Mr. Bobbsey wished to ask one of the railroad men in the big station some questions about the trunks, and he also had to send a telegram, so, while he was doing these things, he told his wife and children to sit down and wait for him.  Mrs. Bobbsey led Nan and Bert and Flossie and Freddie to one of the many long benches in the large depot, but the two smaller twins were so excited at being in such an immense place that they had not been seated more than a few seconds before they jumped up to gaze all about them.  Bert and Nan, too, though older than their brother and sister, were much astonished at what they saw.

“Why—­why!” gasped Freddie, “it’s bigger than our armory at home!” for in Lakeport there was a big hall where the soldiers drilled.

“It’s three times as big,” said Flossie.

“Four!” declared Freddie.  “Come on!” he called to his sister, “let’s see how long it takes to walk around it.”

“Don’t go too far away,” said Mrs. Bobbsey, who, for the moment, did not realize how really large the station was.  “Don’t get lost!” she went on.

“No’m, we won’t!” promised Flossie and Freddie.

They started off to walk around the large depot, which, as you who have seen it know, takes up a whole New York City block, or “square,” as you will say if you live near Philadelphia.

Mr. Bobbsey’s business took him a little longer than he expected, but as Bert and Nan begged to be allowed to buy a little candy at the newspaper stand near them, and as Mrs. Bobbsey wanted a magazine, the getting of these things took a little time, so the three did not notice how long Mr. Bobbsey was away from them.

When he came back, having sent his message and found out what he wanted to know, the twins’ father asked: 

“Where are Flossie and Freddie?”

“They’re walking around, just seeing how big the station is,” said Nan.

“Trying to find out how much larger it is than our armory at home,” added Bert with a laugh.

“Well, I hope they don’t get lost,” said Mr. Bobbsey, “This place is a good deal larger than our armory.  I’d better go to look for them,” he went on as a glance around, near the news stand, did not show the two little ones anywhere in sight.

“I’ll come with you,” offered Bert.

“No, you’d better stay here with your mother,” said his father.  “I don’t want you getting lost, too.”  And he smiled at his son.  “Stay right here.  I’ll not be long.”

But if Mr. Bobbsey thought he was going to find Flossie and Freddie soon he was disappointed.  He wandered about under the big glass roof, which at first the two younger twins had taken for the sky; but he did not see Flossie or Freddie.

“Has yo’all done lost suffin, boss?” inquired one of the colored porters.

“I’m looking for my two little children,” explained Mr. Bobbsey.  “They wandered away from their mother.”

“Oh, don’t yo’all worry ’bout dat, boss!  Chilluns gits lost heah ebery day, an’ we all easy find ’em ag’in.”