for she did not want to tell that she had
been talking about the houseboat.
Mr. Bobbsey had been intending to keep that as a little secret
surprise for his wife, but now, if her mother asked about it, Nan felt
she would have to tell. She hardly knew what to say, but just then
something happened that made everything all right.
Mr. Bobbsey himself came hurrying down the street, from the direction
of his lumber office. He seemed much excited, and his hat was on
crooked, as though he had not taken time to put it on straight.
"Is everything all right?" he called to his wife. "None of the
children hurt?"
"No, none of them," she answered with a smile. Mr. Bobbsey could see
that for himself now, since Freddie and Flossie were going up the walk
together, Freddie tying one of the book straps around the dog's neck,
while Nan and Bert followed behind them, with Mrs. Bobbsey.
"Someone telephoned to me," said the lumber merchant, "that they saw
one of our teams running away down this street, and I was afraid our
children, or those of some of the neighbors, might be hurt. So I
hurried down to see. Did you notice anything of a runaway team?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "But everything is all right now. Only I
haven't yet heard what it was that kept Nan so long down at your
office," and she smiled.
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