The Bobbsey Twins Megapack

by Laura Lee Hope

  Their house was about a quarter of a mile away from the lumber yard, on a fashionable street, and about it was a large lawn, while in the back Sam Johnson, the colored man of all work, and the husband of Dinah, had a fine garden. The Bobbseys had many vegetables from this garden.

  There was also a barn near the house, and in this the children had many good times. Flossie and Freddie played there more than did Nan and Bert, who were growing too old for games of that sort.

  As I have said, Bert and Nan were rather tall and thin, while Flossie and Freddie were short and fat. Mr. Bobbsey used often to call Flossie his “Fat Fairy,” which always made her laugh. And Freddie had a pet name, too. It was “Fat Fireman,” for he often played that he was a fireman; putting out makebelieve fires, and pretending he was a fire engine. Once or twice his father had taken him to see a real one, and this pleased Freddie very much.

  In the first book of this series, called “The Bobbsey Twins,” I told you something of the fun the four children had in their home town. They had troubles, too, and Danny Rugg, one of the few bad boys in Lakeport, was the cause of some. Also about a certain broken window; what happened when the twins went coasting, how they had a good time in an ice boat, and how they did many other things.

  Snoop, the fat, black kitten, played a part in the story also. The Bobbsey twins were very fond of Snoop, and had kept him so many years that I suppose he ought to be called cat, instead of a kitten, now.

  After the first winter’s fun, told of in the book that began an account of the doings of the Bobbseys, the twins and their parents went to the home of Uncle Daniel Bobbsey, and his wife, Aunt Sarah, in Meadow Brook.

  In the book called “The Bobbsey Twins in the Country,” I wrote down many of the things that happened during the summer.

  If they had fun going off to the country, taking Snoop with them, of course, they had many more good times on arriving at the farm. There was a picnic, jolly times in the woods, a Fourth of July celebration, and though a midnight scare alarmed them for a time, still they did not mind that.

  But, though the twins liked the country very much, they soon had a chance to see something of the ocean, and in the third book of the series, called “The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore,” my readers will find out what happened there.

  There was fun on the sand, and more fun in the water, and once the little ones got lost on an island. A great storm came up, and a ship was wrecked, and this gave the twins a chance to see the life savers, those brave men who risk their lives to help others.

  Then came closing days at Ocean Cliff, the home of Uncle William and Aunt Emily Minturn at Sunset Beach. School was soon to open, and Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey were anxious to get back to their town home, for Flossie and Freddie were to start regular lessons now, even though it was but in the kindergarten class.

  So goodbyes were said to the ocean, and though Dorothy Minturn cried a little when her cousins Nan and Flossie, and Bert and Freddie, had to leave, still she said she hoped they would come again. And so the Bobbseys were on their way home in the train when the circus accident happened that brought them to a stop.

  “And so we nearly ran into an elephant, eh?” said Mr. Bobbsey to the brakeman, who had brought in the news.

  “Yes, sir. Our engineer stopped just in time.”

  “If we had hit him we’d gone off the track,” said Freddy.

  “No, we wouldn’t,” declared Flossie, who seemed bound to start a dispute. Perhaps she was so tired that she was fretful.

  “Say, can’t you two stop disputing all the while?” asked Bert, in a low voice. “You make papa and mamma nervous.”

  “Well, an elephant is big, anyhow,” said Freddie.

  “So he is, little Fat Fireman,” said Nan, “Come and sit with me, and we can see the men catch the monkeys.”

  The work of getting the escaped animals back into their cages was going on rapidly. Some of the passengers went out to watch, but the Bobbseys stayed in their seats, Mr. Bobbsey thinking this best. The catching of the monkeys was the hardest work, but soon even this was accomplished.

  The wait seemed very tiresome when there was nothing more to watch, and Mr. Bobbsey looked about for some railroad man of whom he could inquire how much longer delay there would be. The conductor came through the car.

  “When will we start?” asked Mr. Bobbsey.

  “Not for some time, I’m afraid,” spoke the tickettaker. “The wreck is a worse one than I thought at first, and some of the cars of the circus train are across the track so we can’t get by. We may be here two hours yet.”

  “That’s too bad. Where are we?”

  “Just outside of Whitewood.”

  “Oh, that’s near home!” exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey. “Why can’t we get out, Richard, walk across the fields to the trolley line, and take that home? It won’t be far, and we’ll be there ever so much quicker.”

  “Well, we could do that, I suppose,” said her husband, slowly.

  “That’s what a number of passengers did,” said the conductor. “There’s no danger in going out now—all the animals are back in their cages.”

  “Then that’s what we’ll do, children,” said their father. “Gather up your things, and we’ll take the trolley home. The moon is coming up, and it will soon be light.”

  “I’m hungry,” said Freddie, fretfully.

  “So am I,” added his twin sister.

  “Well, I have some crackers and cookies in my bag,” replied Mrs. Bobbsey. “You can eat those on the way. Nan, go tell Dinah that we’re going to take a trolley. We can each carry something.”

  “I’ll carry Snoop,” exclaimed Freddie. He hurried down the aisle to where the cook was now standing, intending to get the box containing his pet cat.

  “Where’s Snoop, Dinah?” he asked.

  “Heah he am!” she said, lifting up the slatbox. “He ain’t made a sound in all dis confusion, nuther.”

  The next moment Freddie gave a cry of dismay:

  “Snoop’s gone!” he wailed. “He broke open the box and he’s gone! Oh, where is Snoop?”

  “Ma sakes alive!” cried Dinah. The box was empty!

  A hurried search of the car did not bring forth the black pet. Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey, and some of the passengers, joined in the hunt. But there was no Snoop, and a slat that had pulled loose from one side of the box showed how he had gotten out.

  “Most likely Snoop got frightened when the train stopped so suddenly, and broke loose,” said Mr. Bobbsey. “We may find him outside.”

  “I—I hope an elephant didn’t step on him,” said Flossie, with a catch in her breath.

  “Ohooo! Maybe a tiger or a lion has him!” wailed Freddie. “Oh, Snoop!”

  “Be quiet, dear, we’ll find him for you,” said Mrs. Bobbsey, as she opened her satchel to get out some cookies. Then she remembered something.

  “Freddie, where is that silver cup?” she asked. “You had it to get a drink. Did you give it back to me?”

  “No, mamma, I—I”

  “He gave the fat lady a drink from it,” spoke Flossie, “and she didn’t give it back.”

  “The train stopped just as she was drinking,” went on Freddie. “I sat down on the floor—hard, and I saw the water spill on her. The fat lady has our silver cup! Oh, dear!”

  “And she’s gone—and Snoop is gone!” cried Flossie. “Oh! oh!”

  “Is that so—did you let her take your cup, Freddie?” asked his papa.

  Freddie only nodded. He could not speak.

  “That fat lady was with the circus,” said one of the men passengers. “Maybe you can see her outside.”

  “I’ll look,” said Mr. Bobbsey, quickly. “That cup is too valuable to lose. Come, children, we’ll see if we can’t find Snoop also, and then we’ll take a trolley car for home.”

  CHAPTER III

  A Strange Dog

  Papa Bobbsey first looked for some of the circus men of whom he might inquire about the fat lady. There was much confusion, f
or a circus wreck is about as bad a kind as can happen, and for some time Mr. Bobbsey could find no one who could tell him what he wanted to know.

  Meanwhile Mrs. Bobbsey kept the four children and Dinah with her, surrounding their little pile of baggage off to one side of The tracks.

  Some of the big torches were still burning, and the full moon was coming up, so that there was plenty of light, even if it was night.

  “Oh, but if we could only find Snoop!” cried Freddie. “Here, Snoop! Snoop!” he called.

  “I had much rather find the fat lady, and get back your lovely silver cup,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “I hope she hasn’t taken it away with her.”

  “She had it in her hand when the train, stopped with such a jerk,” explained Flossie. “Oh, but mamma, don’t you want us to find Snoop—dear Snoop?”

  “Of course I do. But I want that silver cup very much, too. I hope your father finds it.”

  “But there never could be another Snoop,” cried Flossie. “Could there, Freddie? And we could get another silver cup.”

  “Don’t be silly,” advised Bert, rather shortly.

  “Oh, don’t talk that way to them,” said Nan. “They do love that cat so. Never mind, Flossie and Freddie. I’m sure we’ll find him soon. Here comes papa.”

  Mr. Bobbsey came back, looking somewhat worried.

  “Did you find her?” asked Mrs. Bobbsey anxiously.

  “No,” he replied, with a shake of his head. “She was the circus fat lady all right. It seems she missed the showtrain, and came on in ours. And, when we stopped she got out, and went up ahead. Part of the circus train, carrying the performers, was not damaged and that has gone on. The fat lady is with that, so one of the men said.”

  “And, very likely, she has carried off our silver cup,” exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey. “Oh dear! Can you find her later, Richard?”

  “I think so. But it will take some time. The circus is going to Danville—that’s a hundred miles from here. But I will write to the managers there, and ask them to get our cup from the fat lady.”

  “But where is Snoop?” asked Freddie, with much anxiety.

  “I don’t know, my dear,” answered Mr. Bobbsey. “I asked the circus men if they had seen him, but they were too busy to remember. He may be running around some where. But we can’t wait any longer. We must get home. I’ll speak to one of the switchmen, who stay around here, and if they see Snoop I’ll have them keep him for us. We’ll come back tomorrow and inquire.”

  “But we want Snoop now!” exclaimed Freddie, fretfully.

  “I’m afraid we can’t get him,” said Mrs. Bobbsey, gently. “Come, children, let’s go home now, and leave it to papa. Oh, to think of your lovely silver cup being gone!”

  “Snoop is worse,” said Flossie, almost crying.

  “I—I’m sorry I let the fat lady take the cup,” spoke Freddie.

  “Oh, you meant all right, my dear,” said his mamma, “and it was very kind of you. But we really ought to start. We may miss a trolley. Come, Dinah, can you carry all you have?”

  “’Deed an’ I can, Mrs. Bobbsey. But I suah am sorry ’bout dat ar’ Snoop.”

  “Oh, it wasn’t your fault, Dinah,” said Nan quickly. “He is getting to be such a big cat that he can easily push the slats off his box, now. We must make it stronger next time.”

  Flossie and Freddie wondered if there would be a “next time,” for they feared Snoop was gone forever. They did not worry so much about the silver cup, valuable as it was.

  With everyone in the little party carrying something, the Bobbsey family set off across, the fields toward the distant trolley line that would take them nearly home. The moon was well up now, and there was a good path across the fields. Nan and Bert were talking about the wreck, and recalling some of the funny incidents of catching the circus animals.

  Flossie and Freddie were wondering whether they would ever see their pet cat again. They had had him so long that he seemed like one of the family.

  “Maybe he ran off and joined the circus,” said Flossie.

  “Maybe,” spoke her brother. “But he can’t do any tricks, so they won’t want him in a show.”

  “He can so do tricks! He can chase his tail and almost grab it.”

  “That isn’t a trick.”

  “It is so—as much as standing on your head.”

  “Children—children—I don’t know what I’ll do with you if you don’t stop that constant bickering,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “You must not dispute so.”

  “Well, mamma, but isn’t chasing your tail a trick?” asked Flossie. “Freddie says it isn’t.”

  “Well, it isn’t a circus trick, anyhow,” declared her brother. “I meant a circus trick.”

  “Well, Snoop is a good cat, anyhow,” went on Flossie, “and I wish we had him back.”

  “Oh, so do I!” exclaimed Freddie, and thus that little dispute ended.

  They were walking along through a little patch of woods now, when Bert, who was the last one in line, suddenly called out:

  “Something is coming after us!”

  “Coming after us? What do you mean?” asked Nan quickly, as she hurried to her father’s side.

  “I mean I’ve been listening for two or three minutes now, to some animal following after us along the path. Some big animal, too.”

  Flossie and Freddie both ran back and took hold of their mother’s hands.

  “Don’t scare the children, Bert,” said Mr. Bobbsey, a bit sternly. “Did you really hear something?”

  “Yes, father. It’s some animal walking behind us. Listen and you can hear it your self.”

  They all listened. It was very quiet. Then from down the hard dirt path they all heard the “pitpat, pitpat” of the footsteps of some animal. It was coming on slowly.

  For a moment Mr. Bobbsey thought of the wild animals of the circus. In spite of what the men had said perhaps one of the beasts might have escaped from its cage. The others in the little party evidently thought the same thing. Mrs. Bobbsey drew her children more closely about her.

  “’Deed an’ if it’s one ob dem elephants,” said Dinah, “an’ if he comes fo’ me I’ll jab mah hat pin in his long nose—dat’s what I will!”

  “It can’t be an elephant,” said Mr. Bobbsey. “One of the big beasts would make more noise than that. It may be one of the monkeys—I don’t see how they could catch them all—they were so lively and full of mischief.”

  “Oh, if it’s a monkey, may we keep it?” begged Flossie. “I just love a monkey.”

  “Mercy, child! What would we do with it around the house?” cried Mrs. Bobbsey. “Richard, can you see what it is?”

  Mr. Bobbsey peered down the road.

  “I can see something,” he said. “It’s coming nearer.”

  “Oh dear!” cried Nan, trembling with fear.

  Just then a bark sounded—a friendly bark.

  “It’s a dog!” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “Oh, I’m so glad it wasn’t an elephant,” and she hugged Freddie and Flossie.

  “Pooh! I wasn’t afraid!” cried Freddie. “If it had been an elephant I—I’d give him a cookie, and maybe he’d let me ride home on his back.”

  The animal barked louder now, and a moment later he came into sight on a moonlit part of the path. The children could see that it was a big, shaggy white dog, who wagged his tail in greeting as he walked up to them.

  “Oh, what a lovely dog!” cried Nan. “I wonder where he belongs?”

  The fine animal came on. Bert snapped his fingers, boy-fashion.

  Instantly the dog stood up on his hind legs and began marching about in a circle on the path.

  “Oh, what a odd dog!” cried Flossie. “Oh I wish he was ours!”

  CHAPTER IV

  Home in an Auto

  Down on his four legs dropped the big white dog, and with another wag of his fluffy tail he came straight for Flossie.

  “Be careful!” warned Mamma Bobbsey.

  “He won’t hurt her!” declared B
ert. “That’s a good dog, anyone can tell that. Here, doggie; come here!” he called.

  But the dog still advanced toward Flossie, who shrank back a bit timidly.

  “You never can tell what dogs will do,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “It is best to be careful.”

  “I guess he knew what Flossie said to him,” spoke up Freddie. “He knows we like dogs.”

  The dog barked a little, and, coming up to where Flossie was, again stood on his hind legs.

  “That’s a funny trick,” said Mr. Bobbsey. “I guess this dog has been trained. He probably belongs around here.”

  “I wish he belonged to us,” sighed Nan. Like Flossie and Freddie she, too, loved animals.

  “Maybe we can keep him if we don’t find Snoop?” suggested Freddie. “Oh, papa, will you get Snoop back?” and Freddie’s voice sounded as though he was going to cry.

  “Yes, yes, of course I will,” said Mr. Bobbsey quickly. He did not want the children to fret now, with still quite a distance yet to go home, and that in a trolley car. There were bundles to carry, weary children to look after, and Mrs. Bobbsey was rather tired also. No wonder Papa Bobbsey thought he had many things to do that night.

  “Come along, children,” called Mrs. Bobbsey, “it is getting late, and we are only about half way to the trolley. Oh dear! If that circus had to be wrecked I wish it could have waited until our train passed.”

  “Are you very tired?” asked her husband. “I can take that valise.”

  “Indeed you’ll not. You have enough.”

  “Lemme have it, Massa Bobbsey,” pleaded Dinah. “I ain’t carryin’ half enough. I’s pow’ful strong, I is.”

  “Nonsense, Dinah!” said Mr. Bobbsey. “I can manage, and your arms are full.”

  “I—I wish she had Snoop,” said Freddie, but he was so interested in watching the strange dog that he half forgot his sorrow over the lost cat.

  The dog seemed to have made great friends with Flossie. She was patting him on the head now, for the animal, after marching about on his hind legs, was down on all fours again.