with Laddie. I'll take you later."

And with this the small twins had to be satisfied. So, while Nan and Bert
were taken downtown, to get a glimpse of the airships flying over New York
bay, which the bird-like craft did, in charge of army officers, who
wished to learn to fly, even when there was snow on the ground, the small
twins, taking some of their toys with them, went to the hotel rooms where
Laddie Dickerson lived with his aunt.

"Did you bring the bugs that go around and around and around?" asked
Flossie, as their mother knocked at Mrs. Whipple's door.

"Yep," answered Freddie, "And I brought my toy fire engine, too. I wonder
if she'll let us squirt real water?" and he nodded toward the door that
was not yet opened by Laddie's aunt.

"You mustn't do that unless you are told you may," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "If
you squirt water you may spoil the wall paper."

"We'll be careful," promised Freddie, and then Mrs. Whipple's maid opened
the door, and the twins went in to have a good time.

Laddie was very glad to see them, and he was much amused at the
"go-around" bugs. He had a number of toys of his own, and when the
children were tired of playing with them, and with those the Bobbsey twins
had brought, they began to have a make-believe store.

"I've got some real store boxes and things," said Laddie, as he brought
them out from his play-room.

"Oh, they _are_ real!" cried Flossie, as she saw them. "Isn't they grand!
Where'd you get 'em?"

"My Uncle Dan gave them to me," said Laddie. "He keeps a real store, and
he sells hats and dresses and lots of things."

"What's the name of his store?" asked Freddie.

"He's Daniel Whipple," answered Laddie. "He is my mother's brother--her
name was Whipple, too, before she was married to my father. And my middle
name is Whipple. I go to my Uncle Dan's store lots of times; it's an awful
big one."

"I know it is!" cried Freddie. "I've been in it!"

"You have?" cried Laddie in surprise.

"When?" asked Flossie. "When were we in Laddie's uncle's store?"

"Don't you 'member?" went on Freddie. "It was the time the monkey chewed
your hat, Flossie. We went into a store to buy a new one, and Daddy came
there and found us and the man's name was Whipple."

"That's right--it was," agreed Flossie. "Oh, isn't that _funny!_ And now
we're playing with _you_, Laddie."

"It is queer, I'm going to tell my aunt."

And when Laddie did, Mrs. Whipple remembered having heard her husband t