CHAPTER XXI
BERT, NAN, AND BOB
While this happy meeting and reunion was taking place on Hemlock Islandand while the smaller Bobbsey twins were thus made happy by findingtheir father and mother again, Bert and Nan were very unhappy back atMeadow Brook Farm. They had safely reached the home of their uncle andaunt, being taken there in Mr. Blackford's automobile.
"Oh, dear me, what dreadful news!" exclaimed Aunt Sarah, when told aboutFlossie and Freddie having been carried away in the balloon. "Shall weever see those dear children again?"
"Of course we shall, Mother!" said Uncle Daniel, with a laugh. "Don'tworry, Flossie and Freddie will be all right."
And of course Flossie and Freddie were, in the end, only Bert and Nanand their uncle, aunt, and cousin did not know that then, so of coursethey worried.
The storm which had been only threatening when Bert and his sister hadbeen sent home from the fair grounds now broke, and it rained hard. AtMeadow Brook, as on most farms, little could be done when it rained, andthe children saw Uncle Daniel and Aunt Sarah sitting around talking inlow tones.
"I just wish I could do something!" gloomily remarked Bert, as he stoodwith his face pressed against the window, down which the rain drops werechasing each other.
"So do I," echoed Nan. "I think they might have let us help them lookfor Flossie and Freddie."
"I guess your father and mother knew best," said Harry. "And I think theballoon will come down soon in all this rain. It sure is pouring!"
And it was. The storm kept up all day, and in the afternoon, when Nanwas on the verge of tears and Bert had almost made up his mind to goback alone to the fair grounds and see if he could hear any news, therecame a knock at the back door.
"There's some one!" cried Nan, jumping from her chair.
"Maybe it's Flossie and Freddie come back!" added Bert.
"They wouldn't knock at the back door," observed his aunt. "Harry, goand see who it is. Maybe it's good news."
Harry returned in a few moments to say:
"It's that boy from the merry-go-round, Bob Guess. He wants to see yourfather, Bert."
"Well, dad isn't here, and----"
"I told him, and then he said he wants to see some of us--my father Ithink he means. He has something to tell."
"Bring him in here," advised Uncle Daniel, who was trying to read thepaper, though half the time he had it upside down, for he was thinkingtoo much about poor Flossie and Freddie to pay attention to anythingelse.
Bob Guess came in, dripping wet, though not as ragged as when Bert andNan had first seen him.
"What's the matter?" asked Uncle Daniel in his jolly voice. "Can't youdo any business at the fair on account of the rain?"
"No. And I don't want ever to do any more business at the fair,"answered Bob, in such strange tones that they all looked at him.
"Don't you like the merry-go-round any more?" Bert asked.
"Oh, it isn't that," said Bob. "It's that man Blipper. I can't stand himany longer! He blamed me for poor business to-day, and it wasn't myfault at all. In the first place, all the people went over to see theballoon go up. Hardly anybody took rides on our machine. Then thechildren--I mean your little brother and sister," he said to Nan, "gotcarried off, and everybody got scared for fear something would happen totheir children, and they wouldn't even let 'em ride on themerry-go-round. And then the rain came down, and Blipper seemed to blameme for that."
"He isn't a very fair sort of man, even if he has his machine at acounty fair," joked Uncle Daniel.
"He's terribly ugly," blurted out Bob Guess. "And I think he's worsethan that!"
"What do you mean?" asked Bert.
"Well, I think he takes things that don't belong to him," went on Bob."Your father lost a coat some time ago, didn't he?" the strange boyasked the older Bobbsey twins.
"Yes, at our Sunday school picnic," answered Nan.
"And a lap robe was taken from our auto about the same time," addedBert.
"That's what I thought," said Bob. "Well, would you know any of yourfather's papers if you saw them?" he asked, as he began to fumble in hispocket. "I mean would you know his writing on a letter, or somethinglike that?"
"Of course I know my father's writing!" declared Bert.
"Well, look at this!" said Bob Guess suddenly. He held out an envelope,torn open at one end as if the letter had been taken out.
"That's father's writing!" exclaimed Bert. "This is a letter he wrote toMr. Clarkson who buys lumber from dad. I know, for I've been in theoffice when he called. I guess my father must have been in a hurry andhe addressed this letter himself with a pen, and didn't wait for histypewriter to do it. That's my father's writing!"
"Well," said Bob slowly, "I found that letter in the tent where Mr.Blipper and I live. We sort of camp out at the different fair groundswhere we set up the merry-go-round," he added. "I have to live with Mr.Blipper. He claims I'm his adopted son, but I don't like him for anadopted father. Anyhow, I saw this letter drop out of his coat. Hedidn't see it, and I picked it up."
"Was it my father's coat?" asked Nan.
"That I don't know," Bob answered. "I never saw your father wearing hiscoat. But Mr. Blipper used to have an old ragged coat, and right afterwe had that breakdown at the Sunday school picnic grounds he had a newcoat.
"I asked him where he got it, 'cause I thought maybe he'd get me one, Iwas so ragged, and he said it wasn't any of my affair where he got hiscoats. Then the next day I noticed he had a new robe as a blanket forhis bed. I asked him about that, too, 'cause I had only a ragged quilt,and he told me to keep still.
"So when you folks asked me if I had seen your father's coat and the laprobe I didn't know for sure, and, anyhow, I was afraid to say anything.But I'm not afraid any more."
"Why not?" asked Uncle Daniel.
"'Cause," answered Bob, "I heard Mr. Blipper and his partner, a mannamed Hardy, quarreling to-day. First it started over bad business onaccount of the rain and nobody riding on the merry-go-round because theballoon was going up. Then I heard my name mentioned and the quarrelgrew worse. Mr. Hardy said Mr. Blipper didn't have any right to treat meas mean as he does. Mr. Blipper said he'd do as he pleased, and then Mr.Hardy said if he did he'd tell on Mr. Blipper."
"What did he mean--tell on him?" asked Bert.
"I don't know, exactly," answered Bob Guess. "It was all sort of queer.Maybe Mr. Hardy meant he was going to tell about Mr. Blipper taking yourfather's coat and the lap robe."
"I'm sure Mr. Blipper must have daddy's coat," declared Nan. "Thisletter dropped from the pocket, and there was money and there were otherpapers, too."
"I don't know anything about them," murmured Bob.
"Well, I know something!" cried Bert. "And that is this! What Mr. Hardysaid he was going to tell on Blipper about was you, Bob Guess!"
"Me?" cried the strange boy.
"Yes, you! I don't believe you belong to Mr. Blipper at all!"
CHAPTER XXII
JOYOUS TIMES
Bob Guess could, for a moment, only stare at Bert after this strangeremark.
"What do you mean?" asked the boy from the merry-go-round. "Don't I haveto stay with Mr. Blipper if I don't want to?"
"I don't believe you do," went on Bert. "I heard my father and mothertalking about it," he explained to the others. "My father said he wasgoing to find out if Mr. Blipper had really adopted you. And if you stayhere until my father comes back he'll have this Mr. Blipper arrested fortaking his coat. Just you stay here, Bob!"
"I'd like to," sighed the unhappy lad. "I don't like Blipper. And if Igo back now, after having run away again, he'll beat me!"
"We won't let him!" exclaimed Aunt Sarah. "Here, I'll get you some dryclothes. Harry has a suit you can wear. And then we'll see about thisBlipper man!"
As she started to leave the room to get some dry clothing for Bob Guess,who was soaking wet, there was a noise and some excitement out in theyard. Then Nan caught the sound of a voice she well knew.
<
br /> "Oh, it's Flossie!" she cried. "It's Flossie! They've found them!"
Instantly there was a mad rush for the door, and a little later into thewarm, comfortable farmhouse came Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey with the missingtwins--poor little wet twins, but happy for all that.
"Oh, hurray!" cried Bert, grabbing hold of Harry and dancing around theroom with him. "Now everything's all right!"
"Oh, what happened to you?" asked Nan through her tears, as she kissedfirst Freddie and then Flossie and then both the twins at the same time.
"Well, we found them!" said Mr. Bobbsey to Uncle Daniel.
"Where?"
"On Hemlock Island, where the balloon came down. The motor-boat we gotto go across the lake was also wrecked on the same island. And Flossieand Freddie started out in a rowboat to come to shore, but they gotlost in the fog and had to turn back. And they heard us on the islandand came to us."
"How did you get off if your motor-boat was wrecked?" asked Bert.
"Oh, Captain Craig managed to patch it up, and it got us back to themainland. We went back to where we had started from--Captain Craig'sdock--and then we came on here in my auto. Oh, what a day this hasbeen!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey, sinking wearily into a chair.
"But it all ends happily," said his wife. "Oh, here's Bob Guess!" sheexclaimed, as she noticed the strange boy.
"Yes, and he knows where your missing coat is, and the lap robe, too!"exclaimed Bert. "Blipper has 'em!"
"My, everything is happening at once!" laughed Mother Bobbsey. "But wemust get Flossie and Freddie to bed. They have had a hard day!"
"Don't want to go to bed!" declared Freddie. "Want to see Bob. Did youbring the merry-go-round?" he asked.
"As if he hadn't troubles enough!" exclaimed Nan.
Finally the smaller Bobbsey twins were induced to take off their dampclothes and go to bed, where they fell asleep almost as soon as theirheads touched the pillows. They were very weary, for they had had anexciting trip, though they did not really think so at the time.
When all the stories had been told of how the children had been found onthe island, how the motor-boat had been repaired, and of the trip backto the mainland safely made, Mr. Bobbsey turned to Bob Guess.
"Now we can give you a little attention," he said. "What's yourtrouble?"
So Bob told the same story he had related to Bert and Nan.
"I always thought there was something wrong about Blipper!" declared thefather of the Bobbsey twins. "Now I know it! We'll get after Blipper inthe morning. You stay here to-night, Bob. We'll call you Bob Guess forthe present, but I think we can find a better name for you soon. I thinkwe shall all feel better for a little rest."
"And something to eat," added Aunt Sarah. "I'm sure you must bestarved!"
"I am!" admitted Mother Bobbsey. "I couldn't eat when I was worryingabout Flossie and Freddie, but now that they are safe I could eat twomeals at once!"
There was a merry party around the farmhouse supper table, while thelittle Bobbsey twins slept peacefully upstairs, probably dreaming abouttheir trip in the balloon.
The storm was over the next day, and after talking to several newspaperreporters who came to Meadow Brook Farm to get the story of thewonderful trip of Flossie and Freddie, Daddy Bobbsey started for thefair grounds with Bert and Bob Guess. They stopped in the village to geta policeman and also a lawyer.
"If Blipper wants to put up a fight we'll be ready for him," said Mr.Bobbsey.
But when the fair grounds were reached there was no Blipper to be found.In the night he had packed up his merry-go-round and had traveled on,leaving no word as to where he was going.
"I don't care where he's gone!" said the partner, Mr. Hardy. "I'mthrough with him. We've broken up the partnership. I sold my share tohim. I don't care to have anything to do with such a man. He's a thief!"
"Perhaps you can tell us about this boy--Bob Guess," suggested Mr.Bobbsey.
"Yes, I can. I told Blipper I'd tell, after I found out he'd taken acoat and a robe that didn't belong to him. He carted them away with himtoo, so if they're yours there's no use looking for them," he added toMr. Bobbsey.
"Oh, well, I gave them up for lost some time ago," said the lumberdealer. "I managed to get copies of the papers that were in my pockets,and I wouldn't wear the coat again, anyhow. But what about Bob?"
Then Mr. Hardy told the story. Mr. Blipper had found Bob, a little chap,wandering about the streets of a big city. The boy, it seemed, livedwith an Italian who said he had once known Bob's father and mother whohad been dead some time.
"I don't know how Blipper managed it, but he got the boy away from theItalian," said Mr. Hardy, "and gave out that he had adopted Bob Guess ashis son. But I knew better, though I didn't see much use in tellingabout it. In fact, I didn't know who to tell. I didn't know who wouldlook after Bob if Blipper didn't, in his own rough way. So I kept still,though after Blipper and I quarreled, I threatened to tell. And now Ihave."
"I'll see if we can find Bob's relatives," said Mr. Bobbsey. "If wecan't, why, I think he will be provided for."
"Oh, I'm so glad!" exclaimed Bob. "I'd rather belong to anybody butBlipper!"
And, a few days later, inquiries having been made, it was found thatBob's father and mother had died in a distant city and that, there beingno one to look after the poor boy, the Italian had taken him in. Then,in some manner, Blipper got him and treated him harshly.
Bob was only a small boy when Mr. Blipper got control of him, and themerry-go-round man told a wrong story about having taken the lad from anorphan asylum. If Bob had been in an asylum he would have been welltreated, and no person would have been allowed to take him away untilthey had been looked up, to make sure the boy would be well cared for.
Mr. Blipper forged, or made out himself, the papers showing that Bob washis adopted son, and Bob was too small to know any better when Mr.Blipper told him this and also told how he had been taken from anasylum. Bob had only a dim remembrance of the Italian who looked afterhim for a time, following the death of the boy's father and mother. TheItalian was much kinder than Mr. Blipper had been.
"How would you like to come and live on this farm with me?" asked UncleDaniel, when it became evident that Bob had no folks living.
"Do you mean forever?" asked the boy, delight showing in his eyes.
"Yes, forever. Come here as my son. I'll adopt you properly. Harryalways wanted a brother, and now he can have one. Will you come?"
"Will I come?" cried Bob. "I'll come--_twice_!" he laughed.
"Then it's settled," said Uncle Daniel. "And from now on your name willbe Bob Bobbsey!"
And so it was.
"And daddy never found his coat after all!" said Nan, when, several dayslater, they were talking over the wonderful things that had happened.
"No, but I found a brother!" laughed Harry, who was very happy to haveBob live with him.
The whole adventure had been a lot of fun, but more good times awaitedthem which will be related in "The Bobbsey Twins Camping Out."
And then came happy days and joyous times for all. Though Blipper'smerry-go-round had been taken away from the fair grounds, there wereenough other amusements.
Mr. Trench even got his balloon back, had it mended, and the regular manwent up in it several times to the great delight of the crowds. But youmay be sure Mrs. Bobbsey watched Flossie and Freddie very closely, tosee that they did not get near the big basket. The little brother andsister were objects of curiosity wherever they went on the fairgrounds, for the newspapers had published stories of their strangetrip, all alone, in a balloon to Hemlock Island.
"When I grow up," declared Freddie, "I'm going to run an airship."
"Well, I'm never going to run a merry-go-round; I've had enough ofthem!" declared Bob Guess--or, to give him the name he was to have fromthen on, Bob Bobbsey.
"Well, we certainly had plenty of adventures at the Bolton County Fair,"remarked Bert, when the exhibition came to a close.
"Yes, indeed!" cried all of the
others.
And here let us say good-by.
THE END
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