Part 4 (1/2)
”No, I'll stay on Cherry Farm and feed the hired men,” she answered with a smile.
”Why do they call it Star Island?” asked Ted's mother.
”Well, once upon a time, a good many years ago,” said Grandpa Martin, ”a shooting star, or meteor, fell blazing on the island, and that's how it got its name.”
”Maybe it was a part of the star s.h.i.+ning that the children saw to-night,” said Grandma Martin. ”Though I don't see how it could be, for it fell many years ago.”
”Maybe,” agreed her husband.
None of them knew what a queer part that fallen star was to have in the lives of those who were shortly to go camping on the island.
Early the next morning after breakfast, Ted and Jan went out to the barn to get Nicknack to have a ride.
”Where is you? I wants to come, too!” cried the voice of their little brother, as they were putting the harness on their goat.
”Oh, there's Trouble,” whispered Ted. ”Shall we take him with us, Jan?”
”Yes, this time. We're not going far. Grandma wants us to go to the store for some baking soda.”
”All right, we'll drive down,” returned Ted. ”Come on, Trouble!” he called.
”I's tummin',” answered Baby William. ”I's dot a tookie.”
”He means cookie,” said Jan, laughing.
”I know it,” agreed Ted. ”I wish he'd bring me one.”
”Me too!” exclaimed Janet.
”I's dot a 'ot of tookies,” went on Trouble, who did not always talk in such ”baby fas.h.i.+on.” When he tried to he could speak very well, but he did not often try.
”Oh, he's got his whole ap.r.o.n _full_ of cookies!” cried Jan. ”Where did you get them?” she asked, as her little brother came into the barn.
”Drandma given 'em to me, an' she said you was to have some,” announced the little boy, as he let the cookies slide out of his ap.r.o.n to a box that stood near the goat-wagon.
Then Baby William began eating a cookie, and Jan and Ted did also, for they, too, were hungry, though it was not long after breakfast.
”Goin' to wide?” asked Trouble, his mouth full of cookie.
”Yes, we're going for a ride,” answered Jan. ”Oh, Ted, get a blanket or something to put over our laps. It's awful dusty on the road to-day, even if it did rain last night. It all dried up, I guess.”
”All right, I'll get a blanket from grandpa's carriage. And you'd better get a cus.h.i.+on for Trouble.”
”I will,” said Janet, and her brother and sister left Baby William alone with the goat for a minute or two.
When Jan came back with the cus.h.i.+on she went to get another cookie, but there were none.
”Why Trouble Martin!” she cried, ”did you eat them _all_?”