, and that day he had brought a little milk for his pet--more milk
than Choo-Choo, as he called his cat, wanted.

"I'll give you some for your pussy," said the agent, after he had
telegraphed for the snow shovelers.

I wish you could have seen Fluff lap up the milk, which was warmed for
him and put in a saucer on the floor of the automobile. He was
hungry--was the little stray kitten that had come down out of the
evergreen tree--and his little sides seemed to swell out like balloons
as he lapped up every drop of milk.

"I hope your cat Choo-Choo won't get hungry," said Jan, as the last of
the milk disappeared.

"I can get him some more," said the agent. "Anyhow, he isn't as hungry
as your pussy was."

"Good-bye!" called Uncle Toby, as he started off once more. "I hope the
stalled passengers will soon be shoveled out."

"I guess they will be," the agent said.

It was almost dark when the big automobile reached the village of Pocono
where Uncle Toby lived.

"Now we'll soon be snug and warm," he told the children. "I have more of
a load than when I started, but I'm glad I found you two," he said to
Mary and Harry. "You're going to have a good time with my Curlytops."

Harry and Mary, who had never had much of a good time in all their
lives, were beginning to be happy. They had been very small when their
father went off to war--they hardly remembered him, in fact. Mr. Benton
need not have gone, had he wished to stay at home, for he could have
been excused, or have done some other war work than fighting. But he was
a brave man and wanted to do his best for his country. So he had gone to
France. After awhile he was missing, and though his wife was helped by
her friends and by the government, still she had hard work to get along
and there was not much money with which to give Mary and Harry good
times. But happier days were ahead of them.

"There's Uncle Toby's house!" cried Ted, as the automobile turned into
the driveway.

"Oh, but something has happened!" exclaimed Jan. "Look! There's a crowd
out in front!"

And surely enough, a throng of people could be seen standing in the dusk
and storm in front of Uncle Toby's home.

CHAPTER X

AMONG THE PETS

As the automobile driven by Uncle Toby and containing the Curlytops and
their playmates came to a stop near the side entrance to Mr. Bardeen's
house, the door opened, letting out a stream of light on the white snow.

"Is that the police?" asked a voice