“Ding-dong!” rang the school bell, calling the Bobbsey twins and other children back to their lessons, after the long, Summer vacation.

“Oh, there’s Susie Simmon!” cried Flossie, as she saw a girl she knew.  “I’m going to walk with her, Freddie.”

“All right.  I see Jimmie Brooks.  I’ll go with him.”

The four little ones hurried along together, talking of the fun they had had that Summer.

A little behind came Nan and Bert.  With them walked Ellen Moore and Ned Barton, who lived near the Bobbsey house.

There were merry times in the school yard before it was time for the last bell to ring.  The boys and girls played tag, and ran about.  Some boys had tops and spun them, or played marbles.  The girls did not bring their dolls or toys to school, and the reason for this is that girls don’t have pockets in their dresses.  Or, if they do have a pocket, it is too small to hold more than a handkerchief.  I think the girls ought to get together and insist on having pockets made in their dresses.  It isn’t fair for the boys to have so many.

“Ding-dong!” rang the bell again.

“Come in, children!” called the teacher, and in went the Bobbsey twins and the others.

“Oh look, Freddie!  There goes Tommy Todd!” whispered Flossie to her brother, as they marched to their room.  The teacher heard Flossie, and said: 

“You must not whisper in school.”

“I won’t any more,” promised Flossie.  “I haven’t been in school for so long that I forgot,” and all the other children laughed.

Tommy Todd was in a class ahead of Flossie and Freddie.  He looked across at them and smiled, for the teacher did not mind any one’s smiling in school.  But when one whispered it disturbed those who wanted to study their lessons.

It was almost time for the morning recess, and Flossie and Freddie were saying their lessons, when from the next room, where Bert and Nan sat, came a sound of laughter.  Then sounded a loud bark—­“Bow-wow!”

“Oh, it’s a dog!” exclaimed Flossie aloud, before she thought.

“That sounds like our Snap!” said Freddie, almost at the same time.

“Children, you must be quiet!” called the teacher.

Just then the door between the two rooms was pushed open, and in walked Snap, wagging his tail.  He looked at the teacher, he looked at the other children, and then, with a joyful bark, he ran up to Flossie and Freddie.

CHAPTER VII

THE SCHOOL PLAY

“Snap!  Snap!” cried Freddie, as he left his seat and put his arms around the dog’s neck.  “Good dog, Snap!”

Snap liked to be petted, and he wagged his tail faster than before and barked.  Flossie saw a queer look on her teacher’s face, and the little girl said: 

“Snap, you must be quiet.  You musn’t bark in school any more than we must whisper.  I didn’t want to speak out loud,” she said to the teacher, “but I had to, or Snap wouldn’t hear me.”