"Yes, I'll tell you a little now, and more when the time comes, as I
have soon to go down to the police station with Fred's picture. But I'll
tell you enough so you can sleep easy," said Mr. Brown with a laugh.
Then he sat thinking for a while as to the best way to tell his news.

"In the first place----" began Mr. Brown, only to have Bunny interrupt
him with:

"Oh, it starts off just like a story!"

"No," cried Sue. "A story begins: 'Once upon a time.'"

"Well, never mind about that now," said Mr. Brown with a laugh. "Let me
get on with what I have to tell you. The first part is that I have to
go to a city called Portland, about three hundred miles down the coast.
I have to go there on business, but there is no particular hurry. That
is, I can take my time on the road. Just what the business is about
needn't worry your heads, except that I'm going to look at a big motor
boat which I may buy."

"And may I have a ride in it?" cried Bunny.

"I want to ride myself," cried Sue, "and I want to learn how to steer."

"Well, we'll talk that over later," said her father. "Just now I am
going to tell you about our auto tour. We are going, as I said, to the
city of Portland. It is three hundred miles there, but the roundabout
roads we will take may make it longer."

"Can we stop over a day or so here and there?" asked Mrs. Brown.