"The sun is shining, Meg! Meg, get up!" shouted Dot early the next morning. "We're going on a picnic!"
She made so much noise that she woke up Aunt Polly and Linda, as well as Bobby and Twaddles, and then, of course, there was nothing to do but to get up and have breakfast.
The four little Blossoms found Peter and Jud busy in the barn, putting clean straw in the bottom of the box wagon that was used to haul logs and brushwood in in the winter.
"Be ready in two jerks of a lamb's tail," announced Peter, using one of his favorite expressions.
When the heavy wagon rattled up to the front door, the four little Blossoms were already sitting on the straw. Aunt Polly and Linda were helped in by Jud, who also lifted in the boxes of lunch, and then Peter clucked to Jerry and Terry, and away they went, over the meadow into the woods, and up the narrow wagon road.
"See, isn't this pretty?" asked Aunt Polly, as the road suddenly came out into a clearing, and they saw the brook a bit ahead of them.
They all jumped out, and Peter turned the horses' heads toward home at once. He was anxious to get back to his work, but was coming for them at half-past four.
"We must get some flowers for the table," said Aunt Polly, after she had helped Linda put the boxes in a low branch of a tree where nothing could touch them. "Come, children, let's get a bouquet of flowers."
They gathered wild flowers, and also found some late blackberries which, placed on a wide green leaf as a dish, looked very pretty. Linda spread a white cloth presently, and was opening the boxes when the sound of a rattling wagon attracted her attention.
"If that doesn't sound like Mr. Sparks' old rig," said Linda curiously.
"It is," announced Dot complacently. "Twaddles and me asked him to come to the picnic, 'cause he gave Meg and Bobby the calf."
Although Aunt Polly murmured helplessly, "what will those children do next!" they were all very glad to see Mr. Sparks when he finally rattled up. And there was plenty of everything to eat--trust Aunt Polly and Linda for that.
Mr. Sparks brought a freezer of ice-cream with him, which his wife had made, as his contribution to the picnic, and though he had to go as soon as lunch was over, he assured the children that he had had a splendid time.