As he spoke he thrust out his left arm and glanced down at his wrist.
"Ha! I forgot about my watch being gone," he exclaimed. "I'm so in the habit of looking at it that I forget it isn't on my wrist any more."
"Didn't you find your watch?" asked Daddy Bunker.
"No, it was lost in the excitement of packing, and I haven't seen it since," the soldier-marine answered. "I'd give a good reward to get it back, too, for I prize it very much because it was the gift of a Frenchman. But I don't suppose I'll ever find it."
"You may," said Daddy Bunker hopefully. "As soon as we get to your bungalow at Grand View I'll write back and ask Jerry Simms or Norah if they have found it. They may have picked it up after we left."
"Yes, they might," agreed Captain Ben. "And I'll give five dollars as a reward to whoever finds my lost watch," he added.
"Does that mean any of us?" asked Russ eagerly.
"Yes, any of the six little Bunkers," answered Captain Ben. "Or either of the two big Bunkers, which means daddy or mother," he added. "But we won't worry about my lost watch now. The main things to do are to get our auto out of the ditch and to let Mother Bunker know that we are all right and that we'll not be at Grand View to-night, unless you folks go on in the train and let me come later in the machine after I get it fixed."
"No, we'll stay with you," said Daddy Bunker. "We won't desert the ship, as the sailors would say. Of course I suppose I could send the children on and stay with you myself," he remarked.
"Oh, no! Please let us stay!" begged Russ. "It's lots of fun being wrecked in an auto."