"Dat's what yo' is, honey lamb! Dat's what yo' is!" Dinah exclaimed.
"An' ef I could see dat man ob mine, Sam Johnson, I'd make him take
some ob dese yeah t'ings."

As Dinah spoke there came from around the corner of the house a tall,
slim colored man, who as soon as he saw the party of returning
travelers, ran forward to help them carry their luggage.

"Well, it's about time dat yo' come t' help us, Sam Johnson!"
exclaimed his wife. "It's about time!"

"Didn't know yo' all was a-comin', Dinah! Didn't know yo' all would
get heah so soon, 'deed I didn't!" Sam exclaimed, with a laugh, that
showed his white teeth in strange contrast to his black face.
"Freddie, shall I take yo' package? Flossie, let me reliebe yo',
little Missie!"

"No, Sam, thank you!" answered the little girl, who was just about the
size and build of Freddie. "I have only Snoop, our cat, and I can
carry him easily enough. You help Dinah!"

"'Deed an' he had better help me!" exclaimed the colored cook.

Sam took all the packages he could carry, and hurried with them to the
stoop. But he had not gone very far before something happened.

From behind him rushed a big dog, barking and leaping about, glad,
probably, to be home again from part of the summer vacation.

"Look out, Sam!" called Bert Bobbsey, who was carrying the valise his