"No, they burn up," said Mun Bun, in rather sleepy tones. And, in truth, several of the paper balloons sent up that evening had caught fire. "I want a big balloon I can ride in," he said, "like Jerry told about. I want to go up in a balloon!" "Well, maybe you'll dream about one," said Mother Bunker with a laugh. "And that will be better than a real one, because if you fall out of a dream balloon you land in bed. But if you fall out of a real balloon you may land in the river." Mun Bun did not answer. He was asleep on his father's shoulder. The next day, between times of walking around the yard looking for fire-crackers that, possibly, hadn't exploded the day before, and finding stray torpedoes, the six little Bunkers talked of the fun they had had. They went into the house, now and then, to see how Mother Bunker and Norah were coming on with the packing. For a start had been made in getting ready to go to Grandma Bell's, now that the Fourth of July was passed. Mrs. Bunker was so busy that she did not keep as close watch over the children as usual, and it was nearly time for lunch before she thought of them. "Norah, see if they're all in the yard, please," she said. "And count them, to be sure all six are there. Then we'll get them something to eat, and do some more packing this afternoon." Norah looked out in the yard. "I see only five of 'em, ma'am," she reported. "Which one is gone?" asked Mrs. Bunker quickly. "I don't see Mun Bun," said the cook. Just then Rose came running into the house. "Oh, Mother!" she cried. "Guess where Mun Bun is!" "I haven't time to guess!" said Mrs. Bunker. "Tell me quickly, Rose! Has anything happened to him?" "I--I guess he's all right," answered Rose, who was out of breath from running. "But he's standing under a tree up the street, and he won't come home." "He won't come home?" repeated Mrs. Bunker. "Why won't he come home, Rose?" "'Cause his balloon is caught. He's got hold of the string and his balloon is up in the tree and he won't come home. He says he's going to take a ride up to the sky!" "Oh, goodness me! what _has_ happened now?" exclaimed Mrs. Bunker. "Norah!" she called. "Come! Something is the matter with a balloon and Mun Bun! We must go see what it is!" One or the other of the six little Bunkers was always, so it seemed to their mother, in trouble of some sort, and she or Norah or Jerry Simms or their father had to drop anything they might be doing to rush to the help of the child who had gotten itself into something or some place it should not have got into. CHAPTER VII LADDIE'S NEW RIDDLE Norah O'Grady, the cheerful cook for the six little Bunkers, saw their mother hurrying out of the house with Rose. "What's the matter, Mrs. Bunker?" asked Norah. "Is there a fire, and are ye goin' for a policeman?" Firemen and policemen, aside from Jerry Simms, were Norah's two chief heroes.