Page 11 of 23 THE FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS IN VACATION - Five Little Friends

"Wouldn't it be fun to get Father to take us to the store and let us buy things for a picnic?" said Mary.

"Oh, yes, let's have a picnic," cried Peggy and Betty.

"But first," said wise little Dot, "we must find Brown Betty's nest."

That very day the children began to hunt for the hidden eggs. They climbed up into the barn loft and looked in the hay. Here they found Mrs. Nicker on her nest. When they came near she ruffled up her feathers and gave an angry cluck. "Don't be afraid," laughed Betty; "we are looking for something worth much more than one little hen's egg."

Then hidden down in the hay they came across a mouse's home with four baby mice in it. They looked very small and young and funny. Their tiny eyes were shut tight. "You are cunning little things but you won't buy us a picnic," said Peggy.

In the eaves of the barn they found a swallow's nest, but the baby birds had flown away. Only some pieces of eggshell were left.

All that day and part of the next and the next and the next the children hunted and hunted but no Brown Betty and no turkey eggs could they find.

One bright June morning Mary said, "Let's go into the woods to play."

"Oh, may we?" Betty and Peggy asked their mothers. And little Dot said, "Oh, please may I?" and looked from one mother to the other.

"Yes, let them go," said Mrs. White. "The woods are not far away and there is nothing to harm them there."

So the four little girls started out.

They went down a shady lane and through a meadow. Then they came to the woods and wandered about for a while. At last they stopped by the side of a little brook that flowed merrily on its way.

In a few minutes, shoes and stockings were taken off and the children were wading in the cool, rippling water. It was lots of fun, but the water was very cold. Soon they were glad to dry their feet in the soft grass and put on their shoes and stockings again.

"Let's make a tree playhouse," said Mary; "I'll show you how." So they set to work with Mary as leader. They found a hollow tree with plenty of room in it. Next they gathered all the soft, velvety moss they could find. With this they made a thick green carpet on the floor. Then they made green moss furniture too. They had a bed, a couch, a table, and a chair.

"We should have some one to live in our green, mossy house," said Peggy. "Let's go to the meadow and gather some daisies and make little flower people out of them."

So off the children went. In a little while, back they came with their hands full of flowers.

Peggy was the first one to reach the tree house. She looked in and then began to laugh and call to the others to come quickly.

"We needn't make any flower people for our house," she said. "It's already rented." And sure enough, there on the green moss couch was a fat brown toad. He was winking and blinking and looking much pleased with his new home.

		To know and know how to prove is worth twice. Baltasar Graci n

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