the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第14部分
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Snap more eager to see what was there that his friends did not want him
to get。
With a loud bark he rushed on； and the children； turning to look； saw
something long and black； and seemingly wiggling； come toward them。
〃Oh； the snake！ The snake！〃 cried Nan。
〃Run！ Run！〃 shouted Grace。
〃Come on！〃 exclaimed Nellie Parks； in loud tones。
〃Freddie！ Freddie！〃 called Flossie； afraid lest her little brother be
bitten。
Snap rushed at the black thing so fiercely that he turned a somersault
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down the hill； and rolled over and over。 But he did not mind this； and
in an instant was up again。 Once more he rushed at the black object；
but the children did not watch to see what happened； for they were
running away as fast as they could。
Then Freddie； anxious as to what would become of Snap if he fought a
snake； looked back。 He saw a strange sight。 The dog had in his mouth
the long； black thing； and was running with it toward the Bobbseys and
their friends。
〃Oh； Nan！ Nan！ Look！ Look！〃 cried Freddie。 〃Snap has the
snake！ He's bringing it to us！〃
〃Oh； he mustn't do that！〃 shouted Nan。 〃It may bite him or us。〃
〃Run！ Run faster！〃 shrieked Grace。
But even though it was down hill the children could not run as fast as
Snap； and he soon caught up to them。 Running on a little way ahead he
dropped the black thing。 But instead of wiggling or trying to bite； it
was I very still。
〃It … it's dead；〃 said Nan。 〃Snap has killed it。〃
Freddie was braver now。 He went closer。
〃Why … why！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It isn't a snake at all！ It's only an old
black root of a tree； all twisted up like a snake！ Look； Nan … Flossie！〃
Taking courage； the girls went up to look。 Snap stood over it；
wagging his tail as proudly as though he had captured a real snake。 As
Freddie had said； it was only a tree root。
〃But it did look a lot like a snake in the grass；〃 said the little fellow。
〃It must have；〃 agreed Nan。 〃It looked like one even when Snap had
it。 But I'm glad it wasn't。〃
〃So am I；〃 spoke Grace； and Nellie made like remark。
Snap frisked about； barking as though to ask praise for what he had
done。
〃He is a good dog；〃 observed Freddie； hearing which the animal
almost wagged his tail off。 〃And if it had been a real snake he'd have
gotten it； wouldn't you？〃 went on the little boy。
If barks meant anything； Snap said； with all his heart； that he
certainly would … that not even a dozen snakes could frighten a big dog
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like him。
The children soon got over the little scare； and went back up the hill
again to gather more flowers。 Snap went with them this time； running
about here and there。
〃If there are any real snakes；〃 said Freddie； 〃he'll scare them away。
But I guess there aren't any。〃
〃I hope not；〃 said Nan； but she and the others kept a sharp lookout。
However； there was no further fright for them； and soon； with their
hands filled with blossoms the Bobbseys and the others went back to the
main party。
Some of the teachers were arranging games with their pupils； and Nan；
Flossie and Freddie joined in； having a good time。 Then； when it was
almost time to start for home； Mr。 Tetlow blew loudly on a whistle he
carried to call in the stragglers。
〃Where's Bert？〃 asked Flossie； looking about for her older brother。
〃I guess he hasn't come back from fishing yet；〃 said Nan。 〃Come；
Flossie and Freddie； I have a little bit of lunch left； and you might as
well eat it； so you won't be hungry on the way home。〃
The littler Bobbsey twins were glad enough to do this。 Then they had
to have a drink； and Nan went with them to the spring； carrying a glass
tumbler she had brought。
〃This isn't like our nice silver cup that the fat lady took in the train；〃
said Freddie； as he passed the glass of water very carefully to Flossie。
〃No；〃 she said； after she had taken her drink。 〃I wonder if papa will
ever get that back？〃
〃He said； the other day；〃 remarked Nan； as she got some water for
Freddie； 〃that he hadn't heard from the circus yet。 But I think he will。
It isn't like Snoop； our cat。 We don't know where he is； but we're pretty
sure the fat lady has the cup。〃
〃Poor Snoop！〃 cried Freddie； as he thought of the fine black cat。
〃Maybe some of the railroad men have him。〃
〃Maybe；〃 agreed Flossie。
When they got back to where the teachers and principal were； Bert and
the boys who bad gone fishing had returned。 They had one or two small
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fish。
〃I'm going to have mamma cook them for my supper；〃 said Bert；
proudly holding up those he had caught。
〃They're too small … there won't be anything left of them after
they're cleaned；〃 said Nan； who was quite a little housekeeper。
〃Oh； yes； there will；〃 declared her brother。 〃I'm going fishing again
tomorrow and； catch more。〃
Mr。 Tetlow was going about among the teachers； asking if all their
pupils were on hand； ready for the march back。 Danny Rugg and some
of his close friends were missing。
〃They ought not to have gone off so far；〃 said Mr。 Tetlow； as he blew
several times on the whistle。 Soon Danny and the other boy； were seen
coming from a distant part of the grove。 One of the boys； Harry White；
looked very pale； and not at all well。
〃What is the matter？〃 asked Mr。 Tetlow； and he looked curiously at
Danny and the others； and sniffed the air as though he smelled
something。
〃I … I guess I ate too many … apples；〃 said Harry； in a faint voice。
〃We found an orchard； and …〃
〃I told you not to go into orchards； and take fruit；〃 said Mr。 Tetlow；
severely。
〃The man said we could；〃 remarked Danny。 〃We asked him。〃
〃Then you should not have eaten so many；〃 said Mr。 Tetlow。 〃I can't
see how ripe apples； which are the only kind there are this time of year …
could make you ill unless you ate too many；〃 and he looked at Danny and
Harry sharply。 But they did not answer。
The march home was not as joyful as the one to the grove had been；
for most of the children were tired。 But they all had had a fine time；
and there were many requests of the teachers to have another picnic the
next week。
〃Oh； we can't have them every week； my dears；〃 said Miss Franklin；
who had charge of Flossie； Freddie and some others in the kindergarten
class。 〃Besides； it will soon be too cool to go out in the woods。 In a
little while we will have ice and snow； and Thanksgiving and Christmas。〃
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〃That will be better than picnics；〃 said Freddie。 〃I'm going to have a
new sled。〃
〃I'm going to get a new doll； that can walk；〃 declared Flossie； and then
she and the others talked about the coming holidays。
At school several days in the following week little was talked of
except the picnic； the snake scare from the old tree root； the catching of
the fish； and the illness of Harry White； for that boy was quite sick by
the time town was reached； and Mr。 Tetlow called a carriage to send him
home。
〃And I can guess what made him sick too；〃 said Bert to Nan； privately。
〃What？〃 she asked。
〃Smoking cigarettes。〃
〃How do you know？〃
Because when I and some of the other fellows were fishing we saw
Danny and his crowd smoking in the woods。 They offered us some；
but we wouldn't take any。 Harry said he was sick then； but Danny only
laughed at him。〃
〃That Danny Rugg is a bad boy；〃 said Nan； severely。 But she was
soon to see how much meaner Danny could be。
Workmen had recently finished putting some new water pipes； and a
place for the children to drink； in the school yard； and one morning；
speaking to the whole school； Mr。 Tetlow made a little speech； warning
the children not to play with the faucets； and spray the water about； as
some had done； in fun。
〃Whoever is caught playing with the faucets in the yard after this will
be severely punished；〃 he said。
As it happened； Flossie and Freddie were not at school th
