The storm which had been only threatening when Bert and his sister had been sent home from the fair grounds now broke, and it rained hard. At Meadow Brook, as on most farms, little could be done when it rained, and the children saw Uncle Daniel and Aunt Sarah sitting around talking in low tones.
"I just wish I could do something!" gloomily remarked Bert, as he stood with his face pressed against the window, down which the rain drops were chasing each other.
"So do I," echoed Nan. "I think they might have let us help them look for Flossie and Freddie."
"I guess your father and mother knew best," said Harry. "And I think the balloon will come down soon in all this rain. It sure is pouring!"
And it was. The storm kept up all day, and in the afternoon, when Nan was on the verge of tears and Bert had almost made up his mind to go back alone to the fair grounds and see if he could hear any news, there came a knock at the back door.
"There's some one!" cried Nan, jumping from her chair.
"Maybe it's Flossie and Freddie come back!" added Bert.
"They wouldn't knock at the back door," observed his aunt. "Harry, go and see who it is. Maybe it's good news."
Harry returned in a few moments to say:
"It's that boy from the merry-go-round, Bob Guess. He wants to see your father, Bert."