“But you can take kernels of corn,” said Mrs. Bimby. “I’ve often seen my Jim do that.”
“Checker men have to be of different color,” said Nan, “and corn is all one color, isn’t it?”
“There are red ears,” suggested Bert. “Don’t you remember we saw some when we were in the country?”
“Oh, yes!” exclaimed Nan.
“That’s what I was going to say,” remarked Mrs. Bimby. “I can give you some yellow kernels and some red ones, and you can play checkers if you like.”
This suited Nan and Bert, and though it was hard to make “kings” by placing one grain of corn on top of another, they managed to go on with the game, using pins to fasten two red or two yellow kernels one on top of the other when the king row was reached.
Grains of corn or some other cereal, or perhaps colored stones, were, very likely, the first sort of “men” used in the ancient game of checkers, and Bert and Nan got along very well in this way. Mrs. Bimby kept stoking the fire, putting on stick after stick of wood as it burned away, and the cabin was kept warm and cozy.
Outside the storm raged, the wind blew, and the snow came pelting down. But at times the older Bobbsey twins were so interested in their checker game that they hardly heard the sounds outside the log cabin.
At last Mrs. Bimby, with a look at the clock, said:
“It’s after nine, dearies; hadn’t you better go to bed? My Jim won’t come to-night, that’s sure, and I don’t believe any of your folks will come for you.”