This, so a sign near it said, was a "leather-back turtle," and
when alive had weighed eight hundred and fifty pounds.
"Whew!" whistled Bert, looking at the big, stuffed fellow. "He could swim
around with two or three boys on _his_ back."
"I'd like to have had a ride on him," cried Freddie. "But this one is
pretty big, too!" and he pointed down at the large swimming turtle, which,
just then, stuck his head up out of the water. He seemed to be nearly a
yard long and almost as broad.
"Oh!" screamed Flossie, as she saw the big turtle so close to her. "Can he
get out of the water, Daddy?"
"No, indeed," laughed Mr. Bobbsey.
"I can't see him very good," said Freddie, and he gave a little jump up
from the foot-rail on which he was standing.
Freddie must have jumped up harder and farther than he had any idea of,
for before Bert, who was standing near his little brother, could put out a
hand to hold him, the flaxen-haired twin had fairly dived over the rail,
and down into the tank he fell with a great splash.
No, not such a great splash, either, for Freddie did not fall directly
into the water. Instead, only his two fat legs and feet went in, for the
small boy landed, sitting right up on the broad back of the big turtle!
Right down on the turtle's back fell Freddie Bobbsey!
CHAPTER XII
IN THE THEATRE
There was a scream from Nan, another from Flossie, and a sort of grunt of
surprise from Bert, as they saw Freddie disappear over the railing of the
tank, and come into view a second later on the back of the turtle, which
was as much surprised as, probably, the little boy himself.
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