uch interested in
pebbles and stones. He thought some day he might succeed in finding a
valuable piece of mineral.

"You ask your mother if it's all right," insisted Sam, beginning to
brush his suit and getting out his cap and gloves from the wall
closet. "You're going to be on hand, Dot, aren't you?"

Dot had already climbed into the car and was sitting on the front seat
smiling serenely at the others. She looked very pretty in a fresh pink
frock that had replaced the torn dress before lunch, and her cheeks
were pink, too.

"Mother says all right, but we mustn't go a bit further than the
foundry," reported Bobby, coming back in a few minutes with his
precious hammer and little white canvas bag. "Let me drive, Sam?"

"I should say not," responded Sam promptly. "I'll teach you to
drive, Bobby, the day you're old enough to run a car and not one
minute before. In with you now, Meg?"

Meg shook her head. It was impossible to induce her to get in the car
and be comfortable while Sam was backing it down the long driveway
into the street. The other children never thought anything about it,
but Meg was always afraid that the car would tip over, and no amount
of persuasion or reasoning could change her.

She ran down to the curb now, and waited till the car rolled out. Sam
stopped and she jumped in. Sam was very fond of Meg and never made fun
of her, as the twins often did, because she was afraid to trust him to
get out of the driveway safely.

"It's a fine day for a drive," commented Sam, as the car moved off
smoothly. "Mercy on us, what's that under the seat?"

CHAPTER VI

AN UNPLEASANT MEETING

It proved to be Philip under the seat, and he rolled his eyes
beseechingly at Sam as Bobby pulled him out by his collar.

"Which one of you kids hid him under the seat?" demanded Sam sternly.

"I didn't, honestly, Sam," said Meg.

Bobby and the twins denied that they had had anything to do with
Philip and his appearance.

"I did see him under the seat asleep this morning when we were out in
the garage," admitted Twaddles. "I guess he didn't wake up till now."

"Well, he'll have to walk back with you, that's all," grumbled Sam.
"Your father doesn't want a dog around when he's thinking about
business. What is it, Bobby?"

"There's a queer looking stone," said Bobby, who had been pulling at
Sam's sleeve to attract his attention. "See it down there? Slow up,
and you will. There! Let me get out and get it for my