ds and pieces of wood. Soon the raft was made big enough so
that Russ could stand up on it and not have it sink to the bottom of the
lake near the shore.

"Do you like it? asked Laddie.

"It's lots of fun," answered Russ. "I'm glad you thought of this."

"I was trying to think of a riddle," said Laddie. "It was something about
what makes the lake wet when it rains, and then I saw some pieces of board
floating along and I thought of a raft and I made one."

"And I'm glad you thought of it instead of the riddle," said Russ with a
laugh. "You can't ride on a riddle."

"You could if a riddle was a train or a boat," Laddie said. "And I made
up a riddle about the conductor punching the tickets and they didn't get
mad. Don't you 'member?"

"Oh, yes, I remember," said Russ. "But come on, we'll have some more
rides."

So the boys took turns having Zip pull them along on the raft until the
dog, much as he liked to go into the water after sticks, grew tired and
would not splash out any more.

"Well, we'll play it to-morrow," said Laddie.

"Or this afternoon, maybe," said his brother.

They tied the raft to a tree near shore, leaving the stick fast to the
rope, ready for more fun.

"Mercy, Laddie, what happened to you?" asked Mrs. Bunker, as she saw the
two boys come through the garden up to Grandma Bell's house. "Did you fall
into the water?"

"I--I sorter--sorter--stepped in--off the raft," answered the little boy.
"Oh, it was lots of fun!"

"But you must be more careful," said his mother. "Was the water deep?"

"No, Mother. It was near shore," explained Russ, and he told how Zip had
given them rides.

"Well, come into the house, and get on dry clothes," said Grandma Bell.
"And, to make sure you won't catch cold--though I don't see how you can on
such a hot day--I'll give you some bread and jam!"

"Oh, goody!" cried Laddie, for he knew how nice the bread and jam made by
Grandma Bell tasted.

"I wish I'd fallen in," said Russ.

"Well, you may have some bread and jam also," said his grandmother,
laughing. "And we'll call one, two, three, four more little Bunkers, and
they may have bread and jam, too."

That afternoon and the next day the other little Bunkers had rides on the
raft pulled by Zip. And when the dog got tired of splashing out in the
water to bring back the stick and tow the raft, Laddie and Russ, in their
bare feet, pulled it themselves, giving Rose, Vi, Margy and Mun Bun rides
along the shore.