"Well, I'm glad it wasn't, or a tiger or lion, either," said Flossie, as she curled up in her cot. Soon the house was quiet again, and everyone went to sleep. In the morning Freddie and Flossie went out to look at the place under the lilac bush where the dog had been seen. They found a hole where he had been digging up a bone he had hidden there. And, a little later that day, the dog himself came over, to make friends with Snap. He let Freddie pat him. "He isn't half as big as he looked in the night," said the little fellow. "No, daylight often makes many things seem smaller--even troubles, that look very big at night," said Mrs. Bobbsey, with a smile. "But maybe we'll see some wild animals that got away from the circus," hopefully said Freddie at dinner. "No, you won't!" exclaimed his uncle with a laugh. "Why not?" asked Bert. "Because none got away," was the answer. "I met one of the circus men in the village this morning. He stayed behind to settle up some bills, and he said not a single animal got away. It was all a false alarm; no truth in it." "Well, I'm glad of it!" declared Mrs. Bobbsey, and I think everyone felt better on hearing that news. Mr. Bobbsey came back to Meadow Brook the next day, and heard all about the wild animal scare, and also about Freddie being lost at the circus, and Frank Kennedy finding him. "And Mr. Mason is looking for Frank at the circus, wherever the show is now," said Bert. "Yes, so I heard," remarked Mr. Bobbsey. "Well, I hope he treats the poor boy kindly if he takes him back." It was a hot, quiet summer afternoon, a few days later, that Bert and Harry, with Tom Mason, sat under the trees in front of the farmhouse. Mrs. Bobbsey and Aunt Sarah had gone calling, Flossie and Freddie were asleep in the house, and Nan had gone over to see Mabel Herold. "What can we do?" asked Bert, stretching his arms. "I don't want to do much except keep cool," spoke Harry. "That's what I say!" exclaimed Tom. "And I know a good way to get that way, too." "What way?" asked Bert, closing his eyes. "Cool. Let's go swimming. It's just right for that!" "All right!" agreed Harry. "Fine!" cried Bert. "Let's do it." A little later they were on their way to the old swimming hole, near the willow tree that grew on the edge of the brook, or little river. CHAPTER XX FRANK COMES BACK "Watch me dive in!" "I can swim under water!" "Let's see who can first swim across to the other side of the big hole!" Bert Bobbsey, his cousin Harry, Tom Mason and some other boys were standing on the bank of the little brook, or river, as it was sometimes called, all ready for a cool bath that hot summer day. The water of the "old swimming hole," as it was called, was not deep enough to be dangerous, and Mrs. Bobbsey was not afraid to have Bert go there without his father. Bert's father had taught him to swim. "All ready now?" asked Harry, as the boys stood in line on the edge of the little pool, waiting for the dive.