"Oh, I'm sure something will happen if you let the children carry any of the flowers!" cried Aunt Lolly, who was a dear, fussy little old lady. "They'll drop them on their toes, or spill the dirt on the floor—or something."
"Oh, I guess not," laughed Mamma Blake. "Anyhow we need help to get all the plants in before dark. There is going to be a very heavy frost, and everything will freeze hard to-night. It will be very cold!"
"Is that why you are bringing in the plants, mamma?" asked Mab.
"Yes, so they will not freeze and die," Mrs. Blake answered. "Flowers freeze very easily."
The children were glad to help their mother and Aunt Lolly. Roly-Poly, the fat little white poodle dog, tried to help, too, but he upset more plants than he carried in, though he did manage to drag one pot to the steps.
Besides, Roly-Poly was always running off to look for a clothespin, or something like that, to bury under the earth, making believe, I suppose, that it was a bone.
"The ground will soon be frozen too hard for you to dig in it with your paws, Roly-Poly," said Mamma Blake, when it was nearly dark, and all the plants had been brought into the warm kitchen. "Come, now children," she called. "Wash your hands, and supper will soon be ready. Then Daddy will be here, and he will shake down the furnace fire, and make it hot, for it is going to be a very cold night."
A little later, when supper was almost ready, a step was heard in the front hall.
"Oh, here comes Daddy now!" cried Mab, making a rush for the door.
"Let's ask him what makes the cold," exclaimed Hal, "and why we get warm inside when we run." Hal was very curious.