e time in the country during the hot weather. We board
them out at different farmers' houses. This company of children has been
on two different farms near Branchville, where we just got on the train.
Some of the little ones are from Sanderville." This was a large city
not far from Lakeport, a smaller city where the Bobbsey twins lived.
"Others are from Lakeport," went on the lady, speaking to Mrs. Bobbsey.

"Indeed!" exclaimed Freddie's mother. "I did not know there was a fresh
air society in our city."

"It has only just been formed," said the lady, who was a Miss Carter.
"We haven't much money left, I'm sorry to say."

"Then you must let me give you some," said Mr. Bobbsey. "And I will get
some friends of mine to give money also. Our own children enjoy it so
much in the country that I want to see others have a good time, too."

Then he and Mrs. Bobbsey began to talk about ways of helping poor
children, and Flossie and Freddie did not listen any more. Besides, just
then the train was passing along a field in which were many horses, some
of which raced alongside the cars, and that interested the twins.

"Oh, look at 'em run!" cried the fresh air boy who sat in front of the
smaller Bobbsey twins. "Don't they go fast?"

The other fresh air youngsters crowded to their windows to look out, and
some tried to push their companions away so they might see better. Then
a number all wanted a drink of water at the same time, and the two
ladies who were in charge of the children were kept busy making them
settle down.

The quiet, neat boy about whom Flossie had whispered to her brother,
turned around in his seat and, looking at Freddie, asked:

"Were you ever on a farm?"

"Yes," answered Freddie, "we just came from our uncle Dan's farm, at
Meadow Brook. We were there 'most all Summer. Now we're going back
home."

"Where do you live, and what's your name?" asked the strange boy.

"My name's Freddie Bobbsey, and this is my sister Flossie," was the
answer. "We're twins. Up there, in that other seat, are my brother and
sister, Bert and Nan. They're twins too, but they're older'n we are. We
live in Lakeport."

"You do?" cried the boy in surprise. "Why, that's where I live! My name
is Tommy Todd."

"That's a nice name," put in Flossie politely. "I don't know any one of
that name in Lakeport though. Where does your father live?"

Tommy Todd did not answer at once, and Freddie was surprised to see
tears in the eyes of the