close by the little party made merry over the dainty sandwiches
and iced lemonade.

There were little cakes, too, with pink and white icing.

"I know Martha made these," commented Jerry; "they taste like a cake we
had at your party, Beth."

Uncle Billy declared that never before in his life had he eaten so many
good things, all at one time.

"There's a wagon!" and Mary, who had been the first to see it, jumped
to her feet and pointed up the road toward a farm wagon, piled high
with hay, which was approaching them.

Uncle Billy started off at once to meet it and while the girls were
busily packing the things back into the basket he was telling the man
who drove the wagon about their mishap.

"You can all come along with me to town and then send some one back
with gasoline to fetch in your car, if you like. I'm driving in to the
county fair," explained the farmer.

"Fine!" decided Uncle Billy. "We'll do it." So in great haste the girls
were soon swung up, one by one, to the top of the hay. Then Uncle Billy
climbed on.

"All aboard!" he shouted, and at the word the farmer started his team.
As the wagon bumped and swayed along the road, the girls held hands to
keep from sliding off.

CHAPTER IV

THE FUN BEGINS

"Did you ever see so many wagons in all your life? Why, there are
hundreds of them," declared Jerry, when they had reached the little
town and were driving down the main street.

"How would you like to go to the fair?" suggested Uncle Billy with his
eyes twinkling with merriment.

"Oh, do you really mean it?" questioned Mary. "I've always wanted to
see a county fair."

"So have I," echoed each of the others.

"All right; it's a bargain," nodded Uncle Billy. "You all wait here,"
he told the girls a few minutes later, as he helped them out of the
wagon, "while I get some one to bring the car into town."

He left the girls chatting together in great excitement over the
unexpected treat, and when he returned there were a great many
questions to answer as he led the way toward the great entrance gate.

"Tickets, tickets to the fair grounds! Here you are, boss! This way to
the ticket booth."

"I wonder if he thinks you all belong to me?" said Uncle Billy, smiling
and nodding to the man in the plaid suit and high hat who had addressed
them.

"How funny!" laughed Beth. "You don't look a bit like our fathers."

"There's the merry-go-round," pointed out Mary when they were inside
the ground