But Nan could not help crying a little, though she was glad she could feel her father’s arms about her.  Mr. Bobbsey soon loosened the little girl’s leg from the loop of the rope, and then he carried her down the ladder.

“You’re just like a fireman, aren’t you, Daddy?” cried Freddie, as his father set Nan on the ground.

“Well, a little, yes,” admitted Mr. Bobbsey, with a laugh.  “But better not any more of you try those firemen tricks,” he warned the children as the ladder was taken down.

“I’ll have to put the swing away if you climb the rope any more,” threatened Uncle Daniel.

“We won’t shinny up it any more,” promised Bert and Harry, and their fathers knew that if the boys did not do it Nan would not.

“I guess we’ve had enough swinging,” said Bert.  “Let’s play something else, Harry.  Got any new games?”

“We can go down to the pond and fish.”

“Oh, I love to fish!” exclaimed Nan.  “What kind of fish can you catch in the pond, Harry?”

“Bullfrogs, mostly.”

“They aren’t fish,” laughed Nan.

“Well, it’s just as much fun,” went on the country boy.

“I guess I’d better go help mother unpack the trunks,” Nan said, for she saw the expressman drive up with two trunks that had been sent on ahead.  “Mother will want me to help her get the things out so we can go to the Bolton County Fair to-morrow.  You’re coming, aren’t you, Harry?”

“Sure!  It’ll be great.  But now we’ll go fishing for bullfrogs.  Come on, Bert!”

“I want to fish!” begged Freddie, hearing this magic word.

“No, you and Flossie come with me,” directed Nan, knowing that the two boys would not have much fun if they had to watch the small children and keep them from tumbling into the pond.

“Don’t want to come with you!” pouted Flossie.  “We wants to go fishing!”

“How would you and Freddie like to go after eggs?” asked Nan, as she saw her brother and Harry making signals to her for her to do her best to keep Flossie and Freddie from following.  “Wouldn’t you like to gather eggs?”

“Where do you get the eggs?” asked Freddie, who had forgotten.

“In the barn.  We’ll take the eggs out of the nests, and you and Flossie can carry the eggs in a little basket to Aunt Bobbsey.”

“Oh, yes!” cried Flossie.  “I want to do that!”

“So do I!” added Freddie.  Anything Flossie wanted to do he generally did also.

“All right,” said Nan, waving to Bert and Harry to hurry away before the small twins changed their minds.  “Come with me, and after I help mother unpack the trunk we’ll go and get the eggs.”

As it happened, however, Mrs. Bobbsey did not need Nan’s help.  Aunt Sarah said she would aid in getting the things out of the trunks, so Nan was allowed to go with Flossie and Freddie to the barn to gather eggs.

What fun it was to climb over the sweet hay, sliding down little hills of it and landing on the barn floor, where more hay made a place like a cushion!  What fun it was to look in at the horses chewing their fodder!  And when the children poked their heads in the horses stopped eating, to turn around and look to see who was watching them.