“What sort of looking man is he?” the store owner questioned eagerly.

Mr. Bobbsey described Uncle Jack’s looks, and also told of his having come to Lakeport a number of years before, from where, no one knew.  He made friends and lived in the woods.  That was all that was known about him.  Few, if any, had known his name until now.

“And so he is John Whipple,” said Mr. Bobbsey, rather talking to himself than to any one else.  “Strange that he should have forgotten it all these years, I wonder if I can find his folks.  Why, your name is Whipple!” he said to Laddie’s uncle.  “Do you know who Uncle Jack might be?”

“I think I do,” said Mr. Whipple slowly, and his voice trembled.  “I think he is my long-lost brother, and the brother of my sister—­he is Laddie’s other uncle!  Oh, if it only turns out that way!”

“Is Uncle John found?” asked Laddie, who, with his playmates, Flossie and Freddie, began to understand a little of what was going on.  “Is Uncle John found?”

“We hope so, my dear,” said his aunt gently.  “How can we make sure?” she asked her husband.

“There is only one way,” he said.

“You mean to go to Lakeport?”

“That’s it.  Where can I find him?” asked Mr. Whipple of Mr. Bobbsey.  “Uncle Jack, I will call him, until I make sure he is my long-lost brother,” he added.

“He was taken to a private hospital, not far out of town.  I’ll be very glad if you and your wife, and Laddie, as well, will come back to Lakeport with us.  Then you can see Uncle Jack and make sure whether or not he is your brother.”

“I’ll be glad to do that.  But I thought you were going to stay in New York for some time yet.”

“We can go back to-morrow if need be,” said Mr. Bobbsey.  “My business is now in good shape, and I can come back here if there is any call for me.”

“Oh, let’s all go back to Lakeport!” cried Freddie.  “Maybe then we can have a goat, Flossie.”

“Oh, may we, Mother?” the little girl demanded.

“I’ll buy ’em a goat—­two goats—­if this news proves true,” said Mr. Whipple.  “Oh, I do hope I have found my brother!”

“How did he get lost?” asked Mrs. Bobbsey.

“It happened when my sister and I were very little children.  John was somewhat older.  Our parents died, and distant relatives, living far away from our home, took charge of my sister and me.  John, who was a half-grown boy, stayed with the family of a neighboring farmer, who had been friends of our parents, and the relatives took my sister and me away with them.

“Shortly after this the farmer lost his money, his farm, everything, and soon after moved away, taking John with them.  News of this did not come for some time to our relatives, and when it did and they began a search for John, all trace of him was lost.  They learned that the farmer had died in a public hospital in a strange city, and all trace of his widow and John was lost right there.