the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第17部分
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proper places and soon everyone was in his or her chair。
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
〃Can't Snap sit with us； too？〃 asked Freddie； looking about for his pet；
who had done all his tricks well that evening。
〃No； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Bobbsey。 〃Snap is a good dog； but we don't
want him in the dining room when we are eating。 It gives him bad
habits。〃
〃Then can't I send him out some cakes？〃 asked Flossie； for Snap had
almost as large a 〃sweet tooth〃 as the children themselves。
〃Yes； as it is your birthday； I suppose you can give him some of your
good things；〃 said Mamma Bobbsey。
〃Here； Dinah！〃 called Freddie to the cook； as he piled a plate full of
cakes。 〃Please give these to Snap。〃
〃Land sakes goodness me alive！〃 cried Dinah。 〃Dat suah am queer。
Feedin' a dog jest laik a human at a party。 I can't bring mahself to it；
nohow。〃
〃I'll take 'em out to him；〃 said her husband。
Then the feast began； and such a feast as it was！ Mrs。 Bobbsey；
knowing how easily the delicate stomachs of children can be upset； had
wisely selected the food and sweets； and she saw to it that no one ate too
much； though she was gently suggestive about it instead of ordering。
〃Don't eat too much；〃 advised Freddie to some of the friends who sat
near him。 〃We've got a lot of ice cream coming。 Save room for that。〃
〃That's so … I almost forgot；〃 spoke Jimmie Black。
A little later Mrs。 Bobbsey said to Dinah：
〃I think you may bring in the cream now； and I will help you serve it。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃Oh； goodie！〃 cried Freddie。 〃Ice cream's coming！〃 and he waved his
spoon above his head。
〃Freddie … Freddie！〃 said his mother； in gentle reproof。
Dinah went out on the back stoop； looked around and came running
back to the dining room； where Mrs。 Bobbsey was。 Dinah's eyes were
big with wonder and surprise。
〃Mrs。 Bobbsey！ Mrs。 Bobbsey！〃 she cried。 〃Suffin's done gone an'
happened！〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Mamma Bobbsey； quickly。 〃Is anyone hurt？〃
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
〃No'm； but dat ice cream freezer hate jest gone and walked right off de
back stoop； an' it ain't dere at all； nohow！ De ice cream is all gone！〃
The children looked at one another with pained surprise showing on
their faces。
The ice cream was gone！
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
CHAPTER XIV A COAT BUTTON
ASTONISHMENT； surprise and disappointment were so great for a
few seconds after the discovery that the best part of the party … the ice
cream … was gone； that no one knew； what to say。 Then Flossie burst out
with：
〃Are you sure； Dinah？ Maybe it fell off the porch。〃
〃Deed an' it didn't； honey gal。 I done looked eberywhar fo' dat
freezer； an' it's jest gone complete。〃
〃Maybe Snap took it；〃 suggested Freddie； as a last hope。 〃Once he
took my book and hid it。 Snap； did you take the ice cream？〃
Snap barked and wagged his tail； looking rather pained at being asked
such a question。
〃No； indeedy； Snap couldn't take off a big freezer like dat；〃 declared
Dinah。 〃It wasn't Snap。〃
〃Then who could it have been？〃 asked Nan。 Everyone had stopped
eating while this talk went on。 〃Who could have taken our ice cream？〃
〃Dat's what I don't know； honey；〃 answered the colored cook。 〃Dat's
why I comed in heah to tell yo' mamma。 I 'spects； Mrs。 Bobbsey； dat
we'd better phonograph fo' de police。〃
〃Phonograph … I guess you mean telephone； don't you； Dinah？〃 asked
Mrs。 Bobbsey； with a smile。
〃Yes'm； dat's what I done mean。 Or else maybe we kin send mah
man Sam down to de station house fo' 'em。〃
〃No； I had better telephone； in case it is necessary。 But perhaps I had
better take a look out there。 Perhaps the man from the store may have
set the cream off to one side。〃
〃No'm； he didn't do dat。 I took p'ticlar notice where he set it。
Dere's a wet ringmark on de porch where de freezer was； 'count of de
salty water leakin' out。 An' dat wet ringmark am all dat's left ob de
cream； dar now！〃 and Dinah； standing with her hands on her hips； looked
at the startled children； whose mouths were just ready for the ice cream。
〃Well； I'm going to have a look； anyhow；〃 said Bert。 〃Come on；
Charley。 Maybe； after all； that Danny Rugg is up to some of his tricks。〃
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
〃I'm with you； Bert！〃 cried Charley。 〃But we ought to have some sort
of a light。 It's dark out。〃
〃I'll get my little pocket electric light；〃 said Bert。 He had one； and
it gave a good light。 He went to his room for it。
Flossie and Freddie did not know what to do。 That their lovely party
should be spoiled by the missing ice cream seemed too bad to be true。
〃Mamma； if we can't find this ice cream； can't we buy more？〃 Flossie
wanted to know。 〃The girls just want some … so bad！〃
〃And the boys； too；〃 added Freddie。
〃Oh； I guess we'll manage to get some fo you； if we can't find this；〃
answered Mrs。 Bobbsey。 〃We may have to wait a little while for it；
though。〃
〃Well； we'll have a look；〃 said Bert； as he came down with his little
electric lamp。 Some of his own particular chums； including Charley
Mason； followed him out to the back porch； Dinah was in her kitchen；
looking behind tables； under the sink； in the pantry and all about； hoping
that； somehow or other； the freezer might have gotten in there。 But it was
not to be found。
〃Well； here's where it stood；〃 said Bert； as he looked at the round； wet
mark on the porch where the freezer had set。 He flashed his torch on it；
and then cried out：
〃And look； boys； here are some spots of water that must have leaked
from the wooden tub that holds the tin freezer。 See； the water has
dripped down on each step！ This is the way they carried off our ice
cream。〃
The others could see a trail of water drops leading from the stoop
down the steps and along the stone walk at the side of the Bobbsey
house。
〃Now we can follow and see just where they took our cream！〃 cried
Bert。 〃This is the way Indians used to trail the white settlers。〃
〃Let me come！〃 cried Freddie； hearing this。 〃I want to help hunt
whoever took our ice cream。〃
〃No； you'd better stay back there；〃 said Bert。
〃Why？〃 his little brother wanted to know。
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
〃Because it might be … tramps … who have it； and there'd be trouble；〃
said Bert。
〃Wait until I get my cap pistol！〃 cried Freddie。 〃I can scare a tramp
with that。〃
〃No； you go back there； and stay in the house；〃 went on Bert。 〃If we
find tramps have it； we'll get a policeman。〃
〃It might be that a tramp did steal up on the steps； and lift off the
freezer；〃 said Mrs。 Bobbsey。 〃Bert； be careful；〃 she called to her son；
who set off in the darkness with his chums； flashing his electric light
from time to time。
〃I'll look out！〃 he called back。
For some distance it was easy to see which way the ice cream freezer
had been carried； for there were the marks of the dripping water。 Then
these stopped about the middle of the sidewalk； and seemed to go over in
the grass。
〃We can't see 'em now；〃 spoke Charley。 〃That's too bad。〃
〃Well； we'll keep on this way in a straight line；〃 suggested Bert。
〃Maybe they took the freezer down back of our berry bushes to eat the
cream。〃
〃I hope they left some；〃 said John Anderson； in a mournful sort of
voice。
Hurrying on after Bert； the boys looked eagerly about in the darkness
for a sign of the missing ice cream。 There were not many chances of
them finding it； for though Bert's electric torch gave a brilliant light for a
short distance； it was not very large。
〃What's over there？〃 asked Charley； pausing and pointing to a patch of
blackness。
〃An old barn； that we used to use before we had our new one built；〃
answered Bert。 〃Why？〃
〃Well； maybe they took the ice cream in there to eat it；〃 went on
Charley。 〃Is it open？〃
〃Yes； it's never locked。 Say； we'll take a look in there； anyhow！〃
exclaimed Bert。 〃Come on； fellows
