But Freddie could not forget about his “rescue,” as he called it, and when his father, with Nan and Bert, came home that evening the story had all to be told over again.

“But you and Laddie did wrong to go down to the fire without telling Laddie’s aunt,” said Mr. Bobbsey to his small son.  “You must never do it again!”

“I never will,” promised Freddie.  “But I was rescued all right, wasn’t I?”

“I guess so,” and Mr. Bobbsey had to turn his head away so Freddie would not see his smile.

Laddie, Flossie and Freddie soon became fast friends, and when the smaller Bobbsey twins were not being taken about New York, to see what to them were very wonderful sights, they were either playing in the rooms of Mrs. Whipple or in their own at the hotel.

Bert and Nan were a little too old for this kind of fun, but they met, in the same hotel, a brother and sister of about their own age—­Frank and Helen Porter—­with whom they had good times.

Mr. Bobbsey had to spend many days looking after the business that had brought him to New York, but Mrs. Bobbsey was free to go about with the children.  She took Nan and Bert shopping with her sometimes, leaving Flossie and Freddie with Mrs. Whipple.  This suited the small twins, for Laddie and they were great friends and played well together.

Other times Bert and Nan would go to the park, or somewhere with the Porter brother and sister, and Mrs. Bobbsey would take Flossie and Freddie to a matinee or the moving pictures.

“Oh, I think New York is just the nicest place in the world,” said Nan one afternoon, after a trip she and Bert had had on top of a Fifth avenue automobile stage, Frank and Helen Porter having gone with them.

“Yes, it is nice,” agreed Bert “But it’s nice in Lakeport, too.  You can’t have fun riding down hill here, and the skating isn’t as good as on our Lake Metoka.  And I haven’t seen an ice-boat since we came here, except in moving pictures.  I wonder how Tommy Todd is making out with mine.”

“Hasn’t he written to you?” asked Nan.

“No; but he promised he would.  Guess I’ll write him a postal now and ask him how the Bird is sailing.”

“And I’ll write to some of the girls in Lakeport,” said Nan.

I had forgotten to tell you that some time before this, Mr. Whipple, the man who owned the store where Flossie’s hat was bought the day the monkey chewed up hers, had met the two smaller twins in his wife’s rooms one day, when Flossie and Freddie had come to play with Laddie.

“Why, those are the two little children who were on the elevated express,” said the store owner, in surprise.

“That’s so, you do know them, don’t you?” returned Mrs. Whipple.

“I should say I did!” cried her husband, and he told all that had happened, while Mrs. Whipple related how Laddie, Flossie and Freddie had come to know one another in the theatre.