She sat down, gave herself a little shove and neatly slid down the side of the hay. Then Twaddles tried, and then they took turns.
Spotty appeared at the barn door, wagging his tail engagingly. He was “part white terrier” and “part something else” Jud had told the children, and he had one funny black spot on his back near his tail.
In less than half an hour the rain had stopped 74 and a watery sun was struggling through the breaking clouds.
“Bobby!” Meg thought of something so suddenly, she stopped the see-saw with a bump that jarred poor Bobby’s teeth. “What do you know about the things we left on the raft? Geraldine will be soaked!”
“And the wings of my airplane,” cried Bobby. “Why, I never thought! We should have taken the toys off. Let’s get ’em now, and maybe Linda can dry them in the kitchen for us.”
Hastily calling the twins, Meg and Bobby set off, running for the brook. The grass was very wet and their shoes were soaked in a few minutes. But they didn’t mind that if only the toys were not damaged!
Bobby reached the brook first. No Jud was in sight, but a neat, firm fence showed where he had completed his work. No raft was tied to the root, either.
“It’s gone!” gasped Meg, who had followed Bobby closely. “My lovely book I’ve never even read yet!”
“And my airplane I meant to have such fun 75 sailing out where there is lots of room,” said Bobby mournfully. “Dot, the raft’s floated away!”
Dot and Twaddles came up to them and Dot at first could not believe the bad news.