fall in!" exclaimed Nan, who was much excited over the
accident.
"Can't I go, papa?" Freddie pleaded. "I'll stay away from the edge!"
"You better stay in the wagon; the horse might cut up when he gets
out," the father warned Freddie, who reluctantly gave in.
Soon Billy was hitched to the ropes, and with a few kind words from
Uncle Daniel the big white horse strained forward, pulling Ginger to
his feet as he did so.
"Hurrah!" shouted Freddie from the wagon. "Billy is a circus horse,
isn't he, Uncle Dan?"
"He's a good boy," the uncle called back patting Billy affectionately,
while Mr. Bobbsey and the boys loosened the straps. The other horse lay
on the blankets, and Peter rubbed him with all his might, to save a
chill as he told the boys.
Then, after receiving many thanks for the help given, the Bobbseys once
more started off toward the farm.
"Hot work," Uncle Daniel remarked to the ladies, as he mopped his
forehead.
"I'm so glad you could help Peter," Aunt Sarah told him, "for he does
seem to have SO much trouble."
"All kinds of things happen in the country," Harry remarked, as Billy
headed off for home.
At each house along the way boys would call out to Harry, asking him
about going fishing, or berrying, or some other sport, so that Bert
felt a good time was in store for him, as the boys were about his own
age and seemed so agreeable.
"Nice fellows," Harry remarked by way of introducing Bert.
"They seem so," Bert replied, cordially.
"We've made up a lot of sports," Harry went on, "and we were only
waiting for you to come to start out. We've planned a picnic for
to-morrow."
"Here we are," called Uncle Daniel as Billy turned into the pretty
driveway in front of the Bobbseys' country home. On each side of the
drive grew straight lines of boxwood, and back of this hedge were
beautiful flowers, shining out grandly now in the July sun.
"Hello, Martha!" called the visitors, as the faithful old servant
appeared on the broad white veranda. She was not black like Dinah, but
looked as if she was just as merry and full of fun as anyone could be.
"Got here at last!" she exclaimed, taking Dinah's lunch basket.
"Glad to see you, Martha," Dinah told her. "You see, I had to come
along. And Snoop too, our kitty. We fetched him."
"The more the merrier," replied the other, "and there's lots of room
for all."
"Starved to death!" Harry laughed, as the odor of a fine dinner reached
him.
"We'll
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