Part 9 (1/2)

”Now children, be nice,” begged Mother Bobbsey.

”I'll count the money for you,” offered Bert.

”Seventy-nine cents,” he told Freddie, after he had finished. ”And here's a penny of mine I'll give you. That makes eighty cents.”

”Is that 'most enough to buy a s.h.i.+p, Daddy?” asked the little fellow.

”Oh no, my dear boy. You'll need lots more money than that. So keep on saving, and don't go off without letting us know.”

”All right,” Freddie said with a sigh. ”Do you think I'll have enough saved in a week?”

”I can tell you better when the week is up,” laughed Mr. Bobbsey.

”School begins in a week,” said Nan. ”You can't go off on a s.h.i.+p when you have to go to school, Freddie.”

”That's so. Well, I'll keep on saving, and when school is out again Tommy and I will go off in the s.h.i.+p to find his father.”

The Bobbsey twins had as much fun as they could in the week of vacation that remained. They and their playmates met together and went on little walks in the woods, or rowed on the river. Bert and Nan were allowed to go out in a safe boat, near their father's lumber dock, and Flossie and Freddie were allowed to go also, for they sat very still, and never tried to change seats when the boat was out in the water. This is very dangerous to do, and often boats are upset that way.

Then, one morning, as Freddie awoke in his little bed, he heard his mother calling:

”Come on, little fireman. Time to get up!”

”Is there a fire?” asked Freddie, eagerly.

”No, but school begins to-day and you don't want to be late. Come on then, get up. You too, Flossie.”

”Aren't Nan and Bert going?” asked Freddie.

”Yes, but they were up long ago. I let you two little twins sleep longer. But now it is time to get up.”

After breakfast Flossie and Freddie started for school together. They were in the same cla.s.s, and had just left the kindergarten. So Flossie and Freddie set off together, ahead of Nan and Bert. The smaller twins had to do this because their legs were shorter than either Nan's or Bert's and they could not walk as fast.

”Ding-dong!” rang the school bell, calling the Bobbsey twins and other children back to their lessons, after the long, Summer vacation.

”Oh, there's Susie Simmon!” cried Flossie, as she saw a girl she knew.

”I'm going to walk with her, Freddie.”

”All right. I see Jimmie Brooks. I'll go with him.”

The four little ones hurried along together, talking of the fun they had had that Summer.

A little behind came Nan and Bert. With them walked Ellen Moore and Ned Barton, who lived near the Bobbsey house.

There were merry times in the school yard before it was time for the last bell to ring. The boys and girls played tag, and ran about. Some boys had tops and spun them, or played marbles. The girls did not bring their dolls or toys to school, and the reason for this is that girls don't have pockets in their dresses. Or, if they do have a pocket, it is too small to hold more than a handkerchief. I think the girls ought to get together and insist on having pockets made in their dresses. It isn't fair for the boys to have so many.

”Ding-dong!” rang the bell again.