With shouts of delight the Bobbsey twins followed the hired man, Flossie and Freddie already feeling so friendly with him that they had hold of his hands.
“Where are you going?” called Mrs. Bobbsey from the porch.
“I’m just taking them to one of the peach orchards,” answered Zeek.
“Is there more than one orchard?” asked Bert, in surprise.
“Oh, yes,” the hired man replied. “Mr. Watson has several large ones. Part of his business is raising peaches for the market. We’ll begin picking and shipping soon.”
Zeek took the children to one of the orchards where there were many rows of small trees, each one laden with peaches, many of which were beginning to show the yellow, pink, and red cheeks which told they were nearly ripe.
“And over the clover hill are more orchards, just like this,” the hired man said. “Now let’s see if we can find a few ripe ones.”
He picked a few, but would not let the children eat any until they were back at the house, when Mrs. Bobbsey gave permission for each of the twins to have one.
“If you eat any more you won’t be hungry when meal time comes,” said Mrs. Watson.
“I guess I’d be hungry if I ate five peaches,” declared Bert. “I have a big appetite to-day.”