"No, little fat fireman," said Harry, using the pet name his uncle called Freddie. "The apples on the ground are called 'windfalls.' The wind blows them down, and they get crushed and bruised by falling on the hard dirt, or stones. It would not do to put them in with the good hand-picked apples." "But what do you do with all those on the ground?" asked Bert, for there were a great many of them. "Send them to the cider-mill, or feed them to the pigs," said Harry. "The grunters and squeakers don't mind bruised apples." The children spent nearly all day in the shady orchard, until Uncle Daniel said Bert and Harry had done enough work for the time. "Then let's get our poles and go fishing," suggested Harry. They did go, but got no bites. Harry said that morning was the best time to fish. When Flossie and Freddie became tired of picking apples up from the ground, they found an old swing, and took turns in this, having lots of fun. Snoop and Snap enjoyed their life in the country. Snoop did not go far from the house. There was another cat there, and the two soon became great friends. Snap also found other dogs with whom he could romp and play in the long meadow grass. Mrs. Bobbsey and Aunt Sarah spent many hours talking over matters of interest to them, while Dinah, and Martha, who was Aunt Sarah's cook, spent most of their time in the kitchen, making good things to eat. "'Cause dem chilluns suttinly does eat a turrible lot!" exclaimed Dinah, as she finished making several pies. Picking the apples kept Uncle Daniel and his men busy for a number of days. Harry had to help, for everyone on a farm has to work, and Bert always lent his cousin a hand. But there were times when they were allowed a play-spell. Sometimes Tom Mason, another country boy, would come over, and, when the work was done, the three boys would go off to have good times together. One or two days it rained, and then nothing could be done out of doors in the way of farm work. During one of the rainy days Bert and Harry went fishing. "We'll be sure to get plenty of bites to-day," Harry said, as they started off with their poles and lines, well protected from the weather by rubber boots and coats. "I hope we catch a lot of fish," said Bert. But they caught only two little sun-fish, which Harry threw back into the creek, as they were too small to keep. "I guess we'll have to wait for a sunny day," sighed Harry, as they started home. "I thought rain was good fishing-weather, but it doesn't seem to be." "Never mind, we had a good time, anyhow." Bert answered. When the two boys reached the farmhouse, they found Flossie, Freddie, Nan and Mabel Herold sitting in the dining-room, all talking at once, it seemed. "And we'll take five baskets of lunch," Freddie was saying, "and my fire engine is unpacked now, so I can take that with us, and I'll squirt water on snakes and--and other things." "Oh, snakes!" cried Mabel. "I hope we don't see any of the horrid things!"