done much talking
that evening. Probably it was because he was too excited watching the
fireworks. It was the first time he had been taken to the evening
celebration.

"Do you mean you want to go to Grandma Bell's in a balloon?" asked his
father. "Maybe you mean you're so tired you can't walk any more, and you
want a balloon to ride in. Well, Mun Bun, we can't get a balloon now, but
I can carry you, and that will be pretty nearly the same, won't it?"

"I want a balloon," said the little boy again, "but I want you to carry
me, too. Can't I have a balloon, Daddy?" and he nestled his tired head
down on his father's shoulder. Norah was carrying Margy, but the other
little Bunkers could walk.

"A balloon, is it?" said Mun's father. "Do you mean a fire-balloon?"

"No, they burn up," said Mun Bun, in rather sleepy tones. And, in truth,
several of the paper balloons sent up that evening had caught fire. "I
want a big balloon I can ride in," he said, "like Jerry told about. I want
to go up in a balloon!"

"Well, maybe you'll dream about one," said Mother Bunker with a laugh.
"And that will be better than a real one, because if you fall out of a
dream balloon you land in bed. But if you fall out of a real balloon you
may land in the river."

Mun Bun did not answer. He was asleep on his father's shoulder.

The next day, between times of walking around the yard looking for
fire-crackers that, possibly, hadn't exploded the day before, and finding
stray torpedoes, the six little Bunkers talked of the fun they had had.
They went into the house, now and then, to see how Mother Bunker and Norah
were coming on with the packing. For a start had been made in getting
ready to go to Grandma Bell's, now that the Fourth of July was passed.

Mrs. Bunker was so busy that she did not keep as close watch over the
children as usual, and it was nearly time for lunch before she thought of
them.

"Norah, see if they're all in the yard, please," she said. "And count
them, to be sure all six are there. Then we'll get them something to eat,
and do some more packing this afternoon."

Norah looked out in the yard.

"I see only five of 'em, ma'am," she reported.

"Which one is gone?" asked Mrs. Bunker quickly.

"I don't see Mun Bun," said the cook.

Just then Rose came running into the house.

"Oh, Mother!" she cried. "Guess where Mun Bun is!"

"I haven't time to guess!" said Mrs. Bunker. "Tell me quickly, Rose! Has
anything happened to