"I've had the switchmen and trackmen keep a lookout for some time past," the agent told Nan, for Mr. Bobbsey did a large business in shipping lumber over the railroad, and many of the men were his friends. "One of the switchmen near where the wreck was, caught a lot of cats, that must have been living out in the fields all Summer," went on the agent, "but they were all sorts of colors. None was pure black, so I knew they could not be yours. I'm sorry."
"Yes, so are we," replied Nan. "Well, I guess Snoop is lost for good. He has been away a long time now."
On the way back to Mr. Bobbsey's office the trolley car got off the track, on account of so much snow on the rails, and the children spent some time watching the men get it back, the electricity from the wire and rails making pretty flashes of blue fire.
"What luck?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, as the three came in his private office, their faces shining and red with the glow of winter.
"None," said Nan sadly. "Snoop is gone."
"Have you heard from the circus fat lady yet, papa?" asked Flossie.
"Yes, we want our cup back," added her brother.
"No word yet," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "That circus is traveling all over Cuba, and the letters I sent never seem to catch up to them. However, I am sending one on ahead now, to a city where they will soon give a show. The fat lady will find it there waiting for her, and she may answer then."
And with this the children had to be content. Getting back home, Flossie and Freddie took out their sleds and went for a coast on a small hill, not far from their home. This was where the smaller children had their fun, leaving the larger hill for the bigger girls and boys.
"Well, after this I think we all need something to cheer us up," said Papa Bobbsey, who came home from the office early that day.