eigh?"

Mother Blossom and Aunt Polly laughed, but Bobby looked up from his
oatmeal quickly and the twins began at once to ask if they could go,
too.

"Why, lambs, what about school?" Mother Blossom reminded them and that
helped Meg with her argument beautifully.

"It's a one-session day!" she said triumphantly. "The teachers have to
go to a lecture this afternoon. Oh, Mother, you went riding in a
sleigh when you were a little girl and I never did."

"And you've been in automobiles and when I was a little girl I never
did," Mother Blossom said gaily. "However, we'll ask Daddy."

Father Blossom looked at Meg, a twinkle in his eye.

"I was careless to mention 'sleigh'," he announced. "But I still think
Sam will have to go with a horse, instead of a foundry truck; and if
four children were ready and warmly dressed about quarter of one, I
shouldn't wonder if that sleigh stopped before this house."

My goodness, there was no more peace at the table after that. The
twins nearly went crazy and they wanted to put their leggings on at
once, while Bobby and Meg for some mysterious reason seemed to feel
that the sooner they got to school, the earlier they would be dismissed
and they hurried away a quarter of an hour before the usual time.

"You don't think it will hurt Dot, then?" said Mother Blossom as her
husband began to pull on his coat ready to go to the foundry.

"Oh, it's a sunny day and she is about over that cold," he answered.
"I think the fresh air will do her good."

Dot and Twaddles, who had heard the question and were listening
anxiously for the reply, sped away to the kitchen to tell Norah where
they were going.

You might have thought that the twins were setting out for the North
Pole, the way they started to get ready. They got out their rubbers
and brushed them carefully. They put their sweaters and scarfs and
mittens on one chair, their warm coats on another and their hats on the
table. Then they went out on the back porch and shook their leggings
and put them on still another chair. How Mother Blossom did laugh when
she saw everything spread out.

"We don't want to keep Sam waiting," explained Dot seriously. "Bobby
and Meg will have their things on, but Twaddles and I have a lot to do."

At that moment Twaddles was out in the barn asking the patient Sam
questions.

"Yes, your father told me you could go," said Sam. "Yes, the dog can
go too--the more the merrier, as far as I am conce