In a minute more the Bobbsey twins were at the barn where the sugar and
molasses cookies Dinah had given them were put in a safe place.

"There are the ropes!" exclaimed Bert, as he pointed to some dangling
from a beam near the haymow.

"They're too high to climb!" Nan said, for some of the ropes were fast
to the rafters of the barn.

"Oh, we won't climb 'em!" Bert quickly returned, for he knew his mother
would never allow this. "We'll just swing on 'em, low down near this
pile of hay, so if we fall we can't hurt ourselves."

"I want to swing on a rope, too!" exclaimed Freddie, as he heard what
his older brother and sister were talking of. "I like to be a sailor and
swing on a rope."

"Not now, Freddie," answered Bert. "The ropes are too high for you and
Flossie. You just play around on the barn floor, and you can watch Nan
and me swing. Then we'll play steamboat, maybe."

"I want to be the steam, and go puff-puff!" cried Freddie.

"And I want to be the captain and say 'All aboard!'" was Flossie's wish.

"You can take turns," agreed Bert. "Now don't get in our way, Flossie
and Freddie. Nan and I want to see how big a swing we can take by
holding to the ropes."

"All right. I'll go and see if I can find any eggs," replied Freddie.