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diff --git a/28652.txt b/28652.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..07f38c0 --- /dev/null +++ b/28652.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2593 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Bobby of Cloverfield Farm, by Helen Fuller Orton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Bobby of Cloverfield Farm + +Author: Helen Fuller Orton + +Illustrator: R. Emmett Owen + +Release Date: May 1, 2009 [EBook #28652] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOBBY OF CLOVERFIELD FARM *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive.) + + + + + + + +BOBBY OF CLOVERFIELD FARM + +[Illustration: "'I can't stop to play now. I'm on important business'"] + + + + +BOBBY OF CLOVERFIELD FARM + +BY + +HELEN FULLER ORTON + +_Author of "Prince and Rover of Cloverfield Farm"_ + + +_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND DECORATIONS BY R. EMMETT OWEN_ + + +[Illustration] + + +NEW YORK + +FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY + +PUBLISHERS + +_Copyright, 1922, by_ + +HELEN FULLER ORTON + + +_All Rights Reserved_ + + First Printing, June 17, 1922 + Second Printing, November 3, 1922 + Third Printing, May 15, 1923 + Fourth Printing, April 25, 1924 + Fifth Printing, August 26, 1924 + Sixth Printing, February 27, 1926 + Seventh Printing, April 2, 1927 + Eighth Printing, August 1, 1928 + Ninth Printing, August 6, 1929 + Tenth Printing, January 31, 1931 + Eleventh Printing, August 10, 1933 + +_Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER PAGE + +I WHAT ROBIN REDBREAST KNEW 1 + +II BOBBY'S KITE 10 + +III THE OLD BROWN HEN 21 + +IV THE SHEEP WASHING 29 + +V THE SHEEP SHEARING 38 + +VI RED TOP 46 + +VII HAYING TIME 54 + +VIII ON TOP OF THE WORLD 63 + +IX BOBBY FORGETS 69 + +X ROVER GOES TO THE STORE 76 + +XI THE DUCKS A-SWIMMING GO 85 + +XII THE RESCUE 91 + +XIII BOBBY'S HORSEBACK RIDE 98 + +XIV THE BIG SOUTH WINDOW 105 + +XV ONE STORMY NIGHT 119 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +"'I can't stop to play now, I'm on important business'" _Frontispiece_ + + FACING PAGE + +"'Hello, Robin Redbreast,' called Bobby, 'I'm glad +you are back again'" 7 + +"Up, up, went the kite into the sky" 12 + +"When he saw it he cried, 'Somebody's been digging in +my garden and here she is fast asleep'" 27 + +"Before they could run across the bridge, Old Bell +Wether walked up out of the creek and started for +home" 35 + +"'Stop, Father, stop!' he said" 58 + +"Bobby clung to Rover's collar until they reached +shallow water" 94 + +"Bobby felt happy and grand. Prince felt happy and grand" 100 + + + + +[Illustration: WHAT ROBIN REDBREAST KNEW] + +I + + +One cold morning in March, Bobby Hill was wakened by a sound he had not +heard since last Fall, "Chirp, chirp, cheer-up." + +"That sounds just like a robin," he thought. + +He sat up in bed and looked out of the window. It was a cold, dark, +stormy morning. Heavy clouds covered the sky. The North wind was blowing +the snow hither and thither. + +Bobby leaned nearer the window so he could see the ground. There was the +snow like a blanket of white over the yard and the road and the fields. +There were the snowdrifts like mountains and castles along the fences. + +Bobby shivered as he looked at it and snuggled back under the covers. + +"I must have been dreaming," he thought. "It isn't time for robins." + +But he had no sooner settled down for another nap than he heard it +again, "Chirp, chirp, cheer-up." + +He got up and dressed quickly and went downstairs. + +"Mother," he said, "I heard something that sounded just like a robin. +What could it have been?" + +"It _was_ a robin," said Mother. "Come here and see him." + +Bobby ran to the Big South Window. There on a branch of the maple tree +was Robin Redbreast singing merrily. + +"I thought the robins always stayed down South until Spring," said +Bobby. "Why did he come back in the dead of Winter?" + +"Spring is almost here," said Mother. + +"Oh, indeed it can't be," said Bobby, "it is so cold and snowy." + +"Robin knows," said Mother. + +But Bobby looked out and saw the fields still covered with snow, and saw +the huge snowdrifts like mountains and castles along the fences and the +whirling snowflakes in the air, and thought, "Robin is mistaken this +time." + +After he had finished his morning chores, Bobby took his sled and slid +down the little hill at the side of the house, as he had done nearly +every day all Winter. Twenty-seven times he slid down the hill. + +Then he and Rover, the Big Shepherd Dog, went across the field to the +snowdrifts in the fence corners. Bobby slid down a huge snowbank, which +gave his sled such a start that he went skimming over the field on the +hard snow. Eight long slides he took there. + +In the afternoon, he went skating on the Duck Pond. It was shiny and +smooth and beautiful for skating. Twenty times across the pond he went. + +When he went into the house, Mother said, "Well, Bobby, you have had a +busy day." + +"I've had lots of fun," said Bobby. "I shall go sliding and skating +every day all Winter." + +"That will not be long," said Mother. + +"Oh, yes, it will," said Bobby. "Just see all the snow and ice." + +If Bobby had only noticed, he would have known that even then the wind +had changed to the south and it was becoming warmer. Soon the snow and +ice began to melt. All night they kept melting. + +The next day, Bobby was wakened again by Robin Redbreast. He looked out +and saw the sun shining brightly. All that morning the snow melted so +fast that by noon there were little rivers and pools of water +everywhere. + +Bobby tried to slide down the little hill; but there was a bare spot +half way down, so his sled stuck on the ground and would not go any +farther. + +"This isn't any fun," thought Bobby. "I'll go over and slide down the +snowbanks." He and Rover started across the field; but at every step +they went down through the soft snow into the water beneath. + +"This isn't any fun either. Is it?" said he to Rover. + +Rover looked up into Bobby's face and seemed to say, "I don't care for +it much myself." So they went back to the house. + +Rover lay down by the fire to dry off; but Bobby took his skates and +went to the Duck Pond. When he got there, he found the ice on the Duck +Pond covered with pools of water. + +"I'll wait till another day to skate," he thought. + +He was just starting back to the house, when there came to his ears the +same sound he had heard the last two mornings, "Chirp, chirp, chirp." + +Bobby looked across the pond. There, on the ground under the willow +tree, was a robin. + +[Illustration: "Hello, Robin Redbreast," called Bobby. "I'm glad you are +back again"] + +"Hello, Robin Redbreast," called Bobby. "I'm glad you are back again. +But you'll be very cold up here. It isn't Spring yet." + +"Chirp, chirp," said Robin. "Cheer-up, cheer-y." And he flew up to a +branch of the willow tree. + +Bobby's eyes followed Robin into the willow tree. What were all those +little gray things on the twigs around Robin? + +Bobby looked more closely. "Why I do believe--I do believe--can it be +those are pussy willows?" he exclaimed. + +Around the pond to the tree he ran. Sure enough! Pussy willows they +were. + +Bobby reached up and picked some of the twigs. Then he ran to the house +as fast as he could run. + +"Oh, Mother," he exclaimed, "see the pussy willows! I believe Spring +_is_ almost here." + +"Robin knew," said Mother. + +"Good!" said Bobby. Then he added, "But there won't be any more +sleigh-rides, or sliding down hill, or skating." + +"Just wait and see what fun Summer will bring," Mother replied. + + + + +[Illustration: BOBBY'S KITE] + +II + + +The time of year had come when boys were flying kites. But around +Cloverfield Farm no one had started yet. + +Perhaps the little white clouds, floating in the sky, beckoned to Bobby, +"Send a kite up to us, little earth boy." + +Perhaps the wind, blowing in the tree tops, whispered, "Bring a kite and +try me. Just see how far I will take it up for you." + +Anyway, Bobby suddenly stopped playing and looked up into the sky. Then +he ran into the house. + +"I want to fly a kite," said he. + +"I will help you make one," said Grandfather, who was visiting there. + +Bobby hunted until he found the sticks and the string and the paper. +Then they made a fine kite. + +Mother helped, too. She made the paste of flour and water, and found +bright strips of cloth for the tail. Then she wrote his name on the +cross-stick--Bobby Hill. + +Sister Sue went along to help him start it. + +Up, up, went the kite into the sky. + +"Ha, ha!" said Mr. Wind. "Here's some fun. I'll take that kite up to the +clouds." + +"Good!" said the little white clouds. "Here comes a kite to visit us." + +[Illustration: "Up, up, went the kite into the sky"] + +It was not long before the cord was all unwound, and the kite looked +like a speck against the sky. + +"It must touch the clouds," said Bobby. + +Mother came out on the porch to look at it. People driving along the +road saw Bobby holding the string and looked up into the sky. "What a +fine kite!" they said. + +Mr. Hill had gone to the city that morning. + +"You had better leave it up until Father comes home; he will want to see +it," said Sue, as she started back to the house. + +Neighbor Newman's boy saw Bobby's kite and went into his house to make +one. Boys in the village saw it and began to make kites. + +When it had been flying for some time, the wind began to blow harder, +and the kite tugged and tugged on the string. + +Suddenly, there was a strong gust of wind. + +Snap went the string. + +Away went the kite. + +Bobby ran after it, to catch it when it fell. But it soon blew out of +sight over the patch of woods. Then he sadly wound up the string that +was left and went slowly to the house. + +"My kite flew away," said he to Mother. "And it was the best one I ever +had." + +Meanwhile, the kite went sailing along. + +"It's my kite," said the West Wind. And he tried to blow it toward the +Little Red Schoolhouse. + +"No, it's my kite," said the North Wind. And he tried to blow it toward +the clouds. + +In spite of them both, the kite began to fall. Zigzag it went, first one +way, then another, across the road where the Little Red Schoolhouse +stood, to an open field on the other side. + +Mr. Hill was just coming home from the city on that road. As he was +driving along, he saw the kite falling. + +"Whoa, Prince," he said to the horse. + +Prince stopped. Mr. Hill got out of the buggy and climbed over the +fence. "Perhaps I can catch it," he thought. Just before he got to it, +the kite came to the ground. Mr. Hill picked it up. + +"What a fine kite!" he said. "I wonder what boy lost it. I'll inquire at +the houses as I go along." + +He wound up the string, gathered up all the tail and went back to the +buggy. He started to put it under the seat; but as he did so, his eye +fell on something written on the cross-stick. It was the name Mrs. Hill +had written there--Bobby Hill. + +"Well, well!" said he. "So it's Bobby's kite, is it?" + +He put it under the seat, got into the buggy and drove toward home. + +Father meant to give the kite to Bobby as soon as he reached home, but +when he drove into the yard, there was a man waiting to see him on +business; so he forgot all about it. + +Bobby's big brother John unhitched Prince, put him into the stable and +pushed the buggy into the carriage-house. + +So there was Bobby's fine kite lying under the buggy seat, all unknown. + +The next day, Grandfather helped Bobby make another kite. But perhaps it +was not made of the right kind of wood, or the cross-piece was not at +just the right place. Anyhow, it had not gone up far when it dived to +the ground and was broken. + +That evening Bobby told Father all about his kites. Then Father +remembered something; but he said nothing about it just then. + +The next morning, he called Bobby to him. "I have a present for you," he +said. "Come to the carriage-house and you may see it." + +"What is it like?" asked Bobby, as they walked along. + +"It is something that flies," said Father. + +"A bird," said Bobby. + +"Wrong," said Father. + +"A ball?" guessed Bobby. + +"No. One more guess," said Father. + +"I don't know anything else that flies," said Bobby, "except a +butterfly." + +"How about a bumblebee?" asked Father. + +"Oh, Father, you couldn't catch a bumblebee," said Bobby. "And if you +did, it would sting you." + +"How about a kite?" asked Father. + +"That would be grand," said Bobby. "Did you get one in the city?" + +"Look under the buggy seat," said Father. + +Bobby climbed into the buggy and reached under the seat and began to +pull something out. + +"Why, it looks just like the tail to my kite," said he. + +"Why, it _is_ my kite," he shouted, as he saw his name on the +cross-piece. "Where did you get it?" + +Father told him. + +"I'll tie the string together and fly it again," said Bobby. + +"You had better get some stronger cord," said Father. "I might not +happen to find it if it flew away again." + +Bobby rode to the village when John went to the blacksmith shop. He went +to Mr. Brown's store and bought a ball of strong cord. Then he ran all +the way home with it, because he did not want to wait for the blacksmith +to finish shoeing the horse. + +And it wasn't long before Bobby's kite had climbed high into the sky +again. + +People driving along the road saw it and said, "What a fine kite!" + +Father saw it this time. + +As he was going down the lane, he stopped a few moments to watch it. +Then he waved his hand to Bobby and started on. + +"I am glad it flew across my path," he said. + + + + +[Illustration: THE OLD BROWN HEN] + +III + + +In the Spring, at Cloverfield Farm, all the family made gardens and +sowed seeds. + +Mother sowed pansy seed in a round bed in the side yard. When the little +plants came up, she watered them and weeded them and kept the ground +soft and fine, so they could grow. + +All the time she was tending them, she kept thinking, "How nice it will +be to have all these lovely pansies to look at this Summer!" + +Father sowed some radish seed in the garden. When the little plants +came up, he weeded them and hoed them and kept the ground soft and fine, +so the little radish plants could grow. + +All the time he was doing it, he was thinking, "How fine it will be to +have lots of good radishes for the table!" + +Bobby had a little corner all his own in Father's big garden. He sowed +some onion seed in his garden. When the little plants came up, he weeded +them and hoed them and kept the ground soft and fine, so they could +grow. + +All the time he was doing it, he was thinking, "How nice it will be to +have all these onions, so I can give them to Mother for the cooking!" + +One day, while the family were all away, the Old Brown Hen, who had +stolen her nest, came along with her thirteen chickens. + +She was hunting for a good place to scratch and find something for them +to eat. + +First, she tried to scratch in the gravel driveway, but that was too +hard. + +Next, she tried to scratch by the wood-pile, but the ground was covered +with little chips, so she could not scratch there. + +Then she found Mother's pansy bed. The ground in it was so soft that it +was beautiful for scratching. + +So she called, "Cluck, cluck, cluck!" and her thirteen chicks came +running, and she scratched all over the pansy bed, to find bugs and +worms for them to eat. + +And all the little pansy plants were scratched up. + +Next, she went over to the big garden and found Father's radish bed. The +ground in it was so soft that it was a fine place for scratching. + +So she called, "Cluck, cluck, cluck!" and her thirteen chicks came +running, and she scratched all over the radish bed, to find something +for them to eat. + +And all the little radish plants were scratched up. + +One would think that the Old Brown Hen would not have needed to scratch +any more. But it takes a great deal to feed thirteen hungry, growing +chicks. + +So she kept hunting for other places to scratch; and it was not long +before she found Bobby's onion bed. + +Now Bobby had hoed in it and dug in it so much just the day before, +that it was _very_ soft and just beau-ti-ful for scratching. + +"What good luck!" thought the Old Brown Hen. "A finer place for +scratching I never saw." + +"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" she called; and her thirteen chicks came running, +and she scratched all over the onion bed, to find something for them to +eat. + +And all the little onion plants were scratched up. + +Then, because they had eaten all they wanted, she wallowed in the soft +earth until she had made a nice, comfortable place to sit. + +There she sat, in the middle of Bobby's onion bed, and the thirteen +chicks went under her wings to have a mid-day nap. + +The Old Brown Hen went to sleep, too. + +Soon the family came home. As they drove into the yard, Mother spied her +pansy bed and cried, "Somebody has been digging in my garden and has dug +all my little pansy plants up." + +Next, they came to the big garden, and when Father saw his radish bed, +he said, "Somebody's been digging in my garden and has dug all my radish +plants up." + +Then Bobby ran to look at his garden. When he saw it, he cried, +"Somebody's been digging in my garden and here she is fast asleep." + +When the Old Brown Hen heard Bobby shout, she woke up and ran away. + +And her little chicks ran in all directions and called, "Peep, peep, +peep!" + +"Let's catch her," said John. + +[Illustration: "When he saw it he cried, 'Somebody's been digging in my +garden and here she is fast asleep'"] + +Father and John and Bobby chased the Old Brown Hen and caught her and +put her in a chicken coop. + +Then she called, "Cluck, cluck, cluck!" and her thirteen chicks came +running. + +And there they lived until the chicks were grown up. + +And they did not scratch up any more gardens that Summer. + +And that is the end of the story of the Old Brown Hen. + + + + +[Illustration: THE SHEEP WASHING] + +IV + + +One morning in May, Bobby saw the flock of sheep going along the gravel +driveway toward the road. + +Rover and Bobby's big brother John were driving them. Hobson, the hired +man, went ahead. + +"Where are you taking the sheep?" asked Bobby. "Have you sold them?" + +"Come and you shall see," answered Father. "Do you want to ride with me +in the buggy, or help drive the sheep?" + +"I'd like to help," said Bobby. + +"Well, here is a long stick for you," said Father. + +Bobby was off like the wind and soon caught up with the others. + +The leader of the flock, the big bell wether, went ahead. All the other +sheep followed. Sometimes they tried to stop and eat grass by the +roadside. Bobby was after them with his long stick. + +Sometimes they tried to go into a farmer's yard. Rover chased them back +into the road. + +Once a big, black dog came from a farmyard, barking savagely. "Bow-wow, +bow-wow!" he said. The sheep were dreadfully frightened. Some ran up the +road and some ran down the road. + +Rover ran at the big, black dog and drove him back into his yard. Then +he and John and Hobson and Bobby brought the frightened sheep together +again and started them down the road. + +"I wonder where we are taking the sheep," thought Bobby. + +About ten o'clock, they came to a creek with a bridge over it. Across +the bridge they drove the sheep. On the other side, Hobson stopped them +and drove them to one side of the road. Farmer Hill tied Prince to the +fence. + +"Can you guess what we came for?" he asked. + +Bobby looked all around. John and Hobson and Rover were driving the +sheep into a pen at the edge of the creek. The pen was surrounded by a +fence of rails, with a gate near the water. + +Then the men put on the old clothes which they had brought in the +buggy, and went into the pen among the sheep. + +Bobby looked puzzled. + +"Let's take the bell wether first," said Mr. Hill; and John grabbed the +old sheep in spite of his ugly-looking horns. + +They took him through the gate and started to pull him toward the water. + +"Oh, Father, I know," shouted Bobby. "You are going to wash the sheep." + +When Bobby found that he had guessed right, he danced for joy. Then he +settled down to see how it would be done. + +Old Bell Wether was the largest sheep in the flock and had long, curved +horns. He had been washed every year of his life, but he never liked to +be dragged into the water. Now he held back with all the strength of his +four stout legs. + +John was in front, trying to pull him along. Farmer Hill and Hobson were +behind, trying to push him along. + +Suddenly, Old Bell Wether changed his mind. He lowered his head and +rushed forward, striking John a tremendous blow. + +Into the water went John. Bobby could not see a bit of him. + +Into the water, too, went Old Bell Wether. But his head was above water +and was moving out into the creek. + +Bobby could not move or speak. He feared that big brother John would be +drowned. + +Then he saw John rising out of the water and Father helping him back to +land. + +"Old Bell Wether played us a sharp trick," said Mr. Hill. + +"Oh, Father," shouted Bobby, "he is almost across the creek. He'll +surely get away." + +Farmer Hill was watching the pair of horns. + +"We'll get him," said he. + +He started toward the bridge, catching up a rope as he went. Hobson +followed. + +Before they could run across the bridge, Old Bell Wether walked up out +of the creek and started toward home. But he was tired after his swim, +and his wool was heavy with water. + +They soon overtook him and drove him into a corner of the rail fence at +the side of the road. + +"Now we have you," said Farmer Hill, as he threw the rope over his +horns. + +[Illustration: "Before they could run across the bridge, Old Bell Wether +walked up out of the creek and started for home"] + +Old Bell Wether had to submit and be led back over the bridge to the +sheep-pen. + +"You won't do that again, old boy," said John. "I'll be ready for you +this time." + +The men took him out into the water again. Keeping his head up so that +he could breathe, they washed his long wool until it was quite clean. + +Then they led him out of the water, into another sheep-pen, which had +been built to hold the sheep after they were washed. + +After all the sheep had been washed clean and white, they were started +home again. When they were part way home, they met another flock of +sheep coming down the road. + +"Drive ours up next to the fence," said Farmer Hill, "so they will not +get mixed with that flock." + +So they were driven up by the fence and kept there until the other flock +had passed on their way to be washed. + +Bobby rode with Father in the buggy the rest of the way. + +"How do they get the wool off the sheep?" he asked. + +"That," said Father, "will be something more for you to see, another +time. You won't have to wait many days." + +Bobby had a great story to tell Mother and Sue that night. + + + + +[Illustration: THE SHEEP SHEARING] + +V + + +A few days after the sheep had been washed at the creek, a strange man +named Mr. Price came to Cloverfield Farm one morning. + +"If you want to see something interesting," said Father to Bobby, "you +may come along with us." + +They all went down to the Old Red Barn, and Bobby noticed that the flock +of sheep had been driven into the basement. + +On the basement floor, near the gate which shut the sheep in their pen, +they put down a platform of boards, about six feet square. + +Then Mr. Price took several strange-looking things out of his bag. + +"What is that?" asked Bobby, pointing to one of them. + +"That is a pair of shears," said Mr. Price. + +"They do not look like my Mother's shears," said Bobby. + +"No, they don't," said Mr. Price. "But these are sheep-shears." + +"Oh, I know," shouted Bobby, jumping up and down; "you are going to +shear the sheep." + +"Right, my boy," said the man. "Now keep your eyes open." + +"You had better look out for Old Bell Wether," said Bobby. "He'll bunt +you over, as he did John down at the creek." + +"I've sheared thousands of sheep in my time," said Mr. Price, "and no +sheep ever bunted me over yet." + +The men brought out one of the smaller sheep through the gate, and +tipped her over on her side, on the smooth boards. Mr. Price, bending +over the sheep, began shearing off the wool close to the skin. + +After he had sheared the wool from the upper side, he turned the sheep +over and sheared the other side. + +Bobby was watching with all his eyes. + +When he had finished and the fleece lay flat on the platform, very white +and clean, Mr. Price let the sheep get up and run out in the barn-yard. + +"Ba-a-a--, Ba-a-a!" went the sheep, as she ran out, looking very small +and feeling very strange with her heavy coat of wool gone. + +Farmer Hill gathered up the wool and carried it to another part of the +basement, while John and Mr. Price brought out the next sheep. + +When Mr. Price had sheared four sheep, he said, "You might as well bring +the big wether next." + +"You must lose your wool, Mr. Bell Wether," said Bobby. "We need it to +make our clothes." + +"I think John had better help you hold him down," said Farmer Hill. "He +is a cantankerous old fellow." + +So John helped hold him, while Mr. Price sheared him. + +Old Bell Wether was a wise old sheep. He knew he could not get away from +two men. Besides, he was not sorry to lose the heavy coat which made him +so warm in the hot Spring days. + +Perhaps he knew that when a sheep squirms and kicks, the shearer may cut +off a bit of the skin instead of just taking the wool. + +At any rate, he lay very quiet until he was all sheared, and they let +him run out into the yard. + +"Oh, Father, Old Bell Wether didn't make a single bunt," shouted Bobby, +bounding off to the place where Mr. Hill was taking care of the fleeces. + +"Just see what I am doing," said Father. + +Farmer Hill had a queer-looking thing made of boards joined together +with hinges. It looked flat when he laid a fleece of wool on it. Then he +folded it up until it looked like a box, and the wool was pressed +together inside of it. + +There were pieces of strong wool twine in grooves on the inside of the +box. He tied them around the fleece so as to hold it firmly together. + +At last he opened the box and out came a solid fleece of wool, in the +shape of a cube about eighteen inches on each side. + +"Oh, let me feel of it," said Bobby. He pressed his hands and face +against the soft white wool. + +"How much do you guess it weighs?" asked Mr. Hill, as he put it on the +scales. + +"Fifty pounds," said Bobby. + +"Too much. Eight and a half," said Father, as he put the number down in +a book. + +"How do they make the wool into clothes?" asked Bobby. + +"It is first spun into yarn," said Father. "Do you remember the old +spinning wheel we have up in the attic?" + +"Oh, yes," said Bobby. "That is what I turn my buzz-saw with." + +"Well," said Father, "your grandmother used that wheel to spin yarn from +wool like this." + +"And then they knit stockings from the yarn," said Bobby. + +"Yes," said Father; "but my grandmother used to weave the yarn into +cloth on a loom. And she made the cloth into clothes for her children to +wear." + +"I wish Mother would spin yarn and make clothes," said Bobby. + +"We find it cheaper to sell the wool and buy our clothes," said Father. + +"And perhaps Mother has enough to do," said Bobby. + +Then they went back to get another fleece. + +When the sheep were all sheared, Rover drove them down the long lane to +their pasture. + +And it was not long before the whole flock were once more nibbling grass +in the meadow. + + + + +[Illustration: RED TOP] + +VI + + +The proudest creature on Cloverfield Farm was Red Top, the big rooster. + +He was called Red Top because of his beautiful, big red comb. + +Red Top was proud of his big red comb. He was proud of his glossy +reddish-brown feathers. He was proud of his crow. + +"Just hear those silly hens," he would say. "All they can do is to +cackle. But listen to my beautiful song. Cock-a-doodle-doo, +cock-a-doodle-doo! Was there ever a grander sound?" + +Every morning, on his perch in the hen-house, he would waken and crow +before the break of day. Then he would go out in front of the hen-house +and crow three or four times. + +But the place he liked best for crowing was a little mound near the +house. Farmer Hill's window was just above the little mound. John's +window was near by. + +Before they were awake, every morning in Summer, Red Top would go there +and crow at the top of his voice. + +Farmer Hill would waken and say, "There is Red Top. It is time to get +up." + +John would waken and say, "I wish Red Top would crow somewhere else." + +Then there came a holiday when they did not need to get up so early. +The evening before, Farmer Hill said, "I wish some one would keep Red +Top from crowing under my window to-morrow morning, so I could sleep." + +"I'll keep him away," said Bobby. + +"You will have to watch or he will get there in spite of you," said +Father. + +"I don't believe you _could_ keep him away," said John. + +"You'll see that I can," said Bobby. "Red Top can't get the start of +me." + +"If you keep him from crowing there to-morrow morning," said John, "I +will give you a dime." + +"Goody! I'll do it," said Bobby. "I'll put the dime in the box for my +new express wagon." + +Bobby put the alarm clock near his bed. It was set to wake him at four +o'clock. + +The next morning, after Red Top had crowed in the hen-house, he went out +into the yard and crowed three times. Then he started toward the house. +Very proudly he strutted along the path. + +He was just going around to the side of the house, when Bobby came out +of the back door. + +"Shoo, shoo!" said Bobby. "You must not crow near the house this +morning." + +And he drove Red Top back toward the corn crib. + +"That is too bad," thought Red Top. "They will miss my nice crow. I must +go again." + +So he went up the path again toward the little mound. Bobby was watching +and drove him back. + +"I will not let you crow here this morning," he said. "Shoo, shoo!" + +Six times Red Top tried to get to the little mound. Six times Bobby +drove him back. Finally, he drove him beyond the horse barn. + +"Crow for the walnut tree this morning," he said. + +"He won't get to the house again very soon," thought Bobby. So he went +over to the strawberry patch to see whether any strawberries were ripe. + +Suddenly, in the apple tree, a robin began to sing. A thrush joined him +from a near-by thicket. Birds began chirping in all the trees. + +The Eastern sky began to turn golden. The fleecy white clouds began to +look rosy. + +Bobby forgot all about the rooster. + +Soon there were birds singing everywhere--robins in the apple orchard, +an oriole in the elm tree, swallows flashing through the farmyard, +bluebirds and yellowbirds on every side. Bobolinks skimming over the +clover field, joined the chorus. + +Then on a low limb of the crab-apple tree, a meadow lark began to sing. +Bobby tried to find him, but could not see him among the branches. Such +a wonderful song he had never heard. + +The Eastern sky was getting more rosy and more golden. + +"It must be the sunrise that makes him so happy," thought Bobby. "I wish +I could sing like that." + +So there Bobby stood, golden sunrise in the East, singing birds around +him. + +Meanwhile, Red Top was quietly making his way to the house. As far as +the wood-pile he came, and Bobby did not drive him back. As far as the +pump he came. + +"I'll soon be there," he thought. + +A rooster in the next barn-yard crowed. Then Bobby remembered. + +He ran toward the house. There was Red Top on the little mound. + +"Oh, I must stop him before he crows," thought Bobby. He shouted, "Shoo, +shoo!" + +Just then a loud cock-a-doodle-doo rang out on the morning air. + +"I beat you, Bobby," it seemed to say. + +Father looked out of his window and said, "Red Top was smarter than you, +wasn't he?" + +"I am sorry I let him wake you," said Bobby. + +John put his head out of his window and called, "You have lost the +dime, Bobby." + +"I don't care," said Bobby. "I heard the birds and saw the sunrise." + +Then he chased Red Top down to the Old Red Barn, so Father could finish +his morning nap. + + + + +[Illustration: HAYING TIME] + +VII + + +One of the many pretty sights on the farm in early June, was the clover +field, all covered with red blossoms. + +It was an interesting place, too. + +Bobby and Rover loved to romp in it. The honey bees came to it to get +honey. The bobolinks, like flashes of black and white, skimmed over it +as they sang. The ground-birds had their nests in it. + +Bobby knew of three nests there. + +But the time had come for cutting the clover. + +One morning, Bobby saw Father and Hobson in the tool-shed and +went to see what they were doing. He found them busy about the +mowing-machine--oiling it, tightening the screws and sharpening the +knives. + +"Oh, Father, you aren't going to cut the grass now, are you?" said +Bobby. + +"Yes," said Father, "the clover is ready." + +"I wish it could be left all Summer," said Bobby. + +"But we must cut it," said Farmer Hill, "to make hay for the horses and +cows to eat next Winter." + +When the mower was ready, they hitched Prince and Daisy to it, and +Father climbed to the seat and drove to the hayfield. + +As the mower went around the field, it cut a wide swath of clover and +left it lying flat on the ground. + +A humming sound the mower made, a pleasant sound to a person some +distance away, a very loud sound to one near by. + +In one of the nests in the field, there was a mother bird and three +young birds. The little mother bird, there in the quiet clover field, +had never heard such a loud sound before. + +"What can it be that makes that big noise?" the frightened mother bird +thought as the mower passed close by. + +Then the sound grew fainter as the mower went to the other side of the +field. The little mother bird settled down happily in her nest. + +But it was not long before the sound came back again, closer and louder +than before. + +"What shall I do?" thought the mother bird. "What shall I do?" + +She might have flown away herself. But there were the three young birds +not yet old enough to fly. + +So she sat still while the terrible noise kept coming nearer. + +All this time, Bobby was playing here and there with Rover. Suddenly, +Bobby thought of something. He ran toward the mowing-machine, waving his +hands and shouting. + +"Stop, Father, stop!" he said. + +The mower made such a loud noise that Father could not hear what Bobby +was saying, but he could see his arms waving. + +"Whoa, Prince! Whoa, Daisy!" he said, and the horses stopped. + +"What is the matter, Bobby?" he asked. + +[Illustration: "'Stop, Father, stop!' he said"] + +"The bird's-nest! There's a nest right ahead," shouted Bobby. + +"A bird's-nest, is there?" said Father. "Well, we won't harm the nest. +Go and stand near it, Bobby, and I'll turn out for it." + +Bobby hunted around until he found it in the clover. Then he took his +stand beside it. + +Father clucked to the horses. "Get-up, Prince! Get-up, Daisy!" he said. +When he came near Bobby, he turned out and passed a few feet away, +leaving the nest all safe. + +Bobby stood there until Father went around the field and came back +again, so that the wheels of the mower would not run over the nest or +the horses step on it when passing on the other side. + +"Are there any more nests in the field?" asked Father. + +"There is one at that end," said Bobby, pointing toward the west; "and +one down there," pointing toward the east. + +"If you will set a tall stick in the ground near each one," said Mr. +Hill, "I can see where the nests are, and you won't have to stand +there." + +"All right," said Bobby, and he started toward the house for the sticks. + +As he was hunting for them, he remembered his little flags that always +stood in the corner of the parlor. + +"Why not use the flags to keep the bird's nests safe?" he thought. + +So he ran into the parlor, took three of the flags and ran back to the +clover field. + +In the nest at the western end of the field were four little birds. +Bobby pushed one of the sticks into the ground beside it, and the flag +floated in the breeze. + +Away to the other end of the field he ran, to the nest where there were +two little birds. He planted one of the sticks in the ground beside it, +and that flag floated in the breeze. + +Then he went to the nest where he had stood guard. "You shall have a +flag, too," he said. + +Farmer Hill kept driving around the field, cutting the clover. But when +he came near a flag, he turned out and left a patch of clover standing +around the nest. + +The sun shone brightly and dried the clover. The breezes blew over it +and dried it. Together they changed it from fresh grass into +sweet-smelling hay. + +The next day, John hitched Daisy to the hay-rake and drove it up and +down the field, raking the hay into long windrows. + +The hired men came with their pitchforks and pitched it into little +stacks or haycocks. + +But they were all careful not to touch the little patches of clover +where the flags flew. + +People driving along the road wondered why Farmer Hill had left the +three little patches of clover standing and why the three little flags +were there. + +But the three little mother birds knew and were happy. + + + + +[Illustration: ON TOP OF THE WORLD] + +VIII + + +For a few days, Bobby and Betty and Rover had fun playing hide-and-seek +among the haycocks. + +"Well, Bobby," said Father one morning, "can you and Betty spare the +hay, so we can draw it into the barn?" + +"Oh, no; we want to play in it some more," said Bobby. + +"We must put it into the barn before a rain comes," said Father. "Come +down to the field, you and Betty. Perhaps there will be some fun +to-day." + +Prince and Daisy were hitched to the big lumber wagon. Father and Hobson +took the wagon box off and put the wide hay-rack on. + +"Come, children, climb up on the rack for a ride to the field," said +Father. + +Father held Betty; but Bobby, sitting in the bottom of the rack, went +jigglety, jigglety, shakety, shake. + +And wasn't it fun! + +When they came to the field, Father helped the children off. Then he +drove along beside a haycock and stopped the horses. Hobson pitched the +hay onto the rack with his pitchfork. Father placed the hay around, so +the load would be even on both sides. Then he drove on and stopped at +the next haycock. + +Higher and higher the load grew. + +"Look at Father, Betty," said Bobby. "He is almost up to the sky." + +When the load was high enough, Father called to Hobson, "That will do." + +In the middle of the load, Father pushed the hay aside to make a nest. A +very big nest it was, too big for a robin, too big for the old brown +hen. + +Then he called down, "Bobby, how would you and Betty like to ride to the +barn on the load of hay?" + +"That would be grand," said Bobby; "but we can't get up there." + +Father said to Hobson, "I'm ready for the children now." + +Hobson lifted Bobby to the foot of the little ladder which is at the +front of a hay-rack. Bobby climbed up the ladder and Father reached down +and pulled him up to the top of the load. + +"Here's a safe place for you," said Father, as he put Bobby in the big +nest. + +Then Hobson lifted Baby Betty. "You had better bring her all the way +up," said Father. "She is too little to climb the ladder." + +Hobson carried her up the ladder and put her in the nest. + +"You may drive," said Father to Hobson. "I'll stay with the children." +So there they were in the nest, Father and Bobby and Betty, on top of +the big load of hay. + +All the way up the lane they rode. + +"We must be close to the sky," said Bobby. + +"We're on top of the world," said Father. + +Finally, they came to the Red Barn. The big front doors were open. Very +wide and high they were, but the load of hay reached almost to the top. + +"We must all scooch down," said Father, "or it will strike us." + +So they all bent over flat on the hay, while Prince and Daisy drew them +safely into the big barn. + +"Now we must climb down the ladder," said Bobby. + +"Wait a minute," said Father. "Sit quietly until I call you." + +Father climbed down. + +"Ready, Hobson," he called. + +Hobson took Bobby over to the side of the load. There was Father +standing below him, waiting with outstretched arms. + +"Slide down, Bobby; I'll catch you," said Father. + +Down the side of the load of hay slid Bobby, straight into Father's +arms. + +Then it came Betty's turn. + +"It's so high," she said. "I'm 'fraid." + +"Don't be scared; I'll catch you," said Father. + +"Father'll catch you," called up Bobby. + +Betty took courage. + +Down she slid, down the side of the load of hay, straight into Father's +arms. + +After that load was pitched into the hay-mow, they went for another, and +then another, all day long. + +Every time, Bobby and Betty rode in the nest on top of the load of hay. + + + + +[Illustration: BOBBY FORGETS] + +IX + + +In a chicken coop in the back yard at Cloverfield Farm, lived Old +Speckle with her ten chickens. + +It was Bobby's duty to feed them. Three times a day--morning, noon and +night--he would take the basin of corn meal and water which Mother had +stirred up, and would throw it by spoonfuls into the coop for the +chickens. + +Old Speckle would call, "Cluck, cluck, cluck!" and the ten little chicks +would come running to eat. + +He would throw some corn or wheat in for Old Speckle. + +One morning Mother said, "Here is the breakfast for the chickens, +Bobby." + +"I'll feed them right away," said Bobby. + +And he meant to. + +Taking the basin of meal in one hand and the basin of wheat in the +other, he started toward the chicken coop. + +When he was about half way there, he spied his new white rabbit poking +her nose out between the slats of the rabbit-pen. + +Bobby stopped. For a few moments he stood and watched her. Then he set +the two basins down on the ground and went over to the rabbit-pen. + +"I'll be back in a minute," he said to himself. "It won't hurt the +chickens to wait a little while for their breakfast." + +Bunny was so interesting with her long ears and her wiggly nose, that +Bobby stayed fifteen minutes, watching her. By that time, he had +forgotten all about Old Speckle and the chickens. + +Next he went to a corner of the rail fence to see whether there were any +more eggs in the robin's nest. He found four blue eggs. + +Then to the Duck Pond he went to see whether the little boat he had left +there the day before was still there. It was. He sailed it eleven times +across the pond. + +When he was through sailing the boat, he saw Rover coming through the +orchard. + +"Hello, Rover," he said, "let's go to the barn." + +And they went down the lane to the Big Red Barn, leaving Old Speckle and +the ten little chicks still unfed. + +"Why doesn't Bobby come with our breakfast?" thought the hungry little +chicks. + +"Why doesn't Bobby come with our breakfast?" thought Old Speckle. "My +poor little chicks will starve." + +Meanwhile the Big Rooster found the basin of meal and the basin of +wheat. + +"What a nice breakfast!" he thought. + +And he ate it all up. + +When noon time came, the dinner bell rang. + +"Come, Rover," said Bobby. "Let's go up to dinner right away. It's a +long time since breakfast." + +Perhaps it was because he was hungry that Bobby suddenly remembered +something. + +Anyway, he began to run as fast as his legs would carry him and ran all +the way up the lane, Rover at his heels. + +And, as he ran, he kept thinking, "A long time since breakfast! But the +little chickens didn't have any breakfast at all." + +When he came to the spot where he had left the two basins, there the two +basins were, but both empty. + +He looked over toward the chicken coop. + +There was Old Speckle walking back and forth, putting her head out +between the slats every once in a while, and looking greatly +distressed. + +There were the little chicks saying, "Peep, peep, peep," as they tried +to find something to eat in the grass. + +Bobby took the basins into the house. + +"Mother," he asked, "did you feed the chickens?" + +"No," said she, "that is your chore, Bobby." + +"But how came the basins empty?" asked he. + +Mother could not answer. But at that very moment, the Big Rooster +crowed, "Cock-a-doodle-doo! I had a fine breakfast." + +Mother stirred up another basin of meal while Bobby got some more wheat. +He took them quickly to the chickens and threw the food into the coop. + +"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" Old Speckle called. + +"Peep, peep, peep!" cried the little chicks, as they came running to +eat. + +Bobby watched them until it was nearly gone. + +"Now you feel better, don't you?" said he. "And I feel better, too," he +added. + +Which was strange, wasn't it? + +For Bobby had not yet had his dinner. + + + + +[Illustration: ROVER GOES TO THE STORE] + +X + + +Rover was useful in many ways about the farm. Sometimes he even went to +the village store on errands. + +One morning in Summer, Mrs. Hill needed some meat for dinner. She wrote +a note and put it in a certain basket. With it she put a purse and +covered them with a white cloth. Then she went to the door and called, +"Rover! Rover!" + +Rover came bounding up the path. + +"I want you to go to the store," said Mrs. Hill, giving him the basket. + +Rover took the handle in his mouth, trotted down the path to the road +and turned toward the village. As he passed the Allen farmhouse, he saw +Sport, a little brown dog with whom he often played. + +Sport came running out with a few friendly barks which meant, "Come on, +Rover, I am ready for a frolic." + +Rover turned his head toward his little friend, but kept trotting right +on, with a look that plainly said, "I can't stop to play now. I'm on +important business." + +When he came to Mr. Brown's store, there were some men standing on the +steps. + +"Well, Rover," said one of the men, "what did you come for to-day?" + +Rover looked at the man, but walked right on, pushed the screen door +open and went into the store. + +"Good morning, Rover," said Mr. Brown. "What can I do for you?" + +Rover put the basket on the floor and then looked up. Mr. Brown took out +the white cloth and found the note Mrs. Hill had put there. + +"Two pounds of beefsteak. Very well," said he. + +He weighed a piece and wrapped it with paper and put it in the basket. +Out of the purse he took a bill and put some change back. + +Then he covered them with the white cloth and put a brown wrapping paper +on top, to keep out the dust. + +"You can take this home now, and mind you don't lose it," said he, as he +held the door open. + +Rover took up the basket and went down the steps. + +"A pretty smart dog!" said one of the men, as Rover trotted along. + +Down the street he went, with the basket held high from the ground. + +Rover could smell the meat, and it made him feel hungry. But he had +never touched anything that he carried in his basket and he did not do +it now. + +When he came to the house where Ned Hopkins lived, he saw Ned sitting on +the fence, whittling a stick. + +"I'll try to make Rover drop that basket," said Ned. He whistled and +called, "Here, Rover, get it," as he threw the stick across the road. + +Rover stopped and looked longingly at it. One of his favorite games was +to fetch sticks that were thrown for him. But he did not run after it +this time. + +"Come, Rover, old dog," said Ned, getting down from the fence; "let me +see what is in your basket." He patted Rover on the neck and then +reached over to take the basket. + +Rover held the handle tightly in his teeth and growled, "Gr-r-r-" + +Ned had never heard Rover growl like that before. + +"Oh, well, if that is the way you feel about it, I won't bother you," +said he. + +"Gr-r-r-r! You had better not," growled Rover. And he started on up the +road. + +After leaving the village, he came to a house where a man named Mr. Hook +lived all alone. Mr. Hook was sitting in his front yard as Rover came +along. + +"I wonder what is in the basket to-day," he thought. + +"Rover, old dog, wait a minute," he called. + +Rover stopped and looked around. The basket felt quite heavy by this +time, so he was glad to set it down on the ground. + +Mr. Hook came up and patted him on the head. "Nice old dog! Nice Rover," +he said. "What is in your basket?" + +He put out his hand to take it. But Rover seized the handle and started +toward home. + +Mr. Hook looked up and down the road. There was no one in sight. + +"Here, Ponto! Come, Ponto!" he called; and his own dog came running +out--a big, black dog. + +"Get him, Ponto," said the man. + +Ponto ran after Rover and attacked him savagely. Rover had to put the +basket down, to defend himself. + +Ponto soon found he was getting the worst of it and turned to run. + +Rover chased him down the road, leaving the basket alone on the ground. +That was exactly what Mr. Hook wanted. He went quickly up to it and +lifted the paper and the white cloth. + +"Just what I thought!" he said to himself. "That would taste pretty good +for dinner. The dog won't know the difference." + +He reached down to take the beefsteak out. + +But Rover had finished chasing Ponto and was on the way back. When he +saw the man reaching into his basket, he ran back as fast as he could +go. + +"Bow-wow! bow-wow!" he barked. He looked so big and savage, and he +barked and growled so loud, that Mr. Hook dropped the meat back into +the basket. But he did not wait to put the white cloth and the brown +paper over it. + +Rover took the basket up and walked swiftly toward home. Mr. Hook stood +looking after him and thinking, "I wish that dog were not so big and +savage." + +Bobby was waiting for Rover under the maple tree in the front yard, and +they walked to the house side by side. + +As Rover set the basket on the floor, Mrs. Hill picked it up and said, +"I wonder why the meat is on top of the cloth and the paper." + +But Rover did not tell. + + + + +[Illustration: THE DUCKS A-SWIMMING GO] + +XI + + +"Quack, quack, quack!" said the Big White Duck, as he started down to +the Duck Pond below the orchard. + +"Quack, quack, quack!" said the six other ducks, as they fell in line +behind the leader. + +"Let's all a-swimming go," they said. + +And away they all went, waddling along in a procession, one behind +another. + +But when they got there, the Duck Pond was dry. + +"It is very strange," thought the ducks. "What has happened to our +pond?" + +But all they said was, "Quack, quack, quack!" as they walked on the dry +earth where the water had been. + +Before long the leader started back toward the farmyard. + +So all the ducks fell in line and waddled back, one behind another. They +drank from the tub of water at the pump, but they could not swim in it +because it was too small, and so they could not keep their feathers +clean and white. + +Now this is why the Duck Pond was dry. + +For weeks there had been no rain at Cloverfield Farm. + +Every day the sun had shone brightly all day. + +The ground was very dry. The grass was dead and brown. The cistern had +become empty. In the road the dust was several inches deep. + +"The plums and peaches are falling from the trees," said Farmer Hill. +"If it doesn't rain soon, we won't have any fruit." + +"My flowers are dying," said Mother. + +They watched the sky every day, to see if there were any signs of rain. + +"I see a little cloud," said Bobby every few days. "Perhaps it will rain +to-day." + +But the little cloud would float lazily across the sky and bring no +rain. + +Every day the ducks would go in a procession down to the Duck Pond to +swim. Every day they would find the Duck Pond dry and come back, one +behind another, and take a drink from the tub of water at the pump. + +And so five weeks passed. + +At last, one day, big clouds gathered in the sky. + +Bobby saw them first and came running in to tell the news. + +"It's going to rain," he shouted. "See the big, big clouds." + +Mother and Sue went to the door and looked out. + +"It's surely going to rain," they said. + +"I'll help put the windows down," said Bobby. And he ran to do it. + +The men stopped work and put the horses in the barn, so they would not +get wet. The hens and chickens went under the shed. The cows in the +pasture went under the big trees. + +It was not long before the lightning flashed and the thunder crashed +and the rain came down. + +They all went to the Big South Window to watch the storm--Father, +Mother, John, Sue, Bobby and Betty. + +"I like to watch a storm," said Bobby. + +"It is a good sight," said Father. "Now the corn and potatoes will grow +and the fruit will stay on the trees." + +"My flowers will blossom again," said Mother, "and we'll have water in +the cistern." + +"I hope it will make the grass green," said Sue. + +"I hope it will fill the Duck Pond," said Bobby, "so I can sail my boats +and the ducks can have a swim." + +As they stood there, suddenly Bobby called out, "Oh, see the ducks!" +There they were in the rain, waddling around in the pools of water. + +"Quack, quack, quack!" said the Big White Duck. "Isn't this grand?" + +"Quack, quack, quack!" said the six other ducks, as they shook their +feathers and waggled their tails. + +After the rain had stopped and the pools had begun to dry up, Bobby saw +the Big White Duck start off toward the Duck Pond. + +All the other ducks followed, one behind another. + +Down to the Duck Pond they went and found it full of water. + +So all the ducks a-swimming went and were content. + + + + +[Illustration: THE RESCUE] + +XII + + +The day after the big rain, Bobby and Rover were down at the Duck Pond. + +Bobby would throw a stick out into the middle of the pond and shout, +"Get it, Rover." + +Rover would jump into the water, swim out to the stick and bring it back +in his mouth. Nine times Bobby threw the stick into the pond. Nine times +Rover brought it back. + +When they had done that long enough, Rover shook himself to get the +water out of his coat, and lay down on the bank to dry. + +Bobby spied an old raft, lying at one edge of the pond, under the willow +tree. "I'll play on the raft," he thought. + +It was only a few days since Mother had said, "Never go on the raft, +Bobby, unless Father or John is at the pond with you." + +"Oh, pshaw!" thought Bobby. "There is no danger; I'll have a little +fun." + +For some time he was content to keep near the shore, just pushing the +raft around a little with a long pole. Then, growing bolder, he thought, +"I'll go clear across the pond. Mother will never find it out." + +So across the pond he started. Near the middle the water was deeper, so +he had to go to the edge of the raft and lean over to make his pole +touch bottom. + +A little farther, and a little farther, he leaned. The raft began to tip +and the first thing Bobby knew, he went head first into the water. + +Down he went, to the bottom of the pond. + +When he came up, he was lucky enough to be near the raft, and he grabbed +the edge of it. + +"Help! help!" he shouted. He tried to climb up on the raft but could not +do it. + +No one heard him shout, except the ducks that were swimming not far off. +They said, "Quack, quack, quack!" but they could not help him. + +Rover, over on the bank, was dozing in the sun. The first time Bobby +called, Rover wiggled his ears but went on dozing. + +Bobby shouted again, "Help! help!" + +Rover heard this time and stood up and looked out over the water. + +He saw Bobby clinging to the raft. Into the water he jumped and swam as +fast as he could. + +When he came near, Bobby said, "Oh, Rover, can't you help me out?" He +took hold of Rover's collar with his right hand but still clung to the +raft with his left hand. + +Rover tried to swim toward the shore but the raft was so heavy he could +not go very fast. So Bobby let go of the raft and then Rover could pull +him along. + +Bobby clung to Rover's collar until they reached shallow water. + +"I'm glad you were near, Rover," he said, when they were on dry ground. + +[Illustration: "Bobby clung to Rover's collar until they reached shallow +water"] + +Bobby did not want to go to the house and tell Mother what had happened, +but there was no other way. + +So Bobby, all wet and drippy, and Rover, all wet and drippy, went to the +house together. + +"Why Bobby Hill, what have you been doing?" asked Mother, when she saw +his wet, muddy clothes. + +When he told her about getting on the raft she looked surprised. When he +told her what Rover did, she turned and patted Rover's neck and said, +"Good dog, good dog!" + +"Of course, you will have to go to bed while your clothes get dry," she +said to Bobby. + +"Can't I put on one of my clean suits?" he asked. + +"No," said Mother. "When boys get on rafts and fall into the water, +they always go to bed while their clothes dry." + +So to bed Bobby went in the middle of the day. + +Mother washed his clothes and hung them to dry in the shade of the apple +tree. + +Sue tied a blue ribbon on Rover's collar, and Mother gave him a plate of +cold roast beef with potatoes and gravy. + + + + +[Illustration: BOBBY'S HORSEBACK RIDE] + +XIII + + +Of all the horses on Cloverfield Farm, Prince was the one the children +liked best. + +Prince would take a lump of sugar from Bobby's hand and not bite him. He +would let Bobby and Betty come near and not kick them. + +Sometimes Bobby rode on Prince's back, very slowly, with Father walking +along beside. + +"When shall I be allowed to go trotting down the road all alone, like +John and Sue?" asked Bobby. + +"Not until you are older," answered Father. + +One day Bobby was down in the field where Hobson was working. When the +dinner bell rang, Bobby said, "Let me ride Prince up to the barn." + +"You might fall off," said Hobson. "I think I had better not let you." + +"I can hang on," said Bobby. "Father lets me ride sometimes." + +Hobson thought a moment. "All right; if you'll be careful, I'll let you +ride this time," he said. + +He let Daisy go on ahead, and then lifted Bobby to Prince's back with +the big, clumsy work harness still on. + +"Hold on tight and go slow," said he, as he gave Bobby the check rein. + +Through the gap into the lane went Daisy, up the lane toward the barn. +Prince and Bobby followed. + +When Father let Bobby ride up to the barn, he always walked along +beside. But after Hobson had started them off, he went across lots to +the barn. + +So there was Bobby riding Prince all alone. + +How big and grand he felt! + +When they were part way up the lane, Daisy, who was in a hurry for her +dinner, began to trot. + +"Let us trot, too," said Bobby. "Get-up, Prince." + +Prince was hungry and thirsty. So when Bobby said a second time, +"Get-up, Prince," and pulled on the check rein, Prince began to trot. + +Father was in the farmyard at the head of the lane, fixing the drill for +the wheat sowing. + +[Illustration: "Bobby felt happy and grand. Prince felt happy and +grand"] + +"I can ride as well as John or Sue," thought Bobby. "I'll show Father I +can." + +Up and down, up and down, he bounded as Prince trotted along. + +Prince was enjoying it too. + +"I'll give Bobby a good ride," he thought. And he arched his neck and +trotted proudly up the lane. + +Bobby felt happy and grand. + +Prince felt happy and grand. + +Now along the sides of the lane, there were thistle patches; and in one +place near the head of the lane, there was a low stone pile with +thistles growing up between the stones. + +Bobby always kept away from thistle patches when he was barefoot. + +They had gotten almost to the head of the lane, when Prince began to +trot faster. Bobby bounded up and down higher than ever, his bare feet +hitting the horse's sides at every step. + +And then, the first thing he knew, he began to slide off. + +"Whoa! whoa!" he shouted. + +He grabbed a piece of the harness and tried to hold on, but at every +step Prince took he slid farther. + +"Whoa! whoa!" he shouted again. + +Prince slowed up, but it was too late. He turned his head just in time +to see Bobby tumble to the ground. Then he stopped stock still. + +Down on the stones and the thistles Bobby fell. + +This was bad enough, but then he rolled against Prince's hind foot, a +little stunned by the fall. + +Father saw Bobby fall and ran toward him, thinking as he ran, "Oh, what +if Prince steps on Bobby or kicks him?" + +And Father ran faster than he had ever run before. + +But there Prince stood and kept his foot as still as still could be, +until Father came and pulled Bobby away. Then Prince started on to the +barn. + +"Are you hurt?" asked Father. + +"Not much," replied Bobby, as he rubbed his bruises. + +Father helped him get the thistles out of his bare feet and legs. There +were sixteen. + +"That was a grand ride, though," said Bobby. + +They went to the barn together and came up to Prince at the +watering-trough. + +Father took Prince's face in his two hands and in his kindest voice +said, "You are a wonderful horse, Prince. Thank you for being careful of +my Bobby. You shall have some extra oats to-day." + +When Sue was told about it, she found another blue ribbon and tied it on +Prince's bridle. + + + + +[Illustration: THE BIG SOUTH WINDOW] + +XIV + + +Mother's favorite place in all the house was by the big window in the +sitting-room. It was on the south side of the house; so they called it +the Big South Window. + +On bright days the sun shone through it and flooded the sitting-room +with golden sunshine. From it Mother could see green fields near by and +purple hills in the distance and the blue sky over all. + +"I love my Big South Window," she often said. + +She sat there to do the sewing and mending. She sat there to read and +sometimes just to enjoy the view--orchard and woods, green fields and +the big elm tree, purple hills and blue sky. + +One day in Autumn, a letter came to Mother from her sister. "Please come +and make me a visit," the letter said. + +"I do not see how I can go," said Mother. "There are so many things to +be done here." + +"Oh, yes, you must go," said Father. "You have not had a vacation in a +long time. We'll get Aunt Martha to come and keep house." + +"I'll look after the chickens and the ducks," said Bobby. "And I'll keep +the wood box full for Aunt Martha." + +So one day in October Mother said good-by and went away on her long +journey. She was to be gone three weeks. + +From the very first, Bobby missed her greatly. Most of all he missed her +at evening, when she was not there to tell him a good-night story. But +for the first week he stood it very well, his extra chores helping to +pass the time away. + +After that it seemed such a long time since he _had_ seen her, and such +a very long time until he _would_ see her, that he could scarcely wait. + +Every morning he counted the days until she would come home. When the +second week had passed, he could say, "Only seven more days until Mother +comes home." + +That day, after he had fed the chickens and ducks and filled the wood +box, he went into the sitting-room and sat in Mother's rocker and +looked out through her favorite window. + +Then he noticed how dirty it was. + +"That will never do," thought Bobby. "Her window must be as bright and +shiny as if she were here to look at it." + +Bobby washed the big window on the inside and then he went outside. By +standing on the kitchen stool and getting Aunt Martha to push down the +upper sash, he could reach the top. + +So with feeding the chickens and the ducks, and romping with Rover, and +looking after Betty, and watching the men at work, and playing with his +blocks and trains, and reading a book which Mother sent him, another +week passed. + +At last came the morning when it was only a few hours before she would +come. + +Bobby could hardly eat any breakfast for the joy of it. + +All the forenoon, he and Sue were sweeping and dusting and putting the +house in order. + +Sue picked some pansies from Mother's pansy bed and put them in a dish +on the dining table. + +Bobby went to the fence corners and picked some beautiful red +bitter-sweet for the sitting-room. Last of all, they washed the Big +Window. + +After dinner, to pass the time away, Bobby took his ball and began to +bounce it on the side of the house. + +"I'll see whether I can catch it a hundred times," thought he. + +Ninety-seven times he caught it. "I'll soon have a hundred," he said. +"Won't that be fine to tell Mother?" + +He screwed up his mouth and threw the ball again. But instead of hitting +the boards it hit the Big South Window. + +Crash went the glass, in dozens of pieces, to the ground. + +"Oh! oh!" moaned Bobby, as he stood looking at the ruined window. + +"Why did I do it? Why _did_ I do it?" + +Sue heard the crash and came to see what had happened. + +"It is too bad," said she. + +"I must get another glass put in before Mother comes home," he said. + +"There is not time," said Sue. "And probably there is not so large a +pane without going to the city. But we can pick up the pieces and make +it look as tidy as possible." + +So they picked up the pieces, and Bobby carried them off to the barrel +where they kept broken glass and dishes. + +When Bobby had put the broken pieces of glass in the barrel, he went +into the sitting-room. How ugly the Big Window looked now, with the big, +jagged hole in it and the glass cracked in all directions. He felt the +chill November air coming in through the broken pane. + +"It will never do," thought he. "I must get a new pane put in right +away." + +He went to his bank, which was standing on the clock-shelf. In it he +found four dollars, which he had been saving for a long time to buy a +new Express Wagon. + +"I hope it will be enough," he said. + +There was only one man in the village who kept window glass--Mr. Barlow, +the carpenter. As fast as he could run, Bobby ran to the village, and as +he ran, he kept thinking, "Will he be at home? Will he have a big +glass?" + +When Bobby reached Mr. Barlow's shop, as soon as he could get his +breath, he said, "Oh, Mr. Barlow, have you a big window pane? I've +broken our Big South Window." + +"Broken your Big South Window, have you? Well, that is too bad. I think +I haven't one now, and to-morrow is Sunday; but I'll get you one on +Monday when I go to the city." + +"Oh, but it must be put in to-day," said Bobby. "I have the money to pay +you. Would four dollars be enough?" + +"I think that would be enough," said Mr. Barlow. "But I will have to +nail boards over it to-night and get a big pane Monday." + +"But I do so want it put in to-day," said Bobby. "Mother is coming home +on the four o'clock train." + +"So your mother's coming home, is she?" He saw the anxious look on +Bobby's face. + +"I will see what I can find," he said. + +Mr. Barlow's shop was piled full of all sorts of things for building +houses. Besides his work bench and tool chests, there were piles of +lumber, bundles of shingles, odd window sashes and, in one corner, some +window panes. He went to this corner and looked over the panes. + +"No," he said, "there is nothing big enough." + +Bobby began to look here and there. Back of a pile of lumber, he found +two window panes. + +"Here, Mr. Barlow," he called. "Here are some big ones." + +"Well! well! I had forgotten them," said Mr. Barlow. He came back there +and measured them. "Almost big enough," he said, "but not quite. I +remember just the size of your big window. These lack three inches. + +"I'm afraid you will have to wait, sonny," he added. + +Bobby tried to keep back the tears, but they would come; he was so +disappointed. Mr. Barlow thought a moment. + +"I'll tell you what I'll do," said he. "I had some big windows taken +over to Mr. Martin's new house this morning. He is going to have two +windows just the size of yours. If they are not yet put in, I think Mr. +Martin will let me take one for you and get him another next week." + +Bobby and the carpenter went over to Mr. Martin's house. They found that +one of the big panes had already been put in, and the man was just going +to start on the other. + +"Wait a minute," said Mr. Barlow. "We may not want that one put in +to-day." + +Then he said to Mr. Martin, "Will you let me put that big pane into Mr. +Hill's window? I'll get another one for you on Monday." + +"Why not get Mr. Hill's on Monday?" asked Mr. Martin. + +"Well, you see, Bobby broke their big window and his mother is coming +home to-day," said the carpenter. + +"I see," said Mr. Martin. "Well, in that case, I'll help a little chap +out." + +Mr. Barlow hitched up his horse and put the big pane of glass in the +wagon. They reached the house with the big pane all safe. + +While Mr. Barlow put it in, Bobby stood watching him and looking at the +clock every once in a while. When it was all done, he handed the four +dollars to Mr. Barlow. + +"And thank you ever so much for coming to-day," he said. + +"It won't take as much as that," said the carpenter. And he handed a +dollar back to Bobby. + +"What time did you say Mother was coming?" he asked. + +"On the four o'clock train," answered Bobby. + +"There is time to wash it if you will bring the things," said Mr. +Barlow. + +Bobby washed the inside, while Mr. Barlow washed the outside. + +And there was the Big Window, whole and bright and shiny again. + +It was not long before Father and John came up to the house with Prince, +to go to the train. Bobby and Sue and Betty all got into the carriage. +Rover ran along beside it. + +On the way to the station, Bobby told Father all about the window. + +In a short time, the train came in sight down the track. In a few +moments more, Bobby saw Mother coming from the train and ran to meet +her. + +And it was not long before she was home again, and they were all +visiting together in the sitting-room. + +As she sat in the big rocker near the window, Mother said, "I saw many +beautiful sights on my trip, but none that I like better than the view +from my beautiful, shiny, big window." + +And then wasn't Bobby Hill happy! + + + + +[Illustration: ONE STORMY NIGHT] + +XV + + +A few weeks after Mother came home, they were all gathered in the +sitting-room after supper. + +Outside, the rain beat against the window panes and the wind made a +mournful sound among the evergreens. + +Inside, all was bright and cheery. In the coal stove a fire was burning. +On the table a big lamp sent a bright light through the room. + +Baby Betty had been put to bed, but Bobby sat at the table, reading a +new book. + +"It is almost bedtime for you," said Mother. + +"Can't we have a game of dominoes before I go?" asked Bobby. + +Mother looked at the clock. "Just one," she said. + +So they all gathered around the table in the center of the room--Father, +Mother, John and Sue and Bobby. + +Father and Bobby were partners. They got two hundred points first and so +won the game. + +When the game was over, John went down cellar and brought up a pan of +apples. Bobby and Sue went to the attic and brought down a basin of +walnuts. And as they were eating the walnuts and the apples, they had a +merry time. + +"I am glad we have such a comfortable place on this stormy night," said +Mother. + +"I always like our long Winter evenings," said Father. + +Bobby was cracking nuts. Suddenly he stopped and listened to the rain. + +"I hope the squirrels in the apple tree have plenty of nuts to-night," +said he. + +At half past eight, Bobby went upstairs to bed. Mother tucked him in and +told him a good-night story. It was about Daniel in the Lion's Den that +night. + +When she came down, Father was reading his paper on one side of the +table. Across from him, John sat reading a book. Sue was softly playing +on the piano. + +Mother stopped a moment in the doorway to enjoy the scene. + +"Winter time or Summer time, home is best," she thought. + +Then she took her place in the easy chair which John had drawn up for +her near the lamp, and opened her book to read. + +Upstairs, Bobby lay awake for some time, listening to the wind and rain. + +Then he fell asleep and dreamed that he was in the hayfield playing with +Rover; and the sound he heard was not the storm but the hum of the mower +cutting the clover. + + +THE END + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Bobby of Cloverfield Farm, by Helen Fuller Orton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOBBY OF CLOVERFIELD FARM *** + +***** This file should be named 28652.txt or 28652.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/6/5/28652/ + +Produced by Mark C. 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