r. Bobbsey's coat, also?"

"Why, no, Mrs. Bobbsey, I didn't," answered Policeman Murphy. "I didn't
know about any lost coat. I was just sent up from the police station to
inquire about the robbery of a lap robe. Somebody telephoned down that a
policeman was wanted because a lap robe had been stolen. That's why I
came up--because of the telephone message."

"Telephone!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "I didn't telephone for you, Mr.
Murphy."

"Neither did I," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Perhaps it was one of the
children," and she looked at Bert and Nan.

The older Bobbsey twins shook their heads. Flossie and Freddie, though
they knew how to telephone, would hardly have thought of calling up the
police. But they were asked about it.

"Nope, we didn't do it," Flossie said. "Though we likes p'licemans;
don't we, Freddie?"

"Yeppie," he answered sleepily. "When I grows up I'm goin' be a
p'licemans or a firesmans--I forget which."

"He's sleepy," laughed the officer. "But what about this, Mr. Bobbsey?
Some one must have telephoned."

"Yes, of course. I wonder if it could have been Mr. Blipper or that lad
who called himself Bob Guess?"

"Who are they?" the officer asked.

"Mr. Blipper is a man who owns a merry-go-round he takes to fairs and
circuses. He passed the picnic grounds where we were to-day. He's on his
way to the Bolton County Fair. He had with him a boy named Bob
Guess--called that because the lad is an orphan and they had to 'guess'
at his name. Soon after this Blipper and his outfit left, I missed my
coat, and, coming home, we found the lap robe gone. I was going to ride
after him, but we had a little excitement here, and I haven't had a
chance. Then you came along and----"

The sound of steps was heard on the side porch, and in came Sam, quite
excited.

"'Scuse me!" he murmured, as he entered. "Oh, de p'liceman done come!"
he exclaimed. "He's heah! I'm glad!"

"Did you expect him?" asked Mr. Bobbsey.

"Yes, sah, Mr. Bobbsey, I did! When de lap robe was gone I t'ought maybe
you t'ink I might 'a' been careless like, an' let some chicken t'ieves
in. So I telephoned fo' a p'liceman to come an' see if he could cotch de
burglar!"

"Oh, Sam, you didn't need to do that!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey. "We know
it wasn't your fault that the lap robe was taken, any more than it was
that Mr. Bobbsey's coat was stolen."

"Of course not!" echoed her husband.

"Well, I t'ought better we have a p'liceman," murmured Sam.

"I