ide?" asked Trouble, his mouth full of cookie.

"Yes, we're going for a ride," answered Jan. "Oh, Ted, get a blanket or
something to put over our laps. It's awful dusty on the road to-day,
even if it did rain last night. It all dried up, I guess."

"All right, I'll get a blanket from grandpa's carriage. And you'd better
get a cushion for Trouble."

"I will," said Janet, and her brother and sister left Baby William alone
with the goat for a minute or two.

When Jan came back with the cushion she went to get another cookie, but
there were none.

"Why Trouble Martin!" she cried, "did you eat them _all_?"

"All what?"

"All the cookies!"

"I did eat one and Nicknack--he did eat the west. He was hungry, he was,
and he did eat the west ob 'em. I feeded 'em to him. Nicknack was a
hungry goat," said Trouble, smiling.

"I should think he was hungry, to eat up all those cookies! I only had
one!" cried Jan.

"What! Did Nicknack get at the cookies?" cried Ted, coming back with a
light lap robe.

"Trouble gave them to him," explained Janet. "Oh dear! I was so hungry
for another!"

"I'll ask grandma for some," promised Ted, and he soon came back with
his hands full of the round, brown molasses cookies.

"Hello, Curlytops, what can I do for you to-day?" asked the storekeeper
a little later, when the three children had driven up to his front door.
"Do you want a barrel of sugar put in your wagon or a keg of salt
mack'rel? I have both."

"We want baking soda," answered Jan.

"And you shall have the best I've got. Where are you going--off to look
for the end of the rainbow and get the pot of gold at the end?" he asked
jokingly.

"No, we're not going far to-day," answered Ted.

"Well, stop in when you're passing this way again," called out the
storekeeper as Ted turned Nicknack around for the homeward trip. "I'm
always glad to see you."

"Maybe you won't see us now for quite a while," answered Jan proudly.

"No? Why not? You're not going to leave Cherry Farm I hope."

Ted stopped Nicknack that they might better explain.

"We're going camping with grandpa on Star Island."

"Where's that you're going?" asked a farmer who had just come out of the
store after buying some groceries.

"Camping on Star Island in Clover Lake," repeated Ted.

"Huh! I wouldn't go there if I were you," said the farmer, shaking his
head.

"Why not?" asked Ted. "Is it because of the blue light?" and he looked
at his sister to see if s