“Papa!  Mamma!  Help me!  I’m under the lumber!”

Freddie paused to listen.  He heard some one walking past the pile of lumber.  The little boy called as hard as he could: 

“Get me out!  Get me out!”

Then, suddenly, a voice asked: 

“Who are you and where are you?”

“I’m Freddie Bobbsey,” was the answer.  “I’m down under the lumber and I can’t get out.  Please help me.  Who are you?”

“Of course I’ll help you, Freddie,” was the answer.  “I’m Tommy Todd.  I just happened to pass through the lumber yard.  I’m going to ask your father if he has any errands for me to do, as it’s Saturday and there is no school.  But I’ll get you out first, Freddie.”

“Oh Tommy!  I’m so glad you came.  Please get me out!”

But to get Freddie out from under the lumber was too hard for little Tommy Todd.

“I’ll run and tell your father, Freddie,” Tommy said.  “Don’t be afraid.  He’ll soon get you out.”

“I’m not afraid,” Freddie said.

Tommy ran up to Mr. Bobbsey, who was just getting ready to blow the big mill whistle and call out all the men, more than a hundred of them, to help search for the missing boy.

“Oh Mr. Bobbsey!” cried Tommy.  “Freddie can’t get out and I can’t get him out.”

“Where is he?  Tell me quickly!”

“He’s under a pile of lumber.  I’ll show you!”

Tommy quickly led the way, Mr. Bobbsey, James and some other men following.  When they reached the pile of lumber that had slid over Freddie’s head the men carefully but quickly lifted away the boards, and the little boy could come out.

“Oh Freddie!” cried his father.  “I was so worried about you!  What happened?”

Then Freddie told of having climbed up on the lumber pile, and of its having toppled over with him, but not hurting him in the least.

“It was just like a play-house,” he said.  “And I heard a scratching and thought it was a rat.  But it was Sawdust.”

“I saw the cat come out from under the lumber,” said Tommy.  “But I did not know Freddie was there until I heard him calling.  I was coming to you to ask if you had any work for me this Saturday, as there isn’t any school.  I need to work to earn money for my grandmother.”

“Work?  Of course I can give you work,” said Mr. Bobbsey, who had Freddie in his arms.  “You deserve a good reward for finding Freddie for us, and you shall have it.  I’m glad I didn’t have to call out all the men, for if I had blown the big whistle Mrs. Bobbsey would have heard it, and she would have thought there was a fire.”

So Tommy Todd was rewarded for having found where the lost Freddie was.  The fresh air boy was given some easy work to do, for which he was well paid, and besides this, Mr. Bobbsey gave the grandmother five dollars to buy the food and the clothing which she needed very much.

“I’m glad I happened to come past the lumber pile where you were,” said Tommy a little later, when he was taking Freddie home, for Mr. Bobbsey sent Tommy along to see that the little chap did not get lost again.