But when Mr. Bobbsey got to the cave with the officers the gypsies were not there. They must have known that when the children went out they would tell what had happened and that the police would come. So there was nothing for the police to do. The gypsies had run away. They went to the mainland in boats, some of the blueberry pickers said who had seen them.
"And now that the island is free from the gypsies we'll have lots more fun," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "The thought of them made me nervous."
"Hark!" suddenly exclaimed Nan. She, as well as all the other members of the Bobbsey family, had followed the police to the cave, even Flossie and Freddie going along, riding to the place in the goat wagon drawn by Whisker.
"Hark to what?" asked Bert.
"I thought I heard a noise," said the little girl. "Yes, there it goes again, a sort of squeaky noise."
"It's a—it's a cat!" cried Flossie. "Oh, if it should be——"
Before she could finish one of the policemen flashed his lantern around the sides of the cave, and then, from a dark corner, some animal came slowly out.
"It is a cat!" cried Flossie.
"And it's our Snoop!" added Freddie. "Oh, we've got him back again!"
"Oh, goody!" cried Nan.