g to be an old twamp in it!"
exclaimed little Belle Hanson. "I don't like twamps! They's awful
dirty!"

"It isn't a real tramp," said Mr. Treadwell. "I dress up like one,
Belle," for he had arranged to have a number of costumes for himself so
he could take different parts in the little play.

"Well, if it's just a play twamp all wight," said Belle. "They's wagged
maybe, but not dirty."

The children were told what they must do and say for the first act. They
had practiced it over and over again, but even then some of them would
forget at times.

"Now we're all ready," said Mr. Treadwell, at length. "Start to pick
daisies, Bunny and Sue, and the rest of you pick buttercups. Then I'll
make believe I'm a tramp and come along the road."

As this was not what is called a "dress rehearsal" neither Mr. Treadwell
nor the children had on any special costumes. They were wearing their
everyday clothes.

Bunny, Sue, and the others took their places, and spoke their proper
lines.

"Oh, here comes a tramp!" suddenly cried Sue to her brother, as she was
supposed to do in the play when Mr. Treadwell appeared on the stage.
"Here comes a tramp!"

Now Bunny was supposed to have a speech at this point, but no sooner had
Sue cried out just as she had been taught to do, than a strange voice
answered her, saying:

"A tramp is it! Set the dog on him! Here, Towser! Get after the tramp!
No tramps allowed around here! Bow! Wow! Wow!" and then came a shrill
whistle as of some one calling a dog.

CHAPTER XII

A SURPRISE

Mr. Treadwell, who was closely watching Bunny Brown and his sister Sue,
to see that they did their first part in the play all right, looked up
in surprise as he heard the strange voice speaking about the tramp,
calling the dog and whistling.

"Please don't do that," said the actor. "That isn't in the play. Who
said it?"

"No--nobody--I guess," replied Charlie Star.

"Well, somebody must have said it, for I heard it," replied Mr.
Treadwell, with a smile. "Don't do it again! Now Bunny and Sue try it
again. Make believe, Sue, that you see a tramp coming down the road. I'm
to be the tramp, you know, and on the night of the show I'll really
dress up like one. Now go on."

Bunny looked at Sue and Sue looked at Bunny. The other children in the
play also looked at one another. They were sure none of them had spoken,
and yet Mr. Treadwell seemed to think the voice had been one of theirs.

"Oh, here comes a t