Part 4 (1/2)
At each house along the way boys would call out to Harry, asking him about going fis.h.i.+ng, or berrying, or some other sport, so that Bert felt a good time was in store for him, as the boys were about his own age and seemed so agreeable.
”Nice fellows,” Harry remarked by way of introducing Bert.
”They seem so,” Bert replied, cordially.
”We've made up a lot of sports,” Harry went on, ”and we were only waiting for you to come to start out. We've planned a picnic for to-morrow.”
”Here we are,” called Uncle Daniel as Billy turned into the pretty driveway in front of the Bobbseys' country home. On each side of the drive grew straight lines of boxwood, and back of this hedge were beautiful flowers, s.h.i.+ning out grandly now in the July sun.
”h.e.l.lo, Martha!” called the visitors, as the faithful old servant appeared on the broad white veranda. She was not black like Dinah, but looked as if she was just as merry and full of fun as anyone could be.
”Got here at last!” she exclaimed, taking Dinah's lunch basket.
”Glad to see you, Martha,” Dinah told her. ”You see, I had to come along. And Snoop too, our kitty. We fetched him.”
”The more the merrier,” replied the other, ”and there's lots of room for all.”
”Starved to death!” Harry laughed, as the odor of a fine dinner reached him.
”We'll wash up a bit and join you in a few minutes, ladies,” Uncle Daniel said, in his polite way. The horse accident had given plenty of need for a was.h.i.+ng up.
”Got Snoop dis time,” Freddie lisped, knocking the cover off the box and petting the frightened little black cat. ”Hungry, Snoopy?” he asked, pressing his baby cheek to the soft fur.
”Bring the poor kitty out to the kitchen,” Martha told him. ”I'll get him a nice saucer of fresh milk.” And so it happened, as usual, Snoop had his meal first, just as he had had on the Pullman car. Soon after this Martha went outside and rang a big dinner bell that all the men and boys could hear. And then the first vacation dinner was served in the long old-fas.h.i.+oned dining room.
CHAPTER VI
FRISKY
Although they were tired from their journey, the children had no idea of resting on that beautiful afternoon, so promptly after dinner the baggage was opened, and vacation clothes were put on. Bert, of course, was ready first; and soon he and Harry were running down the road to meet the other boys and perfect their plans for the picnic.
Nan began her pleasures by exploring the flower gardens with Uncle Daniel.
”I pride myself on those zinnias,” the uncle told Nan, ”just see those yellows, and those pinks. Some are as big as dahlias, aren't they?”
”They are just beautiful, uncle,” Nan replied, in real admiration. ”I have always loved zinnias. And they last so long?”
”All summer. Then, what do you think of my sweet peas?”
So they went from one flower bed to another, and Nan thought she had never before seen so many pretty plants together.
Flossie and Freddie were out in the barnyard with Aunt Sarah.
”Oh, auntie, what queer little chickens!” Flossie exclaimed, pointing to a lot of pigeons that were eagerly eating corn with the chickens.
”Those are Harry's homer pigeons,” the aunt explained. ”Some day we must go off to the woods and let the birds fly home with a letter to Dinah and Martha.”
”Oh, please do it now,” Freddie urged, always in a hurry for things.