"And maybe we can find our silver cup, too," suggested Freddie, as he trudged along in the snow, now and then stopping to make a white ball which he threw at the fence or telegraph pole.

"The fat lady has our cup--I'm sure of that," said Flossie.

"Well, we can ask papa if he has heard from the circus people,"

suggested Nan.

Mr. Bobbsey was rather surprised to see his three children come into the office, but he was glad to meet them, for it made a break in his day's work. After a little thought he said they might go to the railroad office to inquire about Snoop. Nan and her brother and sister went in a trolley car, and were soon at the depot.

But to their disappointment there was no news of Snoop. The fat, black cat seemed to have completely disappeared.

"I've had the switchmen and trackmen keep a lookout for some time past," the agent told Nan, for Mr. Bobbsey did a large business in shipping lumber over the railroad, and many of the men were his friends. "One of the switchmen near where the wreck was, caught a lot of cats, that must have been living out in the fields all Summer," went on the agent, "but they were all sorts of colors. None was pure black, so I knew they could not be yours. I'm sorry."

"Yes, so are we," replied Nan. "Well, I guess Snoop is lost for good. He has been away a long time now."

On the way back to Mr. Bobbsey's office the trolley car got off the track, on account of so much snow on the rails, and the children spent some time watching the men get it back, the electricity from the wire and rails making pretty flashes of blue fire.

"What luck?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, as the three came in his private office, their faces shining and red with the glow of winter.

"None," said Nan sadly. "Snoop is gone."

"Have you heard from the circus fat lady yet, papa?" asked Flossie.

"Yes, we want our cup back," added her brother.

"No word yet," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "That circus is traveling all over Cuba, and the letters I sent never seem to catch up to them.

However, I am sending one on ahead now, to a city where they will soon give a show. The fat lady will find it there waiting for her, and she may answer then."

And with this the children had to be content. Getting back home, Flossie and Freddie took out their sleds and went for a coast on a small hill, not far from their home. This was where the smaller children had their fun, leaving the larger hill for the bigger girls and boys.

"Well, after this I think we all need something to cheer us up,"

said Papa Bobbsey, who came home from the office early that day.

"Oh, have you got something good?" asked Nan, for she saw a queer little twinkle in her father's eyes, and she knew that this generally meant a treat of some kind.

"I have some good news, if you would like to hear it," he said, as he drew a letter from his pocket.

"Is it to tell that some of our friends are coming to see us?"

asked Bert.

"Well, yes, I think you will call it a visit from a friend--at least part of it," said Papa Bobbsey. "Now listen. This is a letter from the fat lady in the circus."

"What!" cried Flossie--"the one who has our cup?"

"The same," said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile. "And she has more than your cup. Listen," and he read the letter.

It was too long to put it all in here, but it went on to say how the fat lady really had the valuable silver cup belonging to the twins.

"They loaned it to me to drink from," she wrote, "and when the train stopped so suddenly, there was so much confusion that I put it in my valise by mistake. I have had it ever since and have been wondering how I could send it back to you. The circus went to Cuba soon after that, and has been traveling around that island ever since. I have only just received your last letter asking me about the cup, or I would have answered before. If you will send me directions how to ship the cup to you I shall be very glad to return it."

"Oh goodie!" cried Freddie. "We'll have our nice cup again!"

"Is that all in the letter, papa?" asked Flossie.

"No, not quite," he said. "I'll read a little more," and he read:

"'When our circus was wrecked we lost a valuable trick dog. He could play soldier, say his prayers, turn somersaults, and do a number of tricks. The ringmaster feels very badly about losing him, and has tried to locate him, but without success. If you should hear of anyone near you having such a dog we would be much obliged if you would send him to us, as he belongs to the circus.'"

There was a moment of silence after Bobbsey read this, and then Freddie said:

"Why that must be Snap--our pet dog! Oh, papa you won't give him back to the circus; will you?"

CHAPTER XXII

SNAP AND SNOOP

All of the Bobbsey twins--Nan, Bert, Flossie and Freddie--looked so serious over the prospect of losing Snap that Mr. Bobbsey had to laugh. He just couldn't help it.

"Well, I don't see anything to make fun over," said Nan, with a little pout.

"Why, you all act as though you had lost your best friend--or were going to."

"Well, Snap _is_ one of our best friends, aren't you Snap?"

said Freddie.

"Still, if he belongs to the circus I don't see but what I'll have to send him back," went on Mr. Bobbsey, slowly.

At this Flossie burst into tears, and Mrs. Bobbsey, putting her arms about the little girl, said to her husband:

"Are you in earnest Richard? Don't tease the child."

"I'm not, Mary. The fat lady wrote just that. I believe the dog we have does belong to the circus."

"Then we'll have to give him up I suppose," and Mrs. Bobbsey sighed, for she had grown very much attached to the fine animal.

"Well, we won't have to send him back right away," said Mr. Bobbsey.

"I will have to get more particulars. But I did not finish the fat lady's letter."

"What! Is there more news in it?" asked Nan.

"Listen," said Mr. Bobbsey, as he went on reading:

"'We are sorry about losing our trick dog,' the fat lady wrote, 'but I picked up a big black cat when I walked out of the train. I brought him to Cuba with me, and I am teaching him tricks. He may be as valuable as our dog was.'"

"A black cat!" cried Nan.