Harry, who had been telling his cousin of all the plans he had made for
a jolly vacation.

"Look at the billy-goat!" called Freddie.

"See, see, that big black chicken flying!" Flossie cried out excitedly.

"That's a hawk!" laughed Bert; "maybe it's a chicken hawk."

"A children hawk!" Flossie exclaimed, missing the word. Then everybody
laughed, and Flossie said maybe there were children hawks for bad girls
and boys, anyway.

Aunt Sarah and Mrs. Bobbsey were chatting away like two schoolgirls,
while Dinah and the children saw something new and interesting at every
few paces old Billy, the horse, took.

"Hello there, neighbor," called a voice from the field at the side of
the road. "My horse has fallen in the ditch, and I'll have to trouble
you to help me."

"Certainly, certainly, Peter," answered Uncle Daniel, promptly jumping
down, with Mr. Bobbsey, Bert, and Harry following. Aunt Sarah leaned
over the seat and took the reins, but when she saw in what ditch the
other horse had fallen she pulled Billy into the gutter.

"Poor Peter!" she exclaimed. "That's the second horse that fell in that
ditch this week. And it's an awful job to get them out. I'll just wait
to see if they need our Billy, and if not, we can drive on home, for
Martha will be most crazy waiting with dinner."