ble.

"Curlytops" was not their right name. As you have noticed, it was
Martin. Theodore Baradale Martin was called Ted, or Teddy, and Janet's
name was more often shortened to Jan. William was called Trouble as I
have mentioned.

The name "Curlytops" was given the two older children because of their
curly, golden heads of hair. They lived with their father and mother,
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Martin in the city of Cresco, in one of our Eastern
states. Mr. Martin kept a store.

The Curlytops were introduced first in the book about Cherry Farm. After
that they had fun and adventures on Star Island, they were snowed in, as
the book of that name tells, and later they went to Uncle Frank's ranch
in the West. At Silver Lake they had fun on the water with Uncle Ben.

The book which was written just before this is called "The Curlytops and
their Pets," and tells how the children cared for some dogs, a cat, a
monkey, a parrot and an alligator that Uncle Toby left in their charge
when he thought he had to go to South America.

Instead of going there Uncle Toby went to Canada. And it was from some
of the stories he told of seeing toboggan slides there that the
Curlytops had made one in their yard. Then came trouble with Trouble.

"But where is your little brother?" asked the postman of Ted and Janet,
as he rushed around behind the high pile of boxes. "You say he fell off
the platform, but where is he?"

"I hear him crying!" exclaimed Lola.

"So do I," added her brother. The two Taylor children were among the
many playmates of the Curlytops.

"He didn't fall to the ground, that's sure, or else he'd be here now,"
declared the postman. "There isn't a sign of him. Maybe--"

But Mr. Brennan never finished what he started to say, for just then a
little voice, above the heads of the postman and the children, cried
out:

"Here I is!"

"Oh, look!" exclaimed Jan.

They all glanced up and saw the head of Trouble thrust out of one of the
big packing boxes which Ted and his friends had made into the highest
part of the toboggan slide.

The opening of this large packing box was toward the rear of the slide
and Trouble was in the box. How he got there could only be guessed, but
there he was, tears streaming down his little red face as he looked out.

"I--I wants to tum down!" he sobbed.

At times Trouble talked fairly well and plainly, but when he was
excited, as he was now, he said wrong words. Nobody minded that,
however.

"