[(iiiiiwwiwiwnMiMiiiiwwir THE BGBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT OF The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924009940283 THE CI-IILDREN WERE DELIGHTED WITI-I THE STORE CAMP. The Bobbsey Twins in a Grtat City. Frontispiece— (Page 165) The Bobbsey Twins in a Great City BY LAURA LEE HOPE AUTHOR OF "the BOBBSEY TWINS,'' "tHE BUNNY BROWN SERIES," "THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES," ETC. NEW YORK GROSS ET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS Made in the United States of America 1^ » '•' BOOKS BY LAURA LEE HOPE |2mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Fri(;e, per volume^ THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES THE BOBBSEY TWINS THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA'S FARM BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUS BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU'S CITY HOME BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP REST-A-WHILE BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN! BUNNY BRC ANAl THE Oi THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPD AO THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON PINE ISLAND Grosset & DuNiAP, Publishers, New York. Copyright, 1917, by Grosset & Dunlap. Tbb Bobbsey Twins in a Great Ctnt CONTENTS tSAFTEK MGE I. The Ice-Boat , . t II. Building the "Bird" 13 III. A Runaway 28 IV. The Old Woodchopper 36 V. Glorious News 46 VI. On to New York 59 VII. On the Express Train 68 VIII. A Long Ride 80 IX. In the Store go X. Lost Underground 104 XI. Freddie and the Turtle 116 XII. In the Theatre 127 XIIL^The "Rescue" op. Freddie 137 XIV. The Store Camp 153 XV. Sad News 161 XVI. The Big Elephant 170 XVII. Called Home o . 181 XVIIL A Queer Ride igi XIX. The Goat 202 XX. Mr. Bobbsey Comes Back ....... 214 XXI. Uncle Jack's Real Name ...... 225 XXIL Reunited 233 THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY CHAPTER I THE ICE-BOAT "Oh, there comes my skate off again! Freddie, have you got any paste in your pocket?" "Paste, Flossie! What good would paste be to fasten on your skate?" "I don't know, but it might do some good. I can't make the strap hold it on any more," and a plump little girl shook back her flaxen, curling hair, which had slipped from under her cap and was blowing into her eyes, sat down on a log near the shore of the frozen lake and looked sorrowfully at the shining skate which had become loosened from her shoe. "Come on, Flossie !" called the small, pKunp t 3 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY boy, just about the size of his sister, and with her same kind of light hair and blue eyes. ^"There go Bert, Nan and Tommy Todd 'way ahead of us. We'll never catch up to 'em if you sit here. Come on!" "I can't help sitting here, Freddie Bobbseyl How am I going to skate on only one skate?'* asked the little girl. "Put on the other, and come along." "I have put it on, lots of times, but it comes off every time I skate a little bit. That's why I want some paste. Maybe I could paste the strap fast around my shoe." "I don't believe you could, Flossie," and this time the small, plump boy stopped skating around in a ring — "grinding the bar," as it is called — ^and glided toward his sister seated on the log. "Anyhow, I haven't any paste. What made you think I had?" "Oh, you carry so much stuff in your pock- ets I thought maybe you'd have pas'e." "I might if it was summer, Flossie, and I was making kites with Bert But I haven't any paste now." "Then have you got a postage stamp?" THE ICE-BOAT j "A postage stamp? Of course not! Wliat good would a postage stamp be to fasten your skate strap?" "Well, a postage stamp has paste on it, hasn't it? Anyhow, it's sticky, 'cause I got some on my tongue once, and I just know if I could only fasten down the end of this skate strap, to keep it from flopping up, and coming cut of the buckle, I'd be all right. It's the flopping end that comes loose." "Well, pooh! a postage stamp wouldn't be any good 1" cried Freddie. "If you did stick it on it wouldn't last more than three strokes. A postage stamp wouldn't go far at all !" "Some postage stamps do !" exclaimed Flos- sie. "Mother got one on a letter the other day and it had stuck itself on half-way round the world — ^she told me so. And if a stamp sticks half-way around the world I should think it would stick while I skated down to the end of the lake." "Huh! That's different!" half grunted Freddie, for, just then, he was stooping over tightening one of his straps. "Anyhow, | haven't got a stamp." 4 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Well, maybe you could fix my skate so it wouldn't come off," suggested Flossie. "I've tried and tried, but I can't, and I don't want to Stay here all alone." "Why Flossie Bobbsey! I'm with you!" "I know, but Nan and Bert are away down at the other end, with Tommy Todd, and Bert is going to buy hot chocolates. I know he is, 'cause he said so. I don't want to miss them." "Me neither! Wait and I'll see if I can't fix your skate, Flossie." Freddie was small — ^he and Flossie were the smaller pair of Bobbsey twins — ^but he was a sturdy little chap, and living out of doors, and playing games with his older brother Bert had taught Freddie how to do many things. He put Flossie's skate on her shoe, tightened the strap, and then made it still tighter by putting some pieces of wood under the leather loop. "There !" he exclaimed, as he stood up, hav« !ng been kneeling in the snow on the edge of the lake. "I guess that will hold, Flossie. Now come on, and we'll see how fast we can -skate." Together the brother and sister started off THE ICE-BOAT 5 This time Flossie's skate seemed to be all right, needing neither paste nor a postage stamp to hold it on, and in a little while the smaller twins had caught up to Bert and Nan, their brother and sister, who, with a boy neighbor, named Tommy Todd, had slowed up to wait for them. "What kept you?" asked Nan. "Did you try to do some fancy skating, Flossie ?" "I guess Freddie stopped to see if there wasn't a crack in the ice where he could get some water to play fireman," remarked Bert with a smile, for his small brother was very fond of this game, and his best-liked toy was a small fire engine, which, when a spring was wound, could squirt real water. "No, I didn't stop at any cracks !" exclaimed Freddie earnestly. "Cracks in the ice is dan- gerous — Daddy said so. It was Flossie's skate." "That's right — it kept coming off," explained the blue-eyed girl. "But Freddie fixed it, and he didn't have to use a postage stamp, either. Did you, Freddie?" "Nope." iS BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Well, I guess they know what it means, but we don't !" laughed Nan, taking her small sister's hand. "Come on, now, you little twins. We waited for you, so we could all have hot chocolate together. You didn't get cold, I hope, stopping to fix your skate, Flossie?" "Nope ! I'm as warm as butter !" "What does she mean by that?" asked Tom- my Todd. "I often hear my grandmother say she's as warm as toast, but butter •" "Well, when it's Winter, like it is now, you have to warm your butter so you can spread it on your bread," explained Flossie. "So I'm as warm as butter now." "I wish I was !" cried Bert. "I'm getting a chill standing here waiting for you two! Come on, now. Skate lively, and we'll soon be there," and he pointed to a little candy and soda-water stand near the lower end of Lake Metoka, on the frozen surface of which the children were skating. In the little cabin, which in Winter was built over the stand to make a warm place for skaters, hot chocolate and other drinks could be had, and Bert had promised to tr^t his THE ICE-BOAT _ brother and sisters, as well as Tommy Todd. "Don't skate too fast," begged Flossie. "My skate might come off again, though Freddie fixed it pretty good." "If it comes off again I'll skate and carry you on my back the rest of the way!" cried Bert. "I want something hot to drink. But mind you !" he cried, as he saw a mischievous look on his Jittle sister's face, "don't dare make your skate come off on purpose ! I don't want to carry you unless I have to." "All right, Bert. I'll skate as fast as I can," promised Flossie. The five started off. Tommy Todd skating beside Flossie to help her if she should need it. Tommy was a sort of chum of both pairs of twins, sometimes going with the older ones. Nan and Bert, and again with Flossie and Freddie. In fact, he played with these latter more often than with Nan and her twin, for Flossie and Freddie had played a large part in helping Tommy at one time, as I'll explain a little later. It was a fine Winter's day, not too cold, and the sun was shining from a clear sky, but % BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT QTY aot warmly enough to melt the ice. The steefi skates of the five children rang out a merry tune as they clicked over the frozen surface of the lake. "Hurrah! Here we are!" cried Bert at last, as he skated on ahead and sat down on a bench in front of the "Chocolate Cabin," as they called the place. He began taking oiif his skates. "Come on!" he called to the others. "I'll order the chocolate for you and have it cool- ing," for there was more trouble with Flossie's skate and Nan had stopped to help her fix it. "Don't order chocolate for me, Bert !" called Nan. "I want malted milk. The ch<~iolat<; is too sweet." "Guess you're afraid of your complexion. Sis!" laughed Bert, as he went inside the lit- tle wooden house. "Oh, Flossie, take both your "kates off and walk the rest of the way," advised Nan, after she had tried, without much success, to fix the troublesome strap. "We'll get there sooner." "All right," agreed Flossie. "It's a bother—, this skate. I'm going to get a new pair." THE ICE-BOAT 9 "Maybe a new strap is all you need," said Tommy. "You can get one in there," and he nodded toward the little cabin. A little later the five children were seated on stools in front of the counter, sipping the Warm drinks which made their cheeks glow with brighter color and caused a deeper spar- «cle in their eyes. "This is great !" cried Tommy Todd. "That's what !" murmured Freddie, his nose deep in his cup. "Don't forget about my strap," came from Flossie. "Oh, yes," agreed Bert "We don't want to have to drag you all the way home." The man who sold the chocolate and candy in the cabin also had skate straps for sale and one was soon found that would do for Flossie. "Now my skate won't come off !" she cried, as once more they were on the ice. "I can skate as good as you, Freddie Bobbsey!" "Let's have a race!" proposed Freddie. "Bert and Nan can give Flossie and me a head start, 'cause they're bigger than us. Will you?" he asked his brother. lO BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Yes, I guess so. A race will get us home quicker, and we're a little late." "We'll let Flossie and Freddie start ahead of me," suggested Tommy, who, being a little older than the two smaller twins, was a little better skater. "All right," agreed Bert "Any way you like. Go ahead, Floss and Fred. Skate on un- til I tell you to wait. Then I'll give Tommy a starting place and, when we're all ready, I'll give the word to begin." Flossie and Freddie, hand in hand, skated ahead a little way. But Freddie's skate went over a little piece of wood on the ice and he tripped and fell, pulling Flossie down with him. The two plump twins were in a heap on the ice. "Hurt yourself?" asked Bert, as he started toward them, to help them up. "No — ^no — I — I guess not," answered Flos- sie, who was the first to get up. "We're all right," replied Freddie. "The ice was soft right there." "I guess it's because they're so fat, that they're soft, like a feather pillow," laughed THE ICE-BOAT ^1 Tommy. "They're getting fatter every day." "That's what they are," agreed Nan with a smile. "But they are pretty good skaters for such small children." "Everybody ready?" asked Bert, when the •iwo small twins had taken their places, and Tommy Todd was between them and Bert and Nan. "All right," answered Freddie. "I am, too," came from Tommy. "Then go !" cried Bert, suddenly. The skating race was started. Merrily clicked the runners on the hard ice, leaving long white streaks where the children passed ©ver. Flossie and Freddie were skating as fast and as hard as they could. "They are very anxious to win," said Nan, who was skating beside her brother. "Yes, but they can't keep going as fast as that all the way home." "You're going to let them win, aren't you?" asked Nan. "Sure I am ! But they're so sharp we don't dare lag much behind. We must make a spurt toward the end, and pretend we did our best la BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY to beat them. Tommy Todd may come in ahead of them, though." "We can skate up to him and tell him not to," suggested Nan. "Good idea!" declared Bert. "We'll do it" The older twins skated a little faster to over- take Tommy, who was some distance behind Flossie and Freddie, when suddenly Nan gave a cry and clutched Bert by the arm. "Look!" she exclaimed, pointing with her hand. "An ice-boat," remarked Bert "And goii^f fast, too!" "Yes, but see! It's coming right toward Flossie and Freddie, and the/re skating with their heads down, and don't see it ! Oh, Bert ! Yell at them! Tell them to look out! Yell at the man in the ice-boat !" It did indeed seem a time of danger, for a swift ice-boat — one with big white sails and runners, like large skates under it, was skim- ming over the frozen lake straight for the smaller twins. CHAPTER n BUILDING THE "bIED" Flossie and Freddie, anxious to win the skating race, were bending over with heads down, as all skaters do who •jK^ish to go fast and keep the wind from blowing on them too hard. So they did not see the ice-boat coming toward them, for the craft, blown by the wind, made hardly any noise, and what little it did make was taken up by the clicking cf the skates of the smaller twins. "Oh, Bert! Do something!" cried Nan. "Yes, yes! I will — of course!" Bert shook off Nan's hand, for it was still on his arm, and started to skate toward the twins as fast as he could. He hoped to reach them in time to stop them from skating right into the path of the oncoming ice-boat. But he soon saw that he was not going to be able to do this. The ice-boat was coming 13 14 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY toward the small twins faster than Bert could ever hope to skate and reach them. "Yell at them!" shouted Nan. "That's the only way to stop them ! Yell and tell them to look out !" Bert himself had decided this was the best thing to do. He stopped skating and, making a sort of funnel, or megaphone, of his hands, he cried out : "Flossie! Freddie! Lookout! Danger— the ice-boat !" Just at this moment, whether it was because of Bert's shouts or because they were tired of going so fast and wanted a rest, the two chil- dren leading the skating race stood up straight and looked back. They saw Bert pointing toward them and then they glanced at the ice- boat. It was very close, and Flossie screamed. At the same time the man who was steering the boat saw the children. With a shout that echoed the one given by Bert, and the screams of Nan and Flossie, the man steered his boat to one side. But he made such a sudden change that, though he steered out of the way of Flossie and Freddie, he nearly ran into BUILDING THE "BIRD" 15 Tommy Todd. That small boy, however, was a good skater and stopped just in time, for he had seen the ice-boat coming. Then with a whizz and a clink of ice, as the runners of the boat scraped big chips from the frozen lake, the skimming boat shot past Nan and Bert, not doing a bit of harm, but scaring all five children very much. "Sorry! Didn't see you! Next time " This was what the man in the ice-boat shouted as he whizzed by. His last words seemed whipped away by the wind and the chil- dren did not know what he meant. "Maybe he meant next time he'd be sure to run into us," said Tommy Todd. "Oh, he wouldn't do that!" declared Bert. "That was Mr. Watson. He buys lumber from my father. I guess he meant that next time he'd give us a ride." "Oh, my!" exclaimed Nan. "Would you ride in one of those dangerous things, Bert Bobbsey?" "W£>uld I? Well, just give me the chance! How about you. Tommy?" "I should say so! They're great!" I6 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Oh, I can't bear them!" went on Nan "Please let's stop and rest. My heart is beating so fast I can't skate for a while." "All right — ^we'U call the race off," agreed Bert. Flossie and Freddie were a little startled by the closeness of the ice-boat, and they skated back to join their brother and sister. And while they are taking a little rest on the ice I shall have a chance to let my new readers know something of the past history of the children about whom I am writing. There were two pairs of Bobbsey twins. IThey were the children of Mr. Richard Bobb- sey and his wife Mary, and the family lived in an Eastern city called Lakeport, which was at the head of Lake Metoka. Mr. Bobbsey was in the lumber business, having a yard and docks on the shore of the lake about a quarter of a mile from his house. The older Bobbsey twins were Nan and Bert. They had dark hair and eyes, and were rather tall and slim. Flossie and Freddie, the young- er twins, were short and fat, with light hair and blue eyes. So it would have been easy to tell the twins apart, even if one pair had not BUILDING THE "BIRD" 17 been older than the other. Besides the children and their parents there were in the "family" two other persons — ^Dinah Johnson, the fat, good-natured colored cook, and Sam, her hus- band, who looked after the furnace in the Win-* ter and cut the grass in Summer. Then there was Snoop, and Snap. The first was a fine black cat and the second a big dog, both great pets of the children. Those of you who have read the first book of this series, en- titled "The Bobbsey Twins," do not need to read this explanation here, but others may care to. In the second volume I told you of the fun the twins had in the country. After that they went to the seashort, and this subject has a book all to itself, telling of the adventures there. Later on the Bobbseys went back to school, where they had plenty of fun, and when they were at Snow Lodge there were some strange happenings, as there were also on the house- boat Bluebird. There was a stowaway boy — but there! I had better let you read the book for yourself. The Bobbsey twins spent some time at Mead- l8 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITV ow Brook, but there was always a question whether they had better times there or "At Home," which is the name of the book just before this one. You, who have read that book, will remem- ber that Flossie and Freddie found, in a big snow storm, the lost father of Tommy Todd, a boy who lived with his grandmother in a poor section of Lakeport. And it was still that same Winter, after Tommy's father had come home, that we find the Bobbsey twins skating on the ice, having just missed being run into by the ice-boat. "My! but that was a narrow escape!" ex- claimed Nan, as she skated slowly about. "My heart is beating fast yet." "So's mine," added Flossie. "Did he do it on purpose ?" "No, indeed !" exclaimed Bert. "I guess Mr. Watson wouldn't do a thing like that! He was looking after the ropes of the sail, or do- ing something to the steering rudder, and that's why he didn't see you and Freddie." "What makes an ice-boat go?" asked Fred- die. BUILDING THE "BIRD" 19 "The wind blows it, just as the wind blows a sailboat," explained Bert, looking down the lake after the ice-boat. "But it hasn't any cabin to it like a real boat," went on Freddie. "And it doesn't go in the water. Where do the people sit?" "An ice-boat is like this," said Bert, and with the sharp heel end of his skate he drew a picture on the ice. "You take two long pieces of wood, and fasten them together like a cross — almost the same as when you start to make a kite," he went on. "On each end of the short cross there are double runners, like skates, only bigger. And at the end of the long stick, at the back, is another runner, and this moves, and has a handle to it like the rud- der on a boat. They steer the ice-boat with this handle. "And where the two big sticks cross they put up the tall mast and make the sail fast to that. Then when the wind blows it sends the ice-boat over the ice as fast as an}rthing." "It sure does go fast," said Tommy Todd. "Look! He's almost at the end of the lake now." 20 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Yes, an ice-boat goes almost as fast as the wind," said Bert. "Maybe some day " - Oh, come on !" cried Flossie. "I want to go home ! I'm cold standing here." "Yes, we had better go on," said Nan. "I'm all right now." As the five children skated ofif, no longer thinking of the race. Nan asked Bert : "What are you going to do some day?" "Oh, I don't know. I haven't got it all thought out yet. I'll tell you after a bit." "Is it a secret?" asked Nan, eagerly. "Sort of." "Oh, please tell me I" "Not now. Come on, skate faster !" Bert and Nan skated on ahead, knowing that Flossie and Freddie would try to keep up with them, and so would get home more quickly. But they did not leave the smaller twins too far behind. A little later the Bobbseys were safe at home. Tommy Todd went to his grandmoth- er's house, and Flossie and Freddie took turns giving their mother an account of their escape from the ice-boat. BUILDING THE "BIRD" 21 "Was there really any danger?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey of Bert. "Well, maybe, just a little. But I guess Mr. Watson would have stopped in time. He's a good ice-boat sailor." "But don't let Flossie and Freddie get so far away from you another time. They might have been hurt." Bert promised to look well after his little sister and brother, and then, having asked his mother if she wanted anything from the store, he said he was going down to his father's lum- beryard. "What for?" asked Nan, as she saw him leaving. "Is it about the secret ?" "Partly," answered Bert with a laugh. Two or three days later the Bobbseys were again out skating on the ice. Nan and Bert keeping close to Freddie and Flossie. They had not been long gliding about when Freddie suddenly called: "Oh, here comes that ice-boat again !" "Surely enough, it is!" added Nan. "Oh, we must skate toward shore! Come on!" "No need to do that," replied Bert. "It "T 22 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY isn't coming fast, and Mr. Watson sees us." "He's waving his hand at us !" cried Flossie. "I guess he wants to give us a ride. Come on, Freddie!" "Here! Wait a minute!" called Bert. "Don't get into any more danger. But I be- lieve he is going to stop," he went on, as the ice-boat came slowly up to them. Then, as it swung up into the wind, with the sail loosely flapping, Mr. Watson called: "Come on, children, don't you want to go for a ride?" "Oh, let's!" cried Flossie, clapping her hands. "And I want to steer!" added Freddie. "No, you can't do that!" exclaimed Nan. "Oh, Bert, do you think it would be all right for us to go ?" she asked her older brother. "I don't see why not," said Bert. "The wind doesn't blow hard, and Mr. Watson knows all about ice-boats. I say let's go !" "Oh, what fun !" cried Flossie and Freddie. They took off their skates and walked toward the ice-boat. Mr. Watson smiled at them. "I'm so sorry I nearly ran into you the other BUILDING THE "BIRD" 23 day," he said. "I did not see you until almost the last minute. So I made up my mind the next time I saw you on the lake I'd give you a ride. Come on, now, get aboard !" "He talks just as if it was a real boat!" laughed Flossie, for, living near the lake as they did, and often seeing boats at their father's lumber dock, the Bobbsey twins knew some- thing about water craft. "Well, of course, this isn't as big as some boats,"' said Mr. Watson, "but it will hold all of us, I think." The children saw where there was a sort of platform, with raised sides, built on the center of the crossed sticks, and on this platform were spread some fur rugs and blankets. Mr. Watson saw to it that the little children, especially, were well wrapped, and then, telling them all to hold on, he let out the sail and away flew the ice-boat down the frozen lake, fairly whizzing along. "My! how fa- fa- fast we go!" gasped Nan, for really the wind seemed to take away her breath. "This sure is sailing!" cried Bert, and then 24 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY Nan noticed that her brother was looking &t different parts of the ice-boat, as if to find out how it was made. Flossie and Freddie were having lots of fun holding on to one another, and also to the sides of the ice-boat, for the craft slid this way and that so quickly, sometimes seeming to rise up in the air, that it was like being on the back of a horse. But the Bobbseys liked it, and the ride iis the ice-boat came to an end all too soon. With sparkling eyes, and red, glowing cheeks, the twins got out close to their father's lumber dock, calling their thanks to Mr. Watson. "I'll take you again, some time," he an- swered, as he sailed off down the lake. "Ah, ha ! And so my little fat fireman had a ride in an ice-boat, did he?" cried Mr. Bobb- sey that night, when he came home from the office and heard the story. "And how did my little fat fairy like it?" And he lifted up first Freddie and then Flossie to kiss them. "Fat fireman" and "fat fairy" were Mr. Bobbse/s pet names for the smaller twins. Bert and Nan had had pet names when they were small, BUILDING THE "BIRD" 35 but they were too large for them now, growing out of them as they grew out of their clothes. "Oh, it was glorious !" cried Nan. "Sailing in an ice-boat must be like the way it feels to be in an airship." "I'm going up in an airship when I get big!" cried Freddie, making a dive after Snoop, the cat, who was hiding under the table. "Have you heard yet whether you are to go?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, of her husband, when the noisy greetings to the children were over. "No, not yet," he answered, and he made a motion with his head, as if to tell his wife not to speak of a certain matter before the chil- dren. * "Oh, I saw you wink !" cried Nan, clapping her hands. "What does it mean? Is it a se- cret, Momsey?" "Well, yes. Nan. You shall be told in plenty of time, if anything comes of it." "Oh, that's two secrets !" cried Nan. "Bert has one and now there's one here." "What is Bert's secret?" asked Nan'3 mother. 26 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "I don't know yet; he won't tell me." "Yes, I'll tell you to-morrow," said her brother. "But what's this about Father going away, Mother? Are we going too?" "Supper am ready, chilluns !" exclaimed the voice of Dinah, the cook, and that ended the talk about secrets for the time being. "But when are you going to tell me yours?" Nan managed to whisper to her brother when the dessert was being served. "Come down to the lumberyard to-morrow afternoon," he whispered. "It's almost done." Without telling Flossie or Freddie an3rthing about it. Nan slipped off by herself the next afternoon, and from the watchman in her father's lumberyard learned that Bert and an- other boy were in one of the sheds. As Nan came closer she could hear the noise of ham- mering and sawing. "Oh, Bert, what are you making?" cried Nan, as she saw her brother and Tommy Todd Ibusy with sticks, boards, hammer and nails. "This is the Bird!" cried Bert, waving a hammer at something that, so far, did not look like much of anything. BUILDING THE "BIRD" 27 "A bird?" cried Nan. "It looks more like a scare-crow !" "Just wait until it's finished!" said Tommy Todd. "When we get the sail on " "Oh, Bert! is it a boat?" cried Nan eagerly. "Yes, it's going to be an ice-boat, and I've called it the Bird," was the answer. "1 got the idea of building it after I'd seen Mr. Watson's. Father said I might, and he gave me the lum- ber, and let me have a carpenter to help, for Tommy and I couldn't do it all. But now the ice-boat is almost done and in a lew days I'll sail it." "And may I have a ride?" asked Nan. "Of course. I'll take the whole family,"' said Bert "Just you wait," and then he and Tommy went on hammering and sawing. CHAPTER HI A RUNAWAV *Aix aboard r "Don't forget your baggage T "This way for your tickets !" "The ice-boat Bird makes no stops this altt: Df the lake! All aboard!" Bert Bobbsey and Tommy Todd thus wer* calling at the end of one of the lumberyard docks one day about a week after Nan had seen her brother building the ice-boat. Con>- ing down the dock were Mr. and Mrs. Bobbseyj with Nan, Flossie and Freddie. Snap, the big dog, was bounding on ahead through the snow, barking joyously. He enjoyed fun as much as any one. "All aboard ! Please hurry up !" cried Bert "Why, I thought this was a special trip yoa were giving us, and we didn't have to huny,* laughed his mother. A RUNAWAY 29 *^t is," Bert said. "But you see you can't sail an ice-boat if you haven't any wind, and I want you to have a ride before the wind dies away, as it might. So come on, get on board I" "I want to steer !" cried Freddie. "No, you must not," said Nan. "Yes, I must. I know how to steer a motor boat, and I can steer an ice-boat, I guess," and Freddie was very sure about it. "After a while, maybe," agreed Bert "But an ice-boat is different to steer from a motor boat. I'll show you how, though." Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey got on the little plat- form which Bert had built as a sort of open cabin. It had old carpets and rugs on it, and there were blankets and robes to keep the pas- sengers warm. After some failures Bert and Tommy had finally managed to finish the ice- boat It was not as easy to build as they had expected, but Mr. Bobbse/s carpenter had helped them. The boat had been tried out on the ice, and had sailed well. Mr. Bobbsey had Mr. Watson look at it, and that gentleman had said it was safe to ride in. Then Bert had finally gottejt 30 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT OTY his father and mother to promise to take a trip in the boat, bringing Nan, Flossie and Freddie with them. Mr. Bobbsey had, before this, been given a ride with Bert and Tommy, so he knew the two boys could manage the boat fairly welL Tommy and Bert had had several rides by themselves. Now they had company. "Are you all ready?" asked Bert, after he had seen his father and mother, his sisters and brother, get on board the Bird. "All ready," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "Don't go too fast at first, and take your mother's breath away." "I won't !" promised Bert "Are those two little ones covered up all right?" he asked, nod- ding toward Flossie and Freddie. "Yep! We're as warm as — as popcorn T cried Flossie. "With butter on!" added Freddie. "Well, you certainly ought to be good and warm," laughed Mrs. Bobbsey, as she tucked the robes closer around the two smaller twins. "All aboard !" called Bert, and then, moving slowly at first, the ice-boat glided away from the lumber wharf, skimming over the lake witk A RUNAWAY 31 the entire Bobbsey family, not counting, of course, fat Dinah and her husband, who sta3red at home. Nor was Snoop, the black cat, along. Snap, the dog, ran a Uttie way, but when he fotmd the ice-boat was going too fast for him, and when he noticed that he was shpping too much, he gave a sort of good-bye howl and went slowly back to shore. "Isn't this great?" cried Bert, as he steered the ice-boat out into the middle of the lake. "Wonderful !" cried Nan, her hair flying in the wind and her cheeks almost as red as roses. **I don't see how you made it, Bert." "Well, it wasn't easy. How do you like it, Freddie?" "All right. When can I steer?" "Oh, maybe after a while," said Bert, with 3 laugh, "Say, we're going fast, all right" "Yes," agreed Mr, Bobbsey. "I think the wind is getting stronger instead of dying outj Bert." "It does seem so. Well, all the better. We won't have to walk back if it keeps on this way. We can sail to the end of the lake and jride backc" i§)S BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Are you sure you can manage the boat yourself?" asked Bert's father. "She seems pretty big." "Oh, Tommy and I sailed her in a stronger wind than this. And we have a heavier load on now, which makes it all the safer." Mr. Bobbsey himself knew how to sail an ice-boat, but he wanted to let Bert do as much alone as he could, for this is a good way for a boy to learn, if there is not too much danger. "And the worst that can happen," said Mr. Bobbsey, in a whisper to his wife, "is that we may upset and spill out." "Oh! But do you really think there is any danger of thatf" "Well, there may be. Ice-boats often upset, but we can't fall very far," and he looked down at the ice, which was only a few inches below them. "And we have so many robes and blan- kets that falling would be like tumbling into bed. There is no danger." The wind was blowing harder and harder. It was sweeping right across the lake and forc- ing the boat down. The steel runners clinked on the ice, now and then scraping up a showet A RUNAWAY 33 of icy splinters that sparkled in the sun. On the other side of the lake were other ice-boats, and Bert wished he could have a race with some of them. But he knew his mother would not like that now. "Can't you make it go a little slower?" asked Flossie, after a bit. "Every time I open my mouth it gets filled with cold air, and it makes me want to sneeze." "I can't go any slower than the wind blows,** answered Bert. "Turn your back to the bow, or front end of the boat, and you can open your mouth easier then." Flossie did as she was told and felt better, Heanwhile the Bird was living up to her name, and skimming along swiftly. Bert held to the steering handle, now and then tightening or loosening the rope that was fast to the saiL "Want any help?" asked his father. "No, thank you. Dad. I want to manage it all by myself as long as I can." "Isn't it my turn to steer?" asked Freddie> when they were half-way down the lake, to- ward the end farthest from the town, where there were deep woods on either side. 34 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "No, not yet!" exclaimed Bert. "Don't touch anything, Freddie !" he went on, for his little brother was reaching out toward the saiL "I'll have to wait until the wind doesn't blow so strong before I can let your steer, Freddie." "But I want to steer when we're going fast!^ cried the little fellow. "I know how to do it You just " Freddie never finished what he was saying. Whether he touched anything, or whether Bert was afraid he would, and so pulled on the wrong rope to keep it out of Freddie's way, was never known. Suddenly the ice-boat gave a quick whirl to one side, like a boy or a girl on roller skates going around a corner. It went around so quickly that it tipped half-way over. Mrs. Bobbsey and Nan screamed. Mr. Bobbsey called to Bert to be careful, but it was too late. Bert had lost his hold of the rudder and the sail rope. The next second Bert shot out of the ice- boat, and slid along on his back. A moment later his father and mother were also spilled 3ut, followed by Nan. Jhen the ice-boat, not A RUNAWAY 35 having such a heavy load aboard, settled down OH the ice again, and started to run away, or, rather, blow away. Right before the wind it flew, and Flossie and Freddie, being well tucked in among the robes and blankets were not spilled out. They stayed on board; and Mr. Bobbsey, sitting up after he had slid some distance across the ice, saw the Bird scooting down the lake, car- rying his two smaller twins with it. "Oh, the ice-boat is rutming away with Flossie and Freddie!" cried Nan, as she, too, saw what had happened. CHAPTER IV THE OLD WOODCHOPPER While Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, Bert and Nan picked themselves up from where they had fallen and slid along the ice, the ice-boat, with Flossie and Freddie snugly tucked in among the blankets and robes, was skimming down the lake, blown by a strong wind. At first the two small twins hardly knew what had happened. They had felt the ice- boat tilt to one side, they remembered that they had nearly fallen out, and then they had sailed on again. It was not until Flossie opened her eyes (she always shut them when anything surprising was happening) that she saw she and Freddie were alone in the Bird, "Why! Why!" she exclaimed, "Where are Daddy and Mother?" "Yes, and Bert and Nan?" added Freddie **Where is everybody?" 36 THE OLD WOODCHOPPER 37 Then the two small twins looked back over the icy lake and far behind them saw their father and mother, with Bert and Nan, stand- ing on the ice and waving their hands. "Oh, they've jumped off and left us to sail the boat alone!" cried Freddie, "Now I can steer! Isn't that good?" Flossie was not quite sure that this was "good," but, for a few seconds, she believed what Freddie had said — that the others had jumped off the ice-boat. She did not know that they had been spilled out, as Bert said after- ward. "Now watch me steer!" cried Freddie crawl- ing back toward the tiller, which was the last thing Bert had let go of, as he shot from the boat. "Oh, can you?" asked Flossie. "Do you think you can steer? " "Of course I can," was the answer. "You just watch me. I'll make this boat go faster!" "But you want to be awfully careful, Fred- die." "Oh, I'm always careful, ain't I?" "Well, I s'pose you are — ^most times," an- 38 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY swered Flossie, somewhat slowly. She did not wish to hurt her twin's feelings. "Oh, I know what I'm doing," was Fred- die's confident reply. "You just watch me! I'll make this boat go just as fast as anything !" As it had happened, a rope had become caught around the tiller, or handle, of the rud- der, thus holding it so that the ice-boat sailed straight before the wind. Otherwise it would have darted from side to side, and perhaps Flossie and Freddie would have been tossed out as the others had been. But it so happened that they sailed along nicely, no one being at the helm. Straight down the lake sailed the Bird with the two little twins aboard. They had beeti a bit frightened at first, but now Freddie was thinking only of how he could steer the craft, and Flossie was waiting to see what her bro- ther would do. "I wonder what they're waving to us for?" asked Flossie, as she looked back and saw the frantic signals of her father and mother, Bert and Nan. "And the/re running after us, too I" she added. THE OLD WOODCHOPPER 35 "Maybe they want us to come back," sug- gested Freddie. But as the ice-boat was too far away for the older Bobbseys to make their voices heard by Flossie and Freddie, Mr. Bobb- sey and the others could only wave their hands. "We must catch that boat !" cried Bert "No telling what it will <^o to them if it upsets. Come on ! Run, everybody !" He set oflf as fast as he could go, his father with him, while Mrs. Bobbsey and Nan came along more slowly. "I guess they want us to come back and get them," said Freddie. "They must be tired. Well, I'll steer the boat back and we'll give them a ride. Won't it be fun, Flossie?'* "Ye-yes, maybe. If you can do it." "Do what?" "Steer the ice-boat back." "Of course I can do it!" cried Freddie. "I can squirt water from my fire engine, can't I? And that isn't any harder than this." Freddie did not know so much about ice- boats as he thought he did, and when he had crawled back to the tiller, still held fast in a loop of the rope, the small boy found it hardei^ 40 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY to move than he had expected. Flossie stayed among the rugs and robes. Freddie knew enough about boats to be sure that to steer one the tiller ought to move from side to side. So, finding that the rope, which was fast to the sail, was keeping the rudder handle from moving, he began to loosen the coils. As soon as he did that the rudder moved from side to side, and this, of course, made the ice-boat do the same thing. "Oh, dear!" cried Flossie, "don't jiggle it so, Freddie !" "I— I can't— help it!" chattered Freddie, his words coming jerkily, for he was being "jig- gled" himself, as the rudder shook from side to side in his hand. "This— this is the way to — ^to steer an ice-boat." "Well, I don't like it," Flossie announced. "It makes me homesick!" "Do you mean — seasick?" asked Freddie, trying his best to hold the tiller still. "No, I mean homesick! I want to go home!" "But we're having a nice ride, Flossie." THE OLD WOODCHOPPER 41 "I don't care! I want papa and mamma! I can't see them now 1" The ice-boat, sailing down the lake, had turned around a point of land, and this hid from view the rest of the Bobbsey family. "I'll turn around and go back and get them," Freddie said. By this time he had taken the rope from the tiller, so the rudder handle moved freely from side to side. And then, all of a sudden, the Bird shot ahead more swiftly than before. The wind was blowing more strongly, and when Freddie moved the rudder he steered the ice-boat so that the wind sent it straight ahead instead of a little to one side. "Oh! oh!" cried Flossie, "this is too fast! How can we stop the ice-boat, Freddie?" "I — I don't know," answered the little boy. "Don't you like to go fast, Flossie ?" "Not so fast as this. I can't make my nose work — I can't get any air!" Indeed they were sailing even more swiftly than when Bert was steering, and Flossie was frightened. So was Freddie, but he was not so quick to say so. 42 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Please stop the boat!" cried Flossie again. "Well, rU try," promised Freddie. " I guess this is the rope you pull on," and he took hold of the one fast to the end of the sail — the rope that kept the big piece of white canvas from blowing away. Freddie pulled on this, but it could not have been the right rope, or else he pulled it the wrong way, for, in an instant, the ice-boat seemed to "stand on its ear," as Bert spoke of it afterward. Flossie and Freddie were almost tossed out. "Oh, don't do that!" cried the little giri. " I— I didn't mean to," Freddie told her. "I guess I pulled on the wrong rope. Here's an- other. I'll try that." By this time the ice-boat was more than two miles down the lake, for the wind was blowing hard and the Bird sailed swiftly. The children could not see their father, mother, Bert or Nan now. They would soon be at the end of the lake, and before them Flossie and Freddie could see big drifts of snow near the edge of the frozen lake and between it and the forest bevond. THE OLD WOODCHOPPER 43 "I — I guess we'd better stop pretty soon," faltered Freddie. "If we don't we'll run ashore." With all his strength, he pulled on another rope, at the same time shoving the tiller over as far from him as it would go. The result was a surprise to him and to Flossie. The ice-boat turned quickly, and then, like a frightened horse, it darted toward shore. Over the ice it skimmed. Then it turned up on one side, buried the bov/, or front part, deep in a big snow drift and with another motion sent Flossie and Freddie, together with the robes and blankets, flying into a pile of soft snow. Down came the Bobbsey twins with a soft thud, not being in the least hurt. For a moment neither of the children spoke. Then Flossie, brushing the snow from her face, looked around, and seeing Freddie near her, doing the same thing, she asked : "What— what happened?" "I guess I steered right up on shore instead of away from it," replied Freddie. "I must have turned the handle the wrong way. Are you hurt, Flossie?" 44 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAl CITY "Nope. Are you?" "Nope. I hope the ice-boat isn't brokei.; Bert wouldn't like that. Let's go and look." As the children floundered out of the snow, which had been left from a storm that bad swept over the country before the lake had frozen, they heard a voice calling to them. Looking in the direction of the woods, they saw coming toward them an old man, wearing a big, ragged overcoat, a fur cap and mittens, while over his shoulder was an axe. "Oh! oh!" said Flossie in a low voice. "Who— who's that, Freddie?" "Oh, I know him. That's Uncle Jack, the woodchopper. He'll help us get the boat on the ice again, and I can sail it back home." "Nope!" cried Flossie, shaking her flaxen curly head. "I'm never going to ride in an ice- boat with you any more. Never ! You go too fast, and stop too quick. I'm going to walk home!" "What's the matter, children?" asked Uncle Jack, and he came plowing his way through the snow, "Ah, your ice-boat is upset, I see! iWell, you two are pretty small potatoes to be THE OLD WOODCHOPPER 45 out sailing alone. 'Most froze, too, I'll war- rant ye! Come on to my cabin. It's warm there, whatever else it is !" and he helped Flos- sie and Freddie from the snowdrift. "Thank you," said Flossie. "But we're nr^ potatoes, Uncle Jack." "Well, little peaches, then. Anyhow, your cheeks look like red apples," said the man laughing. CHAPTER V GLORIOUS NEWS "How did it all happen?" asked Uncle Jack, a little later, as he led Flossie and Freddie along a path through the snow to his cabin in the woods. "Why are you two out ice-boating alone?" "The rest of 'em spilled out," answered Freddie; "and I upset Flossie and me when I pulled on the wrong rope. But we're not hurt a bit. It was fun. Wasn't it, Flossie?" "Ye — ^yes, I — I guess so." "Hum! You're part of the Bobbsey twins, aren't you?" asked the old woodchopper, who made a living by cutting firewood and kindling wood in the forest, where he lived by himself in a lonely cabin all the year around. '"Yes, we're the littlest ones," answered Flos- sie. "Bert and Nan are bigger, but they fell off, too." 46 GLORIOUS NEWS 47 "So falling from an ice-boat doesn't go by sizes," laughed the old man. Then, taking turns, Flossie and Freddie told the story of the runaway ice-boat, and of hav- ing left the rest of their family several miles away on the ice. "We tried to stop, but we couldn't," said Flossie. "And, oh, dear! I wonder where Daddy and Mother are now." Flossie spoke as though it would not take much to make her cry. "Don't worry," said Uncle Jack, as every one around Lakeport called him. "If your father and mother don't come for you I'll take you home." "It — it's a long way to walk," said Freddie with a sigh. "And I guess Flossie is hungry. Aren't you?" he asked of his little sister. "Well — a little," admitted the blue-eyed girl twin. "How about you, little man?" asked Uncle Jack. "I — I guess I am, too," Freddie admitted. "Have you got anything to eat ?" "Well, maybe we can find something in my 48 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY cabin," said the old man. He had left his axe sticking in a tree near where the ice-boat had run into the snow bank, and was leading the children along by either hand. Flossie and Freddie looked up into his kindly, wrinkled face, the cheeks glowing red like two rosy apples, and they knew they would be well taken care of. Uncle Jack was a fine, honest man, and he was always kind to children, who, often in the Summer, would gather flowers near his lonely log cabin. In a little while Flossie and Freddie were seated in front of a stove, in which crackled a hot fire, eating bread and milk, which was the best the woodchopper could offer them. But they were so hungry that, as Freddie said af- terward, it tasted better than chicken and ice- cream. "Haven't you got any little girl?" asked Flossie after a while. "No, I haven't a chick or a child, I'm sorry to say." "My father would give you a chicken if you wanted it," said Freddie. "And some days we could come and stay with you." GLORIOUS NEWS , 49 "That last part would be all right," said the old man with a smile ; "but I haven't any place to keep a chicken. It would get lonesome, I'm afraid, while I'm off in the forest chopping wood. But I thank you just the same." "Didn't you ever have any children ?" asked Flossie, taking a second glass of milk which the kindly old man gave her. "Never a one. Though when I was a boy I lived in a place where there were two children, I think. But it's all kind of hazy." "Where was that?" asked Freddie, brushing up the last of the bread crumbs from his plate. "I don't remember much about my folks. Most of my life has beent spent working on farmers' land, until I got sc old I could not plow or cut hay. Then the man who owns this forest said I might come here and chop fire- wood, and I did. I built this cabin myself, and I've lived all alone in it for many years." This was so, for Jack had been in the woods from the time when Bert and Nan were babies, so Flossie and Freddie had often heard their older brother and sister say. "Haven't you any folk*.?" asked Freddie. so BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Well, I seem to remember that once I had a brother and a sister. But I lost track of them, and they lost me, I guess ; so where they are now, if they're anywhere, I don't know. I'm all alone, I guess," and the woodchopper's face was sad. "Never mind ! We'll come to see you," said Flossie, with a smile. "But now maybe we'd better start home, Freddie. Papa and Mamma may be worried about us." "I'll take you home, if you've had enough to eat," said Uncle Jack. "Oh, we've had plenty, thank you," said Freddie. "But it's a long way to go home. If I could sail the ice-boat back " "1 don't like that boat 1" cried Flossie. "How would you like to ride on a sled?" asked the woodchopper. "In a sled drawn by a horse with jingling bells ?" "That would be fine!" cried Freddie, clap- ping his hands. "But where is he — the horse, I mean?" "Oh, out in my little stable. I built a small stable, as well as this cabin, for I have to haul my wood into town to sell it. I'll get my bob- GLORIOUS NEWS 51 sled ready and tuck you in among the blankets that spilled from your ice-boat. Then I'll drive you home." Flossie and Freddie liked this plan, and were soon snugly tucked in among their own robes, for the ice-boat had upset not far from the woodchopper's cabin. "Your folks will likely be worried about you," said Uncle Jack, "so I'll get you home as fast as I can, though my horse isn't very speedy. He's getting old, like myself." "You don't look old," said Flossie kindly. "Well, I am. I'm old and full of pains and aches." "Have you got a stomachache?" asked Flos- sie. "If you have my mother could give you some peppermint." "My pain is in my bones and back ; pepper- mint isn't much good for that. I guess I need to go to a hospital. But never mind me, I must look after you children now." Along through the snow jogged the wood- cutter's horse, his bells jingling as he hauled the sled over the road that led along the shor« of the lake. 52 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "What'll we do about Bert's ice-boat ?" asked Flossie. "I'll look after it until he comes for it," said Uncle Jack. "It isn't damaged any, and it will be all right. Few folks come down to this end of the lake in Winter. I have it all to m)^ self." "You must be lonesome," remarked Freddie. "I am, sometimes. Often I wish I had folks, like other men. But it isn't to be, I reckon. G'lang there, Bucksaw." "Is that the name of your horse?" "Yes. Bucksaw is his name. Pretty good for a woodchopper's horse, I guess," and the old man smiled. While Flossie and Freddie were being driven home by the woodchopper, Mr. and Mrs. Bobb- sey, with Bert and Nan, left far behind on the ice when the Bird upset, were much worried and excited. "What can we do?" cried Bert. "We must go after those children!" ex- claimed Mrs. Bobbsey. "That's what I'm going to do," Mr. Bobb' sey remarked. GLORIOUS NEWS 53 "If I could borrow one of those ice-boats over there," put in Bert, pointing toward some on the other side of the lake, "I could sail down and get them." "No more ice-boats to-day !" said Mrs. Bobb- sey. "Oh, I do hope nothing happens to Flos- sie and Freddie !" "I don't believe they'll be hurt," said their father. "Even if they fall out they can't get much of a bump on the ice, and if they run ashore, as they're likely to do, they'll only fall in the snow. Don't worry." "But we must go after them !" cried his wife. "Just what I am going to do. Bert and I will go to shore, hire a team and drive down the lake after them. The road runs right along the lake shore and we'll be sure to see them, or hear something of them. They'll be all right." It did not take Mr. Bobbsey and Bert long to get started on the search for the missing ones, for Flossie and Freddie in the ice-boat had sailed around the point of land, as I told you, and were out of sight of their folks. Mrs. Bobbsey and Nan were taken home by 54 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY some friends who happened to pass the lake in their automobile, and half-way to the wood- cutter's cabin, though he had no idea the chil- dren had been there, Mr. Bobbsey and Bert met them being driven to Lakeport by Uncle Jack. "Oh, there's Daddy !" cried Freddie. "And Bert!" added Flossie, as she saw her brother. "Your ice-boat's all right," she added. "We just fell out of it," "Are you all right?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, stopping his horses. "Fine !" cried Freddie. "And we had bread and milk." "Well, I'm sure I'm much obliged to you, Uncle Jack," said the children's father. "It was very kind of you." Then Flossie and Freddie told their story, and the woodchopper t-old of having seen them tossed into the snow and of how he helped them out, and then Mr. Bobbsey told what had happened to him, the children's mother, Bert and Nan. "I just pulled on the wrong rope, that's all, and I guess I steered the boat crooked," sai() Freddie with a laugh. GLORIOUS NEWS 55 "You're lucky it was no worse," remarked Bert, laughing also. "But as long as you two are all right, and the Bird isn't damaged, I'm glad." Mr. Bobbsey was also, and then he took the children into his sleigh, driving home with them while Uncle Jack turned back. "I like him," said Flossie, speaking of the old woodchopper to her father. "He hasn't a chick or a child and he lives all alone in the yroods." "Yes, poor Uncle Jack doesn't have a very happy life," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I must see what we can do to help him." Little was talked of in the Bobbsey home that afternoon and evening but the adventure with the ice-boat, and what had happened to Flossie and Freddie when it ran away with them. The next day Bert and Tommy Todd got the Bird back and had fine times sailing in it. Flossie and Freddie, as well as some of their friends, were also given rides, but Bert cut the sail smaller so his boat would not go so fast, making it safer. 56 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY When the Bobbsey twins were not ice-boat- ing they were skating, or building snow forts or snow men. Once Flossie and Freddie built a little snow house and got inside it with Snoop, the black cat, and Snap, the dog. Everything was very nice, but the house was so small that, when they were all in it, there was not room for Snap to wag his tail. And as there never was a dog yet, with a tail, who did not want to wag it, you can easily guess what happened. Either Snap wagged his tail in the fates of Flossie and Freddie or he whacked Snoop with it, and as the cat did not like that she ran out of the snow house. But Snap kept on wagging his tail, and as Flossie and Freddie made him get to one side when he did it the only other place he had to wag it was against the sides ofi the snow house. Now these snow sides were not very thick or strong — they were not made to be wagged against by a big dog's tail, and, all of a sud- den. Snap wagged his tail right through the snow house. GLORIOUS NEWS 57 Then, with a swish and a swush, down the snow house toppled right on the heads of Flos* sie, Freddie and Snap. Snap gave a howl and dug his way out. But the two small twins were laughing so hard that it took them a little longer to dig their way out. They were not hurt in the least, however, and they thought it great fun to have the snow house fall on them when Snap's tail wagged too hard. It was about a week after the funny tcg- boat ride that Mr. Bobbsey came home from his office a little earlier than usual. He was smiling, and when his wife saw him she asked : "Did it come?" "Did what come?" asked Nan. "Are we going to have a new automobile, Mother?" "Not yet. Nan." "Then what came?" "Glorious news!" cried her father, catching her up and kissing her. "Glorious news came in a letter. We are all going to a great city !" "To live?" "No, just on a visit," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, it is good news! I have been wanting 58 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY to go for a long while. Come in, Bert — and you too, Flossie and Freddie — and hear the good news!" she called to the other twins, *'Daddy has glorious news for us !" CHAPTER VI ON TO NEW YORK "Are we going?" cried Flossie, when she heard that the family was about to make some sort of a journey. "And can we take the ice-boat?" Freddie asked eageriy. "Yes, of course you're going," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "But no ice-boat," added Bert. "There's no chance to sail one in New York City — ^and if there was we wouldn't have time." "Oh, are we going to New York?" cried Flossie. "Yes," her father nodded. "Then I'm going to take my fire engine!" cried Freddie. "They have fires in New York, don't they, Daddy?" "Plenty of them, I think. And they have big engines there to put them out — ^larger ones 59 6o BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY than we have in Lakeport. But now let's get quiet so I can tell Mother and you the news." Then, with the smaller tvyins cuddled up on his lap and Bert and Nan seated near their mother, Mr. Bobbsey told the news. He was going to start a new business, from which he hoped to make a great deal of money, and he had to go to New York to see about it. The trip would take the best part of a day from Lakeport, and Mr. Bobbsey would have to stay in the big city several weeks. He had long promised his wife that when the time came to go to New York he would take her and the whole family with him, and that time had now come. "When can we start?" Flossie inquired. "To-night?" asked Freddie eagerly. "Oh, indeed not!" laughed his mother. "It will take at least a week to get ready, and per- haps longer. You children have to have some new clothes, and Daddy has to look after his business here. I think we will close this house, and Dinah and Sam can visit their friends." "What about Snap and Snoop?" asked Flossie. ON TO NEW YORK 6l "Oh, let's take them!" begged Freddie. "It would be no fun going to New York with pet cats and dogs," said Bert. "They'd only be in the way or get lost." "I wouldn't want either one of 'em to get lost," put in Flossie. "Then we'll leave them with Dinah," said Mother Bobbsey, glad that that part was over. Every time they went away it was always hard to get the younger twins to consent to leave Snoop and Snap at home. "It will be great, going to New York V cried Bert. "I want to see some of the flying ma- chines I've read about." "And I want to see some of the lovely stylish dresses the girls wear as they ride on Fifth Avenue," declared Nan. "Mother, do you think I could, have a real dress from New York?" she asked in a whisper. "Not one that's too stylish, of course, but so I could say it came from New York." "I guess so," and Mrs. Bobbsey smiled. "But let's hear what Flossie and Freddie most want to see ill New York," and she looked at the two small twins. 62 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY Flossie and Freddie thought for a moment, and then the blue-eyed boy, shaking his flaxen curls, cried : "I want to see a big fire, and watch the fire- men put it out. But I hope nobody gets hurt!" "That last part is good, anyhow," said Mr. Bobbsey. "And how about my little fat fairy?" and he playfully pinched Flossie's plump leg. "What do you want to see ?" Flossie did not answer at once, but when she did she cried : "A monkey!" "A monkey?" repeated her father. "Yes, the monkeys in the park. I read about them, and how they do such funny tricks in their cages. That's what I want to see — ^the monkeys in the park." "Oh, so do I !" cried Freddie. "Can I see the monkeys and a fire too ?" "Well, I guess so," answered his father. "But we will hope no big fires will occur while we are in New York. As for monkeys, I guess there will be plenty of them in the park." ,The diildren were so excited, thinking about ON TO NEW YORK 63 the trip to the great city of New York, they could hardly sleep that night, even though they stayed up later than usual. And rhe next day a busy time began. Mrs. Bobbsey had to see to getting ready the clothes for herself and the children. At this Nan helped some, but Flossie and Freddie could not, for they were too small. Bert ran on a num- ber of errands for his father, before and after school, for the children had their lessons to do even while getting ready for the trip. Of course they could not go to school in New York very well, but Mr. Bobbsey arranged with the teachers in Lakeport that the twins could make up, when they came back, any lessons they should miss. And as Nan and Bert were ahead of their class, and as Flossie and Freddie were only in the "baby" grade, where they did not have hard lessons, as yet, staying from school would do not great harm to any of them. But at last all was ready for the start. The trunks and valises had been packed, the chil- dren had said good-bye to their many friends and playmates, Dinah and Sam had gone away and the dog and cat had been sent to board 64 BOEBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY near the cook's home until the Bobbseys should come back. Mr. Eobbsey had left his business with his partner to look after, and Bert had said Tommy Todd could sail the ice-boat as much as he pleased while Bert was in New York. "Well, I guess we're ready to start," said Mr. Bobbsey, when the house had been locked and the big automobile that was to take them to the station was pumng out in front. "All aboard '" "This isn't the train. Daddy !" laughed Nan. "No, but we'll soon be there," her father answered. "Come along." Into the automobile they piled, parents, twins, baggage and all, and off they started. On the way to the depot Flossie cried : "Oh, there's Uncle Jack!" and the sled of the woodchopper was seen moving slowly down the village street, with a load of logs piled high on it. "Poor old man," murmured Mrs. Bobbsey. "Did you see if you could help him in any way?" she asked her husband. *Tes, I have arranged it so that Uncle Jack ON TO NEW YORK 6j will have plenty of food this Winter. He can keep warm, for he has a stove and can cut all the wood he wants. I sent our doctor to see him. But Dr. Haydon thinks Uncle Jack should go to a hospital." "Then why don't you send him? He was so good to the children " "I know he was, but he won't go to the hoS" pital. He says he knows it costs money and he won't let me spend any on him. But when I come back from New York I'll see what I can do. I think he'll be all right for a while, poor old man." Uncle Jack, sitting on top of his load of wood, saw the children in the automobile and waved to them. The Bobbsey twins waved back. "We must bring him something from New York," said Freddie. "We could get him a little toy chick, and then he wouldn't be lonesome. Maybe he'd like that," added Flossie. Little did the two small Bobbsey twins diink what they would help to bring back f rcma New York for the poor, old woodchopper. 66 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY The train for New York was on time, and soon the twins, each pair in one seat, with Father and Mother Bobbsey behind them, were looking out of the car windows, happy and joyous as they started on their journey. They were on their way to the great city of New York. I shall not tell yor all that happened on the trip. It was not really much, for by this time the twins had traveled so often that a railroad train was an old story to them. But they never tired of looking out of the windows. On and on clicked the train, rushing through the snow-covered country, now passing some small village, and again hurrying through a city. Now and then the car would rattle through some big piece of woods, and then Flossie and Freddie would remember how they were tossed cut of the ice-boat, and how they had been so kindly cared for by Uncle Jack in his k;j:lely log cabin. It was late in the afternoon when, after a change of cars, the Bobbsey family got aboard a Pennsvlvania railroad train that took them ON TO NEW YORK 6j; over the New Jersey meadows. They crossed two rivers and then Flossie and Freddie, who were eagerly looking out of the windows, sud« denly found themselves in darkness. "Oh, another tunnel !" cried Freddie. "Is it. Daddy ?" asked Flossie. "Yes, it's a big tunnel under the Hudson River. In a little while you will be in New York." And not long afterward the train came to a stop. The children found themselves down in a sort of big hole in the ground, for the Pennsylvania trains come into the great Thirty* third Street station far below the street. Up the steps walked the Bobbsey family, red- capped porters carrying their hand-baggage, and, a little later, Flossie, Freddie and the others stood under the roof of the great sta- tion in New York. They were in the big city, and many things were to happen to them befoiie jfliey saw Lakeport again. CHAPTER VII ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN Mr. Bobbsey wished to ask one of the rail- road men in the big station some questions about the trunks, and he also had to send a telegram, so, while he was doing these things, he told his wife and children to sit down and wait for him. Mrs. Bobbsey led Nan and Bert and Flossie and Freddie to one of the many long benches in the large depot, but the two smaller twins were so excited at being in such an immense place that they had not been seated more than a few seconds before they jumped tip to gaze all about them. Bert and Nan, too, though older than their brother and sister, wera much astonished at what they saw. "Why — why!" gasped Freddie, "it's bigger tiian our armory at home!" for in Lakeport there was a big hall where the soldiers drilled. "It's three times as big," said Flossie. 68 ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN 6g "Four!" declared Freddie. "Come on!" he called to his sister, "let's see how long it takes to walk around it." "Don't go too far away," said Mrs. Bobb' sey, who, for the moment, did not realize how really large the station was. "Don't get lost !" she went on. "No'm, we won't!" promised Flossie and Freddie. They started off to walk around the large depot, which, as you who have seen it know, takes up a whole New York City block, or "square," as you will say if you live near Philadelphia. Mr. Bobbsey's business took him a little lon- ger than he expected, but as Bert and Nan begged to be allowed to buy a little candy at the newspaper stand near them, and as Mrs. Bobbsey wanted a magazine, the getting of these things took a little time, so the three did not notice how long Mr. Bobbsey was away from them. When he came back, having sent his mes- sage and found out what he wanted to knoWo ^e twins' father asked: 70 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Where are Flossie and Freddie?" "They're walking around, just seeing ho^ big the station is/' said Nan. "Trying to find out how much larger it is than our armory at home," added Bert wiA a laugh. ' "Well, I hope they don't get lost," said Mr. Bobbsey. "This place is a good deal larger than our armory. I'd better go to look for them," he went on as a glance around, near the news stand, did not show the two little ones anywhere in sight. "I'll come with you," offered Bert. "No, you'd better stay here with your moth* er," said his father. "I don't want you getting lost, too." And he smiled at his son. "Stay right here. I'll not be long." But if Mr. Bobbsey thought he was going to find Flossie and Freddie soon he was dis- appointed. He wandered about under the big glass roof, which at first the two younger twins had taken for the sky ; but he did not see Flos- sie or Freddie. "Has yo'all done lost suffin, boss?" inqtMiMl one of the colored porters. ON THE: EXPRESS TRAIN yg Tm looking for my two little children," ex» plained Mr. Bobbsey. "They wandered away from their mother." "Oh, don't yo'all worry Tjout dat, boss! Chilluns gits lost heah ebery day, an* we aS easy find 'em ag'in." "Oh, I'm not worried." answered Mr. Bobb- sey, with a smile. "But it is time for us to go^ and I want them. Did you see them — two lit- tle ones — about so high," and he held his hand a short distance above the stone floor. "They have light hair and blue eyes." The porter thought for a moment. Then he said: "Well, to tell yo' de truff, boss, we has about seben hundred blue-eyed an' light-haired chilluns in heah ebery day, and we has de same number ob dark ones, so it's mighty hard t' 'member 'em all." "Yes, I suppose so. Well, I'll walk about 1 dare say I shall find them." "I'll tell some ob de udder men," offered the porter. "We often has t' pick up lost little ones an' take 'em to de waitin' room. Ef y(/ doan't find yo' tots yo'se'f, stop in dere." 'J2 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "I will," said Mr. Bobbsey, and he was about to walk on when the porter called to him: "Heah comes a light-haired, blue-eyed gal now, an' she's runnin' like she's in a hurry. Maybe she's yo'rs," Mr. Bobbsey looked up in time to see Flos- sie running toward him from the front part of the station. She seemed much excited, and when she neared her father she called : "Oh, Daddy ! guess what happened !" "I'm afraid I haven't time," said Mr. Bobb- sey quickly. "We must hurry away. Where is Freddie?" "That's what I mean ! Guess what happened to him," went on Flossie, who was rather out of breath. "I can't," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Tell ras quickly, Flossie. Is he hurt?" "Oh, no; he's all right. But he's gone off down the street, and he went into a store where there was a lot of bugs in the window, and he says he's going to buy some. I want som* bugs, too!" "What in the world is she talking about ?^ asked Mrs. Bobbsey, who from where she sai: ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN 73 had seen her husband and little girl and had hurried on to join them. "She says Freddie went down the street* explained Mr. Bobbsey, "and that he " "Yep! He went in a store with a lot of bugs in the window!" said Flossie again. •'They're great big bugs and they walk around and aroiuid and around!" and she shook her flaxen head as hard as she could, as she often did when excited. "What in the world do you mean?" asked Nan, who, with Bert, now joined their father. "Freddie must have gone outside the depot to go down a street," said Bert. "Maybe she means he went into an animal store, where they sell monkeys and parrots." "No, they weren't any monkeys — ^nor par- rots, either," said Flossie. "But some of the big bugs were green like a parrot. And we didn't go outdoors, either." "Then show us where you did go," ordered Mr. Bobbsey quickly. "I think we can find Freddie that way. Did you go into the store *ith him?" he asked his little girl. "Nope. I ran back to get the money to buf 74 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY the bugs that crawl around and around and around, and go in a little door all by their- selves !" said Flossie, who was not breathing ao fast now. "What is it all about?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "We seem to have found a queer part of New; York as soon as we arrive." "It's over this way," and Flossie, taking her father's hand, pulled him in the direction from which she had come. Up a flight of broad stone steps she led him, the others following, until, as they approached the main entrance of the station, Flossie pointed and said : "There's the street with all the stores on it Freddie went down there, and we stopped in front of a window where the bugs are, that go around and around and " "Yes, dear, we know all about how they go around," said her mother, with a smile. "But show us where Freddie is." "Just down the street," said Flossie. "Com© on. "Oh, I see what she means !" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "It's the arcade. This is part of the 4eoot — ^the vestibule, so to speak," he went oOg ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN 75 "It's the entrance, and it is so big that there is room for stores on either side. It does look like a street." And so it did, except that there were no auto- mobiles or wagons in it — ^just people hurrying along. On either side of the arcade were stores, where fruit, candy, toys, flowers and Other things were sold. You can imagine that « station which has room in it for many trains, automobiles and thousands of people easily has room for stores also. "Come on — right down this wayP called Flossie, hurrying ahead of the others, "lH show you where the bugs are." "The bugs that go around and around and around," laughed Bert, in a ,Iow tone to Nan. "Oh, I do hope Freddie hasn't gotten into any trouble," sighed Nan, who, though she was only ten years old, felt much more grown op than either Flossie or Freddie. "Here are the bugs!" cried Flossie, a little later, and she stopped in front of a station toy store, m the window of which a young man was showing how big tin bugs would move along on a spring roller that was fastened be- j6 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY neath them. There were green, red, yellow and spotted bugs, and they did indeed go "arountj and around and around," as Flossie had saidp and some of them steered themselves, whei^ started by the young man, into the door of a little pasteboard house, where all the toy tiiB bugs seemed to live. "There's Freddie now, buying a bug !" crieif Flossie, as she saw through the store door hei brother talking to a clerk. And the clerk was showing Freddie how the bug "walked" on the wooden roller which answered for legs. "I want a bug, too !" Flossie cried, and into the store dashed the little girl. "I've brought back Papa and Mamma and Bert and Nan," Flossie explained to her brother. "They all want to see the bugs." "Well!" exclaimed the man in the store. **This is going to be a busy day for me, I guess," and he smiled at the Bobbsey family. "Can I have three of these bugs. Daddy?" asked Freddie, just as if he had caused no trouble at all by going off as he had done. "I want three, too," echoed Flossie. *'0h, what funny looking things !" cried Mrs. ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN 77 iddbbsey, as the clerk sent the bugs crawling "^*around and around." "They are very amusing," said the salesman, "and just the thing for children. They can play many games with them and keep out of mischief." "They'll have to be pretty good to keep these youngsters out of mischief," said Mr. Bobb* sey, with a smile. "Yes, Freddie, you may have some bugs, and Flossie also. How about you, Nan and Bert?" "I'd rather have that small aeroplane," said Bert, pointing to one that could be wound up Sffith a rubber band and would fly for some dis- tance. "And I'd like that work basket," said Naiu "Well, we'll get you all something, and then ^e must start for our hotel," said Mr. Bobb- aey. "Come, Freddie, pick out the bugs you twant, and don't run away again. You might get lost, even if you are only in the railroad jtation." "I couldn't get lost — Flossie knew where I -was," said Freddie. "I sent her back to bring TTDu, so you could pay for my bugs." 78 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY Then the two younger Bobbseys looked over about all the toy tin bugs in the station store, and finally picked out those they wanted, though it took some little time, Bert's and Nan's gifts were wrapped up long before Fred- die could make up his mind whether to take a blue bug, striped with green, or a purple one, spotted with yellow, finally making up his mind that the last was best. Then, after all the baggage had been col- lected, the family was ready to start for the hotel where they were to stay while in New York. Mr. Bobbsey wanted to get a taxicab, but Flossie and Freddie had heard of the ele- vated trains, which ran "in the air," and they wanted to go in one of them, saying it would be such fun. So, as it was almost as near one way as it was the other, Mr. Bobbsey consent- ed, and they set off for the elevated railroad. "Oh, there goes a train!" cried Flossie, as they came in sight of the station, which was high above the street, set on iron pillars, some of which also held up the elevated track. "Just think, Freddie, we're going to ride on a high train!" Flossie was quite excited. ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN 79 *'I hope it doesn't fall," said Nan. "They're made strong on purpose, so they won't fall," said Bert. Flossie and Freddie ran on ahead up the ele- vated stairs, and just as their father was buy- ing the tickets, to drop in the little box where the "chopper" stood, working up and down a long handle, a train rumbled into the station. The iron gates of the car platforms were pulled back, several persons hurried off and others hurried on. Flossie and Freddie, think- ing this was the train their parents, Bert and Nan, were going to take, and, being anxious to get seats near the window where they could iook out, rushed past the ticket chopper, darted through the open gates and into one of the cars. CHAPTER VIII A LONG RIDE Flossie and Freddie, scurrying through the gates of the elevated car just as the guard was about to close them, saw inside two rows of seats on either side, there being very few pas- sengers in that coach. Thinking their father and mother, with Bert and Nan, were right be- hind them, the two little twins felt no fear, but rushed in, each one anxious to get a seat "I'm going to sit by a window !" cried Fred- die. "So'm I !" added Flossie, and both were soon kneeling on the rattan seats, with their noses fairly flattened against the glass of the window. The few passengers in the train smiled, for they knew the children must be from some- where outside of New York, as the little folk of that city are not so eager to see the sights amid which they live. So A LONG RIDE 8l It was not until the train had started, and had gone several blocks, that Flossie and Fred- die thought of their father and mother. They were greatly interested in looking out of the windows, and watching the train rush past at the level of the upper stories of the houses and stores along the streets. It did seem so queer to them to be riding in a train high up in the air, instead of on the ground. "It's lots better than a tunnel, and I used to think they were lots of fun!" said Flossie, fairly bubbling over with joy. "It's great !" cried Freddie, and he flattened his nose out more than ever against the glass, tr5ang to look around a comer. For he had seen in one window of a house a boy dropping from the window of his home a basket on a string, and Freddie wanted to see why he was doing this. It is no unusual sight in New York, to see children, not much larger than the small Bobb- sey twins, traveling about alone, so the other passengers and the trainmen, after the first few smiles, paid no attention to Flossie and Fred- die. But the two themselves, after their first 82 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY wonder at the sights they saw, began to think of their father and mother, as well as of Bert and Nan. "Where are they?" asked Flossie, after a bit, as she turned around and sat down in her seat. "Didn't they — didn't they come in after us?" asked Freddie, his chubby face taking on a worried look. "I — I didn't see them," returned Flossie. "Maybe they're in another car. Let's go to look!" To say a thing was generally to do it, with the smaller Bobbsey twins, at least, and no 30oner did Flossie say this than Freddie was ready to go with her on a hunt for the others. |The children slipped from their seats and started for the door while the train was moving swiftly, but a guard, who is a sort of brake- man, stopped them. "Where are you youngsters going?" he asked good-naturedly. "We want our father and mother," explained Freddie. "They must be in another car. We hurried on ahead." "Well, it wouldn't be the first time that has A LONG RIDE 83 happened," said the guard, with a laugh. "But I guess you're a little too small to go navigat- ing around from car to car when the train's moving. What's your father's name? I'll have him called out for in the other cars." "He's Mr. Richard Bobbsey, of Lakeport," said Flossie, "and my mother and sister and brother are with him. My sister is Nan and my brother is Bert This is my brother, Fred- die." "Well, now I guess I know the whole fam- ily," laughed the guard, the other passengers joining in a smile. "I'll see if I can find your folks for you, though it's queer they haven't been looking for you themselves. You stay here." The guard started to go through the other cars of the elevated train, and Freddie called after him : "If you find my father, please tell him to open the box and take out the yellow bug." "The yeUow bug?" repeated the guard in some surprise. "Is your father an animal ttainer?" "Oh, no," said Flossie, seriously. 'Treddie 84 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY means one of the tin bugs that go around and around and around. And, if you please, I want a green one." "Say, I wonder what kind of children these are, anyhow," murmured the guard. "Guess they must belong to a theatre or a circus." "They look nice," said a man sitting near the door. "Oh, they're all right, that's sure. Well, I'll see if I can find their folks for 'em." Elevated railroad men in New York get used to doing queer things, and seeing strange si^ts, so it did not cause much excitement when the guard went into the different cars calling for Mr. Bobbsey. He had to come back to his own car once to call out "Forty-second Street," and to open the gates to let passengers off and others on. Then he closed the gates and called out : "Fiftieth Street next." After that he went again into the cars he had not been in before and called for Mr. Bobbsey. But of course that gentleman did not answer, being a station or two behind by this time. The guard, not being able to find Mr. or Mrs. Bobbsey, or Nan and Bert, came back to ^.%;.ifit>^^iL,^a;s ''U'HERE ARE YOU YOUNGSTERS GOING?" Tke Bobbsey Ttvins in a Great City. Page 82 A LONG RIDE 85 where Flossie and Freddie were now rathef anxiously waiting. "Did you find him?" asked the children eag- erly. "No, I'm sorry to say your father isn't on this train. But don't worry. I'll look out for you, and your father is sure to come for you sooner or later." "Did you find any of the bugs ?" asked Fred- die. "That go around and around and around," added Flossie. "No," said the guard, laughing, "I didn't. What about them?" Freddie explained what he meant, and asked if the train could not be stopped while he went into the nearest toy store to buy some more of the tin, crawling toys. But the guard said this could not be done. "I don't just know what to do with you," he said, scratching his head. "If your father thought, he could telephone to any of the sta- tions where our train will stop — this is an ex- press train and does not make many stops after Sixty-sixth Street till the end of the line. He 86 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY could have the agent there take yoa off and keep you until he could come. Or, I might take you to One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Street, which is the end of the line, and have the agent there take charge of you. I don't know what to do." Just then Flossie thought of something : "Oh, Freddie !" she cried. "We haven't any tickets or any money, unless you have some, and the conductor will put us off !" "I've got five cents," said Freddie, taking it out of his small pocket. "That's only enough for a street-car ride, and this is the elevated railroad," replied his blue-eyed sister. "Oh, what shall we do?" And there was just a little tear in each eye as she looked at the guard. "What's the matter now?" he asked kindly. "Do you want a bug?" "No — I mean yes, but not now. We haven't any tickets and the conductor " "Didn't you drop your tickets in the chop- per's box at the station where you got on?" "No. We ran on ahead," explained Fred« die. A LONG RIDE 87 "Ho! I see! You were so small that the ticket chopper didn't see you. Well, don't worry — it will be all right. The road won't lose much by carrying you two." "You could send the bill to my father," said Flossie. "That's what mother says when she goes to buy things at the store." "That will be all right," the guard said. "I'll see that you're not put ofif until the proper time comes. And you save your five cents," he added to Freddie, who was holding up the nickel. "You might want to buy some pea- nuts." "Oh, that's so — for the monkeys in the park!" cried Freddie. "I forgot we were go- ing to see them !" By this time some of the other passengers were interested in the children, asking them many questions and learning the story of their coming to New York on a visit. "They don't seem worried," said one wom- an. "And they're quite lost in this big city." "Oh, we've been lost before," said Flossie easily. "Lots of times !" "In the woods, too," added Freddie. "And 88 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY we heard funny noises. But we weren't scared, Were we, Flossie?" "Nope. We'll just keep on riding now until Daddy comes for us. It's fun, I think." "And we don't have to pay for it, either," said Freddie, with satisfaction, as he put away his only piece of money. "I'm going to save this for peanuts for the monkeys." "Will you save some for me?" asked Flossie. "I'm getting hungry." "Maybe we'll eat these peanuts all our- selves," said Freddie, after thinking about it for a moment. "We can get some for the monkeys later afterward. I'm hungry, too." "Well, you've got quite a long trip ahead of you," said the guard in whose car they were. "It's quite a ride to One Hundred and Fifty- fifth Street. I'll ask the gateman at the next stop if your father has telephoned about you. Just sit still." And so Flossie and Freddie, in the elevated express train, were having a long ride all by themselves. They were not frightened now» for they were sure their father or mother V'ould come for tJbem soon. »s, he had done the A LONG RIDE 89 day they were spilled out of the ice-boat and were taken in by Uncle Jack. "I wonder what that nice woodchopper man is doing now ?" asked Flossie. "Uncle Jack, I mean." "I hope his pain is better," said Freddie. "Maybe we could get him work here on the elevated railroad, chopping tickets at the sta- tion." When people drop their tickets into the glass boxes at the elevated or subway stations they are "chopped" into fine pieces by the men who pump the handles up and down. "Uncle Jack chops wood," went on Freddie, "and he could easy chop tickets." So Flossie and Freddie kept on with their long ride, talking and looking out of tlie train windows. CHAPTER IX IN THE STORE Mr. Bobbsey bought his tickets, put his change in his pocket, and turned to gather his little party together to take them through the gate, past the ticket chopper. "Why, where are Freddie and Flossie?" ha asked. Mrs. Bobbsey, Nan, Bert, none of them, had seen the little twins rush past the ticKet chop- per and on to the train. All began to turn here and there excitedly, looking about for the blue-eyed boy and girl. "Now, now," said Mr. Bobbsey, "don't wor- ry. You, Bert, and your mother and Nan will wait here at the head of the stairs, while I go down to the street and see if the children went down there again. I'll not be gone long. If Ihey are not close at hand, I'll come back to you before making further search. Now, as I said, go IN THE STORE 98 don't worry. In a city children are always quickly found." Mr. Bobbsey did as he said, but, of course, saw nothing of Freddie and Flossie, who were now having a very nice ride and a very good iSime indeed on the elevated express train. By this time the ticket chopper, the agent .who sold tickets, the station porter and several persons who were waiting to take a train, had heard from Nan and Bert what had happened. These people offered all sorts of ad-vice, but Mr. Bobbsey thought it best to listen to that of the ticket agent, who, of course, would know more about the elevated trains than persons who only rode on them two or three times a day. The ticket chopper had seen the children rush by him and on to the train, but they had gone by so quickly that he had not been able to stop them, and, as there were a good many people on the platform, he did not know to whom they belonged. So he told the ticket seller and Mr. Bobbsey that Flossie and Fred- die had taken the last express train that had passed the station. 92 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "It would have been easy enough to stop them if you'd only known it at first," said the ticket seller; "but they've got the start of you now, and after Sixty-sixth Street these express trains make only a few stops before they reach the end of the line. But I can telephone to one of the ticket sellers at one of the uptown sta- tions and have him meet the train and take the children off." "What will he do with them?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, he'll keep *em safe till you folks get there. The trains run pretty close together at this hour of the day. Your husband can get uptown after 'em so quick that they won't have to wait long." "What shall we do?" asked Bert. "We will all go on together," answered his father. "I wish we Tiad taken an automobile to go to the hotel, and then this would not have haooened. But Flossie and Freddie would have been disappointed if they had not had the first ride in an elevated train. How ever, I'm sure it will all come out right." The ticket agent went into his little office to IN THE STORE 93 telephone on ahead, and have Flossie and Fred- die taken from the train and held until their parents could claim them. Meanwhile Mr. Bobbsey and the others waited until this was done before getting on the train that was to take them far uptown in New York. Something was the matter with the telephone in the first station which the ticket seller called up. He could not get the agent there to talk to him over the wire until the train in which Flossie and Freddie were riding, had whizzed on, after making a short stop. "Well, I'll catch them at the next station where the train stops," the agent said. This time he managed to get in touch with the agent there, but when the latter understood, and ran out to hail the train, it was already in motion and could not be stopped. "Well, the third time is always lucky," said the ticket seller who had oflFered to do what he could to help Mr. Bobbsey. "I'll be sure to catch them now." He talked over the telephone to another agent and this one answered back that the train was just then pulling out of his station. 94 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "But I'll yell at one of the guards," tHs agent called into the telephone instrument, "and tell him to put the children off at the next stop, I'll do that," and he rushed out to try to call to one of the trainmen. "That will be One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street," said the first agent, as he came out of his little office. "That's the best I can do. Your two little children will be put off the train when it makes the stop there, and the ticket agent will look after them until you get there. You can wait for the next express, or you can take a local train here and change to the express at Sixty-sixth Street." When the next train came along, they got on, eager and anxious to catch up to the miss- ing children. In order not to be bothered with the hand-baggage, Mr. Bobbsey had called a taxicab and had had the chauffeur take it to the hotel were they were to stop, which was an uptown hotel, near enough to Central Park for Flossie and Freddie to walk over to see the monkeys as often as they wished. Meanwhile the two runaway children — ^who really did not mean to run away — were in the IN THE STORE 95 express train speeding along. After their first surprise at finding themselves alone, they were not frightened, but continued to look out of the windows and to wonder at the many sights they saw. "Well, we'll be at the end of this run some time," said the guard, who had been talking with Flossie and Freddie. "^\Tiat will you do with us then?" the little boy asked. "Turn you over to the agent, unless we have some other word about you," the trainman an- swered. "V^ait, we're going to stop here, and there may be a message." He hurried out on the platform. As the train was leaving that station Flossie and Freddie saw the ticket agent run out, wav« ing his hand, and they heard him shout some- thing to their guard. When the latter came into their car again he said to Flossie and Fred- die: "That message was about you two. The agent said two lost children were on this train and that they were to be put off at the next station and left until their father came fat 96 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY them. You're the only lost children I know of." "And we're not lost so very much," said Flossie slowly. " 'Cause we are here. It's Daddy and the rest who are lost." "Well, they'll soon be along — coming on the next train," said the guard. "I'll turn you over to the agent at One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street and you'll be all right." This was done. The train came to a stop; many passengers got off and a kind woman took Flossie and Freddie in charge and saw that they got inside iae elevated station, where the agent, who had been telephoned to, knew about them and was expecting them. "Now, just sit right down here and be com- fortable," the agent said to the Bobbsey twins. "You'll be all right, and your folks will soon come for you. I have to sit in the office and sell tickets." The kind woman called a good-bye to the children and went away ; so Flossie and Fred- die were left by themselves in the elevated rail- road station at One Himdred and Twenty-fifth Street IN THE STORIi ^ For a while they sat quietly, watching the people come in to buy tickets or get off trains. The agent did not pay much attention to them, bdng very busy, for it was toward the close of day when the rush was like the morning, greater than at other times. "Say! What's that?" suddenly asked Flos- sie, holding up her chubby hand to tell Freddie to stop whistling, which he was trying to da "What's what?" he asked, looking at his sister. "I hear music," went on Flossie. "So do I !" exclaimed Freddie. They both listened, and from somewhere outside they heard the sound again. "It's a hand organ !" cried Flossie. "No, it's a hand piano!" said Freddie. "Hear how jiggily the tune is." "Well, it's the same thing," Flossie insisted. **I wonder if there's a monkey with it." "Let's go downstairs and see," proposed Freddie. Once Flossie or Freddie made op thdr minds to do a thing it was almost as good as dcHie — ^that is, if it were not too hard. This BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY time it seemed easy to do. They looked toward the iittle ©ffice in which the ticket seller had shut himself. He was busy selling tickets. "He'll not see us," whispered Freddie. "Be* sides, we're coming right back as soon as we see the monkey." "And we'll give him some peanuts," added Flossie. "You can buy some with your five cents, Freddie. And we won't give them aU to the monkey. I want some." "So do I. Come on, we'll go down." The agent seemed to have forgotten them. At any rate his door was closed and he could not see them. None of the passengers, hurry- ing in to buy tickets, paid any attention to the Bobbsey twins. So, hand in hand, Flossie and Freddie went out of the station, and down the long stairs to where they could hear the music of the hand piano. It was being played by an Italian man in the street, almost under the elevated station, and^ as Flossie leaned over the stair railing to look down, she cried out : "Oh, there is a monkey, Freddie! Themae lias it on a string 1" IN THE STORE 99 'That's good. Do you see peanuts any- where?" "Yes, there are some at that stand near the t)Ottom of the stairs. Don't lose your five cents!" "I won't!" Freddie hurried down with Flossie. He bought a bag of peanuts, and the children has- tened across the street to where a little crowd of bojrs and girls stood in front of the hurdy- gurdy, or hand piano, listening to the music and watching the monkey. This will draw a crowd, even in New York, where there are many more and stranger sights to be seen. "Oh, isn't he cute!" cried Flossie, tappi:^ her feet on the sidewalk in time to the music "He's coming over this way," said Freddie. "I'm going to give him a peanut" "But don't let him get the whole bag." "1 won't Here, Jacko! Have a peanut r* and Freddie held out one to the hurdy-gurdy mcmkey. The long-tailed animal lost no time in mak- ing a grab for it, and soon he was chewing it hungrily. The man grinding out the music 100 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY shook the cord which was fast to a collar around the monke/s neck. What the street piano man wanted was pennies and five-cent pieces put in the monkey's red cap. Peanuts were good for Jacko, but money was better for his master. The monkey well knew what the jerks meant on the cord around his neck. They meant that he must scramble around in the crowd and hold out his cap for pennies. The monkey would much rather have eaten peanuts, but even mon- keys can not do as they like in this world. So, with a chattering sound, and with an- other look at Freddie, who tossed him a pea- nut, the monkey, catching the dainty in one paw, started to try to collect some money. But he must have been a hungry little mcav- key, for, when he looked at Flossie, and saw on her hat what he thought were red cherri^, that monkey made up his mind to get some of them if he could. Though the cherries were made of celluloid, they looked very real, and BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY The Aquarium, as those of you know who have seen it, is in the round, brown stone building, on a point of land almost the very end of the island of Manhattan. It is where the North and East rivers come together to form New York Bay, and, years ago, this building was where the immigrants, or people who came to the United States from other countries, were kept for a while until they could be sent out West, or down South, or wherever they wanted to go. Now it is a place where many fish, big, little, ugly and beautiful, are shown in tanks of water so the boys and girls can see what strange things are in the ocean, rivers and lakes of this world. Led by Mr. Bobbsey, Bert and Nan, with Flossie and Freddie trailing on behind, walked around the big building, looking in the glass tanks wherein swam the fish. "What's over there?" asked Freddie, point- ing to where a crowd of people were standing near some pools in the middle of the floor. "Oh, different big fish — a sea lion, alligators and turtles," said Mr. Bobbsey. FREDDIE AND THE TURTLE 123 "Let's look at the sea lion!" called Flossie. "I want to see a swimming turtle," said Freddie. "I had a mud turtle once, but he went away." "You shall see everything," promised Mr. Bobbsey. They went over to the pool, where a num- ber of large alligators, and one crocodile, were lying in or out of the water. Some were lazily swimming about, and the crocodile was asleep out on the stone ledge, with his big mouth wide open. "He's waiting for some one to come along and feed him," said Bert. "I guess he'd eat a lot," laughed Freddie, looking at the rows of big teeth in the croco- dile's mouth. They passed on to the pool of the sea lion. That sleek, brown animal was swimming about like a big fish, now and then stopping under one of the pipes where the water ran into his pool, and holding his mouth under the little stream as though taking a drink. Now and then he barked like a dog. Around the stone ledge, or wall of the pool. 124 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY was a wire grating, and near the floor was a sort of pipe running all around, so the smaller children could step up on this to look in — • something which the big folk did not have to do. "Be careful!" cried Nan, as Flossie leaned well over the edge to get a better look at the sea lion. "You might fall in." "She could get a ride on his back if she did," said Freddie. "Well, I'm not going to !" exclaimed Flossie, drawing back, a little frightened, as the seal splashed the water right under her, some drops going in her face. They watched the seal for a while, went over to the other tanks, where some sturgeon and other big fish swam about, and then Freddie called : "I want to see the big turtles! Where are they?" "Over here," said Mr. Bobbsey, leading the way toward the south end of the building near the tank, where the green moray—- a sort of big eel — was lying half in and half out of a piece of sewer pipe put va his tank to make FREDDIE AND THE TURTLE 12^ him feel more at home. "There are the big turtles," and Mr. Bobbsey lifted Flossie up over the rail so she could look down more easily. There were some very large turtles in the tank, swimming by moving their broad flip- pers. Sometimes they would swim about close to the white tiled bottom of the tank, but the water was clear, so they could be seen easily. Again the turtles would rise to the top, so that their big, hard shells were out of water, like a raft which the boys build to play with when the cit)r's vacant lots or country meadows are flooded in the Spring In one end of the tank was a big turtle— the largest of all — swimming by himself, and overhead, hung by a wire from the room, was a stuffed one, larger yet. This, so a sign near it said, was a "leather-back turtle," and when alive had weighed eight hundred and fifty pounds. "Whew !" whistled Bert, looking at the big, stuffed fellow. "He could swim around with two or three boys on his back." "I'd like to have had a ride on him," cried i26 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY Freddie. "But this one is pretty big, too!" and he pointed down at the large swimming turtle, which, just then, stuck his head up out of the water. He seemed to be nearly a yard long and almost as broad. "Oh!" screamed Flossie, as she saw the big turtle so close to her. "Can he get out of the water. Daddy?" "No, indeed," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. "I can't see him very good," said Freddie, and he gave a little jump up from the foot-rail on which he was standing. Freddie must have jumped up harder and farther than he had any idea of, for before Bert, who was standing near his little brother, could put out a hand to hold him, the flaxen- haired twin had fairly dived over the rail, and down into the tank he fell with a great splash. No, not such a great splash, either, for Freddie did not fall directly into the water. Instead, only his two fat legs and feet went in, for the small boy landed, sitting right up on the broad back of the big turtle! Right down on the turtle's back fell Freddie Bobb- CHAPTER XII ttX THE THEATRE There was a scream from Nan, anothct from Flossie, and a sort of grunt of surprise from Bert, as they saw Freddie disappear ovef the railing of the tank, and come into view a second later on the back of the turtle, which was as much surprised as, probably, the little boy himself. "Here, Freddie ! What are you doing dow» there?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, before he thought what he was saying. He and his wife had s® often to ask what Flossie or Freddie were do- ing, as the smaller twins were so often in mia« chief, that the father did it this time. "Oh, the turtle will eat him up! The turtte will eat Freddie up !" cried Flossie. Freddie, too, after the first shock of sur prise, was frightened, and as he clung with twth hands to the edges of the turtle's shell b@ 127 128 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY looked over his shoulder, toward his father and the others, and cried : "Oh, get me out. Daddy ! Get me out !" The cries of the children, and the call of Mr. Bobbsey, had drawn a crowd around the turtle pool, and among the throng were some of the attendants on duty in the Aquarium. "What's the matter?" asked one, elbowing his way through the crowd to the side of Mr. Bobbsey, who was trying to climb over the rail to go to the rescue of his little boy. "Freddie fell in," explained Bert "He's on the back of the big turtle!" "Good land!" cried the man. "What will happen here next? Come back, sir," he went on to Mr. Bobbsey, "I'll get him out for you." "Then please be quick. He may fall off and the turtle may bite him or drown him," said Freddie's father. "Well, the turtle could give htm a bad bite," {Returned the Aquarium man. "But if he holds twi a little longer I'll get your boy." The man jumped up on the ledge of the pool and made his way to the piece of wood that held up the heavy wire screen which divided IN THE THEATRE 129 the turtle pool into two parts, keeping the one big turtle away from the others. All this Vrhile Freddie sat on the shell of the big turtle, his chubby legs dangling in the water, and his hands grasping the edges of the shell behind the front flippers. The turtle's neck was so short that it could not turn its head to bite Freddie, nor could the big flippers reach him. As they had no claws on the ends, they would have done no harm, anyhow, if they had brushed him. The greatest danger was that the turtle might suddenly sink down to the bottom of the pool, and, though it was not very deep, it was deep enough to have let Freddie drown. Even though the small boy could swim, the turtle might attack him, or knock his head under water, which would have been a great danger to Flossie's brother. But, so far, the turtle did not show any wish to sink below the water. It was frightened, that was certain, for it splashed about in the pool and swam as fast as it could, carrying Freddie with it. Freddie was such a small chap, and the turtle was so large, that it did not mind the weight 130 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY on its back. But there was no telling when K would sink down. "Take me off ! Take me off 1" cried Freddie again. "That's all right," said the Aquarium man. "Don't be afraid, little boy. The turtle won't hurt you, and we'll soon have you off his back. He won't bite you, and you're having a fine ride!" Freddie, it seemed, had not thought of that before. "That's so !" he exclaimed, and his face did not show much fright now. "I am having a ride, ain't I?" Flossie heard this, and then, instead of be- ing afraid her brother would be hurt, she cried out : "Oh, I want a turtle ride, too !" "No !" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey, who was not so worried, now that he saw the Aquarium man on his way to get Freddie. "One turtle ride is enough for the family. Hold fast, Fred- die!" he called, as the turtle came around on the side of the pool near to where the Bobb* seys stood. IN THE THEATRE 131 By this time the man was out on the middle of the wooden piece that held die heavy wire netting, and as the turtle swam near that the man leaned over and quickly lifted Freddie from the swimming creature's back. "There you are, my boy !" cried the man, as he held Freddie out to another attendant who had come to help. "Now you're all right ex- cept for wet feet, and we can dry them for you in the engine room. "We have to keep the boilers going in Win- ter to warm the water for the tropical fish," said the man to Mr. Bobbsey. "Take your little boy there and we'll dry his shoes and stockings." "Thank you," said Mr. Bobbsey. By this time Freddie was safely out of the turtle pool, and the big creature, relieved of that strange thing on his back, had sunk down to the bot- tom of the pool, as though to hide away. It was lucky he had kept himself afloat as long as he had, or Freddie might have been wet all over. "Well, you s possible. THE BIG ELEPHANT 173 "We'll join each other in looking after him," went on Mr. Whipple. "You must let me pay half." And to this the children's father agreed. He said he would write back at once to his office, and tell some one there to look after the old woodchopper. "Is there any other news from Lakeport?" Mrs. Bobbsey asked her husband at the restau- rant dinner table, while the children were busy talking among themselves. "No, not much. Ever3rthing is all right, I believe, I have some news for you, though, Bert," he went on, as his older son glanced across the table. "What is it?" Bert questioned. "Did Tom- my Todd go through the ice in the Bird?" "No, but it has to do with the ice-boat. He went in a race in her on Lake Metoka, and, what is better, he won." "Hurray for Tommy Todd !" cried Bert, so loudly that persons at other tables in the store dining room looked over and smiled, at which Bert's ears became very red. "Did you hear anything of nsy friends?^ asked Nan. 174 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT OTx "No, my dear," answered her father. "And the reason I happened to have news for Bert was because Tommy's father wrote to me about some business matters, and Tommy slipped in a little note himself. Here it is, Bert." It was just a little letter telling about the ice-boat, and Tommy expressed the wish that Bert would soon come home to help sail it in other races. "I'd like to be back in Lakeport," said Bert, "but we're having such a good time here in New York T don't want to leave. Guess I'll write and tell Tommy so." Aftei dinnei Mr. Whipple showed the Bobbseys and Laddie about the big store, and each of the children was allowed to pick out a simple gift to take away. Nan took a pretty ribbon; Bert a book he had long wanted; Flossie a piece of silk to make a dress for her doll, and Freddie saw in the toy department a little hose cart which, he said, was just what he wanted to go with his engine. Mr. Whipple gave it to Freddie, who was very much pleased. For his present from his uncle, Laddie picked out a little gun, which shot a cork. THE BIG ELEPHANT 175 "I can't break any of the hotel windows i,*ith this," he said to his aunt "Did you every break any windows ?" asked Flossie, rather surprised. "Once. I had a little wooden cannon that shot wooden balls. I shot one right through the window of our parlor, and the next ball hit George, the elevator boy, who was coming in Vrith a telegram." "And after that I had to take the cannon away from him," said Mrs. Whipple, with a smile. "But I think the cork pop-gun will be all right." Never had the Bobbsey twins had as much fun as they did the day of their visit to Mr. Whipple's store. They were sorry when the late afternoon gave the signal for starting back home. "But we'll have fun to-morrow," said Bert to Nan, as they reached their hotel. "How do you know?" she asked. " 'Cause I heard Daddy tell Mother he was going to take us to Bronx Park to see the ani- mals." "Oh, will we see the monkeys?" cried Flos 176 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY sie, who heard what her older brother had said. "Well, there are plenty of them there, so I've read," went on Bert. "Big ones, too." "I like little monkeys best, even if one did pull my hat to pieces," went on Flossie. "Oh, I wish to-morrow would hurry up and come." To-morrow finally did come, after the Bobb- sey twins had gone to bed, though when it came it was to-day instead of to-morrow. But that's the way it always happens, doesn't it? "All aboard for the Bronx!" cried Bert as, with his sisters and brother he followed Mr. Bobbsey into the subway train that would take them to the big animal park. If ever you are in New York, I hope you will go to see this place. There are many strange animals in it, and it has beautiful birds and gardens also. Of course, when the Bobb- sey twins went it was in Winter, and most of the animals had to be kept shut up in their cages in the warm houses. Some, however, like the deer, buffalo and other cattle, could stay out of doors even in cold weather. There were so many things to see, even jthough it was Winter, when the park is not at THE BIG ELEPHANT 177 its prettiest, that the Bobbsey twins hardly knew where to look first. Flossie and Freddie were anxious to get to the house where the monkeys were. Some of the larger ones were uglier than they were funny, and in front of the cages were many persons who never seemed to tire of looking at the queer tricks the "four-hand- ed" animals played on each other. You might say a monkey had five hands, for those that have tails certainly use them as much as they do their paws. "Oh, look at that one big monkey, chewing a straw just like some of the men in front ot the hotel at home chew toothpicks," said Nan, pointing to a chimpanzee crouched in a comer of his cage. He did, indeed, look like a little old man thoughtfully chewing on a toothpick. And he was so natural, and so much in earnest about it, that the Bobbsey twins, all four of them, burst out laughing. This seemed to surprise the chimpanzee. He darted toward the front bars of his cage, shook them, as if in anger, and then ran into a cor- ner, turning his back on the people- 178 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Just like a spoiled child," said Mrs. Bobb< sey. "Well, where shall we go next?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, for whenever he and his wife took the children on a little pleasure trip, the parents allowed the twins to choose their own places to go, and what to see, as long as it was all right. "Lefs go to see the elephants," cried Fred- die, "I haven't seen any since we went to the circus." "I want to see 'em too, and feed *em pea- nuts!" added Flossie. "No one is allowed to feed the animals in the park," said Mr. Bobbsey. "It isn't good for them to be eating all the while, and I sup- pose an elephant would keep on eating peanuts as long as you'd feed them to him. So we can't offer the big animals anything. They get all that is really good for them." As it was cold, the elephants were all inside the big elephant house, with its several cages, in the front of which were heavy iron bars, set wide apart. "They are close enough together to keep the elephants in," said Mr. Bobbsey, when his THE BIG EI.EPHANT i;g wife pointed out these bars, "though I suppose some animals might get out between them." "Whew I they are big !" cried Freddie, when he stood close in front of one of the cages, or dens, and saw the elephant swaying to and fro back of the iron bars. "I wouldn't like one like him to step on me." "I should say not!" laughed Bert. "Even a baby elephant would be too heavy. Look at this one stretch out his trunk to us. He wants something to eat, I guess 1" The big elephant, in front of whose barred cage the Bobbsey twins stood, did seem to be begging for something to eat. Flossie had carried from the hotel a rosy- cheeked apple, which the waiter had given her at breakfast. Not wanting to eat it, she car- ried it with her to the park, and had it in her hand. Now, for some reason or other, probably without thinking, she held it out to the ele- phant. The big animal saw what she was do- ing and turned toward Flossie. "Oh, you mustn't feed the elephant!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "It's against the rules." l8o BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "I'm not feeding him. Mother," Flossie an- swered, "I'm just lettin' him smell it. It smells awful good!" And just then the apple slipped from Flos- sie's hand and rolled or bounced straight into the elephant's cage, between the iron bars. "Oh, my nice apple !" cried the little girl, and before any one could stop her she had crawled under the front rail, and had run in between the bars. Right into the cage of the big ele« phant ran Flossie after her apple. CHAPTER XVII CALLED HOME For a moment Mr, Bobbsey, as well as his wife, was so surprised at what Flossie had done that neither could say or do anything. They just stood and looked at the little girl who was walking toward the apple, which lay in the straw just in front of the big elephant. Nan and Bert, however, together gave a cry of fear and Bert made a jump as though he intended to go into the elephant's cage, also. His father, however, stepped in front of him, and said quietly : "One child in there is enough at a time. I'll get Flossie !" And Flossie, not at all thinking of danger, if danger there was, kept going on to get her apple. The elephant, as it happened, was chained by one leg to a heavy iron ring in the side of his l82 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITK cage, and he could move only a short distance; But he was so anxious to get the apple that he stretched his legs as far as he could, pulling hard on the chain, and then he stretched out his trunk. And truly it seemed made of rubber, that elephant's trunk did, from the way he stuck it out. But, stretch as he did, the elephant could not quite reach the apple, which he want- ed very much. "No, you mustn't take it !" Flossie was say- ing. "You can't have my apple ! I was only going to let you smell it, Mr. Elephant. It isn't good for you to eat it, my mother says. I'll take it back and maybe some day I'll bring you another." By this time Flossie was almost within reach of her red-cheeked apple, but, what was worse, she was also almost within reach of that trunk, which, however soft and gentle it might seem when picking up a peanut, was very strong, and could squeeze a big man or a little girl very hard indeed — ^that is, if the elephant was a bad one and wanted to do such a thing. "Oh, Flossie! Come back! Come back!** CALLED HOME 183 tried Mrs. Bobbsey, who had been so fright- ened at first that she could not say a word. "I want to get my apple," answered the lit- tle girl. "The elephant can't have it! I only wanted to let him smell how good it would taste if he could eat it." She was stooping over now, to pick up the fruit, and the tip of the long trunk was brush- ing the fluffy hair on Flossie's head. Nan cov- ered her face with her hands, and Bert looked eagerly about, as though for something to throw at the big animal. Mr. Bobbsey was climbing over the rail that was in front of the elephant's cage, and the people around were calling and shouting. The elephant really did have the end of one of Flossie's curls on the tip of his trunk, when along came one of the keepers, or animal train- ers. Somebody had sent him word that a little girl was in one of the animal cages. The keeper knew right away what to do. "Back, Ganges !" he cried to the big elephant. "Get back there! Back! Back!" The elephant raised his trunk high in the air, and made a funny trumpeting noise l84 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY through it, as though half a dozen big men had all blown their noses at once. Then, as the keeper himself went in between the bars, the elephant slowly backed to the far end, his chain clanking as he did so. "There! I got my apple!" cried Flossie, as she picked it up from where it had rolled in the straw. And then, before she knew what was happening, the keeper picked her up and carried her to the outside rail, where he placed her in Mr. Bobbse/s arms. "Oh, Flossie! Flossie!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey, with tears in her eyes. "Why did you do it?" "Why, I had to get my apple," answered the little girl. "Did you think the elephant would bite me?" "He might," said Mr. Bobbsey, who was a little pale. "You must never do such a thing again, Flossie, no matter how many apples roll into elephants' cages." "Oh, Ganges wouldn't have hurt her," said the keeper. "At least I don't believe he would, though he might have pinched her with his trunk if he had gotten the apple and she had tried to take it away from him. He's a very CALLED HOME 185 gentle elephant, and in the Summer many chil- dren ride on his back about the park." "Oh, could I have a ride on his back?" asked Freddie, who had been anxiously watching to see what happened to Flossie. "Not now, little man," answered the keeper. "It is too cold for the elephants to go out of doors now. If you're here in the Summer you and your sister may have lots of rides." "Then I'm coming in the Summer!" cried Freddie. "Oh, I don't believe I'd ever let you go near an elephant!" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I was so frightened when I saw Flossie." "There really wasn't any danger!" said the keeper again. "Here, I'll show you how gen- tle Ganges is." The man went in the cage and' the elephant, whose name was Ganges, seemed very glad to see his keeper. When the man called out an order the elephant lowered his trunk, made a sort of loop at one end, and when the keeper stepped in this the elephant raised him high in the air. "I have taught him two or three tricks,'^ l86 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY said the man, coming back to the railing, out- side of which stood the Bobbsey twins, their father and mother and a crowd of others who had heard what had happened. "He is a good elephant." "Couldn't he have my apple?'* asked Flos- sie. "I'm not so very hungry for it, and if I want one Daddy will get me another. Won't you, Daddy?" she asked, kissing her father, who was still holding her. "I will if you promise never to go inside an elephant's cage again," he answered. "Oh, I never will," said Flossie. "Here, you give him the apple," she said, holding it out to the keeper. "I guess he wants it." "Oh, he wants it, all right!" laughed the man. "And, though it is not exactly according to the rules, I guess it will be all right this time. Here you are, Ganges !" he called. "Catch !" The big elephant raised his trunk, making a sort of curling twist in it, and when the keeper threw the apple Ganges caught it as well as a baseball player could have done. The next moment Flossie's apple was thrust «ito the elephant's mouth, and, as he chewed it, CALLED HOME 187 his little eyes seemed to twinkle in delight "He likes an apple just as much as I do," said Freddie. "Elephants is queer!" "Don't try to go in there to feed this one peanuts !" said Bert, fearing that the little twin boy might try to do as his sister had done. Generally Flossie and Freddie wanted to do the same things. "No, I won't go in," Freddie said. Having swallowed the apple, the elephant held out his trunk toward the Bobbseys again. He was asking for "more," as plainly as ifaough he had spoken. "No more!" called the keeper, and this the elephant seemed to understand, for he lowered his trunk, and backed into his comer, throwing hay dust over his back as he did in the Sum- iner to keep the flies from tickling him. "Well, I guess we've seen enough of ele- phants for one day," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I thought I should faint when I saw Flossie go into that cage. I wish I could get a cup of tea." "We'll go and have lunch," said Mr. Bobb* sey. "It's about noon, I think " l88 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY They went to a restaurant near a great round stone, which was perched on the top of a big ledge of rock, and when Freddie wanted to know what it was his father told him. "That's a rocking stone," said Mr. Bobbsey. "It stands there on a sort of little knob, and it is so nicely balanced that a man, or two or three boys, can easily push it and rock it to and fro." "Do you mean one man can move that big rock?" asked Bert. "Yes, he can make it rock, but he can not make it move off the rock on which it rests. Come and try." Bert and his father pushed their backs against the stone, and, surely enough, they could make it rock an inch or two back and forth. Freddie helped, or at least he thought he did, which is the same thing. But the stone really did rock, and the children thought it was quite a wonderful thing. Sometimes your heavy piano, if it stands on an uneven place in the floor, may be rocked back and forth a little. That's the way it was with the rocking stone. The restaurant where the Bobbseys ate wa^ CALLED HOME i8q named "Rocking Stone," because it was within sight of the queer rock. I have not time to tell you all that the Bobb- sey twins saw and did in Bronx Park that day. But they had a fine time, and Flossie and Freddie, at least, wanted to come back the next day. "There're lots of things that we didn't see,"* remarked Flossie. "Yes. And I want to rock that big stone again," added Freddie. "Why, it rocked back and forth just as easy as a cradle !" "Oh, Freddie Bobbsey! The idea! To make out that big rock was like a cradle!" cried Flossie. "I didn't say it was like a cradle. I said it wobbled just like a cradle," replied Freddie. "Daddy, can we go back again to-morrow?" "I planned to take you to the Natural His- tory Museum to-morrow," said Mr. Bobbsey. "There you can see all sorts of stuffed animals — ^walruses almost as big as a small house, a model of a whale and many other queer things." "Oh, do let's go!" begged Bert 190 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITr "We will," promised Mr. Bobbsey, but whea the next day came the plan of the Bobbseys had to be changed. In Mr. Bobbsey's mail that morning was a letter from his bookkeeper at the lumberyard, ■which, when Mr. Bobbsey had read it, made him thoughtful. "I hope there isn't bad news," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "No, not exactly bad news," was her hus- band's answer. "But I think I shall have tc go back home** CHAPTER XVIII A QUEER RIDE Nan and Bert, who were in the room with their mother and father when the letter was read, looked quickly at Mr. Bobbsey. Flossie and Freddie had gone to the next apartment to play with Laddie. "Does that mean we've got to go back?" asked Bert. "We haven't seen half enough of New York," added Nan. "Oh, no, you won't have to come back with me," said Mr. Bobbsey. "You'll stay here at the hotel, and I'll return in a few days." "What's it all about?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Uncle Jack," answered her husband. "You mean the woodchopper who was so kind to Flossie and Freddie?" "Yes. and because he was so kind I can't re- fuse to do what he wants me to." 191 i92 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "What is it he wants you to do ?" asked MrsL Bobbsey. "Did he write to you?" "No, he got some one to do it for him, and my bookkeeper sent the letter on to me." "But I thought Uncle Jack was going to the hospital," Bert said. "So he is, Son. In fact, he is in the hospital now, but he is so ill that they fear he will not get better, even if the doctors do all they can for him. He is afraid he might die and he wants to see me before then. He says he has something he wants to tell me." "What do you suppose it can be?" a^ed Mrs. Bobbsey. "I haven't the least idea. Perhaps it's about his folks. He may have found some of them, or know where they are. If he has any rela- tions they ought to know about him, and not leave him among strangers. Of course I'll do all I can for him. Mr. Wliipple has given me some money to spend on Uncle Jack, so I think the poor old woodchoj-per will be all right, if he can only get well." "Then you're going to see him?" asked Mrs; Bobbsey. A QUEER RIDE igj "Yes, I think I had better," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "He did me a great favor, caring for Flossie and Freddie, and I must do what I can for him. He says it will make his mind easier if he can talk to me before the doctors try to make him well in the hospital." "Then we can't go to the Natural History Museum to-day!" exclaimed Nan. "Oh, yes ; your mother can take you." "I fear I can't tell you, as well as Daddy can, about the different things," said Mrs. Bobbsey, smiling; "but I'll do the best I can." "Oh, Momsey! Of course we love to have you!" cried Nan, kissing her mother. "I know, but you want Daddy, too ! I don't blame you. But we must give him up for a little while, if it is to help Uncle Jack." "Oh, of course we will!" cried Nan, and Bert nodded his head to show that he agreed. "I'll just about have time to catch a train for Lakeport," said Mr. Bobbsey, looking at his watch. "Where are Flossie and Freddie? I want to say good-bye to them." "They are playing with Laddie," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I'll get them." 194 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY The TWO younger Bobbsey twins felt sorry that their father had to go away, but they were told he would soon be back again. But as Flossie and Freddie were having such fun playing with Laddie, they did not really think much about Mr. Bobbsey going away, except for five minutes or so. "Give our love to Uncle Jack," said Freddie, as he kissed his father, and started back for the Whipple rooms, where he and Laddie were building a bridge of books for the toy train of cars to cross a river, which was made of a piece of broken looking glass. "And here's an extra kiss I'll give you for hiixi," said Flossie, as she hugged her father in bidding him good-bye. "I love Uncle Jack." So Mr. Bobbsey went back to Lakeport, and Mrs. Bobbsey got ready to take Nan and Bert to the Natural History Museum. At first it had been planned to take Flossie and Freddie, but, as they said they did not care much about stuffed animals, and as they were having such fun with Laddie, Mrs. Whipple told Mrs. Bobbsey she would look after the smaller twins and give them their lunch. A QUEER RIDE 195 "Then I'll leave them with you," said the mother of Flossie and Freddie. "I hope they will be no trouble." "I'm sure they'll be all right," said Laddie's aunt. "Don't worry about them." So Flossie, Freddie and Laddie built the bridge of books, and on it safely ran the toy locomotive and cars over the river of shiny looking glass. When they grew tired of this game they played automobile. To do that Laddie had to turn an old rocker upside down and stick on one leg a broken drum he had left from his Christmas toys. The drum was the steering wheel, and it made enough noise, when pound- ed on with a stick, to pretend it was an auto- mobile horn. Flossie and Freddie rode in the back part of the overturned chair, and Laddie sat in front of them and made believe he was a chauffeur of a taxicab, running about the streets of New York. As Laddie knew the names of many places where the real taxicabs stop, he could call them out from time to time. So that Flossie and 196 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY Freddie went to the Grand Central Terminal, to Central Park, to the Public Library and many other places (make-believe, of course) in the queer pretend automobile. "Oh, I'm going to stop off at the Public Liberry !" called out Flossie, while the play was going on. "What you going to stop off at the Public Liberry for?" asked Freddie. "I'm going to get a great big picture book," returned the little girl. " 'Bout Cinderella ?" questioned her brother. "No. I'm going to get a picture book with all kinds of stories in it." "We can't stop now!" yelled out LadMie. "We're three blocks past the liberry already." "Well, then I won't bother," answered Flos- sie. After that they played steamboat, a tin horn being the whistle, which was tooted every time the boat stopped or started. This game was great fun, and the children played it for some time until down in the street Laddie heard the tooting of fire engines and the clanging of beUs. A QXmER RIDE 197 "Oh, there's another fire!" he cried. "Let'a go down to see it." "No, indeed!" cried Mrs. Whipple, with a laugh, coming into the room just then. "No more fires for you boys. You can look out the window, but that's all." And so they had to be content with that. The fire did not seem to be a large one, though it was somewhere near the hotel. Down in the street were a number of en- gines and hose carts, and also two police auto- mobile wagons^ which had brought the officers who were to keep the crowd from coming so close as to get in the way of the fireman. But there is not much amusement in looking out of a window at a fire which cannot be seen, and Flossie, Freddie and Laddie soon tired of this fun — if fun it was. Mrs. Whipple had left the room, to see a lady who called, when Freddie, taking a last look from the win- dow to the street below, said : "I know how we could have some fun !" "How?" asked Laddie. "Get in one of the police wagons and have a ride," went on the small Bobbsey boy. 198 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Oh, let's do it!" cried Flossie, always ready for anything that Freddie proposed. "How you going to do it?" she asked her brother. "Why, we can go down in the elevator," Freddie said. "There's nobody in the police wagon now, for all the policemans are at the fire, but we can't see them or it. And the driver on the front seat of the wagon won't see us if we crawl in the back." "Oh, so he won't !" cried Flossie. " 'Mem- ber how we crawled in the tmpty ice-wagon once ?" she asked Freddie. "Yep. I tore my pants that day. But we had a nice ride. We'll have a nice ride now," he went on. "We can get in when they don't see us." "But when the policemans comes back from the fire the/11 see us and maybe arrest us," said Laddie in a whisper. "They won't if we hide under the seats," returned Freddie. "See, there are long side seats in the police automobile wagon, and we can lie down under 'em and make believe we're in a boat." A QUEER RIDE 199 "Oh, if it's a make-believe game, I'll do it," said Laddie. "I guess my aunt won't care, as long as it isn't goin' to a fire." "Then come on," answered Freddie. One of the police patrol wagons, or, to be more correct, automobiles, stood near the curb not far from the front entrance to the hotel. It had brought several policemen to the scene of the fire, and was waiting to take them back. As Freddie had said, the chauffeur on the front seat could not see what went on in the back of the wagon, for there was a high board against which he leaned. And there were two long seats, one on each side of the auto patrol, under which three children could easily hide if the police were not too particular in looking inside their wagon as hey rode back to the station house. The three children hurried out into the hall and got in the elevator, which Laddie called to the floor by pressing the electric sig- nal button. "Am yo' all gwine far?" asked George, the colored elevator boy, as he shot up to the tenth floor and opened the door. 20O BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "I guess not very far," answered Freddie. None of them knew how long a ride they would get. Out the front entrance of the hotel went the three tots. Because of the fire no one paid much attention to them, and the hotel help were used to seeing the children come and go, and perhaps thought Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, or Mrs. Whipple, were not far away. So Flossie, Freddie and Laddie had no trou- ble in getting out, and then they walked quietly down to the automobile patroL No one was near it, for automobiles — even police ones— are too common to look at in New York, especially when there is a fire around the cor- ner, even if the blaze is a small one. So, as it was, no one noticed the children climb into the patrol, and the driver, half doz- ing, did not hear them. As Freddie had said, there was plenty of room for such small tots as these three to crawl under the long seats. And when they were stowing themselves away, Freddie found some blankets, which covered himself, his sis- ter and Laddie. A QUEER RIDE 201 "Now they can't see us !" said Freddie. "But we must keep still !" "Hush!" cautioned Flossie. "Somebody's coming !" And somebody was coming. It was the po- licemen coming back to take their places in the patrol, for the fire was out. Laughing and talking, they took their places on the long seat, never noticing the children hidden below. And, a few seconds later, away started the automobile, taking the two Bobbsey twins and Laddie on a queer ride. CHAPTER XIX THE GOAT Everything would have been all right if Flossie had not sneezed. At least that's what Freddie said afterward, and Freddie ought to have known, for he was right there. Laddie Dickerson did not say it was Flossie's fault, but then it is only brothers who say such things to their sisters. And Freddie did not really intend to make Flossie feel bad. "But we niight have had a bigger ride if you hadn't sneezed," said Freddie, after it was all over. "Well, I couldn't help it," was what Flossie said. "And I guess you'd have sneezed, too, if that fuzzy blanket kept tickling your nose; so there !" It was in the police patrol automobile that Flossie sneezed. With Freddie and Laddie, she was having a ride, you remember, the three 202 THE GOAT 203 children having hidden themselves under the seats, wrapped up in blankets, when the ma- chine stood in front of the hotel while the policemen were at the fire. For a time the two small Bobbsey twins and Laddie rode along in silence, the policemen not knowing the children were at their very feet And after they had ridden about ten blocks, Flossie sneezed. "A-ker-choo 1" she cried, when a piece of the fuzzy blanket tickled her nose. "A-ker-choo !" "Hello ! What's that ?" asked one of the po- licemen in the automobile. "Sounded like a sneeze," said another. "Sure it was a sneeze," came from a third. "Maybe it was Mike, the chauffeur," sug- gested the first officer. "It didn't sound like him," ventured a po- liceman, close to where the driver sat behind his wooden back-rest. "I say, Mike!" called the policeman, "did you sneeze ?" "Nope ! Haven't time for sneezes now," an- swered the chauffeur, "Then it was back here in this automobile," went on the first policeman, who was quite fat 204 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT QTY "Maybe it was a cat," suggested some one. "Or a dog," added another. Just then Freddie laughed — snickered would be more like what he did, I suppose — and once more Flossie sneezed. And Laddie snickere4 too. They really could not help it any more than Flossie could help sneezing. For the two boys thought it very funny to listen to what the policemen were saying about Flossie's sneezes. And when the little girl's nose was tickled the second time by the fuzzy blanket, and she sneezed again, and the boys laughed— or snickered — ^the policemen knew where the noises came from. "It's in here — right in our automobile!" said the fat policeman again. "And it sounded right at my feet," added another. Then all the policemen in the automobile leaned over and looked down. Even Flossie was laughing now, for it all seemed so funny, and she was wondering what her father and mother would say. The laughter of the children made the blan- kets, vmder which they were hiding, shake as THE GOAT 205 though the wind was blowing them, and seeing this one of the officers pulled loose one comer of the robe and there he saw Flossie, Freddie and Laddie. "Well, I do declare !" cried a policeman with a red mustache. "It's children !" "Three of 'em !" cried another. The the two Bobbsey twins crawled from under the seat, and Laddie came with them, to stand up in the swaying automobile between the two rows of policemen. "Where in the world did you come from?" asked one officer. "Under there," answered Freddie, and he pointed to the place where the blankets were still rolled up. "And how did you get there?" "We crawled in to get a ride," said Flossie, "and I couldn't help sneezing. That fuzzy blanket tickled my nose so !" The policemen laughed at this. "But who are you and where do you be- long?" asked one of the officers who, having some stripes on his sleeve and some gold lace on his cap, seemed to be the leader. 206 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT QTY "We're part of the Bobbsey twins," said Freddie. "The other half of us — that's Nan and Bert — ^have gone to see a stuffed whale." "No, the whale isn't stuffed — it's the sea lion, or wallyrus — I forget which," put in Flos- sie. "The whale's only made out of plaster and wood." "Well, anyhow. Nan and Bert are there," said Freddie. "And you're here," said the red-mustached policeman. "That's easy to see, though what he means about being half of the Bobbsey twins is more than I can guess. How many is twins, anyhow?" "Two," some one said. "We're four — that is, two sets," explained Flossie painstakingly. "Bert and Nan are old- er than us." "Oh, I see," said the policeman whom the other officers called Captain, or "Cap." for short. "Well, where did you come from and where are you going?" "We live at the Parkview Hotel," said Fred- die, "and we got in here to have a ride. We didn't think you'd find us so soon." THE GOAT 207 "It is too bad," said the captain, with a laugh. "And I'm afraid I can't give you a ride any farther than to the station house. I suppose you know who you are and where you live," he went on, with a smile; "but, as we have to do things by rule in the police depart- ment, I'll have to make sure. So I'll take you to my office and telephone to the hotel. If I find you belong there I'll take you back." "Then we'll have another ride!" said Flos- sie. "That will be nice, won't it, Freddie ?" "Um, I guess so. Only I'd like to sit out in front with the driver as long as you sneezed and told 'em we were here." "I didn't sneeze any more than you giggled !" cried Flossie. "And, anyhow, I couldn't help it. That fuzzy blanket " "Of course, that was it!" laughed the cap- tain. "Never mind. No harm has been done, and you shall have a ride back home. Though I think, for the sake of your folks, I'll send you back in a taxicab, instead of in this patrol auto, and with an officer in plain clothes, instead of one wearing a uniform. It will look better at the hotel," he explained to his men. 2o8 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Sure," was their answer. And so the two little Bobbsey twins and Laddie were given a ride to the precinct station house in the big automobile patrol, and they sat on the laps of the kindly policemen. Quite a crowd of children gathered around the doors of the police station as Flossie, Fred- die and Laddie were lifted out of the automo- bile, and there were all sorts of stories told about them. Some believed the children had been rescued from the fire; others that they had been taken from a robbers' cave, and still others that these were the children, who, play- ing with matches, had caused the fire. But all these guesses were wrong, as we know. Flossie, Freddie and Laddie had just gone for a ride, and they had one, though it did not turn out exactly as they expected. However, they had a good time. It did not take the police captain long to find out that what Freddie had said was true- that the three youngsters lived at the Parkview ' Hotel. "Your aunt has been looking all over for you," said the captain to Laddie, after tele- THE GOAT 209 phoning. "I sent word that I'd soon have you safely back, and you mustn't run away again." "I asked him to," said Freddie, telling the truth like a little man. "I asked him and Flos- sie to come." "Well, next time you'd better ask before you crawl into a police automobile," said the cap- tain, with a laugh. "You can't always tell where it is going. However, no harm is done this time. Come and see me again," he added. Then the captain called a taxicab and sent the children to the hotel in charge of one of his policemen, who did not wear a uniform. This was done so no crowd would gather in front of the hotel to stare at Freddie, Flossie and Lad- die, as would have happened if a policeman in uniform, with his bright brass buttons, had gone with them. "Oh, Laddie! how could you do it and worry me so ?" cried Mrs. Whipple, when her little nephew had come back to the hotel with the Bobbsey twins. "I asked him," said Freddie, willing to take all the blame. "We wanted a ride and we just crawled in and hid. I'm awful sorry." 210 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT -CITY •'And I'm sorry I sneezed," said Flossie. "If I hadn't maybe we'd have had a longer ride." "No, we wouldn't," declared Freddie, shak- ing his head. "We got to the station house, anyhow, and that's where the automobile lives when it isn't workin'. Anyhow, we had fun I" "Yes, we did," said Laddie; "and I liked it." "But you mustn't go away again without telling me," said his aunt. "I won't," he promised. "Next time we'll take you with us," said Flossie. "You'll like it, only I hope a fuzzy blanket doesn't make you sneeze." So the Bobbsey twins, with their little friend, liad a ride away and a ride back again, and when Mrs. Bobbsey came home that afternoon from the Natural History Museum with Bert and Nan, and heard what had happened, she was so surprised she did not know what to say. Of course she made Flossie and Freddie promise never to do it again, and of course they said they never would. "I never saw such little tykes as Flossie THE GOAT 211 and Freddie have gotten to be lately," said Mrs. Bobbsey to Nan that night. "This being in a big city seems just to suit them, though," returned Nan. "Yes. But I wish your father would come back. I feel rather lost without him in this big hotel." "I'm here," said Bert, with a smile. "Yes, you'll have to be my little man, now. And do, please, keep watch of Flossie and Freddie while your father is away. There's no telling what they'll do next." And really there was not. For instance, who would have supposed that a goat But there, I'd better start at the beginning of this part of my story. It was a few days after the ride in the automobile patrol that Mrs. Bobbsey received word that a friend whom she had known when they were both small children was living in New York. This lady asked Mrs. Bobbsey to call and see her. "We do not live in a nice part of New York," wrote the lady — ^who was a Mrs. Rob* ai2 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY bson— in her letter, "for we can't pay mucK rent. But our apartment house is not hard to reach from your hotel, and I would very much like to see you. Come and bring the children. They can watch the other children playing in the streets. I know the streets are not a very nice place to play in, but that's all we have in New York." So Mrs. Bobbsey decided to call on her dd friend, whom she had not seen for many years. She said she would take Flossie and Freddie with her. Nan and Bert were going to a moving picture show with another boy and girl and the latter's mother. Mrs. Robinson lived on the east side of New York, in what is called an apartment house. Some called them tenements, and in them many families are crowded together, for room is :«rery valuable in the big city of New York. After Mrs. Bobbsey had talked for a while with her former girlhood friend, Flossie and Freddie, who had been sitting still in the par- lor, asked if they could not go out in the street and watch the other children at play. I WISH WE HAD A GOAT, SAID FREDDIE. The Bobbsey Twins in a Great City. Page 216 THE GOAT 213 "Yes, but don't go off the steps," said theii; mother. The two Bobbsey twins promised, but some- thing happened that made them forget. This was the sight of a red-haired, snub-nosed boy, driving a goat, hitched to a small wagon, up and down the street. "Oh, look at that!" cried the excited Fred- die. "Isn't that great!" "It's cute," "aid Flossie. "I wonder if he'd give us a ridt- .*" "Let's ask him," said Freddie. "I've got ten cents. Maybe he'd ride us for that. Come on!" And so, forgetting all about their promise not to go off the steps of the apartment house where their mother's friend lived, the two small Bobbsey twins hurried down to look at the goat. CHAPTER XX MR. BOBBSEY COMES BACK "Hey, Jimmie! Give us a goat ride, will you?" called a boy in the street. "I will for two cents," answered the red- haired lad driving the goat and wagon. "Aw, go on. Give us a ride for a cent!" "Nope. Two cents!" "Oh, did you hear that?" asked Flossie of Freddie. "He gives rides for two cents." "Then we'll have some," said Freddie. "How many rides can you get for ten cents?" "A lot, I guess," said Flossie, who forgot all about the number-work she had studied for a little while in school. "Hey!" called Freddie to the boy with the goat. "We've got two cents — ^we want a ride." The boy, who was sitting in an old goat wagon, pulled on the reins and guided his ani- mal over toward the curb. 214 MR. BOBBSEY COMES BACK 215 "Does you really want a ride?" he asked. «No foolin'?" "No foolin'," answered Freddie. "Sure we want a ride. I've got five cents." He showed only half of the money he had in his pocket, keeping the other nickel back. "I'll give you an' your sister a ride for dat !" cried the goat boy, not speaking the way Fred- die and Flossie had been taught to do. "Hop in!" "Can I drive?" asked Freddie. "Nope. I'm afraid to let youse," was the answer. "Billy's a good goat, but you see he don't just know you. Course I could intro- duce youse to him, an' then he'd know you. But first along you'd better not drive him. I'll steer him were you want to go. I gives a Tide up an' down de block fer two cents," he went on. "Course two of you is four cents." "I've got a nickel," said Freddie quickly. "Sure, dat's right. I forgot. Well, I'll ^ve you both a ride up and down de block and half way back again for de nickel." "Here it is," said Freddie, handing it over, as he and Flossie took their seats in the goat Sl6 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY wagon. There was plenty of room for them and the red-haired driver. Other children on the block crowded to the curbstone and looked on with eager eyes as the Bobbsey twins started on their ride. Mrs. Bobbsey, talking with her 'friend in the darkened parlor, knew nothing of what was going on. "Say, he is a good goat," said Freddie, when they were half-way down the block. "Sure he's a good goat!" agreed the boy, whose name was Mike. "There ain't none bet- ter." "It's lots of fun," said Flossie. It was a fine day, even if it was Winter. The sun was shining brightly, so it was not cold. What snow there was in New York, be- fore the Bobbseys came on their visit, had either melted or been cleaned off the streets so one would hardly know there had been a storm. "I wish we had a goat," said Freddie, when the ride was almost over. "So do I," agreed Flossie. "Let's ask Dad- dy to buy one," she suggested. "We wiU," said Freddie. "I'm goin' to sell dis goat," put in Mike. MR. BOBBSEY COMES BACK 217 "You are ? Why ?" cried the Bobbsey twins. "'Cause I'm going to work. You see I won't have time to look after him. I bought him oflf a feller what moved away, an' I keeps de goat in Sullivan's livery stable. But I have to pay a dollar a month, an' so I began givin' de boys an' girls around here rides for two cents to pay for Billy's keep. But I can't do dat when I goes to work, so me mudder says I must sell 'im. I don't want to, but I has to." Flossie looked at Freddie and Freddie looked at Flossie on hearing this. Neither of them said a word, but any one who knew them could easily have told that they were thinking of the same thing — ^the goat. "Well, I'll ride you back to where youse got in me wagon," said Mike, "and then your nick- el's about used up." "Oh, I've got another!" cried Freddie eag' erly. "We want more ride. Don't we, Flos- sie?" "Sure we do! Oh, it's such fun!" So they rode up and down the block again, and when that was over Flossie and Freddie spent some time talking to Mike. 2i8 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY By this time Mrs. Bobbsey had ended her visit and had come out to look for her chil- dren. "I thought I told you not to go off the steps," she said. They were down the street looking at the goat, "Well, we didn't mean to," admitted Fred- die. "But we did so much want a goat ride." "And we had ten cents* worth!" laughed Flossie. Mrs. Bobbsey smiled. It was very hard to be cross with these small twins. They never meant to do wrong, and, I suppose, taking a ride up and down the block was not so very bad. "Good-bye!" called Freddie to Mike, the goat boy, as Mrs. Bobbsey led her childret; away. "Good-bye!" addwl Flossie, waving her hand. "Good-bye," echoed Mike. "And don't forget!" said Freddie. "No, I won't." Mrs. Bobbsey might have asked what it was Mike was not to forget, only she was in a MR- BOBBSEY COMES BACK 219 hurry to get back to the hotel, and so did not question Freddie. When they reached their rooms they found a letter from Mr. Bobbsey, saying he would have to stay in Lakeport a day longer than he expected. But he would soon be in New York again, he wrote. Bert and Nan came home from the moving pictures, saying they had had a delightful time. "So did we — in a goat wagon," cried Fred- die. "And Freddie and me are goin' to " be- gan Flossie, but Freddie quickly cried: "Come on and play fire engine, Flossie!" so his little sister did not finish what she had started to say. It was the next day, soon after breakfast, that one of the hotel messengers — a small col- ored boy — ^knocked on the door of the suite of apartments occupied by the Bobbsey family, and when Mrs. Bobbsey answered, the colored boy said: "He am downstairs. Ma'am. He am in de tobby." "Who is?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. 220 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY *TDe boy what wants to see yo' Kttle boy. Ma'am." "Some one to see Freddie? Who is it?" "I don't know, Ma'am. He didn't gib no name." "Oh, perhaps it is Laddie," said Mrs, Bobb- sey. "Bert, please go down and see, will yottf If it's Laddie, who wants Freddie to play witfi him, I don't see why he didn't come here. But go and see." "Oh, I know who it is," said Freddie. "You don't need to go, Bert. Just give me five dol- lars. Mother, and I'll buy him." "Buy him ? Buy what ?" asked the surprised Mrs. Bobbsey. "What in the world are you talking about, Freddie?" "Mike, the goat boy. He's brought Billy here, I guess, and Flossie and I are going to buy him. Can't we, please?" "What? Buy a goat when we're stopping at this hotel ?" cried his mother. "Bert, do go and see what mischief those children have got- ten into now. A goat ! Oh, dear !" "I'll go with him, 'cause Mike don't Know Bert," offered Freddie. MR. BOBBSEY COMES BACK 221 "And I want to come!" said Flossie. "J want to see our goat." "Your goatl" cried Nan. "Yes, we're going to buy him. Mike brought him to sell to us." And that is what had happened. When Mrs. Bobbsey followed Bert and Freddie down to the hotel lobby, leaving Nan to look after Flossie in the rooms, this is what she saw : Out at the side entrance to the hote\ was the goat and the rickety express wagon, in charge of a red-haired, snub-nosed boy, Mike's small brother. Mike himself, rather ragged, but clean and neat enough, was in the lobby, sit- ting at his ease on one of the big leather chairs, waiting. "I've brought de goat," he said to Freddie, as soon as he saw that small Bobbsey with Bert. "What does it all mean?" asked Mrs. Bobb- sey, while a crowd of the hotel guests and help gathered about. "Why, your little boy, Ma'am, what I rode in me goat wagon up and down our block, said you'd buy Billy when I was ready to sell him. 222 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY I'm ready now, 'cause I'm goin' to work. So I brought de goat an' wagon here to de hotel, just as your little boy made me promise to do. It'll be five dollars for de goat." For a moment Mrs. Bobbsey did not know ■what to say. Then she turned to Freddie and asked : "Did you really tell him you'd buy his goat, Freddie?" "I said you'd buy it for Flossie and me. Won't you ? We can have such fun with it !" "A goat in a New York hotel !" cried Bert, laughing. "Oh, dear!" "Hush, Bert," said his mother. "Freddie did not know any better. Of course we can't keep it," she said to Mike, "and I'm sorry you had the trouble of bringing him here. My lit- tle boy didn't stop to think, I'm afraid. He should have told me. But here is a dollar for your trouble, and I think you can easily sell your goat somewhere else." "Oh, yes, I can easy sell him," said Mike. "But your little boy made me promise to bring Billy to dis hotel to-day and here I am, 'cord- in' to promise." MR. BOBBSEY COMES BACK 223 "Yes, I see you kept your word," and Mrs. Bobbsey could not help smiling. "But really we have no place to keep a goat here, and we could hardly take it to Lakeport with us. So I'm afraid Freddie will have to do without it." "All right," said Mike good-naturedly, as he took the dollar. Of course Freddie and Flossie were disap- pointed at not having the goat and wagon, but they soon forgot that when their mother prom- ised to take them to see another play that af- ternoon. "It's a wonder Flossie or Freddie didn't try to bring the goat up to our rooms in the ele- vator," said Bert, when they were in their apartment again. "Well, he was a good goat !" declared Fred- die. "And he could go fast," added Flossie. "I was going to play fireman with him when we got back to Lakeport," went on Freddie. "Now I can't." "I think you'll have just as much fun some other way," said his mother, laughing. Three days after that, when Mrs. Bobbsey 224 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT €17 ^ came in from shopping with the two sets of twins, she heard some one moving about in their apartment as she entered. "Oh, it's Daddy !" cried Flossie, as some one caught her up in his arms. "Daddy's come back!" "I'm so glad !" called Freddie, running to get a hug and kiss from his father. "And we al- most had a goat !" he added. CHAPTER XXI UNCLE JACK^S REAL NAME "Well! Well!" laughed Mr. Bobbsey, when he heard what Freddie said. "That's great! Almost had a goat, did you? I must hear about that !" "But first tell us about Uncle Jack," begged Nan. "Is he going to get better ?" "Oh, I hope he is going to get better !" broke in Freddie. "It isn't a bit nice to be sick. You have to stay in bed, and sometimes you have to have your head all bound up, and sometimes you have to take the awfullest kind of medicine ever was." "You don't always have to stay in bed when you're sick," put in Flossie. "And sometimes the medicine isn't bad a bit. It's sweet and nice." "But tell us about Unck Jack," begged Nan again. "He'll get better, won't he?" 225 226 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "That is something the doctors can't tell,*^ answered her father. "I saw him in the hos- pital." "Was he glad to see you?" asked Mrs. Bobb- sey. "Well, to tell you the truth he didn't know me. He was very ill and was out of his head with fever. I did what I could for him, and saw that he would be well taken care of, and then went to Mr. Todd's house to stay all night. I said I'd go back to the hospital in the morning, but Uncle Jack was no better, and after waiting two or three days, I decided to come back here." "Didn't he know you at all ?" asked Nan. "No, he was out of his head with fever all the while. Before I came, he had told some of the doctors that he had something very im- portant to tell me — something that had to do with his friends or relations, they said. He would tell no one else but me, but when I got to his bedside he could not talk so that I could understand him. So really I don't know any more about him than before. I don't even know what his real name is. UNCLE TACK'S REAL NAME 227 "Sometimes he used to call himself Jackson, and again it would be some other name. I think he may not have known who he really was. But if he does, it will be some time be- fore he can tell me, or any one else. He was still out of his head when I came away." "Are you going back ?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Not until they send for me, which will be when he takes a turn for the better or worse. I v/ant to do all I can for the poor old man, for he was so good to Flossie and Freddie. Bui now tell me about the goat." Freddie and Flossie took turns doing that, and a very funny story they made of it, too. Mr, Bobbsey laughed, and laughed again. Then he had to hear about everything else that had happened while he was in Lakeport. "And now tell us what happened there — I mean besides about Uncle Jack," said Nan. "Did you see any of my friends?" "And did you see Bessie Benton?" Flossie asked, naming a little girl with whom she often played. "Yes, I saw Bessie," said Mr. Bobbsey, "and she sent you her love." 228 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Did you see Tommy Todd?" Freddie quer- ied. "Yes ; I stayed at his house." "How is the ice-boat?" asked Bert "Well, there has been a thaw, as you know, and there isn't enough ice in Lake Metoka on which to sail the Bird. I guess Tommy'U have to wait until you get back there, Bert, We'll have more cold weather yet." "Oh, are we going to leave New York?" asked Nan sorrowfully. "We can't live here," said her mother. "We've stayed longer now than I thought we would. Have you much more business to look after ?" she asked her husband. "It will take about two weeks more, and then I think we'll go back to Lakeport. But you children can have plenty of good times in two weeks, I should think." "Of course we can!" cried Bert. "And when we get back home " "Are we going camping?" interrupted Fred- die. "Flossie and I want to go camping in the woods." "On an island in a lake," added the little UNCLE JACK'S REAL NAME 229 igirl. "And we can take the bugs that go around and around and around and — ^and " "And the bugs that go around and around will catch all the mosquitoes that fly up and down, up and down, and bite us!" laughed Mrs. Bobbsey. "Yes, we certainly shall have to take the 'go around' bugs to camp with us, children." "Do you really think we can go camping?" asked Bert of his father. "Well, I don't know. We'll see." The Bobbsey twins, both sets of them, did indeed have many more good times in New York. I wish I had room to tell you about them, but I have not space. They went to see many sights, paid another visit to Central Park and Bronx Park and saw many nice plays and moving picture shows. Mr. and Mrs. Whipple and Laddie often went with the Bobbseys on little excursions about the great city. Laddie and the children became better friends than before, and Mrs. \Vhipple said her little nephew had never had such good times in all his life. "He missed his mother greatly before your 230 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY children came to this hotel," said Mrs. Whip- ple to Mrs. Bobbsey. "When is Mrs. Dickerson coming back from California?'-' asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "When it is warm here. She can not stand cold weather. But she did not go out to Cali- fornia altogether on account of the climate." "Didn't she?" "No. You have heard my husband speak of a long-lost brother — also a brother of Mrs. Dickerson's, who was a Whipple before her marriage." "Yes, I heard something about that." "Well, for a number of years my husband and Mrs. Dickerson have been trying to find this lost brother. And there was a rumor that he had gone to California when a boy and had grown up among the miners near San Francisco. It was to find out, if possible, whether or not this was so, that Mrs. Dicker- son went out West. Though, to be sure, the Winters here are hard for her to endure." "Did she have any success in finding her brother?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. "No," answered Mrs. Whipple, "she did not. UNCLE JACK'S REAL NAME 231 I'm sorry to say. She and my husband fed bad about it. But he may be found some day. He has been missing many years." It was two or, three days after this talk that, one evening, Mr. and Mrs. Whipple and Lad- die were in the hotel rooms of the Bobbseys, paying a visit, when a telegram was brought up for Mr. Bobbsey. "It's from Lakeport," he said, as he opened it and saw the date and the name of the place from which it had come. "From Lakeport?" asked Mr. Whipple, as Mr. Bobbsey was reading the message. "That's where the old woodsman lives, isn't it ?" "Yes," answered Mrs. Bobbsey. "And, though he is very ill, he is being well looked after, thanks to the money you gave for him." "Oh, I didn't give much. It was your hus- band who did the most. I was glad to help, for I always have a soft spot in my heart for those who camp in the v/oods. How is Uncle Jack, by the way? I believe that's his name?" "Yes, that was his name," said Mr. Bobb- sey in a queer voice, as he held the telegram out to Mr. Whipple. 232 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "It was his name — ^what do you mean?" "I mean that he has come to his senses now. The doctors have operated on him and he will get better. There was an injury to his head that made him forget much of his early life. But now he is all right and he remembers his real name." "What is it?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, while the others breathlessly waited for an answer. "What is his real name?" "John Whipple," was the answer. "That's what this telegram is about. Though every- body called the woodchopper Uncle Jack, his real name is John Whipple !" CHAPTER XXII REUNITED The Bobbsey twins were not as much sufo prised at what their father said, after reading the telegram, as was Mr. Whipple. He fairly jumped up from his chair, on hearing what Mr. Bobbsey answered, and reached out his hand for the message. "His name is Whipple!" cried the depart- ment store owner. "Are you sure his name is John Whipple?" '^That's what the telegram says," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "You may read it It seems he asked to have it sent to me as soon as he knew; he was getting better, and when he remem- bered who he was. He says he remembers he had a brother and a sister." Mr. Whipple seemed very much excited. Even Flossie and Freddie, young as they were, could tell that. He took the telegram from Mr. Bobbsey, but he did not read it. Instead 233 234 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY he looked at the children's father and asked: "Do you know this old woodchopper very well?" "I have seen him a number of times," said Mr. Bobbsey, "and he often comes to my house with loads of wood. The children know him, too, I have told you how he helped Freddie and Flossie out of the snow bank and took them to his cabin." "What sort of looking man is he?" the store owner questioned eagerly. Mr. Bobbsey described Uncle Jack's looks, and also told of his having come to Lakeport a number of years before, from where, no one knew. He made friends and lived in the woods. That was all that was known about him. Few, if any, had known his name until now. "And so he is John Whipple," said Mr. Bobbsey, rather talking to himself than to any one else. "Strange that he should have forgot- ten it all these years. I wonder if I can find his folks. Why, your name is Whipple!" he said to Laddie's uncle. "Do you know who Uncle Jack might be?" REUNITED 233 "I think I do," said Mr. Whipple slowly, and his voice trembled. "I think he is my long- iost brother, and the brother of my sister — ^he is Laddie's other uncle! Oh, if it only turns out that way !" "Is Uncle John found ?" asked Laddie, who, with his playmates, Flossie and Freddie, began to understand a little of what was going on. "Is Uncle John found?" "We hope so, my dear," said his aunt gently. "How can we make sure?" she asked her hus- band. "There is only one way," he said. "You mean to go to Lakeport?" "That's it. Where can I find him?" asked Mr. Whipple of Mr. Bobbsey. "Uncle Jack, 1 will call him, until I make sure he is my long- lost brother," he added. "He was taken to a private hospital, not far out of town. I'll be very glad if you and your wife, and Laddie, as well, will come back to Lakeport with us. Then you can see Uncle Jack and make sure whether or not he is your brother." "I'll be glad to do that But I thought you ^36 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY were going to stay in New York for some time yet." "We can go back to-morrow if need be," said Mr. Bobbsey. "My business is now iu good shape, and I can come back here if there is any call for me." "Oh, let's all go back to Lakeport!" cried Freddie. "Maybe then we can have a goat, Flossie." "Oh, may we, Mother?" the little girl de- manded. "I'll buy 'em a goat — 'two goats — ^if tiiia news proves true," said Mr. Whipple. "Oh, I do hope I have found my brother !" "How did he get lost?" asked Mrs. Bobb- sey. "It happened when my sister and I were very little children. John was somewhat older. Our parents died, and distant relatives, living far away from our home, took charge of my sister and me. John, who was a half-grown boy, stayed with the family of a neighboring farmer, who had been friends of our parents, and the relatives took my sister and me away with them. REUNITED 237 "Shortly after this the fanner lost his money, his farm, everything, and soon after moved away, taking John with them. News of this did not come for some time to our rela- tives, and when it did and they began a search for John, all trace of him was lost. They learned that the farmer had died in a public hospital in a strange city, and all trace of his widow and John was lost right there. "When I became old enough, I started to look for John, but could not find him. My sister could not, either, though lately she heard he was in California, but it was not true. And so, for many years, we have been trying to find John Whipple. And at last I know where he is!" "Let us hope Uncle Jack is your brother,'* said Mr. Bobbsey gently. "We will soon know," said Mrs, Whipple. The stay of the Bobbseys in the great city of New York came to a sudden end, but they had had a good time, and might come again some time. Besides, Mr. and Mrs. Whipple •were going back with them, to see if the old woodchopper were really the long-lost man, and 238 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY Flossie and Freddie thought that almost as good as if they had stayed in the city. "And Laddie is coming, too !" cried Freddie. "We'll have heaps of good times." "And maybe we'll get a goat," said Flossie. "If we do, I'm going to drive him sometimes." "Yes, you can," agreed Freddie. Mr. Bobbsey closed up most of his New York business matters, and Mr. Whipple, with his wife and Laddie, got ready to go to Lake- port with the Bobbseys. Word was sent to Dinah, the fat cook, and her husband, Sam, to get the Lakeport house ready for the family and for the Whipples, who would stay with them for a short time. Another telegram came from the hospital about Uncle Jack. It said he was doing well, and that his mind was clear. He was certain he was John Whipple, and that he had rela- tions somewhere. But, for fear there might be a disappointment, after all, no word was sent him about Mr. Daniel Whipple's coming on. Nor was Laddie's mother, in California, told. They wanted to make sure there would be no mistake. REUNITED 239 Once more the Bobbsey twins were in the big Pennsylvania station, and Freddie almost made the whole party miss the train by stop- ping in the arcade to show Laddie where the bugs, that went "around and around and around," had been bought. "See what beautiful colors they are!" ex- claimed Freddie. "Green and blue and red and brown and pink and yellow and — ^and — oh, every kind !" "And you ought to see how fast some of *em go around!" exclaimed Flossie. "They just keep on going around and around and around iill sometimes you can't most see *em go! "And you wind 'em just like this " ex- plained Freddie, making a queer little move- ment wih his chubby hand. "Oh, I know just how they go," said Laddie. "Didn't I see yours run ?" "Come, children, we'll have to hurry," said Mr. Bobbsey. "We don't want to miss the train." "I want some of those bugs," said Laddie wistfully. 240 EOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "We can get some later," replied his aunt. "But they may be all gone when we come back!" "I don't think so," his aunt replied. "See! They have a whole store full of them." And then the crowd hurried ofif to catch the train. In due time they arrived in Lakeport, and when Flossie and Freddie rushed into the house, almost knocking down dear old fat Di- nah, they found Splash, the big dog, waiting for them. And Splash did really knock Flos- sie down, he was so glad to see her. But she was so fat that, really, falling just to the floor did not hurt her at all. And, anyhow, she sat down on the tail of Splash, so it was like a cushion, only, of course, he could not wag it until Flossie got up. "Oh, chilluns! how glad I is t' see yo' all!" cried Dinah, trying to hug all four of them at once. "And here's Laddie," said Flossie. "Aren't you glad to see him?" "Co'se I is, chile! I lubs yo' all!" and she hugged Laddie, too. Leaving his wife at the Bobbsey home, Mr. REUNITED 241 Whipple went with Mr. Bobbsey to the hospi- tal where Uncle Jack (as they still called him) had been taken. The old woodchopper was much better, though still weak and ill. One of the doctors had told him some one was coming to see him, and had said it might prove to be some one who knew about his brother and sister. Poor Uncle Jack's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, I only hope it is true," he said. Mr. Whipple walked softly into the hospital room. After a short talk with the old wood- chopper, Mr. Daniel Whipple cried : "It is true ! I am your brother ! Oh, John, I have found you at last !" There was no doubt of it. After further talking it over between them, Mr. Daniel Whipple and Mr. John Whipple made sure they were brothers. And when Uncle Jack (as many still kept on calling him) got better, every on« could see that he and Mr. Whipple, the department store owner, looked very much alike, except that the woodchopper was older. But I must not call him a woodchopper, for he was that no longer. 242 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "You are coming to live with me," said his brother Dan, "I have enough to look after you. No more hard work for you!" "I am very happy," said Uncle Jack, "Bless the dear children; they helped you to find me as much as any one did." "Yes," said Uncle Dan, as the Bobbsey twins called Laddie's uncle, "if Flossie and Freddie hadn't fallen off the ice-boat I might still be looking for you, John." And so, as you have read, ever3rthing came out all right. Uncle Jack, in a few weeks, was able to leave the hospital, quite well again, though he was very weak, and he was old. He grew stronger in time, but of course no young- er, though he lived for a number of happy years with his brother. Laddie stayed in Lakeport over two weeks, and he had many good times with the Bobbsey twins. His mother, as soon as the weather became warm, came on from California and said she had never seen Laddie play with two children he liked more than he did Flossie and Freddie. Bert and Tommy Todd sailed the ice-boat, and it did not upset again, though REUNITED 243 once it came very near it. Flossie and Freddie were given the cart and goat they so much ■wanted, but I shall have no room here to tell about the fun they had with them. "Well, it certainly was a dandy Winter," remarked Bert one day, when the air felt like Spring. The Whipples, taking Uncle Jack with them, had gone back to New York, and the Bobbseys were alone. "It will soon be Summer," said Nan. "I wonder what we shall do then. Where are we going to spend our vacation. Mother?" "Oh, I think Daddy has some nice place picked out." "Let's try to guess !" said Nan to Bert. But they did not easily do that, and as I do not want to keep you guessing, I will say that the children did have a fine time that Summer. Where they went, and what they did while there, you may find out by reading the next book of this series, to be called. "The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island." There they went camping, and But I will let you read it for yourselves. 244 BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY "Freddie ! oh, Freddie !" called Flossie, com- ing into the house one day about a month after they had come back from New York. "Where are you, Freddie?" "I'm out in the kitchen gettin' some bread an* jam," he answered. "What d'you want?" "Lucy Turner is with me," went on Flossie. "She says we haven't got any bugs that go around and around and around, and I want to show her. We have got 'em, haven't we, Fred- die?" "Course we have. I've got one now going around and around and around my plate that had bread and jam on it — ^but there isn't any on it now, 'cause I ate it all up !" "Oh, come on and we'll get some, too !" cried Flossie, and she and her little girl playmate were soon having fun with Freddie. And there we will take leave of them. TBE END This Isn't All! Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in this book? Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventxzres and experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author ? On the reverse side of the wrap- per which comes with this book, you will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same store where you got this book. Don't throw away the Wrapper Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have, ^ut in case you do mislay it, write to the "PiMishers for a complete catalog. THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS For Little Men and Women By LAUBA LEE HOPE Author of "The Bunny Brown Series," Etc. Durably Bound. Illu>trated. Uniform Style of Binding. Every Volume Complete in Itself. These books for boys and girls between the ages of three and ten stand among children and their parents of this eeneration where the books of Louisa May Alcott stood in former days. The haps and mishaps of this inimitable pair of twins, their many ad- ventures and experiences are a source of keen delight to imagin- ative children. THE BOBBSEY TWINS THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT CEDAR CAMP THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE COUNTY FAIR THE BOBBSEY TWINS CAMPING OUT THE BOBBSEY TWINS AND BABY MAY THE BOBBSEY TWINS KEEPING HOUSE THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT CLOVERBANK THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT CHERRY CORNERS THE BOBBSEY TWINS AND THEIR SCHOOL- MATES THE BOBBSEY TWINS TREASURE HUNTING THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SPRUCE LAKE GROSSET & DUNLAP, PubUshers, NEW YORK THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES By LAURA LEE HOPE Author of the Popular '" Bobbsey Twins " Books, Etc. Illustrated. Each Volume Complete in Itself. These stories are eagerly welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. Their eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive little Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustiul sister Sue, BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA'S FARM BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE;plAYING CIRCUS BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP-REST-A- WHILE BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU'S CITY HOME BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODS BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOUR BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHET- LAND PONY BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOW BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVE BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE SUNNY SOUTH BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE KEEPING STORE ^ BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR TRICK DOG BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ATA SUGAR CAMP BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON THE ROLLING OCEAN BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON JACK FROST ISLAND BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT SHORE ACRES BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT BERRY HILL BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ATSKYTOP GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK SIX LITTLE BUNKERS SERIES By LAURA LEE HOPE Author of The Bobbsey Twins Books, The Bunny Brown Series, The Blythe Girk Books, Etc. Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Styla of Binding. Every Volume Complete in Itielf. Delightful stories for little boys and girls which sprung into immediate popularity. To kaow the six httle Bunkers is to take them at once to your heart, they are so intensely human, so fall of fun and cute sayings. Each story has a little plot of its own — one that can be easily followed — and all are written in Miss Hope's most entertaining manner. Clean, wholesome volumes which ought to be on the bookshelf of every child in the land. SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDMA BELL'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT AUNT JO'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COUSIN TOM'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDPA FORD'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT UNCLE FRED'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT CAPTAIN BEN'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COW-BOY JACK'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT MAMMY JUNE'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT FARMER JOEL'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT MILLER NED'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT ^NDIAN JOHN'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT HAPPY JIM'S SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT SKIPPER BOB'S GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers. NEW YORK THE HONEY BUNCH BOOKS By HELEN LOUISE THORNDYKE Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations Drawn by WALTER S. ROGERS Honey Bunch is a dainty, thoughtful little girl, and to know her is to take her to your heart at once. Little girls everywhere will want to dis- cover what interesting experiences she is hav- ing wherever she goes. HONEY BUNCH : JUST A UTTLE GIRL HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST VISIT TO THE CITY HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST DAYS ON THE FARM HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST VISIT TO THE SEASHORE HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST LITTLE GARDEN HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST DAYS IN CAMP HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST AUTO TOUR HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST TRIP ON THE OCEAN HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST TRIP WEST HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST SUMMER ON AN ISLAND HONEY BUNCH : HER FIRST TRIP TO THE GREAT lAKES GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK CAROLYN WELLS BOOKS Attractireiy Bound. Illustrated. Colored Wrappers. THE MARJORIE BOOKS Marjorie is a happy little girl of twelve, up to mischief, but full of goodness and sincerity. In her and her friends every girl reader will see much of her own love of fun, play and adventure. MARJORIE'S VACATION MARJORIE'S BUSY DAYS MARJORIE'S NEW FRIEND MARJORIE IN COMMAND MARJORIE'S MAYTIME MA RJORIE AT SEACO TE THE TWO LITTLE WOMEN SERIES Introducing Dorinda Fayre — a pretty blonde, sweet, serious, timid and a little slow, and Dorothy Rose — a sparkling brunette, quick, elf-like, high tempered, full of mischief and always getting into scrapes. TWO LITTLE WOMEN TWO LITTLE WOMEN AND TREASURE HOUSE TWO LITTL E WOMEN ON A H OLIDAY THE DICK AND DOLLY BOOKS Dick and Dolly are brother and sister, and their games, their pranks, their joys and sorrows, are told in a manner which makes the stories "really true" to young readers. DICK AND DOLLY DICK AND DOLLY'S ADV ENTURES GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, New York BOOKS BY LEO EDWARDS Illustrated. Every Vvlume Complete in Itself. Hundreds of thousands of boys who laughed until their sides ached over the weird and wonderful adventures of Jerry Todd and hii gang de- manded that Leo Edwards, the author, give them more boob with belt- bursting laughs and creepy shivers. So he look Poppy Ott, Jerry Todd's bosom chum and created the Poppy Ott series. Now there are two more series. The Andy Blalte and the Trigger Berg— and if such a thing is possible — they are even more full of fun and excitement than the Jerry Todds. THE JERRY TODD BOOKS JERRY TODD AND THE WHISPERING MUMMY JERRY TODD AND THE ROSE COLORED CAT JERRY TODD AND THE OAK ISLAND TREASURE JERRY TODD AND THE WALTZING HEN JERRY TODD AND THE TALKING FROG JERRY TODD AND THE PURRING EGG JERRY TODD IN THE WHISPERING CAVE JERRY TODD, PIRATE JERRY TODD AND THE BOB-TAILED ELEPHANT JERRY TODD EDITOR-IN-GRIEF THE POPPY OTT BOOKS POPPY OTT AND THE STUTTERING PARROT POPPY OTT AND THE SEVEN LEAGUE STILTS POPPY OTT AND THE GALLOPING SNAIL POPPY OTT'S PEDIGREED PICKLES POPPY OTT AND THE FRECKLED GOLDFISH POPPY OTT AND THE TITTERING TOTEM THE ANDY BLAKE BOOKS ANDY BLAKE ANDY BLAKE'S COMET COASTER ANDY BLAKE'S SECRET SERVICE ANDY BLAKE AND THE POT OP GOLD THE TRIGGER BERG BOOKS TRIGGER BERG AND THE TREASURE TREE TRIGGER BERG AND THE 700 MOUSETRAPS GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers. NEW YORK THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES by LAURA LEE HOPE Author of The Blythe Girls Books Every Volume Complete in Itself. These are the adventnres of a group of bright, fun- loving, up-to-date girls who have a common bond in their fondness for outdoor life, camping, travel and adventure. There is excitement and humor in these stories and girls will find in them the kind of pleasant associations that they seek to create among their own friends and chums. THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN ARMY SERVICE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON PINE ISLAND THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT THE HOSTESS HOUSE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT BLUFF POINT THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT WILD ROSE LODGE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN THE SADDLE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AROUND THE CAMPFIRE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON CAPE COD THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT FOAMING FALLS THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ALONG THE COAST THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT SPRING HILL FARM THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT NEW MOON RANCH THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON A HIKE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON A CANOE TRIP GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK Cornell University Library PZ 7.H79G7 1917 The Bobbsey twins in a great city / 3 1924 009 940 283 .;>:;^^Wi^-i'^ai»'