the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第18部分
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〃Yes； it's never locked。 Say； we'll take a look in there； anyhow！〃
exclaimed Bert。 〃Come on； fellows！〃
He led the way； the others following。 As they approached the big；
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deserted barn Frank Black exclaimed in a whisper：
〃I see a light！〃
〃So do I！〃 added Will Evans。
〃And it's moving around；〃 spoke Charley Mason。
〃It's them； all right；〃 decided Bert。 〃The tramps who took our ice
cream are in there； all right！〃
〃What makes you think they are tramps？〃 asked Will。
〃Well； I'm not sure； of course；〃 admitted Bert。 〃But we can soon tell。
Come on！〃
〃Are you … are you going up there？〃 sked Charley。
〃Sure！ Why not？ I think we can scare em away。〃
The other boys hesitated。 Some of them were older than Bert； and
when they saw that he was determined to go on； they made up their
minds that they would not let him go alone。
〃All right … go ahead … we're with you；〃 said Charley。
Bert and the others advanced。 As they walked on they could see the
light in the barn more plainly。 And； as they stopped for a moment they
could hear voices talking in low tones。
〃More than one；〃 whispered Charley。
〃Yes； three or four；〃 said Bert。
They walked ahead again； when suddenly Charley stepped on a stick
that broke with a loud snap。 In an instant the light in the barn went out；
and then could be heard the footsteps of several persons running away。
〃There they are！〃 shouted Bert； dashing forward。 〃Come on； fellows！
We'll get 'em now！〃
〃That's right！〃 cried Charley。 〃Come on； surround 'em！〃
Of course this was all said for effect； as the boys had no idea of
trying to capture the tramps； or whoever it was that had taken the ice
cream。 But Bert thought that they could scare the thieves away； for the
latter could not tell； in the darkness； how many； nor who were after
them。
Flashing his light； Bert dashed ahead； followed by the others。 Into
the big barn they went； and； just as they entered the main part； they had a
glimpse of someone running out of a side door。
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〃There they go！〃 cried Charley。 〃We can catch 'em！〃
〃No； let 'em go；〃 advised Bert。 〃Here's our ice cream。 Let's see if
there's any left。 If there is we'll take it back to the party。 We might
get into trouble if we went after those fellows。〃
By the gleam of the electric light they could all see the freezer of
cream in the middle of the barn floor； near some upturned boxes。 A
hasty look showed that only a little had been taken out。
〃There's plenty left！〃 said Bert。 〃We surprised 'em just in time。
Now let's get beck to the house。〃
It was rather a triumphant procession that went back to the home of the
Bobbsey twins； carrying the recovered ice cream freezer。 And such a
shout of delight from Flossie； Freddie and the others as greeted the boys！
〃Is there any left？〃 asked Freddie。
〃Plenty；〃 said Bert。
〃And did you catch the bad tramps？〃 Flossie wanted to know。
〃They got away；〃 her brother said。 〃But never mind； we scared them
before they had a chance to eat much。〃
〃I 'clar t' goodness sakes alive！〃 gasped Dinah； when she saw the ice
cream freezer carried into her kitchen； 〃yo' am suttinly a smart boy；
Massa Bert … dat's what yo' suah am！〃
〃Oh； well； the others helped me find it；〃 said Bert； modestly。
As Dinah and Mrs。 Bobbsey were dishing out the cream； the colored
cook uttered a cry。
〃Look out！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Dere's suffin black in dere； Mrs。
Bobbsey。 Maybe it's a stone dem careless tramps put in。 Wait 'till I gits
it out。〃
With a longhandled spoon Dinah fished for the black thing； and got it。
She put it in a dish； with a small portion of the ice cream； and when the
latter had melted； Bert； who was inspecting the object； gave a cry of
surprise。
〃Why； it's a button … a coat button！〃 he exclaimed。
〃A button？ How in the world could that get in there？〃 asked his
mother。 〃Unless you boys dropped it in when you were carrying the
cream。〃
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Bert and the other boys quickly looked at their coats。 There were no
buttons missing。
〃An' it suah wasn't in when de cream come heah；〃 said Dinah。 〃I
knows； fo I took off de kiver an' looked in t' see how hard it were froze。
Dat button got in since！〃
〃Yes； and I think I know how； too！〃 exclaimed Bert。
〃How？〃 asked Freddie。
〃It was dropped in by whoever took the freezer。 They must have
been eating the cream right out of the can； and maybe they dropped the
button in。 I'll save it。〃
〃What for？〃 asked Nan； wonderingly。
〃I may be able to find out by it； who took the freezer；〃 went on Bert。
〃I'm going to look at the coats of all the fellows in school next week； and
if I find one with the button like this missing； I'll know what to think。〃
〃Be careful not to accuse anyone wrongly；〃 cautioned his mother。
Bert put the button carefully away； and the party guests were soon
eating their ice cream； and discussing the disappearance of the freezer
and the finding of it by the boys。 Then with the playing of more games；
and the singing of songs； the affair came to a close； and goodnights were
said。
〃We've had a lovely time！〃 said the boys and girls to Flossie and
Freddie； as they left。 〃Glad you did … come again；〃 invited the small
Bobbsey twins。
Even Snap seemed to have enjoyed himself。
And when the house was settling down to quietness for the night； and
when Dinah and Mrs。 Bobbsey were picking up the dishes； the circus dog
marched around like a soldier； with a stick for a gun； and one of the
fancy caps； that came in the 〃surprise〃 packets； on his head。
When Bert went to bed that night he laid the button found in the ice
cream where he would be sure to see it in the morning。
〃I'm going to find out whose coat that came off of；〃 he said to himself。
The little Bobbsey twins slept late the next morning； and so did Nan；
but Bert was up early。
〃I'm going over to the barn； and see if I can tell by looking around it；
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
how many were at our freezer；〃 he said。
But there was nothing there to help him in his search。 Some old
boxes； placed in a sort of circle； showed where the ones who had taken
the ice cream； had rested to eat it。
〃They must have had spoons with them；〃 said Bert to himself； as he
looked about； 〃That shows they came all prepared to take our ice cream。
So they must have known it was going to be here。 Well； I'll see whose
coat has a button missing。〃
It took Bert some days to look carefully at the coats of the various
boys in school； who might have been guilty of taking the cream。 For a
time he had no luck； and then； one afternoon； as he noticed Danny Rugg
wearing a coat he seldom had on； Bert walked slowly up to him； clasping
the button； with his hand； in his pocket。
His heart beat fast as he noticed that from the middle of Danny's coat a
button was gone。
And a glance at the others showed Bert that they were just like the one
found in the ice cream freezer。
〃I see you've lost a button； Danny；〃 said Bert； slowly。
〃Hey？〃 exclaimed the bully； with a start。
〃I see you've lost a button；〃 repeated Bert。
〃Yes； I guess it dropped off。 Maybe it's home somewhere；〃 said
Danny。
〃No； it isn't … it's here！〃 exclaimed Bert； suddenly holding the button
out to him。
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CHAPTER XV THANKSGIVING
FOR a moment Danny Rugg just stared at Bert。 Then the bully
swallowed a sort of lump that came in his throat； and said：
〃That isn't my button。〃
〃Isn't it？〃 asked Bert； politely。 〃Why； it just matches the others on
your coat； and it's got a few threads in the holes； and there are some
threads in your coat； just where the button was pulled off。 I guess it's
your button； all right； Danny。〃
Danny did not say anything。 He looked from the button to Bert； and
then at the space on his coat where a button should have been； but where
one wa
