so.

As the children, with their dog, walked along through the woods, keeping
close to the lake shore, as they knew that path led to their camp,
Flossie and Freddie heard a shout among the trees.

"There's Nan!" Freddie said.

"Yes, and Bert," added his sister. "I guess they're looking for us."

They were sure of this a little later, for they heard the cry:

"Flossie! Freddie! Where are you?"

"Here we are!" they answered, and then sounded a noise of some one
coming toward them. The next moment Nan and Bert came into view. Both
stopped in surprise at the sight of the dog.

"Where'd you get him?" asked Nan.

"Is he really Snap?" cried Bert.

"Yep! He really is," answered Freddie. "We found him!"

"In a cave," added Flossie.

"In a cave?"

"And there were gypsies there," went on the little girl.

"An' they wanted to keep us," said Freddie.

"But they didn't," added Flossie.

"No. But Snap was there."

"And he growled at the gypsy man."

"And he came away with us."

"Snap was awful glad to see us, Nan."

"And here we are now," said Freddie, putting an end to this duet.

"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Nan. "This is dreadful! Gypsies on this island,
and they almost kidnapped you! You must tell daddy right away. We've
been looking everywhere for you. We thought you were lost again. And
you're all dirty and sandy!" she cried.

"That's where we fell down a hole into the cave," said Freddie, and he
told Nan and Bert what had happened. Mr. Bobbsey was much surprised when
the twins came home with the long-missing Snap. So was Mrs. Bobbsey, as
well as Sam and Dinah.

"Gypsies here, are there?" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "Well, I'll have to
see about that. We don't want them hiding in a cave and stealing our
things. I guess I'll get some police officers and pay the tribe a
visit."

But when Mr. Bobbsey got to the cave with the officers the gypsies were
not there. They must have known that when the children went out they
would tell what had happened and that the police would come. So there
was nothing for the police to do. The gypsies had run away. They went to
the mainland in boats, some of the blueberry pickers said who had seen
them.

"And now that the island is free from the gypsies we'll have lots more
fun," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "The thought of them made me nervous."

"Hark!" suddenly exclaimed Nan. She, as well as all the other members
of the Bobbsey family, had followed the police to the cave, even Flossie