she put her arms about his neck.

"Well, yes, daughter, in a way. And, since Mr. Carford has told you
part of the story, I may as well tell you the other half, I suppose."

"Oh, another story!" cried Flossie, in delight.

"Yes, we must be quiet and listen," said Freddie, as he drew up a
stool close to his father.

"It isn't a very nice sort of story," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "In fact it
is rather sad. But I'll tell it to you, anyhow. Did Mr. Carford tell
you about when he was a boy?"

"Yes, and how he went away, and came back rich, and found all his
folks gone and the farm sold," said Nan.

"Yes. Well, I guess he told you then, how he took his nephew, Henry
Burdock, to live with him. He loved Henry almost as if he were his own
son, and did everything for him. In fact he planned to leave him all
his money. Then came a quarrel."

"What about?" asked Bert softly.

"Over some money. Henry was a young man who liked to spend
considerable, and though he was not bad he was different from the
country boys. Mr. Carford gave him plenty of spending money, however,
and did not ask him what became of it.

"Then, one day, a large sum of money was missing from Snow Lodge. Mr.