“That’s a good idea,” agreed Rose. “We can make a lovely teeter-totter up there, and have lots of fun.” In the early evening, after supper, not much was talked of by the six little Bunkers but the coming visit to Farmer Joel’s. Mrs. Bunker, who had been to the farm some years before with her husband, told the children about it. There were many places where they could have fun, she said. The evening was passing. Mun Bun and Margy, in spite of their hard work to keep awake, were fast falling asleep, their little heads nodding from side to side and their eyes closing. “It’s time they were in bed!” cried Mrs. Bunker, when she finally noticed them. “It’s long past their hour. And Laddie and Vi, too! They must go to bed!” “I’ll carry up Mun Bun,” offered Mr. Bunker. “And I’ll take Margy,” said Adam, for both the smallest children were now asleep. “Come, Vi,” suggested her mother. “You and Laddie can go up by yourselves.” “Laddie isn’t here,” said Violet. “He isn’t? Where is he?” asked her mother. “Perhaps he has fallen asleep in a corner of the porch,” for they were sitting out on the piazza talking over the coming visit to Farmer Joel’s. “No, he isn’t here,” went on Violet. “He got up and walked off a little while ago.” “Then I guess he went up to bed by himself,” said Mr. Bunker, as he went into the house carrying Mun Bun, while Adam followed with Margy. “I’ll see if he’s in his room,” he added to his wife. But a little later, when Mr. Bunker called down: “Laddie isn’t up here!” there was some excitement. “Where can he be?” asked Mrs. Bunker. “Maybe he’s out in the yard trying to catch lightning bugs,” suggested Rose, for she and Russ were to be allowed to remain up a little later than the smaller children. “It’s too early for lightning bugs,” replied Mrs. Bunker. “Where can the child have gone? Laddie! Laddie!” she called, raising her voice. “Where are you?” But the only sound was the singing of the frogs down in the pond—that is, if you call the noise the frogs make “singing.” There was no answer from Laddie. “He may have wandered down into the garden, to look at some of the flowers you set out,” suggested Mr. Bunker. “He couldn’t see flowers in the dark,” objected Mrs. Bunker. “He might if he took a flashlight,” said Russ. “Maybe that’s what he did. I’ll go and look for him.” “I’ll come and help you,” offered Adam. But a search through the garden and more calling of Laddie’s name brought no answer from the little fellow. “Where can he have gone?” exclaimed Mrs. Bunker. “I’m afraid he’s lost.” CHAPTER V OFF TO THE FARM Mr. Bunker saw that his wife was growing a little alarmed over Laddie’s absence, so he said: “Now don’t worry, we’ll find Laddie.” “I’ll help you look for him,” said Adam. “He can’t have gone very far.” “Maybe he fell asleep in the summer-house,” suggested Russ, for at the end of the garden was a rustic summer-house, or pavilion, in which the children sometimes played. But Laddie was not there.