"Oh, I don't mind!" exclaimed the good-natured Sam. "Hop along!"

"Didn't you ever like to play outdoors, Sam?" questioned Bert, as he and
Nan started to leave the barn.

"Suah I did," answered Sam. "When I was a youngster like you I loved to
go fishin' and swimmin' in the ole hole down by the crick."

"Oh, Sam, did you like to swim?" went on the Bobbsey boy quickly.

"I suah did, Bert. Down in our pa'ts I was considered the bestes'
swimmer there."

"Some day I'm going to see you, Sam," declared Bert. "Maybe you could
teach me some new strokes."

"I doan know about that, Bert. You see, I ain't quite so limber as what
I used to be when I was your age or jest a little older. Now you jest
hop along, both of you, and enjoy yourselves."

So Nan and Bert went out to find some other way of having fun. They
wanted to have all the good times they could, as school would soon begin
again.

"But we'll have a vacation at Thanksgiving and Christmas and New
Year's," said Nan, as she and her brother talked it over.

"Thanksgiving's a long way off," said Bert, with a sigh.

The two children were walking along the side path toward the front yard