CHAPTER XIV
THE PICNIC
JUD went off whistling, and soon after they had finished breakfast the four little Blossoms saw a tall, stout man drive in. His horse was a beautiful, shiny black animal, evidently groomed and tended with great care.
"That's Mr. Sparks," Linda informed the children.
The children ran out to see the calves being herded together, and Jud embarrassed Meg and Bobby very much by introducing them as the little people who had heard the calves in the night and gone downstairs after them.
"Meg heard 'em," said Bobby modestly.
"Well, well, well!" almost shouted Mr. Sparks, though that was his natural way of talking; he couldn't speak low. "I do certainly admire a girl with spunk enough to get up in the middle of the night and chase live-stock. You ought to be a farmer's daughter."
He paused and smiled at the children. It
132
