A QUEER DOG
Papa Bobbsey first looked for some of the circus men of whom he
might inquire about the fat lady. There was much confusion, for
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 show-train, 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 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 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 yourself."
They all listened. It was very quiet. Then from down the hard dirt
path they all heard the "pit-pat, pit-pat" 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 queer dog!" cried Flossie. "Oh I wish he was ours!"