"But I couldn't leab dat nice lunch I got ready fo' de chillen in
between, missus," the colored woman urged. "I'll get it quick as a
wink. Now, Sam, you rush in dar quick, and fetch dat red and white
basket dat smells like chicken!"

So the good-natured maid had her way, much to the delight of Bert and
Freddie, who liked nothing so well as one of Dinah's homemade lunches.

The railroad station was reached without mishap, and while Mr. Bobbsey
attended to getting the baskets checked at the little window in the big
round office, the children sat about "exploring." Freddie hung back a
little when a locomotive steamed up. He clung to his mother's skirt,
yet wanted to see how the machine worked.

"That's the fireman," Bert told him, pointing to the man in the cab of
the engine.

"Fireman!" Freddie repeated. "Not like our firemen. I wouldn't be that
kind," He had always wanted to be a fireman who helps to put out fires.

"Oh, this is another kind," his father explained, just then coming up
in readiness for the start.

"I guess Snoop's afraid," Freddie whispered to his mother, while he
peeped into the little box where Snoop was peacefully purring. Glad of
the excuse to get a little further away, Freddie ran back to where
Dinah sat on a long shiny bench.

"Say, chile," she began, "you hear dat music ober dar? Well, a big fat
lady jest jumped up and down on dat machine and it starts up and plays