The Bobbsey Twins in the Country
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Laura Lee Hope >> The Bobbsey Twins in the Country
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9 [Prepared by Diane and Don Nafis - dnafis@nazlo.com]
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY
BY LAURA LEE HOPE
CONTENTS
I. THE INVITATION
II. THE START
III. SNOOP ON THE TRAIN
IV. A LONG RIDE
V. MEADOW BROOK
VI. FRISKY
VII. A COUNTRY PICNIC
VIII. FUN IN THE WOODS
IX. FOURTH OF JULY
X. A GREAT DAY
XI. THE LITTLE GARDENERS
XII. TOM'S RUNAWAY
XIII. PICKING PEAS
XIV. THE CIRCUS
XV. THE CHARIOT RACE
XVI. THE FLOOD
XVII. A TOWN AFLOAT
XVIII. THE FRESH-AIR CAMP
XIX. SEWING SCHOOL
XX. A MIDNIGHT SCARE
XXI. WHAT THE WELL CONTAINED
XXII. LITTLE JACK HORNER - GOOD-BYE
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY
CHAPTER I
THE INVITATION
"There goes the bell! It's the letter carrier! Let me answer!" Freddie
exclaimed.
"Oh, let me! It's my turn this week!" cried Flossie.
"But I see a blue envelope. That's from Aunt Sarah!" the brother cried.
Meanwhile both children, Freddie and Flossie, were making all possible
efforts to reach the front door, which Freddie finally did by jumping over
the little divan that stood in the way, it being sweeping day.
"I beat you," laughed the boy, while his sister stood back, acknowledging
defeat.
"Well, Dinah had everything in the way and anyhow, maybe it was your turn.
Mother is in the sewing room, I guess!" Flossie concluded, and so the two
started in search of the mother, with the welcome letter from Aunt Sarah
tight in Freddie's chubby fist.
Freddie and Flossie were the younger of the two pairs of twins that belonged
to the Bobbsey family. The little ones were four years old, both with light
curls framing pretty dimpled faces, and both being just fat enough to be
good-natured. The other twins, Nan and Bert, were eight years old, dark and
handsome, and as like as "two peas" the neighbors used to say. Some people
thought it strange there should be two pairs of twins in one house, but Nan
said it was just like four-leaf clovers, that always grow in little patches
by themselves.
This morning the letter from Aunt Sarah, always a welcome happening, was
especially joyous.
"Do read it out loud," pleaded Flossie, when the blue envelope had been
opened in the sewing room by Mrs. Bobbsey.
"When can we go?" broke in Freddie, at a single hint that the missive
contained an invitation to visit Meadow Brook, the home of Aunt Sarah in the
country.
"Now be patient, children," the mother told them. "I'll read the invitation
in just a minute," and she kept her eyes fastened on the blue paper in a way
that even to Freddie and Flossie meant something very interesting.
"Aunt Sarah wants to know first how we all are."
"Oh, we're all well," Freddie interrupted, showing some impatience.
"Do listen, Freddie, or we won't hear," Flossie begged him, tugging at his
elbow.
"Then she says," continued the mother, "that this is a beautiful summer at
Meadow Brook."
"Course it is. We know that!" broke in Freddie again.
"Freddie!" pleaded Flossie.
"And she asks how we would like to visit them this summer."
"Fine, like it - lovely!" the little boy almost shouted, losing track of
words in his delight.
"Tell her we'll come, mamma," went on Freddie. "Do send a letter quick
won't you, mamma ?"
"Freddie Bobbsey!" spoke up Flossie, in a little girl's way of showing
indignation. "If you would only keep quiet we could hear about going, but -
you always stop mamma. Please, mamma, read the rest," and the golden head
was pressed against the mother's shoulder from the arm of the big rocking
chair.
"Well, I was only just saying - " pouted Freddie.
"Now listen, dear." The mother went on once more reading from the letter:
"Aunt Sarah says Cousin Harry can hardly wait until vacation time to see
Bert, and she also says, 'For myself I cannot wait to see the babies. I
want to hear Freddie laugh, and I want to hear Flossie "say her piece," as
she did last Christmas, then I just want to hug them both to death, and so
does their Uncle Daniel.' "
"Good! - goody!" broke in the irrepressible Freddie again. "I'll just hug
Aunt Sarah this way," and he fell on his mother's neck and squeezed until
she cried for him to stop.
"I guess she'll like that," Freddie wound up, in real satisfaction at his
hugging ability.
"Not if you spoil her hair," Flossie insisted, while the overcome mother
tried to adjust herself generally.
"Is that all?" Flossie asked.
"No, there is a message for Bert and Nan too, but I must keep that for lunch
time. Nobody likes stale news," the mother replied.
"But can't we hear it when Bert and Nan come from school?" coaxed Flossie.
"Of course," the mother assured her. "But you must run out in the air now.
We have taken such a long time to read the letter."
"Oh, aren't you glad!" exclaimed Flossie to her brother, as they ran along
the stone wall that edged the pretty terrace in front of their home.
"Glad! I'm just - so glad - so glad - I could almost fly up in the air!" the
boy managed to say in chunks, for he had never had much experience with
words, a very few answering for all his needs.
The morning passed quickly to the little ones, for they had so much to think
about now, and when the school children appeared around the corner Flossie
and Freddie hurried to meet Nan and Bert, to tell them the news.
"We're going! we're going!" was about all Freddie could say.
"0h, the letter came - from Aunt Sarah!" was Flossie's way of telling the
news. But it was at the lunch table that Mrs. Bobbsey finished the letter.
"'Tell Nan,'" she read, "'that Aunt Sarah has a lot of new patches and
tidies to show her, and tell her I have found a new kind of jumble chocolate
that I am going to teach her to make.' There, daughter, you see," commented
Mrs. Bobbsey, "Aunt Sarah has not forgotten what a good little baker you
are."
"Chocolate jumble," remarked Bert, and smacked his lips. "Say, Nan, be sure
to learn that. It sounds good," the brother declared.
Just then Dinah, the maid, brought in the chocolate, and the children tried
to tell her about going to the country, but so many were talking at once
that the good-natured colored girl interrupted the confusion with a hearty
laugh.
"Ha! ha! ha! And all you-uns be goin' to de country!"
"Yes, Dinah," Mrs. Bobbsey told her, "and just listen to what Aunt Sarah
says about you," and once more the blue letter came out, while Mrs. Bobbsey
read:
" 'And be sure to bring dear old Dinah! We have plenty of room, and she
will so enjoy seeing the farming.'"
"Farming! Ha! ha! Dat I do like. Used to farm all time home in Virginie!"
the maid declared. "And I likes it fuss-rate! Yes, Dinah'll go and hoe de
corn and" (aside to Bert) "steal de watermelons!"
The prospects were indeed bright for a happy time in the country, and the
Bobbseys never disappointed themselves when fun was within their reach.
CHAPTER II
THE START
With so much to think about, the few weeks that were left between vacation
and the country passed quickly for the Bobbseys. As told in any first book,
"The Bobbsey Twins," this little family had a splendid home in Lakeport,
where Mr. Bobbsey was a lumber mechant [sic]. The mother and father were
both young themselves, and always took part in their children's joys and
sorrows, for there were sorrows sometimes. Think of poor little Freddie
getting shut up all alone in a big store with only a little black kitten,
"Snoop," to keep him from being scared to death; that was told of in the
first book, for Freddie went shopping one day with his mamma, and wandered
off a little bit. Presently he found himself in the basement of the store;
there he had so much trouble in getting out he fell asleep in the meantime.
Then, when he awoke and it was all dark, and the great big janitor came to
rescue him - oh! - Freddie thought the man might even be a giant when he
first heard the janitor's voice in the dark store,
Freddie often got in trouble, but like most good little boys he was always
saved just at the right time, for they say good children have real angels
watching over them. Nan, Bert, and Flossie all had plenty of exciting
experiences too, as told in "The Bobbsey Twins," for among other neighbors
there was Danny Rugg, a boy who always tried to make trouble for Bert, and
sometimes almost succeeded in getting Bert into "hot water," as Dinah
expressed it.
Of course Nan had her friends, as all big girls have, but Bert, her twin
brother, was her dearest chum, just as Freddie was Flossie's.
"When we get to the country we will plant trees, go fishing, and pick
blackberries," Nan said one day.
"Yes, and I'm going with Harry out exploring," Bert announced.
"I'm just going to plant things," prim little Flossie lisped. "I just love
melons and ice cream and - "
"Ice cream! Can you really plant ice cream?" Freddie asked innocently, which
made the others all laugh at Flossie's funny plans.
"I'm going to have chickens," Freddie told them. "I'm going to have one of
those queer chicken coops that you shut up tight and when you open it it's
just full of little 'kippies.' "
"Oh, an incubator, you mean," Nan explained. "That's a machine for raising
chickens without any mother."
"But mine are going to have a mother," Freddie corrected, thinking how sad
little chickens would be without a kind mamma like his own.
"But how can they have a mother where there isn't any for them?" Flossie
asked, with a girl's queer way of reasoning.
"I'll get them one," Freddie protested. "I'll let Snoop be their mamma."
"A cat! the idea! why, he would eat 'em all up," Flossie argued.
"Not if I whipped him once for doing it," the brother insisted. Then Nan
and Bert began to tease him for whipping the kitten after the chickens had
been "all eaten up."
So the merry days went on until at last vacation came!
"Just one more night," Nan told Flossie and Freddie when she prepared them
for bed, to help her very busy mother. Bert assisted his father with the
packing up, for the taking of a whole family to the country meant lots of
clothes, besides some books and just a few toys. Then there was Bert's tool
box - he knew he would need that at Meadow Brook.
The morning came at last, a beautiful bright day, a rare one for traveling,
for a fine shower the evening before had washed and cooled things off
splendidly.
"Now come, children," Mr. Bobbsey told the excited youngsters. "Keep track
of your things. Sam will be ready in a few minutes, and then we must be
off."
Promptly Sam pulled up to the door with the family carriage, and all hurried
to get in.
"Oh, Snoop, Snoop!" cried Freddie. "He's in the library in the box! Dinah,
get him quick, get him!" and Dinah ran back after the little kitten.
"Here you is, Freddie!" she gasped, out of breath from hurrying. "You don't
go and forget poor Snoopy!" and she climbed in beside Sam.
Then they started.
"Oh, my lan' a-massy!" yelled Dinah presently in distress. "Sam Johnson,
you jest turn dat hoss around quick," and she jerked at the reins herself.
"You heah, Sam? Quick, I tells you. Get back to dat house. I'se forgot to
bring - to bring my lunch basket!"
"Oh, never mind, Dinah," Mrs. Bobbsey interrupted. "We will have lunch on
the train."
"But I couldn't leab dat nice lunch I got ready fo' de chillen in between,
missus," the colored woman urged. "I'll get it quick as a wink. Now, Sam,
you rush in dar quick, and fetch dat red and white basket dat smells like
chicken!"
So the good-natured maid had her way, much to the delight of Bert and
Freddie, who liked nothing so well as one of Dinah's homemade lunches.
The railroad station was reached without mishap, and while Mr. Bobbsey
attended to getting the baskets checked at the little window in the big
round office, the children sat about "exploring." Freddie hung back a
little when a locomotive steamed up. He clung to his mother's skirt, yet
wanted to see how the machine worked.
"That's the fireman," Bert told him, pointing to the man in the cab of the
engine.
"Fireman!" Freddie repeated. "Not like our firemen. I wouldn't be that
kind," He had always wanted to be a fireman who helps to put out fires.
"Oh, this is another kind," his father explained, just then coming up in
readiness for the start.
"I guess Snoop's afraid," Freddie whispered to his mother, while he peeped
into the little box where Snoop was peacefully purring. Glad of the excuse
to get a little further away, Freddie ran back to where Dinah sat on a long
shiny bench.
"Say, chile," she began, "you hear dat music ober dar? Well, a big fat lady
jest jumped up and down on dat machine and it starts up and plays Swanee
Ribber."
"That's a weighing machine," Nan said with a laugh. "You just put a penny
in it and it tells you how much you weigh besides playing a tune."
"Lan' o' massy! does it? Wonder has I time to try it?"
"Yes, come on," called Bert. "Father said we have plenty of time," and at
the word Dinah set out to get weighed. She looked a little scared, as if it
might "go off" first, but when she heard the soft strain of an old melody
coming out she almost wanted to dance.
"Now, ain't dat fine!" she exclaimed. "Wouldn't dat be splendid in de
kitchen to weigh de flour, Freddie ?"
But even the interesting sights in the railroad station had to be given up
now, for the porter swung open a big gate and called: "All aboard for
Meadow Brook!" and the Bobbseys hurried off.
CHAPTER III
SNOOP ON THE TRAIN
"I'm glad Dinah looks nice," Flossie whispered to her mother, when she saw
how beautiful the parlor car was. "And isn't Freddie good?" the little girl
remarked anxiously, as if fearing her brother might forget his best manners
in such a grand place.
Freddie and Bert sat near their father on the big soft revolving chairs in
the Pullman car, while Nan and Flossie occupied the sofa at the end near
their mother. Dinah sat up straight and dignified, and, as Flossie said,
really looked nice, in her very clean white waist and her soft black skirt.
On her carefully parted hair she wore a neat little black turban. Bert
always laughed at the number of "parts" Dinah made in her kinky hair, and
declared that she ought to be a civil engineer, she could draw such splendid
maps even on the back of her head.
The grandeur of the parlor car almost overcame Freddie, but he clung to
Snoop in the pasteboard box and positively refused to let the kitten go into
the baggage car. Dinah's lunch basket was so neatly done up the porter
carried it very carefully to her seat when she entered the train, although
lunch baskets are not often taken in as "Pullman car baggage."
"I'm going to let Snoop out!" whispered Freddie suddenly, and before anyone
had a chance to stop him, the little black kitten jumped out of the box, and
perched himself on the window sill to look out at the fine scenery.
"Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, "the porter will put him off the train!" and
she tried to catch the now happy little Snoop.
"No, he won't," Mr. Bobbsey assured her. "I will watch out for that."
"Here, Snoop," coaxed Nan, also alarmed. "Come, Snoop!"
But the kitten had been captive long enough to appreciate his liberty now,
and so refused to be coaxed. Flossie came down between the velvet chairs
very cautiously, but as soon as Snoop saw her arm stretch out for him, he
just walked over the back of the highest seat and down into the lap of a
sleeping lady!
"Oh, mercy me!" screamed the lady, as she awoke with Snoop's tail whisking
over her face. "Goodness, gracious! what is that?" and before she had fully
recovered from the shock she actually jumped up on the chair, like the funny
pictures of a woman and a mouse.
The people around could not help laughing, but Freddie and the other
Bobbseys were frightened.
"Oh, will they kill Snoop now?" Freddie almost cried. "Dinah, please help me
get him!"
By this time the much scared lady had found out it was only a little kitten,
and feeling very foolish she sat down and coaxed Snoop into her lap again.
Mr. Bobbsey hurried to apologize.
"We'll have to put him back in the box," Mr. Bobbsey declared, but that was
easier said than done, for no sooner would one of the Bobbseys approach the
cat than Snoop would walk himself off. And not on the floor either, but up
and down the velvet chairs, and in and out under the passengers' arms.
Strange to say, not one of the people minded it, but all petted Snoop until,
as Bert said, "He owned the car."
"Dat cat am de worst!" Dinah exclaimed. "'Pears like it was so stuck up an'
fine dar ain't no place in dis 'yere Pullin' car good 'nough fer him."
"Oh, the porter! the porter!" Bert cried. "He'll surely throw Snoop out of
the window."
"Snoop! Snoop!" the whole family called in chorus, but Snoop saw the porter
himself and made up his mind the right thing to do under the circumstances
would be to make friends.
"Cat?" exclaimed the good-looking colored man. "Scat! Well, I declare!
What you think of that?"
Freddie felt as if he were going to die, he was so scared, and Flossie's
tears ran down her cheeks.
"Will he eat him?" Freddie blubbered, thinking of some queer stories he had
heard like that. Mr. Bobbsey, too, was a little alarmed and hurried to
reach Snoop.
The porter stooped to catch the offending kitten, while Snoop walked right
up to him, sniffed his uniform, and stepped upon the out- stretched black
hand.
"Well, you is a nice little kitten," the porter admitted, fondling Snoop in
spite of orders.
"Oh, please, Mr. Porter, give me my cat!" cried Freddie, breaking away from
all restraint and reaching Snoop.
"Yours, is it? Well, I don't blame you, boy, for bringing dat cat along.
An' say," and the porter leaned down to the frightened Freddie, "it's
against orders, but I'd jest like to take dis yer kitten back in de kitchen
and treat him, for he's - he's a star!" and he fondled Snoop closer.
"But I didn't know it was wrong, and I'll put him right back in the box,"
Freddie whimpered, not quite understanding the porter's intention.
"Well, say, son!" the porter exclaimed as Mr. Bobbsey came up. "What do you
say if you papa let you come back in de kitchen wid me? Den you can jest
see how I treat de kitty-cat!"
So Freddie started off after the porter, who proudly carried Snoop, while
Mr. Bobbsey brought up the rear. Everybody along the aisle wanted to pet
Snoop, who, from being a little stowaway was now the hero of the occasion.
More than once Freddie stumbled against the side of the big seats as the
cars swung along like a reckless automobile, but each time his father caught
him by the blouse and set him on his feet again, until at last, after
passing through the big dining car, the kitchen was reached.
"What you got dar? Somethin' fer soup?" laughed the good-natured cook, who
was really fond of cats and wouldn't harm one for the world.
Soon the situation was explained, and as the porters and others gathered
around in admiration, Snoop drank soup like a gentleman, and then took two
courses, one of fish and one of meat, in splendid traveler fashion.
"Dat's de way to drink soup on a fast train," laughed the porter. "You
makes sure of it dat way, and saves your clothes. Ha! ha! ha!" he
laughed, remembering how many men have to have their good clothes cleaned of
soup after a dinner on a fast train. Reluctantly the men gave Snoop back to
Freddie, who, this time, to make sure of no further adventures, put the
popular black kitten in his box in spite of protests from the admiring
passengers.
"You have missed so much of the beautiful scenery," Nan told Freddie and her
father when they joined the party again. "Just see those mountains over
there," and then they sat at the broad windows gazing for a long time at the
grand scenery as it seemed to rush by.
CHAPTER IV
A LONG RIDE
The train was speeding along with that regular motion that puts many
travelers to sleep, when Freddie curled himself on the sofa and went to
sleep.
"Poor little chap!" Mr. Bobbsey remarked. "He is tired out, and he was so
worried about Snoop!"
"I'm glad we were able to get this sofa, so many other people like a rest
and there are only four sofas on each car," Mrs. Bobbsey explained to Dinah,
who was now tucking Freddie in as if he were at home in his own cozy bed.
The air cushion was blown up, and put under the yellow head and a shawl was
carefully placed over him.
Flossie's pretty dimpled face was pressed close to the window pane, admiring
the big world that seemed to be running away from the train, and Bert found
the observation end of the train very interesting.
"What a beautiful grove of white birch trees!" Nan exclaimed, as the train
swung into a ravine. "And see the soft ferns clinging about them. Mother,
the ferns around the birch tree make me think of the fine lace about your
throat!"
"Why, daughter, you seem to be quite poetical!" and the mother smiled, for
indeed Nan had a very promising mind.
"What time will we get there, papa?" Bert asked, returning from the
vestibule.
"In time for dinner Aunt Sarah said, that is if they keep dinner for us
until one o'clock," answered the parent, as he consulted his watch.
"It seems as if we had been on the train all night," Flossie remarked.
"Well, we started early, dear," the mother assured the tired little girl.
"Perhaps you would like one of Dinah's dainty sandwiches now?"
A light lunch was quickly decided on, and Dinah took Flossie and Nan to a
little private room at one end of the train, Bert went with his father to
the smoking room on the other end, while the mother remained to watch
Freddie. The lunch was put up so that each small sandwich could be eaten
without a crumb spilling, as the little squares were each wrapped separately
in waxed paper.
There was a queer alcohol lamp in the ladies room, and other handy
contrivances for travelers, which amused Flossie and Nan.
"Dat's to heat milk fo' babies," Dinah told the girls, as she put the paper
napkins carefully on their laps, and got each a nice drink of icewater out
of the cooler.
Meanwhile Bert was enjoying his lunch at the other end of the car, for
children always get hungry when traveling, and meals on the train are only
served at certain hours. Two other little girls came into the compartment
while Flossie and Nan were at lunch. The strange girls wore gingham aprons
over their fine white dresses, to keep the car dust off their clothes, and
they had paper caps on their heads like the favors worn at children's
parties. Seeing there was no stool vacant the strangers darted out again in
rather a rude way, Nan thought.
"Take you time, honeys," Dinah told her charges. "If dey is very hungry dey
can get ice cream outside."
"But mother never lets us eat strange ice cream," Flossie reminded the maid.
"And maybe they can't either."
Soon the lunch was finished, and the Bobbseys felt much refreshed by it.
Freddie still slept with Snoop's box close beside him, and Mrs. Bobbsey was
reading a magazine.
"One hour more!" Bert announced, beginning to pick things up even that
early.
"Now we better all close our eyes and rest, so that we will feel good when
we get to Meadow Brook," Mrs. Bobbsey told them. It was no task to obey
this suggestion, and the next thing the children knew, mother and father and
Dinah were waking them up to get them ready to leave the train.
"Now, don't forget anything," Mr. Bobbsey cautioned the party, as hats and
wraps were donned and parcels picked up.
Freddie was still very sleepy and his papa had to carry him off, while the
others, with some excitement, hurried after.
"Oh, Snoop, Snoop!" cried Freddie as, having reached the platform, they now
saw the train start off. "I forgot Snoop! Get him quick!"
"Dat kitten again!" Dinah exclaimed, with some indignation. "He's more
trouble den - den de whole family!"
In an instant the train had gotten up speed, and it seemed Snoop was gone
this time sure.
"Snoop!" cried Freddie, in dismay.
Just then the kind porter who had befriended the cat before, appeared on the
platform with the perforated box in his hand.
"I wanted to keep him," stammered the porter, "but I knows de little boy 'ud
break his heart after him." And he threw the box to Mr. Bobbsey.
There was no time for words, but Mr. Bobbsey thrust a coin in the man's hand
and all the members of the Bobbsey family looked their thanks.
"Well, I declare, you can't see anybody," called out a good-natured little
lady, trying to surround them all at once.
"Aunt Sarah!" exclaimed the Bobbseys.
"And Uncle Dan!"
"And Harry!"
"Hello! How do? How are you? How be you?" and such kissing and
handshaking had not for some time entertained the old agent at the Meadow
Brook station.
"Here at last!" Uncle Daniel declared, grabbing up Freddie and giving him
the kind of hug Freddie had intended giving Aunt Sarah.
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