"I think it would be nice if we could play by ourselves," said Meg
gently, in answer to Bobby's question.

Meg and Bobby sometimes felt that they would like to play a game
without the aid of Dot and Twaddles. Not that they did not love
the small sister and brother dearly, but Meg and Bobby usually
liked to do the very same thing in the very same way, and Dot and
Twaddles were apt to want to do it six different ways and all at
once! That, as you may understand, occasionally led to disputes.

"Take your lunch and play at Mr. Harley's house?" said Mother
Blossom, laying down her pencil and smiling at the two earnest
faces. "I don't know why not. I'll put some sandwiches up for you
as soon as I finish this list."

"And may just Meg and I go, Mother?" added Bobby coaxingly.

"Oh, Bobby, you know the twins will be disappointed," Mother
Blossom replied. "They do love to poke around that shack and I'm
afraid they will feel hurt if they think you do not want them."

She tapped her pencil absently on the desk for a moment.

"I tell you, children," she cried, putting an arm around each.
"Suppose you and Meg, Bobby, go on to the shack and play by
yourselves this morning; then, at noon, I'll send the twins with
lunch for all of you and you stay an hour or two longer and play
with them. How will that be?"

Meg and Bobby thought this was a splendid plan, and, only stopping