“Well, anyhow, Nan and Bert are there,” said Freddie.

“And you’re here,” said the red-mustached policeman, “That’s easy to see, though what he means about being half of the Bobbsey twins is more than I can guess.  How many is twins, anyhow?”

“Two,” some one said.

“We’re four—­that is, two sets,” explained Flossie painstakingly.  “Bert and Nan are older than us.”

“Oh, I see,” said the policeman whom the other officers called Captain, or “Cap.” for short.  “Well, where did you come from and where are you going?”

“We live at the Parkview Hotel,” said Freddie, “and we got in here to have a ride.  We didn’t think you’d find us so soon.”

“It is too bad,” said the captain, with a laugh.  “And I’m afraid I can’t give you a ride any farther than to the station house.  I suppose you know who you are and where you live,” he went on, with a smile; “but, as we have to do things by rule in the police department, I’ll have to make sure.  So I’ll take you to my office and telephone to the hotel.  If I find you belong there I’ll take you back.”

“Then we’ll have another ride!” said Flossie.  “That will be nice, won’t it, Freddie?”

“Um, I guess so.  Only I’d like to sit out in front with the driver as long as you sneezed and told ’em we were here.”

“I didn’t sneeze any more than you giggled!” cried Flossie.  “And, anyhow, I couldn’t help it.  That fuzzy blanket——­”

“Of course, that was it!” laughed the captain.  “Never mind.  No harm has been done, and you shall have a ride back home.  Though I think, for the sake of your folks, I’ll send you back in a taxicab, instead of in this patrol auto, and with an officer in plain clothes, instead of one wearing a uniform.  It will look better at the hotel,” he explained to his men.

“Sure,” was their answer.

And so the two little Bobbsey twins and Laddie were given a ride to the precinct station house in the big automobile patrol, and they sat on the laps of the kindly policemen.

Quite a crowd of children gathered around the doors of the police station as Flossie, Freddie and Laddie were lifted out of the automobile, and there were all sorts of stories told about them.  Some believed the children had been rescued from the fire; others that they had been taken from a robbers’ cave, and still others that these were the children, who, playing with matches, had caused the fire.

But all these guesses were wrong, as we know, Flossie, Freddie and Laddie had just gone for a ride, and they had one, though it did not turn out exactly as they expected.  However, they had a good time.

It did not take the police captain long to find out that what Freddie had said was true—­that the three youngsters lived at the Parkview Hotel.

“Your aunt has been looking all over for you,” said the captain to Laddie, after telephoning.  “I sent word that I’d soon have you safely back, and you mustn’t run away again.”