"Yes, a man has a big merry-go-round in pieces on three or four big
wagons," Bert reported. "Something's the matter with the engine--it runs
by a steam engine, and something's the matter!"

"Bert, go call your father," said Mrs. Bobbsey, for her husband had gone
to the far side of the grove to get another ice cream tub from the truck
on which they were brought to the picnic. "We don't want any strange men
setting up a merry-go-round here. Call your father!"




CHAPTER IV

A MISSING COAT


Mr. Bobbsey came hurrying over to the ice cream pavilion, with Bert
almost running beside him to keep up with his father.

"What's all this, Mother?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, who, with his coat off and
his sleeves rolled up, was working hard to help the ladies at the Sunday
school picnic. "What's all this about a merry-go-round coming here?"

"I don't know that it is coming here," answered Mrs. Bobbsey, with a
smile. "But some sort of affair is thundering along the road. You can
see the crowd of children near it. A merry-go-round some one said. I
thought perhaps some men owning one of those traveling affairs had heard
about our picnic and had come here to set up a machine. We don't want
anything like that."