le, felt worse over the loss of
their balloons than the others did. But Aunt Jo found some pieces of
candy for the little tots, and promised they could have new balloons in
a few days.

"And now we'll all go for an auto ride," she said.

That made Margy and Mun Bun smile, and the other little Bunkers also
felt better.

"Will you take us out the way the balloons are blowing?" asked Russ, for
the "airship" could still be seen, a faint speck in the sky.

"Why do you want to go that way?" asked Aunt Jo.

"Because maybe then we can get the balloons back," Russ said.

"And my doll, too, and the basket!" added Rose eagerly.

"Maybe," said Russ. "You know balloons and airships have always got to
come down. They can't sail on forever, and when this one you made, Rose,
comes down, we can get it, and your doll, too."

"Oh, won't that be good!" cried the little girl. "I do hope we can!"

"Well, of course you may find it," said Aunt Jo; "but I'm afraid you
never will, Rose. Of course I know, around the Fourth of July, sometimes
fire balloons, that burn out and don't burn up, come down. Once one came
down in our yard, and William got it. And this may happen to the
balloons you sent up, or that you let get away from you. The gas may all
go out of them, as it probably will, and the basket and the doll will
come down."

"I'd like to get Lily again, awful much," said Rose. "'Course she wasn't
my best doll, but I love her just the same."

"Well, we'll take an automobile ride," said her aunt, "and if we see the
airship down anywhere we'll get it."

"Maybe some other little girl will find it, as you did the pocketbook,
and want to keep it," suggested Russ.

"Well, if she knew it was my doll wouldn't she give it back to me?"
asked Rose.

"I'm sure she would," put in Aunt Jo. "But don't set your heart too much
on it, my dear. I'm afraid your doll is gone forever."

But you just wait and see what happens.

They all went for an automobile ride, and, though they looked in the
direction the balloons had floated, they did not see the "airship." Rose
and Russ even asked several policemen they passed if they had seen the
balloons and basket with the doll in it come down, but none had.

Of course Rose felt bad, and so did the other little Bunkers, about
losing their balloons, but there was no help for it. They were gone.

It was a day or so after this, and the children were talking about a
trip to Nantasket Beach Aunt Jo was to