notions +in his head. You're to blame!" + +"Now look here!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "We don't know any more about +that boy running away than you do, Mr. Hardee. If he has gone, I'm +sorry for him, for he may have a hard time. I'm not sorry I stopped +you from beating him, though. Perhaps he is around the farm +somewhere." + +"No, he isn't!" insisted the farmer. "He's gone. What clothes he had +he took with him. He's run away, and it's your fault, too. I put up +that fence last night to pay you back for interferin', an' now I'm +glad I did, for you're to blame for Will runnin' off." + +"I tell you that you are mistaken," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "But if you +feel that way about it, there is no use talking to you. Then you won't +take down that wire fence and let us pass?" + +"No, I won't, and I order you, and your boat, out of my part of the +creek. Go back where you come from. You can't go through to Lake +Romano this way!" + +Mr. Bobbsey turned and looked at the wire fence. It certainly was a +strong one, and the farmer and his hired men had worked well during +the night. It was far enough off from where the Bluebird then was so +that the pounding on the posts, to drive them into the mud of the +creek bottom, was not heard. + +"Well, I guess there's nothing for us to do but to go back," said Mr. +Bobbsey. He felt very sorry, when he saw the looks of disappointment +on the faces of the twins and their cousins. + +"Papa," said Freddie again, "if I had one of those wire-cutter things, +I could snip that wire like the telephone men did." + +"Yes, but we haven't one, little fat fireman, and we would have no +right to use it if we had," said Mr. Bobbsey. "No, I must think of +some other way." + +"It's too bad," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I wonder what has become of that +poor runaway boy?" she asked. + +"I don't know," answered Mr. Bobbsey. But, had he only known it, Will +Watson was nearer than any one suspected. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +OFF AGAIN + + +"What are we going to do?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, as she stood at the +side of her husband on the deck of the houseboat. Mr. Bobbsey was +looking at the wire fence, as though trying to find a way to get past +it--either under it, or over it, or to one side or the other of it. Of +course he did not think it wise to try little Freddie's plan of +breaking the wire with a "cutter thing" such as the telephone men +carried. + +"Well," said Mr. Bobbsey, after a bit, "I guess the only thing for us +to do is to go back, until we are anchored in some part of Lemby Creek +that doesn't belong to Mr. Hardee." + +"Does he really own this water?" asked Bert. + +"Well, he says so, and I have no doubt but what he does," said Mr. +Bobbsey. "If he owns land on both sides of the creek, naturally he +owns the creek, too." + +"And we can't go up or down it?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Not unless he lets us." + +"What about the fishes?" asked Bert "He can't stop them from swimming +up and down." + +"No, he can't do that," agreed his father, with a smile. + +"Then can he stop Harry and me from catching fish?" Bert wanted next +to know. + +"Not if you fish somewhere else than in his waters," spoke the twins' +father. "The best thing for us to do is to go back where we were at +first, near where the creek runs into Lake Metoka. There we can anchor +for a time." + +"But how are we going to get to Lake Romano?" asked Nan. "I want to +show Dorothy the big waterfall." + +"Well, perhaps we can get there a little later," her father said. +"Just now Mr. Hardee has the best of us, and we'll have to do as he +says. So, Captain White, I guess we'll have to back up the boat, as we +can't go past the fence." + +"If I had one of those wire-cutter things," began Freddie, "I could +snip that wire as easy as anything." He seemed to think of nothing +else. + +"Oh, you and Flossie had better go play with Snap, or Snoop," +suggested Bert with a laugh. "Or you can come and watch Harry and me +fish. We're going to as soon as we get back aways." + +"I'm going to fish, too," declared Freddie, eagerly. + +The creek, near Mr. Hardee's farm, was so narrow that the houseboat +could not be turned around in it, and it had to go backward. This was +easy, since the Bluebird was something like a ferry boat, built to go +backward or forward. + +The twins were a little sad as they saw their boat backing up, but it +could not be helped. + +"We'll have a good time fishing, anyhow," said Harry. + +"That's right," agreed Bert. "I wonder if that boy Will took his +fishing rod with him? He'd probably need it, if he has run away, and +is going out west to find his uncle." + +"Why would he need a fish-rod?" asked Nan. + +"To catch fish to eat," her brother said. "He'll have to have +something, and fish are the easiest to get. I almost wish I had gone +with him. It will be lots of fun." + +"Oh, but it will be very hard, too," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Think of the +lonely nights he'll have to spend, and perhaps with no place to sleep, +but on the hard ground. And when it rains---" + +"I guess I'll stay home!" laughed Bert, as though he had ever had an +idea of running away from home. + +Slowly the Bluebird made her way backward until she had passed some +posts near the edge of the water. These posts marked the boundary line +of Mr. Hardee's farm. He did not own beyond them, and Captain White +said the creek was public property there. + +"Then we'll anchor here," decided Mr. Bobbsey, as he steered the +houseboat toward shore. "Then I think I'll take a little trip back to +Lakeport." + +"And leave us alone?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Only for a short while. I want to see some friends of mine, and find +out if Mr. Hardee really has the right to fence off Lemby Creek. I +don't believe he has." + +"Will you be back to-night?" + +"Oh, yes. It isn't far to Lakeport. I can walk across the fields and +go by trolley." + +"I do hope you can find some way of getting past the fence," said Mrs. +Bobbsey. "It would be too bad to have our trip spoiled." + +As Mr. Bobbsey was getting ready to go back to town, Dinah came out of +the dining-room, looking rather puzzled. + +"What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Are you worried because we +can't get those eggs from Mr. Hardee?" + +"Well, yessum, dat's partly it," said the fat cook. "We's got t' hab +eggs, an' other things too." + +"Bert and Harry can walk to the village," said Mr. Bobbsey. "It isn't +far from here. I'll go part way with them. So don't worry, Dinah." + +"Oh, dat isn't all dat's worryin' me, Massa Bobbsey. But did yo' say +de chillums could hab dem corn muffins whut was left over?" and she +looked at Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"The corn muffins that were left over?" repeated the twins' mother. +"No, I said nothing about them. And they know they should not eat +between meals without asking me. Why, are the muffins gone, Dinah?" + +"Yessum; fo' ob 'em. I put 'em on a plate on de dinin' room table, but +now dey's gone." + +"Maybe Snap took them," suggested Mr. Bobbsey. "Snoop wouldn't, for +she doesn't like such things. But Snap is very fond of them." + +Freddie, who heard the talk, hurried over to where the dog was lying +asleep in a patch of sunlight, and opened his mouth. + +"No, Snap didn't take 'em," said Freddie. "There aren't any crumbs in +his teeth." + +"Well, maybe you can tell that way, but I doubt it," laughed Mr. +Bobbsey. "Perhaps you forgot where you put the muffins, Dinah, or +maybe there were none left." + +"Oh, I'se shuah I done put 'em on de table," said the fat cook, "an' +I'se shuah dey was some left. I'll go look some mo', though." + +As there were a few other things besides eggs that were needed for the +kitchen of the houseboat, Bert and Harry planned to take a basket, and +go to the nearest village store for them. They would walk across the +fields with Mr. Bobbsey. + +"We'll fish when we come back," said Bert. + +"And get enough for dinner and supper," added Harry. + +"Better get enough for one meal first," suggested Nan, with a laugh. + +The houseboat was now made fast to the bank of the creek some distance +away from the wire fence Mr. Hardee had stretched across the stream. +It was not to be seen, nor were the farm buildings. The last the +Bobbseys had observed of the farmer was as he stood near his wire +fence, shaking his fist at the houseboat. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not just know how he was going to get past the fence +with the Bluebird, or how he could get Mr. Hardee to cut the wire. The +twins' father decided to ask the advice of some friends. + +Meanwhile Bert and Harry had reached the store, and had brought the +eggs, and other groceries, back to Dinah. + +"Did you find those corn muffins?" asked Bert. "Because, if you did, +Harry and I would like some. May we have one, mother?" + +"If Dinah has them, yes." + +"But I cain't find 'em!" complained the fat cook. "Dem muffins hab +jest done gone an' hid de'se'ves." + +"Oh, I guess we ate them up without knowing it," Bert said, with a +laugh. "Never mind, Dinah, a piece of cake, or pie will do just as +well." + +"Go 'long wif yo'!" cried the cook with a laugh. "I'se got suffin else +t' do 'cept make cake an' pies fo' two hungry boys. Yo' jest take a +piece ob bread an' butter 'till dinnah am ready." + +"All right," agreed Bert. "It won't be long until twelve o'clock. Come +on, Harry, and we'll see what luck we have fishing." + +"I'm ready," was Harry's answer. + +"I'll get you the bread and butter," offered Nan, and she did, adding +some jam to the bread, which was a delightful surprise to the two +boys. + +"I want to fish, too," said Freddie. + +"All right, I'll fix you a line," offered Bert. "But be careful you +don't fall in. A fish might pull you overboard." + +Soon the three boys were dangling their lines over the rail of the +Bluebird, while Nan helped her mother with some of the rooms, which, +even though they were on a boat, needed "putting to rights." Dinah was +busy in the kitchen. + +By this time Mr. Bobbsey had reached Lakeport by the trolley. He was +going to his lumber office, thinking some of his friends, whom he +might call on the telephone could suggest a way out of the trouble. +Before he reached the lumber yard, however, he met an acquaintance on +the street, a Mr. Murphy. + +"Why, hello, Mr. Bobbsey!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy. "I thought you were +off on a vacation with your family in a houseboat." + +"I was," said the lumber merchant, "but I came back." + +"Back so soon? Didn't you like it?" + +"Oh, yes, first rate. But we can't go any farther." + +"Can't go any farther? What's the matter, did your boat sink?" + +"No, but we're stuck in Lemby Creek. Mr. Hardee, a farmer who owns +land on both sides of the creek, has put a wire fence across to stop +us from going on to Lake Romano." + +"Is that so! Well, that's too bad. How did it happen?" + +"I'll tell you," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +Then he told the story of stopping the angry farmer from beating Will +Watson, and how the fence had been built in the night. + +"Well, that certainly was a mean trick on the part of Mr. Hardee," +said Mr. Murphy. "And so the boy ran away?" + +"Yes, and Mr. Hardee accused me of knowing something about him, but I +don't--any more than you do." + +"I suppose not. But now the question is, How are you going to get past +that wire fence?" + +"I don't know. The only way I see is to get Mr. Hardee to cut it, or +take it down, and he says he won't do either." + +"Humph! Let me see. There ought to be a way out of it. I believe he +has the right, as far as the law goes, to put that fence up, but no +one else would be so mean. I guess we'll just have to force him to cut +those wires, as your little boy, Freddie, suggested." + +"Yes, but how can we do it?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. "Mr. Hardee is very +headstrong, and set in his ways." + +"Let me see," spoke Mr. Murphy slowly, "isn't his name Jake Hardee?" + +"Yes, I believe it is." + +"And didn't he buy from you the lumber to build his house?" + +"Yes, I sold him the lumber, but he paid me for it," said Mr. Bobbsey. +"I couldn't get any hold on him that way. He paid for the lumber in +cash." + +"Yes," cried Mr. Murphy, "but he got the money from me to pay you, and +he hasn't paid ME back. He still owes ME the money, and he gave me a +mortgage on his house as security. I've got a hold on him all right. +He owes me some interest money, too." + +I might say to you little children that when a man wants to build a +house and has not enough money, he goes to another man and borrows +cash, just as your mamma sometimes borrows sugar, or tea, from the +lady next door. + +When the man borrows money to build his house, he gives to the man who +lends him the cash, a piece of paper, called a mortgage. That paper +says that if the man who borrowed the money does not pay it back, and +also pay interest for the use of it, the man who lent him the money +can take the house. The house is "security" for the loaned money. + +It is just as if your mamma went next door to borrow a cup of sugar, +and said: + +"Now, Mrs. Jones, if I don't pay you back this sugar, and a little +more than you gave me, for being so kind as to lend it to me--if I +don't pay it back in a week, why you can keep my new Sunday hat." And +your mamma might give Mrs. Jones a Sunday hat as "security" for the +cup of sugar. Of course ladies do not do those things, but that is +what a mortgage is like. + +"Yes." said Mr. Murphy to Mr. Bobbsey, "Mr. Hardee borrowed from me +the money to buy from you the lumber for his house. And he hasn't paid +me back the money, nor any interest on it. I think I'll go up and have +a talk with him. And, when I get through talking, I guess he'll let +you go through his wire fence." + +"I hope he will," said Mr. Bobbsey, "for it would be too bad to have +our trip spoiled." + +"I'll go right back with you," offered Mr. Murphy. + +So it happened that Mr. Bobbsey, with his friend, reached the +houseboat, in Lemby Creek, shortly after dinner. + +"Oh, back so soon?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "What are you going to do, Mr. +Murphy?" + +"Have a talk with Mr. Hardee." + +Mr. Bobbsey and Mr. Murphy walked down the bank of the creek to the +farm. They found Mr. Hardee mending a broken harness. + +"Mr. Hardee," said Mr. Murphy, "I hear you have put a wire fence +across Lemby Creek, so my friend, Mr. Bobbsey, can't get past with his +houseboat." + +"Yes, I have," growled the farmer, "and that fence is going to stay +up, too! I'll show him he can't come around here, interferin' with me +when I try to punish my help. He made Will run away too." + +"No, I did not. I know nothing of him," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Mr. Hardee," went on Mr. Murphy. "I want you to take down that fence, +and let the houseboat go on up the creek." + +"And I'm not going to!" + +"Very well, then," said Mr. Murphy, quietly, "perhaps you are ready to +pay me the interest on my mortgage which has been due me for some +time, Mr. Hardee." + +The farmer seemed uneasy. + +"Well, to tell you the truth," he said, "I haven't got that money just +now, Mr. Murphy. Times have been hard, and crops are poor, and I'm +short of cash. Can't you wait a while?" + +"I have waited some time." + +"Well, I'd like to have you wait a little longer. I'll pay you after a +while." + +"And I suppose you'll take down that wire fence, and let Mr. Bobbsey +and the twins go past--after a while?" + +"Well--maybe," growled the mean farmer. + +"Maybe won't do!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy. "I want you to take the wire +fence down RIGHT AWAY." + +"Well, I'm not going to do it. He interfered with me, and made that +boy run away, and I'm not going to let him go up my part of the +creek." + +"Well, then, Mr. Hardee, if you can't do something for Mr. Bobbsey, as +a favor, I can't do anything to oblige you. Mr. Bobbsey is a friend of +mine and unless you cut your wire fence, I'll have to foreclose that +mortgage, and take your house in payment for the money you owe me. +That's all there is about it. Either pay me my money--or cut that +fence. It must be one or the other." + +Mr. Hardee squirmed in his seat, and seemed very uneasy. + +"I--I just can't pay that money," he said. + +"Then I'll have to take your house away." + +"I--I don't want you to do that, either." + +"Then cut the wire fence!" cried Mr. Murphy. + +"Wa'al, I--I guess I'll have to," said Mr. Hardee, but it was clearly +to be seen that he did not want to. He went into the barn, and came +out wearing a pair of rubber boots, and carrying a pair of pincers-- +the "wire-cutting things," as Freddie called them. + +Wading out into the creek Mr. Hardee snipped the wires of the fence. + +"There, now you can go on," he said to Mr. Bobbsey, but his tone was +not pleasant. + +"I thought I knew how to make him give in," whispered Mr. Murphy. + +"Thank you," said Mr. Bobbsey to his friend. They hurried back to the +houseboat. + +"We're going on again!" cried the twins' father. "The fence is down." + +"Oh, fine!" said Bert. + +"Now for the waterfall!" sighed Nan, who loved beautiful scenery. + +"Oh, I've caught a fish!" suddenly shouted Freddie and he jumped about +so that his mother, with a scream, ran toward him, fearing he would go +overboard. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +OVERBOARD + + +"Look out, Freddie!" + +"Be careful there, little fat fireman!" + +Thus Mrs. Bobbsey cried to the small twin, and thus Mr. Bobbsey also +warned his son, who had pulled up his pole with a jerk, when he felt a +nibble on the fish-line. + +"I'll look out for him!" cried Bert, and he got between his little +brother and the railing of the boat, so there would be no danger of +Freddie's falling overboard. Freddie had no intention of getting into +the water, but he was much excited over his fish. + +"I caught it all myself!" he cried. "I caught a fish all by myself, +and nobody helped me. Didn't I, Bert?" + +"Yes, Freddie, except that Harry put on the grasshopper bait." + +"But where's the fish?" asked Nan, who, as yet, had not seen one. + +"Here it is!" cried Freddie, as he ran toward the end of his line +which lay on deck. "I caught a fish, and it's all mine--every bit," +and he held up a little, wiggling sunfish which, somehow or other, had +been caught on the tiny hook. + +"Oh, it's a real, live fish!" squealed Flossie, dropping her doll to +get a better view of this new plaything. "Are we going to have it for +supper, Freddie?" + +"No!" cried the little fat fellow, as he tried to hold the fish up by +the swinging line in one hand, and grasp it in the other. The fish was +so slippery that, every time Freddie had it, his hand slid off of it. +"We're not going to eat my fish!" cried Freddie. "I'm going to keep it +forever, in a glass globe, and make it do tricks!" + +The others gathered around to see Freddie's catch, for the little +fellow was very proud of his success, though, once or twice before, on +trips to the country, he had been allowed to fish with Bert and Nan. +He was too impatient to sit still long, so he never caught much. + +"Here comes Snoop," said Mr. Bobbsey, with a laughing glance at his +friend Mr. Murphy, who had come back to the houseboat with him, after +the mean farmer had cut the wire fence. + +"Snoop can't have my fish!" cried Freddie, now hugging his dangling +prize close to his waist. + +"Oh, you'll get your clothes all dirty!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, as the +black cat came snooping and sniffing around, for she smelled fish, +which she very much liked. + +"Go 'way, Snoop! You can't have my fish!" cried Freddie. "I'm going to +put it in a glass globe, and keep it forever and teach it to do +tricks." + +"I guess swimming is the only trick a fish can do," said Bert, with a +laugh, "and you don't have to teach them that. They know it already." + +Freddie was so afraid that Snoop might get his fish, that Dinah +brought him up a glass dish, in which, when it was filled with water, +the little "sunny" was allowed to swim around. The hook had become +fastened in only a corner of the mouth, and the fish was not hurt in +the least. + +Freddie was as proud as though he had caught a whale or a shark. He +did not care to fish any more, but stood on deck near the box on which +had been placed the dish containing his fish. + +Bert and Harry, who had caught some larger fish, went back to their +rods and lines, while Nan took up Freddie's pole and used it for +herself. Flossie divided her time between getting her doll to "sleep" +and watching Freddie's fish. + +"Well, are we really going up the creek?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Yes, Mr. Murphy got the farmer to cut the wire fence, so we can get +past," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We had better start, too, for Mr. Hardee +might change his mind, and put back the wire fence." + +"I guess there isn't much danger of that," spoke Mr. Murphy. "But you +have a fine boat. I don't wonder that you didn't want to stay cooped +up here in this creek." + +Flossie, who had come over near the visitor, said: + +"There's a stove in our kitchen, and Dinah cooks things on it--good +things to eat!" + +"Does she?" cried Mr. Murphy, catching the little girl up in his arms. +"That's fine!" + +"I think you might take that as an invitation to dinner," said Mrs. +Bobbsey, with a laugh. + +"Thanks, I will stay, and see how it feels to eat on board a +houseboat," replied the man who had helped Mr. Bobbsey. + +Bert and Harry decided that they had caught enough fish now, so they +pulled in their lines, and soon the Bluebird was moving slowly up the +creek, toward Lake Romano, though it would be a day or so before the +Bobbseys reached it. + +As the houseboat went past the wire fence, which had been cut, the +twins and their cousins looked at it in wonder. Only the posts stood +there now, and there was room enough between them for the houseboat to +pass. A little way back from the shore stood Mr. Hardee. + +"I'm not going to let every boat go past that wants to!" he called to +Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll let you through, as a favor to Mr. Murphy, but I'm +not going to have a whole lot of them sailin' up and down my creek!" + +"Just as if it would hurt the water," said Bert, in a low voice. + +They were all glad when a turn of the stream hid Mr. Hardee from +sight. The mean farmer evidently thought he had not been unpleasant +enough, for he ran after the houseboat a little way, crying: + +"If you see anything of that good-for-nothing boy of mine, I want you +to tell him to come back here, or it will be the worse for him." + +"We're not likely to see him," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +"I don't know about that," went on the farmer. "I believe you folks +know something about him." + +"That's all nonsense!" said Mr. Bobbsey, sharply. "I've told you we +don't know where he is, and haven't seen him since you tried to +horsewhip him. That ought to be enough." + +"Wa'al, we'll see," was the growling answer, as the mean farmer turned +away. + +The houseboat kept on, until it was well past Mr. Hardee's land, and +then, in a pleasant part of the creek, it was tied to the bank. Dinah +served supper. + +"See! I told you we had a stove, and that Dinah could cook things," +said Flossie, as a plate full of steaming hot corn muffins was set on +the table. + +"So you did, my dear!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy, who sat next to the +little "fat fairy." + +Flossie seemed to think the most wonderful part of the houseboat was +the kitchen and the stove. + +When the pleasant meal was over, they sat on deck in the evening, +until it was time for Mr. Murphy to go home. He was to walk across the +meadow, about a mile, to get a trolley car. Mr. Bobbsey went with him, +part of the way. + +For several days after this, the Bobbsey twins had all sorts of +amusements on the house-boat. The BLUEBIRD was still kept in the +creek, for it was so pleasant there, along the shady waterway, that +Mrs. Bobbsey said they might as well enjoy it as long as possible. + +"But I want to see the big lake and the waterfall," said Nan. + +"We'll soon be there," promised her father. + +One day the houseboat was moved along the creek for about a mile, and +anchored there. Bert and Harry found the fishing so good, that they +wanted to stay a long time. They really caught some large perch and +chub. + +"But we didn't come on this trip just to fish," said Mr. Bobbsey. +"There are other things to do. We want to go in swimming, when it gets +a little warmer, and then, too, we can take some walks in the woods on +the shores of Lake Romano." + +"And can we have picnics, and take our lunch?" asked Freddie. + +"Yes, little fat fireman," answered his father, laughing. + +Freddie had been kept so busy with other amusements, that he had not +once played with his fire engine, since coming on board. + +"Let me catch some fish," begged Flossie, on the afternoon of the day +when they were to move from the place that Bert and Harry liked so +well. + +"You may take my line," offered Freddie. "I'm tired of fishing." + +I think perhaps Freddie grew weary because he had had no bites. That +one fish he had caught, and which had caused so much excitement, +seemed to be all he could get. That one was still alive in the glass +dish, which Bert had made into sort of an aquarium. + +"I'm going to catch a big fish," said Flossie, as she laid her doll +down beside the sleeping dog Snap, and took Freddie's pole. + +"Don't fall in--that's all," cautioned Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'll watch her," offered Dorothy, for Nan had gone down to help dry +the dishes, it being her "turn." + +Somehow or other, every one forgot Flossie for a moment, and even +Dorothy, who had promised to watch her, forgot when she saw some small +boats, filled with young folks on an excursion, pass the houseboat. + +Suddenly there came a scream from little Flossie. + +"I see him! I see him!" she cried. "He's on our boat!" + +The next moment her mother, who turned quickly as she heard Flossie's +voice, saw the little girl lean far over the rail of the Bluebird. +Then came a splash. Flossie had fallen overboard! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE MISSING SANDWICHES + + +"Flossie is in the water!" + +"Get the boat!" + +"Snap! Jump in and get her!" + +"Oh, Flossie!" + +So many were the excited cries that followed the falling over the rail +of little Flossie, that no one could tell who was speaking, or crying +out. + +Harry, who was near the rail, turned sharply as he heard the splash, +and then, quickly casting off his coat, he gave a clean dive over the +side. Harry was a country boy, and had learned to swim when very +young. He was not at all afraid of the water, and, more than once, he +had pulled from "the old swimming hole," boys smaller than himself, +who had gone beyond their depth, and could not get out. + +"I'll get her!" cried Harry, as he dived over the side. + +"Oh, it's all my fault!" sobbed Dorothy. "I said I'd watch her. But I +forgot! It's all my fault!" + +"No, it isn't, dear!" said Nan, quickly putting her arms around her +cousin. "Flossie does things so quickly, sometimes, that no one can +watch her. But we'll get her out, for the water isn't deep." + +It was deep enough though, on that side of the boat, to be well over +Flossie's head, and of course, plunging down from the height she did, +she at once went under water. + +Snap seemed to understand what had happened, and to know that his +services were needed, for he gave a bark, and made a rush for the +rail. + +"Don't let him jump in!" cried Mr. Bobbsey to Bert. "If Harry can get +her, Snap might only make trouble. Hold him back, Bert, while I get +the rowboat." + +Mrs. Bobbsey, with one arm around Freddie, had rushed to the rail to +look down. She saw Flossie come to the surface, choking and gasping +for breath, and then saw Harry, who had gone under, but who had come +up again, strike out for the little girl. + +"Oh, save her!" gasped Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"He will!" said Bert. "Harry's a fine swimmer. Come back, Snap!" he +called to the big dog, getting his hands on his collar, just in time, +for Snap was determined to go to the rescue himself. He whined, pulled +and tugged to get away from Bert. + +"Help me hold him!" cried Bert to Nan. + +"I will!" she answered, glad to be doing something. Together the two +older Bobbsey twins managed to keep Snap back. Dorothy, too, helped, +for Snap was very strong. + +"Did Flossie go after a fish?" asked Freddie, and he asked it in such +a queer way that it would have caused a laugh at any other time. Just +now every one was too frightened to laugh. + +After all, there really was not so much danger. Mr. Bobbsey had taught +Flossie some of the things one must do when learning to swim, and that +is to hold your breath when you are under water. For it is the water +getting into the lungs that causes a person to drown. After her first +plunge into the creek, the little girl thought of what her father had +told her, and did hold her breath. + +"I--I'll get you!" called Harry to her. "Don't be afraid, Flossie! +I'll get you!" + +Flossie was too much out of breath to answer, so she did not try to +speak. Harry was soon at her side, and called to her: + +"Now put your hands on my shoulders, Flossie, and I'll swim to the +boat with you. Don't try to grab me around the neck." + +Harry knew how dangerous it was for a person trying to rescue another +in the water to be choked. Flossie was a wise little girl, even if she +was not very old. She did as her cousin told her, and, with Flossie's +hands on his shoulders, Harry began to swim toward the Bluebird. + +He did not have to go very far, though, for by this time Mr. Bobbsey +and Captain White were there with the rowboat, and the two children +were soon lifted in. They were safe, and not harmed a bit, except for +being wet through. + +"Oh, Flossie, whatever did you do it for?" asked her mother, when she +had hugged the dripping little girl in her arms. "Why did you do it?" + +"Do what, mamma?" Flossie asked. + +"Lean over so far." + +"I wanted to see if I had a fish," went on Flossie. "And I had to lean +over. And then I saw him." + +"Saw whom?" asked her father. "What do you mean?" + +"Why, I saw him--that boy," and Flossie seemed surprised that her +father did not understand. + +"What boy?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Did you fall asleep there, Flossie, +and were you dreaming, when you fell in?" + +"No, mamma. I didn't fall asleep. I saw HIM, I tell you." + +"I heard her say something about seeing some one, just as she went +over the rail, head first," Dorothy said. + +"But whom do you mean, Flossie?" asked puzzled Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Why, that boy--the one the bad man whipped." + +"Oh, Will Watson!" exclaimed Bert. "Where did you see him, Flossie? +Was he in one of the excursion boats that went past?" + +"No, he was on our boat--down there," and Flossie pointed straight +down. "I saw him!" she declared. + +"I guess she must have dozed off a little, and dreamed it," spoke Mr. +Bobbsey, with a smile. "That was it. The sun was so hot, that she just +slept a little as she was fishing. She might have had a bite, and that +awakened her so suddenly that she gave a jump and fell over the rail. +I must have it built higher. Then there won't be any danger." + +"Yes, do," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "We've had scares enough." + +"But I did see that boy--the one that gave Bert the fish," insisted +Flossie. "He was on our boat. I saw him as plain as anything." + +"It must have been some one in the excursion boats that looked like +him," spoke Nan. + +"No, I saw Will!" declared the little twin, and, rather than get her +excited by disputing, they allowed her to think she really had seen a +strange face, as she leaned over. + +"But of course she either dreamed it, or saw some one she thought was +that runaway boy," Mr. Bobbsey said, afterward. "It's all nonsense to +think he was on our boat." + +Snap, who had not been allowed to go to the rescue, much as he had +wanted to, leaped about Flossie, barking and wagging his tail in joy. + +"Anybody would think he'd done it all," said Bert. "Say, Harry, you're +all right! That was a dandy dive!" and he clapped his cousin on the +back. + +"Indeed we never can thank you enough. Harry," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and +tears of thankfulness glistened in her eyes. + +"Oh, it wasn't anything at all," the country boy said, modestly +blushing, for he did not like such a "fuss" made over him. "I knew I +could get her out." + +"Well, it was very fine of you," said Mr. Bobbsey, warmly. "Now then, +you had better change your clothes, for, though it is summer, you +might take cold. And Flossie, too, must change." + +"Yes, I'll look after her," said her mother "Now remember, little fat +fairy," Mrs. Bobbsey went on, giving Flossie her father's pet name, +"you must never lean over the rail again. If you do---" + +"But I saw---" began Flossie. + +"No matter what you saw--don't lean over the rail!" said her mother. +"If you do, we shall have to give up this houseboat trip." + +This seemed such a dreadful thing, that Flossie quickly promised to be +very careful indeed. + +"But I did see him, all the same!" she murmured, as her mother took +her to the bedroom to change her clothes. "I saw that boy on our +boat." + +The others only laughed at Flossie for thinking such a queer thing. + +"That poor boy is far enough away from here now," said Bert. "I wonder +if he will really try to make his way out west?" + +"I don't know," answered Harry, who had changed to a dry suit, hanging +his other in the sun to let the water drip out of it. "I've read of +boys making long journeys that way." + +"I wouldn't want to try it," spoke Bert. + +"Neither would I," said his cousin. "This houseboat suits me!" + +Flossie was little the worse for her accident, and was soon playing +about again with Snoop and Snap, and with Freddie. The little fellow +and his sister made the dog and cat do many tricks. + +It was the day after this, when the Bluebird had gone a little farther +up the creek, that Mrs. Bobbsey planned a little picnic on shore. They +were not far from a nice, green forest. + +"We'll have Dinah put us up a little lunch, and we'll go in the woods +and eat it," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Oh, that will be fun!" cried Nan. "Won't it, Dorothy?" + +"Indeed it will," said the seashore cousin. + +"I'm going to take my doll," Flossie said. "There's no water in the +woods for her to fall in, is there, mamma?" + +"No, not unless you drop her into a spring," laughed Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'll see if Dinah has finished making the sandwiches," offered Nan. +"She had them almost finished a little while ago." + +But when Nan went to the dining-room, she found the colored cook very +much excited. + +"What is the matter, Dinah?" asked Nan. + +"Mattah! What am de mattah?" Dinah repeated, "Dey's lots de mattah, +Missie Nan." + +"Why, what can it be?" + +"De sandwiches is gone, dat's what's de mattah!" + +"The sandwiches, Dinah?" + +"Yes'm, de sandwiches what I done make fo' de excursnick!" + +"Oh, you mean for our picnic, Dinah?" + +"Yes'm, dat's it. Excursnick I calls it. But de sandwiches I done jest +made am gone. I s'pects Massa Bert or his cousin done take 'em fo' +fun." + +"Oh, no, Dinah. Bert nor Harry wouldn't do that. Are you sure you made +the sandwiches?" + +"I'se jest as shuah, Missie Nan, as I am dat I'se standin' heah. I'se +jest as shuah as I is dat time when I made de corn cakes, an' somebody +tuck dem! Dat's how shuah I is! Dem sandwiches what was fo' de +excursnick am done gone completely." + +"But have you looked everywhere, Dinah?" asked Nan. + +"Eberywhere! Under de table an' on top ob de table. I had dem +sandwiches all made an' on a plate. I left dem in de dinin' room to go +git a basket, an' when I come back, dey was gone entirely. I want t' +see yo' ma, Missie Nan. I ain't gwing t' stay on dish yeah boat no mo, +dat's what I ain't!" + +"But why not, Dinah?" asked Nan, in some alarm. + +"Because dey's ghostests on dish yeah boat; dat's what dey is! An' I +ain't gwine stay on no ha'nted boat. Fust it were de corn cakes, an' +now it's de sandwiches. I'se gwine away--I ain't gwine stay heah no +mo'!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +IN THE STORM + + +Dinah was certainly very much frightened, but Nan was not. She knew +better than to believe in such things as "ghosts," and, though the +sandwiches might have disappeared, the little girl felt sure there +must be some reasonable explanation about the mystery. + +"I'll call mamma, Dinah," offered Nan. "She won't want you to leave us +now, when we have just started on this trip." + +"Go on, honey lamb, call yo' ma," agreed the fat cook. "But I ain't +gwine t' stay on dish yeah boat no mo'! Dat's settled. Call yo' ma, +honey lamb, an' I'll tell her about it." + +Mrs. Bobbsey had heard the excited voice of Dinah and had come down to +the dining-room of the houseboat to see what it was all about. + +"What is it, Dinah?" she asked. + +"It's ghostests, Mrs. Bobbsey--dat's what it is," said the cook. +"Ghostests what takes de sandwiches as fast as I make 'em--dat's de +trouble. I can't stay heah no mo'!" + +Mrs. Bobbsey looked to Nan for an explanation. The little girl said: + +"Dinah made a plate of sandwiches for our picnic---" + +"Dat's right, for de excursnick," put in Dinah. + +"And she left them on the table," went on Nan. "But when she went to +get a basket to put them in, and came back---" + +"Dey was clean gone!" burst out the colored cook, finishing the story +for Nan. "An' ghostests took 'em; ob dat I'se shuah. So you'd bettah +look fo' anoder cook, Mrs. Bobbsey." + +"Nonsense, Dinah! We can't let you go that way. It's all foolishness +to talk about ghosts. Probably the door was left open, and Snap might +have taken the sandwiches, though I never knew him to take anything +off the table. But it must have been Snap." + +"No'm, it couldn't be," said Dinah. "It wasn't Snap." + +"How do you know?" + +"Could Snap come through a closed do', Mrs. Bobbsey. Could Snap do +that?" + +"Come through a door? No, I don't believe he could. But he might open +it. Snoop can open doors." + +"Yes, maybe do's that hab a catch on, but not knob-do's, Snoop can't +open, an' Snap can't neither. Besides, de do' was shut when I left de +sandwiches on de table an' went fo' de basket." + +"Oh, was it?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, trying to think of how the pieces of +bread and meat could have been taken. + +"It shuah was," went on Dinah. "Nobody took dem sandwiches, but a +ghostest, an' I can't stay in no boat what has ghostests." + +"Nonsense!" laughed Mrs. Bobbsey. "I know how it was done, Dinah. I +know how the sandwiches were taken." + +"How, Mrs. Bobbsey?" asked the colored cook, as she stood looking +first at the empty plate on the table, and then at Nan and lastly at +Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Why, through that window," said the twins' mother, pointing to an +open window on the side of the Bluebird. "Snap must have come in that +window, and taken the sandwiches. He was probably very hungry, poor +dog, though he knows better than to do anything like that." "No'm, +Mrs. Bobbsey," went on Dinah. "Snap couldn't hab come in fru dat +window, fo' it opens right on to de watah. He'd hab to stand in de +watah to jump in, an' he can't do that." + +"No, perhaps not," admitted Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, I dare say you forgot +where you put the sandwiches, Dinah. Now don't worry a bit more about +them. Just make some fresh ones, and we'll go on our little picnic." + +"But I'se gwine t' leab," said Dinah. "I ain't gwine stay on a boat, +where ghostests takes sandwiches as fast as I can make 'em." + +"You shall come with us on the picnic," said Nan's mother. "When we +come back, there won't be any ghost. Now don't fuss. Just make some +fresh sandwiches, and we'll go. I'm sure it was Snap." + +"And I'se shuah it were a ghostest," murmured Dinah, as she went out +to the kitchen. + +"Mamma, who do you think it could have been?" asked Nan of her mother. + +"Why, Snap, to be sure, little daughter." + +"But with the door shut, and the window opening out on the water?" +went on Nan. + +"Oh, dogs are very smart," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Smarter than we think. +Now suppose you help Dinah make more sandwiches. We are late." + +Nan went out to the kitchen, while Mrs. Bobbsey made her way up on +deck, where she found her husband talking to Captain White about the +motor engine of the houseboat. + +"Richard, I want to speak to you," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and when she and +the twins' father were in a quiet corner of the deck, Mrs. Bobbsey +went on: + +"Richard, I think there are thieves about here." + +"Bless my soul!" he exclaimed. "Thieves! What do you mean?" + +"Well, I mean that Dinah says a plate of sandwiches was just taken, +and you remember the time the corn muffins were missing?" + +"Yes, but perhaps Dinah was mistaken both times, or Snap might have +taken a bite between meals." + +"Hardly Snap this time," Mrs. Bobbsey went on, "and Dinah, though she +does forget once in a while, would not be likely to do so twice in +such a short time. No, I think some tramps along shore must have come +along quietly in a boat, reached or climbed in through the window and +taken the sandwiches." + +"Well, perhaps they did," Mr. Bobbsey, said. "I'll tell Captain White, +and we'll keep a lookout. We don't want thieves coming around." + +"No, indeed," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Dinah threatens to leave, if any +more queer things happen." + +"Well, we wouldn't know how to get along without Dinah," said Mr. +Bobbsey, with a smile. "I'll put some wire netting over the windows. I +was going to do it anyhow, for the mosquitoes will soon be buzzing +around. The netting will keep thieves from reaching in and taking our +nice sandwiches." + +"Yes, I think the netting would be a good idea," said his wife. "But +it certainly is queer." + +A little later, the Bobbsey twins--both sets of them--with their +cousins, mother, father, and Dinah went ashore for the little picnic +in the woods, taking with them the fresh sandwiches that Nan had +helped to make. + +"You shan't have any of these--at least not until we want you to have +them," said Nan to Snap, the dog, who, of course, was not left behind. +Yet, the more she thought of it the more sure Nan was that Snap had +not taken the others. + +"But, if he didn't, who did?" she wondered. + +"Oh, isn't it just lovely in these woods!" exclaimed Dorothy, as they +walked along on the soft moss under the trees. At the seashore, where +she lived, the woods were too far away to allow her to pay many visits +to them, and she always liked to walk in the cool forests. + +Harry, though he lived in the country, not far from the woods, liked +them as well as did the Bobbsey twins, and the children were soon +running about, playing games, while Snap raced about with them, +barking and wagging his tail. + +Dinah sat down near the lunch basket. + +"Don't you want to walk around a bit?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"No'm," answered the fat cook. "I ain't gwine t' leab dish yeah basket +ob victuals until dey's eaten. Dey ain't no ghostests, nor no dogs, +gwine t' git nothin' when I'se heah! No'm!" and Dinah slipped her fat +arm in through the handle of the basket. + +"Let's look for chestnuts!" cried Freddie. "I love chestnuts!" + +"It's too early for them," said his father. "But if you find me a +willow tree, I can make you some whistles." + +The children found one, near a little brook, and Mr. Bobbsey was soon +busy with his knife. The bark slipped off easily from the willow wood, +which is why it is so often used for whistles. + +Soon all four children were blowing whistles of different tones, and +making so much noise that, with the barking of Snap, who seemed to +think he must bark every time a whistle was blown, Mrs. Bobbsey cried +out for quietness. + +"Come on, we'll go farther off in the woods and play Indian," +suggested Bert, and soon this game was under way. + +It was lunch time almost before the children knew it, and what fun it +was to sit around the table cloth Dinah spread out on the grass, and +eat the good things from the basket. Snap was given his share, but +Snoop, the black cat, had not come along, staying on the houseboat +with Captain White. + +"Isn't this fun?" cried Nan to Dorothy. + +"Indeed it is! Oh, I can't tell you how glad I am that you asked me to +come on this trip!" + +"Oh! Look at that big bug!" suddenly cried Freddie, and he made a jump +toward his mother, to get out of the way of a big cricket that had +hopped onto the white table cloth. + +"Look out, Freddie!" called his father. "You'll upset your glass of +lemonade!" + +Mr. Bobbsey spoke too late. Freddie's heel kicked over the glass, and +the lemonade spilled right into Mrs. Bobbsey's lap. + +"Oh, Freddie!" cried Bert. + +"Never mind--it's an old dress," laughed Mrs. Bobbsey, "and there's +more lemonade. Accidents will happen on picnics. Never mind, Freddie." + +The cricket was "shooed" away by Nan, Freddie's glass was filled +again, and the picnic went on merrily. Soon it was time to go back to +the boat. + +As they walked along through the woods, Mr. Bobbsey glanced up now and +then through the trees at the sky. + +"Do you think it's going to rain?" his wife asked. + +"Not right away, but I think we are soon going to have a storm," he +said. + +"Oh, well, the houseboat doesn't leak, does it?" + +"No, but I don't want to go out on Lake Romano in a storm, and I +intended this evening to go on up the creek until we reached the lake. +But I'll wait and see what the weather does." + +"Well, did anything happen while we were gone?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey of +Captain White, as they got back to the houseboat. + +"No, not a thing," he answered. "It was so still and quiet here, that +Snoop and I had a nice sleep," and he pointed to the black cat, who +was stretched out in his lap, as he sat on deck. + +As it did not look so much like a storm now, Mr. Bobbsey decided to +move the houseboat farther up the creek, almost to where the stream +flowed from Lake Romano, so as to be ready to go out on the larger +body of water in the morning, if everything was all right. + +The engine was started, and just before supper, the Bluebird came to a +stop in Lemby Creek about a mile from the big lake. She was tied to +the bank, and then supper was served. + +Then followed a pleasant hour or two on deck, and when it was dark, +the children went into the cabin and played games until bedtime--Nan +and Bert, as well as the smaller twins and the cousins, were asleep +when Mrs. Bobbsey, who had sat up to write some letters, heard her +husband walking about on deck. + +"What are you doing?" she called to him through a window. + +"Oh, just looking at the weather," he answered. "I think we're going +to have a storm after all, and a hard one, too. I'm glad we're safely +anchored." + +Sure enough. That night, about twelve o'clock, the storm came. There +was at first distant, muttering thunder, which soon became louder. +Then lightning followed, flashing in through the windows of the +houseboat, so that Mrs. Bobbsey was awakened. + +"Oh, it's going to be a terrible storm," she said to her husband. + +"Oh, perhaps not so very bad," he answered. "Here comes the rain!" + +Then it began to pour. But the houseboat was well built, and did not +leak a bit. + +Next the wind began to blow, gently at first, but finally so hard that +Mr. Bobbsey could hear the creaking of the ropes that tied the boat to +trees on shore. + +"I think I'd better look and see if those ropes are well tied," he +said, getting up to dress, and putting on a raincoat. + +He had hardly gotten out on deck, before the houseboat gave a sudden +lurch to one side, and then began to move quickly down stream. + +"Oh, what has happened?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. + +At the same time Flossie and Freddie awakened, because of the loud +noise from the storm. + +"Mamma! Mamma!" they cried. + +"Richard, has anything happened?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"Yes!" he shouted. "The strong wind has broken the ropes, and we are +adrift. But don't worry. We'll soon be all right!" + +Faster and faster went the Bluebird, while all about her the rain +splashed down, the wind blew, the thunder roared, and the lightning +flashed. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +STRANGE NOISES + + +The frightened cries of Flossie and Freddie soon awakened Nan and +Bert, and it was not long before Harry and Dorothy, too, had roused +themselves. + +"What's the matter?" asked Bert. + +"Oh, we've gone adrift in the storm," his mother said. "But don't +worry. Papa says it will be all right." + +"Come up on deck and see what's going on!" cried Bert to Harry. + +He had begun to dress, and now he thrust his head out from his room. +"Hurry up, Harry," he added. "We want to see this storm." + +"No, you must stay here," Mrs. Bobbsey said. "It is too bad a storm +for you children to be out in, especially this dark night. Your papa +and Captain White will do all that needs to be done." + +"Mamma, it--it isn't dark when the lightning comes," said Freddie. He +did not seem to be afraid of the brilliant flashes. + +"No, it's light when the flashes come," said his mother. "But I want +you all to stay here with me. It is raining very hard." + +"I should say it was!" exclaimed Harry, as he heard the swish of the +drops against the windows of the houseboat. + +"Is Snap all right, mamma?" asked Flossie. "And Snoop? I wouldn't want +them out in the storm." + +"They're all right," Mrs. Bobbsey said. + +"Oh, what's that!" suddenly cried Nan, as the houseboat gave a bump, +and leaned to one side. + +"We hit something," Bert said. "Oh, I wish I could go out on the +deck!" + +"No, indeed!" cried his mother. "There! They've started the engine. +Now we'll be all right." + +As soon as Mr. Bobbsey had found out that the houseboat had broken +loose from the mooring ropes in the storm, he awakened Captain White, +and told him to start the motor. + +This had been done, and now, instead of drifting with the current of +the creek, the boat could be more easily steered. Soon it had been run +into a sheltered place, against the bank, where, no matter how hard +the wind blew, it would be safe. + +"Are we all right now?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, as her husband came down +to the cabin. + +"Yes, all right again," he said. "There really was not much danger, +once we got the motor started." + +"Is it raining yet?" asked Freddie, who was sitting in his mother's +lap, wrapped in a sweater. + +"Indeed it is, little fat fireman," his father answered. "You wouldn't +need your engine to put out a fire to-night." + +The patter of the raindrops on the deck of the houseboat could still +be heard, and the wind still blew hard. But the thunder and lightning +were not so bad, and gradually the storm grew less. + +"Well, we'd better get to bed now," said Mr. Bobbsey. "To-morrow we +shall go to the big lake." + +"Did the storm take us far back down the creek?" asked Bert. + +"Not more than a mile," said his father. + +"And the man can't tie us in with wire again, can he?" Freddie wanted +to know. "If he does, and I had one of those cutter-things, I could +snip it." + +"You won't have to, Freddie," laughed Bert. + +"Speaking of that mean farmer reminds me of the poor boy who ran away +from him," said Mrs. Bobbsey to her husband, when the children had +gone to bed. "I wonder where he is to-night, in this storm?" + +"I hope he has a sheltered place," spoke the father of the Bobbsey +twins. + +Not very much damage had been done by the storm, though it was a very +hard one. In the morning the children could see where some big tree +branches had blown off, and there had been so much rain, that the +water of the creek was higher. But the houseboat was all right, and +after breakfast, when they went up the creek again, they stopped and +got the pieces of broken rope, where the Bluebird had been tied +before. + +The houseboat then went on, and at noon, just before Dinah called them +to dinner, Nan, who was standing near her father at the steering +wheel, cried: + +"Oh, what a lot of water!" + +"Yes, that is Lake Romano," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We'll soon be floating +on that, and we'll spend the rest of our houseboat vacation there." + +"And where shall we spend the rest of our vacation?" asked Bert, for +it had been decided that the houseboat voyage would last only until +about the middle of August. + +"Oh, we haven't settled that yet," his father answered. + +On and on went the Bluebird, and, in a little while, she was on the +sparkling waters of the lake. + +"I don't see any waterfall," said Freddie, coming toward his father, +after having made Snap do some of his circus tricks. + +"The waterfall is at the far end of the lake," said Mr. Bobbsey. + +"I wonder if there are any fish in this lake?" spoke Bert. + +"Let's try to catch some," suggested his cousin Harry, and soon the +two boys were busy with poles and lines. + +The Bobbsey twins, and their cousin-guests, liked Lake Romano very +much indeed. It was much bigger than the lake at home, and there were +some very large boats on it. + +Bert and Harry caught no fish before dinner, but in the afternoon they +had better luck, and got enough for supper. The evening meal had been +served by Dinah, Snap and Snoop had been fed, and the family and their +guests were up on deck, watching the sunset, when Dinah came waddling +up the stairs, with a queer look on her face. + +"Why, Dinah! What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, seeing that +something was wrong. "Have you lost some more sandwiches?" + +"No'm, it ain't sandwiches dish yeah time," Dinah answered. "But I +done heard a funny noise jest now down near mah kitchen." + +"A funny noise?" repeated Mr. Bobbsey. "What was it like?" + +"Jes like some one cryin'," Dinah answered. "I thought mebby one ob de +chilluns done got locked in de pantry, but I opened de do', an' dey +wasn't anybody dere. 'Sides, all de chilluns is up heah. But I shuah +did heah a funny noise ob somebody cryin'!" + +Mrs. Bobbsey looked at her husband and said: + +"You'd better go see what it is, Richard." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SNAP'S QUEER ACTIONS + + +The Bobbsey twins looked at one another. Then they glanced at their +cousins, Harry and Dorothy. Next the eyes of all the children were +turned on fat Dinah. + +"Was--was it a baby crying?" Freddie wanted to know. + +"Yes, honey lamb--it done did sound laik a baby--only a big baby," +explained the colored cook. + +"Maybe it was one of Flossie's dolls," the little "fat fireman" went +on. + +"Flossie's dolls can't cry!" exclaimed Nan. "Not even the one that +says 'mama,' when you punch it in the back. That can't cry, because +it's broken." + +"Well, Flossie says her dolls cry, sometimes," said Freddie, "and I +thought maybe It was one of them now." + +"It was Snoop, our cat," said Bert, with a laugh. "That's what you +heard, Dinah, Snoop crying for something to eat. Maybe she's shut up +in a closet." + +"Probably that's what it was, Dinah," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"I'll go let her out," said Mr. Bobbsey, starting toward the lower +part of the houseboat. + +"'Scuse me, Mr. Bobbsey," said Dinah firmly, "but dey ain't no use yo' +going t' let out no cat Snoop." + +"Why not, Dinah?" + +"Because it wasn't any cat dat I done heah. It was a human bein' dat I +heard cryin', dat's what it was, an' I know who it was, too," the +colored woman insisted. + +"Who, Dinah?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"It was de same ghostest dat done took mah cakes an' sandwiches, dat's +who it was. I'se mighty sorry t' leab yo', Mrs. Bobbsey, but I guess +I'll done be goin' now." + +"What, Dinah!" cried her mistress. "Going? Where?" + +"Offen dish yeah boat, Mrs. Bobbsey. I cain't stay heah any mo' wif a +lot of ghostests." + +"Nonsense, Dinah!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "There isn't any such thing +as a ghost, and you know it! It's silly to even talk about such a +thing. Now you just come with me, and show me where you heard those +noises." + +"No, sah, I cain't do it, Mr. Bobbsey," the colored cook exclaimed, +moving backward. + +"Why not?" Mr. Bobbsey wanted to know. + +"'Cause it's bad luck, dat's why. I ain't goin' neah no ghostest---" + +"Don't say that again, Dinah!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey sharply, with a +glance at the children. + +"Oh, we're not afraid, mother!" chimed in Bert. "We know there's no +such thing as a ghost." + +"That's right," spoke his father. "But, Dinah, I must get this matter +settled. It won't do for you to be frightened all the while. You must +come and show me where you heard the noise." + +"Has I got to do it, Mrs. Bobbsey?" asked Dinah. + +"Yes, I think you had better." + +"Well, den, I heard de noise right down in de passageway dat goes from +de kitchen to de dinin' room. Dat's where it was. A noise laik +somebody cryin' an' weepin'." + +"And are you sure it wasn't Snoop, Dinah?" + +"Shuah, Mr. Bobbsey. 'Cause why? 'Cause heah's Snoop now, right ober +by Miss Dorothy." + +This was very true. The little seashore Cousin had been playing with +the black cat. + +"Snap howls sometimes," said Freddie, who seemed to be trying to find +some explanation of the queer noise. "Lots of times he used to howl +under my window, and I'd think it was some boy, but it was only Snap. +He used to like to howl at the moon." + +"Dat's right, so he does, honey lamb," Dinah admitted. "But dere ain't +no moon now, an' Snap's eatin' a bone. He don't never howl when he's +eatin' a bone, I'se sartain ob dat." + +"Oh, well, if it wasn't the dog or cat, it was some other noise that +can easily be found," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll go have a look." + +"I'm coming, too," said Nan. + +"And so am I!" exclaimed Bert. + +Harry and Dorothy looked at each other a moment, and then Dorothy +said, rather unhesitatingly: + +"I'm not afraid!" + +"I should say not!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "What is there to be afraid +of, just in a noise?" + +"Let's all go!" suggested Harry. + +"Good!" cried Mr. Bobbsey, for he wanted his children not to give way +to foolish fears. They were not "afraid of the dark," as some children +are, and from the time when they were little tots, their parents had +tried to teach them that most things, such as children fear, are +really nothing but things they think they see, or hear. + +"Aren't you coming, Dinah?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, as they all started +for the lower part of the houseboat. + +"No'm, I'll jest stay up heah an'--an' git a breff ob fresh air," said +the colored cook. + +"Come on, children," called Mr. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "We'll very +soon find out what it was." + +They went down off the deck, to the passageway between the kitchen and +dining-room. This place was like a long, narrow hall, and on one side +of it were closets, or "lockers," as they are called on ships. They +were places where different articles could be stored away. Just now, +the lockers were filled with odds and ends--bits of canvass that were +sometimes used as sails, or awnings, old boxes, barrels and the like. +Mr. Bobbsey opened the lockers and looked in. + +"There isn't a thing here that could make a crying noise, unless it +was a little mouse," he said, "and they are so little, I can't see +them. I guess Dinah must have imagined it." + +"Let's listen and see if we can hear it," suggested Mrs. Bobbsey. + +All of them, including the children, kept very quiet. Snap, the trick +dog, was still gnawing his bone in the kitchen. They could hear him +banging it on the floor as he tried to get from it the last shreds of +meat. Snoop, the black cat, was up on deck in the sun. + +"I don't hear a thing," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +Indeed it was very quiet. + +"Hark!" suddenly called Nan. "Isn't that a noise?" + +They all listened sharply, and then they did hear a faint sort of +crying, or whining, noise. + +"Oh!" exclaimed Freddie. "It's a---" + +"It's the boat pulling on one of the anchor ropes," said Mr. Bobbsey, +for the Bluebird was anchored out in the lake by two anchors and +ropes, one at each end. "The wind blows the boat a little," the +children's father explained, "and that makes it pull on the ropes, +which creak on the wooden posts with a crying noise." + +"I know!" exclaimed Flossie. "Just like our swing rope creaks, when +it's going slow." + +"Exactly," said her mother. Mrs. Bobbsey was glad that the little girl +could think out an explanation for herself that way. + +"There it goes again!" suddenly exclaimed Bert. + +They all heard the funny noise. There was no doubt but that it was the +creaking of the rope by which the boat was tied. + +"Here, Dinah!" called Mr. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "Come down here. +We've found your ghost." + +"I doan't want to see it!" exclaimed the colored cook, "Jest toss it +overbo'd!" + +"It's nothing but a noise made by a creaking rope," said Nan. "And you +can't throw that overboard." + +"All right, honey lamb. Yo' can call it a rope-noise ef yo' all +laiks," said Dinah, when finally she had been induced to come down. +"But I knows it wasn't. It was some real pusson cryin', dat's what it +was." + +"But you said it was a ghost, Dinah!" laughed Bert, "and a ghost is +never a real person, you know. Oh, Dinah!" + +"Oh, go long wif yo', honey lamb!" exclaimed the fat cook. "I ain't +got no time t' bodder wif you'. I'se got t' set mah bread t' bake +t'morrow. An' dere's some corn cakes, ef yo' ma will let yo' hab 'em." + +"I guess she will," said Bert, with a laugh. "Some cakes and then +bed." + +They all thought the "ghost" scare was over, but Mr. Bobbsey noticed +that when Dinah went through the passage between the kitchen and +dining-room, she hurried as fast as her feet would take her, and she +glanced from side to side, as though afraid of seeing something. + +Every one slept soundly that sight, except perhaps Dinah, but if +anything disturbed her, she said nothing about it, when she got up to +get breakfast. It was a fine, sunny day, and a little later the +Bluebird was moving across the lake, the motor turning the propeller, +which churned the blue water into foam. + +Mr. Bobbsey steered the boat to various places of interest on the +lake. There were several little islands that were to be visited, and +on one of the tiniest, they went ashore to eat their lunch. + +"Let's play we're shipwrecked," suggested Freddie, who was always +anxious to "pretend" something or other. + +"All right," agreed Flossie. "You'll be Robinson Crusoe, and I'll be +your man Thursday." + +"Friday--not Thursday," corrected Freddie, for his father had read to +him part of Robinson's adventures. + +The little twins were allowed to take some of their lunch, and go off +to one side of the island, there to play at being shipwrecked. Mr. and +Mrs. Bobbsey sat in the shade and talked, while Nan, Dorothy, Bert and +Harry went off on a little "exploring expedition," as Bert called it. +Bert was making a collection of stones and minerals that year, and he +wanted to see what new specimens he could find. + +Suddenly the peacefulness of the little island was broken by a cry of: + +"Oh, Mamma! Papa! Come quick! Freddie's in the cave, and can't get +out. Oh, hurry!" + +"That's Flossie's voice!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, in alarm. + +Mr. Bobbsey did not say anything. He just ran, and soon he came to the +place where Flossie and Freddie had gone to play shipwreck. He saw +Flossie jumping up and down in front of a little hill. + +"Where's Freddie?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"In there," Flossie answered, pointing to the pile of dirt that looked +to have been freshly dug. "We made a cave in the side of the and +Freddie went in to hide, but he dirt slid down on him and he--he's +there yet!" + +"Gracious!" cried Mr. Bobbsey. "It's a good thing we're here!" + +With a piece of board he soon scattered the dirt until he came to +Freddie's head. Fortunately the little fellow was covered with only a +few inches of the soil, and as a piece of brush had fallen over his +face, he had had no trouble in breathing. He was rather badly +frightened, however, when he was dug out, little the worse, otherwise, +for his adventure. + +"What did you do it for?" asked his father, when he and his mother had +brushed the dirt from the little chap, while the other children +gathered around to look on. + +"I--I was making a cave, same as Robinson Crusoe did," Freddie +explained. "I dug it with a board in the sand, and I went in--I mean, +I went in the cave, and it--it came down--all of a sudden." + +"Well, don't do it again," cautioned his mother. "You might have been +badly hurt." + +They finished their visit on the island, and went back on board the +Bluebird again. Snap, who always went with them on these little +excursions, bounded on deck, and then made a rush for the kitchen, for +he was hungry, and he knew Dinah generally had a bone, or something +nice for him. + +Mr. Bobbsey, who was following close behind Snap, was surprised to see +the dog come to a sudden stop in the passageway between the kitchen +and dining-room. Snap growled, and showed his teeth, as he did when +some savage dog, or other enemy, was near at hand. + +"What's the matter, old fellow?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. "Do you see +something?" + +Snap turned and looked at Mr. Bobbsey. Then the dog looked at one of +the locker doors, and, with a loud bark, sprang toward it, as though +he would go through the panels. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +AT THE WATERFALL + + +"What's the matter?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, who had followed her husband +into the passageway. "Snap and Snoop aren't quarreling, are they?" + +"Indeed, no," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "But Snap is acting very +strangely. I don't know what to make of him." + +By this time Mrs. Bobbsey had come up, where she could see the dog. +Snap was still standing in front of the door, growling, whining, and, +now and then, uttering a low bark. + +"What's the matter with him?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Is he hungry?" + +"Well, I guess he's always more or less hungry," her husband said, +"but that isn't the matter with him now. I think perhaps he imagines +he sees Dinah's ghost!" and he laughed. + +"Snap, come here!" called Mrs. Bobbsey, and, though the dog usually +minded her, this time he did not obey. He only stood near the door, +growling. + +"Why don't you open it, and let him see what's in there," said Bert. +"Maybe it's only some of those mice that made the noise," he went on. + +"Perhaps it is," his father answered. "I'll let Snap have a chance at +them." + +As Mr. Bobbsey stepped up to turn the knob of the "locker," or closet +door, there was a noise inside, as though something had been knocked +down off a shelf. Snap barked loudly and made a spring, to be ready to +jump inside the closet as soon as it was opened. + +"What's that?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, while Flossie and Freddie, a little +alarmed, clung together and moved nearer to their mother. + +"There's something inside there, that's sure," declared Mr. Bobbsey. +"It must be a big rat!" + +"Mercy!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "A rat!" + +"I'll have to set a trap," Mr. Bobbsey went on. "That rat has probably +been taking the things to eat that Dinah missed--the corn-cakes and +the sandwiches." + +"That's right!" cried Bert. "That ends the mystery. Go for him, Snap!" + +"Bow wow!" barked the dog, only too willing to get in the closet and +shake the rat. + +But, when Mr. Bobbsey opened the door, no rat ran out, not even a +little mouse. Snap was ready for one, had there been any; but though +he pawed around on the floor, and nosed behind the boxes and barrels, +he caught nothing. + +"Where is it?" asked Flossie. + +"I want to see the rat!" cried Freddie. Neither of the smaller twins +was afraid of animals. Of course, they did not know that rats can +sometimes bite very fiercely, or they might not have been nearly so +anxious to see one. + +"I guess the rat got away," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he watched Snap +pawing around in the locker, even pushing aside boxes with his nose. + +"Hab yo' cotched de ghost?" asked Dinah, looking out from her kitchen. + +"Not yet--but almost," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I must clean out this +closet, and find the rat-hole. Then I'll set the trap. Come away Snap. +You missed him that time." + +The dog was not so sure of this. He stayed near the closet, while Mr. +Bobbsey set out the boxes and barrels, but no rat was to be seen, nor +even a mouse. And, the odd part of it was that, when everything was +out of the locker, there was no hole to be seen, through which any of +the gnawing animals might have slipped. + +"That's funny," said the twins' father, as he peered about. "I don't +see how that rat got in here, or got out again." + +"Perhaps it wasn't a rat," suggested Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"What was it, then, that made the noise?" asked her husband. + +"I don't know," she answered. "Something might have bumped against the +boat outside." + +"Yes, that's so," admitted Mr. Bobbsey. "But Snap wouldn't act that +way just on account of a noise." + +The boxes and barrels were put back into the closet, but even that did +not seem to satisfy Snap. He remained near the locker for some time, +now and then growling and showing his teeth. Mr. Bobbsey looked in +some of the other, and smaller, lockers, but all he found was a tiny +hole, hardly big enough for a mouse. + +"Perhaps it was a mouse," he said. "Anyhow, I'll set a trap there. +Dinah, toast me a bit of cheese." + +"Cheese, Massa Bobbsey!" exclaimed the colored cook. "Yo' knows yo' +cain't eat cheese. Ebery time yo' does, yo' gits de insispepsia suffin +terrible--specially toasted cheese." + +"I don't intend to eat it!" answered the twins' father, with a laugh. +"I'm going to bait a trap with cheese to catch the mice. I don't care +whether they get the indigestion or not." + +"Oh! Dat's diffunt," said Dinah. "I'll toast yo' some." + +The trap was set, but for two or three days, though it was often +looked at, no mice were caught. Meanwhile, several times, Dinah said +she missed food from her kitchen. It was only little things, though, +and the Bobbseys paid small attention to her, for Dinah was often +forgetful, and might have been mistaken. + +"I really think we have some rats aboard," said Mr. Bobbsey. "There +are some on nearly every boat. I have heard noises in the night that +could be made only by rats." + +"And Snap still acts queerly, whenever he passes that locker," said +Mrs. Bobbsey. "I'm not so sure it is a rat that made that noise, +Richard." + +"No?" her husband asked. "What was it, then?" + +But Mrs. Bobbsey either could not, or would not, say. + +"I say, Harry," said Bert to his country cousin one day, when the +Bluebird had come to anchor some distance down the lake, "let's try to +get to the bottom of this mystery." + +"What mystery?" + +"Why, the one about the noise, and the sandwiches and cakes being +taken, and Snap acting so funny. I'm sure there's a mystery on this +boat, and we ought to find out what it is." + +"I'm with you!" exclaimed Harry. "What shall we do?" + +"Let's sit up some night and watch that closet," said Bert. "We can +easily do it." + +"Will your folks let us?" + +"We won't ask them. Oh, I wouldn't do anything I knew they didn't want +me to do without asking," Bert said quickly, as he saw his cousin's +startled glance. + +"But there's no harm in this," Bert went on. "We'll go to bed early +some night, and, when all the rest of them are asleep, we'll get up +and stand watch all night. You can watch part of the time, and when +you get sleepy I'll take my turn. Then we can see whether anything is +hiding in that closet." + +"Do you think there is?" asked Harry. + +"I'm sure I don't know what to think," Bert answered. "Only it's a +mystery, and we ought to find out what it is." + +"I'm with you," said Harry again. + +"Are you talking secrets?" asked Nan, suddenly coming up just then. + +"Sort of," admitted her brother, laughing. + +"Oh, tell me--do!" she begged. + +"No, Nan. Not now," said Bert. "This is only for us boys." + +Nan tried to find out the secret, but they would not tell her. + +Two days later, during which the Bluebird cruised about on the lake, +Bert said to Harry, after supper: + +"We'll watch to-night, and find out what's, in that closet. Snap +barked and growled every time to-day, that he passed it. I'm sure +something's there." + +"It does seem so," admitted Harry. + +Mr. Bobbsey was steering the boat toward shore, intending to come to +anchor for the night, when Flossie, who was standing up in front +cried: + +"Oh, look! Here's the waterfall! Oh, isn't it beautiful!" + +Just before them, as they turned around a bend in the bank, was a +cataract of white water, tumbling down into the lake over a precipice +of black rocks--a most beautiful sight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +WHAT BERT SAW + + +The waterfall of Lake Romano was still some little distance off, and, +as the wind was blowing toward it, only a faint roar of the falling +water came to the ears of the Bobbsey twins, and the others on the +houseboat. + +"Oh, papa!" exclaimed Nan. "May we go close up and see the cataract?" + +"Yes," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I intended to give you a good view of the +waterfall. We shall spend a day or so here, as it is a great +curiosity. There is one place where you can walk right behind the +falls." + +"Behind it!" cried Harry. "I don't understand how that can be, uncle." + +"You'll see to-morrow, when we visit them," said the twins' father. +"And there are some oddly-marked stones to be picked up, too, Bert. +They will do for your collection." + +"Fine!" Bert exclaimed. "Say, this has been a dandy trip all right!" + +"It isn't ended yet, is it, Dorothy?" asked Nan. + +"No, indeed," replied the seashore cousin, with a smile. + +"And we haven't solved the mystery," said Bert in a low voice to +Harry. "But we will to-night, all right." + +"We sure will," agreed the boy from the country. + +The Bobbsey twins stayed up rather later that night than usual. Mr. +Bobbsey did not find a good anchorage for the boat for some time, as +he wanted to get in a safe place. It looked as though there might be a +storm before morning, and he did not want to drift away again. Then, +too, he wanted to get nearer to the waterfall, so they could reach it +early the next morning and look at it more closely. + +So the motor was kept in action by Captain White until after supper, +and finally the Bluebird came to rest not far from the waterfall. Then +Bert and Nan, with Dorothy and Harry were so interested in listening +to Mr. Bobbsey tell stories about waterfalls, and what caused them, +that the older twins and their cousins did not get to bed until nearly +ten o'clock, whereas nine was the usual hour. + +Of course Flossie and Freddie "turned in," as sailors say, about eight +o'clock, for their little eyes would not stay open any longer. + +"We'll wake up as soon as my father and mother are asleep," said Bert +to Harry, as they went to their rooms, which were adjoining ones. +"Then we'll take turns watching that closet." + +"Sure," agreed Harry. "Whoever wakes up first, will call the other." + +To this Bert agreed, but the truth of it was that neither of them +awakened until morning. Whether it was that they were too tired, or +slept later than usual, they could not tell. But it was broad +daylight, when they sat up in their beds, or "bunks," as beds are +called on ships. + +"I thought you were going to call me," said Bert to his cousin. + +"And I thought you were going to call ME," laughed the boy from the +country. + +Then they both laughed, for it was a good joke on each of them. + +"Never mind," spoke Bert, as he got up and dressed. "We'll try it +again to-night." + +"Try what?" asked Nan from the next room, for she could hear her +brother speak. "If you boys try to play any tricks on us girls---" + +"Don't worry," broke in Harry. "The secret isn't about you." + +"I think you're real mean not to tell us!" called Dorothy, from her +room. "Nan and I are going to have a marshmallow roast, when we go on +shore near the waterfall, and we won't give you boys a single one, +will we, Nan?" + +"Not a one!" cried Bert's sister. + +"Will you give me one--whatever it is?" asked Freddie from the room +where his mother was dressing him. + +"And me, too?" added Flossie, for she always wanted to share in her +little twin brother's fun. + +"Yes, you may have some, but not Bert and Harry," went on Nan, though +she knew when the time came, that she would share her treat with her +brother and cousin. + +"Well, I didn't hear any noises last night," said Mr. Bobbsey to his +wife at the breakfast table. + +"Nor I," said she. But when Dinah came in with a platter of ham and +eggs, there was such a funny look on the cook's face that Mrs. Bobbsey +asked: + +"Aren't you well, Dinah?" + +"Oh, yes'm, I'se well enough," the fat cook answered. "But dey shuah +is suffin strange gwine on abo'd dish yeah boat." + +"What's the matter now?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"A whole loaf of bread was tooken last night," said Dinah. "It was +tooken right out ob de bread box," she went on, "and I'se shuah it +wasn't no rat, fo' he couldn't open my box." + +"I don't know," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Rats are pretty smart sometimes." + +"They are smart enough to keep out of my trap," said Papa Bobbsey. "I +must set some new ones, I think." + +"Well, I don't think it was any rat," said Dinah, as she went on +serving breakfast. + +There was so much to do that day, and so much to see, that the Bobbsey +twins, at least, and their cousins, paid little attention to the story +of the missing loaf of bread. Bert did say to Harry: + +"It's too bad we didn't watch last night. We might have caught whoever +it was that took the bread." + +"Who do you think it was?" asked Harry. + +"Oh, some tramps," said Bert. "It couldn't be anybody else." + +They went ashore after breakfast, close to the waterfall. + +"Papa, you said you would show us where we could walk under the water +without getting wet," Nan reminded him. + +"Oh, yes," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I have never been to these falls, but I +have read about them." Then he showed the children a place, near the +shore of the lake, where they could slip in right behind the thin veil +of water that fell over the black rocks, high above their heads. Back +of the falling water there was a space which the waves had worn in the +stone. It was damp, but not enough to wet their feet. There they +stood, behind the sheet of water, and looked out through it to the +lake, into which it fell with a great splashing and foaming. + +"Oh, isn't this wonderful!" cried Nan. + +"It surely is," said Dorothy, with a sigh. "I never saw anything so +pretty." + +"And what queer stones!" cried Bert, as he picked up some that had +been worn into odd shapes by the action of the water. + +The Bobbseys spent some little time at the waterfall, and then, as +there was a pretty little island near it, where picnic parties often +went for the day, they went there in the Bluebird, going ashore for +their dinner. + +"But I'm not going to play Robinson Crusoe again," said Freddie, as he +remembered the time he had been caught in the cave. + +At the end of a pleasant day on the island, the Bobbseys again went on +board the houseboat for supper. + +"We'll watch sure to-night," said Bert to Harry, as they got ready for +bed. "We won't go to sleep at all." + +"All right," agreed the country cousin. + +It was hard work, but they managed to stay awake. When the boat was +quiet, and every one else asleep, Harry and Bert stole softly out of +their room and went to the passageway between the dining-room and +kitchen. + +"You watch from the kitchen, and I'll watch from the dining-room," +Bert told his cousin. "Then, no matter which way that rat goes, we'll +see him." + +"Do you think it was a rat?" asked Harry. + +"Well, I'm not sure," his cousin answered. "But maybe we'll find out +to-night." + +"We ought to have something to hit him with, if we see a rat," +suggested Harry. + +"That's right," Bert agreed. "I'll take the stove poker, and you can +have the fire shovel. Now keep very still." + +The two cousins took their places, Bert in the dining-room, and Harry +in the kitchen. It was very still and quiet on the Bluebird. Up on +deck Snap, the dog, could be heard moving about now and then, for he +slept up there. + +Bert, who had sat down in a dining-room chair, began to feel sleepy. +He tried to keep open his eyes, but it was hard work. Suddenly he +dozed off, and he was just on the point of falling asleep, when he +heard a noise. It was a squeaking sound, as though a door had been +opened. + +"Or," thought Bert, "it might be the squeak of a mouse. I wonder if +Harry heard it?" + +He wanted to call out, in a whisper, and ask his cousin in the dining- +room, just beyond the passage. Bert could not see Harry. But Bert +thought if he called, even in a whisper, he might scare the rat, or +whoever, or whatever, it was, that had caused the mystery. + +So Bert kept quiet and watched. The squeaking noise of the loose +boards in the floor went on, and then Bert heard a sound, as though +soft footsteps were coming toward him. He wanted to jump up and yell, +but he kept still. + +Then, suddenly, Bert saw something. + +Standing in the dining-room door, looking at him, was a boy, about his +own age--a boy dressed in ragged clothes, and in bare feet, and in his +hand this boy held a piece of bread, and a slice of cake. + +"You--you!" began Bert, wondering where he had seen that boy before. +And then, before Bert could say any more, the boy turned to run away, +and Bert jumped up to catch him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE STOWAWAY + + +"Come back here!" cried Bert, as he rushed on. + +There was the sound of a fall in the passageway, and some one groaned. + +"What is it?" cried Harry, running from the kitchen. "What's the +matter, Bert? Did you catch the rat?" + +"No, but I caught something else," Bert answered. By this time he had +run into the passageway, and there, in front of the locker, or closet, +where the strange noises had been heard, lay the ragged boy. He had +fallen and hurt his head. The cake and bread had been knocked from his +hands. The door of the locker or closet was open. + +"Why--why---" began Harry, in surprise. "It's a--a boy." + +"Yes, and now I know who he is," said Bert, as the stowaway sat up, +not having been badly hurt by his fall. He had tripped in his bare +feet. + +"Who--who is it?" asked Harry. + +"It's that boy who gave us the fish--Will Watson, who worked for the +man that made the wire fence--Mr. Hardee." + +"Yes, I'm that boy," said the other, slowly. "Oh, I hope your folks +won't be very mad at me. I--I didn't know what to do, so when I ran +away, I hid on your boat." + +"And have you been here ever since?" asked Bert. + +"Yes," answered Will. "I've been hiding here ever since." + +"And was it you who took the things?" Harry wanted to know. + +"Yes, I took them. I was half starved. But I'll pay you back as soon +as I get out west, where my uncle lives. He's a gold miner, and I +guess he's got lots of money. Oh, I hope your father and mother will +forgive me." + +"Of course they will," said Bert, seeing tears in the eyes of the +ragged boy. + +"What's the matter there?" called Mr. Bobbsey. "Has anything happened, +Bert?" + +"Yes," answered Bert. "We've solved the mystery--Harry and I." + +"Solved the mystery!" cried Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll be right there." + +"Oh, what can it be?" his wife asked. + +Meanwhile, Captain White, Dinah and the little Bobbsey twins had been +awakened by the loud voices. Up on deck Snap, the dog, feeling that +something was wrong, was barking loudly. + +"I--I hope the dog doesn't get me!" said Will, looking about. + +"I won't let him hurt you," promised Bert. "So it was you, hiding in +the closet that made Snap act so funny?" he asked. "He knew you were +there." + +"Yes, only I wasn't in the closet all the while. There was a loose +board at the back. I could slip out of the closet through that hole. I +hid down in the lower part of the boat. I'll show you." + +"You poor boy!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey when, with her husband, she had +come to see the "mystery," as Bert laughingly called him. + +"Indeed we'll forgive you. You must have had a terrible time, hiding +away as you did. Now tell us all about it. But first I want you to +drink this warm milk Dinah has made for you," for Mrs. Bobbsey had +told the cook to heat some. "You look half starved," she said to the +boy. + +"I am," answered Will. "I--I didn't take any more of your food than I +could help, though." + +"Yo' am welcome to all yo' want, honey lamb!" exclaimed Dinah. "Mah +land, but I shuah am glad yo' ain't no ghostest! I shuah am!" and she +sighed in relief, as she saw that Will was a real, flesh-and-blood +boy. He was, however, very thin and starved-looking. + +"Now tell us all about it," said Mr. Bobbsey. "How did you come on our +boat?" + +Will told them. After Mr. Bobbsey had stopped the cruel farmer from +beating him, Will crawled up to his room to sob himself to sleep. Then +he began to think that after the houseboat had gone, Mr. Hardee would +probably treat him all the more meanly, on account of having been +interfered with. + +"So I just ran away," said Will. "I packed up what few things I had, +and when I saw your boat near shore, I crept aboard and hid myself +away. I easily found a place down--down cellar," he said with a smile. + +"I suppose you mean in the hold, or the place below the lower deck," +spoke Mr. Bobbsey. "Cellars on a boat are called 'holds.' Well, what +happened?" + +"I--I just stayed there. I found some old bags, and made a bed on +them," Will said. "Then when my food gave out, I used to crawl out +during the nights and take some from your kitchen. + +"I had some bread when I ran away," Will went on. "I took it from Mrs. +Hardee's kitchen, but they owed me money for working, and I didn't +take more bread than I ought." + +"I'm sure you didn't," said Mrs. Bobbsey, kindly. + +"I didn't want you to know I was on board the boat," Will resumed, +"for I was afraid you'd send me off, and I didn't want Mr. Hardee to +find me again. I was afraid he'd whip me." + +"But what did you intend to do?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Well, I heard you say you were going to Lake Romano," said the boy, +"and I thought I would ride as far as you went. Then I wouldn't have +so far to walk to get to my uncle out west. I'm going to him. He'll +look after me, I know. I can't stand Mr. Hardee any more." + +"You poor boy. We'll help you find your uncle," said Mrs. Bobbsey. + +"And you've been on board ever since?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. + +"Yes, sir. I hid down in the 'hold,' as you call it. Then when I got +hungry, I found a loose board, so I could get into the closet. Then at +night I would come out and get things to eat and a little water or +milk to drink. I didn't mean any harm." + +"No, I'm sure you did not," the twins' father said. "Well, I'm glad +Bert found you," he went on, as Bert and Harry told how they had kept +watch. "So it was you who took the things, and who made the noises +that frightened Dinah?" + +"Yes, but I didn't mean, to scare her," Will said. "That day I got my +hand caught in the loose board, and it hurt so, and I felt so bad that +I--I cried. That was what she heard, I guess." + +"You poor boy!" said Mrs. Bobbsey again. + +"And--and did you see any rats in the cellar?" asked Freddie, who was +moving about in his little night dress. + +"No," answered Will, "I didn't see any rats. It was bad enough in the +dark place, without any rats." + +"Well, I guess your troubles are over, for a time," said Mr. Bobbsey. +"We'll fix you up a bed, and then I'll have a talk with you about this +miner uncle of yours." + +Will finished his warm milk, and ate some bread and cake--the same he +had taken from Dinah's kitchen. He had gone in there and taken it, but +Harry had not heard him, for Harry had fallen asleep. + +"And so it was a stowaway boy, and not rats or ghosts or anything else +that was the mystery," said Mrs. Bobbsey, when everything once more +quiet on the Bluebird. + +"That's what it was," her husband said "Bert was real smart to sit up +and watch." + +"And he never told us a thing about it." + +"Oh, he wanted to surprise us," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. + +"And didn't I see you, the time I fell overboard?" asked Flossie, +looking at Will. + +"I think you did," he laughed. "I happened to put my head out of a +ventilating hole just as you looked. I pulled it in again, soon +enough, though. I hope I didn't scare you." + +"Not very much," Flossie said. "I was sure I saw you, but nobody else +would believe me." + +Snap soon made friends with the new boy. It was Will, hiding behind +the closet wall, that had made the dog act as though a rat were there. + +I must bring my story to a close, now that the mystery is explained. +And, really, there is little else to tell. Will had, in the little +bundle of things he had brought away from Mr. Hardee's with him, the +address of a man he thought knew where the miner uncle was. Mr. +Bobbsey wrote several letters, and, in due time, word came back that +Will's uncle was well off now, and would look after him. His name was +Mr. Jackson. He had lost track of Will for some years and had just +begun a search for him, when Mr. Bobbsey's letter came. Enough money +was sent on to enable Will to make the trip out west, where he would +be well cared for. He could not thank the Bobbsey family enough for +what they had done for him. + +Mr. Hardee heard where his runaway boy had been found, and tried to +get him back, but Mr. Bobbsey would not permit this. So Will's life +began to be a pleasant one. The time he had spent on the houseboat, +after coming from his hiding place, was the happiest he had ever +known. + +"Well, what shall we do now?" asked Bert one day, after Will had gone. +"It seems queer not to have to be on the lookout for a mystery or +something like that." + +"Doesn't it," agreed Harry. + +"And so that was your secret?" asked Nan. + +"Yes, that was it," her brother answered. "But I wish we had something +to do now." + +"Whatever you do, you want to do in the next two weeks," said Mr. +Bobbsey, coming up on deck. + +"Why?" asked Bert. + +"Because our houseboat trip will come to an end then." + +"Oh!" cried the Bobbsey twins in a chorus. "That's too bad!" + +"But I have other pleasures for you," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "The summer +vacation is not yet over." + +And those of you who wish to read of what further pleasures the +children had, may do so in the following volume, which will be called +"The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook." + +"Let's have one more picnic on an island!" proposed Nan, a few days +before the trip on Lake Romano was to end. + +"And a marshmallow roast!" added Dorothy. + +"Fine!" cried Bert. "I'll eat all the candies you toast!" + +"And I'll help!" added Harry. + +"You boys will have to make the fire," Nan said. + +"I'll gather wood!" offered Freddie. "And I'll have my little fire +engine all ready to put out the blaze, if it gets too big." + +"A pail of water will be better," laughed Bert. "Your engine might get +going so fast, like it did once, we couldn't stop it." + +"I'll sharpen the sticks to put the marshmallows on," offered Harry. + +"I wish Will Watson was here to help us eat these," said Nan a little +later that afternoon, when the children were having their marshmallow +roast on a little island in the lake. "He was a nice boy." + +"Yes, and he will be well looked after now," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Your +father had a letter from the miner uncle to-day, saying he was going +to make a miner of Will. He gave up the idea of going to sea." + +"And will he dig gold?" asked Flossie. + +"I suppose so, dear!" + +"Oh, I'm going to dig gold when I grow to be a man," said Freddie. +"May I have another marshmallow, Nan?" "Yes, little fat fireman," she +laughed. + +A few days later, after making a trip around the lower end of the +lake, the Bobbsey twins started for home, reaching there safely, and +having no more trouble with Mr. Hardee and his wire fence. + +And so, as they are now safe at home, we shall say good-bye to the +Bobbsey twins and their friends. + +THE END + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat, by Laura Lee Hope + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS *** + +This file should be named tbthb10.txt or tbthb10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, tbthb11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, tbthb10a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/tbthb10.zip b/old/tbthb10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c2144e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tbthb10.zip |