"But we've had lots of fun," said Russ, "piles of it."

"And now we'll get ready to go to Grandma Bell's, won't we?" asked Rose.

"Yes. To-morrow and for the next few days we'll be busy getting ready to
go to Maine," said Mrs. Bunker.

"I want a balloon!" suddenly said Mun Bun. He had not done much talking
that evening. Probably it was because he was too excited watching the
fireworks. It was the first time he had been taken to the evening
celebration.

"Do you mean you want to go to Grandma Bell's in a balloon?" asked his
father. "Maybe you mean you're so tired you can't walk any more, and you
want a balloon to ride in. Well, Mun Bun, we can't get a balloon now, but
I can carry you, and that will be pretty nearly the same, won't it?"

"I want a balloon," said the little boy again, "but I want you to carry
me, too. Can't I have a balloon, Daddy?" and he nestled his tired head
down on his father's shoulder. Norah was carrying Margy, but the other
little Bunkers could walk.

"A balloon, is it?" said Mun's father. "Do you mean a fire-balloon?"

"No, they burn up," said Mun Bun, in rather sleepy tones. And, in truth,
several of the paper balloons sent up that evening had caught fire. "I
want a big balloon I can ride in," he said, "like Jerry told about. I want
to go up in a balloon!"

"Well, maybe you'll dream about one," said Mother Bunker with a laugh.