do you like mothering a family of
this size?" he asked jocosely.

"I fancy I feel much like the hen that hatched duck's eggs," Mrs.
Clyde returned.

There was a laugh at this, in the midst of which Sarah Blake was heard
to remark solemnly: "Yes, children are a great responsibility."

Whereat there was more laughter, and hardly had it subsided when from
outside came the conductor's sonorous "All aboo--ard!"

"Girls, we're really going!" gasped Kitty.

There was a last vigorous waving of handkerchiefs out of the window.
Suddenly a wail burst from Blue Bonnet: "Solomon! Solomon!"

All looked at one another aghast. In the excitement of the last
moments no one had thought of the dog.

"Find Bennie Blake--he had Solomon last," cried Blue Bonnet, rushing
to the platform.

"I'll find him, don't you worry," exclaimed Alec, swinging down the
steps just as the first creaks of the car gave notice of starting.

"Alec--you'll get left!" cried Blue Bonnet. "There's Bennie,--oh,
quick!"

Sure enough, there on the edge of the crowd was Bennie, but alack!--no
Solomon.

"Stop the train, can't you, Uncle Cliff?" wailed Blue Bonnet. "Alec
will be left--and Solomon too--"

Uncle Cliff leaped to the bottom step,--the train was still only
crawling,--and with one hand on the rail leaned out and peered after
Alec. Blue Bonnet gave a nervous clutch at his sleeve. What he saw
evidently reassured Mr. Ashe, for suddenly he straightened up and held
out both arms. A second later a brown furry object came hurtling
through the air and was caught ignominiously by the tail. Quick as a
flash Uncle Cliff tossed the indignant Solomon to Blue Bonnet, and
bent down to lend a helping hand to Alec. That young gentleman
scrambled up with more haste than elegance, just as the train ceased
to crawl and settled down to the real business of travelling.

"I'll never forget this, Alec Trent, as long as I live,--I think you
deserve a Carnegie medal!" Blue Bonnet cried fervently. "I'd never get
over it if Solomon should be lost."

"He wouldn't have been--lost, exactly," returned Alec in an odd tone.

"Why, what do you mean? Where did you find him?" Blue Bonnet demanded.

And Alec, bursting into a laugh in spite of his awful news, returned:
"I found him just where that Blake boy left him--tied on to the end of
the car!"

CHAPTER II

IN THE BLUE BONNET COUNTRY

"IF one of you speaks aloud in the next five minutes," declared Blue
Bonnet ea