by myself. Nobody told me, and I know the answer."

"Well, that's more than I do," said Mrs. Bunker with a laugh. "Suppose
you tell us, Laddie."

"And then Daddy can tell us about the boat we're going to ride on to
Aunt Jo's," suggested Rose.

"Yes, I'll do that," said Mr. Bunker. "Go on, Laddie. What is the riddle
you thought of?"

"What kind of a boat don't have to go in water?" asked the little boy,
his eyes shining, for he loved to make up riddles.

"Well, go on. Tell us the answer," said his mother.

"It's a gravy boat!" laughed Laddie. "You know, a gravy boat. It's the
kind of a dish we have on the table, with gravy in it, for your bread.
You don't have to put _that_ kind of a boat in water."

"That's right! You don't," said Mr. Bunker. "That was a good riddle,
Laddie."

"And maybe I could think up another one," went on the little boy. "I
almost got one. It's about what makes bread always fall with the
butter-side down. But I haven't thought of the answer yet."

"Well, don't tell us any more riddles now," said Russ. "We want to hear
about the boat we're going to ride on to Aunt Jo's. Tell us, Daddy."

"All right, I will," promised the children's father.

Then he went on to tell that, by taking a train to a station on the
coast, they could get a boat that would take them to Boston.

"We shall have to travel all night though, just as we did in the
sleeping-car," said Mr. Bunker.

"Why?" asked Vi.

"Because it will take that long to reach Boston," explained her father.

Rose had quite a large doll, her best one, which she carried with her in
her arms whenever the family went traveling. Rose had brought her doll
to Grandma Bell's and something funny had happened to the doll in the
sleeping-car. You may read about it in the book before this one.

"I must see if my doll is asleep," said Rose.

She had put her toy in a cosy corner of the auto seat, and covered her
with a blanket. But when Rose went to look for Sue, as she called her
doll, Sue was not to be found.

"Oh! Sue's gone! Sue's gone!" cried Rose. "Somebody has taken my Sue!"

"Who did?" asked Vi.

"Are you sure she hasn't fallen to the floor of the car?" asked Mrs.
Bunker.

"No, she isn't here at all," wailed Rose.

"Maybe you didn't bring her. Perhaps you left her at Grandma Bell's,"
said Mr. Bunker.

"Oh, no! I'm sure I had her," sobbed Rose. "Don't you all 'member that I
held her up and wiggled her hand at grandma to say good-bye