en you go camping, my
Curlytops," said Grandpa Martin, as the children came out of the
sitting-room.

"Are you really going to take them camping?" asked Mother Martin after
Jan and Ted had gone upstairs to bed.

"I really am. There are some tents in the barn. I own part of Star
Island and there's no nicer place to camp. You'll come, too, and so will
Dick when he comes back from Cresco. We'll take Nora along to do the
cooking. Will you come, Mother?" and the Curlytops' grandfather looked
at his gray-haired wife.

"No, I'll stay on Cherry Farm and feed the hired men," she answered with
a smile.

"Why do they call it Star Island?" asked Ted's mother.

"Well, once upon a time, a good many years ago," said Grandpa Martin, "a
shooting star, or meteor, fell blazing on the island, and that's how it
got its name."

"Maybe it was a part of the star shining that the children saw
to-night," said Grandma Martin. "Though I don't see how it could be,
for it fell many years ago."

"Maybe," agreed her husband.

None of them knew what a queer part that fallen star was to have in the
lives of those who were shortly to go camping on the island.

Early the next morning after breakfast, Ted and Jan went out to the barn
to get Nicknack to have a ride.

"Where is you? I wants to come, too!" cried the voice of their little
brother, as they were putting the harness on their goat.

"Oh, there's Trouble," whispered Ted. "Shall we take him with us, Jan?"

"Yes, this time. We're not going far. Grandma wants us to go to the
store for some baking soda."

"All right, we'll drive down," returned Ted. "Come on, Trouble!" he
called.

"I's tummin'," answered Baby William. "I's dot a tookie."

"He means cookie," said Jan, laughing.

"I know it," agreed Ted. "I wish he'd bring me one."

"Me too!" exclaimed Janet.

"I's dot a 'ot of tookies," went on Trouble, who did not always talk in
such "baby fashion." When he tried to he could speak very well, but he
did not often try.

"Oh, he's got his whole apron _full_ of cookies!" cried Jan. "Where did
you get them?" she asked, as her little brother came into the barn.

"Drandma given 'em to me, an' she said you was to have some," announced
the little boy, as he let the cookies slide out of his apron to a box
that stood near the goat-wagon.

Then Baby William began eating a cookie, and Jan and Ted did also, for
they, too, were hungry, though it was not long after breakfast.

"Goin' to w