w but we didn't know what. Did you bring us anything, Daddy?"

"Yes, I brought you and Hal a new game."

"A new game? Oh, goody! May we play it now?"

"Well, you can start to look at it now, but it takes quite a while to play
it. It takes all Spring, all Summer and part of the Fall."

"Oh, what a long game!" cried Hal. "What is it?"

"It is called the Garden Game," said Daddy Blake, smiling. "And after
supper I'll tell you all about it."

"The Garden Game," murmured Mab.

"It must be fun," said Hal, "else Daddy wouldn't laugh around his eyes the
way he does."

"Yes, I think you'll like this new game," went on Mr. Blake. "And whoever
learns to play it best will get a fine prize!"

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" cried Hal and Mab in delight. They could hardly wait to find
out all about it.

CHAPTER II

MAKING A GARDEN

"Now children," began Daddy Blake, as the table was cleared of the dishes,
when supper had been finished, "I'll start to tell you about the garden
game we are going to play."

"Oh, are YOU going to play it, too?" asked Hal in delight "Won't that be
fun, Mab?"

"Lots of fun!"

Anything Daddy Blake did was fun for Hal and Mab, whether it was playing a
game, or taking them somewhere.

Eagerly the two children watched while their father opened the package he
had brought up from down town when he came home to supper.

"Is it some kind of a puzzle?" Hal wanted to know.

"Does it go around with wheels?" asked Mab, as she heard something rattle
inside the paper.

"How many can play it?" asked Hal.

"Oh, as many as care to" answered Daddy Blake. I'm going to play it, and
so is your mother, I think; and Uncle Pennywait, and Aunt Lollypop,
and--no, I guess we can't let Roly-Poly play the garden game, but you two
children can."

"Oh, it must be a fine game if so many can play," laughed Hal. "Hurry,
Daddy, and show us what it is."

"Do you play sides?" Mab inquired.

"Yes, you can play sides," her father answered with a smile. "As I told
you I'm going to give a prize to whoever plays the game best. I'll tell
you about it. Now here's the first part of the garden," and, as Mr. Blake
opened the paper fully, out rolled a small parcel. The string came off it,
and Hal and Mab saw a lot of beans.

For a moment they looked very much disappointed.

"Oh, Daddy Blake!" cried Hal. "This isn't a new game at all! We've got a
bean-bag one!"

"And we got tired of playing it to-day," went on Mab, in disappoin