“Oh, well, I gave them up for lost some time ago,” said the lumber dealer.  “I managed to get copies of the papers that were in my pockets, and I wouldn’t wear the coat again, anyhow.  But what about Bob?”

Then Mr. Hardy told the story.  Mr. Blipper had found Bob, a little chap, wandering about the streets of a big city.  The boy, it seemed, lived with an Italian who said he had once known Bob’s father and mother who had been dead some time.

“I don’t know how Blipper managed it, but he got the boy away from the Italian,” said Mr. Hardy, “and gave out that he had adopted Bob Guess as his son.  But I knew better, though I didn’t see much use in telling about it.  In fact, I didn’t know who to tell.  I didn’t know who would look after Bob if Blipper didn’t, in his own rough way.  So I kept still, though after Blipper and I quarreled, I threatened to tell.  And now I have.”

“I’ll see if we can find Bob’s relatives,” said Mr. Bobbsey.  “If we can’t, why, I think he will be provided for.”

“Oh, I’m so glad!” exclaimed Bob.  “I’d rather belong to anybody but Blipper!”

And, a few days later, inquiries having been made, it was found that Bob’s father and mother had died in a distant city and that, there being no one to look after the poor boy, the Italian had taken him in.  Then, in some manner, Blipper got him and treated him harshly.

Bob was only a small boy when Mr. Blipper got control of him, and the merry-go-round man told a wrong story about having taken the lad from an orphan asylum.  If Bob had been in an asylum he would have been well treated, and no person would have been allowed to take him away until they had been looked up, to make sure the boy would be well cared for.

Mr. Blipper forged, or made out himself, the papers showing that Bob was his adopted son, and Bob was too small to know any better when Mr. Blipper told him this and also told how he had been taken from an asylum.  Bob had only a dim remembrance of the Italian who looked after him for a time, following the death of the boy’s father and mother.  The Italian was much kinder than Mr. Blipper had been.

“How would you like to come and live on this farm with me?” asked Uncle Daniel, when it became evident that Bob had no folks living.

“Do you mean forever?” asked the boy, delight showing in his eyes.

“Yes, forever.  Come here as my son.  I’ll adopt you properly.  Harry always wanted a brother, and now he can have one.  Will you come?”

“Will I come?” cried Bob.  “I’ll come—­twice!” he laughed.

“Then it’s settled,” said Uncle Daniel.  “And from now on your name will be Bob Bobbsey!”

And so it was.

“And daddy never found his coat after all!” said Nan, when, several days later, they were talking over the wonderful things that had happened.

“No, but I found a brother!” laughed Harry, who was very happy to have Bob live with him.