HOME AGAIN
Poor Flossie Bobbsey seemed to be covered from head to foot with the
dough she had mixed to make peach tarts as she had seen Nan doing. Of
course there may have been a few spots on the little girl that were
not covered with the mixture of flour and water, but there were not
many. Flossie had made her dough “very sloppy,” as Bert said, and it
splattered all about. There was much on the floor, some on the chair,
but most of it was on Flossie.
“Oh, you poor child! What in the world were you trying to do?” cried
Nan, as she ran across the room to pick up her little sister.
“I was--now--I was makin’ tarts!” sobbed Flossie. “Did I break Mrs.
Watson’s mixing bowl, Nan?” For her eyes were so filled with flour that
she could not see out of them now.
“No, the bowl isn’t broken,” answered Nan kindly. “And I’ll help you
clean up, Flossie. Oh, but it is a terrible mess!” she sighed.
Mrs. Bobbsey and Mrs. Watson, hearing the crash of Flossie’s fall, had
run to the kitchen. They could tell at once what had happened, but
Flossie thought it best to explain.
“I was making peach tarts,” she said. “But I didn’t finish.”
“Never mind,” soothed her mother, for Flossie had been punished enough,
Mrs. Bobbsey thought. “You may have some of Nan’s tarts.”
And when Flossie had been washed and a clean dress put on her, she was
given one of the first of the tarts from the oven. For Nan’s baking
turned out wonderfully well.
“You’re getting to be quite a cook,” complimented Mr. Watson at the
table a little later, when Nan’s tarts were served.
“You can put the story of Flossie and her tarts in your composition,
Nan,” suggested Bert.
“Yes, I guess I will,” was his sister’s answer. “I hope some more
things happen around here before we go home,” Nan went on. “The more
things I have in my composition the better it will be, and maybe I can
win the prize.”
“I’d give some one a good prize if he or she could find my lost
glasses,” sighed Mrs. Martin. She was still without her spectacles,
though she gave up a large part of each day to looking for them.
“I guess you’ll have to wait until your doctor gets back, and then have
him write you a prescription for a new pair,” suggested Mr. Watson, as
he got on the floor to “play horse” with Baby Jenny.
“I think some one must have taken them, either by mistake or on
purpose,” said the old lady. “I remember perfectly well that I had them
the day the cattle ran away. Then I laid them down and some one must
have come in and picked them up.”
“Who would do such a thing as that?” asked Mrs. Bobbsey.
“Well, some of those cattle men might,” Mrs. Martin answered. “Those
were rough fellows and they might take a notion to my glasses. The
frames were of solid gold.”
“But all the men who drove the cattle were young fellows,” said Mr.
Watson. “None of them wore glasses.”
“Well, I don’t know,” sighed Mrs. Watson’s cousin. “I wish I had my
glasses, that’s all I can say.”
The happy days at Cloverbank were drawing to a close. Mr. Bobbsey
planned to take his family back home in about a week, so the children
could resume their studies at school.
“But first I must get some more things to put in my composition,” Nan
said. “Are you going to work on yours, Bert?” she asked her brother, as
she saw him wandering about the house as if searching for something.
“Are you looking for a pencil and paper?”
“I’m looking for my pole,” he said. “I’m going fishing with Sam. I have
lots of time to write a composition after I get back to Lakeport.”
“Oh, yes,” agreed Nan. “I’m going to write my composition after I get
home, but I want some things to happen here so I’ll have plenty of
incidents, as Miss Skell calls them.”
In the days that followed the Bobbsey twins had much fun. They went on
picnics to the woods and to Buttermilk Glen, but Bert kept away from
the pirate’s cave.
The children played in the barns, they helped feed the chickens and
gathered the eggs. Old Speck came off her nest beneath the barn with
a brood of ten little chickens and was put in a coop near the house.
Flossie and Freddie devoted themselves to this little family, feeding
them and giving them water every day.
When another crop of hay was gathered, the twins were allowed to ride
on top of the loads as they were brought in from the field, though Nan
did not again try to operate the trolley fork. Twice Bert and Sam went
fishing, and once they took Freddie who, to his great delight, caught a
good-sized chub. But it dropped off the hook when close to the bank and
flapped its way back toward the creek.
“I’ll get you! I’ll get you!” shouted the little fellow, and he threw
himself on the fish so vigorously that he slipped and went into the
water himself. But Bert and Sam soon pulled him out.
The late crop of peaches was being picked when it was time for the
Bobbsey family to return home. Mr. Bobbsey had gone to Lakeport to
attend to some business, but was coming back to drive his family home
in the automobile.
“Only one day more,” sighed Nan, one afternoon, when word came in a
letter that Mr. Bobbsey would arrive the following morning and that the
twins must be ready to leave. “Oh, it’s so wonderful here I could stay
forever!”
“So could I,” Bert said. “But at the same time I’ll be glad to get back
home and see the fellows. We’re going to have a football eleven this
season, and maybe I’ll be captain.”
“And I suppose I’ll be glad to get home after I arrive,” said Nan.
“Anyhow, I want to see if I can win the composition prize. And that
reminds me, I want to gather some yellow flowers I saw the other day
and didn’t know what they were. Miss Skell said we should put in
something about the trees and the flowers we saw.”
So Nan, taking Flossie and Freddie with her, went to gather the
blossoms, so she could find out their name, while Bert went on a last
fishing trip with Sam.
Bert came back from his trip with a fine string of fish which were
cooked for the evening meal. Mr. Watson said he would miss this treat,
as he was so busy he seldom had time to go to the creek with hook and
line.
Early the next morning all was in readiness for the trip back to
Lakeport. The Bobbsey twins, brown as berries from their life out of
doors, once again put on their “good clothes,” valises were packed, and
the auto was brought to the door.
“Have you got room for these?” asked Mr. Watson, pointing to three
baskets of choice peaches on the porch. “I sorted these out especially
for you. They’ll stand the journey, if you don’t jounce them too much
over the rough roads, and when you get them home, Nan, you can make
some more tarts.”
“Indeed we’ll make room for the peaches!” said Mr. Bobbsey. “And very
glad we are to have them.”
“If we could take some bees home, we could have some honey, too,”
remarked Freddie.
They all laughed at this, and the farmer said:
“I’m afraid it would be dangerous to carry bees. But in the fall I’ll
send you some honey.”
“Well, good-bye, folks!” called Zeek. “I’ve got to go back to the peach
orchard. We’re getting in the last load now and I don’t want anything
to happen to it.”
The children and their parents said farewell to the kind hired man, and
Mrs. Martin called after him:
“If you find my lost glasses anywhere, Zeek, bring them back with you.”
“I will,” he promised, though of course as she had lost them around the
house, he would hardly find them in the orchard.
“Good-bye! Good-bye! Good-bye!” was called over and over again, Baby
Jenny waving her little hand to the travelers. Then, with a jolly
tooting of the auto horn, the Bobbseys began their homeward journey.
There was no delay and no such experiences as had befallen them on
their trip to Cloverbank, although there was one detour that made, for
a short time, a little rough going, and that evening they reached their
home in Lakeport. Dinah and Sam were at the house, waiting to greet
them.
“How’s all mah honey lambs?” asked the fat cook, as she took some of
the baggage Mrs. Bobbsey handed out.
“We’re all well, thank you, Dinah,” said Mr. Bobbsey. “Did you and Sam
have a good vacation?”
“Jes’ fine!” answered Sam.
“But Ah suah did miss de chilluns!” murmured Dinah. “Whut all am dis?”
she asked as she saw the baskets in the car.
“Those are some peaches Mr. Watson gave us,” said Mrs. Bobbsey.
“I’m going to make peach tarts,” added Nan.
“I think those peaches had better be sorted,” observed Mr. Bobbsey. “We
went over a bit of rough road in making that detour, and some fruit may
be bruised.”
“That’s right,” agreed his wife. “And as Mr. Watson told us, a few
bruised peaches in a basket may spoil the whole lot. We’ll turn them
out on the table and sort them.” This work was begun as soon as the
Bobbseys had rested a little while.
As the last peaches from one of the baskets rolled out on the table,
Nan, looking in the bottom of the container, uttered a cry, darted out
her hand, and said:
“Look! I’ve found Mrs. Martin’s glasses!”
“Mrs. Martin’s glasses!” exclaimed her mother. “Where were they?”
“In the bottom of that basket, covered with the peaches,” said Nan.
“Look!” She held out the spectacle case which, when it was opened,
proved to contain the old lady’s glasses, not in the least harmed.
“How did they get there?” asked Bert.
No one knew, of course, but it was thought that the empty peach basket
must have been on the porch at the time of the cattle scare. Mrs.
Martin must either have dropped or, in her excitement, have put the
glasses in the basket. Later it was set out in the shed, no one looking
to see if it contained anything. The glasses must have remained in the
basket all the while, and even when the peaches were put in to be given
to Mr. Bobbsey, no one saw the spectacle case. The case was about the
color of the basket, and, of course, a spectacle case is not large.
“But here they are, safe, and how glad Mrs. Martin will be,” said Mrs.
Bobbsey. “I’ll mail them right back to her.”
This was done, and a grateful letter of thanks came in reply a few days
later.
“Baby Jenny misses the children,” Mrs. Watson had added in a postscript
to her cousin’s missive.
“And we miss her,” said Nan. “But I’ve got something more to put in my
composition--I’m going to write about the lost glasses and how they
were found in the peaches.”
School opened about a week later, and after the first few sessions Miss
Skell brought up the subject of the vacation compositions. She gave the
children three days in which to write and hand in their essays, and
Nan worked hard. Bert also wrote one, but he spent so little time over
it that his mother said he would not stand much chance of winning the
prize.
At last the day came when the decision was to be made. There were some
anxious hearts among the boys and girls in Miss Skell’s class as the
teacher faced them ready to tell who had won the prize.
“Most of you did very well,” said their instructor. “Much better than
I expected. There were some excellent compositions handed in--and some
very poor and short ones.” As she said this she seemed to look at Bert
Bobbsey. “But the best of all was Nan Bobbsey’s,” went on Miss Skell.
“So I award her the prize and I am going to ask her to come up here and
read her composition to you. I think you will all enjoy it. The name of
it is ‘A Vacation in the Country.’ Come, Nan.”
Nan blushed, but, proud and happy, she read her story and the boys and
girls all said it was most interesting. Nan told in an entertaining way
about many of the incidents that had taken place at Cloverbank, and on
the way there and back, just as they have been told to you here.
“Now what books do you want for a prize?” asked Miss Skell, when Nan
had finished.
“A set of nice story books for girls, if you please,” was the answer.
And that is what Nan received a little later. She still has those
books, and thinks them the best in her little library.
“Well, we certainly had fun at Cloverbank,” said Bert to his brother
and sisters that afternoon on their way home from school, Nan hurrying
to tell the good news about winning the prize.
“Lots of fun,” she agreed.
“Wasn’t it funny when Freddie and I saw the bear that turned into a
calf?” laughed Flossie.
“And wasn’t it fun that day when we played outdoors in the rain?” asked
Freddie. “I wonder if we’ll ever have fun like that again?”
“Oh, I guess so,” said Bert.
Whether the Bobbsey twins did or not remains to be seen.
THE END
_This Isn’t All!_
Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in
this book?
Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and
experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?
On the _reverse side_ of the wrapper which comes with this book, you
will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same
store where you got this book.
_Don’t throw away the Wrapper_
_Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have.
But in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete
catalog._
THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS
For Little Men and Women
By LAURA LEE HOPE
Author of “The Bunny Brown Series,” Etc.
Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Style of Binding.
Every Volume Complete in Itself.
These books for boys and girls between the ages of three and ten stands
among children and their parents of this generation where the books of
Louisa May Alcott stood in former days. The haps and mishaps of this
inimitable pair of twins, their many adventures and experiences are a
source of keen delight to imaginative children everywhere.
THE BOBBSEY TWINS
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE
THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY
THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND
THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT CEDAR CAMP
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE COUNTY FAIR
THE BOBBSEY TWINS CAMPING OUT
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AND BABY MAY
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES
By LAURA LEE HOPE
Author of the Popular “Bobbsey Twins” Books, Etc.
Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Style of Binding.
Every Volume Complete in Itself.
These stories are eagerly welcomed by the little folks from about five
to ten years of age. Their eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively
doings of inquisitive little Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustful
sister Sue.
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA’S FARM
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUS
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP REST-A-WHILE
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU’S CITY HOME
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODS
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOUR
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHETLAND PONY
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOW
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVE
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE SUNNY SOUTH
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE KEEPING STORE
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR TRICK DOG
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT A SUGAR CAMP
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON THE ROLLING OCEAN
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON JACK FROST ISLAND
GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS SERIES
By LAURA LEE HOPE
Author of The Bobbsey Twins Books, The Bunny
Brown Series, The Blythe Girls Books, Etc.
Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Style of Binding.
Every Volume Complete in Itself.
Delightful stories for little boys and girls which sprung into
immediate popularity. To know the six little Bunkers is to take them
at once to your heart, they are so intensely human, so full of fun and
cute sayings. Each story has a little plot of its own--one that can be
easily followed--and all are written in Miss Hope’s most entertaining
manner. Clean, wholesome volumes which ought to be on the bookshelf of
every child in the land.
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDMA BELL’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT AUNT JO’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COUSIN TOM’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDPA FORD’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT UNCLE FRED’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT CAPTAIN BEN’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COWBOY JACK’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT MAMMY JUNE’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT FARMER JOEL’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT MILLER NED’S
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT INDIAN JOHN’S
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
THE HONEY BUNCH BOOKS
By HELEN LOUISE THORNDYKE
Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations Drawn by
WALTER S. ROGERS
Honey Bunch is a dainty, thoughtful little girl, and to know her is to
take her to your heart at once.
Little girls everywhere will want to discover what interesting
experiences she is having wherever she goes.
HONEY BUNCH: JUST A LITTLE GIRL
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST VISIT TO THE CITY
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST DAYS ON THE FARM
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST VISIT TO THE SEASHORE
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST LITTLE GARDEN
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST DAYS IN CAMP
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST AUTO TOUR
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST TRIP ON THE OCEAN
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST TRIP WEST
HONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST SUMMER ON AN ISLAND
GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK
THE BLYTHE GIRLS BOOKS
By LAURA LEE HOPE
Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations by
THELMA GOOCH
Every Volume Complete in Itself
The Blythe girls, three in number, were left alone in New York City.
Helen, who went in for art and music, kept the little flat uptown,
while Margy, just out of a business school, obtained a position as a
private secretary and Rose, plain-spoken and businesslike, took what
she called a “job” in a department store.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN, MARGY AND ROSE
A fascinating tale of real happenings in the great metropolis.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY’S QUEER INHERITANCE
The Girls had a peculiar old aunt and when she died she left an unusual
inheritance.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE’S GREAT PROBLEM
Rose, still at work in the big department store, is one day faced with
the greatest problem of her life.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN’S STRANGE BOARDER
Helen goes to the assistance of a strange girl, whose real identity is
a puzzle. Who the girl really was comes as a tremendous surprise.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: THREE ON A VACATION
The girls go to the country for two weeks--and fall in with all sorts
of curious and exciting happenings.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY’S SECRET MISSION
Of course we cannot divulge the big secret, but nevertheless the girls
as usual have many exciting experiences.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE’S ODD DISCOVERY
A very interesting story, telling how Rose aided an old man in the
almost hopeless search for his daughter.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF HELEN
Helen calls on the art dealer on business and finds the old fellow has
made a wonderful discovery.
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: SNOWBOUND IN CAMP
An absorbing tale of winter happenings, full of excitement.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK
* * * * *
Transcriber’s note
Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice. The titles
of the books on the ad pages were standardized. The following Printer
errors have been changed.
=CHANGED= =FROM= =TO=
Page 18: “But this proveh” “But this proved”
Page 34: “get up a basball nine” “get up a baseball nine”
Page 89: “when it was t me to arise” “when it was time to arise”
Page 108: “Get aboard, Zeek.” “Get a board, Zeek.”
Page 149: “but Jed the way” “but led the way”
Page 198: “gave me the perscription” “gave me the prescription”
Page 221: “head was nodning” “head was nodding”