CHAPTER II

NICKNACK AND TROUBLE


"Oh, Teddy!" screamed Janet. "Oh, Trouble!"

Teddy did not answer at once. Indeed he had hard work not to tumble
down the stairs himself after his little brother. Ted clung to the
banister, though, and managed to save himself.

"Oh, he'll be hurt--terrible!" cried Janet, and she tried to get
past her older brother to run downstairs after Trouble.

But Mrs. Martin, who was in the dining-room talking to Nora Jones,
the maid, heard the noise and ran out into the hall.

"Oh, children!" she cried. "Teddy--Janet--what's all that noise?"

"It's Trouble, Mother!" announced Teddy. "I was playing bucking
bronco and--"

"Trouble fell downstairs!" screamed Janet.

While everyone was thus calling out at once, Baby William came
flopping head over heels, and partly sidewise, down the padded steps,