enter shop to ask if anything had been found.

"No, not yet," answered the old man, looking at Bunny and Sue through
his spectacles all dim and dusty with wood dust. "But I haven't got all
the sawdust and shavings out yet. I hope to find your wife's ring."

"So do I," said Mr. Brown. "She feels quite bad over the loss, and I'm
afraid she will not have a happy summer even at Christmas Tree Cove."

"It is too bad," agreed Mr. Foswick. "Well, when Bunker Blue comes this
afternoon, he and I will go all over the place. You haven't seen
anything of the dog since, have you?" he asked.

"No," answered Bunny, while Sue shook her head.

"I'll send Bunker Blue back as soon as I get to the dock," promised Mr.
Brown, and then he and the children went on.

Tied up at the end of the wharf was the boat _Fairy_, of which jolly Mr.
Ross was captain.

"May we go on board?" asked Bunny, as they ran down the pier while their
father was telling Bunker Blue to make a good search in the sawdust and
shavings for the pocketbook containing the diamond ring.

"Yes," answered Mr. Brown. "I think Captain Ross is on board himself,
puttering away in the cabin."

But he was not, though that did not matter to Bunny and Sue. They knew a
great deal about boats, having lived near water all their lives and
their father having been in the boat business for years.

"Come on!" called Bunny to his sister, and they easily jumped from the
dock to the deck of the _Fairy_. No one was on board, it seemed, and
Bunny and Sue enjoyed themselves by running about. They thought what fun
it would be to make the trip to Christmas Tree Cove in such a craft.

"Let's make-believe I'm the captain and you're the cook," said Bunny to
his sister after a while. "I'll go down in the cabin, and you must bring
me my dinner, and we'll pretend there's a storm."

"All right," agreed Sue, and then began this little game, one of many
with which the children amused themselves.

"Now, you know, I'm a reg'lar captain," said Bunny, putting on his most
important manner. "So you must serve me real nice."

"Real captains have uniforms," said Sue. "You ought to have a
uniform--and if I am to be the cook I ought to have a big white apron."

"I'll look for a uniform," said Bunny, and after hunting around a bit
found a storm coat and a rubber hat. "I'll put these on."

The coat was much too big for him and so was the hat. But he did not
mind this. Then Sue hunted around and at last f