said Bert. “That’s easy enough,” and the older brother, coming to the rescue, put his fingers under the choking neck, gave the paper box a jerk, and freed poor Downy.
“When we get to the depot we will have to paste some paper over the tear,” continued Bert, “or Downy will get out further next time.”
“Here we are,” called Uncle Daniel, pulling up to the old station.
“I’ll attend to the baggage,” announced Mr. Bobbsey, “while you folks all go to the farther end of the platform. Our car will stop there.”
For a little place like Meadow Brook seven people getting on the Express seemed like an excursion, and Dave, the lame old agent, hobbled about with some consequence, as he gave the man in the baggage car instruction about the trunk and valises. During that brief period, Harry, Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Daniel were all busy with “good-byes”: Aunt Sarah giving Flossie one kiss more, and Uncle Daniel tossing Freddie up in the air in spite of the danger to Downy, the duck.
“All aboard!” called the conductor.
“Good-by!”
“Good-by!”
“Come and see us at Christmas!” called Bert to Harry.
“I may go down to the beach!” answered Harry while the train brakes flew off.
“We will expect you Thanksgiving,” Mrs. Bobbsey nodded out the window to Aunt Sarah.
“I’ll come if I can,” called back the other.
“Good-by! Good-by!”
“Now, let us all watch out for the last look at dear old Meadow Brook,” exclaimed Nan, standing up by the window.
“Let Snoop see!” said Freddie, with his hand on the cover of the kitten’s box.
“Oh, no!” called everybody at once. “If you let that cat out we will have just as much trouble as we did coming up. Keep him in his box.”
“He would like to see too,” pouted Freddie. “Snoop liked Meadow Brook. Didn’t you, Snoopy!” putting his nose close to the holes in the box.
“I suppose by the time we come back from the beach Freddie will have a regular menagerie,” said Bert, with a laugh. “He had a kitten first, now he has a kitten and a duck, and next he’ll have a kitten, a duck, and a—”
“Sea-serpent,” put in Freddie, believing that he might get such a monster if he cared to possess one.
“There goes the last of Meadow Brook,” sighed Nan, as the train rounded a curve and slowed up on a pretty bridge. “And we did have such a lovely time there!”
“Isn’t it going to be just as nice at the ocean?” Freddie inquired, with some concern.
“We hope so,” his mother replied, “but sister Nan always likes to be grateful for what she has enjoyed.”
“So am I,” insisted the little fellow, not really knowing what he meant himself.
“I likes dis yere car de best,” spoke up Dinah, looking around at the ordinary day coach, the kind used in short journeys. “De red velvet seats seems de most homey,” she went on, throwing her kinky head back, “and I likes to lean back wit’out tumbling ober.”
“And there’s more to see,” agreed Bert. “In the Pullman cars there are so few people and they’re always—”
“Proud,” put in Flossie.
“Yes, they seem so,” declared her brother, “but see all the people in this car, just eating and sleeping and enjoying themselves.”
Now in our last book, “The Bobbsey Twins in the Country,” we told about the trip to Meadow Brook in the Pullman car, and how Snoop, the kitten, got out of his box, and had some strange experiences. This time our friends were traveling in the car with the ordinary passengers, and, of course, as Bert said, there was more to be seen and the sights were different.
“It is splendid to have so much room,” declared Mrs. Bobbsey, for Nan and Flossie had a big seat turned towards Bert and Freddie’s, while Dinah had a seat all to herself (with some boxes of course), and Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey had another seat. The high-back, broad plush seats gave more room than the narrow, revolving chairs, besides, the day coach afforded so much more freedom for children.
“What a cute little baby!” exclaimed Nan, referring to a tiny tot sleeping under a big white netting, across the aisle.
“We must be quiet,” said Mrs. Bobbsey, “and let the little baby sleep. It is hard to travel in hot weather.”
“Don’t you think the duck should have a drink?” suggested Mr. Bobbsey. “You have a little cup for him, haven’t you, Freddie?”
“Yep!” answered Freddie, promptly, pulling the cover off Downy’s box.
Instantly the duck flew out!
“Oh! oh! oh!” yelled everybody, as the little white bird went flying out through the car. First he rested on the seat, then he tried to get through the window. Somebody near by thought he had him, but the duck dodged, and made straight for the looking glass at the end of the car.
“Oh, do get him, somebody!” cried Freddie, while the other strange children in the car yelled in delight at the fun.
“He’s kissing himself in the looking glass,” declared one youngster, as the frightened little duck flapped his wings helplessly against the mirror.
“He thinks it’s another duck,” called a boy from the back of the car, clapping his hands in glee.
Mr. Bobbsey had gone up carefully with his soft hat in his hand. Everybody stopped talking, so the duck would keep in its place.
Nan held Freddie and insisted on him not speaking a word.
Mr. Bobbsey went as cautiously as possible. One step more and he would have had the duck.
He raised his hand with the open hat—and brought it down on the looking glass!
The duck was now gazing down from the chandelier!
“Ha! ha! ha!” the boys laughed, “that’s a wild duck, sure!”
“Who’s got a gun!” the boy in the back hollered.
“Oh, will they shoot my duck!” cried Freddie, in real tears.
“No, they’re only making fun,” said Bert. “You keep quiet and we will get him all right.”
By this time almost everyone in the car had joined in the duck hunt, while the frightened little bird seemed about ready to surrender. Downy had chosen the highest hanging lamps as his point of vantage, and from there he attempted to ward off all attacks of the enemy. No matter what was thrown at him he simply flew around the lamp.
As it was a warm day, chasing the duck was rather too vigorous exercise to be enjoyable within the close confines of a poorly
