CHAPTER III
A QUEER DOG
Papa Bobbsey first looked for some of the circus men of whom hemight inquire about the fat lady. There was much confusion, fora circus wreck is about as bad a kind as can happen, and for sometime Mr. Bobbsey could find no one who could tell him what he wantedto know.
Meanwhile Mrs. Bobbsey kept the four children and Dinah with her,surrounding their little pile of baggage off to one side of thetracks. Some of the big torches were still burning, and the fullmoon was coming up, so that there was plenty of light, even if itwas 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 lovelysilver cup," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I hope she hasn't taken it awaywith 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 findSnoop--dear Snoop?"
"Of course I do. But I want that silver cup very much, too. I hopeyour father finds it."
"But there never could be another Snoop," cried Flossie. "Couldthere, 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 thatcat so. Never mind, Flossie and Freddie. I'm sure we'll find himsoon. 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 circusfat lady all right. It seems she missed the show-train, and cameon in ours. And, when we stopped she got out, and went up ahead.Part of the circus train, carrying the performers, was not damagedand that has gone on. The fat lady is with that, so one of the mensaid."
"And, very likely, she has carried off our silver cup," exclaimedMrs. Bobbsey. "Oh dear! Can you find her later, Richard?"
"I think so. But it will take some time. The circus is going toDanville--that's a hundred miles from here. But I will write tothe 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 circusmen if they had seen him, but they were too busy to remember. Hemay be running around some where. But we can't wait any longer. Wemust get home. I'll speak to one of the switchmen, who stay aroundhere, and if they see Snoop I'll have them keep him for us. We'llcome back to-morrow 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 ofyour 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 verykind 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 gettingto 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," forthey feared Snoop was gone forever. They did not worry so muchabout the silver cup, valuable as it was.
With everyone in the little party carrying something, the Bobbseyfamily set off across the fields toward the distant trolley linethat would take them nearly home. The moon was well up now, andthere was a good path across the fields. Nan and Bert were talkingabout the wreck, and recalling some of the funny incidents ofcatching the circus animals.
Flossie and Freddie were wondering whether they would ever seetheir pet cat again. They had had him so long that he seemed likeone 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 theywon'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 youdon't stop that constant bickering," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "You mustnot 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. "Imeant a circus trick."
"Well, Snoop is a good cat, anyhow," went on Flossie, "and I wishwe had him back."
"Oh, so do I!" exclaimed Freddie, and thus that little disputeended.
They were walking along through a little patch of woods now, whenBert, 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 shehurried to her father's side.
"I mean I've been listening for two or three minutes now, to someanimal following after us along the path. Some big animal, too."
Flossie and Freddie both ran back and took hold of their mother'shands.
"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 youcan hear it yourself."
They all listened. It was very quiet. Then from down the hard dirtpath they all heard the "pit-pat, pit-pat" of the footsteps of someanimal. 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 mighthave escaped from its cage. The others in the little party evidentlythought the same thing. Mrs. Bobbsey drew her children more closelyabout her.
"'Deed an' if it's one ob dem elephants," said Dinah, "an' if hecomes fo' me I'll jab mah hat pin in his long nose--dat's what Iwill!"
"It can't be an elephant," said Mr. Bobbsey. "One of the big beastswould make more noise than that. It may be one of the monkeys--Idon't see how they could catch them all--they were so lively andfull of mischief."
"Oh, if it's a monkey, may we keep it?" begged Flossie. "I justlove a monkey."
"Mercy, child! What would we do with it around the house?" criedMrs. 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--anelephant," and she hugged Freddie and Flossie.
"Pooh! I wasn't afraid!" cried Freddie. "If it had been an elephantI--I'd give him a cookie, and maybe he'd let me ride home on hisback."
The animal barked louder now, and a moment later he came into sighton a moonlit part of the path. The children could see that it wasa big, shaggy white dog, who wagged his tail in greeting as hewalked 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 marchingabout in a circle on the path.
"Oh, what a queer dog!" cried Flossie. "Oh I wish he was ours!"