"I'm going away, if that's what you mean!" snapped out Mr. Blipper in angry tones. "I traced this runaway adopted son of mine here, and I'm taking him back with me. This lady says I can't!"
"I told him to wait until you came back," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I didn't want him to take poor Bob away. I don't believe he has any right to take him."
"I don't know who you are!" spluttered the angry Mr. Blipper. "But you haven't any right to stop me."
"This lady is my wife," said Mr. Bobbsey, and he spoke in such a way that Mr. Blipper at once lost some of his bluster. "She has the same right that any one has to inquire into something he thinks is wrong."
"But this isn't wrong!" cried Mr. Blipper. "I have a right to this boy. I adopted him legally, I did! I gave him a name when he didn't have any before. Bob Guess I call him, 'cause I had to guess at his name. I took him out of an orphan asylum and give him a good home!"
"Home!" cried Bob Guess. "You didn't give me any home! You keep dragging me all over the country with that merry-go-round! I haven't any home except sleepin' in a truck."
"You were glad enough to come with me!" sneered Mr. Blipper.
"Anyway, I'm sick of it. That's why I ran away."
"Well, you're going to run back again!" said Mr. Blipper, grimly, as he gave the boy a shake.
"Wait a minute," said Mr. Bobbsey. "Have you a legal right to this boy?"