She seemed so much in earnest about it, and looked so disappointed when her mother had spoken of keeping her back, that Daddy Bunker said:
“All right, run along. But don’t get hurt. Your mother and I will come along after you.”
So it was that Russ, Laddie, and Rose hurried down the country road after the peddler who it was suspected had taken the cake. Trailing after them, but coming more slowly, were Mr. and Mrs. Bunker and the other little Bunkers.
“What shall we do to him, Russ, when we catch him?” asked Rose, as she jogged along beside her older brother.
“I’ll ask him for the cake, that’s what I’ll do.”
“And if he doesn’t give it up?”
“Then—then—I—I’ll thump him!” exclaimed Russ, doubling up his fists.
“And I’ll help,” offered Laddie excitedly.
“We-ell, perhaps,” said Rose doubtfully. It sounded to her a little too boastful.
The white bridge which Mr. Harper had spoken of was about half a mile down the road from Farmer Joel’s place, and soon after making a turn in the highway Russ, Rose, and Laddie saw the structure.