Part 4 (1/2)
”Oh, yes!” cried Flossie and Freddie.
”I'm afraid we haven't time now,” said Mrs. Bobbsey with a smile. ”We shall get home late, as it is. When is the train going to start again?”
”Pretty soon,” answered Mr. Weston.
A few more pictures were taken and then the engineer blew the whistle.
The moving picture people got in a big automobile to ride away.
”All aboard!” called the conductor, waving his hand to the engineer who was looking from the window of his cab. ”All aboard!”
”Come on!” cried Mr. Bobbsey, and he and the twins, as well as the fresh air children, were soon in the car again, speeding on toward Lakeport.
”That's the first time I ever saw moving pictures taken,” said Tommy Todd.
”We go to moving picture shows lots of times,” said Flossie. ”I like 'em, 'specially when they have fairy plays.”
”I like 'em too,” replied Tommy. ”Only I don't get to see 'em very often. There aren't very many nickels lying loose around our house.
Sometimes I only make five cents in a whole day.”
”Oh, I didn't find out how much money there was in my bank,” said Freddie. ”I was just doing it when the train stopped. Wait a minute, Tommy, and I'll ask my father.”
Back once more the chubby little ”fireman” went to where his father sat, and again he asked the question about the money, and about buying a s.h.i.+p to search for the lost sea captain.
”What's all this?” asked Mr. Bobbsey in surprise. ”Who is this Tommy Todd?”
”He's one of the fresh air boys,” answered Freddie. ”There he is in the seat ahead of Flossie.”
”He is one of our nicest boys,” put in Miss Carter, the fresh air lady.
”I was so glad we could send him out to the farm. He lives with his grandmother on the outskirts of the city near the dumps, and, though the home is a very poor one, Mrs. Todd keeps it very neat. She sews for a living.”
”Tommy's father was lost at sea, and Tommy and I are going to rescue him from a desert island,” cried Freddie eagerly. ”How much money have I in my bank, Daddy?”
”Was his father really s.h.i.+pwrecked?” asked Mr. Bobbsey of Miss Carter.
”I believe he was, yes. Before then Tommy and his grandmother lived well. We help them all we can, but there are so many poor.”
”Tommy can run errands,” put in Freddie. ”He works for Mr. Fitch, our grocer, after school. He's strong, Tommy is. He gained two pounds in the country. Maybe you could hire him to run errands for you, Daddy, and pay him money.”
”He really is a very good boy,” said Miss Carter. ”If you could give him any work it would be a charity.”
”I'll see about it when we get home,” said Mr. Bobbsey.
”And you say the grandmother does sewing?” asked Mrs. Bobbsey. ”I must look her up, and perhaps I can give her work. We won't forget the Todds.”
”But can I help Tommy buy a s.h.i.+p and go to look on the desert island for his father?” Freddie demanded.
”I'll see about it,” promised Mr. Bobbsey, with a smile.