Laura Lee Hope

“ Brown. "I'll ask the proprietor of the medicine wagon if I can get a chance. But I'll have to do it when the banjo player can't hear, for in case he should be Fred—which I hardly think can be true—but if it should be he, and he heard me asking, he'd run away again."
"Yes, I suppose he would," said Mrs. Brown with a sigh. "Oh, how foolish boys are sometimes. They don't know what is good for them," and she looked at Bunny, as if wondering if the time would ever come when he would not be a "mother's boy." ”

“ But the circus came to an end at last, and though they were sorry they had to leave, Bunny and Sue were, late in the afternoon, well on their way to their automobile camp again. They talked of nothing but what they had seen, and every time they spoke of the show they liked it more and more.
"I wish we could go again to-night," said Bunny.
"It isn't good for little children to go to a circus at night," said Uncle Tad. "You've seen enough."
Of course Daddy Brown and Mother Brown had to hear all about it over the supper table, and they were glad the children had had such a good time. ”

“ As the Browns walked across the lawn, a dog came running out of the house where lived "the boy next door," as Bunny and Sue called Fred Ward, even though they knew his name. They had spoken several times to him.
"Is that dog savage?" asked Mrs. Brown.
"No, Momsie," replied Sue. "He's just as nice as he can be. He and Splash are good friends. Here Dix!" she called.
With a joyful bark the dog bounded toward Sue. He evidently knew the children, and soon made friends with Mrs. Brown.
"He's a strong dog," she said to the children. ”

“ He was closer to the tree now. The automobile was not moving very fast, and perhaps if it had hit the tree it would not have done much damage. But Bunny did not know that, and then, too, he might be hurt in case the big car hit the tree. So he was going to do his best to avoid it.
Like a flash it came to Bunny.
"I must turn the steering wheel the way I want the auto to go!"
No sooner said than done. Bunny gave the wheel a twist. Then he saw the auto slowly move that way, and away from the tree. It went past with a few inches to spare, but Bunny had not acted any too soon. ”

“ Then Uncle Tad cried:
"Sit still, Bunny! I'll take Sue in. But I must do it at the stern of the boat, and not over the side, as that might tip us over. You sit still in the middle of the boat."
Bunny, who had lived near the seashore all his life knew that "stern" meant the back of the boat. And he remembered that his father had often told him if ever he fell out of a boat and wanted to get in again without tipping the boat over, to do so from the stern, or from the bow, which is the front. A row-boat will not tip backwards or forwards as easily as it will to either side. ”

“ He isn't a puppy any longer, to hide boots, shoes and toys. I don't believe Dix took your Teddy."
"Well, anyhow let's go to find him," said Bunny. "I mean her," he added quickly, as he noticed Sue looking sharply at him. "Maybe we'll find Dix and the Teddy bear at the same time."
"If Dix hasn't gone off to find a cow or an [Pg 102] elephant or a camel or something like that to make us a present of," said Mrs. Brown with a laugh.
"Oh, Momsie! Do you think Dix would really bring back an elephant?" asked Bunny eagerly. ”

“ They had their supper inside, sat reading or playing games by the electric light, and listened to the rain on the roof, for it came down more and more heavily.
"Isn't it a nice place?" said Bunny to Sue, as they went to bed. [Pg 107]
"The bestest ever!" she cried.
It was about the middle of the night that Bunny was awakened by feeling a queer bumping, sliding motion.
"Why," he cried, sitting up in his bunk, "we must be traveling on in the dark! Daddy! Momsie!" he cried. "What are we moving for, when it's dark?"
"What's that?" cried Mr. Brown suddenly awakening. ”

“ Mr. and Mrs. Brown and Uncle Tad looked at one another. But they said nothing. Bunny started down the hill again, toward the lake, Sue following with her Teddy bear.
"Bunny surely will never make a poet," chuckled his mother.
"Oh, well, perhaps there are enough poets in the world now," said Mr. Brown with a laugh.
Bunny and Sue were first at the place where the boat was kept. There were several of them, and Mr. Jason had said that picnic parties used them. The lake was not deep, he had added, and was very safe, for any one who knew anything about boats. ”

“ Its leg is hurt. I'm going to take it to Uncle Tad. He knows how to fix hurt animals."
Bunny could feel the heart of the frightened squirrel beating very hard, and the little animal seemed to shrink closer to the boy, as though it knew it would be taken care of. Dix and Splash bounded about, now and then leaping up against Bunny as though they wanted to get the squirrel away from him.
But Bunny stood firm, and cried "Down, sir!" in such sharp tones that the dogs knew they must mind. ”

“ It had been a furniture moving van, and you know how big and strong they are. Inside they are just like a big room in a house, only they move about by a motor in the front, just as does a small automobile. ”

“ Brown. "But it occurs to me that there is going to be some warm weather yet, as the Fall is not yet over. So I was thinking we could take the big automobile—the one we used when we went to Grandpa's farm—and have a tour in it. I have to go to a distant city on business, but there is no hurry in getting there. We might all go in the big car. Shall we go?"
"Shall we go? Of course!" cried Bunny, dancing about.
"That's what I say!" added Sue, also capering wildly. "Oh, Bunny!" she cried, "haven't we got just the bestest daddy in the whole world?" ”

“ Now we'll have a good time!" cried Bunny. "Come on, Sue, we'll kiss her easy-like, and then we'll hear about the trip. When are you going, Daddy?" [Pg 22]
"And where?" asked Sue.
"One is about as important as the other," laughed Mr. Brown. "But I think you will have to wait a while. I want to telephone to the chief of police, and have him start the search for Fred Ward. We have to work quickly in the cases of runaway boys, or they get so far away that it makes them harder to find."
"What makes boys run away?" asked Bunny. ”

“ But we won't believe this one that got away is that kind until we are sure. There's a man who seems tired of running. I think he's going to stop and I'll ask him how it happened."
One of the crowd of men and boys, racing past the "Ark," had slowed his pace, being tired it seemed. Mr. Brown leaned out of the back door and called to him:
"What is the matter? Did a lion really get loose from the circus?"
"That's what really did happen, sir. Are you one of the circus folks?"
"No, we are just travelers. We are stopping here because one of the springs of our automobile is broken." ”

“ But some persons, like Mary, believe in them; and Mary is very fond of us. Even if we do not believe in some of the things those we like believe in, as long as it does no harm to our beliefs, we can do them to please a friend."
Even Mr. Brown, because he liked Mary, went in and sat down for a minute with the others.
"Now you've done away with the bad luck," said the cook with a smile. "What was it you came back for?" [Pg 58]
"Splash," answered Bunny.
"He didn't come with us," added Sue. ”

“ The rear wheels, and all but the top one of the back steps were under water.
"You can crawl out over the front seat," said Mr. Brown. "From there you can easily get down to the ground if Uncle Tad and I help you. Then, Mother, you might try your hand at getting a lunch, for it will soon be noon, while Uncle Tad and I see what we can do about getting the automobile out of the ditch."
"It will be some fun after all," said Bunny as he crawled out over the front seat. "We can picnic alongside the road, Sue, and watch Daddy and Uncle Tad get the car out." ”

“ Books are eagerly welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. Their eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive little Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustful sister Sue. ”

“ You must come to breakfast!" called Mrs. Brown. "You may look at the auto another time. After breakfast we'll have to pack it and get ready for the trip." [Pg 42]
"We're coming!" cried Bunny and Sue, and with last looks at the big car, which was to be their home for some time to come, the children ran in to breakfast.
"Now, Bunny and Sue," said Mr. Brown, as he made ready to go to his office, "one thing I want you to do is to pick out what toys you want to take with you. They can not be very many, so pick out those you like best." ”

“ There were little bunks, or beds in which to sleep, a combined kitchen and dining room, and a little sitting room where, in the evenings after the day's travel, the children could sit and read, for the traveling automobile was lighted by electric lights, from a storage battery carried in it.
On bright, sunshiny days the little table was moved out of the van to the ground beside it and there the meals were served. Sometimes cooking was done out-of-doors, also, on a gasolene stove. A tent was carried, and if any company came they could sleep in that if there was not room in the auto-van. ”

“ Sometimes, she knew, it was not good for children to go where older persons were crying, and had trouble. But Bunny Brown and his Sister Sue were two wise little children, wiser than many of their age, and their mother knew she could depend on them. ”

“ It does look something like a cat, but its tail is bigger than a cat's except when a cat is being chased by a dog."
"I saw the big tail," explained Sue, "and that's why I thought maybe it was a cat. A cat's tail always swells up like a long balloon whenever it sees a dog. But is the squirrel hurt, Bunny?" [Pg 143]
"I guess Dix must have bit it a little on one leg," said the boy, as he looked at the gray animal which did not try to get away or bite. "That's why it couldn't go up any higher in the tree or hold fast any longer. ”

“ Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in this line of books the reader is given a full description of how the films are made—the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick pictures to satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life in the Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescues along the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savage beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land of earthquakes. ”

“ CHAPTER XIV THE MEDICINE SHOW
Bunny Brown and his Sister Sue ran toward the tree up which Dix had chased the gray creature. The dog was greatly excited, and at once Splash joined in, too. Though it is very likely Splash did not in the least know what he was barking at.
Dogs are like that, you know. When one hears another bark it will join in, and then will come a third and maybe a fourth until every dog in the block is barking, and only the first one may know why, and perhaps even he does not. ”

“ Brown, speaking of the boy who worked for him and ran some of the motor boats when parties of men and women wanted to go out in the bay fishing.
"Oh! Bunker not going?" cried Bunny, somewhat disappointed.
"But we'll take your dog Splash and Uncle Tad," said Mr. Brown.
"That will be all right," agreed Bunny. "Go on, Daddy. Tell us some more."
"Well, I don't know that there is any more to tell. We are going in the big automobile, have a nice trip, and come back when we get ready. It will be Indian Summer most of the time, the nicest part of the year, I think, so we ought to have good weather. ”

“ The next morning, while Bunny, Sue and the others were at breakfast, talking about the fire of the night before, a number of children came down the road to see the big machine. All the dirt from the flood had been washed off, and as it had been newly painted before this tour started, the "Ark," as the Browns sometimes called their big car, looked very nice indeed. [Pg 135]
The country children had seldom, if ever, seen so big an automobile as this, nor one in which a family could live as they traveled. ”

“ Brown. "They will search for him."
"And we'll help!" exclaimed Bunny and Sue, coming in just then from having a romp on the lawn with the two dogs. "We'll try to find Fred for you."
"Bless their hearts!" cried Mrs. Brown, as the children ran out again. "They get into all sorts of mischief, but they manage to get out somehow. Bunny is ready for anything, and Sue is generally ready for whatever follows."
"But they are learning a good deal," said Mr. Brown. "Their life in the woods and on the farm was good for them—as good as the time they spend in school." ”

“ Brown, as Uncle Tad came out again with an extinguisher under each arm. "Do you suppose it would do them any harm?"
"Not at all!" cried Uncle Tad. "But you come with them. I don't believe the fire will be a very big one, but a lot of the country people are running to it. Bring the children along. Daddy Brown won't care."
"Whoop!" cried Bunny. "That's great!"
"I wouldn't whoop," observed Sue, shaking her finger at her brother.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because this isn't a bonfire. Somebody's shed is burning up; and though it looks nice it [Pg 131] isn't any fun for them. We ought to be sorry." ”

“ Did Uncle Tad bring his gun with him?"
"Hush! Don't wake the children," said Mr. Brown. "They might be frightened if they heard that a lion was loose."
"Frightened? I should think any one [Pg 222] would be frightened!" exclaimed Mrs. Brown. "A savage lion raging around at night, trying to get something to eat——"
"Now please don't get excited," begged Mr. Brown. "There is no danger—at least I believe there isn't."
"No danger? And with a lion loose—a hungry lion!"
"That's where I think you're wrong," said her husband. "The circus people usually keep their lions and other wild animals well fed. ”

“ Sue knew what a raft was from living near the seashore. Many times she and her brother had made them, and they had often heard stories of sailors coming ashore from wrecks on rafts. Rafts are flat boards, or planks, nailed or tied together, and they will float on top of the water and carry a number of people, though they are so low that the water washes over them and wets one's feet.
This last part Bunny and Sue did not mind, for they had on rubber boots. ”