"
"But you must go to school," said his mother with a smile. "There will
not be many more days now. June will soon be over, and you know school
closes a little earlier than usual this year. So run along, like good
children."
Off they hurried and soon they were mingling with their boy and girl
friends, who were also on their way to their classes.
"You can't guess what we're going to have," said Freddie to a boy
named Johnnie Wilson, who was in his room.
"Kittens?" asked Johnnie.
"No."
"Puppies?"
"No."
"I give up--what is it?"
"A houseboat," said Freddie. "It's a house on a boat, and you can live
in it on water."
"Huh!" said Johnnie. "There isn't any such thing."
"Yes, there is, too, isn't there, Flossie?" and Freddie appealed to
his small sister.
"'Course there is," she said. "Our papa bought one, and Freddie's
going to be the fireman, and I'm going to cook the meals, so there!
Haven't we got a houseboat, Nan?"
"Yes, dear," answered the older sister, who was walking with Bert. At
this, coming from Nan, Johnnie had nothing to say, except that he
murmured, as he walked away:
"Huh! A houseboat's nothing. We've got a baby at our house, and it's
got hair on its head, and two teeth!"
"A houseboat's better'n a baby," was Freddie's opinion.
"It is not!" cried Johnnie.
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