“There are many chestnuts this year,” Bert said.  “Now we will have some fun roasting and boiling them to-night.”

They gathered about the fire after supper, and laid the chestnuts they wanted to roast on top of the stove.  Nan and Flossie boiled theirs, but Bert and Freddie said they liked theirs best roasted.

All at once one of Freddie’s chestnuts burst with a loud pop, and the pieces flew all over the kitchen.

“Oh my!” cried the little fellow.  “What made it do that?  Was there a fire cracker in it?”

Before any one could answer him another nut burst, and a piece of it hit Dinah on the end of her shiny, black nose.

“What am dat all?” she cried.  “Who am frowin’ t’ings at me?  Was dat yo’, Freddie lamb?”

“No, Dinah.  It was a chestnut—­one of mine.  But I don’t see what makes ’em pop that way, like corn.”

“Did you make any holes in your chestnuts, or cut a little slit in the shell?” asked Bert of his brother.

“No.  Do you have to do that?”

“You do unless you want your chestnuts to burst.  You see,” explained Bert, “there is water inside a chestnut, especially a new one.  And when you put a nut on top of the hot stove the water is boiled and turned to steam, just as it is in the tea kettle.  Then if the steam can’t find any way to get out, as it swells it just bursts the shell of the nut and sends the pieces flying.  That’s what happened to yours, Freddie.  I stuck a fork in each one of mine, and the little holes, made by the fork, let out the steam.  Look here.”

Freddie went over to the stove to look at the nuts Bert was roasting.  Surely enough, from the tiny holes in each one steam was puffing, almost as if from a little toy engine.

“When all the steam gets out and the nut dries, it begins to roast,” said Bert.  “You must take yours off the stove and fix them that way, Freddie.  I meant to tell you about it, but I forgot.”

“Bang!” went another nut, bursting, and Dinah held a pan up in front of her face.

“I don’t want t’ git shot no mo’!” she said.

Bert helped Freddie fix the chestnuts, putting little holes in them, and then there was no more trouble.  They roasted nicely, and when they were cool the children peeled off the dried shells and ate the nuts.  Nan and Flossie boiled theirs in salt water, for salt seems to give the chestnuts a better flavor.  In fact, salt is good with almost all kinds of nuts.

The twins “traded” their chestnuts, Flossie and Nan giving some of their boiled ones for the roasted ones of Bert and Freddie.

“I think we are going to have a storm,” said Mr. Bobbsey as he came in toward bedtime, having gone to the store for Mrs. Bobbsey.

“What sort of storm?” asked Bert.

“A snow storm, I think.  It feels that way, and the wind is rising.  It’s going to blow hard.”

“I hope it doesn’t blow the house over,” said Freddie.