CHAPTER IX
FREDDIE LOSES HIMSELF
Christmas was now but four weeks away, and the stores of Lakeport hadtheir windows filled with all sort of nice things for presents. Nan andBert had gazed into the windows a number of times, and even walkedthrough the one big department store of which the town boasted, and theyhad told Freddie and Flossie of many of the things to be seen.
"Oh, I want to see them, too!" cried Flossie, and begged her mother totake her along the next time she went out.
"I want to go, too," put in Freddie. "Bert says there are _sixteen_rocking horses all in a row, with white and black tails. I want to seethem."
"I am going to the stores to-morrow," answered Mrs. Bobbsey. "You can gowith me, after school. It will be better to go now than later on, whenthe places are filled with Christmas shoppers."
The twins were in high glee, and Freddie said he was going to spend thetwenty-five cents he had been saving up for several months.
"Let us buy mamma something for Christmas," said Flossie, who had thesame amount of money.
"What shall we buy?"
That question was a puzzling one. Flossie thought a nice doll would bethe right thing, while Freddie thought an automobile that could be woundup and made to run around the floor would be better. At last bothconsulted Nan.
"Oh, mamma doesn't want a doll," said Nan. "And she ought to have a realautomobile, not a tin one."
"Can't buy a real auto'bile," said Freddie. "Real auto'biles cost tendollars, or more."
"I'll tell you what to do," went on Nan. "You buy her a little bottle ofcologne, Freddie, and you, Flossie, can buy her a nice handkerchief."
"I'll buy her a big bottle of cologne," said Freddie. "That big!" andhe placed his hands about a foot apart.
"And I'll get a real lace handkerchief," added Flossie.
"You'll have to do the best you can," said practical Nan, and so it wasagreed.
When they left home each child had the money tucked away in a pocket.They went in the family sleigh, with Sam as a driver. The first stop wasat Mr. Ringley's shoe store, where Mrs. Bobbsey purchased each of thetwins a pair of shoes. It may be added here, that the broken windowglass had long since been replaced by the shoe dealer, and his showwindow looked as attractive as ever.
"I heard you had a window broken not long ago," said Mrs. Bobbsey, whenpaying for her purchases.
"Yes, two bad boys broke the window," answered the shoe dealer.
"Who were they?"
"I couldn't find out. But perhaps I'll learn some day, and then I meanto have them arrested," said Mr. Ringley. "The broken glass ruinedseveral pairs of shoes that were in the window." And then he turnedaway to wait on another customer.
Soon the large department store was reached and Mrs. Bobbsey let Freddieand Flossie take their time in looking into the several windows. One wasfull of dolls, which made the little girl gape in wonder and delight.
"Oh, mamma, what a flock of dolls!" she cried. "Must be 'bout tenmillions of them, don't you think so?"
"Hardly that many, Flossie; but there are a good many."
"And, oh, mamma, what pretty dresses! I wish I had that doll with thepink silk and the big lace hat," added the little girl.
"Do you think that is the nicest, Flossie?"
"Indeed, indeed I do," answered the little miss. "It's too lovely foranything. Can't we get it and take it home?"
"No, dear; but you had better ask Santa Claus to send it to you,"continued her mother with a smile.
Some wooden soldiers and building blocks caught Freddie's eye, and forthe time being his favorite fire engines were forgotten.
"I want wooden soldiers," he said. "Can set 'em up in a row, with thesword-man in front, an' the man with the drum."
"Perhaps Santa Claus will bring you some soldiers in your stocking,Freddie."
"Stocking ain't big enough--want big ones, like that," and he pointedwith his chubby hand.
"Well, let us wait and see what Santa Claus can do," said Mrs. Bobbsey.
Inside of the store was a candy counter near the doorway, and there wasno peace for Mrs. Bobbsey until she had purchased some chocolate dropsfor Flossie, and a long peppermint cane for Freddie. Then they walkedaround, down one aisle and up another, admiring the many things whichwere displayed.
"Bert said they had a lavater," said Freddie presently. "Mamma, I wantto go in the lavater."
"Lavater?" repeated Mrs. Bobbsey, with a puzzled look. "Why, Freddie,what do you mean?"
"He means the stairs that runs up and down on a big rope," put inFlossie.
"Oh, the elevator," said the mother. "Very well, you shall both ride inthe elevator."
It was great sport to ride to the third story of the store, although theswift way in which the elevator moved made the twins gasp a little.
"Let us go down again," said Freddie. "It's ever so much nicer thanclimbing the stairs."
"I wish to make a few purchases first," answered the mother.
She had come to buy a rug for the front hallway, and while she was busyin the rug and carpet department she allowed the twins to look at anumber of toys which were located at the other end of the floor.
For a while Freddie and Flossie kept close together, for there was quitea crowd present and they felt a little afraid. But then Flossiediscovered a counter where all sorts of things for dolls were on saleand she lingered there, to look at the dresses, and hats, and underwear,and shoes and stockings, and chairs, trunks, combs and brushes, andother goods.
"Oh, my, I must have some of those things for my dolls," she said, halfaloud. There was a trunk she thought perfectly lovely and it was marked39 cents. "Not so very much," she thought.
When Freddie got around to where the elevator was, it was just coming upagain with another load of people. As he had not seen it go down heconcluded that he must go down by way of the stairs if he wanted anotherride.
"I'll get a ride all by myself," he thought, and as quickly as he could,he slipped down first one pair of stairs and then another, to the groundfloor of the store. Then he saw another stairs, and soon was in thebasement of the department store.
Here was a hardware department with a great number of heavy toys, andsoon he was looking at a circular railroad track upon which ran a reallocomotive and three cars. This was certainly a wonderful toy, andFreddie could not get his eyes off of it.
In moving around the basement of the store, Freddie grew hopelesslymixed up, and when he started to look for the elevator or the stairs, hewalked to the storage room. He was too timid to ask his way out andsoon found himself among great rows of boxes and barrels. Then he made aturn or two and found himself in another room, filled with empty boxesand casks, some partly filled with straw and excelsior. There was a bigwooden door to this room, and while he was inside the door shut with abang and the catch fell into place.
"Oh, dear, I wish I was back with mamma," he thought, and drew a longand exceedingly sober breath. "I don't like it here at all."
Just then a little black kitten came toward him and brushed upaffectionately. Freddie caught the kitten and sat down for a moment topet it. He now felt sleepy and in a few minutes his eyes closed and hishead began to nod. Then in a minute more he went sound asleep.
Long before this happened Mrs. Bobbsey found Flossie and asked her whereFreddie was. The little girl could not tell, and the mother began adiligent search. The floor-walkers in the big store aided her, but itwas of no avail. Freddie could not be found, and soon it was time toclose up the establishment for the day. Almost frantic with fear, Mrs.Bobbsey telephoned to her husband, telling him of what had occurred andasked him what had best be done.