"Well, I hope they'll like it," said the dear old lady.
"We like it already," said Russ. "Please, may I go out and see the dog?"
"I want to go, too," put in Laddie.
"And I want to see the cat," added Rose, "Is her name Muffin?"
"That's her name," said Grandma Bell. "And I call my dog Zip because he runs around so much. But you'd better rest a bit first, and eat. Then you can go out and see things."
"I want to see the lake!" exclaimed Laddie. "Can we sail boats on it?"
"Now, first of all," said Mr. Bunker, and he spoke seriously, "I don't want any of you children to go near that lake unless some of us older folk are with you. Mind! Don't go too close unless we are with you, or until you have been here a little while and know your way about. You must be careful of the water."
The children promised they would; and then, when Grandma Bell's hired girl had set out a lunch, and it had been eaten, and the children had put on old clothes, out they ran—all six of them—to have fun.
"Will they be all right?" asked Mother Bunker.
"Oh, yes. They can't come to any harm if they keep away from the lake, and that isn't deep near the shore. Don't worry about them. Let them have a good time."