Part 25 (2/2)

Little by little the water fell, until by the next afternoon there was no longer a river running through the roads. But there were plenty of wet places and enough of streams was.h.i.+ng down the rain the gutters to give Freddie a fine ca.n.a.l to sail boats in.

Nan and Flossie had boats too which Bert and Harry made for them. In fact, all the girls along Meadow Brook road found something that would sail while the flood days lasted.

As it was still July the hot sun came down and dried things up pretty quickly, but many haymows were completely spoiled, as were summer vegetables that were too near the pond and came in for their share of the washout.

This loss, however, was nothing compared with what had been expected by the farmers, and all were satisfied that a kind Providence had saved the valley houses from complete destruction.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE FRESH-AIR CAMP

Quiet had settled down once more upon the little village of Meadow Brook. The excitement of the flood had died away, and now when the month of July was almost gone, and a good part of vacation had gone with it, the children turned their attention to a matter of new interest--the fresh-air camp.

”Mildred Manners was over to the camp yesterday,” Nan told her mother, ”and she says a whole lot of little girls have come out from the city, and they have such poor clothes. There is no sickness there that anyone could catch, she says (for her uncle is the doctor, you know), but Mildred says her mother is going to show her how to make some ap.r.o.ns for the little girls.”

”Why, that would be nice for all you little girls to do,” said Mrs.

Bobbsey. ”Suppose you start a sewing school, and all see what you can make!”

”Oh, that would be lovely!” exclaimed Nan. ”When can we start?”

”As soon as we get the materials,” the mother replied. ”We will ask Aunt Sarah to drive over to the camp this afternoon; then we can see what the children need.”

”Can I go?” asked Flossie, much interested in the fresh-air work.

”I guess so,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. ”If we take the depot wagon there will be room for you and Freddie.”

So that was how it came about that our little friends became interested in the fresh-air camp. Nan and Mildred, Flossie and Freddie, with Aunt Sarah and Mrs. Bobbsey, visited the camp in the afternoon.

”What a queer place it is!” whispered Flossie, as they drove up to the tents on the mountain-side.

”Hush,” said Nan; ”they might hear you.”

”Oh, these are war-camps!” exclaimed Freddie when he saw the white tents. ”They're just like the war-pictures in my story book!”

The matron who had charge of the camp came up, and when Mrs. Bobbsey explained her business, the matron was pleased and glad to show them through the place.

”Oh, it was your boys who brought us all that money from the circus?”

said the woman. ”That's why we have all the extra children here--the circus money has paid for them, and they are to have two weeks on this beautiful mountain.”

”I'm glad the boys were able to help,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. ”It really was quite a circus.”

”It must have been, when they made so much money,” the other answered.

”And we are going to help now,” spoke up Nan. ”We are starting a sewing school.”

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