Next the eyes of all the children were
turned on fat Dinah.
"Was--was it a baby crying?" Freddie wanted to know.
"Yes, honey lamb--it done did sound laik a baby--only a big baby,"
explained the colored cook.
"Maybe it was one of Flossie's dolls," the little "fat fireman" went
on.
"Flossie's dolls can't cry!" exclaimed Nan. "Not even the one that
says 'mama,' when you punch it in the back. That can't cry, because
it's broken."
"Well, Flossie says her dolls cry, sometimes," said Freddie, "and I
thought maybe It was one of them now."
"It was Snoop, our cat," said Bert, with a laugh. "That's what you
heard, Dinah, Snoop crying for something to eat. Maybe she's shut up
in a closet."
"Probably that's what it was, Dinah," said Mrs. Bobbsey.
"I'll go let her out," said Mr. Bobbsey, starting toward the lower
part of the houseboat.
"'Scuse me, Mr. Bobbsey," said Dinah firmly, "but dey ain't no use yo'
going t' let out no cat Snoop."
"Why not, Dinah?"
"Because it wasn't any cat dat I done heah. It was a human bein' dat I
heard cryin', dat's what it was, an' I know who it was, too," the
colored woman insisted.
"Who, Dinah?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey.
"It was de same ghostest dat done took mah cakes an' sandwiches, dat's
who it was. I'se mighty sorry t' leab yo', Mrs.
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