“A shoe-lace peddler?” repeated Mr. Harper. “Um, let me see now. Yes, I did pass a boy with a pack on his back down by the white bridge,” he answered.
“That’s the fellow!” exclaimed Russ. “Come on, Laddie!”
“Charles,” said Mrs. Bunker, following her husband out to the front gate, the other little Bunkers trailing along behind, “do you really think you ought to let them go?”
“I don’t see any harm in it,” he answered. “In the first place, I don’t believe Russ and Laddie will catch that boy. But if they do, I’ll follow along to see that he doesn’t harm them.”
“And if you need help call on us!” chuckled Farmer Joel, as he and Adam North began to do the night chores around the place. Farmer Joel called it “doing his chores,” when he locked the barn, saw that the hen-house was fastened, and got in kindling for the morning fire.
“Oh, I guess there’ll be no trouble,” said Mr. Bunker.
Rose came hurrying out toward the front gate, running ahead of her father.
“Where are you going, Rose?” he asked her. “I’m going with Russ and Laddie,” she answered.
“Oh, no, Rose,” said Mrs. Bunker. “I don’t believe I would.”
“Yes, please!” pleaded Rose. “It was my shortcake that peddler boy took, and I want to bring it back. Please let me go!”