Part 6 (2/2)
”Ours are--ours are--”
”Hotter,” put in Dinah, which ended the argument.
Bert and Harry had also been out gathering for breakfast, and returned now with a basket of lovely fresh water-cress.
”We can't eat 'em all,” Martha told the boys, ”But they'll go good in the picnic lunch.”
What a pretty breakfast table it was! Such berries, such lettuce, such water-cress, and the radishes!
”Too bad papa had to go so early,” Bert remarked. ”He just loves green stuff.”
”So does Frisky,” put in Freddie, and he wondered why everyone laughed.
After breakfast the lunch baskets were put up and while Bert and Harry, Nan and Aunt Sarah, went to invite the neighboring children, Flossie and Freddie were just busy jumping around the kitchen, where Dinah and Martha were making them laugh merrily with funny little stories.
Snoop and Fluffy had become good friends, and now lay close together on the kitchen hearth. Dinah said they were just like two babies, only not so much trouble.
”Put peaches in my basket, Dinah,” Freddie ordered.
”And strawberries in mine,” added Flossie.
”Now, you-uns jest wait!” Dinah told them; ”and when you gets out in de woods if you hasn't 'nough to eat you kin jest climb a tree an' cut down--”
”Wood!” put in Freddie innocently, while Martha said that was about all that could be found in the woods in July.
The boys had come in from inviting the ”other fellers,” when Uncle Daniel proposed a feature for the picnic.
”How would you like to take two homer pigeons along?” he asked them.
”You can send a note back to Martha to say what time you will be home.”
”Jolly!” chorused the boys, all instantly making a run for the pigeon house.
”Wait!” Harry told the visitors. ”We must be careful not to scare them.” Then he went inside the wire cage with a handful of corn.
”See--de--c.o.o.n; see--de--c.o.o.n!” called the boys softly, imitating the queer sounds made by the doves cooing.
Harry tossed the corn inside the cage, and as the light and dark homers he wanted tasted the food Harry lowered the little door, and took the birds safely in his arms.
”Now, Bert, you can get the quills,” he told his cousin. ”Go into the chicken yard and look for two long goose feathers. Tom Mason, you can go in the kitchen and ask Dinah for a piece of tissue paper and a spool of silk thread.”
Each boy started off to fulfill his commission, not knowing exactly what for until all came together in the barnyard again.
”Now, Bert,” went on Harry, ”write very carefully on the slip of paper the message for Martha. Have you a soft pencil?”
Bert found that he had one, and so following his cousin's dictation he wrote on one slip:
”Have dinner ready at five.” And on the other he wrote: ”John, come for us at four.”
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