Part 6 (1/2)

CHAPTER VII

A COUNTRY PICNIC

When morning came everyone was astir early, for not only was a happy day promised, but there was Frisky, the runaway, to be looked over. Mr.

Richard Bobbsey, Freddie's father, left on an early train for Lakeport, and would not come back to Meadow Brook until Sat.u.r.day afternoon.

”Let me go out and see Frisky,” Freddie insisted, even before his breakfast had been served. ”I want to be sure it's her.”

”Yes, that's her,” Freddie admitted, ”'cause there's the rope that cut my hands when I was a real fireman!”

But Frisky didn't seem to care a bit about ropes or firemen, but just chewed and chewed like all cows do, as if there was nothing in this world to do but eat.

”Come on, sonny,” called Dinah. ”You can help me pick de radishes fo'

breakfast,” and presently our little boy, with the kind-hearted maid, was up in the garden looking for the best radishes of the early crop.

”See, Freddie,” said Dinah. ”De red ones show above de ground. And we must only pull de ones wid de big leaves, 'cause dey're ripe.”

Freddie bent down so close to find the radishes that a disturbed toad hopped right up at his nose.

”Oh!” he cried, frightened. ”Dinah, was that--a--a--a snake?”

”Snake, chile; lan' sakes alive! Dat was a poor little toady--more scare' den you was,” and she pointed to the big dock leaf under which the hop-toad was now hiding.

”Let's pick beans,” Freddie suggested, liking the garden work.

”Not beans fer breakfast,” laughed Dinah.

”That stuff there, then,” the boy persisted, pointing to the soft green leaves of early lettuce.

”Well, I dunno. Martha didn't say so, but it sure does look pretty.

Yes, I guess we kin pick some fo' salad,” and so Dinah showed Freddie how to cut the lettuce heads off and leave the stalks to grow again.

”Out early,” laughed Uncle Daniel, seeing the youngest member of the family coming down the garden path with the small basket of vegetables.

”Is it?” Freddie asked, meaning early of course, in his queer way of saying things without words.

”See! see!” called Nan and Flossie, running down the cross path back of the cornfield.

”Such big ones!” Nan exclaimed, referring to the luscious red strawberries in the white dish she held.

”Look at mine,” insisted Flossie. ”Aren't they bigger?”

”Fine!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Dinah.

”But my redishes are-are--redder,” argued Freddie, who was not to be outdone by his sisters.

”Ours are sweeter,” laughed Nan, trying to tease her little brother.