The Bobbsey Twins in the Country

  Produced by Diane and Don Nafis. HTML version by Al Haines.

  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!" Freddieexclaimed.

  "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 possibleefforts to reach the front door, which Freddie finally did by jumpingover 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 yourturn. Mother is in the sewing room, I guess!" Flossie concluded, and sothe two started in search of the mother, with the welcome letter fromAunt Sarah tight in Freddie's chubby fist.

  Freddie and Flossie were the younger of the two pairs of twins thatbelonged to the Bobbsey family. The little ones were four years old,both with light curls framing pretty dimpled faces, and both being justfat enough to be good-natured. The other twins, Nan and Bert, wereeight years old, dark and handsome, and as like as "two peas" theneighbors used to say. Some people thought it strange there should betwo pairs of twins in one house, but Nan said it was just likefour-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 beenopened in the sewing room by Mrs. Bobbsey.

  "When can we go?" broke in Freddie, at a single hint that the missivecontained an invitation to visit Meadow Brook, the home of Aunt Sarahin the country.

  "Now be patient, children," the mother told them. "I'll read theinvitation in just a minute," and she kept her eyes fastened on theblue paper in a way that even to Freddie and Flossie meant somethingvery 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 athis elbow.

  "Then she says," continued the mother, "that this is a beautiful summerat 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 wordsin his delight.

  "Tell her we'll come, mamma," went on Freddie. "Do send a letter quickwon't you, mamma?"

  "Freddie Bobbsey!" spoke up Flossie, in a little girl's way of showingindignation. "If you would only keep quiet we could hear about going,but--you always stop mamma. Please, mamma, read the rest," and thegolden head was pressed against the mother's shoulder from the arm ofthe big rocking chair.

  "Well, I was only just saying--" pouted Freddie.

  "Now listen, dear." The mother went on once more reading from theletter: "Aunt Sarah says Cousin Harry can hardly wait until vacationtime to see Bert, and she also says, 'For myself I cannot wait to seethe 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 hugthem both to death, and so does their Uncle Daniel.'"

  "Good!--goody!" broke in the irrepressible Freddie again. "I'll justhug Aunt Sarah this way," and he fell on his mother's neck and squeezeduntil she cried for him to stop.

  "I guess she'll like that," Freddie wound up, in real satisfaction athis hugging ability.

  "Not if you spoil her hair," Flossie insisted, while the overcomemother 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 forlunch time. Nobody likes stale news," the mother replied.

  "But can't we hear it when Bert and Nan come from school?" coaxedFlossie.

  "Of course," the mother assured her. "But you must run out in the airnow. We have taken such a long time to read the letter."

  "Oh, aren't you glad!" exclaimed Flossie to her brother, as they ranalong the stone wall that edged the pretty terrace in front of theirhome.

  "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 experiencewith words, a very few answering for all his needs.

  The morning passed quickly to the little ones, for they had so much tothink about now, and when the school children appeared around thecorner Flossie and Freddie hurried to meet Nan and Bert, to tell themthe news.

  "We're going! we're going!" was about all Freddie could say.

  "Oh, the letter came--from Aunt Sarah!" was Flossie's way of tellingthe news. But it was at the lunch table that Mrs. Bobbsey finished theletter.

  "'Tell Nan,'" she read, "'that Aunt Sarah has a lot of new patches andtidies to show her, and tell her I have found a new kind of jumblechocolate that I am going to teach her to make.' There, daughter, yousee," commented Mrs. Bobbsey, "Aunt Sarah has not forgotten what a goodlittle baker you are."

  "Chocolate jumble," remarked Bert, and smacked his lips. "Say, Nan, besure to learn that. It sounds good," the brother declared.

  Just then Dinah, the maid, brought in the chocolate, and the childrentried to tell her about going to the country, but so many were talkingat once that the good-natured colored girl interrupted the confusionwith 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 AuntSarah says about you," and once more the blue letter came out, whileMrs. Bobbsey read:

  "'And be sure to bring dear old Dinah! We have plenty of room, and shewill so enjoy seeing the farming.'"

  "Farming! Ha! ha! Dat I do like. Used to farm all time home inVirginie!" the maid declared. "And I likes it fuss-rate! Yes, Dinah'llgo and hoe de corn and" (aside to Bert) "steal de watermelons!"

  The prospects were indeed bright for a happy time in the country, andthe Bobbseys never disappointed themselves when fun was within theirreach.