e in their auto. "I know where Meadow Brook Farm is. We'll
take these children there."

"Thank you, very much," said Mr. Bobbsey. "And tell your uncle and aunt
what has happened, Bert. Tell them we expect to be home before night
with Flossie and Freddie."

"Oh, if we only can be!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey.

"We'll find the little ones all right--never fear!" said Mr. Trench. "If
you're ready now, we'll start."

So while Nan, Bert and Harry remained behind in charge of Mr. Blackford,
who had offered to take them home in his automobile, Mr. and Mrs.
Bobbsey, with some men who had charge of the balloon, started off to go
to the lake, there to hire a boat and search for Flossie and Freddie.

"They're out of sight. How far away they must be!" sighed Mrs. Bobbsey,
as she entered the automobile. She looked up, but could not see the
balloon, so fast had it been blown away.

"They aren't so far as it seems," declared Mr. Trench. "It's getting
foggy, and it's going to rain hard soon."

As Bert, Nan, and Harry were getting in Mr. Blackford's automobile to go
to Meadow Brook Farm, Bob Guess came hurrying up through the rain. The
merry-go-round, as well as other amusements at the fair, had shut down
on account of the storm.

"Where's your father?" asked Bob of Bert. "I've something to tell him.
Where is he?"

"He's gone off after the balloon. Flossie and Freddie are in it," Nan
answered.

"Whew! Those little children taking a balloon ride!" cried Bob. "How did
they dare?"

"It was an accident," Harry explained. "They didn't mean to."

"Well, tell your father I want to see him when he gets back," said Bob,
as he hurried back to the merry-go-round. "I have something to tell him
about Mr. Blipper."

However, Bert and Nan had other things to think about then than about
Mr. Blipper. They were worried over what might happen to Flossie and
Freddie.

Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey were hastening toward the lake. Mr.
Bobbsey drove his car as fast as he dared through the storm. It was now
raining hard.

"How long would the balloon stay up in the air?" asked Mr. Bobbsey of
Mr. Trench.

"It all depends. On a hot day, when the sun warms the gas, it would stay
up a long time. But when it is cool, like this, and rains, it will not
stay up so long. It will come down gently, and I am sure the children
will not be hurt."

As they drove along they stopped now and then to ask people if they had
seen the runaway balloon. Many had,