"Oh, the six little Bunkers and their father and mother are coming with
me," said Mr. Ford. "The six little Bunkers don't know about the strange
goings on, as yet, but their father and mother will help me hunt for
the----"

That was all Russ and Laddie heard, for their grandfather turned a
corner in the path then, and his voice was not so loud.

"I wonder if they're talking about a riddle," said Laddie.

"I don't guess so," returned Russ. He knew, or thought he knew, what
Miss Ripley and Grandpa Ford were talking about. It was the "secret"
about which he and Rose had heard something.

But it was not yet time to tell Laddie anything about it. Russ wished
Rose had been with him to hear what Miss Ripley said. Rose might know
what it all meant.

"But we'll wait until we get to Great Hedge," thought Russ. Then to
Laddie he said: "Come on, we'll go and spend our nickels."

"All right," agreed the little boy. "But I was pretty near right about
the Banks cat; wasn't I?"

"Pretty near," agreed Russ.

When Russ and Laddie reached home again, after a trip to the store, they
found Miss Ripley had gone. And then, for a time, Russ, as well as Rose,
forgot about the "secret," as the whole family, six little Bunkers and