“But there isn’t any,” replied Mrs. Bunker, wanting to laugh, but not doing it, as she did not want to hurt Laddie’s feelings.

“Well, we’re going to dig, just the same,” insisted Laddie.  “We can go to Cousin Tom’s after we find the gold.”

“Oh, I see,” said Mrs. Bunker with a smile.  “Well, don’t you think it would be nice to go to the seashore?  There is plenty of sand there, and perhaps there may be a desert island, or something like that, near Cousin Tom’s.  Couldn’t you dig for gold and treasure at the seashore?”

“Oh, maybe we could!” cried Laddie.  “I guess that would be nice, Mother.  I’ll go and tell the others.  We’re going to Cousin Tom’s!  We’re going to Cousin Tom’s!” he sang joyously, as he raced back to where he had left Sammie Brown telling his story, and the other little Bunkers who wanted to dig for gold.

“I think it will be just lovely for the children at Cousin Tom’s,” said Mrs. Bunker to her husband, who came out to see if there were any letters for him.  “They can play in the sand and never get a bit dirty.”

“Yes, they can do that,” said Mr. Bunker.  “So Cousin Tom wrote, did he?  Well, I suppose that means we will soon be leaving Aunt Jo’s.”

“I shall be sorry to see you go,” said Aunt Jo herself—­Miss Josephine Bunker, to give her complete name and title.  She was Daddy Bunker’s sister, and had never married, but she had a fine home in the Back Bay section of Boston, and the six little Bunkers, with their father and mother, had been spending some weeks there.

While Mr. and Mrs. Bunker are talking about the coming trip to the seashore, and while Laddie is hurrying back to tell his brothers and sisters the good news, there will be a chance for me to let my new readers hear something about the children who are to have the largest part in this story.

This book is complete in itself, but it forms one of a series about the six children, and the first volume is called “Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bell’s.”  In that I introduced the boys and girls.

First there was Russ, aged eight years.  He had dark hair and eyes, and was very fond of whistling and making things to play with, such as an automobile out of a soap box or a steamboat out of a broken chair.  Rose, who was next in size, was seven years old.  She often helped her mother about the house and looked after the younger children.  And that she was happy when she worked you could tell because she nearly always sang.  Rose had light hair and blue eyes.

Vi, or Violet, was six years old.  As you have noticed, she was very fond of asking questions, and she looked at you with her gray eyes until you answered.  Laddie, her twin brother, was as persistent in making up queer little riddles as Vi was with her questions, and between the two they kept their father and mother busy.