THE QUEER OLD MAN


The first impulse of Bert and Nan Bobbsey was, of course, to rush out
of the yard and go with Charley Mason to see the train wreck. And,
naturally, as soon as Bert and Nan began to run, Flossie and Freddie,
forgetting snow men, snow houses, and even Dinah's cookies, started
after their older brother and sister.

"Go on back!" cried Bert to the two smaller children. "You can't come
with us!"

"We want to see the wreck!" declared Freddie. "Maybe it's on fire, an'
if I'm goin' to be a fireman I must see fires!"

He always declared he was going to be a fireman when he grew up, and
he was eager to see the engines every time they went out in answer to
an alarm of fire.

"Come on, Bert, if you're coming!" called Charley Mason, from the
street in front of the Bobbsey home. "It's a terrible wreck--cars off
the track--engines all smashed up--everything!"

"Here, Nan, you take Flossie and Freddie into the house! I'm going
with Charley!" said Bert.

"I want to see the wreck, too!" objected Nan. "You go into the house,
Freddie, and I'll bring you a lollypop when I come back," she added.
"Don't want a lollypop! I want to see the busted engines!" declared
Freddie almost ready to cry.