Part 20 (1/2)

”Ha! Maybe that's where the water came from!” cried Uncle Toby.

And it was. As the sink cupboard was opened more water was seen, and in the midst of the puddle there floated what was left of a large ball of snow. Trouble had brought it in, put it under the sink when no one was looking, and there the warmth of the kitchen stove had slowly melted it, causing the water to run out under the doors.

”What in the world made you put a s...o...b..ll in there, Trouble?” asked Ted, as Aunt Sallie mopped up the water.

”Maybe I wants make snowman in night,” was Trouble's answer.

That may have been his reason--no one could tell. At any rate, no great harm was done, as the snow water was clean and the oilcloth was soon wiped dry.

”I guess you'd better go to bed before you get into any more mischief,”

said Janet.

And soon the Curlytops and their playmates were all sound asleep.

The next day it rained, and as the weather turned warm the snow was soon nearly all melted or washed away.

”So much the better for making the trip to Crystal Lake,” said Uncle Toby. ”I don't care what it does after we get there, but I like good going though the woods.”

”Oh, what fun we'll have at Crystal Lake!” cried the Curlytops and their playmates.

They started three days later, in the big automobile. Uncle Toby, Aunt Sallie, the children, and Skyrocket. Uncle Toby hired a colored man and his wife to come and live in his house and look after the pets, including the new kitten, Fluff, while he was at camp for the holidays.

”Hurray! Here we go!” cried Ted and the others, as Uncle Toby started the automobile.

As they were turning out of the drive a boy came riding up the street on a bicycle, waving a yellow envelope in his hand.

”Wait a minute! Wait a minute!” he shouted. ”Here's a telegram!”

CHAPTER XIII

THE LONELY CABIN

Uncle Toby brought the automobile to a stop and looked at the boy.

”A telegram?” repeated Uncle Toby. ”For whom is it?”

”You,” answered the boy, and Ted and Jan wondered if it could be about their father and mother. Suppose one of them were ill, or suppose Daddy Martin had lost all his money, and Ted and Jan had to go back home? It doesn't take much to worry children, just as it doesn't take much to make them happy.

Tom and Lola, too, knew that telegrams often bring bad news, and as Uncle Toby was opening the yellow envelope which the boy handed him, these two playmates of the Curlytops thought perhaps something had happened at their home.

And, in turn, Harry and Mary began to fear that the message might be bad news about their mother in the hospital. A few tears began to form in Mary's eyes, but they soon dried away when Uncle Toby, after reading the message, gave a hearty laugh.

”Ha! Ha! Ha!” chuckled Uncle Toby. ”This is funny! The idea of sending me a message like this!”

”What is it?” asked Ted, while the messenger boy waited to see if Uncle Toby wanted to send an answer to the telegram.

”Oh, it's from an old friend of mine, Hezekiah Armstrong. He says he has a chance to buy an elephant cheap, and he telegraphs to ask me if I don't want it.”

”Want an elephant!” repeated Jan.