Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue on an Auto Tour Part 7

"I--I got around the curve all right, Momsie!" he shouted in glee, and he raised one hand from the wheel to wave it to her.

But at that instant the auto gave a wobble, and Bunny had to bring his waving hand back on the wheel to keep the car straight.

"Bunny! Bunny!" cried his mother, running down the drive after the machine. "Where are you going?"

"I--I don't know," he called back to her. "The auto got started and I can't stop it!"

"Oh, what shall I do?" cried Mrs. Brown. For the seat of the car was very high, and though Bunny had managed to reach it, for he was a good tree-climber, it would hardly have been possible for Mrs. Brown to try to get up with her skirts on and when the auto was moving. It had been still when Bunny climbed to the seat.

"Oh, Bunny!" wailed his mother. "Mary! Telephone for Mr. Brown to come home--quick!"

"I won't be hurt!" called Bunny. "All I've got to do is to keep going on around and around and around the driveway until the storage battery gives out. That's what's running the car now."

"Oh, but you _must_ be stopped," cried Mrs. Brown, who managed to keep alongside the slowly moving auto. "You might hit something!"

"I steered out of the way of a tree, all the same," said Bunny proudly.

"I was 'most going to run into it, but I didn't. I 'membered which way to steer."

"Oh, I'm so frightened," moaned Mrs. Brown. Then seeing Bunker Blue coming up the path with a message on which he had been sent by Mr.

Brown, Bunny's mother called to him:

"Oh, Bunker, stop the auto! Bunny started it somehow. He's ridden nearly all around the drive, but he can't stop!"

"It's running on the battery," said Bunker, after listening a moment to the electric hum. Then he swung himself up on the seat of the moving car beside Bunny, shut off the electric starter and put on the brakes.

"There you are, Bunny!" cried Bunker. "Right as can be!"

"I steered her nearly all the way around the house," said the small boy with pride.

"But you must never do it again," commanded his mother. "Never! Oh, how you frightened me, Bunny!"

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again," said the little fellow; and he really meant it.

"How did you come to do it?" asked Bunker.

"It just did itself," said the small boy. "I climbed up on the seat, and made believe I was steering, just like you or daddy, when, all of a sudden, off she went. I 'most busted down a tree, but I didn't really.

And I went all around the house. I guess now daddy will let me steer the car out on the road."

"Not for a few days yet," said Bunker Blue with a laugh.

"Mr. Brown told me to tell you," he went on to Mrs. Brown, "that he would go a day earlier than he counted on, if you could get ready."

"It won't take me long to pack," said Mrs. Brown. "But why didn't he telephone?"

"Our machine is out of order. The men are fixing it, and anyhow I had to come up this way."

"Well, I'm glad you came in time," said Mrs. Brown, as she led Bunny back to the house. "You are very good, Bunker."

"Yes, and I want you to show me how to stop that electric starter when it starts to start," said Bunny.

"Some day--maybe," promised Bunker, smiling.

"Well, if we're going sooner, I'll have to hurry up and get my things packed," said Bunny. "Have you got yours, Sue?"

"Most of 'em. You ought to see how bright my Teddy bear's eyes s.h.i.+ne since daddy put new batteries inside Sallie Malinda," rattled on Sue.

"I can 'most see to read my Mother Goose by them in the dark."

"Well, I'm going to get my things ready," said Bunny.

The next few days were busy ones in the Brown home. The big automobile was packed with bed clothes and with things for the children, their father and mother and Uncle Tad to wear, and also with things to eat.

At last, one morning, all was ready for the start.

"Good-bye," waved Mary, the cook, who was to have a vacation, while the Browns were away.

"Good-bye!" called Bunny and Sue, and then Mr. Brown, who was at the steering wheel, while Uncle Tad, Bunny, Sue and their mother rode inside, started the car, and Bunny Brown and his Sister Sue were off on an auto tour.

Merrily they rode along, Bunny and Sue talking happily, when, all at once Bunny cried:

"Wait! Hold on! Where is Splash?"

CHAPTER VI

TWO DOGS

Mr. Brown as soon as he heard Bunny's cry of "Wait!" at once shut off the power from the big automobile, and brought it to a stop. He turned to look through the little window at the back of the front seat against which he leaned, and asked:

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, Daddy, we've forgotten Splas.h.!.+" wailed Bunny.

"We've left him behind," chattered Sue. "I saw him and Dix--that's Fred Ward's dog--playing together, and I thought of course Splash would come with us. I forgot, and left one of the funny clown dresses for Sallie Malinda up in my room, so I went to get it, and then Splash and Dix were away down at the end of the yard and I didn't think any more about our dog."

"I didn't either," said Bunny. "But he always has come with us and I thought he would this time."

"Are you sure he isn't somewhere in the auto, under one of the cots asleep?" asked Mr. Brown.

"I'll look," said Uncle Tad, and he did, but without finding Splash.

"I forgot all about him," admitted Mrs. Brown, and her husband said the same thing.

"Well, what are we going to do?" asked Mr. Brown, as soon as every one was satisfied that the dog was not in the big auto-van.

"Do? Why, we've got to go back after him, of course!" cried Bunny.