levated express train, were having a
long ride all by themselves. They were not frightened now, for they were
sure their father or mother would come for them soon, as he had done the
day they were spilled out of the ice-boat and were taken in by Uncle Jack.

"I wonder what that nice woodchopper man is doing now?" asked Flossie.
"Uncle Jack, I mean."

"I hope his pain is better," said Freddie. "Maybe we could get him work
here on the elevated railroad, chopping tickets at the station." When
people drop their tickets into the glass boxes at the elevated or subway
stations they are "chopped" into fine pieces by the men who pump the
handles up and down. "Uncle Jack chops wood," went on Freddie, "and he
could easy chop tickets."

So Flossie and Freddie kept on with their long ride, talking and looking
out of the train windows.

CHAPTER IX

IN THE STORE

Mr. Bobbsey bought his tickets, put his change in his pocket, and turned
to gather his little party together to take them through the gate, past
the ticket chopper.

"Why, where are Freddie and Flossie?" he asked.

Mrs. Bobbsey, Nan, Bert, none of them, had seen the little twins rush past
the ticket chopper and on to the train. All began to turn here and there
excitedly, looking about for the blue-eyed boy and girl.

"Now, now," said Mr. Bobbsey, "don't worry. You, Bert, and your mother and
Nan will wait here at the head of the stairs, while I go down to the
street and see if the children went down there again. I'll not be gone
long. If they are not close at hand, I'll come back to you before making
further search. Now, as I said, don't worry. In a city children are
always quickly found."

Mr. Bobbsey did as he said, but, of course, saw nothing of Freddie and
Flossie, who were now having a very nice ride and a very good time indeed
on the elevated express train.

By this time the ticket chopper, the agent who sold tickets, the station
porter and several persons who were waiting to take a train, had heard
from Nan and Bert what had happened. These people offered all sorts of
advice, but Mr. Bobbsey thought it best to listen to that of the ticket
agent, who, of course, would know more about the elevated trains than
persons who only rode on them two or three times a day.

The ticket chopper had seen the children rush by him and on to the train,
but they had gone by so quickly that he had not been able to stop them,
and, as there were a good many people on