s. Bunker. "What do you mean? Is it a
riddle about the peanuts?"

"I don't know," answered Rose. "But Laddie has something hid under his
coat, and he asked me to guess what it was, so it must be a riddle. And
it makes a funny squeaking noise."

"My goodness!" exclaimed Mrs. Bunker. "I must see what Laddie's riddle
is this time!"

CHAPTER XVI

ROSE BREAKS HER SKATE

Out on the porch Mrs. Bunker found her six children, for Rose had
followed her mother out of the house, finally running ahead of her to
see if any one had yet guessed Laddie's latest riddle.

"What have you there, Sonny?" asked Laddie's mother, as she saw him
standing in front of Russ, Rose and the others, with something under his
coat.

"He says it's a riddle," explained Russ.

"It is, sort of!" declared Laddie. "Yet 'tisn't zactly a riddle. I just
told 'em to guess what I had under my coat."

"Where'd you get it?" asked Aunt Jo, who came out to see what the fun
was about.

"I got it with the peanuts I had in my pocket," the little boy answered.

"Oh, then it's a squirrel!" guessed Rose.

"No, it isn't a squirrel," said Laddie, shaking his head.

"It's got a tail! I can see it!" cried Vi, as she stooped down and
looked under her brother's coat. "I can see it sticking out. It's
brown."

"Yes, it's got a tail," admitted Laddie.

"Is it a kite?" asked Russ, for he had not yet finished the one he was
making.

"Nope! 'Tisn't a kite!" Laddie answered. "It's alive, and kites aren't
that way!"

"They wiggle around as if they were alive, sometimes," said Rose.

"Oh, I heard it squeak!" cried Mun Bun. "Is it a little kittie?"

Again Laddie shook his head.

"Nope," he answered, "'tisn't a kittie. But it's got fur on. Now I'll
give you each one more guess for my riddle, and----"

But Laddie's "riddle" seemed to think the fun had gone on long enough,
and it didn't want to be guessed about any more. All at once the little
boy began to wiggle and try to hold something still beneath his
coat--something which seemed very much alive indeed.

"Oh! Oh! Oh, dear!" cried Laddie, but he was laughing.

"What's the matter?" asked his mother.

"It--it's _tickling_ me!" he exclaimed. "Oh--there it is!"

As he spoke a funny little wrinkled black face, followed by a little
brown furry body and a long tail, scrambled out from under Laddie's
buttoned coat and sat on his shoulder.

"Oh, look!" cried Rose.

"It's a black pussy with a long tail!"