Everybody seemed to laugh at that, it was so ridiculous; but as Thad was
already busily engaged in examining the engine their spirits seemed to
rise a little.

"Hey! ain't anybody agoin' to help me in?" piped up a small voice just
then, accompanied by a splashing sound.

The boys exchanged looks, and then followed nods, as though like a flash
they saw the chance to play something of a Joke on the comrade who was
thus appealing for aid.

"Hello! where's the other fellow?" exclaimed Allan, as though he had
counted noses, and found one missing.

"That's so, where can he be?" echoed Thad.

"Who's missing?" Thad, went on to say.

"Bob White was only here we'd have him call the toll and find out.
There used to be six kids the bunch."

"It must be Bumpus!" declared Giraffe, solemnly.

"You're right!" said a spluttering voice from some unseen place.

"The poor old silly thing, he just jumped right over into the water
without saying Jack Robinson!" Step Hen observed, in such a sad voice
you would have thought he was having the tears streaming down his
cheeks, when in truth there was a wide grin settled there.