Mother Bunker said strong thread would be better than string, as it would not be so heavy, and soon the six little Bunkers were out in the front yard, letting their toys sail high above their heads. "Mine's the highest!" cried Russ, as he looked at his green balloon floating high above the trees. "That's 'cause you let out all the thread," said Laddie. "I'm not going to let all mine unwind." And neither did the other children, for they were afraid their toys might get away. For some time they had fun in this way, pulling the balloons down when they got very far up in the air, and then letting them float upward again. Then came a call from the house. It was Mother Bunker, saying: "Here is some bread and jam for hungry children. How many of you want it?" There was no question as to how many did. Each of the six little Bunkers was hungry. "Let's tie our balloons to the fence and leave 'em here until we get back," said Russ, and this was done, he and Rose tying the threads of Mun Bun and Margy, who could not make very good knots as yet. And so, with the balloons floating out in front, the children went back to sit under the grape-arbor and eat bread and jam that Parker spread for them. It was so good that some of them had two slices, and then William brought the automobile out of the garage and began to get it ready for a run. Aunt Jo was to take the children for a ride. "What's William doing to the auto?" asked Vi. "Come on! Let's watch him!" proposed Russ, and he and Laddie, with Vi, Mun Bun and Margy, ran over to where the chauffeur was doing something to the car. "Will our balloons be all right?" asked Laddie. "Yes, they can't get away," said Russ. Well, that was true enough. The balloons could not have gotten away by themselves, but something happened to them. Rose did not go with her brothers and sisters over to watch William. Instead, she went into the house, got Lily, one of her dolls, and a small basket. Rose had a queer idea in her little head, and she was going to carry it out. A day or so before an airship had flown over Boston, circling around the Back Bay section, and right over Aunt Jo's house. The children were much excited by it, and at first Russ was going to make one. But he found it harder than he supposed, so he gave it up. "But I can make an airship," said Rose to herself. "Anyhow I can make something to give my doll a ride in the air in a basket." And that is what the little girl was going to do. She had felt how hard one balloon pulled--for they were filled with gas just as a real balloon is--and Rose thought that if one balloon pulled so strongly six would pull harder yet. "I'll tie all six balloons to the basket, and put Lily in and give her an airship ride," said Rose. So, while her brothers and sisters were watching the chauffeur, this is what Rose did. She carefully loosed each balloon, besides her own, from the fence, and tied the strings to the handle of the basket in which she put Lily.