"Oh, how cool the trees are out here!" Flossie exclaimed, as the wagon rumbled along so close to the low trees that Bert could reach out and pick horse-chestnut blossoms.
"My, how sweet it is!" said Dinah, as she sniffed audibly, enjoying the freshness of the country.
Freddie was on the seat with Uncle Dan and had Snoop's box safe in his arms. He wanted to let the cat see along the road, but everybody protested.
"No more Snoop in this trip," laughed Mr. Bobbsey. "He has had all the fun he needs for to-day." So Freddie had to be content.
"Oh, do let me get out?" pleaded Nan presently. "See that field of orange lilies.""Not now, dear," Aunt Sarah told her. "Dinner is spoiling for us, and we can often walk down here to get flowers.""Oh, the cute little calf! Look!" Bert exclaimed from his seat next to Harry, who had been telling his cousin of all the plans he had made for a jolly vacation.
"Look at the billy-goat!" called Freddie.
"See, see, that big black chicken flying!" Flossie cried out excitedly. "That's a hawk!" laughed Bert; "maybe it's a chicken hawk.""A children hawk!" Flossie exclaimed, missing the word. Then everybody laughed, and Flossie said maybe there were children hawks for bad girls and boys, anyway.
Aunt Sarah and Mrs. Bobbsey were chatting away like two schoolgirls, while Dinah and the children saw something new and interesting at every few paces old Billy, the horse, took.
"Hello there, neighbor," called a voice from the field at the side of the road. "My horse has fallen in the ditch, and I'll have to trouble you to help me.""Certainly,certainly,Peter,"answeredUncleDaniel,promptlyjumping down, with Mr. Bobbsey, Bert, and Harry following. Aunt Sarah leaned over the seat and took the reins, but when she saw in what ditch the other horse had fallen she pulled Billy into the gutter.
"Poor Peter!" she exclaimed. "That's the second horse that fell in that ditch this week. And it's an awful job to get them out. I'll just wait to see if they need our Billy, and if not, we can drive on home, for Martha will be most crazy waiting with dinner."Uncle Daniel, Mr. Bobbsey, and the boys hurried to where Peter Burns stood at the brink of one of those ditches that look like mud and turn out to be water.
"And that horse is a boarder too,!" Peter told them. "Last night we said he looked awful sad, but we didn't think he would commit suicide.""Got plenty of blankets?" Uncle Daniel asked, pulling his coat off and preparing to help his neighbor, as all good people do in the country.
"Four of them, and these planks. But I couldn't get a man around. Lucky you happened by," Peter Burns answered.
All this time the horse in the ditch moaned as if in pain, but Peter said it was only because he couldn't get on his feet. Harry, being light in weight, slipped a halter over the poor beast's head.
"I could get a strap around him!" Harry suggested, moving out cautiously on the plank.
"All right, my lad, go ahead," Peter told him, passing the big strap over to Bert, who in turn passed it on to Harry.
It was no easy matter to get the strap in place, but with much tugging and splashing of mud Harry succeeded. Then the ropes were attached and everybody pulled vigorously.
