"It"s from Lakeport," he said, as he opened it and saw the date and the name of the place from which it had come.
"From Lakeport?" asked Mr. Whipple, as Mr. Bobbsey was reading the message. "That"s where the old woodsman lives, isn"t it?"
"Yes," answered Mrs. Bobbsey. "And, though he is very ill, he is being well looked after, thanks to the money you gave for him."
"Oh, I didn"t give much. It was your husband who did the most. I was glad to help, for I always have a soft spot in my heart for those who camp in the woods. How is Uncle Jack, by the way? I believe that"s his name?"
"Yes, that _was_ his name," said Mr. Bobbsey in a queer voice, as he held the telegram out to Mr. Whipple.
"It was his name--what do you mean?"
"I mean that he has come to his senses now. The doctors have operated on him and he will get better. There was an injury to his head that made him forget much of his early life. But now he is all right and he remembers his real name."
"What is it?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, while the others breathlessly waited for an answer. "What is his real name?"
"John Whipple," was the answer. "That"s what this telegram is about.
Though everybody called the woodchopper Uncle Jack, his real name is John Whipple!"
CHAPTER XXII
REUNITED
The Bobbsey twins were not as much surprised at what their father said, after reading the telegram, as was Mr. Whipple. He fairly jumped up from his chair, on hearing what Mr. Bobbsey answered, and reached out his hand for the message.
"His name is Whipple!" cried the department store owner. "Are you sure his name is John Whipple?"
"That"s what the telegram says," went on Mr. Bobbsey. "You may read it. It seems he asked to have it sent to me as soon as he knew he was getting better, and when he remembered who he was. He says he remembers he had a brother and a sister."
Mr. Whipple seemed very much excited. Even Flossie and Freddie, young as they were, could tell that. He took the telegram from Mr. Bobbsey, but he did not read it. Instead he looked at the children"s father and asked:
"Do you know this old woodchopper very well?"
"I have seen him a number of times," said Mr. Bobbsey, "and he often comes to my house with loads of wood. The children know him, too. I have told you how he helped Freddie and Flossie out of the snow bank and took them to his cabin."
"What sort of looking man is he?" the store owner questioned eagerly.
Mr. Bobbsey described Uncle Jack"s looks, and also told of his having come to Lakeport a number of years before, from where, no one knew. He made friends and lived in the woods. That was all that was known about him.
Few, if any, had known his name until now.
"And so he is John Whipple," said Mr. Bobbsey, rather talking to himself than to any one else. "Strange that he should have forgotten it all these years, I wonder if I can find his folks. Why, your name is Whipple!" he said to Laddie"s uncle. "Do you know who Uncle Jack might be?"
"I think I do," said Mr. Whipple slowly, and his voice trembled. "I think he is my long-lost brother, and the brother of my sister--he is Laddie"s other uncle! Oh, if it only turns out that way!"
"Is Uncle John found?" asked Laddie, who, with his playmates, Flossie and Freddie, began to understand a little of what was going on. "Is Uncle John found?"
"We hope so, my dear," said his aunt gently. "How can we make sure?" she asked her husband.
"There is only one way," he said.
"You mean to go to Lakeport?"
"That"s it. Where can I find him?" asked Mr. Whipple of Mr. Bobbsey.
"Uncle Jack, I will call him, until I make sure he is my long-lost brother," he added.
"He was taken to a private hospital, not far out of town. I"ll be very glad if you and your wife, and Laddie, as well, will come back to Lakeport with us. Then you can see Uncle Jack and make sure whether or not he is your brother."
"I"ll be glad to do that. But I thought you were going to stay in New York for some time yet."
"We can go back to-morrow if need be," said Mr. Bobbsey. "My business is now in good shape, and I can come back here if there is any call for me."
"Oh, let"s all go back to Lakeport!" cried Freddie. "Maybe then we can have a goat, Flossie."
"Oh, may we, Mother?" the little girl demanded.
"I"ll buy "em a goat--two goats--if this news proves true," said Mr.
Whipple. "Oh, I do hope I have found my brother!"
"How did he get lost?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey.
"It happened when my sister and I were very little children. John was somewhat older. Our parents died, and distant relatives, living far away from our home, took charge of my sister and me. John, who was a half-grown boy, stayed with the family of a neighboring farmer, who had been friends of our parents, and the relatives took my sister and me away with them.
"Shortly after this the farmer lost his money, his farm, everything, and soon after moved away, taking John with them. News of this did not come for some time to our relatives, and when it did and they began a search for John, all trace of him was lost. They learned that the farmer had died in a public hospital in a strange city, and all trace of his widow and John was lost right there.
"When I became old enough, I started to look for John, but could not find him. My sister could not, either, though lately she heard he was in California, but it was not true. And so, for many years, we have been trying to find John Whipple. And at last I know where he is!"
"Let us hope Uncle Jack is your brother," said Mr. Bobbsey gently.
"We will soon know," said Mrs. Whipple.
The stay of the Bobbseys in the great city of New York came to a sudden end, but they had had a good time, and might come again some time.
Besides, Mr. and Mrs. Whipple were going back with them, to see if the old woodchopper were really the long-lost man, and Flossie and Freddie thought that almost as good as if they had stayed in the city.
"And Laddie is coming, too!" cried Freddie. "We"ll have heaps of good times."
"And maybe we"ll get a goat," said Flossie. "If we do, I"m going to drive him sometimes."
"Yes, you can," agreed Freddie.
Mr. Bobbsey closed up most of his New York business matters, and Mr.
Whipple, with his wife and Laddie, got ready to go to Lakeport with the Bobbseys. Word was sent to Dinah, the fat cook, and her husband, Sam, to get the Lakeport house ready for the family and for the Whipples, who would stay with them for a short time.
Another telegram came from the hospital about Uncle Jack. It said he was doing well, and that his mind was clear. He was certain he was John Whipple, and that he had relations somewhere. But, for fear there might be a disappointment, after all, no word was sent him about Mr. Daniel Whipple"s coming on. Nor was Laddie"s mother, in California, told. They wanted to make sure there would be no mistake.
Once more the Bobbsey twins were in the big Pennsylvania station, and Freddie almost made the whole party miss the train by stopping in the arcade to show Laddie where the bugs, that went "around and around and around," had been bought.