d their backs against the stone, and, surely
enough, they could make it rock an inch or two back and forth. Freddie
helped, or at least he thought he did, which is the same thing. But the
stone really did rock, and the children thought it was quite a wonderful
thing. Sometimes your heavy piano, if it stands on an uneven place in the
floor, may be rocked back and forth a little. That's the way it was with
the rocking stone. The restaurant where the Bobbseys ate was named
"Rocking Stone," because it was within sight of the queer rock.

I have not time to tell you all that the Bobbsey twins saw and did in
Bronx Park that day. But they had a fine time, and Flossie and Freddie, at
least, wanted to come back the next day.

"There're lots of things that we didn't see," remarked Flossie.

"Yes. And I want to rock that big stone again," added Freddie. "Why, it
rocked back and forth just as easy as a cradle!"

"Oh, Freddie Bobbsey! The idea! To make out that big rock was like a
cradle!" cried Flossie.

"I didn't say _it_ was like a cradle. I said it _wobbled_ just like a
cradle," replied Freddie. "Daddy, can we go back again to-morrow?"

"I planned to take you to the Natural History Museum to-morrow," said Mr.
Bobbsey. "There you can see all sorts of stuffed animals--walruses almost
as big as a small house, a model of a whale and many other queer things."

"Oh, do let's go!" begged Bert.

"We will," promised Mr. Bobbsey, but when the next day came the plan of
the Bobbseys had to be changed.

In Mr. Bobbsey's mail that morning was a letter from his bookkeeper at the
lumberyard, which, when Mr. Bobbsey had read it, made him thoughtful.

"I hope there isn't bad news," said Mrs. Bobbsey.

"No, not exactly _bad_ news," was her husband's answer. "But I think I
shall have to go back home."

CHAPTER XVIII

A QUEER RIDE

Nan and Bert, who were in the room with their mother and father when the
letter was read, looked quickly at Mr. Bobbsey. Flossie and Freddie had
gone to the next apartment to play with Laddie.

"Does that mean we've got to go back?" asked Bert.

"We haven't seen half enough of New York," added Nan.

"Oh, no, you won't have to come back with me," said Mr. Bobbsey. "You'll
stay here at the hotel, and I'll return in a few days."

"What's it all about?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey.

"Uncle Jack," answered her husband.

"You mean the woodchopper who was so kind to Flossie and Freddie?"

"Yes, and becaus