CHAPTER VI
SCHOOL DAYS
Bert saw his sister and her playmate, Alice Boyd, standing on the porch,looking very much frightened. Alice had her doll held tightly in herarms, but Flossie's doll could not be seen.
"What's the matter?" Bert asked.
"It's a dog! A strange dog!" cried Flossie. "Oh, dear! He----"
"Did he bite you?" Nan asked quickly. "If he did----"
"No, he didn't bite me," answered the little girl. "But he ran up on theporch and took my best doll away in his mouth. Now he's gone around tothe back yard, and I'm afraid he'll bite her. I called to him to comeback, but he wouldn't."
"Was it some dog Snap was playing with?" asked Bert.
"No, it was a new dog. I'd never seen him before. Oh, dear! He'll bitemy doll!"
"It won't hurt her to be bitten a little," said Bert with a laugh. "Youcan't hurt dolls."
"You can so!" sobbed Flossie, who was crying real tears now. "And Idon't want my best doll bitten."
"Don't laugh at her, Bert," said Nan in a low voice. "Try to get herdoll back for her."
"I will," promised Bert. "Which way did the dog go, Flossie? Tell me."
"He went around back of the house."
"Maybe he thought your doll was a bone, and he's going to bury it," Bertsaid. "Was she a thin doll, Flossie; thin like a bone?"
"No, she wasn't! She was a nice fat doll, with red cheeks! And I wanther back. Oh dear!"
"I'll get her for you," Bert said again.
"I'm glad the dog didn't take my doll," broke in Alice. "I'll let youplay with mine, Flossie."
"Thank you, but I--I want my own dear doll!" and Flossie sobbed harderthan before.
"Never mind, Brother Bert will get her from the dog," said Nan. "Don'tcry."
"I--I can't help it," Flossie said, though she did try to stop crying.Bert ran around the corner of the house. Then he laughed so loudly thatNan knew it must be all right and she said:
"Come on, Flossie and Alice. We'll go and see what Bert has found."
They found Bert looking at the strange dog, who was standing in front ofSnoop. And Snoop had her back arched up round; her tail was as large asa sausage, and her fur stuck out all sorts of ways, while she made ahissing sound like a steam radiator.
"What's the matter, Bert?" asked Nan.
"Why, I guess the strange dog was running through our yard withFlossie's doll in his mouth when Snoop saw him and ran at him," saidBert. "Snoop doesn't like strange dogs, and she must have made quite afuss at this one, for he dropped the doll. I'll get her for you,Flossie."
The little twin's doll lay on the grass where the dog had dropped itwhen the cat chased after him. For all I know he may have thought it wasa bone and have wanted to bury it.
Bert picked up the doll from the grass.
"There she is, Flossie," he said. "Not hurt a bit, and as good as ever."
"Thank you," Flossie answered, hugging her doll close in her arms. "Nowwe can go on playing, Alice."
They went back on the porch, and the strange dog gave a bark. Thisseemed to make Snoop angry, for she hissed louder than ever and made hertail even larger than before. Then she walked toward the dog. But he didnot wait even to rub noses with her, as Snap did. With a howl the dogran back and jumped over the fence.
"Snoop drove him away," laughed Nan. "She is as good at driving strangedogs away as Snap would be. Wasn't it funny the dog should go up on theporch, and take Flossie's doll?"
"It was better to do that than bite her," said Bert.
When Freddie came back from the lumber yard that day he told of Tommy'svisit, and Mrs. Bobbsey told of having helped his grandmother. Mrs.Bobbsey also told what Mrs. Todd had said of her missing son, who wasshipwrecked.
"Bert, please hand me down my bank," said Freddie to his brother aftersupper.
"What for?" Bert asked.
"I must count my money and see if I have enough to help buy a ship forTommy Todd. He and I are going off in a ship to look for his father."
"Now look here, Freddie," said Mr. Bobbsey. "I want you to have all thefun you can, and play with Tommy whenever you can, and I want you to bekind and to help people. I also wish, as much as you, that we could findTommy's father, if he is still alive. But you must not run off to seawithout telling us."
Sometimes Freddie, and Flossie too, used to get queer ideas about whatthey wanted to do, and once or twice they had run away together. Once itwas to go to the circus, away on the other side of the city, and againit was to follow a hand-organ man and a monkey. Freddie's father,hearing him talk so much about getting a ship in which to search for Mr.Todd, thought the little boy might be too much in earnest and wouldreally go off where he ought not.
"So don't start off on any voyage without telling us," said Mr. Bobbsey.
"I won't," promised Freddie. "First I must see how much money I havesaved up."
His bank was a kind that could be opened and closed, and for some timeFreddie and Flossie were busy counting the pennies.
"Well, how much have you?" asked Bert.
"Flossie says there are only fifty-six cents," Freddie answered, "but Icounted seventy. Flossie can't count as high as I can, anyhow."
"I can so!" cried the fat little girl.
"Now children, be nice," begged Mother Bobbsey.
"I'll count the money for you," offered Bert.
"Seventy-nine cents," he told Freddie, after he had finished. "Andhere's a penny of mine I'll give you. That makes eighty cents."
"Is that 'most enough to buy a ship, Daddy?" asked the little fellow.
"Oh no, my dear boy. You'll need lots more money than that. So keep onsaving, and don't go off without letting us know."
"All right," Freddie said with a sigh. "Do you think I'll have enoughsaved in a week?"
"I can tell you better when the week is up," laughed Mr. Bobbsey.
"School begins in a week," said Nan. "You can't go off on a ship whenyou have to go to school, Freddie."
"That's so. Well, I'll keep on saving, and when school is out againTommy and I will go off in the ship to find his father."
The Bobbsey twins had as much fun as they could in the week of vacationthat remained. They and their playmates met together and went on littlewalks in the woods, or rowed on the river. Bert and Nan were allowed togo out in a safe boat, near their father's lumber dock, and Flossie andFreddie were allowed to go also, for they sat very still, and nevertried to change seats when the boat was out in the water. This is verydangerous to do, and often boats are upset that way.
Then, one morning, as Freddie awoke in his little bed, he heard hismother calling:
"Come on, little fireman. Time to get up!"
"Is there a fire?" asked Freddie, eagerly.
"No, but school begins to-day and you don't want to be late. Come onthen, get up. You too, Flossie."
"Aren't Nan and Bert going?" asked Freddie.
"Yes, but they were up long ago. I let you two little twins sleeplonger. But now it is time to get up."
After breakfast Flossie and Freddie started for school together. Theywere in the same class, and had just left the kindergarten. So Flossieand Freddie set off together, ahead of Nan and Bert. The smaller twinshad to do this because their legs were shorter than either Nan's orBert's and they could not walk as fast.
"Ding-dong!" rang the school bell, calling the Bobbsey twins and otherchildren back to their lessons, after the long, Summer vacation.
"Oh, there's Susie Simmon!" cried Flossie, as she saw a girl she knew."I'm going to walk with her, Freddie."
"All right. I see Jimmie Brooks. I'll go with him."
The four little ones hurried along together, talking of the fun theyhad had that Summer.
A little behind came Nan and Bert. With them walked Ellen Moore and NedBarton, who lived near the Bobbsey house.
There were merry times in the school yard before it was time for thelast bell to ring. The boys and girls played tag, and ran about. Someboys had tops a
nd spun them, or played marbles. The girls did not bringtheir dolls or toys to school, and the reason for this is that girlsdon't have pockets in their dresses. Or, if they do have a pocket, it istoo small to hold more than a handkerchief. I think the girls ought toget together and insist on having pockets made in their dresses. Itisn't fair for the boys to have so many.
"Ding-dong!" rang the bell again.
"Come in, children!" called the teacher, and in went the Bobbsey twinsand the others.
"Oh look, Freddie! There goes Tommy Todd!" whispered Flossie to herbrother, as they marched to their room. The teacher heard Flossie, andsaid:
"You must not whisper in school."
"I won't any more," promised Flossie. "I haven't been in school for solong that I forgot," and all the other children laughed.
Tommy Todd was in a class ahead of Flossie and Freddie. He looked acrossat them and smiled, for the teacher did not mind any one's smiling inschool. But when one whispered it disturbed those who wanted to studytheir lessons.
It was almost time for the morning recess, and Flossie and Freddie weresaying their lessons, when from the next room, where Bert and Nan sat,came a sound of laughter. Then sounded a loud bark--"Bow-wow!"
"Oh, it's a dog!" exclaimed Flossie aloud, before she thought.
"That sounds like our Snap!" said Freddie, almost at the same time.
"Children, you must be quiet!" called the teacher.
Just then the door between the two rooms was pushed open, and in walkedSnap, wagging his tail. He looked at the teacher, he looked at the otherchildren, and then, with a joyful bark, he ran up to Flossie andFreddie.