"Never mind," said Sue, helping him to stand up, and brushing the dirt
from his clothes. "You're not hurt very much, John, and you're not
hungry; are you?"

"No, but--but I fell down!"

"Well, never mind. The tramps are gone now. And they won't come back."

But, just as Sue said that some one was heard coming through the woods.
The bushes shook, and some of the little girls cried out.

"Oh, there are the tramps again!" shouted John.

But it was not. It was only Bunker Blue, who had come to find Bunny
Brown and his sister Sue.

"Well, how are you all?" Bunker asked. "Why, what's the matter?" he went
on, for he saw that something had happened.

"It was two bad tramps, with red handkerchiefs on their necks," said
Bunny Brown. "But I made believe to whistle for Splash, and they ran
away."

"They did?" cried Bunker Blue, much surprised.

"Yep. And next time I'm really going to bring Splash to the picnic, and
he can keep the tramps away."

"Maybe it would be a good idea," said Bunker. "But it was a good thing
you thought to pretend your dog was near by. A very good trick. I'll see
if I can see anything of the bad men."

Bunker went through the bushes where the tramps had gone, but he saw
nothing of them. They must have run a long way off. Perhaps they were
afraid Bunny's dog, Splash, would chase them.

It was nearly time for the picnic to be over. The children had eaten as
much as was good for them, even if they had not had all they wished, and
I think most of them did have all they wanted. Bunny and Sue did,
anyhow.

Bunny's basket, of course, was emptied by the tramps, as was that of
John and some of the others. But the grown folks still had good things
left in theirs, and toward evening, when it was time to start for home,
the little folks who had not had enough were given a little more.

"I didn't know there were tramps around here," said Mother Brown to
grandpa, when he was backing the horses out of the shed, so Bunny and
the others could get into the wagon.

"Oh, yes, we have a few tramps in the Summer," said Grandpa Brown. "They
don't like to work, but they are always ready to eat. But probably we'll
not be bothered with many. These two must have heard of the picnic, and
come around to see what they could pick up."

And now the picnic was over. The farmers began driving home. Every one
had had a fine time, and there had been no trouble except for the
tramps. Oh yes, there had been another little