the people around the Bobbsey family joined in the laughter when an usher helped Mr. Bobbsey place Freddie in his proper place again.
Then the curtain went down on the first act, and as the lights were turned up the children looked about them. Freddie found himself seated next to a boy about his own age, who, with an elderly lady, had come in after the performance began. This was why Freddie had not noticed his little neighbor before.
"Isn't this a dandy show!" cried Freddie.
"The best I ever saw," answered the boy.
"What's your name?"
"Freddie Bobbsey. What's yours?"
"Laddie Dickerson. Where do you live?"
"We live away up in Lakeport, but we're staying at the Parkview Hotel."
"Why—why, that's where we live, my mother and my uncle and my aunt. My father is dead. We live at the hotel, except in the Summer, when we go to the seashore. What floor are you on?"
"The tenth. I know 'cause I holler it out when we come up in the elevator."
"Why, we live on the tenth floor, too," said
