human
It will soon be cold enough to have a frost,
gpt
Yes, said his wife,
human
I wouldn't be surprised if we had one to-night. I have brought in my geraniums and other plants.
gpt
A frost! cried Bert.
human
Good! That means the chestnuts will crack out of their burrs. We'll go chestnutting!
gpt
Oh, it's snow!
human
No, it's just frost, Bert said.
gpt
The first frost of the Winter. Now we'll get ready to have some fun. I'm glad to-day is Saturday. No school, and we can go after chestnuts!
human
Hurrah! cried Freddie.
gpt
May I come, Bert?
human
Yes, we'll all go!
gpt
Well, well! exclaimed Mother Bobbsey, smiling at the children.
human
What does this mean? Saturday morning, and you are all up as early as though it were a school day. You haven't looked at the wrong date on the calendar; have you?
gpt
No, Mother, answered Freddie.
human
But we're going after chestnuts, and we must get to the woods early.
gpt
So the squirrels won't get all the nuts, Bert says,
human
But we'll leave some for them; won't we? asked Flossie.
gpt
I wouldn't want the squirrels to go hungry.
human
I guess there'll be enough for all of us, said Bert.
gpt
But there will be a lot of fellows after the nuts this morning, on account of the frost which has cracked open the prickly burrs, and let the nuts fall out. So if we want to get our share we'll have to start soon. Nan and I will look after Flossie and Freddie, Mother.
human
Yes, I guess it will be all right, she said.
gpt
The woods are safe, and there are no snakes this time of year.
human
I'm not afraid of snakes, exclaimed Freddie.
gpt
They only stick out their tongues at you.
human
Some snakes bite, said Bert.
gpt
But, as mother says, there are none in the woods now. When it gets cold snakes crawl inside hollow logs and go to sleep. So get ready to go after chestnuts!