Bob was not a very big boy, but he was a lively little fellow and full
of fun. You can see him there in the picture, riding on his brother
Jim's back. One evening there happened to be a great many boys and
girls at Bob's father's house. The grown-up folks were having a family
party, and as they were going to stay all night--you see this was in
the country--some of them brought their children with them.

[Illustration]

It was not long after supper that a game of Blind-Man's-Buff was
proposed, and, as it would not do to have such an uproar in the
sitting-room as the game would produce, the children were all packed
off to the kitchen. There they have a glorious time. Jim is the first
one blindfolded, and, as he gropes after the others, they go stumbling
up against tables, and rattling down tin-pans, and upsetting each
other in every direction. Old Grandfather, who has been smoking his
pipe by the kitchen fire, takes as much pleasure in the game as the
young folks, and when they tumble over his legs, or come banging up
against his chair, he only laughs, and warns them not to hurt
themselves.

I could not tell you how often Grandfather was caught, and how they
all laughed at the blind-man when he found out whom he had seized.

But after a while the children became tired of playing
Blind-Man's-Buff, and a game of Hide-and-Seek was proposed. Everybody
was in favor of that, especially little Bob. It appears that Bob had
not a very good time in the other game. Everybody seemed to run up
against him and push him about, and whenever he was caught the
blind-man said "Bob!" immediately. You see there was no mistaking Bob;