nd down the stream. Daddy Brown had the children's
shoes and stockings in his hand.
"Oh, Bunny! where have you been?" cried his mother.
"We went down on a raft, and we landed on a pirate island, and then we
got on an alligator island," Bunny explained.
"Alligators!" cried Daddy Brown.
"Some of mine got away," explained Mr. Bunn. And then he told how he had
found Bunny and Sue.
"Well, you had quite an adventure!" exclaimed the orange grower. "I knew
Mr. Bunn had 'gators on his place, but I never thought any of 'em would
get away and come up here."
"Well, I'm glad we saw some," said Bunny.
Mr. Brown thanked Mr. Bunn for having saved Bunny and Sue, and as it was
near meal time the alligator farmer was invited to stay to supper.
Washed and combed, with clean clothes on, Bunny and Sue sat at the table
and related their adventures, while Mr. Bunn told about raising
alligators.
"Do you make much money?" asked Mr. Brown.
"Well, yes, some years I do," was the answer. "But I'd like to make an
extra lot this year. I've had some bad luck."
"Do you mean your alligators getting away?" asked Mr. Brown.
"No, though that's bad enough," Mr. Bunn replied. "But I was up North a
few weeks ago on business, and I lost a valuable paper belonging to my
nephew. It was for some stock in an oil well, and was made out to
'bearer.' If it had had his name on it I might have got it back. But as
it is, I guess it's gone forever. He gave me the stock certificate to
keep for him, but I guess I'm not very good at keeping things. I haven't
told my nephew about it yet, but when he finds out I have lost his oil
stock temporary certificate he'll be angry with me, I'm afraid."
Bunny Brown and his sister Sue looked at one another curiously. Daddy
Brown went over to a desk where he and Mr. Halliday had been looking at
some papers before they missed the children.
"Did you lose that certificate in a parlor car up near Bellemere, Mr.
Bunn?" asked the children's father, as he took a green and gold piece of
paper from an envelope.
"Well, I remember going through a place called Bellemere," was the
answer. "But where I lost the paper I don't know. I may have dropped it
from my pocket in the parlor car, or somewhere else. Anyhow, I lost it,
and I don't suppose I'll ever see my nephew's certificate again. He'll
be angry with me."
"Oh, no, I guess he won't," said Mr. Brown with a smile. "What company
was that stock in?"
"The Great Bona
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