Bobby and the Big Road  by Maud Lindsay

Blackberry-Picking

F ATHER came home from town one day with a bright, new, little tin bucket for Bobby.

"This is for you to put blackberries in when we go blackberry-picking," he said.

"Are we going blackberry-picking?" asked Bobby.

"Yes indeed!" said Father. "We are going blackberry-picking whenever Mother can go with us. I passed some blackberry-bushes to-day that were filled with juicy ripe berries, and they made me think of blackberry roll."

Mother said she was ready to go blackberry-picking that very afternoon; and they were soon on their way.

Mother carried a large tin bucket to put her berries in, and so did Father; and Bobby carried his little new tin bucket. It was as light as a feather, and it glistened like silver when the sun shone on it.

"I shall fill it to the very top with blackberries," Bobby declared.

By and by they came to the blackberry-bushes which were full of ripe berries just as Father had said. There were enough juicy berries for a dozen blackberry rolls.

The first blackberry that Bobby picked went into his mouth instead of the little tin bucket. Oh, what a sweet berry it was! He thought he must taste another, and another!

Oh, what a sweet berry it was!

And what do you think? When it was time to go home Mother's bucket was full of blackberries, and Father's bucket was full of blackberries, but the little tin bucket that shone like silver was not even half full. You can imagine how Bobby felt then.

"The next time I go blackberry-picking I'll fill my bucket before I eat a single berry," he said.

And that is just what he did. The very next day he went berrying again and brought back his little tin bucket filled to the brim with juicy ripe berries.