the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第2部分
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then he and his sister went on to the water cooler。 Near it they saw
something else to look at。 This was the sight of a very； very fat lady
who occupied nearly all of one seat in the end of the car。 She was so
large that only a very little baby could have found room beside her。
〃Look … look at her；〃 whispered Flossie to Freddie； as they paused。
The fat woman's back was toward them； and she seemed to be much
interested in looking out of the window。
〃She is fat；〃 admitted Freddie。 〃Did you ever see one so big before？〃
〃Only in a circus；〃 said Flossie。
〃She'd make make two of Dinah；〃 went on her brother。
〃She would not；〃 contradicted Flossie quickly。 〃'Cause Dinah's black；
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
and this lady is white。〃
〃That's so；〃 admitted Freddie； with smile。 〃I didn't think of that。〃
A sway of the train nearly made Flossic fall； and she caught quickly at
her brother。
〃Look out！〃 he cried。 〃You 'mos knocked the cup down。〃 〃I didn't
mean to；〃 spoke Flossie。 〃Oh； there goes my hat！ Get it； Freddie；
before someone steps on it！〃
Her brother managed to get the hat just as it was sliding under the seat
where the fat lady sat。
After some confusion the hat was placed on Flossie's head； and once
more she and her brother moved on toward the water cooler。 It was
getting dusk now； and some of the lamps in the car had been lighted。
Freddie； carrying the cup； filled it with water at the little faucet； and；
very politely； offered it to his sister first。 Freddie was no better than
most boys of his age； but he did not forget some of the little polite ways
his mamma was continually teaching him。 One of these was 〃ladies
first；〃 though Freddie did not always carry it out； especially when he was
in a hurry。
〃Do you want any more？〃 he asked； before he would get himself a
drink。
〃Just a little；〃 said Flossie。 〃The silver cup doesn't hold much。〃
〃No； I guess it's 'cause there's so much silver in it；〃 replied her
brother。 〃It's worth a lot of money； mamma said。〃
〃Yes； and it's all ours。 When I grow up I'm going to have my half
made into a bracelet。〃
〃You are？〃 said Freddie slowly。 〃If you do there won't be enough left
for me to drink out of。〃 〃Well； you can have your share of it made into a
watch； and drink out of a glass。〃
〃That's so；〃 agreed Freddie； his face brightening。 He gave his sister
more water； and then took some himself。 As he drank his eyes were
constantly looking at the very fat lady who filled so much of her seat。
She turned from the window and looked at the two children； smiling
broadly。 Freddie was somewhat confused； and looked down quickly。
Just then the train gave another lurch and Freddie suddenly spilled some
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
of the water on his coat。
〃Oh； look what you did！〃 cried Flossie。 〃And that's your best coat！〃
〃I … I couldn't help it；〃 stammered Freddie。
〃Never mind； little boy；〃 said the fat lady。 〃It's only clean water。
Come here and I'll wipe it off with my handkerchief。 I'd come to you；
only I'm so stout it's hard enough for me to walk anyhow； and when the
train is moving I simply can't do it。〃
Freddie and Flossie went to her seat； and with a handkerchief； that
Flossie said afterward was almost as big as a table cloth； the fat lady
wiped the water off Freddie's coat。
The little boy held the silver cup in his hand； and feeling； somehow；
that he ought to repay the fat lady's kindness in some way； after thanking
her； he asked：
〃Would you like a drink of water？ I can bring it to you if you
would。〃
〃Thank you；〃 she answered。 〃What a kind little boy you are！ I saw
you give your sister a drink first； too。 Yes； I would like a drink。 I've
been wanting one some time； but I didn't dare get up to go after it。〃
〃I'll get it！〃 cried Freddie； eager to show what a little man he was。
He made his way to the cooler without accident； and then； moving slowly；
taking hold of the seat on the way back； so as not to spill the water； he
brought the silver cup brimful to the fat lady。
〃Oh； what a beautiful cup；〃 she said； as she took it。
〃And it cost a lot of money； too；〃 said Flossie。 〃It's ours … our
birthday cup； and when I grow up I'm going to have a bracelet made from
my half。〃
〃That will be nice；〃 said the fat lady； as she prepared to drink。
But she never got more than a sip of the water Freddie had so kindly
brought her； for； no sooner did her lips touch the cup than there was a
grinding； shrieking sound； a jar to the railway coach； and the train came
to such a sudden stop that many passengers were thrown from their
seats。
Flossie and Freddie sat down suddenly in the aisle； but they were so
fat that they did not mind it in the least。 As surprised as he was；
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Freddie noticed that the fat lady was so large that she could not be
thrown out of her seat； no matter how suddenly the train stopped。 The
little Bobbsey boy saw the water from the cup spill all over the fat lady；
and she held the silver vessel in her big； pudgy hand； looking curiously
at it； as though wondering what had so quickly become of the water。
〃It's a wreck … the train's off the track！〃 a man exclaimed。
〃We've hit something！〃 cried another。
〃It's an accident； anyhow；〃 said still a third； and then every one
seemed to be talking at once。
Mr。 Bobbsey came running down the aisle to where Flossie and
Freddie still sat； dazed。
〃Are you hurt？〃 he cried； picking them both up together； which was
rather hard to do。 〃No … no；〃 said Freddie slowly。
〃Oh； papa； what is it？〃 asked Flossie； wondering whether she was
going to cry。
〃I don't know； my dear。 Nothing serious； I guess。 The engineer
must have put the brakes on too quickly。 I'll look out and see。〃
Knowing that his children were safe； Mr。 Bobbsey put them down and
led them back to where his wife was anxiously waiting。
〃They're all right；〃 he called。 〃No one seems to be hurt。〃
Bert Bobbsey looked out of the window。 Though darkness had fallen
there seemed to be many lights up ahead of the stopped train。 And in
the light Bert could see some camels； an elephant or two； a number of
horses； and cages containing lions and tigers strung out along the track。
〃Why … why； what's this … a circus？〃 he asked。 〃Look； Nan！
See those monkeys！〃
〃Why； it is a circus … and the train must have been wrecked！〃
exclaimed his sister。 〃Oh mamma； what can it be？〃
A brakeman came into the car where the Bobbseys were。
〃There's no danger；〃 he said。 〃Please keep your seats。 A circus train
that was running ahead of us got off the track； and some of the animals
are loose。 Our train nearly ran into an elephant； and that's why the
engineer had to stop so suddenly。 We will go on I soon。〃
〃A circus； eh？〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey。 〃Well； well！ This is an adventure；
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children。 We've run into a circus train！ Let's watch them catch the
animals。〃
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
CHAPTER II SNOOP IS GONE
〃PAPA； do you think a tiger would come in here？〃 asked Freddie；
remembering all the stories of wild animals he had heard in his four
years。
〃Or a lion？〃 asked Flossie。
〃Of course not！〃 exclaimed Nan。 〃Can't you see that all the wild
animals are still in their cages？〃
〃Maybe some of 'em are loose；〃 suggested Freddie； and he almost
hoped so； as long as his father was there to protect him。
〃I guess the circus men can look after them；〃 said Bert。 〃May I get
off； father； and look around？〃
〃I'd rather you wouldn't； son。 You can't tell what may happen。〃
〃Oh； look at that man after the monkey！〃 cried Nan。
〃Yes； and the monkey's gone up on top of the tiger
