ne
what'll cure everything you ever had in the way of pain or ever expect
to have. I thought I'd see what kind of a show you've got."

"We haven't any," laughed Mr. Brown. "You may look in the auto if you
like, and see how we live in it. We are traveling for pleasure."

"I see you be, now," said the man after a look. "Wa'al, I'm right sorry
I stopped you."

"That's all right," said Mr. Brown pleasantly. "This is a heavy machine,
and I don't like to get it to going too fast downhill. It's too hard to
stop. So it's just as well we slowed up."

"You see I'm the inspector of all them travelin' shows," went on the
man. "Ribbans is my name, Hank Ribbans. Every medicine show or other
show that comes to town has to git a permit from me, else they can't
show. But you're all right, pass on."

An idea came into Mrs. Brown's head.

"Do you have many shows passing through here, with musicians who play to
draw a crowd?" she asked.

"Oh, sartin, surely. 'Bout one once a week as a rule. There was one that
showed here two or three nights ago--no, come to think of it now, it was
last night. There was a young feller--nothin' but a boy--dressed up in
the reddest and bluest suit you ever see. And say, how he could play
that old banjo!"

"Oh, a banjo! Maybe it was Fred!" cried Bunny.

The same thought came to his father and mother.

"Tell us about this boy," requested Mr. Brown. "We are looking for one
who plays the banjo," and he described Fred Ward.

"Well, this can't be the one you're lookin' for," said Mr. Ribbans.
"'Cause this feller was a negro."

"Maybe he was blacked up like a minstrel," said Bunny.

"I couldn't say as to that," returned the inspector. "Anyhow they paid
for their license all right, and they sold a powerful lot o' Dr. Slack's
Pain Killer. Then they went on out of town. That's all I know. Well, you
don't need a license from me; so go ahead, folks!"

He waved good-bye to them as they went off again.

Bunny and Sue were eager to ask questions about the colored boy who
played the banjo for the medical show.

"Do you think he could have been Fred?" asked Bunny.

"It is possible," answered his father.

"Maybe we can find him," added Sue.

"We'll make inquiries about this show in the next town we come to," said
Mr. Brown.

But as the next town was the one outside of which they were to spend the
night, they decided to put off until the next day asking questions about
the colored banjo player.

Uncl