THE PACK RA T 
41 
“Where did you last use it?” asked Uncle Ely. 
“Let me think,” answered Mother. “Oh, I remem' 
her, I used it to darn your socks, Father. Then I must 
have laid it on the running board of the car for a 
moment when I went to heat the water to begin sup' 
per. And I never thought of it again!” 
“And the pack rat stole it?” demanded Buck. 
“He must have,” agreed Uncle Ely. 
When Ginger heard that, she ran back to the car. 
“You were right, Uncle Ely,” she called. “He was 
a trade rat.” 
“How do you know?” asked Buck. 
“Because here is Father’s fountain pen, on the run' 
ning board of the car just where Mother left her 
thimble.” 
