"Yes, I have a great big machine," said Captain Ben. "I left it at a garage in town while I looked you folks up, as I was not sure where you lived. And you can guess how surprised I was to see a crowd of people in front of the house, to which the postman directed me, and to see fire and smoke coming out of the chimney."
"We were surprised, too," said Russ, as he started out on the porch to bring in the evening paper the boy had just tossed up. "We were playing steamboat in the attic, and a lot of smoke came out and——"
"Don't talk any more about it," begged Mother Bunker. "I don't want it to get on your minds, or you may not sleep. I shall never forget how frightened I was."
"All the more reason for the whole family coming and spending the rest of the season with me," urged Captain Ben. "It is still late summer, and the fall is really the best part of the year to be at the shore. You'll come, won't you?" he asked Mr. Bunker.
The father of the six little Bunkers shook his head.
"It is too near school time," he said. "The new term will open next week. That, really, is what made us come back from the ranch. I don't want the children, especially the two older ones, to miss any of their classes. No, Captain Ben, I am sure we're all much obliged to you for your kind invitation, but it will be impossible for us to go on account of school."
"Oh, dear!" sighed Rose, and looks of disappointment came over the faces of the other children when they heard this.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Captain Ben. "Losing a week or so of school will not matter. I have just set my heart on the six little Bunkers coming to my seashore bungalow."
Again Daddy Bunker shook his head. But, as the looks of sorrow deepened on the faces of Rose and the others, Russ came running in off the porch with the evening paper. He generally opened it and read the headings before delivering it to his father or mother.
"Oh, look! Look at this!" cried Russ as, holding the opened paper out in front of him, he hastened in where the others were. "I guess we can go to Captain Ben's after all! Look what's in the paper!"