 Chapter 1 There, it's all done, so I guess we can get on and start off. All aboard, toot toot! Ross Monker made a noise like a steamboat whizzle. Get on! he cried. Oh, wait a minute, I forgot to put the broom in the corner, said Rose, his sister. I was helping Mother sweep and I forgot to put the broom away. Wait for me, Ross, don't let the boat start without me. I won't, promised a little boy as he tossed back a lock of dark hair which had straggled down over his eyes. They were dark too, and just now were shining in eagerness as he looked at a queer collection of a barrel, a box, some chairs, a stool, and a few boards piled together in the middle of the playroom floor. The steamboat will wait for you, Rose, Ross Monker went on, but hurry back, and he began to whizzle a merry tune as he moved a foodstool over to one side. That's one of the paddle wheels, he told his smaller brother, Laddie, whose real name was Gilmore, but who was always called Laddie. That's a paddle wheel. Why doesn't it go round then? asked Violet, Laddie's twin sister. Why doesn't it go round, Ross? I thought wheels always went round. We, as Violet was usually called, loved to ask questions, and sometimes they were the kind that could not be easily answered. This one seemed to be that kind, for Ross went on whizzling and did not reply. Why doesn't the foodstool go around if it's a wheel? asked we again. Oh, cuz, cuz began, Ross, holding his head on one side and stopping halfway through his whizzle tune. It doesn't go round? Oh, I got a riddle! I got a riddle! Suddenly, cried Laddie, who was as fond of asking riddles as we was of giving out questions. What kind of a wheel doesn't go round? That's a new riddle. What kind of a wheel doesn't go round? All wheels go round, declared Ross, who, now that he had the foodstool fixed where he wanted it, had started his whizzling again. What's the riddle, Laddie? asked we, shaking her curly hair and looking up with her grey eyes at her brother, whose locks were of the same color, though not quite so curly as his twins. There she goes again, asking more questions, exclaimed Ross, who had come back from putting away the broom and was ready to play the Steamboat game with her older brother. But what is the riddle, insisted we? I like to guess them, Laddie. What is it? What kind of a wheel doesn't go round? Asked Laddie again, smiling at his brother's and sister's as though the riddle was a very hard one indeed. Poo! All wheels go round, except in this one maybe, said Ross, and this is only a make-believe wheel. It is the nearest like a Steamboat paddle wheel I could find, and he gave the foodstool a little kick. But all kinds of wheels go around, Laddie. No they don't, exclaimed the little fellow. That's a riddle. What kind of a wheel doesn't go round? Oh, let's give it up, proposed Ross. Tell us, Laddie, and then we'll get in the make-believe Steamboat brushes made, and we'll have a ride. What kind of a wheel doesn't go around? A wheelbarrow doesn't go around, laughed Laddie. Oh, it does so, cried Ross. The wheel goes around. But the barrow doesn't. That's the part you put things in, went on Laddie. That doesn't go round. You have to push it. All right, that's a pretty good riddle, said Ross with a laugh. Now let's get on the Steamboat and we'll have a ride. And he began to whistle a little bit of a new song, something about down a river where the cotton blossoms grow. Where is Steamboat? As Margie, aged five, whose real name was Margaret, but who, as yet, seemed too little to have all those letters for herself. So she was just called Margie. Where is Steamboat? She asked. Is it in the kitchen on the stove? And she opened wide her dark brown eyes and looked at Ross. Oh, you're thinking of a steamed tea kettle, Margie, he said, as he took hold of her fat, chubby hand. The tea kettle steams on the kitchen stove, went on Ross. But we're making believe this is a Steamboat in here. And he pointed to the barrel, the boxes, the chairs in the foodstool, which he and Ross had piled together with such care, for it was a rainy day and the children were having what fun they could in the big playroom. I want to go on Steamboat, spoke up to sixth member of the Bunger family a moment later. Yes, you may have a ride, Munburn, said Ross. You may sit with me in the front and see the wheels go around. Munburn, I might say, was the pet name of the youngest member of the family. He was really Monroe Ford Bunger, but it seemed such a big name for such a little chap that it was nearly always shortened to Mun. And that added to have his last name made Munburn. And really, Monroe Ford Bunger did look a little like a bun, one of the light golden brown kind with sugar on top. For Mun, as we shall call him with small and had blue eyes and golden hair. Come on, Munburn, called Ross, who was the oldest of the family or six little bunkers and the leader in all the fun and games. Come on, everybody, all aboard the Steamboat. Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute, suddenly called we. Is there any water around your Steamboat, Ross? Water? Of course there is, he answered. You couldn't make a Steamboat go without water. It's a deep water, as we who seem started on her favorite game of asking questions. Ross thought for a minute looking at the playroom floor. Of course it's deep, he answered. About 10 miles deep. What do you ask that for, are we? Because I gotta get a bathing dress, my doll. Answer the little girl. I can't take her on a Steamboat where the water is deep. Lesson, I have a a bathing suit for her. Wait a minute, I'll get one. And she ran over to a corner of the room where she kept her platings. Shall I bring a red dress or a blue one? We turned to ask her sister, Ross. Oh, bring anyone you haven't hurry up, called Ross. The Steamboat won't ever get started. All aboard, doot doot. We snatched up what she called a bathing dress from a small trunk full of clothes belonging to her dolls and ran back to the place where the Steamboat floated in the 10 miles deep water in the middle of the playroom floor. Now, I'm all ready and so is my doll, said we. As she climbed up in one of the chairs behind the big empty floor barrel that mother bunkered had let Ross take to make his boat. Get up, Ross. Get up. What do you mean? Asked Ross, stopping his whistling and turning to look at his sister. I mean start, answered we. Don't you know what get up means? Sure I know. It's how you talk to a horse. It's what you tell him when you want him to start. Well, I'm ready to start now, said we, smoothing out her dress and putting the bathing suit on her doll. You don't tell a Steamboat to get up when you want that to start, exclaimed Ross. You say, all about, doot doot. All right then, toot toot, cried we, and Margie and Mon, who had climbed up together in a single chair beside we, began to laugh. I know another riddle, announced Lattie as he took his place inside the barrel, for he was going to be the fireman, and of course they always rode away down inside the Steamboat. I know a nice riddle about a horse, went on Lattie. What makes a horse's shoes different from ours, he asked. Oh, we haven't time to bother with riddles now, Lattie, said Ross. You can tell us some other time. We're going to make believe Steamboat a long way across the deep water now. A horse's shoes aren't like ours, because a horse doesn't wear stockings. That's the answer, went on Lattie. All about, cried Ross again. All about, repeated Lattie. Oh, let's sing, suddenly said Ross. She was a jolly little girl, and had learned many simple songs at school. Let's sing about sailing over the dark blue sea, went on Ross. It's an awful nice song, and I know five verses. We'll sing it after a while, returned Ross. We got to get started now. Already fireman, he called to Lattie, who was inside the barrel, start the steam going. I'm going to steer the boat. And Ross took his place, astride the front end of the barrel, and began twisting on a stick he had stuck down in one of the cracks. The stick, you understand, was the steering wheel, even if it didn't look like one. All aboard! Here we go, cried Lattie, from down inside the barrel, and he began to hiss like steam coming from a pipe. Then he began to rock to and fro, so that the barrel rolled from side to side. Here, what are you doing that for, demanded Ross from up on top? You're jiggling me off, stop it! What are you doing, Lattie? I'm making the steamboat go, was the answer. We're out on the rough ocean, and the steamboats got to rock. Look at her rock! And he swung the barrel to and fro, faster than ever. Oh, oh, cried Ross. It's all coming apart! Look! Oh dear, the barrel's all coming apart! And that's just what happened. In another moment, the barrel on which Ross sat fell apart, and with a clatter and a clash of staves, he toppled in on Lattie. Then the chairs, behind the barrel, where rose, we and Margie and Mon were sitting toppled over. In another instant, the whole steamboat load of children was all upset in the middle of the playroom floor, having made a crash that sounded throughout the house. End of chapter. Recording by Bovia. Do you know what you do, she asked, as she stood with some sowing in her hands at the foot of the stairs listening for some other noise to follow the crash? She expected to hear crying. Is anyone hurt, she asked again? She was somewhat used to noises. One could not live in the house with the six little bunkers and not hear noises. No, ma'am. I guess nobody's heard, answered Ross, as he climbed out from the wreck of the barrel. Get up, he added to his brother, Lattie. I can't," answered Lattie. My legs all twisted up in the soapbox. And so it was. A box had been put on one of the chairs, and Mun Bun and Margie had been sitting on that. This box had fallen on Lattie's leg which was twisted up inside it. But what happened, asked Mother Bunker again, you really mustn't make so much noise when you play. We couldn't help it, Mother, said Rose, who, being the oldest girl, was quite a help around the house, though she was only seven years old. The steamboat turned over and broke all up, Mother, she went on. The steamboat repeated Mrs. Bunker. I made one out of the flower barrel you let me take, explained Rose. But Lattie rocked inside it, and it all fell apart. And then the chairs fell on top of us, and Mun and Vye and Margie all fell out, and oh, my dear, some of you may be hurt, cried Mrs. Bunker as she heard a little sob from Mun Bun. I must come up and see what it is all about. When dropping her sewing up the stairs she hurried. There were six little bunkers, as you have probably counted by this time. Six little bunkers, and they were such a jolly bunch of tots, and had such good times, even if I make believe steamboat did upset now and then, that I'm sure you'll like to hear about them. To begin with there was Russ Bunker. Russell was his real name, but he was always called Russ. He was eight years old, and was very fond of making things. Next came Rose Bunker. She was only seven years old, but she could do some sweeping and lots of dusting, and was quite a little Mother's helper. Rose had light hair and eyes while Russ was just the opposite, being dark. That or Vi, age six, was a curly-haired girl with grey eyes, and as I have told you, she could ask more questions than her father and mother could answer. Then there was Laddie or Fillmore, a twin of Vi's and naturally of the same age, just how he happened to be so fond of asking riddles no one knew. Perhaps he caught it from Jerry Sims, who had served ten years in the army and who never tired of telling about it. Jerry was a not-to-be-mistaken Yankee who worked around the Bunker house, ran the automobile, took out the furnace ashes, and when he wasn't doing something like that, sitting in the kitchen talking to Nora O'Grady, the jolly, good-natured Irish cook who had been in the Bunker family longer than even Russ could remember. Jerry was a great one for riddles, too. Only he asked such hard ones, such as why does the ginger snap, from what makes the board walk, that none of the children could answer them? But I haven't finished telling about the children. After Laddie and Violet came Margie, aged five, and then Mun Bun, the youngest and smallest of the six little bunkers. Of course there was Daddy Bunker, whose name was Charles, and who had a real estate office on the main street of Pineville. In his office Mr. Bunker bought and sold houses for his customers, and also sold lumber, bricks, and other things of which houses were built. He was an agent for big firms. Mother Bunker's name was Amy, and sometimes her husband called her Amy Belle, for her last name had been Belle before she was married. The six little bunkers lived in the city of Pineville, which was on the shore of the Rainbow River in Pennsylvania. The river was called Rainbow because, just before it got to Pineville, it bent or curved like a bow. And of course, being wet like rain, the best name in the world for such a river was Rainbow. It was a very beautiful stream. The Bunker House, a large white one with green shutters, stood back from the main street and was not quite a mile away from Mr. Bunker's real estate office, so it was not too far, even for Mun Bun, to walk there with his older sister or brother. The six little bunkers had many friends and relatives, and perhaps I had better tell you the names of some of these last, so you will know them as we come to them in the stories. Mr. Bunker's father had died when he was six years old, and his mother, Mrs. Mary Bunker, had married a man named Ford. She and Grandpa Ford lived just outside the city of Tarrington, New York. Great Hedge Estate was the name of Grandpa Ford's place. So-called because at one side of the house, was a great tall hedge that had been growing for many years. Grandma Bell was Mrs. Bunker's mother, and lived at Lake Sagatok, Maine. She was a widow, Grandpa Bell having died some years ago. Margie, or Margaret, had been named for Grandma Bell. Then there was Aunt Josephine Bunker, or Aunt Joe, Mr. Bunker's sister. She had never married and now lived in a fine house, in the back bay section of Boston. Uncle Frederick Bell, who was Mother Bunker's brother, lived with his wife on Three Star Ranch, just outside Moone City and Montana. And now, when I have mentioned cousin Tom Bunker, who had recently been married and who lived with his wife Ruth at Seaview on the New Jersey coast, I believe you have met the most important of the relatives of the Six Little Bunkers. You see, they had a grandfather and two grandmothers, some aunts and uncle and a cousin. Well supplied with nice relatives were the Six Little Bunkers, and thus they had many places to visit. But I'll tell you about that part later on. Just now we must see what happened after the steamboat broke to pieces because Lattie jiggled himself inside the barrel when Russ was sitting on the outside of it. Are you sure none of you was hurt? You look so, cried Mother Bunker, as she saw the confused mass of children, barrel staves, box, footstool, and chairs in the middle of the playroom floor. I'm all right, said Lattie, as he pulled his leg out from where it was doubled up in the box and stood up straight. So am I, added Russ. Did I fall on you, Lattie? Yep, but it didn't hurt me much. My dear Mun Bun, said his mother, pulling a little boy out from under a chair. Are you hurt? Mun Roe Bunker was going to cry, but when he saw that Margie had no tears in her eyes, he made up his mind that he could be as brave as his little sister. So he squeezed back his tears and said, I just got a bounce on my head. Well, as long as it wasn't a bump you're lucky, said Russ with a laugh. Vi pulled her doll out from under the pile of barrel staves. The doll's bathing dress was torn, but Roe said that didn't matter because it was an old one anyhow. What made it break, asked Vi, as she did this? Did somebody hit your steamboat, Russ, or did it just sink? I guess it sank all right, Russ answered, laughing. Well, what made it went on Vi? Oh, my dear, don't ask so many questions, beg Mrs. Bunker. I got a new riddle announced, Laddie, as he rubbed his leg where it had been a little scratched on a box. It's a riddle about a wheel-barrow, and... You told us that interrupted, Russ. Well, then I can make up another, Laddie went on. He was always ready to do that. This one is going to be about a barrel. When does a barrel feel hungry? Poo! There can't be any answer to that, declared Russ. A barrel can't ever be hungry. Yes, it can, too, cried Laddie. When a barrel takes a roll, isn't it hungry? A roll is what you eat, he explained. I didn't think that riddle up, he added. Laddie was quite honest. Jerry Sims told me, when is a barrel hungry? When it takes a roll before breakfast. That's the whole answer. That's a very good riddle, said Mrs. Bunker with a smile. But I haven't yet heard what happened. Didn't you hear the noise, asked Rose with a laugh? It made a terrible bang. Oh, yes, I heard that, answered Mrs. Bunker. But what caused it, she asked anxiously. Five little bunkers looked at Russ, as the one best fitted to tell about the upset. We had a make-believe steamboat, explained the oldest boy. Laddie was inside the flower barrel you let me take. He was the fireman. I sat outside the barrel to steer. But Laddie jiggled and wiggled and joggled inside the barrel, and I had to, mother, because I was making believe the steamer was on the rough ocean, where the water is ten miles deep, interrupted Laddie. So I rolled the barrel and joggled it, and— And then it fell in, added Rose, I saw it. I felt it, remarked Russ, rubbing his back, but it didn't hurt me much, he added. I guess the barrel was so old and dry that it couldn't hold together, when you two boys got to playing with it, said Mrs. Bunker. Well, I'm glad it was no worse. At first it sounded as though the house was coming down. You had better play some other game now. Oh, the rain has stopped, cried Rose, looking out of a window. We can play out in the yard now. Yes, I believe you can, said her mother. But you must put on your rubbers, for the ground is damp. Run out and play. With shouts of glee and laughter, the six little bunkers started to go outdoors. It was a warm day, late in June, and even the rain had not made it too cool for them to be out. As the six children trooped out on the side porch, they saw their father coming up the walk. Why, it isn't suppertime, and Daddy's coming home, exclaimed Rose. What do you suppose he wants, asked Russ. Maybe he heard the barrel break and came up to see about it, suggested Laddie. He couldn't hear the barrel break away down to his office, said Russ. Then Mrs. Bunker, from within the house, saw her husband approaching. She went out on the porch to meet him. Why, Charlie, she exclaimed, has anything happened? What is the matter, you look worried. I am worried, said Mr. Bunker. I've had quite a loss. It's some valuable real estate papers. They are gone from my office, and I came to see if they were on my desk in the house. Hello, children, he called to the six little bunkers. But even Mun Bun seemed to know that something was wrong. Daddy Bunker's voice was not at all jolly. His loss was worrying him. His wife well knew. CHAPTER 3 OF SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT CREMMA BELLS This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT CREMMA BELLS BY LORALIE HOPE CHAPTER 3 GRANDMA'S LETTER While the other children, being too young to understand much about Daddy Bunker's worry, ran down to play in the yard, Ross and Rose stayed on the porch with their father and mother. They heard Mrs. Bunker ask, What sort of papers were they? You lost. Well, I don't know that I have exactly lost them, said Mrs. Bunker slowly, as so trying to think what really had happened. I had some real estate papers in my desk at the office. They were about some property I was going to sell for a man and the papers were valuable. But a little while ago, when I went to look for them, I couldn't find them. It means the loss of considerable money. Perhaps they are in your desk here, said Mrs. Bunker, for her husband sometimes did his business at his home in the evening and had a desk in the sitting room. Perhaps they are, said the father of the six little bunkers. That is why I came home so early, to look. He went into the house, followed by his wife and Ross and Rose. Mr. Bunker stepped over to his desk and began looking through it. He took out quite a bundle of books and papers, but those he wanted did not seem to be there. Did you find them, asked his wife after a while? No, he answered with a shake of his head. I did not. They are not here. I'm sorry, I need those papers very much. I may lose a large sum of money if I don't find them. I can't see what could have happened to them. I had them on my desk in the office yesterday and I was looking at them when Mr. Johnson came along to see about buying some lumber from the pile in the yard next to my office. Perhaps Mr. Johnson might know something about the papers, suggested Mrs. Bunker. Her husband did not answer her for a moment. Then he suddenly clapped his hands together as a new thought came to him and he said, Oh, now I remember. I left those papers in my old coat. Your old coat? Repeated Mrs. Bunker with interest. Yes, that old ragged one I sometimes wear at the office when I have to get things down from the dusty shelves. I had on that coat when I was holding the papers in my hand and then Mr. Johnson came along. I wanted to go out in the lumber yard with him to look at the boards he wanted to buy, so I stuck the papers in the pocket of the old coat. Then that's where they must be yet, said Mrs. Bunker. Where's the coat? Oh, I always keep it hanging up behind the office door. Yes, that's it. I remember now. When Mr. Johnson came in and I went out to look at the lumber with him, I stuck the papers in the inside pocket of the old ragged coat. And then I forgot all about them until just now when I had to have them. I'll hurry back to the office and get the papers out of the pocket of the coat. Maybe come with you, asked Russ. Please let us, begged Rose. Mr. Bunker, who did not seem quite so worried now, looked at his wife. Take the children if you have time. She said, at least Rose and Russ. The others are playing in the sand, for that's what they were doing. We, Lattie, Margie, and Mumbun were digging in a pile of sand at one end of the yard. All right, come along, little plover, and you too, whizzler, said Mr. Bunker giving Russ a pet name he used occasionally. The two children delighted to be out after the rain went down the street with their father, living their smaller brothers and sisters playing in the sand. Russ and Rose felt they were too old for this, especially just now. Did you hear what happened to us? As Russ, as he walked along, holding one of his father's hands, while Rose took the other. What happened when, asked Mr. Bunker. When I made a steamboat parley out of a barrel, went on Russ. It got broken when Lattie was inside it, and I was outside. But we didn't any of us get hurt. Well, I'm glad of that, said Mr. Bunker with a smile. And Lattie made up a funny riddle about the barrel, went on Rose. Jerry told it to him, though. It's like this, why does a barrel eat a roll for breakfast? Why does a barrel eat a roll for breakfast, repeated Mr. Bunker? I don't know, barrels ate rolls. I thought they always took crackers or oatmeal or something like that. Oh, she hasn't got it right, said Russ with a laugh at his sister. The riddle is, when is a barrel hungry? And Lattie says Jerry told him it was when the barrel takes a roll before breakfast. Oh, I see, laughed Mr. Bunker. Well, that's pretty good. Now I have a riddle for you. How many lollipops can you buy for two pennies? And he stopped in front of a little store with the two children, one on each side of him. Russ looked at Rose and Rose looked at Russ. Then he smiled and looked at their father. I think they can find the answer to their riddle in here, when Mr. Bunker has led the way into the candy store for it was that kind. And Russ and Rose soon found that they could each get a lollipop for a penny. You used to get two for a cent, said Russ, but I guess an account of everything being so high they only give you one. Well, one at a time is enough I should think, said Mr. Bunker as they went out of the store. If you had two lollipops I'd be afraid you wouldn't know which one to taste first, and it would take so long to make sure that you might grow old before you found out, and then you wouldn't have any fun eating them. Oh, you're such a funny daddy, laughed Rose. They walked down Main Street and soon came to Mr. Bunker's real estate office. He heard it inside followed by the children. Mr. Bunker looked behind the door in the little room where he had his desk. The office was made up of three rooms and in large, out of one, were several clerks. Some of them knew the two little bunker children and nodded and smiled at them. Where's that old coat of mine I sometimes wear? As Mr. Bunker, one of his clerks, when the office door had been opened but no garment was hound, hanging behind it. Do you mean that ragged one? As the clerk, whose name, by the way, was Donlan. Mr. Donlan. That's the one I mean, said Mr. Bunker. I stuck some real estate papers in the pocket of that coat yesterday when I went out to the lumber pile with Mr. Johnson, and now I want them. I must have left them in the pocket of the old ragged coat. If you did, they're gone, I'm afraid, said Mr. Donlan. Gone? You mean those papers are gone? Yes, and the old coat, too, they're both gone. If there were any papers in that pocket of that old coat, they're gone, Mr. Bunker. But who took them, as a real estate man much worried? Why it must have been that old tramp lumberman, as said the clerk. Would you remember? What tramp lumberman, as Mr. Bunker? It was this way, said Mr. Donlan. After you went out to the lumber pile with Mr. Johnson, and I saw you had on the old coat, you came back in here and hung it up behind the door. And the valuable papers were in the pocket, said Mr. Bunker. I remember that, but perhaps they were, admitted the clerk. Anyhow, you hung the ragged coat behind the door, and just before you went home for the night, an old tramp came in. Don't you remember? He was red-haired. Yes, I remember that, said the children's father. Well, this tramp said he used to be a lumberman, but he got sick and had to go to the hospital, and since coming out, he couldn't find any work to do. He said he was in need of a coat. And you called to me to give him your old one, as you were going to get another. Do you remember that? Oh yes, I certainly do, cried Mr. Bunker. I had forgotten all about the tramp lumberman, and I did tell you to give him my old coat. I forgot all about having left papers in it. I was so busy talking to Mr. Johnson that I never thought about them, and did the tramp take the coat? He did, Mr. Bunker, and he said to thank you and that he was glad of it. He went out wearing it. And my papers were the large sum of money, were in the pocket, exclaimed Mr. Bunker. I never thought about them, for I was so busy about selling Mr. Johnson the lumber. It's too bad. I'm sorry, said the clerk. If I had known the papers were in the old coat, I'd have looked through the pockets before I gave it to the tramp. Oh, it wasn't your fault, said Mr. Bunker quickly. It was my own. I should have remembered about the papers being in the coat. But do you know who the tramp was, and where he went? I never saw him before, replied Mr. Donlin, and I haven't seen him since. Maybe the police could find him. That's it. That's all we would have to do, cried Mr. Bunker. I shall have to send the police to find the old lumberman. Not that he has done anything wrong, but to get back my papers. He may keep the coat. Very likely he hasn't even found the papers. Yes, I must tell the police. But before Mr. Bunker could do this and came the postman with a mail. There were several letters for the real estate dealer, and when he saw one he exclaimed, Ah, this is from Grandma Bell. We must see what she has to say. Suddenly Bunker opened the letter which was written to him by his wife's mother, the children's grandmother, and when he had read a few lines he exclaimed, Ah, here is news indeed. Good news. Oh, what is it? Asked Russ. Did Grandma tell you in the letter that the tramp lumberman left your papers at her house? End of chapter 3. Chapter number 4 of Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bell's. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bell's by Laura Lee Hope. Chapter 4 Fourth of July. Daddy Bunker looked at his little boy and girl, and on their part, Ross and Rose looked at Daddy. They were thinking of two things. The letter from Grandma Bell and Mr. Bunker's real estate papers that the tramp lumberman had carried off in the old coat. Ross and Rose didn't know much about real estate, except that it meant houses and barns and fields and city lots. And they didn't know much about valuable real estate papers, but they did know their father was worried about something, and this made them feel sad. Has Grandma got your papers? Asked Russ again. Oh, no, little whistler. And said Mr. Bunker with a laugh. She doesn't even know I've lost them. But what's the letter about, as Rose? It's a letter from Grandma Bell inviting us all up to her home at a late sackatook in Maine to spend part of the summer. And said Mr. Bunker, Grandma Bell wants us to come up to Maine and have a good time. Oh, can we go? Cried Russ. And for the moment he forgot all about his father's lost papers. Oh, won't it be fun, cried Rose? I love Grandma Bell. Yes, I guess everyone who knows her does, said Mr. Bunker, for he was as fond of his wife's mother as he was of his own, who was the children's grandma Ford. When can we go? Asked Russ. Oh, it's too soon to settle that part, answered his father. We'll have to take this letter home and talk it over with Mother. Then I must see if I can't get the police to find this red-haired Trump lumberman who is carrying those valuable papers around my old coat. It's queer, I never thought that I'd put them in the pocket. Very queer. Maybe the Trump will bring them back, said Rose after a bit, lots of times, when people find things, they bring them back. Yes, that's so, he might do it, if he is honest, said Mr. Bunker. But perhaps he isn't, and maybe he has not yet looked into the pockets of it the coat. But I'll just telephone to the police and see if any of them have seen the Trump that came to my office. There were not many policemen in Pineville and most of them knew Mr. Bunker. He telephoned from his office to the chief or head policeman and asked him to be on the watch for a red-haired Trump lumberman wearing an old coat. Get me back the papers, I don't care about the coat, he may have that, said Mr. Bunker. The chief promised that he and his men would do what they could and some of the policemen at once began looking about Pineville for the Trump. But I guess maybe he has traveled on from here, said Mr. Bunker, as he came away from the telephone. I'm afraid I'll never see my valuable papers again. Will you be so poor, we can't go to Grandma Bells? asked Rose. That would be very dreadful, he thought. Oh no, I won't be as poor as that, and so did he Bunker with a smile. We'll go to see Grandma Bell, alright, but I would like to get those papers. He told the clerks in his office and some friends of his about his loss and they promised to be on the lookout for the Trump. Then Daddy Bunker took Rose and Russ back home with him along Main Street in Pineville. Did you find them, asked Mrs. Bunker anxiously, as she saw her husband coming up the walk toward the house. Did you get the papers? No, he answered. I forgot that I had given the old coat to a Trump and the papers were in one of the pockets. And he told his wife what had happened at the real estate office. And we got a letter from Grandma Bell, exclaimed Rose as soon as she had a chance to speak, and we're going to see her, up to Lake Sagatook in Maine, added Russ. No really, cried Mrs. Bunker in delight. Did you get a letter from Mother? She asked her husband. Yes, it came to me at the office, he answered giving it to his wife. Do you think we can go? She asked when she had read the letter. Why? Yes, I guess so. Slowly answered Mr. Bunker, it will do you good, and the children good too. We'll go to Grandma Bell's. Oh goody, cried Russ, and he began to whistle a merry tune. Rose started a single little song and then she said, oh, but I must go in and help set the table. For she often did that, as Nora had so much else to do at mealtime. All right, little helper, said Mother Bunker with a smile. We can talk about the trip to Grandma's when we're eating supper. Some of the other children heard the good news. The laws of the real estate papers did not bother them, for they were too little to worry, but they love to hear about Grandma Bell. And I'm going to take some fire torpedoes, exclaimed Laddie. I'm going to shoot him off for the 4th of July at Grandma's, Daddy Bunker shook his head. I think we better have our 4th of July at home here before we go, he said. That'll be next week and we can go to Maine soon afterward. Grandma Bell doesn't like firecrackers anyhow. We'll shoot them off before we go. Goody, cried Laddie again. Anything suited him as long as he could have fun. We'll shoot skyrockets too. What makes him be called skyrockets? He asked. Do they go up to the sky? You go and ask Jerry Sims about that, suggested Mr. Bunker. Jerry, can you tell how they shot signaling rockets in the army? Not along. Laddie was glad to do this. He liked to hear Jerry talk. Maybe he'll tell me a riddle about skyrockets, a little fellow. Russ sat down on the portion began, whittling some bits of wood with his knife. What are you making now, Russ, asked his father while Mrs. Bunker went in to see that Rose was setting the table right and that Nora had started to get the meal. I'm making a wooden cannon to shoot fire rockers, the boy answered. You can put a firecracker in it and light it, and then it can't hurt anybody. That's a good idea, said Mr. Bunker. You can be too careful about 4th of July things. I'll be at home with you and the other children on that day to see that you don't get hurt. Are you sure Grandma Bell wouldn't like to have us bring some shooting things down to her, asked Russ? Oh yes, I am very sure, answered his father with a laugh. Grandma Bell doesn't like much noise. We'll have our 4th before we go. That'll be fun, said Russ, and he went on whittling at his cannon. His father did not really believe the little boy could make one, but Russ was always doing something. Either whistling or making some toy. Except for they talked about the fun they would have at Grandma Bell's. It was quite a long trip in the train and they would be all night in the cars. And that'll be fun, cried Russ. We can all of us sleep when the train is going along. Can we daddy? Ask Ladi. Really? Oh yes, they have sleeping cars, said Mr. Bunker. Do the cars sleep? As Ladi his eyes opening wide in surprise. Oh, that's funny. A sleeping car. And say, maybe I can think up a riddle about a sleeping car, he added. You better think about drinking your milk and getting good and fat with a rosy cheek so Grandma Bell would like to kiss them, said Mother Bunker with a laugh. Don't think so much about riddles or sleeping cars. Maybe I can think up a riddle with a sleeping car in it and some milk too, said Ladi. Perhaps you can, laughed daddy Bunker, a cow in a sleeping car would do for that. After the children had gone to bed, each one eager to dream about Grandma Bell, Mr. and Mrs. Bunker sat up and talked about what was to be done. It's too bad about those papers that Tramp took in the old coats in Mrs. Bunker. I'm sorry to lose them, said her husband. But perhaps the Tramp may be found and I may get them back. Russ, Rose and all the rest of the six little bunkers got up early next morning. Is it 4th of July yet? Asked Mondrow. Not yet, Mamban, answered Rose with a laugh. But it soon will be, in a few days. I'm going to finish my cannon, said Russ. Come on, call Ladi to his twin sister, we. Let's go down and dig a hole in the sandpile. What for? She asked. While it hardly ever did anything without first asking a question about it. Huh? What for we dig a hole? To put firecrackers in, answered Ladi. And when they shoot off, bang, they make the sand go up in the air. Like a skyrocket, asked we. Yes, I guess maybe like a skyrocket, answered Ladi. So down to the sandpile he and his sister went. Mamban and Margie played in the grass. In the side yard, Russ whittled away at his wooden cannon, whizzing the wile and rose after she had done a little dusting made a new dress for her doll. Cause I want her to look nice for Grandma Belle, said the little girl. And thus they played at these and other things and had a good time. A few mornings after this, Russ was suddenly awakened by hearing a loud noise under his window. What's that? He cried. Thunder? It's 4th of July, answered his father. Some boy must have shot off a big early firecracker. Get up, children! It's 4th of July and we're going to have some fun. Get up! Hooray! cried Russ. Hooray for the 4th of July! End of chapter four. Chapter number five are six little bunkers at Grandma Belle's. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Belle's by Lorely Hope. The Tram. Such fun as the six little bunkers had. Daddy Bunker was up before any of them to see that the little fingers were not burned by pieces of bunkers, stray ends of firecrackers. And before breakfast, Russ and Lattie had made enough noise, their mother said, to last all day. It's a good thing we decided not to go to Grandma Belle's until after the 4th. She said, Dear mother never could have stood this racket. We like it, said Russ. He and Lattie did, and Manbun did not mind it very much, though he did shut his eyes and jump when a big cracker went off. Rose, Margie and Vi did not like the firecrackers at all, though they didn't mind tossing torpedoes down on a sidewalk to hear them go off with a little bang. Mrs. Bunker was afraid some of the children might get burned or hurt with the fireworks, and she wished they hadn't had any, but Daddy Bunker promised to stay with the little folk all day and see that they got into no danger, and he did, firing off the big firecrackers himself. The wooden cannon Russ made didn't work very well. The first firecracker that was shot off in it burst the wooden affair all to pieces. But I don't care, said Russ with a jolly whistle. It made one awfully good noise anyhow. Tonight we'll go down to the square and see the big fireworks, said Daddy Bunker, for the town of Pineville was old-fashioned enough to have a 4th of July celebration. And you said we could have ice cream and cake this afternoon, said Rose to her mother. Yes, I did, agreed Mrs. Bunker, Nora is freezing the ice cream now, and she made the cake yesterday. Oh, goody! cried Laddie, clapping his hands. Ice cream and cake! Is it chocolate cake, mother? He asked. I don't know, you'll have to ask Nora, was the answer. Come on, let's! said Rose, and they ran around to the kitchen door, looking in where the good-natured cook was busy with pots and pans. Chocolate cake, is it? Sure, it's both kinds, Nora answered with a laugh. It's regular thunder and lightning cake. You wait and see. Thunder and lightning cake? What kind is that, asked Rose. Maybe it's a riddle, suggested Laddie. Oh, you're always thinking about riddles, exclaimed Rose. Come on, let's go out to the barn and have some fun in the hay. For Mr. Bunker kept a horse for driving customers about to look at real estate. What kind of fun can we have? Asked why. Come on, and you'll see, returned Rose. By this time, most of the fireworks has been shot off, though Daddy Bunker had insisted that they save a few for the afternoon, and making sure that the children did not have smoldering pieces of bunk, which might set the barn on fire, Mrs. Bunker watched the six little talks run out there to have fun. Have you heard anything about the papers the tram carried away in your old coat? She asked her husband, who did not go to the office that day. No, the police couldn't find the man, answered Mr. Bunker. I guess my papers are gone for good. But I mustn't worry about them, nor must you. I want you and the children to have a good time at Grandma Bell's. Oh, we always have good times there, said his wife. I'll be glad to go. It is lovely in Maine at this time of year. Out in the barn the children could be heard laughing and shouting. I hope they don't try to make any more steamboats out of old barrels and get caught in the ruins, said Mrs. Bunker with a laugh, as she thought of the funny accident that had happened in the playroom. Oh, I guess they'll be all right, said Mr. Bunker. It's quiet now. So I'll lie down and have an app to get ready to take them to the fireworks tonight. The six little bunkers had played some games in the barn, sliding down the hay, pretending an old wagon was a stagecoach and that the Indians had captured it. Games like that, when they heard Nora calling loudly to them. What's she saying, asked Ladi, who had found a hen's nest in the hay, and was wondering whether he had better taken the eggs or let them stay to be hatched into little chickens. What's Nora want, Russ? Have you got to come in? She says, come and get the thunder and lightning cake, said Russ, who was listening at the barn door. And ice cream! She said ice cream too, added why. I heard her. Yes, I guess she did say ice cream, admitted Russ. Come on. And he set out on a run toward the house. Wait for me, wait for me, begged Manban, whose short legs could not go as fast as could those of Russ. I'll wait for you, Man, said Rose kindly, and she turned back and took the little fellow's hand. Maybe all the cream will melt if we don't run, said Man, as he toddled along beside Rose. Oh no, I guess not. Nora will save some for us, said the little girl, humming a song. And Rose was right. Nora made all the children sit down on the side porch, and she waited until Man and Rose, the last to arrive, reached the place. Before she dished out the cream. Daddy and Mother Bunker were there too, with their dishes and so was Jerry Sims. This is better than being in the army, said the old soldier. Didn't you ever have ice cream there, asked Russ? Oh, once in a while. But it wasn't at all the kind Nora can make. Sure, she's a wonder at ice cream. And we're going to have thunder and lightning cake too, added Rose. Well, I don't know what kind that is, but it sounds good on the 4th of July, said Jerry with a laugh. I hope it doesn't explode when I eat it, though, like a ham sandwich did once. Did a ham sandwich explode? Asked Russ, who always liked to hear the old soldier tell army stories. Well, sort of, answered Jerry. It was over in the Philippines. I was eating my sandwich, and some of the soldiers were firing at the enemy and the enemy was firing at us, and a shell came pretty close to where I was sitting. They went off with a bang, and the piece of the shell hit the sandwich I was just going to bite. It's a mercy the shell didn't hit you, said Mrs. Bunker. What if it did? My hand that held the meat and bread, explained Jerry. But it's good I wasn't biting the sandwich at the time, or I might have lost my head. However, here comes the thunder and lightning cake. Now we can see what it is. Nora came out of the kitchen with two heaping plates. And at the sight of them, the six little bunkers said, Oh! Ah! Oh! There were six o's and six a's as you can imagine, one for each wine girl. Is this thunder and lightning cake, asked Russ? That's what it is, answered Nora. It is the first time I've made it in a long while. I hope you like it. Sure, they can't help it if you made it, chuckled Jerry, who is exceedingly fond of Nora. Go along with you, she told him, laughing. It does look just like thunder. It's so dark, said Russ, biting into a slice of the cake. And where is the lightning, asked Rose? That's the pink part, answered the cook. You see, I take some chocolate cake dow, and mix it up with white cake dow, and then I put some dow that I colored pink, and mix that through in lines and streaks, and that's the lightning, explained Nora. And when the cake had been baked in this way, and cut, each slice showed a white part, a dark brown part, and a pink jagged streak here and there, as lightning is sometimes seen to streak through the dark clouds. Oh, it's awful good, cried Lattie, as he took a second slice to eat with the home-made ice cream. Will it make a noise like a firecracker, asked Wee, who always had some sort of question ready? It won't make a noise unless you drop it, darling, said Jerry with a laugh. Then it'll go thump. Don't you dare talk that way about my cake, said Nora. The idea of saying it would make a noise if it fell. I was only joking, rejoined the former soldier. The cake is so light, Nora, that I'll have to tie strings to it, to keep it from going up to the sky like a balloon. Go along with you, laughed Nora, but she seemed pleased all the same. We're going to see balloons tonight at the fireworks, remarked Rose. Did you ever see any, Jerry? Yes, we had them in the army. Did you ever go in one, asked Rose eagerly? Once, said the former soldier. Oh, tell us about it, begged Lattie, and Jerry did while the six little bunkers sat about him, finishing the last of their cream and cake. Then Jerry had to go to get some gasoline for the automobile, as Mr. Bunker kept a machine, as well as a horse and carriage. And the children were left to themselves. They were thinking about the fireworks they were to see in the evening and talking about the fun they would have at Grandma Bell's, when Russ, who got up to go down in the grass and turn a somersault, suddenly stopped and looked at a man coming up the side path. The man was a very ragged morn, and he shuffled along his shoes that seemed about to drop off his feet. He had on a batted hat, and was not at all nice looking. Oh, look! was Pedro's, who saw the ragged man almost as soon as rusted. I see him, Russ answered. That's a tramp. I guess it's the one daddy gave his coat to with the papers in. Maybe he's coming to give him back. Oh, wouldn't that be good? End of chapter five. Chapter number six of Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bell's. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings were in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bell's by Laura Lee Hope. Chapter six. Mun Bun's Balloon. Six Little Bunkers looked at the ragged man coming up the walk toward the patch. He was a tramp. Of that even Mun Bun, the smallest of the six, was sure. Have you got anything for a hungry man? Ask the ragged chap, taking off his ragged hat. I'm a poor man, and I haven't any work, and I'm hungry. Did you bring back my daddy's papers, asked Russ. What papers, asked the tramp, and he seemed very much surprised. I'm not the paper man he went on. I saw a boy coming up the street a while ago with a bundle of papers under his arm. I guess maybe he's your paper boy. I'm a hungry man. I don't mean the newspaper went on, Russ, for the other Little Bunkers were leaving the talking to him. But did you bring back the real estate papers? The real estate papers murmured the tramp looking around. Doesn't any riddle, added Laddie. Is it, Russ? No, it isn't a riddle, went on the older boy. But did you bring back daddy's papers that he gave you? He didn't give me any papers, exclaimed the tramp. They were in a ragged coat, added Russ, in the pocket. The tramp looked at his own coat. This is ragged enough, he said, but it hasn't any papers in it that I know of. I guess they'd fall out of the pockets if there was any, he added. This coat is nothing but holes. I guess you don't know who I am. I'm a hungry man, and aren't you a lumberman, and did my father give you an old coat the other day, asked Russ? The tramp shook his head. I don't know anything about lumber, he said. I can't work it much, and I'm hungry. I'm too sick to work very hard. All I want is something to eat, and I haven't any papers that belong to your father. Is he at home, or your mother? I'll call them, said Russ, for she knew that was the right thing to do when tramps came to the house. But there was no need to go in after Mr. and Mrs. Bunker. They had heard the children talking out, on the side porch, and a strange man's voice was also noticed. So they went out to see what it was. Oh, daddy! cried Russ. Here's the tramp lumberman you gave the old coat to, but he says he hasn't any papers. Excuse me! exclaimed the tramp. But I don't know what the little boy is talking of. I just stopped in to ask for a bite to eat, and he and the other children started talking about a lumberman and some papers in a ragged coat. Land knows my coat is ragged enough, but I haven't anything belonging to you. Mr. Bunker looked sharply at the ragged man and then said, No, you aren't the one. A tramp lumberman did call at my real estate office the other day, and I told one of my clerks to give him an old coat. In the pocket were some valuable papers, but you aren't the man. I know it, sir, answered the tramp. This is the first time I've been here. I'm hungry, and I'll tell Nora to get him something to eat, said Mrs. Bunker, who was kind to everyone. And while she was gone and while the six little bunkers looked at the ragged man, the children's father talked to him. I'd like to find that tramp lumberman, said Mr. Bunker. I gave him the coat because he needed it more than I did, but I didn't know I had left the papers in the pocket. You're not the man, though. I didn't have a very good look at him, but he had a lot of red hair on his head. I saw that much. My hair's black. What there is of it, said the ragged man, but I don't know anything about your papers. But if I see a red-haired lumberman in my travels around the country, I'll tell him to send you back the papers. That will be very kind of you, said Mr. Bunker, as I need them very much. Do you think you might meet this red-haired lumberman tramp who has my old coat? Well, I might. You never can tell. I travel about a good bit, and I meet lots of fellas like myself, though I don't know as I ever saw a lumberman. This man wasn't a regular tramp, said Mr. Bunker. He was only tramping around, looking for work, and he happened to stop at my place. That's like me, said the black-haired tramp. I'm looking for work, too. Got any wood that needs cutting? Not now, said Mr. Bunker with a smile. Jerry Sims got all my wood, but I'll give you some money, and maybe that will help you along, and the cook will fix you something to eat. That's very kind of you, said the tramp. And if ever I see the man with your papers, I'll tell him to send him back. Please do, begged Mr. Bunker. By this time, Nora had wrapped the tramp up a big paper bag full of bread and meat with a piece of pie. Tucking this under his arm, he shuffled off to go to some quiet place to eat. Soon it was time to go to the square in the middle of the city where the fireworks were to be shown. The six little bunkers talking over the fun they had had that day, and thinking of the good times they were to have at Cranabelle's, walked along with their father and mother. Behind them came Nora and Jerry Sims. Maybe the tramp will come to see the fireworks, said Rose, who was walking beside Russ. You mean the red-headed one that has daddy's papers? No, I mean the one that came begging at our house tonight. Well, maybe he will, admitted Russ. If I was a tramp, I'd walk all around and go to every place that I was sure they were going to have fireworks. So would I, said Rose. I love fireworks. But you couldn't be a tramp, declared her brother. Why not, Rose wanted to know, because you're a girl, and only men and boys are tramps. I could be a tramp, but you couldn't, and then the fireworks began. And the six little bunkers thought no more about tramps, missing papers were even about the visit to Cranabelle's for time, as they watched the red, green and blue fire and saw the skyrockets, balloons and other pretty things floating in the air. If the red-haired tramp, or the one for whom Nora had put up the lunch that evening, came to the fireworks, the six little bunkers did not see the ragged men. They stayed until the last pinwheel had whisked itself out in streams and stars of colored fire, until the last skyrocket had gone his thing upward to the clouds, and until the last glow of red fire had died away in the sky. Now we'll go home, said Mother Bunker. You tots must be tired. You had a full day for you were up early. But we've had lots of fun, said Rose, piles of it. And now we'll get ready to go to Cranabelle's, won't be, asked Rose. Yes, to-morrow and for the next few days we'll be busy getting ready to go to Maine, said Mrs. Bunker. I want a balloon, suddenly said Munburn. He had not done much talking that evening. Probably it was because he was too excited watching the fireworks. It was the first time he had been taken to the evening celebration. Do you mean you want to go to Cranabelle's in a balloon, asked his father? Probably you mean you're so tired you can't walk anymore and you want a balloon to ride in. Well, Munburn, we can get a balloon now, but I can carry you, and that will be pretty nearly the same, won't it? I want a balloon, said the little boy again, but I want you to carry me, too. Can't I have a balloon, Daddy? And he nestled his tired head down on his father's shoulder. Norah was carrying Margie, but the other little bunkers could walk. A balloon, is it, said Mun's father? Do you mean a fire balloon? No, they burn up, said Munburn in rather sleepy tones. And in truth, several of the paper balloons sent up that evening had caught fire. I want a big balloon I can ride in, he said, like Jerry told about. I want to go up in a balloon. Well, maybe you'll dream about one, said Mother Bunker with a laugh, and that will be better than a real one, because if you fall out of a dream balloon, you land in the bed. But if you fall out of a real balloon, you may land in the river. Munburn did not answer. He was asleep on his father's shoulder. The next day, between times of walking around the yard, looking for firecrackers that possibly hadn't exploded the day before, and finding straight torpedoes, the six little bunkers, talked of the fun they had had. They went into the house now, and then, to see how Mother Bunker and Nora were coming on with the packing. For a start had been made in getting ready to go to Grandma Bell's, now that the fourth of July was passed. Mrs Bunker was so busy that she did not keep as close watch over the children as usual, and it was nearly time for lunch, before she thought of them. Nora, see if they're all in the yard, please, she said, and count them to be sure all six are there. Then we'll get them something to eat and do some more packing this afternoon. Nora looked out in the yard. I see only five of them, ma'am, she reported. Which one is gone? As Mrs Bunker quickly. I don't see Munburn, said the cook. Just then, Rose came running into the house. Oh, Mother! She cried. Guess where Munburn is? I haven't time to guess, said Mrs Bunker. Tell me quickly, Rose. Has anything happened to him? I guess he's all right, answered Rose, who was out of breath from running. But he's standing under a tree, up the street, and he won't come home. He won't come home, repeated Mrs Bunker. Why won't he come home, Rose? Because his balloon is caught. He got hold of the string, and his balloon is up in the tree, and he won't come home. He says he's going to take a ride up to the sky. Oh, goodness me. What has happened now, exclaimed Mrs Bunker? Nora, she called, come. Something is the matter with the balloon and Munburn. We must go see what it is. One or the other of the six little bunkers was always, so it seemed to their mother, in trouble of some sort, and she or Nora or Jerry Sims or their father had to drop anything they might be doing to rush to the help of the child, who had gotten itself into something or someplace it should not have got into. End of chapter 6. Chapter number 7 of Six Little Bunkers at Grammar Bells. This is a LibriBox recording. All LibriBox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriBox.org. Recording by Bavia. Six Little Bunkers at Grammar Bells by Laura Lee Hope. Chapter 7. Nora O'Grady, the cheerful cook for the Six Little Bunkers, saw their mother hurrying out of the house with Rose. What's the matter Mrs Bunker, asked Nora? Is there a fire, and are you going for a policeman? Firemen and policemen, aside from Jerry Sims, were Nora's two chief heroes. No, there isn't a fire, Nora, and said Mrs Bunker. But Rose just told me that mind-burner's caught up in a tree with a balloon, and I've got to go and get him down. Maybe you better come too. Better come? I should say I had, cried Nora, quickly taking off her apron. The poor little lad caught up in a balloon. The Sage preserved us. It is probably one of them circus balloons, or maybe a German ship came along and caught him up. The poor darling. Oh no, exclaimed Rose, as she trotted along with her mother and Nora. Munn isn't in a balloon. His balloon is caught in a big tree, and the little darling won't come away, and... It couldn't be much worse. Gasped Nora, we'll have to get a fireman with a long ladder, just probable, to get him down. I don't see how it could have happened, said Mrs Bunker. He was in the yard, playing a little while ago. The next time I looked, he was gone. Where did the balloon come from, Rose? Munn went and bought the balloon, said the little girl. He bought it? cried Nora and Mrs Bunker. Yes, it's a five cent one. He had five cents that Jerry Sims gave him, Munn had, and he bought the balloon. And it had a long string to it, and it got caught up in a tree. The balloon did. And Munn Bunn's got hold of the string, and he won't come away, because if he does, he'll maybe break the string in the balloon, and Rose had to stop. She was so out of breath, but she had told all of his need to tell. Mrs Bunker and Nora, who had reached the street, and could look down and see Munn Bunn standing under a tree not far away, came to a sudden stop. And then the little darling isn't caught up by a German airship, asked to cook. No, it's just a balloon he bought with the five cents Jerry gave him, explained Rose, and it's caught in a tree, and I see how it is, said Mrs Bunker, and she laughed. Munn Bunn doesn't want to come away without his toy balloon. We must get it for him, Nora. Sure, that we will. The saints be praised, he isn't sighing about. The clouds disblessed minute, and with Nora, now laughing also, the three of them went to where Munn stood under the tree. Caught on one of the branches overhead was a big red balloon. It was fast to a string, and the little boy held the other end of the cord. I can't get it down, he exclaimed. Well, it's a good thing you didn't climb up after it, said his mother. We'll get it down for you, Munn. She took hold of the string, and Nora, finding a long stick, carefully poked it up among the three branches until she had loose the toy balloon. Then it floated free, and Munn Bunn could walk along with it, floating on the end of the string above his head. It's an awful nice balloon, he said. If it was bigger, I could have a right in it, like Jerry did in the one when he was in the army. Well, I'm glad it isn't any bigger, said Mrs. Bunker. Small as it is, you gave us enough trouble with it, Munn. But Munn Munn's alright. Nora was scared about him, said the girl, hiding the little boy close to her as they all walked back toward the house. Where did you get the balloon? asked Mrs. Bunker. One at Mrs. King's door, and said Munn, mentioning a little toy and candy shop on the block on which the six little Bunkers lived. They spent all their spare pennies there. And it was in bringing his toy balloon home on the end of a long string, letting it float in the air over his head that Munn Bunn had had the accident at the tree when the blown up rubber bag got caught in the branch. He wouldn't leave it, of course, and rose round to tell her mother. That's how it all happened. Well, coming to lunch now, called Mrs. Bunker to the other children who were playing in the yard. And don't go away from the house this afternoon. It's quite warm, and I don't want any of you to go off in the blazing sun. If you do, we can't go to Grandma Bell's. This was enough to make them all promise they would spend the afternoon in the shade near the house, while Mrs. Bunker and Nora went on with the packing of the trunks. A great many things must be taken along on a visit to Maine, when so many children have to be looked after. They used up much clothing. How long are we going to stay at Grandma Bell's? Asked Russ as he left the dining room after lunch. Oh, perhaps someone, his mother answered. She told us to come and stay as long as we like, but I hardly think we shall be there all summer. Shall we come back home? asked Rose. I hardly know, said Mrs. Bunker. We may go to visit some of your cousins or aunts. Land knows you have enough. Oh, wouldn't it be fun if we could go out west to Uncle Fred's ranch? cried Russ. I'd like to go see Cousin Tom at the seashore, put in Rose. I love the seashore. I like cowboys and Indians, exclaimed Russ. Could we go see Aunt Jo in Boston, asked Laddie? I'd like to go to a big city like Boston. Maybe we could go there someday, said Mrs. Bunker. Why would you like to go there, Laddie? Cause then maybe I could hear some new riddles. I didn't think up a new one, not in two whole days. My, that's too bad, said Mr. Bunker, who had come home to lunch and who had heard all about Mons Balloon. I'll give you a riddle, Laddie. Why does our horse eat oats? Wait a minute, don't tell me, cried the little boy. Let me guess, he thought hard for a few seconds and then gave as his answer. Because he couldn't get, hey, no, that isn't it, said Mr. Bunker. And when Laddie had made some other guesses and when Russ, Rose and the remaining little bunkers had tried to give a reason, Daddy Bunker said, a horse eats oats because he's hungry, the same as any other horse. You mustn't always try to guess the hardest answers to riddles, Laddie. Try the easy ones first. And then, amid laughter, Mr. Bunker started back to the office. Have you found that red-haired tramp yet, Daddy? Asked Russ. And did you get back your papers? No, Russ, not yet. And I don't believe I ever shall. Maybe I could find him if you'd let me come down to your office, went on the little boy. Well, thank you, but I don't believe you could, said Mr. Bunker. You better stay here and help your mother pack, ready to go to Grandma Bells. Out in the shady side yard, some of the little bunkers were playing different games. Mun and Margie were making sandpies, turning them out of clamshells onto a shingle and letting them dry in the sun. Mun's red balloon floated in the air over the heads of the children, the string tied fast to a pair Russ had driven into the ground. Russ, after having done this kindness for his little brother, began to whistle a merry tune and at the same time started to nail together a box in which he said he was going to take some of his toys to Grandma Bells. Rose had taken her doll and were sitting under a tree making a new dress for her toy and Laddie and Vee had gone down to the little brook which bubbled along at the bottom of the green meadow which was not far from the house. This brook was not very deep or wide. It flowed into Rainbow River and was a safe place for the children to play. Laddie and Vee had taken off their shoes and stockings before going down to paddle in the water and after a while, Russ, stopping in his work of hammering the box to look for more nails, heard Laddie calling out in a loud voice. Oh Vee, what made the boat sink? What made the boat sink? At the same time, Vee gave a loud shriek. Russ dropped his hammer and started to run towards the brook. What's the matter, called his mother who saw him running? I don't just know, answered Russ over his shoulder, but I guess Laddie has a new riddle. He's horring about why does the boat sink. But Vee's crying, I think. Oh my, exclaimed Mrs. Bunker again, stopping in her work of packing a trunk. I hope those children haven't fallen into the brook. End of Chapter 7 Chapter 8 of 6 Little Bunkers and Grandma Bells Mrs. Bunker and Nora hurried down to the brook that ran through the green meadow. It was just like the time they ran when the Rose called them about, Mons Balloon. Did you say anything happened, Russ, asked his mother. No, I didn't. He answered. I was making a box to take some of my things to Grandma Bells and I heard Vee yell and Laddie asking a riddle. Asking a riddle? Well, it sounded like a riddle, Russ answered. He kept saying, what made the boat sink, oh Vee. What made the boat sink? I hope it was only a riddle and that nothing has happened, said Mrs. Bunker. Maybe it will be no worse than Mon and his balloon, said Nora. Anyhow, I can see the two children and she pointed across the green meadow to the brook. They seemed to be alright. On the grassy bank was Laddie jumping up and down and pointing to something in the water and the something was Vee though she appeared to be out in the middle of the brook in a part where it was deep enough to come over the knees of Russ. What's the matter Laddie asked his mother. Has anything happened to Vee? She is in the boat and it sunk. As they answer, oh, what made the boat sink? Silly boy, stop asking riddles at a time like this, cried Mrs. Bunker. What do you mean Laddie? It isn't a riddle at all, he answered. The boat did sink and Vee is in it. What made it? A boat, sure there's no boat on the brook. And thus the boy made one himself, said Nora. I did make one out of a box and Vee was riding in it but it sank, said Laddie. What made it sink? Then Mrs. Bunker, Nora and Russ came near enough to the shore of the brook to see what had happened. Out in the middle, standing in a soap box was Violet. The little girl was crying and holding out her hands to Laddie who seemed quite worried and excited. She sunk, she sunk. He said war and war again. Be quite silly boy, ordered his mother. Who saw that Vee was in no danger? Well, get her out. Why didn't you wade out to her yourself and bring her to shore? Because I thought maybe something was out there, said Laddie. Something out there? What do you mean? Asked his mother. I made something that made the boat sink. Something that pulled it down in the water with Vee, a shark, maybe, or a whale. Nonsense, laughed Mrs. Bunker. There are only little baby fishers in the brook. But something made the boat sink, insisted Laddie. Well, see about that when we get Vee to shore, said Mrs. Bunker. Come on, she called to the little girl, wade to shore Vee. You have your shoes and stockings off, haven't you? Oh yes, mother, then wade to shore, you're all right. So we stopped out of the soap box which Laddie had called the boat and started for shore. The box floated down the brook and just ran out on a little point of land to catch hold of it when it should float to him. Now you're all right, said Mrs. Bunker to her little girl. As Vee came ashore, but what happened? We were playing sailor, explained Laddie, and I made the boat out of a box. Then Vee went for a ride, but the boat sank. What made it sink Vee? Because it's full of cracks and holes. That's why answered us. Who had got the soap box as it floated down to him? Look, it let in a lot of water and that's what made it sink. He went on as he held out the playboat. The bottom and sides of the box were filled with many holes from which the water now dripped. Laddie told how he had set it afloat in the brook with Vee as a passenger. He had pushed her out from shore hoping to give her a nice ride. But in the middle of the stream the boat went down and Vee was frightened or maybe just crossed because she was not getting the ride she expected. She screamed. Laddie couldn't understand why the boat sank and called her to know that was when Russ heard them. But you're all right now, said Mrs. Bunker. And it's so warm today that wading in the brook won't hurt you. Only don't upset and fall in. I don't believe you can ride in your boat. Laddie, it won't float when it leaks so much. Of course not, said Russ. Who knew something about boats? You got to stuff up all the cracks and holes with putty Laddie. All right, I'll do that, said the little fellow. I like a boat. I'll give you a nice ride. Vee, a real long one after I stuff up the holes. No, I guess I don't want to ride in the boat anymore. Said the little girl who was wading in the shallow water near shore. This is more fun. Well, I'll go in the boat myself, said Laddie. Ticking the box from his brother. Got any putty? He asked. No, but maybe Jerry Sims has. Answered Russ. He was putting a new window glass in the barn yesterday and he had putty then. Laddie ran off to beg some putty from the good nature of Jerry and Vee after paddling about a little longer in the brook, went back to the house with her mother and Nora. I guess I'll make me a boat too, decided Russ. I can fix the box for my things tomorrow. He went to the barn with Laddie and soon the two boys were building boats out of so boxes, stuffing the cracks and holes with putty which Jerry gave them. Then they went down to the brook and floated the boxes. They did not sing so quickly as had the one with Vee in it and Russ and Laddie had lots of fun until supper time. I am so tired. I don't know what to do, said Mrs. Bunker after supper. I have packed two trunks and I have helped rescue Munburn from a balloon and Vee from a sinking boat that wasn't a riddle after all and the whole family including the six little bunkers laughed as they thought of the queer things that had happened the day. I'll tell you what we can do, said Daddy Bunker. It's early and there's a nice movie picture showing town. We all go down and see it. That will rust you mother. Oh yes, let's go cry draws and so they did. The show was very nice and there was some funny pictures but Munburn and Margie fell asleep before the show was over and my child had to be carried home. Lady Jerry seems came along in the automobile which he had taken down to the shop to be repaired and they wrote to the house in that are we going to take our automobile with us to Grandma Bell's asked Russ no it's too far. His father answered but we can hire one there if we need one. Grandma hasn't one I believe. She doesn't like to ride in them said Mrs. Bunker mother is old fashioned. She has a carriage and a big carry-all but we'll have fun there anyhow won't we asked Russ. I'm sure I hope so. His father answered the next few days were busy ones. More trunks were packed Russ finished making his box for his things and Ladi started to make one also but he couldn't drive nails very straight and his box fell apart almost as fast as he made it. I don't guess I'll take one he said I'll put my things in your box Russ no you can't set the older boy there won't be room but I'll make you a box for your own self and this he did much to Ladi's delight. The other children brought from the playroom so many toys they wanted taken along that Mrs. Bunker said there would be no room in the trunks for anything else if she took all the youngsters piled up for her so she picked out a few for each boy and girl and put their best toys in. At last the day came when they were to take the train for Grandma Bell's. Ladi Bunker had left one of his men in charge of the real estate office for the time he was to be away and will that man find the red head lumber tramp that took your papers in the old coat asked Russ I hope so answered her father but it was not to happen that way as you shall see the journey to Grandma Bell's was a long one to get to Lake Saga took in Maine the bunkers would have to travel all of one afternoon all night and part of the next day they would sleep in the queer little beds on the train and that will be a lot of fun said Russ to Rose oh yes lots she agreed at the last minute it was found that many things which needed to be taken could not be put in any of the trunks make a big bundle of them said daddy bunker wrap up all the extra things in a bundle and roll them in a blanket we can express that as we could a trunk so this was done at last everything was ready the trunks and the big bundle were set out on their front porch for the expressman and when he came the six little bunkers and their father and mother watched the things being put on the auto truck and now we'll start ourselves said Mr. Bunker when the expressman had started toward the depot Jerry will take us all down in the auto with final goodbyes to Nora and some of the neighbors who gathered to see the party of Mrs. Bunker started for the car at the steering wheel of which sat Jerry Sims are we all here ask daddy bunker wait until I count noses let me see Russ Rose V Ladi Moonban and just then Mrs. Bunker uttered a cry why where is Margie and where was Margie she was not with other little bunkers end of chapter eight chapter nine of six little bunkers at Grandma Bell's this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Nam Dodge six little bunkers at Grandma Bell's by Laura Lee Hope roses doll daddy bunker who had started to count noses to make sure all his family was together ready to start in the automobile with Jerry Sims for the depot stopped suddenly when he found that little Margie was not with the other children at the same time mother bunker also saw that one of her little girls was missing where did Margie go ask Mrs. Bunker I told her not to run back into the house she didn't said Nora I was standing right by the door all the while and she didn't go in maybe she went in the back way said Russ the back door is locked returned Nora she must have run down the street to say goodbye to some of her playmates while the expressman was loading in the trunks I'll go and look offered Russ and you look in the back and side yards Rose said Mr. Bunker Rose ran around to the backyard a hasty look showed her that her little sister was not there and she hurried around to the front porch to tell her father and mother at the same time Russ came back from his trip down the street I didn't see her anywhere he reported and I called but she didn't answer where can the child be cried Mrs. Bunker Nora are you sure she isn't in the house positive but I'll take a look just then Russ cried here comes the expressman back again maybe he forgot some of the trunks no he took them all said Mr. Bunker I don't see the express auto stopped in front of the bunker house did you miss anything asked the man laughing miss anything repeated the children's father oh Margie we missed her said Mrs. Bunker well I guess I've got her here on my truck went on the expressman laughing some more you have my little girl cried Mrs. Bunker how did she get into your auto that I don't know the expressman said but here she is and he lifted out the big bundle loosely wrapped in an old blanket the bundle had in it the things that wouldn't go in the trunks it was open at both ends and tied with straps and ropes out of one ends stuck the dark and now tangled curls of Margie Bunker and Margie was laughing oh what a girl you are cried her mother how did you get in there Margie I I wiggled in was the answer as the expressman carried the bundle little Bunker and all to the porch I wanted to get my rubber ball that was inside so I just wiggled in I did did you really find her in that bundle asked Mr. Bunker as the expressman put it down on the porch and Margie with the help of her mother wiggled out yes she was in there was the man's answer I loaded that bundle on last I remember because it was soft and I didn't want to crush it with the heavy trunks it's a good thing I did though I didn't know there was a little girl inside how did you find out she was in there asked Mrs. Bunker well I stopped my machine when I got down the street away to take on some more packages answered the expressman and I heard a funny sound it was like a sneeze I did sneeze said Margie while Nora was busy smoothing the wrinkles out of her dress some dust got up my nose and I sneezed first I thought it was a little puppy dog or a cat sometimes people send animals by express explain the driver but when I looked back I saw little girl's head sticking out of the bundle and I knew right away where she belonged I thought you didn't want to ship her as baggage or by express so I brought her back as fast as I could I'm glad you did said Mrs. Bunker we couldn't imagine where she had gone what did you do Margie asked Russ I I just crawled inside the bundle replied the little girl I remembered I put my rubber ball inside and I wanted it so I wiggled inside and when I got there I was so tired I went to sleep I guess and that is just what happened Margie had wiggled herself all the way inside the bundle which was not wrapped very tightly it was big enough to hold her and neither her feet nor her head stuck out of either end the bundle had been put on the porch with the trunks and Margie found it easy to crawl into it after her ball which with other toys of the children had been put in the bundle at the last minute well now we'll start off again said daddy bunker don't any of you children crawl into any bundles or shut yourselves up in trunks we all want to go to grandma bells together the expressman once more carried the bundle to his auto truck and found it a little lighter this time for Margie was not snuggled up inside it then after counting noses Mr. Bunker his wife and the children got into the auto with Jerry Sims and started for the depot now I guess we're all right said the children's father as he saw that the baggage was safely put on the train including the bundle into which Margie had wiggled herself all aboard that's what you called when we were playing steam boat said rose to Russ as they got into the passenger car yes we had lots of fun that day didn't we he asked yes and we'll have a lot of fun at grandma bell said his sister as the six little bunkers were to stay on the train all the rest of that day and night as well as part of the next day they did not go in an ordinary day coach they went in one that had big deep seats which when the time came could be turned into beds with sheets pillowcases and curtains hanging in front but until the beds were needed the seats were used by the passengers some riding backward and some forward as there were eight bunkers including the father and mother they needed several beds for sleeping at night daddy would take mum bun in with him and Margie would be tucked in with her mother Russ and laddie said they wanted to sleep together while rose and violet were to share a birth between them and thus they would be as comfortable as possible on the trip but it will be quite a while before the births are made up said mr. bunker to the children so sit beside the windows and look out it was lots of fun riding in the train to grandma bells the smaller children had not traveled much and everything was new to them rose and Russ had been on little trips though so they did not so much marvel at the things they saw but every time the train passed cows or horses in a field went under a bridge or over one or through a tunnel it was something for the other four little bunkers to wonder at and say oh and ah after a while though they grew less excited and sat in the big deep seats more quietly looking at the trees and telegraph poles that seemed to rush by so swiftly there were a few other passengers in the sleeping car that is it would be a sleeping car when the births were made up and for a time the children looked at the men and women who were traveling I wonder if they have any grandma bell to go to ask Vi of her mother oh yes I suppose so was the answer for Mrs. Bunker was busy reading and hardly knew what she said are they going to our grandma bells asked Vi quickly to our grandma bells no I don't suppose that exclaimed Mrs. Bunker realizing that Vi was surprised but they have some place to go I don't believe they have any place as nice as our grandma Bell's house went on Vi when will we get their mother do you know oh not for a long while now please don't ask so many questions Vi I want to read look out of the window Vi did for a little while then she turned to her father and asked how many telegraph poles are there oh I don't know he answered then knowing that once Vi started to ask questions she would never stop he bought her a picture book from the train boy I want a book too demanded laddie so do I said Margie here give them each one exclaimed Mr. Bunker with a laugh maybe that will keep them quiet until bedtime I don't want a book now thank you said Rose I'm going to get my doll to sleep she had brought with her the largest doll she owned almost as large it was as herself and this she held in her arms as she sat in the seat away from the others as the car was not crowded five little bunkers sat looking at the picture books daddy Bunker had bought them Mr. and Mrs. Bunker were reading papers and Rose was getting her doll to sleep the doll did really shut its eyes so Rose did not have to pretend very hard that her pet was soon in slumberland now I'm going to put her to bed she whispered and walking down to the end of the car where it'll be quiet the little girl said to herself she laid the doll wrapped in a shawl down in the deep corner of the seat the afternoon wore on the little bunkers looked at their picture books taking turns and again gazed out of the window Rose thought her doll had slept long enough so she walked down to the end of the car to get her pet the little girl came back with a bundle in her arms and sitting down beside her mother began unwrapping the shawl and then something very queer happened there was a tiny little cry and the bundle in Rose's arms moved the little girl cried oh mother look look mother my dolly has come alive it has turned into a real live baby look oh mother end of chapter nine chapter ten of six little bunkers at grandma bells this is a Libervox recording all Libervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Libervox.org recording by Nan Dodge six little bunkers at grandma bells by Laura Lee Hope the wrong daddy Mrs. Bunker turned from her paper to look down at what Rose held in her arms and to the surprise of the children's mother she saw that her little girl held not a doll that could open and close her eyes but a real live baby which was kicking and squirming in its blankets and wrinkling up its tiny face making ready to cry oh Rose cried Mrs. Bunker what have you done I I didn't do anything Rose answered but my doll turned into a live baby oh exclaim Mrs. Bunker you have you have and just then down at the other end of the car a woman's voice cried oh my baby my baby where is my baby this is only a doll at once the car was a scene of great confusion mr. Bunker ran to where Rose and her mother sat Rose still holding the live baby the other little bunkers wondered what had happened at the other end of the car a woman rushed frantically along holding out a doll look look she cried somebody took my dear baby and left this doll oh conductor stop the train daddy Bunker seemed to be the first to understand what had happened he hurried to Rose and tenderly lifted up the little baby which was now crying hard perhaps it knew that something had happened or perhaps it was hungry here is your baby madams had mr. Bunker to the woman and I guess you have my little girl's doll it's just a mix up just a great big mistake here is your baby the woman whose face showed delight now instead of fear and worry clasped her baby in her arms first handing the doll to mr. Bunker oh my baby my precious she crooned pressing her face close to the child I thought someone had taken you I I guess I took up your baby for my doll put in Rose I laid my doll down in a seat at the end of the car so she would go to sleep nice and quiet that's just what I did with my baby said the woman and then I went to get my doll and I thought she'd come to life went on rose the seats where the baby and doll were must have been right next to one another said mrs. Bunker that's how rose picked up your little one in mistake for her doll I suppose so the baby's mother answered with a smile well it has all come out all right I'm glad to say but at first I was dreadfully frightened it was a queer mistake said mr. Bunker rose put her doll down to sleep in the seat right next to where the live baby was sleeping and the seats looked so much alike and rose's doll was in a white shawl just like the real baby so that's how it happened and the baby is such a little one and rose's doll is so big that no wonder she didn't know the difference until she saw the real baby open its eyes went on mother bunker well it was a funny happening the other passengers laughed and talked about it and so did the six little bunkers then it was time to go into the dining car for supper after which the births would be made up so those who wished could go to bed the children were all sleepy for they had gotten up early so they hurried through their supper they were interested in seeing the colored porter make the beds when they got back to their own coach he pulled out the bottom parts of two seats until they met in the middle then he fastened them together pulled down what seemed to be a big shelf overhead and from this recess or closet he took blankets curtains sheets pillows cases and everything needed for nice clean beds as mrs. bunker was afraid the children might roll out of the upper births in the night if the train went fast or swayed they all had lower births soon the children with their heaviest clothing taken off were stretched out and a little later lulled by the clickety-click clack of the wheels they were deep and slumber the younger children did not awaken all night but rose and rust both said they did once during the hours of darkness and I heard a baby cry said rose was it the one I took for my doll I guess it was little helper answered her mother the next morning when rose told about it after breakfast eaten at little tables in the dining car the lady brought the baby down for rose and all the other little bunkers to see oh isn't she cute cried rose I wish we could keep her I'm glad you like her said the baby's mother but I want to keep her for myself once more it was daylight and as the train rumbled on toward Lake Sagatook the bunkers look from the windows or looked again at the picture books their father had bought for them when shall we be there asked us for perhaps the tenth time he was getting a bit tired of train travel we'll get in at the station about noon his father told him but we have to drive about five miles in a wagon or an auto to get to grandma Bell's place that is on the shore of Lake Sagatook and I hope none of you fall in said Mrs. Bunker we'll get a boat said Russ and I hope it won't sink at advice remembering her last boat ride oh say I've thought of a new riddle shouted laddie why don't the tickets get mad when the conductor punches them why don't they I don't know I give up said daddy bunker what's the answer oh I haven't thought of a good answer yet said laddie with a laugh I just thought of the riddle and he sat by the window murmuring over and over to himself why don't the tickets get mad when the conductor punches them on and on rumbled the train they were getting near the end of the trip and the children were counting the time before they would get to the station where they could start to drive to Lake Sagatook and Grandma Bell's house when the conductor came through the coach and told Mr. Bunker that if he changed cars and took another train at a junction station he could save all of an hour we'll do that decided the children's father we'll change it clear well and get on a train there that will take us to Sagatook earlier the name of the station where they were to start to drive to Grandma's was Sagatook the lake was five miles back in the woods they were soon near the junction where two railroad lines came together and there the bunkers were to change they gathered up their belongings and stood ready to get off the car in which they had been nearly a whole day clear well was quite a large place and the station where the two different railroad trains came in was a big one there was quite a crowd getting off the train on which the bunkers had ridden and more of a crowd on the platform follow me call daddy Bunker to his wife and children and don't lose any of your bundles he was carrying Mun Bun while Mrs. Bunker had Margie in her arms Russ Rose Laddie and Vi came along behind Laddie stopped for a moment to look at some pictures on the magazine covers at the newsstand and then as he gave a quick glance and saw the others crossing the platform and leaving him he ran on to catch up to them he saw a man's hand dangling among others in the crowd and in another instant Laddie had grasped it he thought it was his father's and he called above the noise of the crowd why don't the tickets get mad when the conductor punches them hey what's that tickets a conductor i'm not the conductor a voice exclaimed who's this grabbing my hand Laddie looked up he had hold of the wrong daddy end of chapter 10 chapter 11 of six little bunkers at grandma bells this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Campbell Shelp six little bunkers at grandma bells by Laura Lee Hope chapter 11 the funny voice the man whose hand Laddie had taken hold of in the crowd thinking it was his father's looked down at the little fellow and smiled and when Laddie saw the smile he felt better what was it you were asking me little boy the man kindly inquired i was i was asking you a riddle said laddie what about the man wanted to know it was about a conductor punching tickets on the train said laddie but i don't know the answer first what is the question the man inquired still smiling it's why don't the tickets get mad when the conductor punches him laddie repeated hmm used the man i don't believe that i know the answer to that riddle did you think i did well i i didn't know said laddie slowly nobody seems to know the answer to that riddle but you see i thought you were my father when i took hold of your hand oh you did and the man laughed and gave laddie's hand a gentle squeeze well i thought you were my little boy for a moment but then i happened to think that he is away down in new york city so you see it couldn't be my little boy but are you lost oh no answered laddie that is i'm not very much lost you see we're going to my grandma bells and we changed cars here how many of you are going to grandma bells asked the man as he stopped in the crowd and began looking around my father and my mother and six of us little bunkers answered laddie six little bunkers repeated the man is that another riddle oh no but you see there are six of us there's rose and vi and margie and then there's me i'm laddie and mun bun mun bun cried the jolly man is that some pet no he's my little brother explained laddie his real name is mun roe bunker but we call him mun bun for fun oh i see and the man laughed again six little bunkers on a train arrive one gets lost and then there are five he chanted oh that's like ten little engines laughed laddie and though he had picked the wrong daddy out of the crowd of railroad passengers he didn't feel at all lost now yes it is a little like ten little engines standing in a line one fell out and then there were nine the man went on but are you sure you are not lost oh no only a little answered laddie my real daddy must be around here somewhere with the rest of the little bunkers asked the man yes i i guess so said laddie looking around for his father and mother as well as brothers and sisters we came on the train from pineville he went on and we're going to grandma bells i stopped to look at some pictures by the newsstand and then i and then you picked me out of the crowd for your daddy finished the man as laddie stopped not knowing what else to say well there is no harm done and unless i'm much mistaken here comes your daddy now looking for you oh yes that is my daddy cried laddie as he saw his father pushing his way through the crowd looking on all sides as if hunting for something or for somebody why to be sure for laddie himself better call to him suggested the man i don't believe he sees you here i am daddy shouted laddie and letting go of the man's hand he ran straight into mr bunkers arms why laddie where have you been asked his father your mother thought maybe you might have been left on the express train but i was sure i saw you get off i did laddie said i walked along but i picked out the wrong daddy the wrong daddy asked mr bunker not knowing just what to think is this another riddle laddie he means me the man said coming up just then i believe i got off the same train you did anyhow this little boy came along behind me in the crowd and began asking something about a conductor and punching tickets that is a riddle but the other wasn't laddie explained only i didn't know the answer well never mind you must hurry with me said his father we missed you and i had to come back to hunt you up the other train is almost ready to start thank you for taking care of the boy went on laddie's father to the man if you have ever traveled with children you know what a task it is to watch out for them oh indeed i know i have four of my own said the man then he waved his hand to laddie saying goodbye little bunker goodbye laddie called to the man whose hand he had taken a mistake then he hurried off with his father to where mrs bunker and the others were waiting laddie where were you asked his mother he had the wrong daddy explained mr bunker and he told me something like a riddle only it wasn't went on the little boy it was like the engines verse six little bunkers in a beehive one got lost and then there were five but we weren't in a beehive cried out rust i know the man didn't say beehive either laddie admitted but i don't know what it was anyhow he was a nice man and it was a funny little verse a little later the family got aboard another train and started off on a short ride that would bring them to sagatec once they could drive to the lake where grand mobile lived this part of the railroad journey was not very long and they rode in an ordinary day coach and not in a heavy sleeping car with big seats now and then the train passed through places where there were big trees growing are they the woods asked rust with much interest yes his father told him main has in it many woods and there are big forests around lake sagatec where grandma bell lives you must be careful not to get lost in them i'll be careful promised rust a little later the train puffed in at a small station and there the bunkers got out they saw waiting a big automobile though it was not as nice as the one they had at home are you the bunkers asked the man standing near the automobile yes answered mr bunker were you waiting for us i was mrs bell hired me to come over and get you you see i'm about the only one that's got an auto in these parts and it's quite a drive through the woods for a team mrs bell thought maybe i'd better come in my machine i'm glad you did said mr bunker there will be room for all of us in it yes and the baggage too said the man who said he was mr jim mead when i get an auto i want one big enough for the whole family pile in now children and make yourselves at home do you know our grandma bell asked rust of mr mead i should say i did he answered she and i are neighbors and good friends pile in and i'll soon have you out at the lake is it a nice lake asked by it is indeed little pussy answered mr mead playfully pinching her chubby cheek it's the finest lake in the world and it's as blue as his eyes and he pointed to mun bun who was kicking the big auto tires with the toes of his shoes to see how hard they were i guess we'll like it there said rose as she smoothed out her little doll's dress i'm going to swim declared rust well pile in and i'll soon have you at grandma bells said mr mead and very quickly the automobile was chugging along a woodland road under tall green trees there's the house said mr mead in about half an hour as he pointed through the trees the children had a glimpse of a big white house near the shore of a blue lake amid the trees and a little later they were getting out of the machine on the drive while a dear old lady with pretty white hair was kissing mother bunker oh i'm glad to see you glad to see you everyone cried grandma bell i'm very glad you came let me see if you're all here daddy mother and six little bunkers that's right now come right in and get something to eat i'm so glad to see you and as the six little bunkers started to go in the house suddenly a strange voice that seemed to come from the woods cried let me out let me out take me don't leave me behind everyone looked at everyone else were any of the little bunkers missing end of chapter 11 recording by cambell