They saw other medicine showmen who had with them players or singers, but none of them were at all like the runaway Fred.

“It must have been he who was with Dr. Perry,” said Mrs. Brown.

“Yes, and I presume he feared we knew him and so he ran on farther,” her husband added.  “He may be in Portland now.”

“How soon shall we be there?” asked Bunny.

“In a few more days now.”

Two days later, as they camped outside a little village for the night, they saw beside the road a signboard which read: 

          TWENTY MILES TO PORTLAND

“Oh, we’ll be there to-morrow!” cried Bunny.  “Then we can find Fred, and can send him to his mamma and papa!”

CHAPTER XVIII

CAMPING OUT

Mr. Brown was awakened in the morning feeling little hands tugging at him as he lay in his bunk, and childish voices crying: 

“Come on, Daddy!  Get up!  Get up!”

“Eh?  What’s this?  Get up!” he exclaimed.  “Why, what’s the matter, Bunny and Sue?” he went on, as he saw the two standing inside the curtains that hung in front of his bed.

“It’s time to get up,” said Sue.

“Why, it isn’t six o’clock yet,” answered her father, looking at his watch, which was under his pillow.  “Why are you out of your bunks so early?  Go back to sleep.”

“But we want to get on to Portland to find Fred Ward,” said Bunny.  “It’s only twenty miles and we can soon be there if we start early.”

“There isn’t much you children forget, is there?” asked Mr. Brown with a laugh, as he stretched and rubbed his eyes.  Then as he opened wide his arms Bunny and Sue piled into the bunk with him, having a good, hearty tussle, until their shouts of laughter awakened Mrs. Brown and Uncle Tad, while Dix and Splash, asleep under the big car, added their barks to the din.

“What’s the matter?” asked Mrs. Brown.  “Has anything more happened?”

“Oh, these children want to leave before breakfast for Portland, to find that runaway boy,” said Mr. Brown.  “Well, as long as they’re awake I suppose we might as well get up and start early.  It’s about time I attended to my business affairs.”

Breakfast was soon ready, and when it had been eaten the “Ark” was once more chugging along the road.  The travelers passed through several small villages and then they came to the edge of a big city which, the children’s father told them, was Portland.

“Are we going to stay in the auto while we’re here?” asked Bunny, for Mr. Brown had said they would probably remain in Portland for nearly a week, as he had several matters to look after.

“No, I’ll give you a chance to stretch your legs,” said his father.  “We’ll store the automobile in a garage and you can live at a hotel while I’m getting my business in shape.”

“But what about Dix and Splash?” asked Bunny.  “Where can they stay?”