CHAPTER XV
MR. BENNETT SHAKES HANDS
BEFORE Professor Twaddles could say what he thought of this remarkable story, the bang of the front door sent him and Dot flying into the hall to see who had come. It was Bobby and Meg who had come home because of the cold.
“Hardly anyone at the pond,” reported Bobby, blowing on his fingers and stamping up and down to warm his feet. “Let’s ask Mother if we may make candy.”
The four little Blossoms enjoyed a grand taffy pull, and in the afternoon they played “menagerie” in the playroom, using the animal suits left over from the play they had given a year before.
The next morning Father Blossom said the weather was milder, and Meg and Bobby were eager to try the pond again. The twins begged so hard to be allowed to go, and promised so eagerly to do everything they were asked to do, that it would have taken a harder-hearted brother and sister than Bobby and Meg to have refused them.
“Maybe next year we’ll have skates,” said Twaddles as he pattered along, trying to keep up with Bobby.
“Daddy was going to get you some for Christmas,” explained Bobby, “but Mother said next year would be better. You can watch Meg and me skate.”
The pond was well filled this morning and most of Bobby’s and Meg’s friends were there. A blazing bonfire was burning down close to the edge of the pond and the girls sat around this to put on their skates.
“You kids want to stay away from the fire,” said Stanley Reeves, skating up just as the four little Blossoms reached the pond. “And if I catch any boy taking a stick out to play with, I’ll paddle him with it, sure as you’re born!”
Everyone laughed for Stanley was as good-natured as he was tall—and he was the tallest boy in his class in high school.