't lose it."

"We have good news, like yours!" Lola said to Janet. "Our daddy and
mother are coming here also for Christmas. You invited them, didn't you,
Uncle Toby?" she asked.

"Why, yes, I believe I did," chuckled the jolly old gentleman. "But have
you good news, too?" he asked Harry and Mary.

"Yes," they answered with happy tears in their eyes. "Our mother is well
again, and she is coming up here for Christmas. Oh, how happy we are!"

"Everybody's happy!" sang Trouble. "Everybody's happy, an' Santa C'aus
is comin'!"

"That's right!" laughed Janet, hugging him.

They little knew how close unhappiness was following happiness.

After the letters had been read again Uncle Toby drove the automobile
down the village street to the store to get some things Aunt Sallie
wanted for the Christmas dinner. As the children each had some spending
money they were allowed to get out and wander through a general store
next to the grocery. There was a "five and ten cent" department in the
variety "Emporium" as it was called, and the children had fun there,
picking out inexpensive presents as surprises one for the other.

It was not until, bubbling over with joy and happiness, they had again
gotten back in the automobile that Trouble was missed.

"Oh, where is your little brother?" exclaimed Lola.

"Why, I thought you had him!" said Janet.

"And I thought you did. We must have left him back in the store. Let's
look!"

But Trouble was not there! He was missing!

CHAPTER XXI

TROUBLE AND SKYROCKET

You can imagine there was much excitement and some very frightened
feelings in the hearts of all the children when the clerks in the store
where the five and ten cent Christmas presents had been bought said
Trouble was not there.

"But where can he be?" asked Janet, hardly able to keep back the tears.

"Perhaps he went out and walked back to the store where Uncle Toby is
buying his things," suggested Lola. "Let's look there."

"I guess that's where he is all right," said Teddy.

But Trouble was not in the grocery store, and Uncle Toby, who had
finished his shopping, was as much surprised and alarmed as were the
children when told what had happened.

"I guess the little tyke may have walked out by himself and gotten into
the auto," said Uncle Toby.

But Trouble was not in the big closed automobile. And then a frantic
search began. People in the stores where Uncle Toby and the children had
been lent their aid,