er brother.

"Oh, yes, I'm going to stay East a while," he said. "But I'm desirous of
getting back to Three Star," he added. "There's something queer been
going on there, and I want to find out what it is. That's one reason I
came on East--to try to find out what's wrong at my place. There
certainly is something queer there!"

"Is it a ghost?" asked Violet.

"No, hardly a ghost," answered Uncle Fred with a laugh. "What do you
know about ghosts, anyhow?"

"There was one at Grandpa Ford's," explained Rose.

"But we found out what it was," added Russ.

"But first it made terribly queer noises," said Laddie.

"Well, the only queer noises out at Three Star Ranch are made by the
cowboys, and sometimes by the Indians," said Uncle Fred. "No, this is
something different. But it might almost as well be a ghost for all I
can find out about it. It certainly is very queer," he went on to his
sister. "I have lost a great many cattle lately, and that and something
strange about a spring of water on my place, are two of the reasons why
I came on here. I want to talk with some men who know about springs and
streams of water, and get some books about it so I can solve this
puzzle, if it's possible.

"Another reason I came on," he added, "is to take you all back with me
to Moon City, and let the children have fun out on my ranch."

"Do you mean to take us all out West?" asked Rose.

"Yes, every one of you six little Bunkers, and your father and mother,
too," returned Uncle Fred.

"Can we go, Mother?" begged Russ.

"I'll see about it," was the answer. "But we'd all better go downstairs
now. Uncle Fred must be tired from his long trip, and I want to get him
a cup of tea. It is raining hard still, so you children can't go out and
play."

"We don't want to," said Vi. "We want to see Uncle Fred."

"I like Uncle Fred!" exclaimed Mun Bun, going up to his mother's brother
and clasping his hand. "I like him awful much!"

"And I like you, too," replied Uncle Fred, catching the little fellow up
in his arms.

"I like him, too!" exclaimed Margy, who was not going to be left out.

"That's the girl! I knew you wouldn't forget me!" and with a laugh
Uncle Fred caught her up also, and danced about the attic, with a child
in each arm.

"Is it far out to your ranch?" asked Russ.

"Quite a way, little man," answered Uncle Fred. "It will take us about
four days to get there, riding steadily on the train. But we won't start
right away