up.

CHAPTER XXI

THE FAT LADY'S LETTER

"WELL," remarked Nan Bobbsey, a few days after it had become known that
Danny Rugg was to blame for the fire in the boathouse, "I wish we could
find out, as easily as we found out about Danny, who has our cat Snoop."

"So do I," added Flossie. "Poor Snoop! I do miss him so much."

"So do I!" exclaimed Freddie. "But Snap is a nice dog, and I guess I
like dogs better than cats, anyhow."

"Why, Freddie Bobbsey!" cried Nan.

"Don't you love Snoop any more?"

"Oh, yes, 'course I do, but then he isn't here to be loved, and Snap
is."

"Yes, I guess that does make a difference," admitted Nan. "I wonder if
papa wouldn't let us go down to the railroad office and inquire once
more about him? Maybe, as it's getting cold weather now, Snoop will
come in from the fields where he may have been staying ever since the
railroad wreck."

"Let's ask," cried Freddie, always ready for action.

It was Saturday, and there was no school. Bert had gone off coasting
on his new bob, but Nan did not want to go, her mother having asked her
to stay and help with the dusting. But now the little bit of housework
was over, and Nan was free.

"We'll go down to papa's office," she said to Flossie and Freddie, "and
ask him if we can go to the railroad. I know one of the ticket agents
and he can tell us of whom to ask about our cat."

Mrs. Bobbsey had no objections, and soon, with Flossie and Freddie at
her side, Nan set off for her father's office in the lumber yard. The
smaller twins were delighted.

"And maybe we can find our silver cup, too," suggested Freddie, as they
trudged along in the snow, now and then stopping to make a white ball,
which he threw at the fence or telegraph pole.

"The fat lady has our cup--I'm sure of that," said Flossie.

"Well, we can ask papa if he has heard from the circus people,"
suggested Nan.

Mr. Bobbsey was rather surprised to see his three children come into
the office, but he was glad to meet them, for it made a break in his
day's work. After a little thought he said they might go to the
railroad office to inquire about Snoop. Nan and her brother and sister
went in a trolley car, and were soon at the depot.

But to their disappointment there was no news of Snoop. The fat, black
cat seemed to have completely disappeared.

"I've had the switchmen and trackmen keep a lookout for some time
past," the agent told Nan, for Mr. Bobbsey did a large