nd had
light hair and blue eyes.

The Bobbseys lived in an Eastern city called Lakeport, near Lake Metoka,
on the shore of which Mr. Bobbsey had a large lumber yard. Once this had
caught fire, and Freddie had thought he could put the blaze out with his
little toy fire engine. Ever since then Mr. Bobbsey had called the
little chap "fireman."

Dinah Johnson was the Bobbsey's cook. She had been with them many years.
And Sam, her husband, worked around the house, carrying out ashes,
cutting the grass, and such things as that.

Besides these, the Bobbsey family consisted of Snap, the big dog who
once had been in a circus and could do tricks, and Snoop, the black cat.

These pets were taken along wherever the Bobbsey twins went on their
Summer vacations. For the Bobbseys used to spend each Summer either in
the mountains or at the seashore. The second book tells about the good
time they had in the country while the third one tells of their
adventures at the shore.

"The Bobbsey Twins at School," is the name of the fourth book, and in
that I had the pleasure of telling you the many good times they had
there. Later on they went to "Snow Lodge" and helped solve a mystery,
while on the houseboat, _Bluebird_, where they spent one vacation, they
found a "stowaway," and, if you want to know what that is, I advise you
to read the book.

"The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook," is the name of the book just before
this present one. On the farm of Uncle Daniel Bobbsey the twins had had
a most glorious time, and they were on their way home in the train when
the fresh air children got aboard, and Tommy Todd told the story about
his lost father. Then had come the sudden stop, and Bert had seen the
men with guns outside the train.

"I tell you they _are_ robbers, Nan," Bert whispered to his sister.
"Look, one of 'em has a mask on his face."

"That's so," agreed Nan. "Oh, I wonder what it is!"

"Don't be afraid!" exclaimed Bert. "I guess they won't come in this car.
Father won't let them."

By this time Flossie and Freddie had also seen the masked men with their
guns standing along the track, and Freddie cried:

"Oh, look! It's just like Hallowe'en. They've got false faces on!"

Many in the car laughed at this.

CHAPTER III

SNAP AND SNOOP

The train on which the Bobbsey twins were coming back from the country
had now been stopping for several minutes. There was no sign of a
station on either side of the track, as coul