look!"

This was what the two little girls wanted to do, so with Freddie to help
they began poking about with sticks in the leaves that were piled
around the stump. They searched for some time, but could find no trace
of the lost doll.

"We'd better go and tell my mamma and your mamma," said Flossie. "Maybe
they'll get a policeman and he'll find the gypsies and your dollie,
Helen."

"All right--come on!"

Out of breath, the children ran to the tents where Mrs. Porter was just
thinking about going in search of her little girl, as it was nearly time
for the steamboat to come back for them.

"Oh, I found Mollie's dress! I found Mollie's dress!" cried Helen,
waving it over her head.

"It was in a stump!" added Freddie.

"And it was all wet from bein' rained on, I guess," said Flossie, for
indeed the doll's dress was still damp, and very likely it had been out
in the rain. That stump would hold water for some time, like a big,
wooden pitcher.

Mrs. Porter was very much surprised to hear the news, and thought
perhaps her little girl was mistaken. But when she had looked carefully
at the dress, she knew it was one she herself had made for Helen when
that little girl was a baby.

"But how did it come on this island?" she asked.

"It must have been dropped by the gypsies," said Mr. Bobbsey. "In spite
of what they said to us some one of them must have picked up the doll
and carried her away for some little gypsy girl. And the gypsies must
have been on this island. Some of the blueberry pickers said they saw
them, but when I looked I could not find them. By that time they must
have gone away."

"And did they take my doll with them?" asked Helen.

"Well, I'm afraid they did," said Mr. Bobbsey. "If they wanted your pet
badly enough to take her away so boldly, as they did from the yard,
they'd probably keep her, once they had her safe. It isn't every day
they can get a talking doll, you know."

"I wish there was some way of getting Helen's doll back," said Mrs.
Porter. "She does nothing but wish for her every day. She has other
dolls----"

"But I liked Mollie best," Helen said. "I want her. If she only knew I
had her dress she might come to me," she added wistfully.

"She might, if she were a fairy doll," said Mrs. Bobbsey, as she patted
Helen on the head. "But we'll look as carefully as we can for your
little girl's pet, Mrs. Porter. If Mollie is on this island we'll find
her."

"And I'll leave this dress here