“I’m ready now,” announced Freddie.

“And shall we stop in New York?” Bert demanded.

“Yes, for a day or so.  And now what do you think of my news?” asked Mr. Bobbsey.

“It’s just—­wonderful!” cried Nan.  “Oh, we’ll have such fun with Nell and Billy!”

“And I want to see if I can drop a ball off Washington Monument,” added Bert.

“Oh, you hadn’t better try that,” his father cautioned him.  “You might hit some one.  Well, then, it’s all settled, and we’ll go on the trip.  How about it, Mother?” and he smiled at his wife.

“I think it will be very nice to go,” she answered.  “I like Mr. Martin and his children very much, and I’m sure we’ll like Mrs. Martin too.  It’s fortunate that we can all go—­that the children will not lose any schooling.  For if all the classes stop, and the school is closed, they will all start evenly again when the boiler is fixed.  So run along now, my twins, and get ready for lunch.  Daddy and I have lots to talk about.”

And so did the Bobbsey twins, as you can easily imagine.

If I told you all the things that happened in the next few days there would be but little else in this book except the story of getting ready for the journey.  And as the trip itself is what you want to hear about, and especially what happened on it, I’ll skip the getting ready and go right on with the story.

Trunks and valises were packed, Dinah and Sam were told what to do while the Bobbseys were away, and the children reminded the colored cook and her husband to be sure to feed Snap and Snoop plenty of things the dog and cat liked.

“Oh, I’ll look after dem animiles all right, honey lamb!” said fat Dinah to Freddie.  “I won’t let ’em starve!”

“And maybe I can get another dog in Washington,” said Freddie.

“And maybe I can find a cat!” added Flossie.

“Fo’ de land sakes! doan brung any mo’ catses an’ dogses around heah,” begged Dinah.

At last everything was in readiness.  Mr. Bobbsey had written to Mr. Martin, telling of the coming of the Bobbsey twins to Washington, after a short stay in New York.  The children said good-bye to Dinah and Sam, as well as to Snap and Snoop, and then one day they were taken to the railroad station in the automobile.

“All aboard!” cried the conductor, as the Bobbseys scrambled into the coach of the train that was to take them to New York.  “All aboard!”

“Oh, isn’t this fun?” cried Nan, as she settled herself in a seat with Bert.

“Great!” he agreed.  “I wonder what will happen before we get back.”

And it was going to be something very odd, I can tell you that much.

CHAPTER VIII

IN NEW YORK

The Bobbsey twins had been to so many places, and had so often ridden in railroad trains, that this first part of their trip—­journeying in the steam cars—­was nothing new to them.  They were quite like old travelers; at least Nan and Bert were.  For Flossie and Freddie there was always sure to be something new and strange on such a long railroad trip.