ey are usually pretty good and don't
give much trouble. They play very nicely together."

"I'm sure they must. I shall love them all--every one! I wonder if they
are hungry."

"They generally are ready to eat," said Mrs. Bunker. "But don't fuss too
much over them. They can wait until meal time."

But the six little Bunkers did not have to do this, for when they
reached the bungalow, not far from the beach, where Cousin Tom and his
wife lived, there was plenty of bread and jam for the hungry
children--and hungry they were, you would have believed, if you could
have seen them eat. Cousin Ruth seemed to think it was fun.

"Welcome to Seaview!" cried Cousin Tom, when the children were eating
and Mr. and Mrs. Bunker had laid aside their things and the baggage had
been carried to the different rooms. "Now I want you all to have a good
time while you're here. Make yourselves right at home."

"They seem to be doing that," said Daddy Bunker, for the children just
then finished their bread and butter and jam, and began to run all
around the house.

Cousin Tom's bungalow was about a block from the ocean, and on a new
street in Seaview, so there were no other houses very near it. Not far
away was what is called an "inlet." That is, the waters of the ocean
came into the land for quite a distance, making a place where boats
could get in and out without going through the surf, or heavy waves.
This inlet was called Clam River, for toward the upper end, a mile or so
from the sea, it was shallow and sandy, and many clams were found
there.

Clam River was a harbor for fishing and lobster boats, and they could
run into it and be safe from storms at sea.

"I'm going out and dig in the sand!" cried Mun Bun.

"I'll come, too," said Margy.

"Well, don't pick up any stray dogs or cats," warned her mother.
"Perhaps you had better go with them, Rose," she said to the oldest
girl.

"All right, Mother. I'll look after them," was the answer, and Rose
became her mother's little helper again.

Vi and Laddie seemed to be looking for something. They wandered about
the big porch of the bungalow, and out in front, up and down.

"What do you want?" asked Cousin Ruth, who saw them.

"Something we can use to dig for gold," answered Laddie.

"Dig for gold!" exclaimed Cousin Ruth. "Is that a riddle?" for she had
heard that Laddie was very fond of asking riddles.

"No, this is real," answered the little fellow. "'Tisn't a riddle at
all. Sam