The Bobbsey Twins at Home Part 1

The Bobbsey Twins at Home.

by Laura Lee Hope.

CHAPTER I

TOMMY TODD'S STORY

"Mother, how many more stations before we'll be home?"

"Oh, quite a number, dear. Sit back and rest yourself. I thought you liked it on the train."

"I do; but it's so long to sit still."

The little fellow who had asked the question turned to his golden-haired sister, who sat in the seat with him.

"Aren't you tired, Flossie?" he asked.

"Yes, Freddie, I am!" exclaimed Flossie. "And I want a drink of water."

"Dinah will get it for you," said Mother Bobbsey. "My! But you are a thirsty little girl."

"Deed an' dat's whut she am!" exclaimed a fat, good-natured looking colored woman, smiling at the little girl. Dinah was the Bobbsey family cook. She had been with them so long that she used to say, and almost do, just what she pleased. "Dis am de forty-sixteen time I'se done bin down to de end ob de car gittin' Miss Flossie a drink ob watah. An' de train rocks so, laik a cradle, dat I done most upsot ebery time. But I'll git you annuder cup ob watah, Flossie lamb!"

"And if you're going to upset, and fall down, Dinah, please do it where we can see you," begged Freddie. "Nothing has happened since we got on this train. Do upset, Dinah!"

"Yes, I want to see it, too," added Flossie. "Here, Freddie, you can have my place at the window, and I'll take yours on the outside. Then I can see Dinah better when the car upsets her."

"No, I want to sit here myself, Flossie. You wanted the window side, and now you must stay there."

"No, I don't want to. I want to see Dinah upset in the aisle. Mamma, make Freddie let me sit where I can see Dinah fall."

"Well, ob all t'ings!" gasped the fat, colored cook. "If you chilluns t'ink dat I'se gwine t' upsot mahse'f so yo' kin see suffin t' laugh at, den all I'se got t' say is I ain't gwine t' do it! No, sah! Not fo' one minute!" And Dinah sat up very straight in her seat.

"Children, be nice now," begged Mother Bobbsey. "I know you are tired with the long ride, but you'll soon hear the brakeman call out 'Lakeport'; and then we'll be home."

"I wish I were home now," said Freddie. "I want to get my dog Snap out of the baggage car, and have some fun with him. I guess he's lonesome for me."

"And he's lonesome for me, too!" cried Flossie. "He's as much my dog as he is yours, Freddie Bobbsey. Isn't he, Mother?"

"Yes, dear, of course. I don't know what's the matter with you two children. You never used to dispute this way."

"I guess the long train ride is tiring them," said Papa Bobbsey, looking up from the paper he was reading.

"Anyhow, half of Snoop, our black cat, is mine then," said Freddie.

"Isn't she, Mother?"

"Yes. And now please don't talk like that any more. Look out of the window and watch the trees shoot past."

"Oh, I'm going to see Snoop!" exclaimed Flossie, suddenly.

"So'm I," added Freddie. And in a moment the two children were bending over a basket which was in the seat with Dinah. In the basket was Snoop, the big black cat. She always traveled that way with the Bobbseys. And she seemed very comfortable, for she was curled up on the blanket in the bottom of the basket. Snoop opened her eyes as Freddie and Flossie put their fingers through cracks and stroked her as well as they could.

"I wish Snap was in here with us," said Freddie, after a bit. "I hope he gets a drink of water."

"Oh, I want a drink of water!" exclaimed Flossie, suddenly. "I forgot I was thirsty. Mother, can't I have a drink?" she went on.

"Oh, yes, dear. I suppose so. I'll get it for you."

"No, let Dinah get it so she'll upset," begged Flossie.

"I'll get it for you, Flossie," offered Freddie. "Dinah might get hurt."

"Dat's de li'l gen'man," said the fat cook, smiling. "He lubs ole Dinah."

"I love you too, Dinah," said Flossie, patting the black hand that had done many kind acts for the twins. "But I _do_ want a drink, and you know you _would_ look funny if you upset here in the car."

"Yes, I spects I would, chile," laughed Dinah.

"May I get Flossie a drink?" asked Freddie.

"You may both go down to the end of the car where the water-cooler is,"

said Mrs. Bobbsey. "The train is slowing down now, and going to stop, I think, so you won't fall. But be careful."

Flossie and Freddie started toward the end of the long car, but their sister Nan, who with her brother Bert was a few seats away, went with them, to make sure nothing would happen.

"I'm not thirsty any more," Flossie said, after having had two cups of cold water.

"No, but you will be in half an hour, I'm sure," laughed Nan. "Every one seems to get thirsty on a railroad journey. I do myself," and she took some water after Freddie had had enough.

The train now came to a stop, and Flossie and Freddie hurried back to their seat to look out at the station. Hardly were they both crowded close to the window before there was the sound of shouting and laughing, and into the car came rus.h.i.+ng a number of children. With them were two ladies who seemed to be in charge. There were boys and girls--about twenty all together--and most of them made rushes for the best seats, while some hurried down to the tank to get drinks of ice-water.

"I had that cup first!" cried one.

"You did not! I had it myself," said another.

"That's my seat by the window!" shouted a third.

"It is not! I had it first, you can see where I left my hat! Oh, my hat's gone!" a boy exclaimed.

"I threw it on the floor, I wanted to sit here myself," said a big girl with red curls.

"Children! Children! You must be quiet!" called one of the ladies.

The train started again, all the other pa.s.sengers watching the queer children who were making such a confusion.

"Oh, see the cow!" cried a tall boy. "It's the last cow you'll see for a year, fellows, so take a good look at her," he added as the train pa.s.sed along a field.