This made a sort of tent, and though there
were holes in it, where the leaves did not quite come together, it
made a shady place.
Jan brought in her dolls, and Ted his sailboat and other toys, and
there the two children played for some little time. Trouble was not
with them.
"But he'll be along pretty soon," remarked Janet, "and he'll want part
of the tent for his. Is it big enough for three, Teddy?"
"Well, we can make Trouble a little bower for himself right next door.
He'll want to bring in a lot of old stones and mud pies anyhow, and we
don't want them. We'll make a little bower for him when he comes
along."
So, waiting for their little brother to hunt them out, which he always
did sooner or later if they went off to play without him, Ted and Jan
had fun in the little leafy house they had made for themselves.
They were having a good time, and were wondering if Grandpa Martin
would ever find the queer ragged man or if they would see the strange
blue light again, when Jan suddenly gave a scream.
"What's the matter?" asked Ted.
"Something tickled the back of my neck," explained his sister. "Maybe
it's a big worm, or a caterpillar! Look, Ted, will you?"
Teddy turned to look, but, as he did so, he gave a cry of surprise.
"It's a goat! It's our goat! It's Nicknack!" yelled Teddy. "He's stuck
his head right through the bower and, oh, Jan! he's eating it!"
And so Nicknack was.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115