ey some one
sent her. It must be hard for her to lose it, but we can't seem to find
to whom it belongs."

"Perhaps we shall, some day," said Aunt Jo. And they were to, in a very
strange way, as you shall hear in due time.

Down the street ran the six little Bunkers, to get the toy balloons.
They saw them in the store window--red, green and blue ones, and they
picked out different colors.

"Don't they look pretty?" cried Vi, as they marched back with the
blown-up rubber bags floating in the air over their heads.

As yet the balloons had only short strings on them, and Rose, to make
sure the toys of Mun Bun and Margy would not get away, tied the strings
to their wrists.

"They look like big plums or apples," said Laddie. "Maybe I could think
up a riddle about the balloons."

"Well, you can be thinking about it when we have a race to see which one
goes highest in the air," said Russ. "When we get to Aunt Jo's house,
we'll get string and let the balloons sail away up."

Mother Bunker said strong thread would be better than string, as it
would not be so heavy, and soon the six little Bunkers were out in the
front yard, letting their toys sail high above their heads.

"Mine's the highest!" cried Russ, as he looked at his green balloon
floating high above the trees.

"That's 'cause you let out all the thread," said Laddie. "I'm not going
to let all mine unwind."

And neither did the other children, for they were afraid their toys
might get away. For some time they had fun in this way, pulling the
balloons down when they got very far up in the air, and then letting
them float upward again.

Then came a call from the house. It was Mother Bunker, saying:

"Here is some bread and jam for hungry children. How many of you want
it?"

There was no question as to how many did. Each of the six little Bunkers
was hungry.

"Let's tie our balloons to the fence and leave 'em here until we get
back," said Russ, and this was done, he and Rose tying the threads of
Mun Bun and Margy, who could not make very good knots as yet.

And so, with the balloons floating out in front, the children went back
to sit under the grape-arbor and eat bread and jam that Parker spread
for them.

It was so good that some of them had two slices, and then William
brought the automobile out of the garage and began to get it ready for a
run. Aunt Jo was to take the children for a ride.

"What's William doing to the auto?" asked Vi.

"Come on!