Part 20 (1/2)

Freddie's fire engine, though a toy, squirted real water, from a real little rubber hose. The little fireman pointed the hose at Dinah, who was carrying the smoking and burning pan of candy over to the sink.

”Fire! Fire! Pour on water! Pour on water!” shouted Freddie.

”Look out dere, honey lamb! Don't squirt no watah on me!” cried Dinah.

But Freddie had started the pump of his engine, and a stream of water squirted all over Dinah.

”Oh mah good landy!” cried the fat cook. ”Stop it, Freddie! Stop it!

Dish yeah am awful! It suttinly am turrible!”

Luckily for Dinah, Freddie had been playing so long out in the yard with his engine that there was only a little water left in it. When this had squirted out there was no more until he filled the tank again.

”Oh my!” cried Dinah, as she went on over to the sink, and set down the smoking pan of candy. ”Oh my!”

”Is the house on fire?” Freddie demanded.

”No, it isn't,” said Flossie. ”It's just my nice candy that burned. Oh dear! And I did want it _so_ much!”

”Never mind, I'll make some mo', honey lamb!” promised Dinah, wiping her face on her ap.r.o.n. ”But don't yo' squirt no mo' watah on me, Freddie pet.”

”No, I won't, Dinah,” he promised. ”But I saw the smoke coming out of the kitchen, and I knew there was a fire.”

”It wasn't 'zactly a fire,” said Stella. ”But I guess the candy burned up. It's as bad as when we dropped all of ours on the floor.”

But good-natured Dinah made another pan of the sweet stuff for Flossie.

This did not burn, and it was soon turned out into the b.u.t.tered tin to cool. And when it was cool Flossie, Freddie and Stella ate it.

Mrs. Bobbsey only laughed when Flossie told her what had happened, but she said she thought the little girl had better not try to make any more candy until she was a little older.

The weather was getting colder day by day now. The children had red cheeks when they went to school, and they ran and romped along to keep warm.

”It will soon be cold enough to have a frost,” said Mr. Bobbsey.

”Yes,” said his wife, ”I wouldn't be surprised if we had one to-night. I have brought in my geraniums and other plants.”

”A frost!” cried Bert. ”Good! That means the chestnuts will crack out of their burrs. We'll go chestnutting!”

The next morning Bert hopped out of bed earlier than usual. He looked from the window. The ground was white, and so was the roof of the porch.

”Oh, it's snow!” cried Freddie, who also got up.

”No, it's just frost,” Bert said. ”The first frost of the Winter. Now we'll get ready to have some fun. I'm glad to-day is Sat.u.r.day. No school, and we can go after chestnuts!”

”Hurrah!” cried Freddie. ”May I come, Bert?”

”Yes, we'll all go!”

CHAPTER XIV