They found Nan and her sister anxiously waiting, and the two girls were relieved to find out that Bert wasn’t hurt much.
Baby Jenny had awakened by this time, and as it was nearly noon Mrs. Bobbsey and Mrs. Watson decided to set out the picnic lunch, which was done on a flat stump within sight and sound of Buttermilk Falls.
“Don’t eat too much, Bert,” his mother warned him, as the good things from the basket were ready.
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because after a blow on the head you might be made ill if you ate too heartily.”
“Oh, I’m all right,” insisted the lad, with a brave little smile, though his head ached somewhat. “I didn’t know what happened. I felt myself going down and I yelled and then I seemed to go to sleep.”
The remainder of the day was passed pleasantly in the woods. Later the other children were allowed to peer into the cave while their father held a torch that illuminated it.
“I wouldn’t want to be a pirate and live there,” said Nan with a shrug of her shoulders, as she turned away.
“Pirates don’t mind the dark—they like it,” said Freddie, as if he knew all about it.
The next day was a busy one, for many peaches had to be sorted to be taken to the auction market. The children rode to Hitchville again, for they liked the busy excitement of the place. It was well that Mr. Watson got a good quantity of his fruit over to Hitchville, for the following day it rained, when it would not have been wise to transport the peaches.