Laura Lee Hope

“ Nan and Flossie hurried to where their little brother had dug a hole in the earth.
"They're mice!" exclaimed Nan. "Oh, aren't they cute! Let's catch them. Call Bert or Harry."
While Flossie ran to tell Bert, Nan watched the tiny mice so that they would not get away.
"It's a nest of field mice," Harry told them.
"We'll put them in a cage and have them in our circus."
"But they're my mice," cried Freddie, "and I won't let anybody have them!"
"We're only going to help you take care of them in a little box. Oh, there's the mother—catch her, Harry," called Bert. ”

“ What woke up the household with such a start?
"There it is again!" screamed Flossie. "Oh, mamma, mamma, come in my room quick!"
Sandy grabbed hold of Freddie.
"We're all right," whispered the brave little Freddie. "It's only the girls that's hollering."
Then they both put their curls under the bedquilts.
"Someone's playing the piano," Bert said to Harry; and, sure enough, a nocturnal solo was coming up in queer chunks from the parlor.
"It's a crazy burglar, and he never saw a piano before," Flossie said. ”

“ Harry asked his little cousin.
"Yep," replied the youngster. "He knows how to go on trains now."
"Dorothy has a pair of donkeys," Nan told them, "and a cart we can go riding in every day."
"I'll be the driver," announced Freddie. "And I suppose you'll have a sailboat, Bert!" said Harry.
"Not in the ocean," said nervous little Flossie, who had been listening all the time and never said a word until she thought there was some danger coming.
"Certainly not," said Bert; "there is always a little lake of quiet water around ocean places."
Aunt Sarah came out now, all dressed for a drive. ”

“ Uncle Daniel was with John now, pouring water on the flames, that were gaining in spite of all efforts to put them out.
"Where's the firemen!" cried little Freddie, in real tears this time, for he, like all the others, was awfully frightened.
The boys had a stream from the hose now, but this too was of no account, for the flames had shot up from the big pile of dry hay!
"The firemen!" called Freddie again.
"There are no firemen in the country, Freddie," Nan told him. "We have to put the fire out ourselves." ”

“ Then they can work during the day and go to school at night."
"I think it's a shame!" said the mother. "That child is not much larger than Nan, and to think of her working in a big store all day, then having to work at night school too!"
"It does not seem right!" admitted the matron; "but, you see, sometimes there is no choice. Either a child must work or go to an institution, and we strain every point to keep them in their homes."
"We will drive back with Sandy," said Aunt Sarah as they got into the wagon.
"Can't Nellie come too?" asked Nan. "There is plenty of room." ”

“ Aunt Sarah asked the matron.
"Yes indeed," the other replied. "But the doctor will soon cure her, I think."
"The child is too young to work so hard," Aunt Sarah declared. "It is no wonder her health breaks down at the slightest cause, when she has no strength laid away to fight sickness."
By this time a big girl had washed and dressed Sandy, and now what a pretty boy he was! He wore a blue-and-white-striped linen suit and had a jaunty little white cap just like Freddie's.
He was so anxious to go that he jumped in the wagon before the others were ready to start. ”

“ When Uncle Dan came up from the postoffice the next morning he brought a note from the fresh-air camp.
"Sandy has to go back!" Nan whispered to Bert. "His own father in the city has sent for him, but mamma says not to say anything to Sandy or Freddie—they might worry. Aunt Sarah will drive over and bring Sandy, then they can fix it. I'm so sorry he has to go away."
"So am I," answered Nan's twin. "I don't see why they can't let the little fellow alone when he is happy with us." ”

“ 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. ”

“ We are all twins, you know—Nan and Bert, and Flossie and me and you!"
By this time the other Bobbseys had come out to welcome Sandy. They thought it best to let Freddie entertain him at first, so that he would not be strange, but now Uncle Daniel just took the little fellow up in his arms and into his heart, for all good men love boys, especially when they are such real little men as Sandy and Freddie happened to be. ”

“ Bert had to wait until they got through laughing at his funny costume, which was a good deal like Harry's, only the latter wore a red tie.
In a few moments Bert went on again.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Our first number is Frisky, the Sacred Calf of India!" he exclaimed, imitating that queer-voiced man called a "Barker" and used at circuses.
Snap! snap! went Bert's whip, and out from a side place, back of a big screen, came Jack Hopkins dressed like a real clown, leading our old friend Frisky, the runaway calf. ”

“ Here Harry caught the frightened little creature.
"I've got a queer kind of a trap," Harry said. "It's just like a cage. We can put them in this until we build a larger one. We can make one out of a box with a wire door."
The mice were the smallest, cutest things, not larger than Freddie's thumb. They hardly looked like mice at all, but like some queer little bugs. They were put in the cage trap, mother and all, and then Bert got them a bit of cheese from the kitchen.
"What! Feed mice!" exclaimed Dinah "Sakes alive, chile! you go bringing dem mice in de house to eat all our cake and pie. ”

“ Harry told Bert going over; "he's a soldier, and he'll be sure to quiz you on history."
"I like old soldiers," Bert declared; "if they do talk a lot, they've got a lot to talk about."
John said that was true, and he agreed that old Ben Bennett was an interesting talker.
"Here we are," said Harry, as they pulled up before a kind of barn. Old Ben sat outside on his wooden bench.
"Hello, Ben," they called out together, "we're bringing you work early this year."
"So much the better," said the old soldier; "There's nothing like work to keep a fellow young." ”

“ He was only scared with that sulphur match when he ran away."
"A circus would be fine," Bert put in. "We could have Frisky as the Sacred Calf."
"And Snoopy as the Wild Cat," said Harry.
"And two trained goats," August added.
"And a real human bear, 'Teddy'?" suggested Jack.
"Then a cage of pigeons," went on Harry.
"Let's get them all in training," said Tom, jumping up suddenly, anxious to begin the sport.
"I tell you!" Harry planned. "We can each train our own animals and then we can bring them together in a well-organized circus." ”

“ Harry spoke to his father, and then quickly decided to let the balloon man ride his bicycle down to the picnic grounds.
"You can leave it at the ice-cream stand," Harry told the stranger. "I know the man there, and he will take care of it for me until I call for it."
The children were delighted to talk to a real live man that had been up in a balloon, and the balloonist was indeed very pleasant with the little ones. He took Freddie up in his arms and told him all about how it felt to be up in the sky. ”

“ Freddie and Flossie were the younger of the two pairs of twins that belonged to the Bobbsey family. The little ones were four years old, both with light curls framing pretty dimpled faces, and both being just fat enough to be good-natured. The other twins, Nan and Bert, were eight years old, dark and handsome, and as like as "two peas" the neighbors used to say. Some people thought it strange there should be two pairs of twins in one house, but Nan said it was just like four-leaf clovers, that always grow in little patches by themselves. ”

“ Such berries, such lettuce, such water-cress, and the radishes!
"Too bad papa had to go so early," Bert remarked. "He just loves green stuff."
"So does Frisky," put in Freddie, and he wondered why everyone laughed.
After breakfast the lunch baskets were put up and while Bert and Harry, Nan and Aunt Sarah, went to invite the neighboring children, Flossie and Freddie were just busy jumping around the kitchen, where Dinah and Martha were making them laugh merrily with funny little stories.
Snoop and Fluffy had become good friends, and now lay close together on the kitchen hearth. ”

“ Freddie insisted. "Don't you think he's just like me curls and all?"
"He is certainly a fine little chap!" the uncle replied, meaning every word of it, "and he is quite some like you too. Now let us feed the chickens. See how they are around us expecting something to eat?"
The fowls were almost ready to eat the pearl buttons off Sandy's coat, so eager were they for their meal, and it was great fun for the two little boys to toss the corn to them.
"Granny will eat from your hand," exclaimed Uncle Daniel, "You see, she is just like granite-gray stone, but we call her Granny for short." ”

“ Finally fat August Stout, the funniest clown: dashed home first and won the race!
"Hurrah for Nero!" called everybody. "Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" shouted the boys long and loud.
The circus was over!
The money was counted, and there was exactly twenty-three dollars to be given the poor children in the Meadow Brook Fresh-Air Camp.
Wasn't that splendid? And to think everybody had such a good time too!
Freddie and Roy were allowed to ride home in the goat wagons, and they tried to race along the way. ”

“ Freddie pleaded, much in love with the pretty creature.
"And they don't walk either," Flossie persisted. "They mostly run."
"I could just hold the rope, couldn't I, Aunt Sarah?"
"If you keep away from the barnyard gate, and hold her very tight," was the consent given finally, much to Freddie's delight.
"Nice Frisky," he told the calf, petting her fondly. "Pretty calf, will you let Snoop play with you?" Frisky was sniffing suspiciously all the time, and Aunt Sarah had taken Flossie in the barn to see the chickens' nests. ”

“ Bobbsey hurried back to the road to unhitch the other horse.
"Don't let Billy 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?" ”

“ Flossie almost cried, kissing the red blisters. "See, they're cut!"
"Firemen have to slide on ropes!" Freddie spoke up, recovering himself, "and I'm going to be a fireman. I was one that time, because I tried to save somebody and didn't care if I got hurted!"
"You are a brave little boy," Aunt Sarah assured him. "You just sit here with sister while I try to get that naughty Frisky before she spoils the garden."
By this time the calf was almost lost to them, as she plunged in and out of the pretty hedges. Fortunately Bert and Harry just turned in the gate.
"Runaway calf! Runaway calf!" ”

“ Frisky just turned around square in front and looked the people straight in the face. This funny move made Mr. Bobbsey "die laughing," as Flossie said, and Uncle Daniel too was hilarious.
"The sacred calf is too sacred to smile," laughed Uncle Daniel, while Dinah and Martha just roared.
The children didn't think they ought to laugh out loud and spoil the show; even Freddie raised his finger to Dinah.
Suddenly the clown jumped on the calf's back. He tried to stand on his head. Then he turned a somersault on to the sawdust. ”

“ Manily.
"Oh, we appoint a new captain each week from the very best boys we have. We only let a very good boy be captain," the matron told him.
In 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!" ”

“ Freddie stood watching the line he had planted the seed in.
"They ain't growing yet," he said at last. "Why don't they come up, John?"
"Oh!" laughed the gardener, "they won't come up right away. They have to wake up first. You will see them above the ground in about a week, I guess."
This was rather a disappointment to the little fellow, who never believed in waiting for anything, but he finally consented to let the seeds grow and come back again later to pick the radishes.
"Look at our garden!" called Nan proudly, from across the path. "Doesn't it look straight and pretty?" ”

“ There was so much to see in the poultry yard that Sandy, Freddie, and Uncle Daniel lingered there until Martha appeared at the back door and rang the big dinner bell in a way that meant, "Hurry up! something will get cold if you don't." ”