istake.
Here is your baby!"
The woman, whose face showed delight now instead of fear and worry,
clasped her baby in her arms, first handing the doll to Mr. Bunker.
"Oh, my baby! My precious!" she crooned, pressing her face close to the
child. "I thought some one had taken you!"
"I--I guess I took up your baby for my doll," put in Rose. "I laid my doll
down in a seat at the end of the car so she would go to sleep nice and
quiet."
"That's just what I did with my baby," said the woman.
"And then I went to get my doll, and I thought she'd come to life," went
on Rose.
"The seats where the baby and doll were must have been right next to one
another," said Mrs. Bunker. "That's how Rose picked up your little one in
mistake for her doll."
"I suppose so," the baby's mother answered with a smile. "Well, it has all
come out right, I'm glad to say. But at first I was dreadfully
frightened."
"It was a queer mistake," said Mr. Bunker. "Rose put her doll down to
sleep in the seat right next to where the live baby was sleeping. And the
seats looked so much alike, and Rose's doll was in a white shawl, just
like the real baby, so that's how it happened."
"And the baby is such a little one, and Rose's doll is so big, that no
wonder she didn't know the difference until she saw the real baby open its
eyes," went on Mother Bunker. "Well, it was a funny happening."
The other passengers laughed and talked about it, and so did the six
little Bunkers. Then it was time to go into the dining-car for supper,
after which the berths would be made up, so those who wished could go to
bed.
The children were all sleepy, for they had gotten up early, so they
hurried through their supper. They were interested in seeing the colored
porter make the beds when they got back to their own coach.
He pulled out the bottom parts of two seats, until they met in the middle.
Then he fastened them together, pulled down what seemed to be a big shelf
overhead, and from this recess, or closet, he took blankets, curtains,
sheets, pillows, cases and everything needed for nice, clean beds.
As Mrs. Bunker was afraid the children might roll out of the upper berths
in the night if the train went fast or swayed, they all had lower berths.
Soon the children with their heaviest clothing taken off, were stretched
out and, a little later, lulled by the clickity-click-clack of the wheels,
they were deep in slumber.
The younger children did not awaken al
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