"Oh, look! My flower-bed is full of weeds!" cried Flossie, as she came to a corner of the yard where she had set out some pansy plants just before going away. "And I can't even see the lettuce I planted," said Freddie. "I guess Sam didn't weed our gardens." "Never mind, we can make new ones," Flossie said. "Oh, Freddie, look! There's a strange cat!" Both children ran to where Snoop was making the acquaintance of a pussy friend. The cats seemed to like one another and the strange one let the little twins pet it as it lapped some milk from Snoop's saucer. A little later Dinah called Flossie and Freddie into the house to have a glass of milk and some bread and jam, for it was past lunch time. The small twins came willingly enough. "What are we going to do the rest of the summer?" asked Nan, as she sat next to her mother at the table. "Are we going away again?" "I hope so!" exclaimed Bert. "The houseboat suited me, but if we can have a trip to the seashore, or go to the country, so much the better." "We shall see," half-promised Mrs. Bobbsey. "As soon as papa comes home from the office, he will know how much more time he can spare from business to go with us. Then I can tell you--" "There he comes now, mamma!" exclaimed Nan. "Oh, excuse me for interrupting you," she went on, for Mrs. Bobbsey insisted upon the children being just as polite at home, and to one another, as they would be among strangers. "That's all right, Nan," said her mother kindly. "When papa comes in, and has had a cup of tea, we'll talk over matters, and decide what to do." "Well, are you all settled?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, as he came in, catching little Freddie up in his strong arms. "Haven't put out any fires since you got here, have you?" he asked, for Freddie had a great love for playing fireman, and he often put out "make-believe" blazes with a toy fire engine he had, which squirted real water. "No alarms to-day," laughed Freddie, for his father was tickling him in his "fat ribs," as Freddie called them. "How's my little fat fairy?" went on Mr. Bobbsey, catching Flossie up as he had Freddie. "All right." she answered. "Oh, papa, your whiskers prick!" she cried, as Mr. Bobbsey kissed her. "Sit down and have a cup of tea," invited Mrs. Bobbsey. "Then we can talk about what we are to do. The children are anxious to get away again, and if we _are_ to go there is no need of unpacking more than we have to." "Would you like to go to Meadow Brook?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, looking at his happy family. "You know I would," answered his wife, with a smile. "Meadow Brook! Oh, are we going there?" cried Nan. "Well, Uncle Daniel has sent us an invitation," said Mr. Bobbsey, "and your mother and I are thinking of it." "Can you leave your lumber business long enough to go with us?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey.