“What’s all this?” asked Mr. Bobbsey in surprise.  “Who is this Tommy Todd?”

“He’s one of the fresh air boys,” answered Freddie.  “There he is in the seat ahead of Flossie.”

“He is one of our nicest boys,” put in Miss Carter, the fresh air lady.  “I was so glad we could send him out to the farm.  He lives with his grandmother on the outskirts of the city near the dumps, and, though the home is a very poor one, Mrs. Todd keeps it very neat.  She sews for a living.”

“Tommy’s father was lost at sea, and Tommy and I are going to rescue him from a desert island,” cried Freddie eagerly.  “How much money have I in my bank, Daddy?”

“Was his father really shipwrecked?” asked Mr. Bobbsey of Miss Carter.

“I believe he was, yes.  Before then Tommy and his grandmother lived well.  We help them all we can, but there are so many poor.”

“Tommy can run errands,” put in Freddie.  “He works for Mr. Fitch, our grocer, after school.  He’s strong, Tommy is.  He gained two pounds in the country.  Maybe you could hire him to run errands for you, Daddy, and pay him money.”

“He really is a very good boy,” said Miss Carter.  “If you could give him any work it would be a charity.”

“I’ll see about it when we get home,” said Mr. Bobbsey.

“And you say the grandmother does sewing?” asked Mrs. Bobbsey.  “I must look her up, and perhaps I can give her work.  We won’t forget the Todds.”

“But can I help Tommy buy a ship and go to look on the desert island for his father?” Freddie demanded.

“I’ll see about it,” promised Mr. Bobbsey, with a smile.

The train rumbled on.  Some passengers got off, and others came on board.  The fresh air children got drinks of water until there was none left in the tank.  Some of them crawled under the seats, and one little fat girl got stuck, and a brakeman had to come in and raise the seat so she could get out.  Others raced up and down the aisles until the two ladies in charge of them did not know what to do.  Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey helped as much as they could.

“The children don’t mean to be troublesome,” said Miss Carter, “but they don’t very often have a chance to have real fun like this, and they make the most of it.  Thank goodness we’ll soon be home.”

A little later the brakeman called: 

“Lakeport!  Lakeport!”

“Oh, here we are!” cried the Bobbsey twins.

“Come!” shouted Flossie.

“Hurry!” urged Freddie.

“Don’t forget Snoop, Dinah,” said Nan.

“I’ll hurry up to the baggage car and get Snap,” said Bert, for the dog had to ride there.

“Can I help you carry any bundles?” asked Tommy Todd of Mrs. Bobbsey.  “I get out here, too.”

“Oh, yes, so you do.  Well, you might carry that basket if it isn’t too heavy for you.  But please be careful of it for it has flowers in it.”

“Yes’m, I’ll be careful,” and Tommy slipped the handle of the basket over his arm.