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, whichmade the others all laugh at Flossie's funny plans.
"I'm going to have chickens," Freddie told them."I'm going to haveone ofthose queer chicken coops that you shut up tight and when you open it it'sjust 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!
