eal de watermelons!"

The prospects were indeed bright for a happy time in the country, and
the Bobbseys never disappointed themselves when fun was within their
reach.

CHAPTER II

THE START

With so much to think about, the few weeks that were left between
vacation and the country passed quickly for the Bobbseys. As told in
any first book, "The Bobbsey Twins," this little family had a splendid
home in Lakeport, where Mr. Bobbsey was a lumber merchant. The mother
and father were both young themselves, and always took part in their
children's joys and sorrows, for there were sorrows sometimes. Think of
poor little Freddie getting shut up all alone in a big store with only
a little black kitten, "Snoop," to keep him from being scared to death;
that was told of in the first book, for Freddie went shopping one day
with his mamma, and wandered off a little bit. Presently he found
himself in the basement of the store; there he had so much trouble in
getting out he fell asleep in the meantime. Then, when he awoke and it
was all dark, and the great big janitor came to rescue
him--oh!--Freddie thought the man might even be a giant when he first
heard the janitor's voice in the dark store.

Freddie often got in trouble, but like most good little boys he was
always saved just at the right time, for they say good children have
real angels watching over them. Nan, Bert, and Flossie all had plenty
of exciting experiences too, as told in "The Bobbsey Twins," for among
other neighbors there was Danny Rugg, a boy who always tried to make
trouble for Bert, and sometimes almost succeeded in getting Bert into
"hot water," as Dinah expressed it.

Of course Nan had her friends, as all big girls have, but Bert, her
twin brother, was her dearest chum, just as Freddie was Flossie's.

"When we get to the country we will plant trees, go fishing, and pick
blackberries," Nan said one day.

"Yes, and I'm going with Harry out exploring," Bert announced.

"I'm just going to plant things," prim little Flossie lisped. "I just
love melons and ice cream and--"

"Ice cream! Can you really plant ice cream?" Freddie asked innocently,
which made the others all laugh at Flossie's funny plans.

"I'm going to have chickens," Freddie told them. "I'm going to have one
of those queer chicken coops that you shut up tight and when you open
it it's just full of little 'kippies.'"

"Oh, an incubator, you mean," Nan explained. "That's a machine for
r