“I’m not going to!” announced Mrs. Bobbsey.  “I’m going to stay here and find Flossie and Freddie!”

“So am I, my dear!” added Mr. Bobbsey.

“Well, then, let’s look around for a boat.  If I find one I’ll go for help in it, and you can stay here,” said Captain Craig.

He made his own damaged craft fast close to the shore, and then the searching party set off through the woods to look for a cabin, a rowboat, and for the missing children.

“It ought to be easy to see that balloon, it’s so big,” said Captain Craig.

“I can spot that balloon of mine as soon as any one, I guess,” said Mr. Trench.  “This isn’t the first time I’ve hunted for it.  You never can tell exactly where a balloon will come down.”

Through the underbrush, between trees, and in the dripping rain and swirling fog, the searching party tramped on.  Suddenly one of the men gave a cry.

“I see something!” he shouted.

“Is it my children?” Mrs. Bobbsey asked, her voice trembling with eagerness.

“No, I think it’s the balloon,” was the answer.

And the balloon it was.  Draped over bushes and trees was the big gas bag, now almost emptied of the vapor that had lifted it and carried it away from the fair grounds with Flossie and Freddie in the basket.

“Oh, but where are my little ones—­my Bobbsey twins?” cried the mother.

“They must be somewhere around here,” said Captain Craig.

And then, thrilling the hearts of all, came two young voices, calling: 

“Daddy!  Mother!  Here we are!  Oh, we’re so glad you came!  Here we are!”

Out of the woods rushed Flossie and Freddie, to be caught up in the arms of Mother and Daddy Bobbsey.

“We—­we were in the hut!” breathlessly explained Flossie.  “And I heard a noise, and I said for Freddie to hark, and he harked, and then we heard talking and we ran out and—­and here we are!”

“Yes, darlings, here you are!” cried Mrs. Bobbsey, tears running down her cheeks.  “But, oh, why did you ever do it?  Why did you get into the balloon?”

“Oh, jest ’cause,” answered Freddie.  And they all laughed at his answer.

CHAPTER XXI

BERT, NAN, AND BOB

While this happy meeting and reunion was taking place on Hemlock Island and while the smaller Bobbsey twins were thus made happy by finding their father and mother again, Bert and Nan were very unhappy back at Meadow Brook Farm.  They had safely reached the home of their uncle and aunt, being taken there in Mr. Blackford’s automobile.

“Oh, dear me, what dreadful news!” exclaimed Aunt Sarah, when told about Flossie and Freddie having been carried away in the balloon.  “Shall we ever see those dear children again?”

“Of course we shall, Mother!” said Uncle Daniel, with a laugh.  “Don’t worry, Flossie and Freddie will be all right.”