Bobbseys.

"That's their cousins from the city," little boys and girls along the
way would say.

"Haven't they pretty clothes!" the girls were sure to add.

"Let's stop for a drink at the spring," suggested August Stout, who was
stout by name and nature, and always loved a good drink of water.

The children tumbled out of the wagon safely, and were soon waiting
turns at the spring.

There was a round basin built of stones and quite deep. Into this the
clear sprinkling water dropped from a little cave in the hill above. On
top of the cave a large flat stone was placed. This kept the little
waterfall clean and free from the falling leaves.

"Oh, what a cute little pond!" Freddie exclaimed, for he had never seen
a real spring before.

"That's a spring," Flossie informed him, although that was all she knew
about it.

The big boys were not long dipping their faces in and getting a drink
of the cool, clear water, but the girls had to take their hats off,
roll up their sleeves, and go through a "regular performance," as Harry
said, before they could make up their minds to dip into the water.
Mabel brought up her supply with her hands, but when Nan tried it her
hands leaked, and the result was her fresh white frock got wet.
Flossie's curls tumbled in both sides, and when she had finished she
looked as if she had taken a plunge at the seashore.

"Let me! Let me!" cried Freddie impatiently, and without further
warning he thrust his yellow head in the spring clear up to his neck!

"Oh, Freddie!" yelled Nan, grabbing him by the heels and thus saving a
more serious accident.

"Oh! oh! oh!" spluttered Freddie, nearly choked, "I'm drowned!" and the
water really seemed to be running out of his eyes, noses and ears all
at once.

"Oh, Freddie!" was all Mrs. Bobbsey could say, as a shower of clean
handkerchiefs was sent from the hay wagon to dry the "drowned" boy.

"Just like the flour barrel!" laughed Bert, referring to the funny
accident that befell Freddie the winter before, as told in my other
book "The Bobbsey Twins."

"Only that was a dry bath and this a wet one," Nan remarked, as
Freddie's curls were shook out in the sun.

"Did you get a drink?" asked August, whose invitation to drink had
caused the mishap.

"Yep!" answered Freddie bravely, "and I was a real fireman too, that
time, 'cause they always get soaked; don't they, Bert?"

Being assured they did, the party once more started off for the woods.
It was