the dormitory were rows and rows of small white cots. They looked
very clean and comfortable, and the door of this tent was closed with a
big green mosquito netting.

"How old are your babies?" asked Aunt Sarah.

"Sandy is our baby!" replied the matrons patting the little boy fondly,
"and he is four years old. We cannot take them any younger without
their mothers."

"Freddie is four also," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "What a dear sweet child
Sandy is!"

"Yes," said Mrs. Manily, "he has just lost a good mother and his father
cannot care for him--that is, he cannot afford to pay his board or hire
a housekeeper, so he brought him to the Aid Society. He is the pet of
the camp, and you can see he has been well trained."

"No mother and no home!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey. "Dear little fellow!
Think of our Freddie being alone in the world like that!"

Mrs. Bobbsey could hardly keep her tears back. She stooped over and
kissed Sandy.

"Do you know my mamma?" he asked, looking straight into the lady's kind
face.

"Mrs. Manily is your mamma, isn't she?" said Mrs. Bobbsey.

"Yes, she's my number two mamma, but I mean number one that used to
sleep with me."

"Come now, Sandy," laughed Mrs. Manily. "Didn't you tell me last night
I was the best mamma in the whole world?" and she hugged the little
fellow to make him happy again.

"So you are," he laughed, forgetting all his loneliness now. "When I
get to be a big man I'm goin' to take you out carriage riding."

"Can't Sandy cone home with us?" asked Freddie. "He can sleep in my
bed."

"You are very good," said the matron. "But we cannot let any of our
children go visiting without special permission from the Society."

"Well," said Aunt Sarah, "if you get the permission we will be very
glad to have Sandy pay us a visit. We have a large place, and would
really like to have some good poor child enjoy it. We have company now,
but they will leave us soon, and then perhaps we could have a little
fresh-air camp of our own."

"The managers have asked us to look for a few private homes that could
accommodate some special cases," replied Mrs. Manily, "and I am sure I
can arrange it to have Sandy go."

"Oh, let him come now," pleaded Freddie, as Sandy held tight to his
hand. "See, we have room in the wagon."

"Well, he might have a ride," consented the matron, and before anyone
had a chance to speak again Freddie and Sandy had climbed into the
wagon.

Nan and Mildred had been talki