re. He says they take his neighbors' chickens."

Flossie and Freddie, as well as Helen Porter, were much disappointed
when Mr. Bobbsey and Bert came back without the doll. Helen was sure
some gypsy had it, but as it could not be found, nothing could be done
about it.

"We'll help you look for your doll this afternoon," said Freddie to the
little girl, into whose eyes came tears whenever she thought of her lost
pet. "Maybe you left Mollie under some bush in Grace's yard."

"I looked under all the bushes," said Helen.

"Well, we'll look again," promised Freddie, and they did, but no doll
was found.

The next day the gypsies were made to move on with their gaily colored
wagons, their horses and dogs, and though they went (for they had no
right to camp on the land near the lake), they were very angry about it.

"They said they had camped there for many years," reported Mr. Carr,
telling about the police having driven the dark-faced men and women
away, "and that they would make whoever it was that drove them away
sorry that he had done such a thing."

"I suppose that means," said Mr. Bobbsey, "that they'll help themselves
from somebody's chicken coop."

"We haven't got any chickens," said Freddie.

"But we've got a dog and a cat," put in Flossie. "If those gypsies take
Snap or Snoop I--I'll go after 'em, I will!"

"So'll I!" declared her little fat brother.

"What'll you do when you get to where the gypsies are?" asked Bert.

"Why, I--I'll----" began Freddie.

"Oh, I'll just pick Snoop up in my arms and tell Snap to come with me
and we'll run home," answered Flossie.

"But maybe the gypsies----"

"Don't, Bert," admonished his father. "I do not believe that you little
twins need worry about your cat and your dog," he continued.

But for several days and nights after that Flossie and Freddie were very
much worried lest their pets should be taken away. But the gypsies did
not come back again--at least for a time, and though the small Bobbsey
twins again helped Helen hunt under many bushes for her talking doll it
could not be found.

"I just _know_ the gypsy man took my Mollie!" declared Helen.

"I'll help you get it back if ever I see those gypsies," declared
Freddie, but at that time neither he, Flossie nor Helen realized what
strange things were going to happen about that same talking doll.

It was about a week after this (and summer seemed to have come all of a
sudden) that, when the mail came one morn