CHAPTER IV
A LONG RIDE
The train was speeding along with that regular motion that puts manytravelers to sleep, when Freddie curled himself on the sofa and went tosleep.
"Poor little chap!" Mr. Bobbsey remarked. "He is tired out, and he wasso worried about Snoop!"
"I'm glad we were able to get this sofa, so many other people like arest and there are only four sofas on each car," Mrs. Bobbsey explainedto Dinah, who was now tucking Freddie in as if he were at home in hisown cozy bed. The air cushion was blown up, and put under the yellowhead and a shawl was carefully placed over him.
Flossie's pretty dimpled face was pressed close to the window pane,admiring the big world that seemed to be running away from the train,and Bert found the observation end of the train very interesting.
"What a beautiful grove of white birch trees!" Nan exclaimed, as thetrain swung into a ravine. "And see the soft ferns clinging about them.Mother, the ferns around the birch tree make me think of the fine laceabout your throat!"
"Why, daughter, you seem to be quite poetical!" and the mother smiled,for indeed Nan had a very promising mind.
"What time will we get there, papa?" Bert asked, returning from thevestibule.
"In time for dinner Aunt Sarah said, that is if they keep dinner for usuntil one o'clock," answered the parent, as he consulted his watch.
"It seems as if we had been on the train all night," Flossie remarked.
"Well, we started early, dear," the mother assured the tired littlegirl. "Perhaps you would like one of Dinah's dainty sandwiches now?"
A light lunch was quickly decided on, and Dinah took Flossie and Nan toa little private room at one end of the train, Bert went with hisfather to the smoking room on the other end, while the mother remainedto watch Freddie. The lunch was put up so that each small sandwichcould be eaten without a crumb spilling, as the little squares wereeach wrapped separately in waxed paper.
There was a queer alcohol lamp in the ladies room, and other handycontrivances for travelers, which amused Flossie and Nan.
"Dat's to heat milk fo' babies," Dinah told the girls, as she put thepaper napkins carefully on their laps, and got each a nice drink oficewater out of the cooler.
Meanwhile Bert was enjoying his lunch at the other end of the car, forchildren always get hungry when traveling, and meals on the train areonly served at certain hours. Two other little girls came into thecompartment while Flossie and Nan were at lunch. The strange girls woregingham aprons over their fine white dresses, to keep the car dust offtheir clothes, and they had paper caps on their heads like the favorsworn at children's parties. Seeing there was no stool vacant thestrangers darted out again in rather a rude way, Nan thought.
"Take you time, honeys," Dinah told her charges. "If dey is very hungrydey can get ice cream outside."
"But mother never lets us eat strange ice cream," Flossie reminded themaid. "And maybe they can't either."
Soon the lunch was finished, and the Bobbseys felt much refreshed byit. Freddie still slept with Snoop's box close beside him, and Mrs.Bobbsey was reading a magazine.
"One hour more!" Bert announced, beginning to pick things up even thatearly.
"Now we better all close our eyes and rest, so that we will feel goodwhen we get to Meadow Brook," Mrs. Bobbsey told them. It was no task toobey this suggestion, and the next thing the children knew, mother andfather and Dinah were waking them up to get them ready to leave thetrain.
"Now, don't forget anything," Mr. Bobbsey cautioned the party, as hatsand wraps were donned and parcels picked up.
Freddie was still very sleepy and his papa had to carry him off, whilethe others, with some excitement, hurried after.
"Oh, Snoop, Snoop!" cried Freddie as, having reached the platform, theynow saw the train start off. "I forgot Snoop! Get him quick!"
"Dat kitten again!" Dinah exclaimed, with some indignation. "He's moretrouble den--den de whole family!"
In an instant the train had gotten up speed, and it seemed Snoop wasgone this time sure.
"Snoop!" cried Freddie, in dismay.
Just then the kind porter who had befriended the cat before, appearedon the platform with the perforated box in his hand.
"I wanted to keep him," stammered the porter, "but I knows de littleboy 'ud break his heart after him." And he threw the box to Mr. Bobbsey.
There was no time for words, but Mr. Bobbsey thrust a coin in the man'shand and all the members of the Bobbsey family looked their thanks.
"Well, I declare, you can't see anybody," called out a good-naturedlittle lady, trying to surround them all at once.
"Aunt Sarah!" exclaimed the Bobbseys.
"And Uncle Dan!"
"And Harry!"
"Hello! How do? How are you? How be you?" and such kissing andhandshaking had not for some time entertained the old agent at theMeadow Brook station.
"Here at last!" Uncle Daniel declared, grabbing up Freddie and givinghim the kind of hug Freddie had intended giving Aunt Sarah.
The big wagon from the Bobbsey farm, with the seats running along eachside, stood at the other side of the platform, and into this theBobbseys were gathered, bag and baggage, not forgetting the littleblack cat.
"All aboard for Meadow Brook farm!" called Bert, as the wagon startedoff along the shady country road.