The Curlytops on Star Island | Page 9

you didn't hurt the bunny," observed Jan. "But you've hurt
grandma's soda. Is there any left, Ted?" she asked, as her brother got
out of the wagon to pick up the broken package.
"A little," he answered. "There's some in the bottom. I guess we'll go
back to the store and get more. I want to ask that farmer again about the
tramps on Star Island."
"No, don't," begged Jan. "Let's take what soda we have to grandma.
Maybe it'll be enough. Anyhow, if we did go back for more Trouble
might throw that out, too, if he saw a rabbit."
"That's so. I guess we'd better leave him when we go to the store next
time. How'd he get the soda, anyhow?"
"It must have jiggled out of my lap, where I was holding it, and then it
fell in the bottom of the wagon and he got it. He didn't know any
better."
"No, I s'pose not. Well, maybe grandma can use this."
Teddy carefully lifted up the broken package of baking soda, more than
half of which had spilled when Trouble threw it at the little brown
rabbit. Baby William may have thought the package of soda was a
white stone, for it was wrapped in a white paper.
"Well, I'm glad he didn't hit the little bunny, anyhow," said Jan. "Where
is it?" and she looked for the rabbit.
But the timid woodland creature had hopped away, probably to go to its
burrow and tell a wonderful story, in rabbit language, about having

seen some giants in a big wagon drawn by an elephant--for to a rabbit a
goat must seem as large as a circus animal.
"I guess Trouble can't hit much that he throws at," observed Ted, as he
started Nicknack once more toward Cherry Farm.
"He threw a hair brush at me once and hit me," declared Jan.
"Yes, I remember," said Teddy. "Here, Trouble, if you want to throw
things throw these," and he stopped to pick up some old acorns which
he gave his little brother. "You can't hurt anyone with them."
Trouble was delighted with his new playthings, and kept quiet the rest
of the way home tossing the acorns out of the goat-wagon at the trees
he passed.
Grandma Martin said it did not matter about the broken box of soda, as
there was enough left for her need; so Ted and Jan, did not have to go
back to the store.
"But I'd like to ask that farmer more about the tramps on Star Island,"
said Ted to his grandfather, when telling what the man had said at the
grocery.
"I'll see him and ask him," decided Grandpa Martin.
It was two days after this--two days during which the Curlytops had
much fun at Cherry Farm--that Grandpa Martin spoke at dinner one
afternoon.
"I saw Mr. Crittendon," he said, "and he told me that he had seen you
Curlytops at the store and mentioned the tramps on Star Island." "Are
they really there?" asked Jan eagerly.
"Well, they might have been. But we won't let them bother us if we go
camping. I'll make them clear out. Most of that island belongs to me,
and the rest to friends of mine. They'll do as I say, and we'll clear out
the tramps."

"I hope you will, Grandpa," said Janet.
"Did Mr. Crittendon say anything about the queer blue light Jan and
Ted saw?" asked Grandma Martin.
"No, he hadn't seen that."
"Where did the tramps come from? And is he sure they weren't
gypsies?" asked Jan's mother.
"No, they weren't gypsies. We don't often see them around here. Oh, I
imagine the tramps were the regular kind that go about the country in
summer, begging their way. They might have found a boat and gone to
the island to sleep, where no constable would trouble them.
"But we're not afraid of tramps, are we, Curlytops?" he cried, as he
caught Baby William up in his arms and set him on his broad shoulder.
"We don't mind them, do we, Trouble?"
"We frow water on 'em!" said Baby William, laughing with delight as
his grandfather made-believe bite some "souse" off his ears.
"That's what we will! No tramps for us on Star Island!"
"When are we going?" asked Ted excitedly.
"Yes, when?" echoed Jan.
"In a few days now. I've got to get out the tents and other things. We'll
go the first of the week I think."
Ted and Jan could hardly wait for the time to come. They helped as
much as they could when Grandpa Martin got the tents out of the barn,
and they wanted to take so many of their toys and playthings along that
there would have been no room in the boat for anything