THE first sweet spring days had come, and even the grimy city began to put on an aspect of youth and newness.

In the parks tiny green shoots appeared on tree and bush, and dandelions showed their golden faces above the vivid green of freshly springing grass.

From her nursery window Sally interestedly watched the gradual advent of the new season as promulgated by the aspect of the back yard. Her little soul thirstily responded to the call of nature and a vague longing for woods and fields took possession of her heart.

Dr. North, watching keenly the little girl’s wistful face and feeling in his own soul the echo of the wonderful song that spring sings to all of us, after some consultation with mamma communicated to Sally a plan that fairly made her jump for joy. And it was that at the week’s end the family should pack up bag and baggage and depart for the farm, there to spend a few weeks.

To be sure it was rather early in the season, but mamma decided that house-cleaning and dress-making might for once take a back seat At least that was the way Bob put it as he executed a joyful war dance around the nursery floor, being finally joined by Sally with a Teddy bear under each arm.

Surely no week ever seemed so long and no waiting so tedious. But at last it did really come to an end, the trunks departed in a big express wagon while the family made the trip to the depot in the motor car.

There was just time to catch the train and almost before they knew it Bob and Sally were waving good-bye to Papa Doctor while the big engine puffed and snorted, the bell rang, and then they were really off, flying away from the smoke and grime, the roar and bustle of the city streets to where green woods beckoned them, and dim blue hills, wreathed in the faint haze that lay upon them like a bridal veil, reflected the smile of God, which is the promise of all good things.

It was only a short ride of a couple of hours, through the beautiful Cuyahoga valley, and the children, delightedly familiar with the scenery, joyfully pointed out everything of special interest to Miss Palmer, their governess, who, having come from the East, could not of course be supposed to know anything about their dear valley. The big Indian mound which lay near the end of their trip called forth especial explanations, and Miss Palmer promised to read to them an exceptionally interesting volume on Indian mounds that was in the library at home.

Miss Palmer was, both the children firmly believed, the dearest and beet governess that ever children possessed and they listened with the greatest interest, not forgetting, however, to point out to her a place where the Cuyahoga (Crooked River), doubling upon itself, forms a peninsula and the town which sprang up there had been given the name Peninsula and is so called to this day.

The beautiful river, swollen by the spring freshets, rippled along over the rocks that sometimes formed tiny cascades in its bed, shaded by feathery pollard willows whose gray-green leaves were bursting from their pinkish sheaths.

Another point of great interest was the canal, along whose tow path President Garfield followed his mules as a lad. Miss Palmer knew a great deal about the martyred president and so interested were the children that they could scarcely believe the journey was at an end when the conductor called out the name of the place that was their destination. A big three-seated wagon was in waiting and when they were all piled comfortably aboard, including Peter Pan and Bedelia, whom nurse had carried while the rest of the Teddy bear family journeyed in a trunk, the fine gray farm horses started off at a trot along the uneven and rutty country road.

How sweet the breath of the spring was, how fresh and beautiful the landscape! The voice of the river rose like a tinkle of silvery bells and Sally cried out in delight that she saw a blue jay. And indeed she did, for a pair of them rose, startled from their nest, and flew off to a neighboring tree, their azure wings flashing like jewels in the sunshine.

The drive was all too short and the children were half regretful when the wagon drew up in front of the “Bungalow,” as Mrs. North had fancifully named the beautiful old farm house, which, with its gleaming white paint and moss-green shingles, presented a most attractive picture against the soft spring landscape.

And now Mrs. Hale who, with her husband, had taken care of the farm ever since it had been the property of Dr. North, came bustling out, full of a hearty welcome. She was a round and rosy woman, with bright eyes and a jolly laugh that, when you heard it, made you want to laugh, too.

She held up her hands and laughed till she shook when introduced to Peter Pan and Bedelia, for the Teddy bear tribe had not yet penetrated to her part of the world. After that they all went in to luncheon, set forth in the big, square dining-room, a room that projected from one side of the house and three sides of which were composed of windows, from which one might look out for miles and miles over the beautiful wooded hills with the sparkling river running its glittering way between them.

The dining-room together with the broad, gallery-like verandahs that ran around the three sides of the house had been a modern innovation recently added and the verandahs had suggested to Mrs. North the quaint appellation of the “Bungalow.”

Mrs. North had spent a part of her girlhood in India, where her father had been an English officer, and had absorbed a good deal of the Oriental which showed in a love of warm, glowing colors and luxurious surroundings. She was a very pretty woman, so girlish looking that she had more than once been taken for Bob’s elder sister.

Dr. North had expressed down from the city a quantity of beautiful piazza furniture and when the happy party came out of the dining-room after a meal that taxed even Bob’s capacity, they found a delightful resting place awaiting them. Fine mats of Japanese make covered the piazza floor and a gay red carpet draped the stone steps, for Papa Doctor had not forgotten his little daughter’s predilection for sitting upon them.

Handsome chairs and settees with one or two tables filled the spaces of the piazza, the settees heaped with pretty cushions, while two hammocks hung in opposite corners.

Mrs. North sank contentedly down in a big armchair that smelt delightfully like sweet grass, while Miss Palmer took a cozy corner in the settee opposite. Mrs. North adored her beautiful summer home, and the restfulness it offered was ever welcome after a strenuous winter in town.

As for the children, they of course saw no reason for wishing to rest, but tore off to find Mr. Hale and persuade him to devote the rest of the day to showing them over all the already familiar places; a thing which they found not at all difficult to do. And soon their delighted shouts rang merrily from the barn, where they succeeded in clambering up into the hay loft and very nearly lost Bedelia whom, with Peter Pan, they had carried up with them, by dropping her down a chute into one of the mangers below. Here she was discovered with the occupant of the stall thoughtfully nosing her over and over and evidently thinking that someone had presented him with a very queer bunch of hay for dinner.

Bedelia, in addition to being badly scared, was also very much offended and considered that she had been handled shamefully. Besides being somewhat bruised, the horse had nipped her when trying to decide whether or not she was good to eat, and Bedelia felt quite sure that he had taken off a mouthful of her fur, which thought made her perfectly furious, and she longed to scratch and bite when finally rescued by the rather anxious Sally.

She immediately made up her mind to play all the pranks she could think of while at the farm, and the result of one scheme which she later carried out, was certainly of a nature to satisfy even a slighted Teddy bear, as we shall see later on.