"Yes," said uncle Tom: "I will take the big wagon, and there will be room enough for all. Run and ask your mother to put up a lunch for us. We must start early in the morning."
Off they ran, and soon came back with Tom and Ann and their little brother Johnny, all eager for a frolic.
The next morning, as soon as the sun peeped out of the east, all the children were up and dressed. By the time breakfast was over, the wagon stood at the door. Into it they climbed one after another. The lunch-basket was packed in safely. Aunt Jane sat on the front seat; uncle Tom jumped up beside her with the reins in his hands; the children shouted "Hurrah!" and off they started.
What fun they had as they rode along! The pure air of the country, flavored with an odor of the sea (for the road lay along the side of the ocean), seemed to put new life into them all.
When they reached the woods, they jumped out of the wagon and rambled about at will. The girls filled their baskets with wild flowers; aunt Jane twined some of them in Kate's hair; and Jennie made a lovely wreath, which she placed on Tom's head.
By and by they all began to feel very hungry. So they opened the lunch-basket under a large tree, and found that mamma had put into it just what they wanted. They had a grand feast. They laughed and sang, and made the old woods ring with their merry voices. At last uncle Tom said, "Now, girls, give us one song more, and then we must be getting ready to go home."
While they were singing, uncle Tom went after the horse. Pretty soon he drove up with the wagon and said, "Now pack in, every one of you, and we will have a jolly ride home."
They were about to take their seats in the wagon, when aunt Jane said, "Where's Johnny? We can't go home without him."