Mrs. Bobbsey and Aunt Sarah were busy dressing Flossie and Freddie.
Bert, Harry and Nan could look out for themselves. Dinah and
Martha were busy in the kitchen putting up the lunch.
"Here comes Tom Mason!" called Bert to his cousin, as he saw the country boy, dressed in his best, coming up the walk.
"Oh, I do hope Mabel isn't late," exclaimed Flossie. Mabel and Tom were to go to the circus with Uncle Daniel, as the guests of the Bobbsey twins.
"There she comes—down the road," announced Harry, after greeting Tom.
"Here comes Mabel!"
The children gathered out on the lawn to wait for the older folks. Finally everything was in readiness, the wagon, drawn by the prancing horses, rattled up, and into it piled the children, sitting down in the soft, clean straw.
"Where's Dinah?" called Flossie.
"Heah I is, honey lamb," answered the colored cook, as she came out with a big basket of good things to eat.
"Oh, I'm going to sit next to Dinah!" cried Bert with a laugh. "I always did like you, didn't I, Dinah?" he demanded.
"Go 'long wif you, honey!" she exclaimed.
"Yo' all doan't git none ob de stuff in dish yeah basket 'till lunch time—no, suh! No mattah how lubbin' yo' is!"