"I haven't told you the very nicest part of the plan," said Mother
Blossom, as she served the pudding. "If we go, and mind you,
children, nothing is definitely settled yet, Daddy will drive us
in the new car and we'll stop at Brookside to see Aunt Polly!"

They were all in bed long before Father Blossom came home, and the
next morning Meg and Bobby hurried off to school, leaving the
twins to talk about the proposed trip.

"I'll tell you the story of Apple Tree Island to-night," Father
Blossom had promised them at breakfast. "I think I can safely say
that we will go in a week or so, or as soon as Mother can get you
ready and make her plans. I have to get some equipment for the
car, too."

So there was a story connected with this island which had such a
pretty name! No wonder the four little Blossoms thought it must be
a wonderful place. They were so anxious to be off that it seemed
to them they simply could not be patient for two long weeks.

"But school doesn't close--not until the middle of May!" Meg
voiced this distressing thought when she and Bobby were at the Oak
Hill school door. "Oh, Bobby, wouldn't it be awful if every one
went to Apple Tree Island except us!"

Bobby insisted that such a dreadful thing wasn't to be thought of,
but the idea troubled him all through the morning session. At
noon, for he and Meg went home to lunch, he asked Mother Blossom
whether she thought he and Meg would be left out of the island