Mr. Bobbsey met Bert and the strange boy coming up.

"It sure is a dandy boat!" said Will Watson with a sigh of envy. "If
ever I go away to sea, I hope I'll have as nice a room as yours," and
he looked at Bert. "I just couldn't help coming on the boat when I saw
her tied here," he went on. "I hope you didn't mind."

"Not a bit!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, wishing she had some of Dinah's
cake or crullers with her to give to the boy, for the twins' mother
thought he looked hungry.

The door, leading into the cabin of the houseboat was locked, and they
all went on shore, over the gangplank, the board that extended from
the dock to the boat.

"Good-bye, Bluebird!" called Flossie, waving her fat, chubby, little
hand toward the houseboat. "We'll soon be back."

"And I'm going to bring my fire engine, when I come again," exclaimed
Freddie. "If the boat gets on fire I can put it out."

"Boats can't get on fire in the water!" declared Flossie.

"They can so--can't they, papa?" appealed the little boy.

"Well, sometimes, perhaps. But we hope ours doesn't," replied Mr.
Bobbsey with a smile. He led the way off the boat, and as Will was
about to walk on along the lake shore, on his return to Lemby, Mrs.
Bobbsey said: