The Bobbsey Twins at School | Page 4

they passed along the street together.
"No, sir," went on Bert musingly, "school's no fun, and it starts about a week after we get home. No chance to have a good time!"
"We've had fun all summer," replied his sister. "I rather like school."
"Mamma, are we going to school this year?" asked Flossie, as she looked back with a quick turning of her head that set her yellow curls to dancing.
"If we are, I'm going to sit with Flossie - can't I?" asked Freddie, kneeling in the seat so that he could face back to his father and mother.
Indeed his request was not strange, since the two younger twins were always together even more so than their brother and sister.
"Yes, I think you and Freddie will start school regularly this term," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "and, if it can be arranged, you may sit together. We'll see about that. Be careful, Freddie, don't put your head out of the window," she cautioned quickly, for the little chap had turned in his seat again, and was leaning forward to see a horse galloping about a field, kicking up its heels at the sound of the puffing engine.
"It's my turn to sit by the window, anyhow," said Flossie.
"It is not! We haven't passed a station yet," disputed Freddie.
"Oh, we have so!" cried his little sister. "Freddie Bobbsey!" and she pointed her finger at him.
"Children - children," said Mrs. Bobbsey, reprovingly.
"Are you two taking turns?" asked Bert, smiling with an older brother's superior wisdom.
"Yes," answered Flossie, "he was to have the seat next to the window until we came to a station, and then it's to be my turn until we pass another station, and we have passed one, but he won't change over."
"Well, it was only a little station, anyhow," asserted Freddie, "and it came awful quick after the last one. It isn't fair!"
"There's a seat up ahead for you, Bert," suggested Mr. Bobbsey, as a gentleman got up, when the train approached a station." You can sit there, and let Flossie or Freddie take your place."
"All right," answered Bert goodnaturedly, as he got up.
The train rolled on, the two younger twins each having a window now, and Nan occupying the seat with her little brother. For a time there was quietness, until Mrs. Bobbsey said to her husband:
"Hadn't you better get some of the satchels together, Richard, and tell Dinah what she is to carry?"
"I think I will," he answered, as he went up the car aisle a little way to where a very fat colored woman sat. She was Dinah, the Bobbsey cook, and they took her with them always when going away for the summer. Now they were on their way to their city house, and of course Dinah came back, too.
"Mamma, I'm thirsty," said Flossie, after a bit. "Please may I get a drink?"
"I want one, too," said Freddie quicky. "Come on, Flossie, we'll both go down to the end of the car where the water cooler is."
"There's no cup," Nan said. "I went a little while ago, but a lady let me take her glass."
"And if there was a cup, I would rather they didn't use it," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "One never knows who has last handled a public cup."
"But I want a drink," insisted Flossie, a bit fretfully, for she was tired from the long journey.
"I know it, dear," said her mamma gently, "and I'm getting out the silver cup for you. Only you must be very careful of it, and not drop it, for it is solid silver and will dent, or mar, easily." She was searching in her bag, and presently took out a very valuable drinking cup, gold lined and with much engraving on it. The cup had been presented to Flossie and Freddie on their first birthday, and bore each of their names. They were very proud of it.
"Now be careful," warned Mrs. Bobbsey, as she held out the cup. "Hold on to the seats as you walk along."
"I'll carry the cup," said Freddie. "I'm the biggest."
"You are not!" declared his sister quickly. "I'm just as big."
"Well, anyhow, I'm a boy," went on Freddie, and Flossie could not deny this. "And boys always carries things," her brother went on. "I'll carry the cup."
"Very well, but be careful of it," said his mother with a smile, as she handed it to him. The two children went down the aisle of the car. They stopped for a moment at the seat where Dinah was.
"Is Snoop all right?" asked Freddie, peering into a box that was made of slats, with spaces between them for air.
"'Deed an' he am, honey," said Dinah with a smile, laughing so that she shook all over her big, fleshy body.
"I 'specs he's lonesome; aren't you, Snoop?" asked Flossie, poking her finger in one