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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/28776-h.zip b/28776-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d510a54 --- /dev/null +++ b/28776-h.zip diff --git a/28776-h/28776-h.htm b/28776-h/28776-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5e562f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/28776-h/28776-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5274 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Stuyvesant, A Franconia Story, by Jacob Abbott. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + td {vertical-align: top;} + + hr.large {width: 65%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr.medium {width: 45%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr.tiny {width: 15%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;} + div.centered {text-align:center;} /*work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 1 */ + div.centered table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; text-align:left;} /* work around for IE problem part 2 */ + + body{margin-left: 13%; + margin-right: 13%; + font-size: 108%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .right {margin-left: 20em;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .smallgap {margin-top: 2em;} + .gap {margin-top: 4em;} + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 95%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i3 {display: block; margin-left: 7em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i9 {display: block; margin-left: 9.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Stuyvesant, by Jacob Abbott + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Stuyvesant + A Franconia Story + +Author: Jacob Abbott + +Release Date: May 12, 2009 [EBook #28776] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STUYVESANT *** + + + + +Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1> Stuyvesant</h1> + +<h2><i>A FRANCONIA STORY</i></h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">By</span> JACOB ABBOTT</h3> + +<p class="center">ILLUSTRATED</p> + +<p class="smallgap"> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 103px;"> +<img src="images/i001.jpg" width="103" height="125" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="gap"> </p> + +<h4> NEW YORK AND LONDON</h4> + +<h3>HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS</h3> + +<h4>1904</h4> + +<hr class="large" /> + +<p class="center"> +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Harper & Brothers</span>,<br /> +<br /> +In the Clerk’s Office of the Southern District of New York.</p> + +<hr class="tiny" /> + +<p class="center">Copyright, 1881, by <span class="smcap">Benjamin Vaughan Abbott</span>, <span class="smcap">Austin</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Abbott</span>, <span class="smcap">Lyman Abbott</span>, and <span class="smcap">Edward Abbott</span>.</p> + +<hr class="large" /> +<p><a name="Frontispiece" id="Frontispiece"></a></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i003.jpg" width="500" height="305" alt="THE BOYS AT THE MILL." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE BOYS AT THE MILL.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="large" /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<hr class="tiny" /> + +<p>The development of the moral sentiments in the human heart, in early +life,—and every thing in fact which relates to the formation of +character,—is determined in a far greater degree by sympathy, and by +the influence of example, than by formal precepts and didactic +instruction. If a boy hears his father speaking kindly to a robin in +the spring,—welcoming its coming and offering it food,—there arises +at once in his own mind, a feeling of kindness toward the bird, and +toward all the animal creation, which is produced by a sort of +sympathetic action, a power somewhat similar to what in physical +philosophy is called <i>induction</i>. On the other hand, if the father, +instead of feeding the bird, goes eagerly for a gun, in order that he +may shoot it, the boy will sympathize in that desire, and growing up +under such an influence, there will be gradually formed within him, +through the mysterious tendency of the youthful heart to vibrate in +unison with hearts that are near, a disposition to kill and destroy +all helpless beings that come within his power. There is no need of +any formal instruction in either case. Of a thousand children brought +up under the former of the above-described influences, nearly every +one, when he sees a bird, will wish to go and get crumbs to feed it, +while in the latter case, nearly every one will just as certainly look +for a stone. Thus the growing up in the right atmosphere, rather than +the receiving of the right instruction, is the condition which it is +most important to secure, in plans for forming the characters of +children.</p> + +<p>It is in accordance with this philosophy that these stories, though +written mainly with a view to their moral influence on the hearts and +dispositions of the readers, contain very little formal exhortation +and instruction. They present quiet and peaceful pictures of happy +domestic life, portraying generally such conduct, and expressing such +sentiments and feelings, as it is desirable to exhibit and express in +the presence of children.</p> + +<p>The books, however, will be found, perhaps, after all, to be useful +mainly in entertaining and amusing the youthful readers who may peruse +them, as the writing of them has been the amusement and recreation of +the author in the intervals of more serious pursuits.</p> + +<hr class="large" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<hr class="tiny" /> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" width="70%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" summary="CONTENTS"> + +<tr> +<td align="right">CHAPTER</td> +<td align="left"> </td> +<td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">I.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Cavern</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#STUYVESANT">11</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">II.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Boyishness</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_II">30</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">III.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Plowing</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_III">47</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">IV.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Negotiations</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_IV">66</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">V.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Plans for the Squirrel</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_V">85</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">VI.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Difficulty</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_VI">96</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">VII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Work Shop</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_VII">111</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">VIII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Discovery</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_VIII">130</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">IX.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Accident</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_IX">148</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">X.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Good Advice</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_X">165</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XI.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Journey Home</span>,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XI">181</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="large" /> +<h2>ENGRAVINGS</h2> + +<hr class="tiny" /> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" width="70%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" summary="ENGRAVINGS"> + +<tr> +<td align="left"> </td> +<td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Boys at the Mill</span>—<span class="smcap"><a href="#Frontispiece">Frontispiece</a>.</span></td> +<td align="right"> </td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Going Out the Gate</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Illo1">18</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Cavern</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Trap</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Illo2">40</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Hornet’s Nest</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Illo3">57</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Oxen Drinking</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Beechnut’s Advice</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Illo4">89</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Appeal</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Frink on the Beam</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Dorothy’s Fire</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_140">140</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Doctor’s Visit</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Illo5">163</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Effigy</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Illo6">168</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Frink in the Parlor</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Illo7">179</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Departure</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="large" /> +<h3>SCENE OF THE STORY.</h3> + +<p>Franconia, a place among the mountains at the North. The time is +summer.</p> + +<h3>PRINCIPAL PERSONS.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Henry</span>, a lady residing at Franconia.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Alphonzo</span>, commonly called Phonny, about nine years old.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Malleville</span>, Phonny’s cousin from New York, seven years old.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Wallace</span>, Malleville’s brother, a college student, visiting Franconia +at this season.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Stuyvesant</span>, Wallace’s brother, about nine years old.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Antoine Bianchinette</span>, commonly called Beechnut, a French boy, now +about fourteen years old, living at Mrs. Henry’s.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="STUYVESANT" id="STUYVESANT"></a>STUYVESANT.</h2> + +<hr class="tiny" /> +<h2><a name="Chapter_I" id="Chapter_I"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter I.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Cavern.</span></h2> + +<p>One pleasant summer morning Alphonzo was amusing himself by swinging +on a gate in front of his mother’s house. His cousin Malleville, who +was then about eight years old, was sitting upon a stone outside of +the gate, by the roadside, in a sort of corner that was formed between +the wall and a great tree which was growing there. Malleville was +employed in telling her kitten a story.</p> + +<p>The kitten was sitting near Malleville, upon a higher stone. +Malleville was leaning upon this stone, looking the kitten in the +face. The kitten was looking down, but she seemed to be listening very +attentively.</p> + +<p>“Now, Kitty,” said Malleville, “if you will sit still and hark, I will +tell you a story,—a story about a mouse. I read it in a book.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> Once +there was a mouse, and he was white, and he lived in a cage. No I +forgot,—there were three mice. I’ll begin again.</p> + +<p>“Once there was a boy, and he had three white mice, and he kept them +in a cage.”</p> + +<p>Here Malleville’s story was interrupted by Phonny, who suddenly called +out:</p> + +<p>“Here comes Beechnut, Malleville.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t care,” said Malleville, “I’m telling a story to Kitty, and +you must not interrupt me.”</p> + +<p>Here the kitten jumped down from the stone and ran away.</p> + +<p>“Now Phonny!” said Malleville, “see what you have done;—you have made +my Kitty go away.”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t make her go away,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes you did,” said Malleville, “you interrupted my story, and that +made her go away.”</p> + +<p>Phonny laughed aloud at this assertion, though Malleville continued to +look very serious. Phonny then repeated that he did not make the +kitten go away, and besides, he said, he thought that it was very +childish to pretend to tell a story to a kitten.</p> + +<p>Malleville said that she did not think it was <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>childish at all; for +<i>her</i> kitten liked to hear stories. Phonny, at this, laughed again, +and then Malleville, appearing to be still more displeased, said that +she was not any more childish than Phonny himself was.</p> + +<p>By this time Beechnut, as Phonny called him, had come up. He was +driving a cart. The cart was loaded with wood. The wood consisted of +small and dry sticks, which Beechnut had gathered together in the +forest.</p> + +<p>“Beechnut,” said Phonny, “are you going into the woods again for +another load?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“And may I go with you?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“And I?” said Malleville.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>Beechnut drove on into the yard, and at length stopped near a great +woodpile. Beechnut began to throw off the wood. Phonny climbed up into +the cart too, to help Beechnut unload. Malleville sat down upon a log +lying near to see.</p> + +<p>While they were at work thus, throwing off the wood, Phonny, instead +of taking the smallest sticks that came in his way, tried always to +get hold of the largest. He had three motives <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>for doing this, all +mingled together. The first was a pleasure in exercising his own +strength; the second, a desire to show Malleville that he was no +child; and the third, to make a display of his strength to Beechnut.</p> + +<p>After a while, when the load had been about half thrown off, Phonny +stopped his work, straightened himself up with an air of great +self-satisfaction and said,</p> + +<p>“Malleville says I am childish; do you think I am, Beechnut?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Malleville, “I did not say so.” She began to be a little +frightened at this appeal to Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “you certainly did.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Malleville.</p> + +<p>“What did you say?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I said I was not childish myself, any more than you.”</p> + +<p>“Well, that is the same thing,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>Malleville was silent. She thought that it was a different thing, but +she did not know very well how to explain the difference.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Beechnut went on unloading the wood.</p> + +<p>“Do <i>you</i> think I am childish at all, Beechnut,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p><p>“Why I don’t know,” said Beechnut, doubtfully. “I don’t know how many +childish things it is necessary for a boy to do, in order to be +considered as childish in character; but I have known you to do <i>two</i> +childish things within half an hour.”</p> + +<p>Phonny seemed a little surprised and a little confused at this, and +after a moment’s pause he said:</p> + +<p>“I know what one of them is, I guess.”</p> + +<p>“What?” asked Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Swinging on the gate.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Beechnut, “I did not mean that. You have done things a +great deal more childish than that.”</p> + +<p>“What?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“The first was,” said Beechnut, “making a dispute with Malleville, by +appealing to me to decide whether you were childish.”</p> + +<p>“Why I ought to know if I am childish,” said Phonny, “so that if I am, +I may correct the fault.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t think that that was your motive,” said Beechnut, “in asking. +If you had wished to know my opinion in order to correct yourself of +the fault, you would have asked me some time privately. I think that +your motive <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>was a wish to get a triumph over Malleville.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Beechnut!” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>Although Phonny said Oh Beechnut, he still had a secret conviction +that what Beechnut had said was true. He was silent a moment, and then +he asked what was the other childishness which Beechnut had seen +within half an hour.</p> + +<p>“In unloading this wood,” said Beechnut, “you tried to get hold of the +biggest sticks, even when they were partly buried under the little +ones, and thus worked to great disadvantage. <i>Men</i> take the smaller +ones off first, and so clear the way to get at the larger ones. But +boys make a great ado in getting hold of the largest ones they can +see, by way of showing the by-standers how strong they are.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will throw off the little ones after this.”</p> + +<p>So Phonny went to work again, and in throwing off the remainder of the +load, he acted in a much more sensible and advantageous manner than he +had done before. The cart was soon empty. Beechnut then went into the +house and brought out a small chair; this he placed in the middle of +the cart, for <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>Malleville. He also placed a board across the cart in +front, in such a manner that the ends of the board rested upon the +sides of the cart. The board thus formed a seat for Beechnut and +Phonny. Beechnut then gave the reins to Phonny, who had taken his seat +upon the board, while he, himself, went to help Malleville in.</p> + +<p>He led Malleville up to the cart behind, and putting his hands under +her arms, he said “Jump!” Malleville jumped—Beechnut at the same time +lifting to help her. She did not however quite get up, and so Beechnut +let her down to the ground again.</p> + +<p>“Once more,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>So Malleville tried again. She went a little higher this time than +before, but not quite high enough.</p> + +<p>“That makes twice,” said Beechnut. “The rule is,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">“Try it once, try it twice,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And then once more, and that makes thrice.”<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The third time Malleville seemed to be endowed with some new and +supernatural strength in her jumping: for she bounded so high that her +feet rose almost to a level with the top of the seat, and then, as she +came <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>down gently upon the floor of the cart, Beechnut released his +hold upon her, and she walked to her chair and sat down. Beechnut then +mounted to his place by the side of Phonny, and the whole party rode +away.</p> + +<p><a name="Illo1" id="Illo1"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 393px;"> +<img src="images/i016.jpg" class="smallgap" width="393" height="350" alt="GOING OUT THE GATE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">GOING OUT THE GATE.</span> +</div> + +<p>After riding along for some distance, Phonny asked Beechnut if he +really thought that he was childish.</p> + +<p>“Why no,” said Beechnut, “not particularly. You are a little boyish +sometimes, and I <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>suppose that that is to be expected, since you are +really a boy. But you are growing older every year, and I see some +marks of manliness in you, now and then. How old are you now?”</p> + +<p>“I am nine years and five months,” said Phonny. “That is, I am about +half-past nine.”</p> + +<p>“That is pretty old,” said Beechnut, “but then I suppose I must expect +you to be a boy some time longer.”</p> + +<p>“Beechnut,” said Phonny, “did you know that my cousin Wallace was +coming here pretty soon?”</p> + +<p>“Is he?” said Beechnut. “From college?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “it is his vacation. He is coming here to spend +his vacation.”</p> + +<p>“I am glad of that,” said Beechnut. “I like to have him here.”</p> + +<p>“And my cousin Stuyvesant is coming too,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Stuyvesant is my brother,” said Malleville.</p> + +<p>“How old is he?” asked Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“He is only nine,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Then he is not so old as you are,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p><p>“Not quite,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“And I suppose of course, he will be more of a boy than you,” said +Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“We shall see,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>Just then, Phonny heard the sound of wheels behind him. He turned +round and saw a wagon coming along the road.</p> + +<p>“Here comes a wagon,” said he. “I am going to whip up, so that they +shall not go by us.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Beechnut, “turn out to one side of the road, and walk the +horse, and let them go by.”</p> + +<p>“Why?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you presently,” said Beechnut, “after the wagon has got +before us.”</p> + +<p>Phonny turned out of the road and let the wagon drive by, and then +Beechnut told him that the reason why he was not willing to have him +whip up and keep ahead was, that he wanted to use the strength of the +horse that day, in hauling wood, and not to waste it in galloping +along the road, racing with a wagon.</p> + +<p>At length the party reached a place where there was a pair of bars by +the roadside, and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>a way leading in, to a sort of pasture. Phonny knew +that this was where Beechnut was going, and so he turned in. The road +was rough, and Malleville had to hold on very carefully to the side of +the cart as they went along. Presently the road went into a wood, and +after going on some way in this wood, Beechnut directed Phonny to +stop, and they all got out.</p> + +<p>“Now, Phonny,” said Beechnut, “you can have your choice either to work +or play.”</p> + +<p>“What do you think that I had better do?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Play, I rather think,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“I thought you would say work,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“You had better play, in order to keep Malleville company,” said +Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will.”</p> + +<p>So while Beechnut went to work to get a new load of wood, Phonny and +Malleville went away to play.</p> + +<p>There was a precipice of rocks near the place where Beechnut was +loading his cart, with a great many large rocks at the foot of it. The +top of the precipice was crowned with trees, and there were also a +great many bushes and trees growing among the rocks below. It <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>was a +very wild and romantic place, and Phonny and Malleville liked to play +there very much indeed.</p> + +<p>After a time Phonny called out to Beechnut to inquire whether he had +any matches in his pocket. He said that he and Malleville were going +to build a fire.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “I have. Come here and I will give you some.”</p> + +<p>So Phonny sent Malleville after the matches, while he collected dry +wood for a fire. When Malleville returned, she gave Phonny the +matches, and told him that Beechnut said that they must make the fire +on the <i>rocks</i> somewhere, or in some other safe place, so that it +should not spread into the woods.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will look about and find a good place.”</p> + +<p>Accordingly, he began to walk along at the foot of the precipice, +examining every recess among the rocks, and all the nooks and corners +which seemed to promise well, as places of encampment. Malleville +could not quite keep up with him on account of the roughnesses and +inequalities of the way.</p> + +<p>At last Malleville, who had fallen a little behind, heard Phonny +calling to her in tones <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>of great delight. She hastened on. In a +moment she saw Phonny before her just coming out from among the bushes +and calling to her,</p> + +<p>“Malleville! Malleville! come here quick!—I have found a cavern.”</p> + +<p>Malleville went on, and presently she came in view of what Phonny +called a cavern. It was a place where two immense fragments of rock +leaned over toward each other, so as to form a sort of roof, beneath +which was an inclosure which Phonny called a cavern. He might perhaps +have more properly called it a grotto. There was a great flat stone at +the bottom of the cavern, which made an excellent floor, and there was +an open place in the top behind, where Phonny thought that the smoke +would go out if he should make a fire.</p> + +<p>“There, Malleville,” said Phonny, when she came where she could see +the cavern, “that is what I call a discovery. We will play that we are +savages, and that we live in a cavern.”</p> + +<p>Phonny rolled two large stones into the cavern, and placed them in the +back part of it, where he intended to build his fire. These <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>stones +were for andirons. Then he began to bring in logs, and sticks, and +branches of trees, such as he found lying upon the ground dead and +dry. These he piled up inside of the cavern in a sort of corner, where +there was a deep recess or crevice, which was very convenient for +holding the wood.</p> + +<p>Malleville helped him do all this. When a sufficient supply of wood +was gathered, Phonny laid some of it across his stone andirons, and +then prepared to light the fire.</p> + +<p>He rubbed one of his matches against a dry log, and the match +immediately kindled. Phonny looked at the blue flame a moment, and +then, as if some sudden thought had struck him, he blew it out again, +and said,</p> + +<p>“On the whole, I will go and ask Beechnut. We may as well be sure.”</p> + +<p>So he ran down from the entrance of the cavern, and thence along by +the way that they had come, through the thicket, until he came in +sight of Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Beechnut,” said he, calling out very loud, “we have found a +cavern;—may we build a fire in it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>Then Phonny went back, and telling Malleville <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>that Beechnut had said +yes, he proceeded to kindle his fire.</p> + +<p>It happened that there were two large stones, tolerably square in +form, each of them, and flat upon the upper side, which were lying in +the cavern in such places as to be very convenient for seats. When the +fire began to burn, Phonny sat down upon one of these seats, and gave +Malleville the other. The fire blazed up very cheerily, and the smoke +and sparks, winding their way up the side of the rock, which formed +the back of the cavern, escaped out through the opening at the top in +a very satisfactory manner.</p> + +<p>“There,” said Phonny, “this is what I call comfortable. If we only now +had something to eat, it is all I should want.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you what,” said he again, after a moment’s pause, “we will +send home by Beechnut, when he goes with his next load, to get us +something to eat.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Malleville, “so we will.”</p> + +<p>Beechnut very readily undertook the commission of bringing Phonny and +Malleville something to eat. Accordingly, when his cart was loaded he +went away, leaving Phonny and Malleville in their cavern. While he was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>gone the children employed themselves in bringing flat stones, and +making a fireplace by building walls on each side of their fire.</p> + +<p>In due time Beechnut returned, bringing with him a large round box, +which he said that Mrs. Henry had sent to Phonny and Malleville. It +was too heavy for Phonny to lift easily, and so Beechnut drove his +cart along until it was nearly opposite the cavern. Then he took the +box out of the cart and carried it into the cavern, and laid it down +upon Malleville’s seat.</p> + +<p>Phonny opened it, and he found that it contained a variety of stores. +There were four potatoes and four apples, each rolled up in a separate +paper. There were also two crackers. These crackers were in a tin mug, +just big enough to hold them, one on the top of the other. The mug, +Phonny said, was for them to drink from, and as there was a spring by +the side of the cavern they had plenty of water.</p> + +<p>“One cracker is for me,” said Phonny, “and the other for you, +Malleville. I mean to split my cracker in two, and toast the halves.”</p> + +<p>At the bottom of the box there was half a pie.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 307px;"> +<img src="images/i025.jpg" class="smallgap" width="307" height="500" alt="THE CAVERN." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE CAVERN.</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p><p>Beechnut stopped to see what the box contained, and then he went away +to his work again. As he went away, he told the children that Mrs. +Henry said that they need not come home to dinner that day, unless +they chose to do so,—but might make their dinner, if they pleased, in +the cavern, from what she had sent them in the box.</p> + +<p>The children were very much pleased with this plan. They remained in +the cavern a long time. They roasted their potatoes in the fire, and +their apples in front of it. They toasted their crackers and warmed +their pie, by placing them against a stone between the andirons; and +they got water, whenever they were thirsty, in the dipper from the +spring.</p> + +<p>At length, about the middle of the afternoon, when their interest in +the cavern was beginning to decline, their thoughts were suddenly +turned away from it altogether, by the news which Beechnut announced +to them on his return from the house, after his eighth load, that +Wallace had arrived.</p> + +<p>“And has my brother Stuyvesant come too?” asked Malleville.</p> + +<p>“I suppose so,” said Beechnut, “there was a boy with him, about as +large as Phonny, but I did not hear what his name was.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p><p>“Oh, it is he! it is he!” said Malleville, clapping her hands.</p> + +<p>Phonny and Malleville mounted upon the top of the load as soon as +Beechnut got it ready, and rode home. They ran into the house, while +Beechnut went to unload his wood. Just as Beechnut was ready to go out +of the yard again with his empty cart, Phonny came out.</p> + +<p>“Cousin Wallace has really come,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Ah!” said Beechnut, “and what does he have to say?”</p> + +<p>“Why, he says,” replied Phonny, “that he is going to make a man of +me.”</p> + +<p>“Is he?” said Beechnut. “Well, I hope he will take proper time for it. +I have no great opinion of the plan of making men out of boys before +their time.”</p> + +<p>So saying, Beechnut drove away, and Phonny went in.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_II" id="Chapter_II"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter II.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Boyishness.</span></h2> + +<p>Two or three days after Wallace arrived at Franconia, he and Phonny +formed a plan to go and take a ride on horseback. They invited +Stuyvesant to go with them, but Stuyvesant said that Beechnut was +going to plow that day, and had promised to teach him to drive oxen. +He said that he should like better to learn to drive oxen than to take +a ride on horseback.</p> + +<p>There was another reason which influenced Stuyvesant in making this +decision, and that was, that he had observed that there were only two +horses in the stable, and although he knew that Beechnut could easily +obtain another from some of the neighbors, still he thought that this +would make some trouble, and he was always very considerate about +making trouble. This was rather remarkable in Stuyvesant, for he was a +city boy, and city boys are apt to be very inconsiderate.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p><p>So Wallace and Phonny concluded to go by themselves. They mounted +their horses and rode together out through the great gate.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Phonny, when they were fairly on the way, “we will have a +good time. This is just what I like. I would rather have a good ride +on horseback than any thing else. I wish that they would let me go +alone sometimes.”</p> + +<p>“Won’t they?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“No, not very often,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Do you know what the reason is?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“I suppose because they think that I am not old enough,” replied +Phonny, “but I am.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t think that that is the reason,” said Wallace. “Stuyvesant is +not quite so old as you are, and yet I shall let <i>him</i> go and ride +alone whenever he pleases.”</p> + +<p>“What <i>is</i> the reason then?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Because you are not <i>man</i> enough I suppose,” said Wallace. “You might +be more manly, without being any older, and then people would put more +trust in you, and you would have a great many more pleasures.”</p> + +<p>Phonny was rather surprised to hear his cousin Wallace speak thus. He +had thought <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>that he <i>was</i> manly—very manly; but it was evident that +his cousin considered him boyish.</p> + +<p>“I do not know,” continued Wallace, “but that you are as manly as +other boys of your years.”</p> + +<p>“Except Stuyvesant,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes, except Stuyvesant,” said Wallace, “I think that he is rather +remarkable. I do not think that you are <i>very</i> boyish,—but you are +growing up quite fast and you are getting to be pretty large. It is +time for you to begin to evince some degree of the carefulness, and +considerateness, and sense of responsibility, that belong to men.</p> + +<p>“There are two kinds of boyishness,” continued Wallace. “One kind is +very harmless.”</p> + +<p>“What kind is that?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Why if a boy continues,” said Wallace, “when he is quite old, to take +pleasure in amusements which generally please only young children, +that is boyishness of a harmless kind. For example, suppose we should +see a boy, eighteen years old, playing marbles a great deal, we should +say that he was boyish. So if <i>you</i> were to have a rattle or any other +such little toy for a plaything, and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>should spend a great deal of +time in playing with it, we should say that it was very boyish or +childish. Still that kind of boyishness does little harm, and we +should not probably do any thing about it, but should leave you to +outgrow it in your own time.”</p> + +<p>“What kind of boyishness do you mean then, that is not harmless?” +asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I mean that kind of want of consideration, by which boys when young, +are always getting themselves and others into difficulty and trouble, +for the sake of some present and momentary pleasure. They see the +pleasure and they grasp at it. They do not see the consequences, and +so they neglect them. The result is, they get into difficulty and do +mischief. Other people lose confidence in them, and so they have to be +restricted and watched, and subjected to limits and bounds, when if +they were a little more considerate and manly, they might enjoy a much +greater liberty, and many more pleasures.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t think that I do so,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“No,” rejoined Wallace, “I don’t think that you do; that is I don’t +think that you do so more than other boys of your age. But to show you +exactly what I mean, I will give <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>you some cases. Perhaps they are +true and perhaps they are imaginary. It makes no difference which they +are.</p> + +<p>“Once there was a boy,” continued Wallace, “who came down early one +winter morning, and after warming himself a moment by the sitting-room +fire, he went out in the kitchen. It happened to be ironing day, and +the girl was engaged in ironing at a great table by the kitchen fire. +We will call the girl’s name Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“The boy seeing Dorothy at this work, wished to iron something, +himself. So Dorothy gave him a flat-iron and also something to iron.”</p> + +<p>“What was it that she gave him to iron?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“A towel,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “go on.”</p> + +<p>“The boy took the flat-iron and went to work,” continued Wallace. +“Presently, however, he thought he would go out into the shed and see +if the snow had blown in, during the night. He found that it had, and +so he stopped to play with the drift a few minutes. At last he came +back into the kitchen, and he found, when he came in, that Dorothy +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>had finished ironing his towel and had put it away. He began to +complain of her for doing this, and then, in order to punish her, as +he said, he took two of her flat-irons and ran off with them, and put +them into the snow drift.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “that was me. But then I only did it for fun.”</p> + +<p>“Was the fun for yourself or for Dorothy?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why, for me,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“And it made only trouble for Dorothy,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “I suppose it did.”</p> + +<p>“That is the kind of boyishness I mean,” said Wallace, “getting fun +for yourself at other people’s expense; and so making them dislike +you, and feel sorry when they see you coming, and glad when you go +away.”</p> + +<p>Phonny was silent. He saw the folly of such a course of proceeding, +and had nothing to say.</p> + +<p>“There is another case,” said Wallace. “Once I knew a boy, and his +name was—I’ll call him Johnny.”</p> + +<p>“What was his other name?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p><p>“No matter for that, now,” said Wallace. “He went out into the barn, +and he wanted something to do, and so the boy who lived there, gave +him a certain corner to take charge of, and keep in order.”</p> + +<p>“What was that boy’s name?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Why, I will call him Hazelnut,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Ah!” exclaimed Phonny, “now I know you are going to tell some story +about me and Beechnut.” Here Phonny threw back his head and laughed +aloud. He repeated the words Johnny and Hazelnut, and then laughed +again, until he made the woods ring with his merriment.</p> + +<p>Wallace smiled, and went on with his story.</p> + +<p>“Hazelnut gave him the charge of a corner of the barn where some +harnesses were kept, and Johnny’s duty was to keep them in order +there. One day Hazelnut came home and found that Johnny had taken out +the long reins from the harness, and had fastened them to the branches +of two trees in the back yard, to make a swing, and then he had loaded +the swing with so many children, as to break it down.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p><p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “that was me too; but I did not think that the +reins would break.”</p> + +<p>“I know it,” said Wallace. “You did not think. That is the nature of +the kind of boyishness that I am speaking of. The boy does not +<i>think</i>. Men, generally, before they do any new or unusual thing, stop +to consider what the results and consequences of it are going to be; +but boys go on headlong, and find out what the consequences are when +they come.”</p> + +<p>While Wallace and Phonny had been conversing thus, they had been +riding through a wood which extended along a mountain glen. Just at +this time they came to a place where a cart path branched off from the +main road, toward the right. Phonny proposed to go into this path to +see where it would lead. Wallace had no objection to this plan, and so +they turned their horses and went in.</p> + +<p>The cart path led them by a winding way through the woods for a short +distance, along a little dell, and then it descended into a ravine, at +the bottom of which there was a foaming torrent tumbling over a very +rocky bed. The path by this time became quite a <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>road, though it was a +very wild and stony road. It kept near the bank of the brook, +continually ascending, until at last it turned suddenly away from the +brook, and went up diagonally upon the side of a hill. There were +openings in the woods on the lower side of the road, through which +Wallace got occasional glimpses of the distant valleys. Wallace was +very much interested in these prospects, but Phonny’s attention was +wholly occupied as he went along, in looking over all the logs, and +rocks, and hollow trees, in search of squirrels.</p> + +<p>At last, at a certain turn of the road, the riders came suddenly upon +a pair of bars which appeared before them,—directly across the road.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Wallace, “here we are, what shall we do now?”</p> + +<p>“It is nothing but a pair of bars,” said Phonny. “I can jump off and +take them down.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Wallace, “I think we may as well turn about here, and go +back. We have come far enough on this road.”</p> + +<p>Just then Phonny pointed off under the trees of the forest, upon one +side, and said in a very eager voice,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p><p>“See there!”</p> + +<p>“What is it?” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“A trap,” said Phonny. “It is a squirrel trap! and it is sprung! +There’s a squirrel in it, I’ve no doubt. Let me get off and see.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Wallace, “give me the bridle of your horse.”</p> + +<p>So Phonny threw the bridle over his horse’s head and gave it to +Wallace. He then dismounted—sliding down the side of the horse safely +to the ground.</p> + +<p>As soon as he found himself safely down, he threw his riding-stick +upon the grass, and ran off toward the trap.</p> + +<p>The trap was placed upon a small stone by the side of a larger one. It +was in a very snug and sheltered place, almost out of view. In fact it +probably would not have been observed by any ordinary passer-by.</p> + +<p>Phonny ran up to the trap, and took hold of it. He lifted it up very +cautiously. He shook it as well as he could, and then listened. He +thought that he could hear or feel some slight motion within. He +became very much excited.</p> + +<p>He put the trap down upon the high rock, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>and began opening up the lid +a little, very gently.</p> + +<p><a name="Illo2" id="Illo2"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 398px;"> +<img src="images/i038.jpg" class="smallgap" width="398" height="350" alt="THE TRAP." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE TRAP.</span> +</div> + +<p>The trap was of the kind called by the boys a box-trap. It is in the +form of a box, and the back part runs up high, to a point. The lid of +the box has a string fastened to it, which string is carried up, over +the high point, and thence down, and is fastened to an apparatus +connected with the spindle.</p> + +<p>The spindle is a slender rod of wood which <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>passes through the end of +the box into the interior. About half of the spindle is within the box +and half without. There is a small notch in the outer part of the +spindle, and another in the end of the box, a short distance above the +spindle. There is a small bar of wood, with both ends sharpened, and +made of such a length as just to reach from the notch in the end of +the box, to the notch in the spindle. This bar is the apparatus to +which the end of the string is fastened, as before described.</p> + +<p>When the trap is to be set, the bar is fitted to the notches in such a +manner as to catch in them, and then the weight of the lid, being +sustained by the string, the lid is held up so that the squirrel can +go in. The front of the box is attached to the lid, and rises with it, +so that when the lid is raised a little the squirrel can creep +directly in. The bait, which is generally a part of an ear of corn, is +fastened to the end of the spindle, which is within the trap. The +squirrel sees the bait, and creeps in to get it. He begins to nibble +upon the corn. The ear is tied so firmly to the spindle that he can +not get it away. In gnawing upon it to get off the corn, he finally +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>disengages the end of the spindle from the bar, by working the lower +end of the bar out of its notch; this lets the string up, and of +course the lid comes down, and the squirrel is shut in, a captive.</p> + +<p>When the lid first comes down, it makes so loud a noise as to terrify +the poor captive very much. He runs this way and that, around the +interior of the box, wondering what has happened, and why he can not +get out as he came in. He has no more appetite for the corn, but is in +great distress at his sudden and unaccountable captivity.</p> + +<p>After trying in vain on all sides to escape, by forcing his way, and +finding that the box is too strong for him in every part, he finally +concludes to gnaw out. He accordingly selects the part of the box +where there is the widest crack, and where consequently the brightest +light shines through. He selects this place, partly because he +supposes that the box is thinnest there, and partly because he likes +to work in the light.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a></p> + +<p>There was a squirrel in the trap which <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>Phonny had found. It was a +large and handsome gray squirrel. He had been taken that morning. +About an hour after the trap sprung upon him, he had begun to gnaw +out, and he had got about half through the boards in the corner when +Phonny found him. When Phonny shook the trap the squirrel clung to the +bottom of it by his claws, so that Phonny did not shake him about +much.</p> + +<p>When Phonny had put the trap upon the great stone, he thought that he +would lift up the lid a little way, and peep in. This is a very +dangerous operation, for a squirrel will squeeze out through a very +small aperture, and many a boy has lost a squirrel by the very means +that he was taking to decide whether he had got one.</p> + +<p>Phonny was aware of this danger, and so he was very careful. He raised +the lid but very little, and looked under with the utmost caution. He +saw two little round and very brilliant eyes peeping out at him.</p> + +<p>“Yes, Wallace,” said he. “Yes, yes, here he is. I see his eyes.”</p> + +<p>Wallace sat very composedly upon his horse, holding Phonny’s bridle, +while Phonny was uttering these exclamations, without appearing <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>to +share the enthusiasm which Phonny felt, at all.</p> + +<p>“He is here, Wallace,” said Phonny. “He is, truly.”</p> + +<p>“I do not doubt it,” said Wallace, “but what are we to do about it?”</p> + +<p>“Why—why—what would you do?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I suppose that the best thing that we could do,” said Wallace, “is to +ride along.”</p> + +<p>“And leave the squirrel?” said Phonny, in a tone of surprise.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Wallace. “I don’t see any thing else that we can do.”</p> + +<p>“Why, he will gnaw out,” said Phonny. “He will gnaw out in half an +hour. He has gnawed half through the board already. Espy ought to have +tinned his trap.” So saying, Phonny stooped down and peeped into the +trap again, through the crack under the lid.</p> + +<p>“Who is Espy?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Espy Ransom,” said Phonny. “He lives down by the mill. He is always +setting traps for squirrels. I suppose that this road goes down to the +mill, and that he came up here and set his trap. But it won’t do to +leave the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>squirrel here,” continued Phonny, looking at Wallace in a +very earnest manner. “It never will do in the world.”</p> + +<p>“What shall we do, then?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Couldn’t we carry him down to Espy?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I don’t think that we have any right to carry him away. It is not our +squirrel, and it may be that it is not Espy’s.”</p> + +<p>Phonny seemed perplexed. After a moment’s pause he added, “Couldn’t we +go down and tell Espy that there is a squirrel in his trap?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Wallace, “that we can do.”</p> + +<p>Phonny stooped down and peeped into the trap again.</p> + +<p>“The rogue,” said he. “The moment that I am gone, he will go to +gnawing again, I suppose, and so get out and run away. What a little +fool he is.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think he is a fool for trying to gnaw out of that trap?” asked +Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why no,”—said Phonny, “but I wish he wouldn’t do it. We will go down +quick and tell Espy.”</p> + +<p>So Phonny came back to the place where <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>Wallace had remained in the +road, holding the horses. Phonny let down the bars, and Wallace went +through with the horses. Phonny immediately put the bars up again, +took the bridle of his own horse from Wallace’s hands, threw it up +over the horse’s head, and then by the help of a large log which lay +by the side of the road, he mounted. He did all this in a hurried +manner, and ended with saying:</p> + +<p>“Now, Cousin Wallace, let’s push on. I don’t think it’s more than half +a mile to the mill.”</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_III" id="Chapter_III"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter III.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Plowing.</span></h2> + +<p>While Wallace and Phonny were taking their ride, as described in the +last chapter, Stuyvesant and Beechnut were plowing.</p> + +<p>Beechnut told Stuyvesant that he was ready to yoke up, as he called +it, as soon as the horses had gone.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant, “I will come. I have got to go up to my room +a minute first.”</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant went up to his room, feeling in his pockets as he +ascended the stairs, to find the keys of his trunk. When he reached +his room, he kneeled down before his trunk and unlocked it.</p> + +<p>He raised the lid and began to take out the things. He took them out +very carefully, and laid them in order upon a table which was near the +trunk. There were clothes of various kinds, some books, and several +parcels, put up neatly in paper. Stuyvesant stopped at one of these +parcels, which seemed to be of an <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>irregular shape, and began to feel +of what it contained through the paper.</p> + +<p>“What is this?” said he to himself. “I wonder what it can be. Oh, I +remember now, it is my watch-compass.”</p> + +<p>What Stuyvesant called his watch-compass, was a small pocket-compass +made in the form of a watch. It was in a very pretty brass case, about +as large as a lady’s watch, and it had a little handle at the side, to +fasten a watch-ribbon to. Stuyvesant’s uncle had given him this +compass a great many years before. Stuyvesant had kept it very +carefully in his drawer at home, intending when he should go into the +country to take it with him, supposing that it would be useful to him +in the woods. His sister had given him a black ribbon to fasten to the +handle. The ribbon was long enough to go round Stuyvesant’s neck, +while the compass was in his waistcoat pocket.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant untied the string, which was around the paper that +contained his compass, and took it off. He then wound up this string +into a neat sort of coil, somewhat in the manner in which +fishing-lines are put up when for sale in shops. He put this coil of +twine, together with the paper, upon the table. He <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>looked at the +compass a moment to see which was north in his chamber, and then +putting the compass itself in his pocket, he passed the ribbon round +his neck, and afterward went on taking the things out of his trunk.</p> + +<p>When he came pretty near to the bottom of his trunk, he said to +himself,</p> + +<p>“Ah! here it is.”</p> + +<p>At the same moment he took out a garment, which seemed to be a sort of +frock. It was made of brown linen. He laid it aside upon a chair, and +then began to put the things back into his trunk again. He laid them +all in very carefully, each in its own place. When all were in, he +shut down the lid of the trunk, locked it, and put the key in his +pocket. Then he took the frock from the chair, and opening it, put it +on.</p> + +<p>It was made somewhat like a cartman’s frock. Stuyvesant had had it +made by the seamstress at his mother’s house, in New York, before he +came away. He was a very neat and tidy boy about his dress, and always +felt uncomfortable if his clothes were soiled or torn. He concluded, +therefore, that if he had a good, strong, serviceable frock to put on +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>over his other clothes, it would be very convenient for him at +Franconia.</p> + +<p>As soon as his frock was on, he hastened down stairs and went out to +the barn in search of Beechnut. He found him yoking up the cattle.</p> + +<p>“Why, Stuyvesant,” said Beechnut, when he saw him, “that is a capital +frock that you have got. How much did it cost?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Stuyvesant; “Mary made it for me.”</p> + +<p>“Who is Mary?” asked Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“She is the seamstress,” said Stuyvesant. “She lives at our house in +New York.”</p> + +<p>“Do you have a seamstress there all the time?” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“And her name is Mary,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Well, I wish she would take it into her head to make me such a frock +as that,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>During this conversation, Beechnut had been busily employed in yoking +up the oxen. Stuyvesant looked on, watching the operations carefully, +in order to see how the work of yoking up was done. He wished to see +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>whether the process was such that he could learn to yoke up oxen +himself; or whether any thing that was required was beyond his +strength.</p> + +<p>“Can <i>boys</i> yoke up cattle?” said Stuyvesant at length.</p> + +<p>“It takes a pretty stout boy,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Could a boy as stout as I am do it?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“It would be rather hard work for you,” said Beechnut, “the yoke is +pretty heavy.”</p> + +<p>The yoke was indeed quite heavy, and it was necessary to lift it—one +end at a time—over the necks of the oxen. Stuyvesant observed that +the oxen were fastened to the yoke, by means of bows shaped like the +letter U. These bows were passed up under the necks of the oxen. The +ends of them came up through the yokes and were fastened there by +little pegs, which Beechnut called keys. There was a ring in the +middle of the yoke on the under side to fasten the chain to, by which +the cattle were to draw.</p> + +<p>When the oxen were yoked, Beechnut drove them to the corner of the +yard, where there was a drag with a plow upon it. Beechnut put an axe +also upon the drag.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p><p>“What do you want an axe for,” asked Stuyvesant, “in going to plow?”</p> + +<p>“We always take an axe,” said Beechnut, “when we go away to work. We +are pretty sure to want it for something or other.”</p> + +<p>Beechnut then gave Stuyvesant a goad stick, and told him that he might +drive. Stuyvesant had observed very attentively what Beechnut had done +in driving, and the gestures which he had made, and the calls which he +had used, in speaking to the oxen, and though he had never attempted +to drive such a team before, he succeeded quite well. His success, +however, was partly owing to the sagacity of the oxen, who knew very +well where they were to go and what they were to do.</p> + +<p>At length, after passing through one or two pairs of bars, they came +to the field.</p> + +<p>“Which is the easiest,” said Stuyvesant, “to drive the team or hold +the plow?”</p> + +<p>“That depends,” said Beechnut, “upon whether your capacity consists +most in your strength or your skill.”</p> + +<p>“Why so?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Because,” said Beechnut, “it requires more skill to drive, than to +hold the plow, and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>more strength to hold the plow, than to drive. I +think, therefore, that you had better drive, for as between you and I, +it is I that have the most strength, and you that have the most +skill.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant laughed.</p> + +<p>“Why you <i>ought</i> to have the most skill,” said Beechnut—“coming from +such a great city.”</p> + +<p>Beechnut took the plow off from the drag, and laid the drag on one +side. He then attached the cattle to the plow. They were standing, +when they did this, in the middle of one side of the field.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Beechnut, “we are going first straight through the middle +of the field. Do you see that elm-tree, the other side of the fence?”</p> + +<p>“I see a large tree,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“It is an elm,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“There is a great bird upon the top of it,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “it is a crow. Now you must keep the oxen headed +directly for that tree. Go as straight as you can, and I shall try to +keep the plow straight behind you. The thing is to make a straight +furrow.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p><p>When all was ready, Stuyvesant gave the word to his oxen to move on, +and they began to draw. Stuyvesant went on, keeping his eye +alternately upon the oxen and upon the tree. He had some curiosity to +look round and see how Beechnut was getting along with the furrow, but +he recollected that his business was to drive, and so he gave his +whole attention to his driving, in order that he might go as straight +as possible across the field.</p> + +<p>The crow flew away when he had got half across the field. He had a +strong desire to know where she was going to fly to, but he did not +look round to follow her in her flight. He went steadily on attending +to his driving.</p> + +<p>When he was about two thirds across the field, he saw a stump at a +short distance before him, with a small hornet’s nest upon one side of +it. His course would lead him, he saw, very near this nest. His first +impulse was to stop the oxen and tell Beechnut about the hornet’s +nest. He did in fact hesitate a moment, but he was instantly reassured +by hearing Beechnut call out to him from behind, saying,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p><p>“Never mind the hornet’s nest, Stuyvesant. Drive the oxen right on. I +don’t think the hornets will sting them.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant perceived by this, that Beechnut thought only of the oxen, +when he saw a hornet’s nest, and he concluded to follow his example in +this respect. So he drove steadily on.</p> + +<p>When they got to the end of the field the oxen stopped. Beechnut and +Stuyvesant then looked round to see the furrow. It was very +respectably straight.</p> + +<p>“You have done very well,” said he, “and you will find it easier now, +for one of the oxen will walk in the furrow, and that will guide him.”</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant brought the team around and then went back, one of the +oxen in returning walking in the furrow which had been made before. In +this manner they went back to the place from which they had first +started.</p> + +<p>“There,” said Beechnut, “now we have got our work well laid out. But +before we plow any more, we must destroy that hornet’s nest, or else +when we come to plow by that stump, the hornets will sting the oxen. +I’ll <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>go and get some straw. You may stay here and watch the oxen +while I am gone.”</p> + +<p>In a short time Beechnut came back, bringing his arms full of hay. He +walked directly toward that part of the field where the hornet’s nest +was, calling Stuyvesant to follow him. Stuyvesant did so. When he got +near to the stump, he put the hay down upon the ground. He then +advanced cautiously to the stump with a part of the hay in his arms +This hay he put down at the foot of the stump, directly under the +hornet’s nest, extending a portion of it outward so as to form a sort +of train. He then went back and took up the remaining portion of the +hay and held it in his hands.</p> + +<p>“Now, Stuyvesant,” said Beechnut, “light a match and set fire to the +train.”</p> + +<p>Beechnut had previously given Stuyvesant a small paper containing a +number of matches.</p> + +<p>“How shall I light it?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Rub it upon a stone,” said Beechnut. “Find one that has been lying in +the sun,” continued Beechnut, “and then the match will catch quicker, +because the stone will be warm and dry.”</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant lighted a match by rubbing <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>it upon a smooth stone which +was lying upon the ground near by. He then cautiously approached the +end of the train and set it on fire.</p> + +<p><a name="Illo3" id="Illo3"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 394px;"> +<img src="images/i055.jpg" class="smallgap" width="394" height="350" alt="THE HORNET’S NEST." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE HORNET’S NEST.</span></div> + +<p>Beechnut then came up immediately with the hay that he had in his +hands, and placed it over and around the hornet’s nest, so as to +envelop it entirely. He and Stuyvesant then retreated together to a +safe distance, and there stood to watch the result.</p> + +<p>A very dense white smoke immediately began <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>to come up through the +hay. Presently the flame burst out, and in a few minutes the whole +mass of the hay was in a bright blaze. Stuyvesant looked very +earnestly to see if he could see any hornets, but he could not. At +last, however, when the fire was burnt nearly down, he saw two. They +were flying about the stump, apparently in great perplexity and +distress. Stuyvesant pitied them, but as he did not see what he could +do to help them, he told them that he thought they had better go and +find some more hornets and build another nest somewhere. Then he and +Beechnut went back to the plow.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant had quite a desire to try and hold the plow, after he had +been driving the team about an hour, but he thought it was best not to +ask. In fact he knew himself that it was best for him to learn one +thing at a time. So he went on with his driving.</p> + +<p>When it was about a quarter before twelve, Beechnut said that it was +time to go in. So he unhooked the chain from the yoke, and leaving the +plow, the drag, the axe and the chain in the field, he let the oxen +go. They immediately ran off into a copse of trees and bushes, which +bordered the road on one side.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p><p>“Why, Beechnut!” said Stuyvesant, “the oxen are running away.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Beechnut, “they are only going down to drink. There is a +brook down there where they go to drink when they are at work in this +field.”</p> + +<p>Oxen appear to possess mental qualifications of a certain kind in a +very high degree. They are especially remarkable for their sagacity in +finding good places to drink in the fields and pastures where they +feed or are employed at work, and for their good memory in +recollecting where they are. An ox may be kept away from a particular +field or pasture quite a long time, and yet know exactly where to go +to find water to drink when he is admitted to it again.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant looked at the oxen as they went down the path, and then +proposed to follow them.</p> + +<p>“Let us go and see,” said he.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<img src="images/i058.jpg" class="smallgap" width="325" height="500" alt="OXEN DRINKING." title="" /> +<span class="caption">OXEN DRINKING.</span></div> + +<p>So he and Beechnut walked along after the oxen. They found a narrow, +but very pretty road, or rather path, overhung with trees and bushes, +which led down to the water. The road terminated at a broad and +shallow place in the stream, where the sand was yellow and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>the water very clear. The oxen went out into the water, and then put +their heads down to drink. Presently they stopped, first one and then +the other, and stood a moment considering whether they wanted any +more. Finding that they did not, they turned round in the water, and +then came slowly out to the land. They walked up the bank, and finally +emerging from the wood at the place where they had entered it, they +went toward home.</p> + +<p>When they reached the house the cattle went straight through the yard, +toward the barn. Beechnut and Stuyvesant followed them. Beechnut was +going to get them some hay. Stuyvesant went in with Beechnut and stood +below on the barn floor, while Beechnut went up the ladder to pitch +the hay down.</p> + +<p>During all the time that Beechnut and Stuyvesant had been coming up +from the field, conversation had been going on between them, about +various subjects connected with farming. Stuyvesant asked Beechnut if +Phonny could drive oxen pretty well.</p> + +<p>“<i>Pretty</i> well,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Does he like to drive?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p><p>“He likes to begin to drive,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by that?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Why, when there is any driving to be done,” replied Beechnut, “he +thinks that he shall like it, and he wants to take a goad stick and +begin. But he very soon gets tired of it, and goes away. You seem to +have more perseverance. In fact, you seem to have a great deal of +perseverance, which I think is very strange, considering that you are +a city boy.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant laughed.</p> + +<p>“City boys,” continued Beechnut, “I have always heard said, are good +for nothing at all.”</p> + +<p>“But you said, a little while ago,” replied Stuyvesant, “that city +boys had a great deal of skill.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “they are bright enough, but they have generally +no steadiness or perseverance. They go from one thing to another, +following the whim of the moment. The reason of that is, that living +in cities, they are brought up without having any thing to do.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p><p>“They can go of errands,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “they can go of errands, but there are not many +errands to be done, so they are brought up in idleness. Country boys, +on the other hand, generally have a great deal to do. They have to go +for the cows, and catch the horses, and drive oxen, and a thousand +other things, and so they are brought up in industry.”</p> + +<p>“Is Phonny brought up in industry?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Hardly,” said Beechnut. “In fact he is scarcely old enough yet to do +much work.”</p> + +<p>“He is as old as I am,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“True,” said Beechnut, “but he does not seem to have as much +discretion. Do you see that long shed out there, projecting from the +barn?”</p> + +<p>This was said just at the time when Beechnut and Stuyvesant were +passing through the gate which led into the yard, and the barns and +sheds were just coming into view.</p> + +<p>“The one with that square hole by the side of the door?” asked +Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “that was Phonny’s hen house. He bought some +hens, and was <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>going to be a great poulterer. He was going to have I +don’t know how many eggs and chickens,—but finally he got tired of +his brood, and neglected them, and at last wanted to sell them to me. +I bought them day before yesterday.”</p> + +<p>“How many hens are there?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“About a dozen,” said Beechnut. “I gave him a dollar and a half for +the whole stock. I looked into his hen-house when I bought him out, +and found it all in sad condition. I have not had time to put it in +order yet.”</p> + +<p>“I will put it in order,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Will you?” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant, “and I should like to buy the hens of you, if +I were only going to stay here long enough.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t think it is worth while for you to buy them,” said Beechnut, +“but I should like to have you take charge of them. I would pay you by +giving you a share of the eggs.”</p> + +<p>“What could I do with the eggs?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Why you could sell them, or give them away, just as you pleased. You +might give <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>them to Mrs. Henry, or sell them to her, or sell them to +me. If you will take the whole care of them while you are here, I will +give you one third of the eggs, after all expenses are paid.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by that?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Why, if we have to buy any grain, for instance, to give the hens, we +must sell eggs enough first to pay for the grain, and after that, you +shall have one third of the eggs that are left.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant was much pleased with this proposal, and was just about to +say that he accepted it, when his attention was suddenly turned away +from the subject, by hearing a loud call from Phonny, who just then +came running round a corner, with a box-trap under his arm, shouting +out,</p> + +<p>“Stuyvesant! Stuyvesant! Look here! I’ve got a gray squirrel;—a +beautiful, large gray squirrel.”</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_IV" id="Chapter_IV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter IV.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Negotiations.</span></h2> + +<p>It is necessary in this chapter to return to Phonny and Wallace, in +order to explain how Phonny succeeded in getting his squirrel.</p> + +<p>He was quite in haste, as he went on after leaving the squirrel, in +order to get down to the mill where Espy lived, before the squirrel +should have gnawed out. The road, he was quite confident, led to the +mill.</p> + +<p>“I should like to buy the squirrel, if Espy will sell him,” said +Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Do you think that your mother would be willing?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why yes,” said Phonny, “certainly. What objection could she have?”</p> + +<p>“None, only the trouble that it would occasion her,” replied Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Oh, it would not make her any trouble,” said Phonny. “I should take +care of it myself.”</p> + +<p>“It would not make her much trouble, I <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>know,” said Wallace, “if you +were only considerate and careful. As it is I think it may make her a +great deal.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “I don’t think that it will make her any trouble at +all.”</p> + +<p>“Where shall you keep your squirrel?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“In a cage, in the back room,” said Phonny, promptly.</p> + +<p>“Have you got a cage?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “but I can make one.”</p> + +<p>“I think that in making a cage,” replied Wallace, “you would have to +give other people a great deal of trouble. You would be inquiring all +about the house, for tools, and boards, and wire,—that is unless you +keep your tools and materials for such kind of work, in better order +than boys usually do.”</p> + +<p>Phonny was silent. His thoughts reverted to a certain room in one of +the out-buildings, which he called his shop, and used for that +purpose, and which was, as he well knew, at this time in a state of +great confusion.</p> + +<p>“Then,” continued Wallace, “you will leave the doors open, going and +coming, to see your squirrel, and to feed him.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p><p>“No,” said Phonny, “I am very sure that I shall not leave the doors +open.”</p> + +<p>“And then,” continued Wallace, “after a time you will get a little +tired of your squirrel, and will forget to feed him, and so your +mother or somebody in the house, must have the care of reminding you +of it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no,” said Phonny, “I should not forget to feed him, I am sure.”</p> + +<p>“Did not you forget to feed your hens?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why—yes,” said Phonny, hesitatingly, “but that is a different +thing.”</p> + +<p>“Then, besides,” said Wallace, “you will have to go and beg some money +of your mother to buy the squirrel with. For I suppose you have not +saved any of your own, from your allowance. It is very seldom that +boys of your age have self-control enough to lay up any money.”</p> + +<p>As Wallace said these words Phonny, who had been riding along, with +the bridle and his little riding stick both in his right hand, now +shifted them into his left, and then putting his right hand into his +left vest pocket, he drew out a little wallet. He then extended his +hand with the wallet in it to Wallace saying,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p><p>“Look in there.”</p> + +<p>Wallace took the wallet, opened it as he rode along, and found that +there was a quarter of a dollar in one of the pockets.</p> + +<p>“Is that your money?” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Then you are not near as much of a boy as I thought you were. To be +able to save money, so as to have a stock on hand for any unexpected +emergency, is one of the greatest proofs of manliness. I had no idea +that you were so much of a man.”</p> + +<p>Phonny laughed. At first Wallace supposed that this laugh only +expressed the pleasure which Phonny felt at having deserved these +praises, but as he gave back the wallet into Phonny’s hands, he +perceived a very mysterious expression upon his countenance.</p> + +<p>“That’s the money,” said Phonny, “that my mother just gave me for my +next fortnight’s allowance.”</p> + +<p>“Then you have had no opportunity to spend it at all?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>Phonny thought that he was sinking himself in his cousin’s estimation +by this avowal, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>but he was in fact raising himself very much by +evincing so much honesty.</p> + +<p>“He is not willing to receive commendation that he knows he does not +deserve,” thought Wallace to himself. “That is a good sign. That is a +great deal better trait of character than to be able to lay up money.”</p> + +<p>Wallace thought this to himself as he rode along. He did not, however, +express the thought, but went on a minute or two in silence. At length +he said,</p> + +<p>“So, then, you have got money enough to buy the squirrel?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “if a quarter is enough.”</p> + +<p>“It is enough,” said Wallace, “I have no doubt. So that one difficulty +is disposed of. As to the second difficulty,” he continued, “that is, +troubling the family about making the cage, we can dispose of that +very easily, too, for I can help you about that myself. What shall we +do about the third, leaving the doors open and making a noise when you +go back and forth to feed him?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I will promise not to do that,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p><p>“Promise!” repeated Wallace, in a tone of incredulity.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “I’ll promise, positively.”</p> + +<p>“Is it safe to rely on boys’ promises about here?” said Wallace. “They +would not be considered very good security in Wall Street, in New +York.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Phonny; “I always keep <i>my</i> promises.”</p> + +<p>“Are you willing to agree, that if you make any noise or disturbance +in the family with your squirrel, that he is to be forfeited?”</p> + +<p>“Forfeited!” said Phonny, “how do you mean?”</p> + +<p>“Why, given up to me, to dispose of as I please,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“And what should you do with him?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Wallace. “I should dispose of him in some way, so +that he should not be the means of any more trouble. Perhaps I should +give him away; perhaps I should open the cage and let him run.”</p> + +<p>“Then I think you ought to pay me what I gave for him,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Wallace, “because I don’t take <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>him for any advantage to +myself, but only to prevent your allowing him to make trouble. If you +make noise and disturbance with him, it is your fault, and you lose +the squirrel as the penalty for it. If you do your duty and make no +trouble with him, then he would not be forfeited.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I agree to that. But perhaps you will say that I +make a disturbance with him when I don’t.”</p> + +<p>“We will have an umpire, then,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“What is an umpire?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Somebody to decide when there is a dispute,” replied Wallace. “Who +shall be the umpire?”</p> + +<p>“Beechnut,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Agreed,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“And now there is one point more,” he continued, “and that is, perhaps +you will neglect to feed him, and then we shall be uncomfortable, for +fear that the squirrel is suffering.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, shaking his head; “I shall certainly feed him every +day, and sometimes twice a day.”</p> + +<p>“Are you willing to agree to forfeit him, if you fail to feed him?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p><p>“Why—I don’t know,” said Phonny. “But I certainly shall feed him, I +know I shall.”</p> + +<p>“Then there will be no harm in agreeing to forfeit him if you fail,” +rejoined Wallace; “for if you certainly do feed him, then your +agreement to forfeit him will be a dead letter.”</p> + +<p>“But I might accidentally omit to feed him some one day,” said Phonny. +“I might be sick, or I might be gone away, and I might ask Stuyvesant +to feed him, and he forget it, and then I should lose my squirrel +entirely.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Wallace, “you are not to forfeit him except for <i>neglect</i>. +It must be a real and inexcusable neglect on your part, Beechnut being +judge.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I agree to it.”</p> + +<p>“And I will give you three warnings,” said Wallace, “both for making +trouble and disturbance with your squirrel, and for neglecting to feed +him. After the third warning, he is forfeited, and I am to do what I +please with him.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I agree to it.”</p> + +<p>A short time after this conversation, the road in which Wallace and +Phonny were riding emerged from the wood, and there <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>was opened before +them the prospect of a wide and beautiful valley. A short distance +before them down the valley, there was a stream with a mill. By the +side of the mill, under some large spreading elms, was a red house, +which Phonny said was the one where Espy lived.</p> + +<p>They rode on rapidly, intending to go to the house and inquire for +Espy. Just before reaching the place, however, Phonny’s attention was +arrested by his seeing some boys fishing on the bank of the stream, +just below the mill. It was at a place where the road lay along the +bank of the stream, at a little distance from it. The stream was very +broad at this place, and the water quite deep and clear. The ground +was smooth and green between the road and the water, and there were +large trees on the bank overshadowing the shore, so that it was a very +pleasant place.<a name="FNanchor_B_2" id="FNanchor_B_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_2" class="fnanchor">[B]</a></p> + +<p>There were two boys standing upon the bank in one place fishing. Two +other boys were near the water at a little distance, trying to make a +dog jump in, by throwing in sticks and stones.</p> + +<p>Just as Wallace and Phonny came along, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>one of the boys who was +fishing, called out in a loud and authoritative tone to one of those +who were trying to make the dog jump in, saying,</p> + +<p>“Hey-e-e, there! Oliver, don’t throw sticks into the water; you scare +away all the fish.”</p> + +<p>“Ned!” said Phonny, calling out to the boy who was fishing.</p> + +<p>The boy looked round, without, however, moving his fishing-pole.</p> + +<p>“Is Espy down there anywhere?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>Here the boy turned his head again toward the water, without directly +answering Phonny, though he called out at the same time in an audible +voice,</p> + +<p>“Espy!”</p> + +<p>In answer apparently to his call, a boy came suddenly out of a little +thicket which was near the water, just below where Ned was fishing, +and asked Ned what he wanted.</p> + +<p>“There’s a fellow out here in the road,” said Ned, “calling for you.”</p> + +<p>Hearing this, the boy came out of the thicket entirely, and scrambled +up the bank. He stood at the top of the bank, looking toward Wallace +and Phonny, but did not advance. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>His hand was extended toward a +branch of the tree which he had taken hold of to help him in climbing +up the bank. He continued to keep hold of this tree, showing by his +attitude that he did not mean to come any farther.</p> + +<p>He was in fact a little awed at the sight of Wallace, who was a +stranger to him. He did not know whether he was wanted for any good +purpose, or was going to be called to account for some of his +misdeeds.</p> + +<p>“Come here a minute,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>Espy did not move.</p> + +<p>“Is that your trap up in the woods?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Espy.</p> + +<p>“There is a squirrel in it,” rejoined Phonny, “and I want to buy him.”</p> + +<p>Hearing this, the boys who had been playing with the dog began to move +up toward Wallace and Phonny. Espy himself taking his hand down from +the tree, came forward a few steps. Wallace and Phonny too advanced a +little with their horses toward the stream, and thus the whole party +came nearer together.</p> + +<p>“There is a squirrel in your trap,” repeated <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>Phonny, “if he has not +gnawed out;—and I want to buy him. What will you sell him for?”</p> + +<p>“What kind of a squirrel is it?” asked Espy.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Phonny. “I couldn’t see any thing but his eyes.”</p> + +<p>“If it’s a gray squirrel,” said Espy, “he is worth a quarter. If it’s +a red squirrel you may have him for four pence—</p> + +<p>“Or for nothing at all,” continued Espy, after a moment’s pause, “just +as you please.”</p> + +<p>Wallace laughed.</p> + +<p>“What will you sell him for just as he is,” asked Wallace, “and we +take the risk of his being red or gray?”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you know which it is?” asked Espy.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Wallace, “<i>I</i> do not. I did not go near the cage, and +Phonny did not open it. He says he could only see his eyes.”</p> + +<p>“And his nose,” said Phonny, “I saw his nose,—but I don’t know at +all, what kind of a squirrel it is.”</p> + +<p>“You may have him for eighteen cents,” said Espy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p><p>“But perhaps he has gnawed out,” said Phonny. “He was gnawing out as +fast as he could when we saw him.”</p> + +<p>“Why, if he has gnawed out,” said Espy, “you will not have anything to +pay, of course; because then you won’t get him.</p> + +<p>“Or,” continued Espy, “you may have him for ten cents, and you take +the risk of his gnawing out. You give me ten cents now, and you may +have him if he is there, red or gray. If he is not there, I keep the +ten cents, and you get nothing.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny. “Would you, Wallace?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Wallace. “You must decide. There is considerable +risk. I can’t judge.”</p> + +<p>“I have not got any ten cents,” said Phonny—“only a quarter of a +dollar.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I can pay,” said Wallace, “and then you can pay me some other +time.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I believe I will take him.”</p> + +<p>“You must lend me the trap,” said Phonny, again addressing Espy,—“to +carry the squirrel home in, and I will bring it back here some day.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p><p>“Well,” said Espy.</p> + +<p>So Wallace took a ten cent piece from his pocket, and gave it to Espy, +and then he and Phonny rode away.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Phonny, “we must go ahead.”</p> + +<p>They rode on rapidly for some time. At length, on ascending a hill, +they were obliged to slacken their pace a little.</p> + +<p>“If it should prove to be a gray squirrel,” said Phonny, “what a +capital bargain I shall have made. A squirrel worth a quarter of a +dollar, for ten cents.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see why a gray squirrel is so much more valuable than a red +one,” said Wallace. “Is gray considered prettier than red?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, it is not his color,” said Phonny, “it is the shape and size. The +gray squirrels are a great deal larger, and then, they have a +beautiful bushy tail, that lays all the time over their back, and +curls up at the end, like a plume. The red squirrels are very small.”</p> + +<p>“Besides,” continued Phonny, “they are not red exactly. They are a +kind of reddish brown, so that they are not very pretty, even in +color. I am afraid that my squirrel will be a red one.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p><p>“I am afraid so, too,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“The red squirrels are altogether the most common,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“There are the bars,” said Wallace, “now we shall soon see.”</p> + +<p>They had arrived in fact, at the bars. Phonny jumped off his horse and +gave Wallace the bridle, and then went to take down the bars. As soon +as he had got them down, he left Wallace to go through with the +horses, at his leisure, and he himself ran off toward the rock where +he had left the trap, to see what sort of a squirrel he had.</p> + +<p>Wallace went through the bars in a deliberate manner, as it was in +fact necessary to do in conducting two horses, and then dismounted, +intending to put the bars up. He had just got off his horse when he +saw Phonny coming from the direction of the place where the trap had +been left, with a countenance expressive of great surprise and +concern.</p> + +<p>“Wallace,” exclaimed Phonny, “the squirrel has gone, trap and all.”</p> + +<p>“Has it?” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny; “I left it on that rock, and it is gone.”</p> + +<p>So saying Phonny ran to the place and put <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>his foot upon the rock, +looking up to Wallace, and added,</p> + +<p>“There is the very identical spot where I put it, and now it is gone.”</p> + +<p>Wallace seemed at a loss what to think.</p> + +<p>“Somebody must have taken him away,” said he.</p> + +<p>“Hark!” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>Wallace and Phonny listened. They heard the voices of some boys in the +woods.</p> + +<p>“There they are now,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Mount the horse,” said Wallace, “and we will go and see.”</p> + +<p>Phonny mounted his horse as expeditiously as possible, and he and +Wallace rode off through the woods in the direction of the voices. +They followed a path which led down a sort of glen, and after riding a +short distance they saw the boys before them, standing in a little +open space among the trees. The boys had stopped to see who was +coming.</p> + +<p>There were three boys, one large and two small. The large boy had the +trap under his arm.</p> + +<p>“Halloa!” said Phonny, calling out aloud to the boys, “stop carrying +off that trap.”</p> + +<p>The boys did not answer.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p><p>“I have bought that squirrel,” said Phonny, “you must give him to me.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said the great boy; “it belongs to Espy, and I am going to keep +it for him.”</p> + +<p>“Hush,” said Wallace, in a low tone to Phonny; “<i>I</i> will speak to +him.”</p> + +<p>Then calling out aloud again, he said, “We have just been down to +Espy’s and have bought the squirrel, and have now come to take him +home.”</p> + +<p>The boy did not move from the place where he stood, and he showed very +plainly by his countenance and his manner, that he did not mean to +give the squirrel up. Presently they heard him mutter to the small +boys,</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe they have bought him, and they shan’t have him.”</p> + +<p>“Let us go down and take the squirrel away from them,” said Phonny, in +a low tone to Wallace; “I don’t believe they will give him up, unless +we do.”</p> + +<p>“We can not do that,” said Wallace. “We might take the trap away, +perhaps, but they would first open the trap and let the squirrel go.”</p> + +<p>“What shall we do, then?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>Wallace did not answer this question, directly, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>but called out again +to the boy who held the trap, saying,</p> + +<p>“We found the squirrel here in the woods, and then went down to tell +Espy, and we bought the squirrel of him. But we can’t carry him home +very well on horseback, at least till we get out of the woods, because +the road is so steep and rough. Now if you will carry him down the +road for us, till we get out of the woods, I will give you six cents.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the boy, “I will.”</p> + +<p>He immediately began to come toward Wallace and Phonny, so as to go +back with them into the road which they were to take. Wallace and +Phonny led the way, and he followed. As soon as he came within +convenient distance for talking, Phonny asked him what sort of a +squirrel it was.</p> + +<p>“A gray squirrel,” said he. “The prettiest gray squirrel that ever I +saw.”</p> + +<p>Phonny was very much elated at hearing this intelligence, and wanted +to get off his horse at once, and take a peep at the squirrel; but +Wallace advised him to do no such thing. In due time the whole party +got out of the woods. Wallace gave the boy his six cents, and the boy +handed the trap up to <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>Phonny. Phonny held it upon the pommel of the +saddle, directly before him. He found that the squirrel had gnawed +through the board so as to get his nose out, but he could not gnaw any +more, now that the box was all the time in motion. So he gave it up in +despair, and remained crouched down in a corner of the trap during the +remainder of the ride, wondering all the time what the people outside +were doing with him.</p> + +<p>“You managed that boy finely,” said Phonny. “He is one of the worst +boys in town.”</p> + +<p>“It is generally best,” said Wallace, “in dealing with people, to +contrive some way to make it for their interest to do what you want, +rather than to quarrel with them about it.”</p> + +<p>For the rest of the way, Phonny rode on without meeting with any +difficulty, and arrived at home, with his squirrel all safe, just at +the time when Beechnut and Stuyvesant were talking about the poultry.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_V" id="Chapter_V"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter V.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Plans for the Squirrel.</span></h2> + +<p>As soon as Phonny had told Stuyvesant about his squirrel and had +lifted up the lid of the trap a little, so as to allow him to peep in +and see, he said that he was going in to show the squirrel to the +people in the house, and especially to Malleville. He accordingly +hurried away with the box under his arm. Stuyvesant went back toward +the barn.</p> + +<p>Phonny hastened along to the house. From the yard he went into a shed +through a great door. He walked along the platform in the shed, and at +the end of the platform he went up three steps, to a door leading into +the back kitchen. He passed through this back kitchen into the front +kitchen, hurrying forward as he went, and leaving all the doors open.</p> + +<p>Dorothy was at work at a table ironing.</p> + +<p>“Dorothy,” said Phonny, “I’ve got a squirrel—a beautiful squirrel. If +I had time I would stop and show him to you.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p><p>“I wish you had time to shut the doors,” said Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“In a minute,” said Phonny, “I am coming back in a minute, and then I +will.”</p> + +<p>So saying Phonny went into a sort of hall or entry which passed +through the house, and which had doors in it leading to the principal +rooms. There was a staircase here. Phonny supposed that Malleville was +up in his mother’s chamber. So he stood at the foot of the stairs and +began to call her with a loud voice.</p> + +<p>“Malleville!” said he, “Malleville! Where are you? Come and see my +squirrel.”</p> + +<p>Presently a door opened above, and Phonny heard some one stepping out.</p> + +<p>“Malleville,” said Phonny, “is that you?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said a voice above, “it is Wallace. I have come to give you your +first warning.”</p> + +<p>“Why, I only wanted to show my squirrel to Malleville,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“You are making a great disturbance,” said Wallace, “and besides, +though I don’t <i>know</i> any thing about it, I presume that you came in a +noisy manner through the kitchen and left all the doors open there.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will be still.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p><p>So Phonny turned round and went away on tiptoe. When he got into the +kitchen, he first shut the doors, and then carried the trap to +Dorothy, and let her peep through the hole which the squirrel had +gnawed and see the squirrel inside.</p> + +<p>“Do you see him?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I see the tip of his tail,” said Dorothy, “curling over. The whole +squirrel is there somewhere, I’ve no doubt.”</p> + +<p>Phonny then went out again to find Stuyvesant. He was careful to walk +softly and to shut all the doors after him.</p> + +<p>He found Stuyvesant and Beechnut in the barn. Beechnut was raking up +the loose hay which had been pitched down upon the barn floor, and +Stuyvesant was standing beside him.</p> + +<p>“Beechnut,” said Phonny, “just look at my squirrel. You can peep +through this little hole where he was trying to gnaw out.”</p> + +<p>Phonny held the trap up and Beechnut peeped through the hole.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said he, “I see the top of his head His name is Frink.”</p> + +<p>“Frink?” repeated Phonny, “how do you know?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p><p>“I think that must be his name,” said Beechnut. “If you don’t believe +it, try and see if you can make him answer to any other name. If you +can I’ll give it up.”</p> + +<p>“Nonsense, Beechnut,” said Phonny. “That is only some of your fun. But +Frink will be a very good name for him, nevertheless. Only I was going +to call him Bunny.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t think his name is Bunny,” said Beechnut. “I knew Bunny. He +was a squirrel that belonged to Rodolphus. He got away and ran off +into the woods, but I don’t think that this is the same one.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll call him Frink,” said Phonny. “But what would you do with him if +you were in my place?”</p> + +<p>“Me?” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Well, I think,” said Beechnut, stopping his work a moment, and +leaning on his rake, and drawing a long breath, as if what he was +about to say was the result of very anxious deliberation, “I think +that on the whole, if that squirrel were mine, I should put two large +baskets up in the barn-chamber, and send him into the woods this fall +to get beechnuts, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>and hazelnuts, and fill the baskets. One basket for +beechnuts and one for hazelnuts, and I would give him a month to fill +them.”</p> + +<p><a name="Illo4" id="Illo4"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 399px;"> +<img src="images/i087.jpg" class="smallgap" width="399" height="350" alt="BEECHNUT’S ADVICE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">BEECHNUT’S ADVICE.</span></div> + +<p>“Nonsense, Beechnut,” said Phonny, “you are only making fun. If I were +to let him go off into the woods, he never would come back again.”</p> + +<p>“Why, do you suppose,” said Beechnut, “that he would rather be running +about in the woods than to live in that trap?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p><p>“Yes,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Then,” said Beechnut, “you must make him a beautiful cage, and have +it so convenient and comfortable for him, that he shall like it better +than he does the woods. That would not be difficult, one would +suppose, because he has nothing but holes in the ground and old hollow +logs in the woods.”</p> + +<p>“I know that,” said Phonny; “but then I don’t think he would like any +house that I could make him, so well as he does the old logs.”</p> + +<p>“Then I don’t know what you will do,” said Beechnut, “to make him +contented.”</p> + +<p>So saying Beechnut went away, leaving Phonny and Stuyvesant together. +They talked a few minutes about the squirrel, and then began to walk +along toward the house.</p> + +<p>As they walked along, they heard the bell ring for dinner.</p> + +<p>“There,” said Phonny, “there is the dinner-bell, what shall we do now? +Where shall I put my squirrel while we are in at dinner?”</p> + +<p>“Haven’t you got some sort of cage to put him in?” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “I was going to make <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>one after dinner in my shop. +I have got a shop, did you know it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant, “Beechnut told me.”</p> + +<p>“Only my tools are rather dull,” added Phonny. “But I think I can make +a cage with them.”</p> + +<p>“You might put the trap in the shop, on the bench,” said Stuyvesant, +“till after dinner, and then make your cage.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “so I will.”</p> + +<p>So the two boys went into the shop. The room was indeed in great +confusion. The floor was covered with chips and shavings. The tools +were lying in disorder on the bench. There was a saw-horse in the +middle of the room, tumbled over upon one side, because one of the +legs was out. The handle was out of the hatchet, and one of the claws +of the hammer was broken.</p> + +<p>While Stuyvesant was surveying this scene of disorder, Phonny advanced +to the bench, and pushing away the tools from one corner of it, he put +the trap down.</p> + +<p>“There!” said he, “he will be safe there till after dinner.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p><p>“Only,” said Stuyvesant, “he may finish gnawing out.”</p> + +<p>“I will stop him up,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>So saying he took the foreplane, which is a tool formed of a steel +cutter, set in a pretty long and heavy block of wood, and placed it +directly before the hole in the trap. “There!” said he, “now if he +does gnaw the hole big enough, he can’t get out, for he can’t push the +plane away.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps he will be hungry,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “for there was half an ear of corn tied to the +spindle for bait, and he has not eaten but a very little of it yet, I +can see by peeping in.”</p> + +<p>“Then, perhaps, he will be thirsty,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“I will give him something to drink,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>The boys turned and saw Beechnut standing at the door of the shop, +looking at them. He continued,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">“His name is Frink,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And so I think,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">I’d give him a little water to drink.”<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p><p>So saying, Beechnut went away. Phonny took up an old tin cover which +lay upon a shelf behind the bench, and which had once belonged to a +tin box. The box was lost, but Phonny had kept the cover to put nails +in. He now poured the nails out upon the bench, and went out to the +pump to fill the cover with water.</p> + +<p>In a minute or two he came back, walking carefully, so as not to spill +the water. He raised the lid of the trap a little, very cautiously, +and then pushed the cover in underneath it, in such a manner that +about half of it was inside the trap.</p> + +<p>“There! That’s what I call complete. Now he can have a drink when he +pleases, and we will go in to dinner.”</p> + +<hr class="medium" /> + +<p>At the dinner table, Phonny and Stuyvesant sat upon one side of the +table, and Malleville sat on the other side, opposite to them. Mrs. +Henry sat at the head, and Wallace opposite to her, at the foot of the +table. The dinner consisted that day, of roast chickens, and after it, +an apple pudding.</p> + +<p>Wallace carved the chickens, and when all had been helped, Phonny +began to talk about the squirrel.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p><p>“I suppose you consider it as boyishness in me, Cousin Wallace, to +like to have a squirrel,” said he.</p> + +<p>“It is a very harmless <i>kind</i> of boyishness, at any rate,” replied +Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Then you have no objection to it,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“None at all,” said Wallace. “In one sense it is boyishness, for it is +boys, and not men, that take pleasure in possessing useless animals.”</p> + +<p>“Useless!” said Phonny, “do you call a gray squirrel useless?”</p> + +<p>“He is not useful in the sense in which the animals of a farm-yard are +useful,” said Wallace. “He gives pleasure perhaps, but cows, sheep, +and hens, are a source of profit. Boys don’t care much about profit; +but like any kind of animals, if they are pretty, or cunning in their +motions and actions.”</p> + +<p>“I like gray squirrels,” said Phonny, “very much indeed, if it <i>is</i> +boyishness.”</p> + +<p>“It is a very harmless kind of boyishness at all events,” replied +Wallace. “It is not like some other kinds of boyishness, such as I +told you about the other day.”</p> + +<p>“Well, Cousin Wallace,” said Phonny, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>“what would you do, if you were +in my case, for a cage?”</p> + +<p>“I would take some kind of box, without any top to it,” replied +Wallace, “and lay it down upon its side, and then make a front to it +of wires.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “that will be an excellent plan. But how can I +make the front of wires?”</p> + +<p>“I will come and show you,” said Wallace, “when you get the box all +ready. You must look about and find a box, and carry it into the shop. +Is your shop in order?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “not exactly; but I can put it in order in a few +minutes.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said Wallace. “Put your shop all in order, and get the +box, and then come and call me.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will.”</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VI" id="Chapter_VI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VI.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Difficulty.</span></h2> + +<p>After dinner, Stuyvesant told Phonny that he should be glad to help +him about his cage, were it not that he was engaged to go with +Beechnut that afternoon, to plow. Phonny was very sorry to hear this. +In fact he had a great mind to go himself, and help plow, and so put +off making his cage until the next day. It is very probable that he +would have decided upon this plan, but while he was hesitating about +it, Beechnut came to tell Stuyvesant that he should not be able to +finish the plowing that day, for he was obliged to go away. Then +Stuyvesant said that he would help Phonny. So they went together into +the shop.</p> + +<p>They found the squirrel safe. Phonny examined the water very +attentively, to see whether Frink had been drinking any of it. He was +very confident that the water had diminished quite sensibly. +Stuyvesant could not tell whether it had diminished or not.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p><p>“And now,” said Phonny, “the first thing is to put the shop in order.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he took the plane away from before the trap, and looked at +the hole to see whether Frink had gnawed it any bigger. He had not. +Phonny then carried the trap to the back side of the shop and put it +upon a great chopping-block which stood there. He did this for the +purpose of having the bench clear, so as to put the tools in order +upon it.</p> + +<p>“I am glad that you are going to put this shop in order,” said +Stuyvesant,—“that is, if you will let me use it afterward.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “I will let you use it. But what should you want +to make in it?”</p> + +<p>“Why, Beechnut has given me charge of the hen-house,” said Stuyvesant, +“and I am to have one third of the eggs.”</p> + +<p>Here Phonny stopped suddenly in his work and looked up to Stuyvesant +as if surprised.</p> + +<p>“What, <i>my</i> hen-house!” said he.</p> + +<p>“The one that you used to have,” said Stuyvesant. “He said that you +sold it to him.”</p> + +<p>“So I did,” said Phonny, thoughtfully. As he said this, he laid down +his saw, which he had just taken to hang upon a nail where it +belonged, and ran off out of the shop.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p><p>He was in pursuit of Beechnut. He found him harnessing a horse into a +wagon.</p> + +<p>“Beechnut,” said he, “have you given Stuyvesant the charge of my +hen-house?”</p> + +<p>“I have offered it to him,” said Beechnut, “but he has not told me yet +whether he accepted the offer or not.”</p> + +<p>“You are going to let him have half the eggs if he takes care of the +house and the hens?” inquired Phonny.</p> + +<p>“One third of them,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“I did not know that you would do that,” said Phonny. “If I had known +that you would be willing to let it out in that way, I should have +wanted it myself.”</p> + +<p>“I am not certain that it would be safe to let it to <i>you</i>,” said +Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Why not?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I am not sure that you would be persevering and faithful in taking +care of the hens.”</p> + +<p>“Why should not I as well as Stuyvesant?” asked Phonny. “Stuyvesant is +not so old as I am.”</p> + +<p>“He may have more steadiness and perseverance, for all that,” said +Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“I think you might let me have it as well as him,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p><p>“Very well,” said Beechnut, “either of you. It shall go to the one who +has the first claim.”</p> + +<p>“You say he did not accept your offer of it to him?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Beechnut, “I believe he did not.”</p> + +<p>“Then I agree to accept it now,” said Phonny, “and that gives me the +first claim.”</p> + +<p>Beechnut did not answer to this proposal, but went on harnessing the +horse. When the horse was all ready, he gathered up the reins and +stood a moment, just before getting into the wagon, in a thoughtful +attitude.</p> + +<p>“Well now, Phonny,” said he, “here is a great law question to be +settled, whether you or Stuyvesant has the best right to the contract. +Go and ask Stuyvesant to come to the shop-door.”</p> + +<p>So Beechnut got into the wagon and drove out of the shed, and along +the yard, until he came to the shop-door, and there he stopped. Phonny +and Stuyvesant were standing in front of the door.</p> + +<p>“Stuyvesant,” said Beechnut, “here is a perplexing case. Phonny wants +to have the care of the hen-house on the same terms I <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>offered it to +you. You did not tell me whether you would take it or not.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Stuyvesant, “I was going to tell you that I would take it, +but if Phonny wants it, I am willing to give it up to him.”</p> + +<p>“And you, Phonny,” said Beechnut, “are willing, I suppose, if +Stuyvesant wants it, to give it up to him?”</p> + +<p>“Why—yes,” said Phonny. In saying this, however, Phonny seemed to +speak quite reluctantly and doubtfully.</p> + +<p>“That’s right,” said Beechnut. “Each of you is willing to give up to +the other. But now before we can tell on which side the giving up is +to be, we must first decide on which side the right is. So that you +see we have got the quarrel into a very pretty shape now. The question +is, which of you can have the pleasure and privilege of giving up to +the other, instead of which shall be <i>compelled</i> to give up against +his will. So you see it is now a very pleasant sort of a quarrel.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “it is not any such thing. A quarrel is not +pleasant, ever.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” said Beechnut, “one of the greatest pleasures of life is to +quarrel. We <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>can not possibly get along, without quarrels. The only +thing that we can do is to get them in as good shape as possible.”</p> + +<p>“Have you got a pencil and paper in your shop?” continued Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Bring them out to me.”</p> + +<p>Phonny brought out a pencil and a small piece of paper, and held them +up to Beechnut in the wagon.</p> + +<p>“Now boys,” said Beechnut, “are you willing to submit this case to Mr. +Wallace, for his decision?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I am too,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Then I’ll write a statement of it,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>Beechnut accordingly placed the paper upon the seat of the wagon +beside him, and began to write. In a few minutes he held up the paper +and read as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>“A. has a certain contract which he is willing to offer to +either B. or C. whichever has the prior right to it. He +first offered it to B. but before B. accepted the offer C. +made application for it. C. immediately accepted the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>offer, +before A. decided upon B.’s application. Now the question is +whose claim is best, in respect simply of priority,—the one +to whom it was first <i>offered</i>, or the one who first +signified his willingness to accept of it.”</p></div> + +<p>“There,” said Beechnut, “there is a simple statement of the case.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t understand it very well,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you?” said Beechnut; “then I’ll read it again.”</p> + +<p>So Beechnut began again.</p> + +<p>“A. has a certain contract——”</p> + +<p>Here Beechnut paused and looked up at the boys.</p> + +<p>“A. means Beechnut,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Then why don’t you <i>say</i> Beechnut?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“And the contract,” continued Stuyvesant, “is the agreement about the +hens.”</p> + +<p>“Which he is willing to offer,” continued Beechnut, “to either B. or +C.”</p> + +<p>“That is, either to you or me,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “I understand so far. But what is that about +priority.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p><p>“Priority,” said Beechnut, “means precedence in respect to time.”</p> + +<p>“That is harder to understand than priority,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“The question is,” continued Beechnut, “which must be considered as +first in order of time, the one who had the offer first, or the one +who accepted first.”</p> + +<p>“The one who accepted first,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“You are not to decide the question,” said Beechnut. “I was only +explaining to you what the question is. You must carry the paper to +Mr. Wallace and get his opinion.”</p> + +<p>“But Beechnut,” said Phonny, “why don’t you tell him all about it, +just as it was, instead of making up such a story about A. B. and C. +and priority.”</p> + +<p>“Why, when we refer a case to an umpire for decision,” said Beechnut, +“it is always best, when we can, to state the principle of the +question in general terms, so that he can decide it in the abstract, +without knowing who the real parties are, and how they are to be +affected by his decision. Here’s Mr. Wallace now, who would not like +very well to decide in favor of his brother and against you, even if +he thought that his brother was <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>in the right. But by not letting him +know any thing but the general principle he can decide just as he +thinks, without fear that you would think him partial.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will carry him the paper.”</p> + +<p>“You must only give him the paper,” said Beechnut, “and not tell him +any thing about the case yourself.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “I will not.”</p> + +<p>“For if you do,” continued Beechnut, “he will know who the parties +are, and then he will not like to decide the question.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will not tell him.”</p> + +<p>“Let Stuyvesant go with you,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>Phonny accordingly took the paper and went into the house with +Stuyvesant. He led the way up into his cousin Wallace’s room. He found +Wallace seated at his table in his alcove, where he usually studied. +The curtains were both up, which was the signal that Phonny might go +and speak to him.</p> + +<p>Phonny and Stuyvesant accordingly walked up to the table, and Wallace +asked them if they wished to speak to him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 388px;"> +<img src="images/i103.jpg" class="smallgap" width="388" height="350" alt="THE APPEAL." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE APPEAL.</span> +</div> + +<p>Phonny handed him the paper.</p> + +<p>“There,” said he, “is a case for you to decide.”</p> + +<p>Wallace took the paper and read it. He said nothing, but seemed for a +moment to be thinking on the subject, and then he took his pen and +wrote several lines under the question. Phonny supposed that he was +writing his answer.</p> + +<p>After his writing was finished, Wallace <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>folded up the paper, and told +Phonny that he must not read it until he had given it to Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“How did you know that it was from Beechnut?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I knew by the handwriting,” said Wallace. “Besides, I knew that there +was nobody else here who would have referred such a question to me, in +such a scientific way.”</p> + +<p>So Phonny took the paper and carried it down to Beechnut.</p> + +<p>Beechnut opened it, and read aloud as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>My judgment is, that it would depend upon whether B. had a +reasonable time to consider and decide upon the offer, +before C. came forward. In all cases of making an offer, it +is implied that reasonable time is allowed to consider it.</p></div> + +<p>“The question is, then, boys,” said Beechnut, “whether Stuyvesant had +had a reasonable time to consider my offer, before Phonny came +forward. What do you think about that, Phonny?”</p> + +<p>“Why, yes,” said Phonny, “he had an hour.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p><p>Stuyvesant said nothing.</p> + +<p>“I will think about that while I am riding,” said Beechnut, “and tell +you what I conclude upon it when I return. Perhaps we shall have to +refer that question to Mr. Wallace, too.”</p> + +<p>So Beechnut drove away, and the boys went back into the shop. Here +they resumed their work of putting the tools in order, and while doing +so, they continued their conversation about the question of priority.</p> + +<p>“<i>I</i> think,” said Phonny, “that you had abundance of time to consider +whether you would accept the offer.”</p> + +<p>“We might leave that question to Wallace, too,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “let’s go now and ask him.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant, “I am willing.”</p> + +<p>“Only,” said Phonny, “we must not tell him what the question is +about.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>So the boys went together up to Wallace’s room. They found him in his +alcove as before. They advanced to the table, and Wallace looked up to +them to hear what they had to say.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p><p>“B. had an hour to consider of his offer,” said Phonny, “don’t you +think that that was enough?”</p> + +<p>Phonny was very indiscreet, indeed, in asking the question in that +form, for it showed at once that whatever might be the subject of the +discussion, he was not himself the person represented by B. It was now +no longer possible for Wallace to look at the question purely in its +abstract character.</p> + +<p>“Now I know,” said Wallace, “which is B., and of course you may as +well tell me all about it.”</p> + +<p>Phonny looked at Stuyvesant with an expression of surprise and concern +upon his countenance.</p> + +<p>“No matter,” said Stuyvesant, “let us tell him the whole story.”</p> + +<p>Phonny accordingly explained to Wallace, that the contract related to +the care of the hen-house and the hens,—that it was first offered to +Stuyvesant, that Stuyvesant did not accept it for an hour or two, and +that in the course of that time he, Phonny, had himself applied for +it. He concluded by asking Wallace if he did not think that an hour +was a reasonable time.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p><p>“The question,” said Wallace, “how much it is necessary to allow for a +reasonable time, depends upon the nature of the subject that the offer +relates to. If two persons were writing at a table, and one of them +were to offer the other six wafers in exchange for a steel pen, five +minutes, or even one minute, might be a reasonable time to allow him +for decision. On the other hand, in buying a house, two or three days +would not be more than would be reasonable. Now, I think in such a +case as this, any person who should receive such an offer as Beechnut +made, ought to have time enough to consider the whole subject fairly. +He would wish to see the hen-house, to examine its condition, to +consider how long it would take him to put it in order, and how much +trouble the care of the hens would make him afterward. He would also +want to know how many eggs he was likely to receive, and to consider +whether these would be return enough for all his trouble. Now, it does +not seem to me, that one hour, coming too just when Stuyvesant was +called away to dinner, could be considered a reasonable time. He ought +to have a fair opportunity when the offer is once made to him, to +consider it and decide <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>understandingly, whether he would accept it or +not.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, with a sigh, “I suppose I must give it up.”</p> + +<p>So he and Stuyvesant walked back to the shop together.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VII" id="Chapter_VII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Work Shop.</span></h2> + +<p>When the boys entered the shop door, the first thing for Phonny to do, +was to look and see if his trap was safe. It <i>was</i> safe. It remained +standing upon the horse-block where he had placed it.</p> + +<p>“And now,” said Phonny, “the question is, where I am to find a box for +a cage. I must go and look about.”</p> + +<p>“And I must go and look at my hen-house,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>Phonny proposed that Stuyvesant should go with him to find a box, and +then help him make a cage, and after that, he would go, he said, and +help Stuyvesant about the repairs of the hen-house.</p> + +<p>“I must go and <i>look</i> at the hen-house first,” said Stuyvesant. “I can +do that, while you are finding the box, and then I will help you.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny. “But—on the whole, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>I will go with you to look +at it, and then you can go with me to find the box.”</p> + +<p>So the boys walked along toward the hen-house together.</p> + +<p>When they came to the place, they went in, and Stuyvesant proceeded to +examine the premises very thoroughly. There were two doors of +admission. One was a large one, for men and boys to go in at. The +other was a very small one, a square hole in fact, rather than a door, +and was intended for the hens.</p> + +<p>This small opening had once been fitted with a sort of lid, which was +attached by leather hinges on its upper edge to a wooden bar or cleat +nailed to the side of the house, just over the square hole. This lid +formed, of course, a sort of door, opening outward and upward. When +up, it could be fastened in that position, by means of a wooden +button. The button and the bar of wood remained in its place, but the +door was gone.</p> + +<p>“Where is the door?” asked Stuyvesant, after he had examined all this +very carefully.</p> + +<p>“Why, I took it off,” said Phonny, “to make a little stool of. I +wanted a square board just about that size.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p><p>“And did you make a stool?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny. “I found that I could not bore the holes for the +legs. I <i>tried</i> to bore a hole, but I split the board.”</p> + +<p>“Then I must find another piece of board, somewhere,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant next turned his attention to the great door. He swung it to +and fro, to see if the hinges were in order. They were. Next he shut +it, but he found there was nothing to keep it shut.</p> + +<p>“There used to be a button,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Where is the button now?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said he. “Let me see;—it must be about here +somewhere.”</p> + +<p>So saying, Phonny began to look around upon the ground. There was some +litter upon the ground, formed of sticks, straws, &c., and Phonny +began to poke this litter about with his foot.</p> + +<p>“I saw it lying down here somewhere, once,” said he, “but I can’t find +it now.”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you pick it up and put it away in some safe place?” said +Stuyvesant, “or get it put on?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p><p>“Why, I don’t know,” said Phonny. “You see we don’t want to shut up +the hens much in the summer.”</p> + +<p>“No,” replied Stuyvesant; “but it is a great deal better to have the +doors all in order.”</p> + +<p>“Why is it better?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“It is more satisfactory,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Satisfactory!” repeated Phonny. “Hoh!”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant went into the hen-house. Phonny followed him in.</p> + +<p>It was a small room, with a loft upon one side of it. The floor was +covered with sticks, straw and litter. In one corner was a barrel, +three quarters filled with hay. There were two or three bars overhead +for the hens to roost upon. Stuyvesant looked around upon all these +objects for a few minutes in silence, and then pointing up to the +loft, he asked,</p> + +<p>“What is up there?”</p> + +<p>“That is the loft,” replied Phonny. “There is nothing up there.”</p> + +<p>“How do you get up to see?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“I can’t get up, except when Beechnut is here to boost me,” said +Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I mean to make a ladder,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p><p>“Hoh!” said Phonny, “you can’t make a ladder.”</p> + +<p>“I will try, at any rate,” said Stuyvesant. Then after a short pause +and a little more looking around, he added,</p> + +<p>“Well, I am ready now to go and help you find your box. I see what I +have got to do here.”</p> + +<p>“What is it?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I have got a small door to make, and a button for the large door, and +a ladder to get up to the loft. Then I have got to clear the hen-house +all out, and put it in order. What is in this barrel?”</p> + +<p>“That is where the hens lay sometimes,” said Phonny, “when they don’t +lay in the barn.”</p> + +<p>So saying, Phonny walked into the corner where the barrel stood, and +there he found three eggs in the nest.</p> + +<p>“Three eggs,” said he. “I think Dorothy has not been out here to-day. +That is the beginning of your profits. You can take two of them; we +have to leave one for the nest-egg.”</p> + +<p>Phonny proposed that Stuyvesant should carry the eggs in, and give +them to Dorothy; <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>but he said he would not do it then. He would leave +them where they were for the present, and go and look for the box. +Stuyvesant was intending to look, at the same time, for the materials +necessary for his door, his ladder, and his button.</p> + +<p>Phonny, accordingly, led the way, and Stuyvesant followed, into +various apartments in the barns and sheds, where lumber was stored, or +where it might be expected to be found. There were several boxes in +these places, but some were too large, and others too small, and one, +which seemed about right in respect to size, was made of rough boards, +and so Phonny thought that it would not do.</p> + +<p>At last he found some boxes under a corn-barn, one of which he thought +would do very well. It was about two feet long, when laid down upon +its side, and one foot wide and high. The open part was to be closed +by a wire front which was yet to be made.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Phonny, “help me to get the box to the shop, and then +Wallace is coming down to help me make it into a cage.”</p> + +<p>So Phonny and Stuyvesant, working together, got the box into the shop. +The bench had been cleared off, so that there was a good <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>space there +to put the box upon. Phonny and Stuyvesant placed it there, and then +Phonny went to the trap to see if his squirrel was safe.</p> + +<p>“Now, Frink,” said he, “we are going to make you a beautiful cage. +Wait a little longer, and then we will let you out of that dark trap.”</p> + +<p>Phonny said this as he passed across the floor toward the horse-block. +As soon however as he came near to the trap, he suddenly called out to +Stuyvesant,</p> + +<p>“Why, Stuyvesant, see how big this hole is.”</p> + +<p>He referred to the hole which the squirrel had begun to gnaw. Somehow +or other the opening had grown very large. Phonny stooped down with +his hands upon his knees and peeped into the trap.</p> + +<p>The squirrel was gone.</p> + +<p>“He’s gone!” said Phonny. “He’s gone!” So saying he lifted up the lid +gradually, and then holding out the empty trap to Stuyvesant, he +exclaimed again in a tone of despair,—“He’s gone!”</p> + +<p>“He gnawed out,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p><p>There were two windows in Phonny’s shop. One was over the work bench +and was an ordinary window, formed with sashes. The other was merely a +large square hole with a sort of lid or shutter opening upward and +outward, like the small door of the hen-house. Phonny used to call +this his shutter window. It was the place where he was accustomed to +throw out his shavings.</p> + +<p>Of course there was no glass in this window, and nothing to keep out +the wind and rain when it was open. In stormy weather, therefore, it +was always kept shut. The shavings which Phonny threw out here formed +a little pile outside, and after accumulating for some time, Phonny +used to carry them away and burn them.</p> + +<p>As Phonny stood showing the empty cage to Stuyvesant, his back was +turned toward this window, but Stuyvesant was facing it. Happening at +that instant to glance upward, behold, there was the squirrel, perched +at his ease upon a beam which passed along just over the window.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant did not say a word, but pointed to the place. Phonny looked +up and saw the squirrel.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 387px;"> +<img src="images/i117.jpg" class="smallgap" width="387" height="350" alt="FRINK ON THE BEAM." title="" /> +<span class="caption">FRINK ON THE BEAM.</span> +</div> + +<p>“Oo—oo—oo!—” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Shut the window,” he exclaimed. “Let us shut the window quick,” he +added impatiently; and then creeping softly up to the place, he took +hold of the prop which held the shutter up, and gently drawing it in, +he let the shutter down into its place.</p> + +<p>“Shut the other window,” said Phonny. “Climb up on the bench, Stivy, +and shut the other window as quick as you can.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span></p><p>Stuyvesant clambered up upon the bench and shut down the sash of the +window.</p> + +<p>“Now for the door,” said Phonny; and he ran to the door and shut it, +looking round as he went, toward the squirrel. As soon as he got the +door shut he seemed relieved.</p> + +<p>“There,” said he, “we have got him safe. The only thing now is to +catch him.”</p> + +<p>Here followed quite a long consultation between the two boys, in +respect to the course which it was now best to pursue. Phonny’s first +plan was to put the trap upon the table and then for him and +Stuyvesant to drive the squirrel into it. Stuyvesant however thought +that that would be a very difficult operation.</p> + +<p>“If the squirrel were a horse,” said he, “and the trap a barn, we +might possibly get him in; but as it is, I don’t believe the thing can +be done.”</p> + +<p>Phonny next proposed to chase the squirrel round the shop until they +caught him. Stuyvesant objected to this too.</p> + +<p>“We should frighten him,” said he, “and make him very wild; and +besides we might hurt him dreadfully in catching and holding him. Very +likely we should pull his tail off.”</p> + +<p>After considerable consultation, the boys <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>concluded to let the +squirrel remain for a time at liberty in the shop, taking care to keep +the door and windows shut. They thought that by this means he would +become accustomed to see them working about, and would grow tame; +perhaps so tame that by-and-by, Phonny might catch him in his hand.</p> + +<p>“And then, besides,” said Phonny, “we can set the trap for him here +to-night, when we go away, and perhaps he will go into it, and get +caught so before morning.”</p> + +<p>“Then we mustn’t feed him any this afternoon,” said Stuyvesant. “He +won’t go into the trap to-night, unless he is hungry.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “we won’t feed him. I will leave him to himself, +and let him do what he pleases, and I’ll go to work and make my cage.”</p> + +<p>Phonny’s plan for his cage was this. Stuyvesant helped him form it. He +was to take some wire, a coil of which he found hanging up in the +shed, and cut it into lengths suitable for the bars of his cage. Then +he was going to bore a row of holes in the top of his box, near the +front edge, with a small gimlet. These holes were to be about half an +inch apart, and to be in a line about half an inch <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>from the front +edge of the top of the box. The wires were to be passed down through +these holes, and then in the bottom of the box, at the points where +the ends of those wires would come, respectively, he was to bore other +holes, partly through the board, to serve as sockets to receive the +lower ends of the wires.</p> + +<p>This plan being all agreed upon, Phonny climbed up upon the bench, +with his gimlet in his hand, and taking his seat upon the box, was +beginning to bore the holes.</p> + +<p>“Stop,” said Stuyvesant, “you ought to draw a line and mark off the +places first.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no,” said Phonny, “I can guess near enough.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant, “though I don’t think that guessing is a good +way.”</p> + +<p>Phonny thought that it would take a great while to draw a line and +measure off the distances, and so he went on with his boring, looking +up, however, continually from his work, to watch the squirrel.</p> + +<p>“And now,” said Stuyvesant, “I will begin my work.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant accordingly went out, taking great care, as he opened and +shut the door, not to let the squirrel escape. Presently he <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span>returned, +bringing his materials. There was a short board for the small door, +two long strips for the sides of the ladder, and another long strip, +which was to be sawed up into lengths for the cross-bars.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant began first with his door. He went out to the hen-house, +carrying with him an instrument called a square, on which feet and +inches were marked. With this he measured the hole which his door was +to cover, and then making proper allowance for the extension of the +door, laterally, beyond the hole, he determined on the length to which +he would saw off his board. He determined on the breadth in the same +way.</p> + +<p>He then went to the shop and sawed off the board to the proper length, +and then, with the hatchet and plane, he trimmed it to the proper +breadth. Next he made two hinges of leather, and nailed them on in +their places, upon the upper side of the board. He then carried his +work out to the hen-house, and nailed the ends of the hinges to the +cross-bar provided for them. When this was all done, he turned the lid +up and fastened it into its place.</p> + +<p>Then, standing up, he surveyed his work with a look of satisfaction, +and said,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p><p>“There!”</p> + +<p>He returned to the shop again. When he came to the door he opened it a +very little way, and paused, calling out to Phonny, to know if the +squirrel was anywhere near.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “come in.”</p> + +<p>So he went in. The squirrel had run along the beams to the back part +of the shop, and was nibbling about there among some blocks of wood.</p> + +<p>“I have a great mind to feed him,” said Phonny. “He is hungry.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>So Phonny took the ear of corn out of the trap, and breaking it into +two or three pieces he carried the parts into the back part of the +shop, and put them at different places on the beams. Then he crept +back to his work again.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant went to work making his button. He selected a proper piece +of wood, sawed it off of the proper length, and then shaped it into +the form of a button by means of a chisel, working, in doing this, at +the bench. As soon as this operation was completed, he took a large +gimlet and bored a hole through the center of the button. He <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>measured +very carefully to find the exact center of the button, before he began +to bore.</p> + +<p>When the button was finished, Stuyvesant looked in Phonny’s nail-box +to find a large screw, and when he had found one, he took the +screw-driver and went out to the hen-house and screwed the button on. +When the screw was driven home to its place, Stuyvesant shut the door +and buttoned it. Then standing before it with his screw-driver in his +hand, he surveyed his work with another look of satisfaction, and +said,</p> + +<p>“There! there are two good jobs done.”</p> + +<p>He then opened and shut his two doors, both the large and the small +one, to see once more whether they worked well. They did work +perfectly well, so he turned away and went back toward the shop again, +saying,</p> + +<p>“Now for the ladder.”</p> + +<p>He went back to the shop and entered cautiously as before. He found +that Phonny had bored quite a number of holes, and was now engaged in +cutting his wire into lengths. He used for this purpose a pair of +cutting-plyers, as they are called, an instrument formed much like a +pair of nippers. The instrument <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>was made expressly for cutting off +wire.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant came to the place where Phonny was at work, and stood near +him a few minutes looking on. He perceived that the holes were not in +a straight line, nor were they equidistant from each other. He, +however, said nothing about it, but soon went to his own work again.</p> + +<p>He took the piece of wood which he had selected to make his cross-bars +of, and began to consider how many cross-bars he could make from it.</p> + +<p>“What is that piece of wood for?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“It is for the cross-bars of my ladder,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“The cross-bars of a ladder ought to be round,” said Phonny. “They +always make them round. In fact they call them <i>rounds</i>.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant, “I know they do, but I can’t make rounds very +well. And besides if I could, I could not make the holes in the +side-pieces to put them into. So I am going to make them square, and +nail them right on.”</p> + +<p>“Hoh!” said Phonny, “that is no way to <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>make a ladder. You can bore +the holes easily enough. Here. I’ll show you how. I’ve got an auger.”</p> + +<p>So saying, Phonny jumped down from the bench and went and climbed up +upon the chopping-block to get down an auger. Phonny had two augers, +and they both hung over the block. He took down one and began very +eagerly to bore a hole into the side of the chopping-block. He bored +in a little way, and then, in attempting to draw the auger out, to +clear the hole of chips, the handle came off, leaving the auger itself +fast in the hole.</p> + +<p>“Ah! this auger is broken,” said Phonny, “I forgot that. I could bore +a hole if the auger was not broken.”</p> + +<p>“Never mind,” said Stuyvesant, “I don’t think I could make a ladder +very well in that way, and don’t like to undertake any thing that I +can’t accomplish. So I will make it my way.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant went out to the hen-house, and measured the height of the +loft. He found it to be seven feet. He concluded to have his ladder +eight feet long, and to have six cross-bars, one foot apart, the upper +and lower cross-bars to be one foot from the ends of the ladder. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>The +cross-bars themselves being about two inches wide each, the breadth of +the whole six would be just one foot. This Stuyvesant calculated would +make just the eight feet.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant then went back to the shop. He found that the pieces which +he had chosen for the sides of the ladder were just about eight feet +long.</p> + +<p>Phonny came to him while he was measuring, to see what he was going to +do.</p> + +<p>“How wide are you going to have your ladder?” said he.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Stuyvesant. “I am going to have it as wide as I +can.”</p> + +<p>So saying, Stuyvesant took down the piece which he had intended for +the cross-bars.</p> + +<p>“I am going to divide this into six equal parts,” said he, “because I +must have six bars.”</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant began to measure. The piece of wood, he found, was eight +feet long,—the same as the side pieces of the ladder.</p> + +<p>“And now, how are you going to divide it?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Why, eight feet,” said Stuyvesant, “make ninety-six inches. I must +divide that by six.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p><p>So he took a pencil from his pocket and wrote down the figures 96 upon +a board; he divided the number by 6.</p> + +<p>“It will go 16 times,” said he. “I can have 16 inches for each cross +bar.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant then measured off sixteen inches, and made a mark, then he +measured off sixteen inches more, and made another mark. In the same +manner, he proceeded until he had divided the whole piece into +portions of sixteen inches each. He then took a saw and sawed the +piece off at every place where he had marked.</p> + +<p>“There,” said he, “there are my cross-bars!”</p> + +<p>“What good cross-bars,” said Phonny. “That was an excellent way to +make them.”</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VIII" id="Chapter_VIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VIII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">A Discovery.</span></h2> + +<p>While the boys were at work in this manner, Stuyvesant making his +ladder, and Phonny his cage, they suddenly heard some one opening the +door. Wallace came in. Phonny called out to him to shut the door as +quick as possible. Wallace did so, while Phonny, in explanation of the +urgency of his injunction in respect to the door, pointed up to the +squirrel, which was then creeping along, apparently quite at his ease, +upon one of the beams in the back part of the shop.</p> + +<p>“Why, Bunny,” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“His name is not Bunny,” said Phonny. “His name is Frink.”</p> + +<p>“Frink,” repeated Wallace. “Who invented that name?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” replied Phonny, “only Beechnut said that his name was +Frink. See the cage I am making for him.”</p> + +<p>Wallace came up and looked at the cage. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>He stood a moment surveying +it in silence. Then he turned toward Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“And what is Stuyvesant doing?” said he.</p> + +<p>“He is making a ladder.”</p> + +<p>“What is it for, Stuyvesant?” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why, it is to go upon the loft, in the hen-house,” said Phonny, +“though I don’t see what good it will do, to go up there.”</p> + +<p>“So it is settled, that <i>you</i> are going to have the hen-house,” said +Wallace, looking toward Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>Here there was another long pause. Wallace was looking at the ladder. +He observed how carefully Stuyvesant was making it. He saw that the +cross-bars were all exactly of a length, and he knew that they must +have been pretty accurately measured. While Wallace was looking on, +Stuyvesant was measuring off the distances upon the side pieces of the +ladder, so as to have the steps of equal length. Wallace observed that +he did this all very carefully.</p> + +<p>Wallace then looked back to Phonny’s work. He saw that Phonny was +guessing his way <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>along. The holes were not equidistant from each +other, and then they were not at the same distance from the edge of +the board. As he had advanced along the line, he had drawn gradually +nearer and nearer to the edge, and, what was a still greater +difficulty, the holes in the lower board, which was to form the bottom +of the cage, since their places too had been guessed at, did not +correspond with those above, so that the wires, when they came to be +put in, inclined some this way, and some that. In some places the +wires came very near together, and in others the spaces between them +were so wide, that Wallace thought that the squirrel, if by any chance +he should ever get put into the cage, would be very likely to squeeze +his way out.</p> + +<p>Then, besides, Phonny had not measured his wires in respect to length, +but had cut them off of various lengths, taking care however not to +have any of them too short. The result was that the ends of the wires +projected to various distances above the board, presenting a ragged +and unworkmanlike appearance.</p> + +<p>Wallace was silent while he was looking at these things. He was +thinking of the difference between the two boys. The train of <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>thought +which was passing through his mind was somewhat as follows.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant is younger than Phonny, and he was brought up in a city, +and yet he seems a great deal more of a man; which is very strange. In +the first place he takes a great deal more interest in the hens, which +are useful and productive animals, than he does in the squirrel, which +is a mere plaything. Then he plans his work carefully, considers how +much he can probably accomplish himself, and undertakes no more. He +plans, he calculates, he measures, and then proceeds steadily and +perseveringly till he finishes.</p> + +<p>In the midst of these reflections, Wallace was called away by Phonny, +as follows.</p> + +<p>“Cousin Wallace, I wish you would finish my cage for me. I am tired of +boring all these holes, and besides I can’t bore them straight.”</p> + +<p>Wallace looked at the work a moment in uncertainty. He did not like to +throw away his own time in finishing an undertaking so clumsily begun, +and on the other hand, he did not like very well to refuse to help +Phonny out of his difficulties. He finally concluded to undertake the +work. So he took the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>cage down from the bench and put it upon the +floor; he borrowed the iron square and the compasses from Stuyvesant; +he ruled a line along the top of the box at the right distance from +the edge, and marked off places for the holes, half an inch apart, +along this line, pricking in, at the places for the holes, deep, with +one of the points of the compass. When this had all been done he went +on boring the holes.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant was now ready to nail the cross-bars to the side pieces of +the ladder. He asked Phonny where he kept his nails. Phonny showed him +a box where there was a great quantity of nails of all sizes, some +crooked and some straight, some whole and some broken, and all mixed +up in confusion with a mass of old iron, such as rings, parts of +hinges, old locks and fragments of keys. Stuyvesant selected from this +mass a nail, of the size that he thought was proper, and then went to +his ladder to apply it, to see whether it would do.</p> + +<p>“It is too large,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Stuyvesant, “it is just right. I want the nail to go +through and come out on the other side, so that I can clinch it.”</p> + +<p>“You can’t clinch such nails as these,” <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>said Phonny. “They are cut +nails, and they will break off if you try to clinch them.”</p> + +<p>“But I shall soften them first,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Soften them!” said Phonny, “how can you do that?”</p> + +<p>“By putting them in the fire,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“He can’t soften them, can he, Wallace?” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Wallace, “he can soften them so that they will clinch.”</p> + +<p>This was true. What are called cut-nails, are made by machinery. They +are cut from flat-bars or plates of iron, almost red-hot, by a massive +and ponderous engine carried by water. At the same instant that the +nail is cut off from the end of the plate by the cutting part of the +engine, the end of it is flattened into a head by another part, which +comes up suddenly and compresses the iron at that end with prodigious +force. The nail is then dropped, and it falls down, all hot, into a +box made to receive it below.</p> + +<p>The prodigious pressure to which the hot iron is subjected in the +process of making cut-nails, seems as it were to press the particles +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span>of iron closer together, and make the metal more compact and hard. +The consequence is, that such nails are very stiff, and if bent much, +they break off. This is no disadvantage, provided that the wood to be +nailed is such that the nail is to be driven straight into the +substance of it to its whole length. In fact, this hardness and +stiffness is an advantage, for, in consequence of these properties, +the nail is less likely to bend under the hammer.</p> + +<p>When, however, the nailing to be done is of such a kind that it +becomes necessary that the nail should pass through the wood so as to +come out upon the other side, to be clinched there, the stiffness of +the iron in a cut-nail constitutes a serious difficulty; for the end +of the nail where it comes through, instead of bending over and +sinking into the wood, as it ought to do, at first refuses to bend at +all, and then when the workman attempts to force it to bond by dint of +heavier blows with the hammer, it breaks off entirely.</p> + +<p>To remedy this difficulty, it is found best to heat nails intended for +clinching before driving them. By heating the iron red hot, the metal +seems to expand to its original condition <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>of ductile iron, and it +loses the extreme hardness and stiffness which was given to it by the +force and compression of the nail-making machine.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant had seen a carpenter in New York heating some nails on one +occasion, and he had asked him the reason. He, therefore, understood +the whole process, and his plan was now, after selecting his nails, to +go and heat them red-hot in the kitchen-fire.</p> + +<p>He made a little calculation first in respect to the number of nails +that he should want. There were six cross-bars. These bars were to be +nailed at both ends. This would make twelve nailings. Stuyvesant +concluded that he would have four nails at each nailing, and +multiplying twelve by four, he found that forty-eight was the number +of the nails that he should require. To be sure to have enough, he +counted out fifty-two. Some might break, and perhaps some would be +lost in the fire.</p> + +<p>Phonny felt a considerable degree of interest in Stuyvesant’s plan of +softening the nails, and so he left Wallace to go on boring the holes, +while he went with Stuyvesant into the house.</p> + +<p>“You never can get so many nails out of <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>the fire in the world,” said +Phonny. “They will be lost in the ashes.”</p> + +<p>“I shall put them on the shovel,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>When they got into the kitchen, Stuyvesant went to Dorothy, who was +still ironing at a table near the window, and asked her if he might +use her shovel and her fire to heat some nails.</p> + +<p>“Certainly,” said Dorothy. “I will go and move the flat-irons out of +the way for you.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant was always very particular whenever he went into the +kitchen, to treat Dorothy with great respect. He regarded the kitchen +as Dorothy’s peculiar and proper dominion, and would have considered +it very rude and wrong to have been noisy in it, or to take possession +of, and use without her leave, the things which were under her charge +there. Dorothy observed this, and was very much pleased with it, and +as might naturally be expected, she was always glad to have Stuyvesant +come into the kitchen, and do any thing that he pleased there.</p> + +<p>There was a large forestick lying across the andirons, with a burning +bed of coals below. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>Directly in front of these coals was a row of +flat-irons. Stuyvesant put his nails upon a long-handled shovel, and +Dorothy moved away one of the flat-irons, so that he could put the +shovel, with the nails upon it, in among the burning coals.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said he, “it will take some time for them to get hot, and I +will go and clear out the floor of the hen-house in the meanwhile.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “I will help you.”</p> + +<p>“Only,” said Stuyvesant, turning to Dorothy, “will you look at the +nails when you take up your irons, and if you see that they get +red-hot, take the shovel out from the coals and set it down somewhere +on the hearth to cool?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Dorothy, “but what are you going to heat the nails for?”</p> + +<p>“To take the stiffness out of them,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“To take the stiffness out?” replied Dorothy. “What do you wish to do +that for?”</p> + +<p>“So that I can clinch them,” replied Stuyvesant, “and I should like to +have you take them off the fire as soon as you see that they are +red-hot.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 391px;"> +<img src="images/i138.jpg" class="smallgap" width="391" height="350" alt="DOROTHY’S FIRE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">DOROTHY’S FIRE.</span> +</div> + +<p>“Yes,” said Dorothy, “I will.”</p> + +<p>So Phonny and Stuyvesant went away, while Dorothy resumed her ironing.</p> + +<p>They got a wheel-barrow and a rake, and went out to the hen-house. +They raked the floor all over, drawing out the old straw, sticks, &c., +to the door. They then with a fork pitched this rubbish into the +wheel-barrow, and wheeled it out, and made a heap of it in a clear +place at some distance from the buildings, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>intending to set it on +fire. There were four wheel-barrow loads of it in all.</p> + +<p>They then went into the barn and brought out a quantity of hay, and +sprinkled it all over the floor of the hen-house, which made the +apartment look extremely neat and comfortable. They then brought out +another fork-full of hay and pitched it up upon the loft.</p> + +<p>“There!” said Stuyvesant, “now when we have got our ladder done, we +will climb up and spread it about.”</p> + +<p>“Hark!” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“What is that?” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“It sounded like a hen clucking. I wonder if it is possible that there +is a hen up there.”</p> + +<p>“We will see,” said Stuyvesant, “when we get our ladder done.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “we must go and finish our ladder; and the +nails—it is time to go and get the nails or they will be all burnt +up.”</p> + +<p>The boys accordingly went back to the kitchen. They found that Dorothy +had taken the nails away from the fire, and they were now almost cool. +Stuyvesant slid them off <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>from the shovel upon a small board, which he +had brought in for that purpose, and then they went back to the shop.</p> + +<p>They found that Wallace had gone. He had finished boring the holes, +and now all that Phonny had to do, was to cut off the wires and put +them in. He had, however, now become so much interested in the +operation of making the ladder, that he concluded to put off finishing +the cage until the ladder was done. Besides, he was in a hurry to see +whether there really was a hen up there on the loft.</p> + +<p>So he helped Stuyvesant nail his ladder. Stuyvesant got a small gimlet +to bore holes for the nails. Phonny thought that this was not +necessary. He said they could drive the nails without boring. +Stuyvesant said that there were three objections to this: first, they +might not go straight, secondly, they might split the wood, and +thirdly, they would cause the wood to <i>break out</i>, as he called it, +where they came through on the other side.</p> + +<p>As soon as he had bored one hole he put a nail into it, and drove it +almost through, but not quite through, as he said it might prove that +he should wish to alter it. He <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>then went to the other end of the same +cross-bar, bored a hole there, and put a nail in, driving it as far as +he had driven the first one. This was the topmost cross-bar of the +ladder, and it was held securely in its place by the two nails. +Stuyvesant then took the bottom cross-bar and secured that in the same +way. Then he put on the other bars one at a time, until his ladder was +complete in form, only the cross-bars were not yet fully nailed. He +and Phonny looked at it carefully, to see if all was right, and +Stuyvesant, taking it up from the floor, placed it against the wall of +the shop.</p> + +<p>“Let me climb up on it,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Not now,” said Stuyvesant,—“wait till it is finished.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant then proceeded to drive the nails home, and clinch them. +The clinching was done, by putting an axe under the part of the ladder +where a nail was coming through, and then driving. The point of the +nail when it reached the axe, was deflected and turned, and bending +round entered the wood again, on the back side, and so clinched the +nail firmly. Thus the other holes were bored, and the other nails put +in, and at length the ladder was completed.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span></p><p>Just as the boys were ready to carry it out, the door opened, and +Beechnut came in.</p> + +<p>Beechnut looked round at all that the boys had been doing, with great +interest. He examined the ladder particularly, and said that it was +made in a very workmanlike manner. Phonny showed Beechnut his cage +too, though he said that he had pretty much concluded not to finish it +that afternoon.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see why you need finish it at all,” said Beechnut. “You have +got a very good cage already for your squirrel.”</p> + +<p>“What cage?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“This shop. It is a great deal better cage for him than that box,—<i>I</i> +think, and I have no doubt that he thinks so too.”</p> + +<p>“He would gnaw out of this shop,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Not any more easily than he would gnaw out of the box,” said +Beechnut.</p> + +<p>Phonny turned to his box and looked at the smooth surface of the pine +which formed the interior. He perceived that Frink could gnaw through +anywhere, easily, in an hour.</p> + +<p>“I did not think of that,” said Phonny “I must line it with tin.”</p> + +<p>He began to picture to his mind, the process <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span>of putting his arm into +the box and nailing tin there, where there was no room to work a +hammer, and sighed.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said he, “I’ll let him have the whole shop, to-night, and now +we will go out and try the ladder.”</p> + +<p>The whole party accordingly went to the hen-house. Beechnut examined +the small door that Stuyvesant had made, and the button of the large +door, while Stuyvesant was planting the ladder. Phonny was eager to go +up first; Stuyvesant followed him.</p> + +<p>Phonny mounted upon the floor of the loft, and immediately afterward +began to exclaim,</p> + +<p>“Oo—oo—Stivy,—here is old Gipsy, on a nest, and I verily believe +that she is setting; I could not think what had become of old Gipsy.”</p> + +<p>Just at this time, Beechnut’s head appeared coming up the ladder. He +called upon the boys to come back, away from the hen, while he went up +to see. She was upon a nest there, squatted down very low, and with +her wings spread wide as if trying to cover a great nest full of eggs.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “she is setting, I have no doubt; and as she has +been missing <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>a long time, I presume the chickens are about coming +out.”</p> + +<p>“Hark!” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>The boys listened, and they heard a faint peeping sound under the hen.</p> + +<p>Beechnut looked toward the boys and smiled.</p> + +<p>Phonny was in an ecstacy of delight. Stuyvesant was much more quiet, +but he seemed equally pleased. Beechnut said that he thought that they +had better go away and leave the hen to herself, and that probably she +would come off the nest, with her brood, that evening or the next +morning.</p> + +<p>“But stop,” said Beechnut, as he was going down the ladder. “It is +important to ascertain whether they are eggs or chickens under the +hen. For if they are eggs they are one third your property, and if +they are chickens, they are all mine.”</p> + +<p>“However,” he resumed, after a moment’s pause, “I think we will call +them eggs to-day. I presume they were all eggs when we made the +bargain. To-morrow we will get them all down, and you, Phonny, may +make a pretty little coop for them in some sunny corner in the yard.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p><p>Phonny had by this time become so much interested in the poultry, that +he proposed to Stuyvesant to let him have half the care of them, and +offered to give Stuyvesant half of his squirrel in return. Stuyvesant +said that he did not care about the squirrel, but that he would give +him a share of the hen-house contract for half the shop.</p> + +<p>Phonny gladly agreed to this, and so the boys determined that the +first thing for the next day should be, to put the shop and the tools +all in complete order, and the next, to make the prettiest hen-coop +they could contrive, in a corner of the yard. This they did, and +Beechnut got the hen and the chickens down and put them into it. The +brood was very large, there being twelve chickens in it, and they were +all very pretty chickens indeed.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_IX" id="Chapter_IX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter IX.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Accident.</span></h2> + +<p>About a week after the occurrences related in the last chapter, Mrs. +Henry was sitting one morning at her window, at work. It was a large +and beautiful window, opening out upon a piazza.</p> + +<p>The window came down nearly to the floor, so that when it was open one +could walk directly out. There was a sort of step, however, which it +was necessary to go over.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry had a little table at the window, and she was busy at her +work. There was a basket on the floor by her side. Malleville was +sitting upon the step. She had quite a number of green leaves in her +lap, which she had gathered in the yard. She said that she was going +to put them into a book and press them.</p> + +<p>Just then she heard Phonny’s voice around a corner, calling to her.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p><p>“Malleville! Malleville!” said the voice, calling loudly.</p> + +<p>Malleville hastily gathered up her leaves, and called out, “What, +Phonny? I’m coming.”</p> + +<p>Before she got ready to go, however, Phonny appeared upon the piazza.</p> + +<p>“Malleville,” said he, “come and see our chickens.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Malleville, “I will come.”</p> + +<p>“And mother, I wish you would come out and see them, too,” said +Phonny.</p> + +<p>“I have seen them once,” said his mother, “only two or three days +ago.”</p> + +<p>“But, mother, they are a great deal larger now,” replied Phonny. “I +wish you <i>could</i> come and see them. You don’t know how large they have +grown.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said Mrs. Henry, “I will come.”</p> + +<p>So she laid aside her work, and stepping out into the piazza, she +followed Phonny and Malleville around the corner of the house. Phonny +walked fast, with long strides, Malleville skipped along by his side, +while Mrs. Henry came on after them at her leisure.</p> + +<p>They all gathered round the coop, which had been made in a sunny +corner of the yard. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>It was a very pretty coop indeed. It was formed +by a box, turned bottom upward to form a shelter for the hen when she +chose to retire to it, and a little yard with a paling around it made +by bars, to prevent the chickens from straying away. Phonny said that +there was a good, comfortable nest in under the box, and he was going +to lift up the box and let Mrs. Henry see the nest, but Stuyvesant +recommended to him not to do so, as it would frighten the hen.</p> + +<p>There was an opening in the side of the box, which served as a door +for the hen to go in and out at. At the time of Mrs. Henry’s visit, +the hen was out in the yard walking about. She appeared to be a little +anxious at seeing so unusual a company of visitors at her lodgings, +and at first thought it probable that they might have come to take +some of her chickens away. But when she found that they stood quietly +by, and did not disturb her, she became quiet again, and began to +scratch upon the ground to find something for the chickens to eat.</p> + +<p>Seeing this, Phonny ran off to bring some food for them, and presently +returned with a saucer full of what he called pudding. It <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>consisted +of meal and water stirred up together. He threw out some of this upon +the ground within the yard, and the hen, calling the chickens to the +place, scattered the pudding about with her bill for the chickens to +eat.</p> + +<p>The boys then wished to have Mrs. Henry go to the shop. She, +accordingly, went with them. They opened the shop-door very carefully +to keep Frink from getting out. When they were all safely in and the +door was shut, they began to look about the room to find the squirrel. +“There he is,” said Phonny, pointing to the beam over the +shutter-window.</p> + +<p>So saying he went to the place, and putting up his hand, took the +squirrel and brought him to his mother.</p> + +<p>“Why, how tame he is!” said Mrs. Henry.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “Stuyvesant and I tamed him. He runs all about the +shop. And we have got a house for him to sleep in. Come and see his +house.”</p> + +<p>So saying, Phonny led his mother and Malleville to the back side of +the shop, where, upon a shelf, there stood a small box, with a hole in +the side of it, much like the one which had been made for the hen, +only not so large.</p> + +<p>“He goes in there to sleep,” said Phonny. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>“We always feed him in +there too, so as to make him like the place.”</p> + +<p>As Phonny said this, he put the squirrel down upon the beam before the +door of his house.</p> + +<p>“Now you will see him go in,” said he.</p> + +<p>Frink crept into his hole, and then turning round within the box, he +put his head out a little way, and after looking at Mrs. Henry a +moment with one eye, he winked in a very cunning manner.</p> + +<p>There was a small paper tacked up with little nails on the side of the +squirrel’s house, near the door.</p> + +<p>“What is this?” said Mrs. Henry.</p> + +<p>“Oh! that’s his poetry,” said Phonny, “you must read it.”</p> + +<p>So Mrs. Henry, standing up near, read aloud as follows:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i3">My name is Frink,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And unless you think,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">To give me plenty to eat and drink,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">You’ll find me running away<br /></span> +<span class="i9">Some day;<br /></span> +<span class="i3">I shall tip you a wink,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Then slyly slink,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Out through some secret cranny or chink,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And hie for the woods, away,<br /></span> +<span class="i9">Away.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span></p><p>Mrs. Henry laughed heartily at this production. She asked who wrote +it.</p> + +<p>“Why, we found it here one morning,” said Phonny. “Stuyvesant says +that he thinks Beechnut wrote it.”</p> + +<p>“But Beechnut,” added Malleville, “says that he believes that Frink +wrote it himself.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no,” said Stuyvesant, “he did not say exactly that.”</p> + +<p>“What did he say?” asked Mrs. Henry.</p> + +<p>“Why, he said,” replied Stuyvesant, “that as there was a pen and ink +in the shop, and hammer and nails, and as the paper was found nailed +up early one morning, when nobody had slept in the shop the night +before but Frink, if it did not turn out that Frink himself wrote the +lines, he should never believe in any squirrel’s writing poetry as +long as he lived.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry laughed at this, and she then began to look about the shop +to see the tools and the arrangements which had been made by the boys +for their work.</p> + +<p>She found the premises in excellent order. The floor was neat, the +tools were all in their proper places, and every thing seemed well +arranged.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span></p><p>“I suppose the tools are dull, however,” said Mrs. Henry, “as boys’ +tools generally are.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Phonny, “they are all sharp. We have sharpened them every +one.”</p> + +<p>“How did you do it?” asked Mrs. Henry.</p> + +<p>“Why, we turned the grindstone for Beechnut while he ground his axes, +and then he held our tools for us to sharpen them. We could not hold +them ourselves very well.”</p> + +<p>“We are going to keep them sharp,” continued Phonny,—“as sharp as +razors. Won’t we, Stivy?”</p> + +<p>“We are going to try it,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>Phonny took up the plane to show his mother how sharp it was.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said she; “I like that tool too, very much—it is so safe.”</p> + +<p>The plane is a very safe tool, indeed, for the cutting part, which +consists of a plate of iron, faced with steel for an edge, is almost +embedded in the wood. It is made in fact on purpose to take off a +<i>thin shaving</i> only, from a board, and it would be impossible to make +a deep cut into any thing with it.</p> + +<p>Phonny then showed his mother his chisels. He had four chisels of +different sizes. They were very sharp.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span></p><p>“It seems to me that a chisel is not so safe a tool as a plane,” said +Mrs. Henry.</p> + +<p>“Why not, mother?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Why you might be holding a piece of wood with your fingers, and then +in trying to cut it with the chisel, the chisel might slip and cut +your fingers.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, mother,” said Phonny, “there is no danger.”</p> + +<p>Boys always say there is no danger.</p> + +<p>Phonny next showed his gimlets, and his augers, and his bits and +bit-stocks. A bit is a kind of borer which is turned round and round +by means of a machine called a bit-stock.</p> + +<p>Phonny took the bit-stock and a bit and was going to bore a hole in +the side of the bench, by way of showing his mother how the tool was +used.</p> + +<p>“Stop,” said Stuyvesant, “I would not bore into the work bench. I will +get a piece of board.”</p> + +<p>So he pulled out a small piece of board from under the work bench and +Phonny bored into that.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry next came to the chopping block. The hatchet was lying upon +the block.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p><p>“I am rather sorry to see that you have got a hatchet,” said Mrs. +Henry.</p> + +<p>“Why, mother?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Because I think it is a dangerous tool. I think it is a very +dangerous tool indeed.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, mother,” said Phonny, “there is no danger.”</p> + +<p>“You might be holding a piece of wood in your hand,” said Mrs. Henry, +“and then in trying to chop it with your hatchet, hit your hand +instead of the wood. There is great danger when you strike a blow with +a sharp instrument.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, mother,” said Phonny. “There is not any danger. I have had my +hatchet a long time and I never have cut myself but once.”</p> + +<p>“That shows that there is some danger,” said his mother. “Besides I +knew a boy who was cutting with a hatchet, and it came down through +the board that he was cutting, and struck the boy himself, in the +knee, and wounded him very badly.”</p> + +<p>“But I shall be very careful,” said Phonny. “I <i>know</i> I shall not cut +myself with it.”</p> + +<p>“I wish,” said his mother, “that you would let me have the hatchet to +carry in the house and keep it till you grow older.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p><p>“Oh no, mother,” said Phonny, “we could not get along at all without +the hatchet, unless we had an axe, and that would be more dangerous +still. But we will be very careful with it.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry did not appear satisfied with these promises, but she did +not urge Phonny any longer to give the hatchet to her. She walked +along, seeming, however, not at all at her ease. Phonny showed her his +stock of boards and blocks, among which last, was one which he said +was to be made into a boat. After looking around at all these things, +Mrs. Henry and Malleville went away. Phonny and Stuyvesant remained in +the shop.</p> + +<p>“I would let her have the hatchet,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“I don’t think there is any danger,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Nor I,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Then why would not you keep the hatchet here?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Because, Aunt Henry does not feel easy about it,” said Stuyvesant. +“It is not right for us to make her feel uncomfortable.”</p> + +<p>“But then what shall we do when we want to sharpen stakes?” asked +Phonny.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p><p>“I don’t know,” said Stuyvesant,—thinking. “Perhaps we might burn +them sharp in the kitchen fire.”</p> + +<p>“Hoh!” said Phonny, “that would not do at all.”</p> + +<p>“It would be better than to make Aunt Henry feel anxious,” said +Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“But I don’t think she feels anxious,” said Phonny. “She will forget +all about it pretty soon. However, if you think it is best, I will +carry my hatchet in and give it to her. We can get along very well +with the draw shave.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant, “I do think it is best; and now I am going to +finish mending the wheel-barrow.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Phonny, “and I will go and carry the hatchet in to my +mother.”</p> + +<p>Phonny accordingly took the hatchet and went sauntering slowly along +out of the shop.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes, Stuyvesant heard an outcry in the yard. It sounded +like a cry of pain and terror, from Phonny. Stuyvesant threw down his +work, and ran out to see what was the matter.</p> + +<p>He found Phonny by the woodpile, where <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>he had stopped a moment to +chop a stick with his hatchet, and had cut himself. He was down upon +the ground, clasping his foot with his hands, and crying out as if in +great pain.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Stuyvesant,” said he. “I have cut my foot. Oh, I have cut my +foot, most dreadfully.”</p> + +<p>“Let me see,” said Stuyvesant, and he came to the place. Phonny raised +his hands a little, from his foot, so as to let Stuyvesant see, but +continued crying, with pain and terror.</p> + +<p>“Oh dear me!” said he. “What shall I do?—Oh dear me!”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant looked. All that he could see, however, was a gaping wound +in Phonny’s boot, just over the ankle, and something bloody beneath.</p> + +<p>“I don’t think it is cut much,” said Stuyvesant. “Let us go right into +the house.”</p> + +<p>Phonny rose, and leaning upon Stuyvesant’s shoulder, he began to +hobble along toward the house, uttering continued cries and +lamentations by the way.</p> + +<p>“I would not cry,” said Stuyvesant. “I would bear it like a hero.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p><p>In obedience to this counsel, Phonny abated somewhat the noise that he +was making, though he still continued his exclamations and moanings. +Dorothy came to the door to find out what was the matter.</p> + +<p>Dorothy was not much alarmed. In fact the more noise a child made when +hurt, the less concerned Dorothy always was about it. She knew that +when people were dangerously wounded, they were generally still.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter?” said Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“He has cut his foot,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Let me see,” said she. So she looked down at Phonny’s ankle.</p> + +<p>“I guess he has cut his boot more than his foot,” said she. “Let’s +pull off his boot.”</p> + +<p>“Oh dear me!” said Phonny. “Oh, go and call my mother. Oh dear me!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy began to pull off Phonny’s boot, while Stuyvesant went to call +Phonny’s mother. Mrs. Henry was very much alarmed, when she heard that +Phonny had cut himself. She hurried out to him, and seemed to be in +great distress and anxiety. She kneeled down before him, while Dorothy +held him in her lap, and examined the foot. The cut was a pretty bad +one, just above the ankle.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p><p>“It is a very bad place for a cut,” said she. “Bring me some water.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll get some,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant went and got a bowl from a shelf in the kitchen, and +poured some water into it, and brought it to Mrs. Henry. Mrs. Henry +bathed the wound with the water, and then closing it up as completely +as possible, and putting a piece of sticking-plaster across to keep +the parts in place, she bound the ankle up with a bandage.</p> + +<p>By this time Phonny had become quiet. His mother, when she had +finished bandaging the ankle, brought another stocking and put it on, +to keep the bandage in its place.</p> + +<p>“There!” said she, “that will do. Now the first thing is to get him +into the other room.”</p> + +<p>So Dorothy carried Phonny in, and laid him down upon the sofa in the +great sitting-room.</p> + +<p>That evening when Beechnut went to the village to get the letters at +the post-office, he stopped at the doctor’s on his way, to ask the +doctor to call that evening or in the morning at Mrs. Henry’s. The +doctor came that evening.</p> + +<p>“Ah, Phonny,” said he, when he came into <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>the room, and saw Phonny +lying upon the sofa, “and what is the matter with you?”</p> + +<p>“I have cut my foot,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Cut your foot!” rejoined the doctor, “could not you find any thing +else to cut than your foot?”</p> + +<p>Phonny laughed.</p> + +<p>“I hope you have cut it in the right place,” continued the doctor. “In +cutting your foot every thing depends upon cutting it in the right +place.”</p> + +<p>While the doctor was saying this, Mrs. Henry had drawn off Phonny’s +stocking, and was beginning to unpin the bandage.</p> + +<p>“Stop a moment, madam,” said the doctor. “That bandage is put on very +nicely; it seems hardly worth while to disturb it. You can show me now +precisely where the wound was.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry then pointed to the place upon the bandage, underneath +which the cut lay, and she showed also the direction and length of the +cut.</p> + +<p>“Exactly,” said the doctor. “You could not have cut your ankle, +Phonny, in a better place. A half an inch more, one side or the other, +might have made you a cripple for life. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span>You hit the right place +exactly. It is a great thing for a boy who has a hatchet for a +plaything, to know how to cut himself in the right place.”</p> + +<p><a name="Illo5" id="Illo5"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 398px;"> +<img src="images/i161.jpg" class="smallgap" width="398" height="350" alt="THE DOCTOR’S VISIT." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE DOCTOR’S VISIT.</span> +</div> + +<p>The doctor then said that he would not disturb the bandage, as he had +no doubt that the wound would do very well under the treatment which +Mrs. Henry herself had administered. He said that in a few days he +thought it would be nearly well.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span></p><p>It might be prudent, however, he added, not to walk upon that foot in +the mean time. There might be some small possibility in that case, of +getting the wound irritated, so as to bring on an inflammation, and +that might lead to serious consequences.</p> + +<p>The doctor then bade Phonny good-bye, telling him that he hoped he +would be as patient and good-natured in bearing his confinement, as he +had been dextrous in the mode of inflicting the wound. And so he went +away.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_X" id="Chapter_X"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter X.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Good Advice.</span></h2> + +<p>Phonny was confined nearly a week with his wound. They moved the sofa +on which he was lying up into a corner of the room, near Mrs. Henry’s +window, and there Stuyvesant and Malleville brought various things to +him to amuse him.</p> + +<p>He was very patient and good-natured during his confinement to this +sofa. Wallace came to see him soon after he was hurt, and gave him +some good advice in this respect.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Wallace, “you have an opportunity to cultivate and show +one mark of manliness which we like to see in boys.”</p> + +<p>“I should think you would like to see all marks of manliness in boys,” +said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Oh no,” said Wallace. “Some traits of manly character we like, and +some we don’t like.”</p> + +<p>“What don’t we like?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Why—there are many,” said Wallace, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>hesitating and considering. “We +don’t desire to see in boys the sedateness and gravity of demeanor +that we like to see in men. We like to see them playful and joyous +while they are boys.”</p> + +<p>“I thought it was better to be sober,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Wallace, “not for boys. Boys ought to be sober at proper +times; but in their plays and in their ordinary occupations, it is +better for them to be frolicsome and light-hearted. Their time for +care and thoughtful concern has not come. The only way by which they +can form good healthy constitutions, is to run about a great deal, and +have a great deal of frolicking and fun. Only they must be careful not +to let their fun and frolicking give other people trouble. But we like +to see them full of life, and joy, and activity, for we know that that +is best for them. If a boy of twelve were to be as sage and demure as +a man, always sitting still, and reading and studying, we should be +afraid, either that he was already sick, or that he would make himself +sick.”</p> + +<p>“Then I think that you ought to be concerned about Stuyvesant,” said +Phonny, “for <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>he is as sage and demure as any man I ever saw.”</p> + +<p>Wallace laughed at this.</p> + +<p>“There is a boy that lives down in the village that is always making +some fun,” said Phonny. “One evening he dressed himself up like a poor +beggar boy, and came to the door of his father’s house and knocked; +and when his father came to the door, he told a piteous story about +being poor and hungry, and his mother being sick, and he begged his +father to give him something to eat, and a little money to buy some +tea for his mother. His father thought he was a real beggar boy, and +gave him some money. Then afterward he came in and told his father all +about it, and had a good laugh.</p> + +<p>“Then another day he got a bonnet and shawl of his sister Fanny, and +put them upon a pillow, so as to make the figure of a girl with them, +and then he carried the pillow up to the top of the shed, and set it +up by the side of the house. It looked exactly as if Fanny was up +there. Then he went into the house and called his mother to come out. +And when she got out where she could see, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>he pointed up and asked her +whether Fanny ought to be up there on the shed.”</p> + +<p><a name="Illo6" id="Illo6"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 381px;"> +<img src="images/i166.jpg" class="smallgap" width="381" height="350" alt="THE EFFIGY." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE EFFIGY.</span> +</div> + +<p>Wallace laughed to hear this story.</p> + +<p>“Then in a minute,” continued Phonny, “the boy pointed off in another +direction, and there his mother saw Fanny playing safely upon the +grass.”</p> + +<p>“And what did his mother say?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“She was frightened at first,” replied <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>Phonny, “when she saw what she +supposed was Fanny up in such a dangerous place; but when she saw how +it really was, she laughed and went into the house.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think he did right, Wallace?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“What do you think, Phonny?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why, I don’t know,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Do you think, on the whole, that his mother was most pleased or most +pained by it?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Most pleased,” said Phonny. “She was not much frightened, and that +only for a moment, and she laughed about it a great deal.”</p> + +<p>“Were you there at the time?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“What was the boy’s name?” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Arthur,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Another day,” continued Phonny, “Arthur was taking a walk with Fanny, +and he persuaded her to go across a plank over a brook, and when she +was over, he pulled the plank away, so that she could not get back +again. He danced about on the bank on the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>other side, and called +Fanny a savage living in the woods.”</p> + +<p>“And what did Fanny do?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why, she was very much frightened, and began to cry.”</p> + +<p>“And then what did Arthur do?” asked Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why, after a time he put up the plank again and let her come home. He +told her that she was a foolish girl to cry, for he only did it for +fun.”</p> + +<p>“And do you think he did right or wrong?” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why, wrong, I suppose,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Wallace, “decidedly wrong, I think; for in that case there +is no doubt that his fun gave his sister a great deal of pain. It is +very right for boys to love frolicking and fun, but they should be +very careful not to let their fun give other people trouble or pain.”</p> + +<p>“But now, Phonny,” continued Wallace, “you are to be shut up for +perhaps a week, and here is an opportunity for you to show some marks +of manliness which we always like to see in boys.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p><p>“How can I?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Why, in the first place,” said Wallace, “by a proper consideration of +the case, so as to understand exactly how it is. Sometimes a boy +situated as you are, without looking at all the facts in the case, +thinks only of his being disabled and helpless, and so he expects +every body to wait upon him, and try to amuse him, as if that were his +right. He gives his mother a great deal of trouble, by first wanting +this and then that, and by uttering a great many expressions of +discontent, impatience and ill-humor. Thus his accident is not only +the means of producing inconvenience to himself, but it makes the +whole family uncomfortable. This is boyishness of a very bad kind.</p> + +<p>“To avoid this, you must consider what the true state of the case is. +Whose fault is it that you are laid up here in this way?”</p> + +<p>“Why it is mine, I suppose,” said Phonny. “Though if Stuyvesant had +not advised me to bring the hatchet in, I suppose that I should not +have cut myself.”</p> + +<p>“It was not by bringing the hatchet in, that you cut yourself,” said +Wallace, “but by stopping to cut with it on the way, contrary to your +mother’s wishes.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span></p><p>“Yes,” said Phonny, “I suppose that was it.”</p> + +<p>“So that it was your fault. Now when any person commits a fault,” +continued Wallace, “he ought to confine the evil consequences of it to +himself, as much as he can. Have the evil consequences of your fault, +extended yet to any other people, do you think?”</p> + +<p>“Why, yes,” said Phonny, “my mother has had some trouble.”</p> + +<p>“Has she yet had any trouble that you might have spared her?” asked +Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Why—I don’t know,” said Phonny, “unless I could have bandaged my +foot up myself.”</p> + +<p>“If you could have bandaged it up yourself,” said Wallace, “you ought +to have done so, though I suppose you could not. But now it is your +duty to save her, as much as possible, from all other trouble. You +ought to find amusement for yourself as much as you can, instead of +calling upon her to amuse you, and you ought to be patient and gentle, +and quiet and good-humored.</p> + +<p>“Besides,” continued Wallace, “I think you ought to contrive something +to do to repay her for the trouble that she has already <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>had with this +cut. She was not to blame for it at all, and did not deserve to suffer +any trouble or pain.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know what I can do,” said Phonny, “to repay her.”</p> + +<p>“It is hard to find any thing for a boy to do to repay his mother, for +what she does for him. But if you even <i>wish</i> to find something, and +<i>try</i> to find something, it will make you always submissive and gentle +toward her, and that will give her pleasure.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps I might read to her sometimes when she is sewing,” said +Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Wallace, “that would be a good plan.”</p> + +<p>When this conversation first commenced, Malleville was standing near +to Wallace, and she listened to it for a little time, but she found +that she did not understand a great deal of it, and she did not think +that what she did understand was very interesting. So she went away.</p> + +<p>She went to the piazza and began to gather up the green leaves which +she had been playing with when Phonny had called her to go out to see +the chickens. She put these leaves in her apron with the design of +carrying them <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>to Phonny, thinking that perhaps it would amuse him to +see them.</p> + +<p>She brought them accordingly to the sofa, and now stood there, holding +her apron by the corners, and waiting for Wallace to finish what he +was saying.</p> + +<p>“What have you got in your apron?” said Wallace.</p> + +<p>“Some leaves,” said Malleville. “I am going to show them to Phonny.”</p> + +<p>So she opened her apron and showed Phonny.</p> + +<p>“They are nothing but leaves,” said Phonny, “are they? Common leaves.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Malleville, “they are not common leaves. They are very +pretty leaves.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant came to look at the leaves. He took up one or two of them.</p> + +<p>“That is a maple leaf,” said he, “and that is an oak.”</p> + +<p>There was a small oak-tree in the corner of the yard.</p> + +<p>“I am going to press them in a book,” said Malleville.</p> + +<p>Wallace looked at the leaves a minute, and then he went away.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant seemed more interested in looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> at the leaves, than +Phonny had been. He proposed that while Phonny was sick, they should +employ themselves in making a collection of the leaves of +forest-trees.</p> + +<p>“We can make a scrap-book,” said he, “and paste them in, and then, +underneath we can write all about the trees that the leaves belong +to.”</p> + +<p>“How can we find out about the trees?” asked Phonny.</p> + +<p>“Beechnut will tell us,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“So he will,” replied Phonny, “and that will be an excellent plan.”</p> + +<p>This project was afterward put into execution. Stuyvesant made a +scrap-book. He made it of a kind of smooth and pretty white +wrapping-paper. He put what are called false leaves between all the +true leaves, as is usually done in large scrap-books. Stuyvesant’s +scrap-book had twenty leaves. He said that he did not think that they +could find more than twenty kinds of trees. They pressed the leaves in +a book until they were dry, and then pasted them into the scrap-book, +one on the upper half of each page. Then they wrote on a small piece +of white paper, all that they could learn about each tree, and put +these <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>inscriptions under the leaves, to which they respectively +referred.</p> + +<p>The children worked upon the collection of leaves a little while every +day. They divided the duty, giving each one a share. Stuyvesant +pressed the leaves and gummed them to their places in the book. +Phonny, who was a pretty good composer, composed the descriptions, and +afterward Stuyvesant would copy them upon the pieces of paper which +were to be pasted into the book. Stuyvesant used to go out to the barn +or the yard, to get all the information which Beechnut could give him +in respect to the particular tree which happened, for the time being, +to be the subject of inquiry. He would then come in and tell Phonny +what Beechnut had told him. Phonny would then write the substance of +this information down upon a slate, and after reading it over, and +carefully correcting it, Stuyvesant would copy it neatly upon the +paper.</p> + +<p>One day during the time that Phonny was confined to his sofa, +Stuyvesant and Malleville had been playing with him for some time. At +last Stuyvesant and Malleville concluded to go out into the yard a +little while, and they left Phonny with a book to read.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span></p><p>“I am sorry to leave you alone,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no matter,” said Phonny, “I can read. But there is one thing I +should like.”</p> + +<p>“What is that?” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“I should like to see Frink. I suppose it would not do to bring him in +here. Would it, mother?”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry was sitting at her window at this time sewing.</p> + +<p>“Why, I don’t know,” said Mrs. Henry. “How can you bring him in?” she +asked.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I can put his house upon a board,” said Stuyvesant, “and put him +into it, and then bring house and all.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Mrs. Henry, “I have no objection. Only get a smooth and +clean board.”</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant went out to the shop to get the squirrel. He found him +perched upon the handle of the hand-saw, which was hanging against the +wall.</p> + +<p>“Come, Frink, come with me,” said Stuyvesant. So he extended his hand +and took Frink down.</p> + +<p>“Ah!” said he, “I have not got your house ready yet. So you will +please to go down into my pocket until I am ready.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span></p><p>So saying, Stuyvesant slipped the squirrel into his jacket-pocket, +leaving his head and the tip of his tail out. The squirrel being +accustomed to such operations, remained perfectly still. Stuyvesant +then found a board a little larger than the bottom of the squirrel’s +house, and putting this board upon the bench, he placed the house upon +it. He then took Frink out of his pocket and slipped him into the +door. He next put a block before the door to keep the squirrel from +coming out, and then taking up the board by the two ends he carried it +out of the shop.</p> + +<p>He walked along the yard with it until he came to the piazza, and then +went in at Mrs. Henry’s window, which was open. As soon as he had gone +in, Mrs. Henry shut her window, and Malleville shut the doors. +Stuyvesant then put the house down upon a chair, and took the block +away from the door to let the squirrel come out.</p> + +<p>Frink seemed at first greatly astonished to find himself in a parlor. +The first thing that he did was to run up to the top of a tall clock +which stood in the corner, and perching himself <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>upon a knob there, he +began to gaze around the room.</p> + +<p><a name="Illo7" id="Illo7"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 281px;"> +<img src="images/i177.jpg" class="smallgap" width="281" height="350" alt="FRINK IN THE PARLOR." title="" /> +<span class="caption">FRINK IN THE PARLOR.</span> +</div> + +<p>Phonny was very much amused at this. Stuyvesant and Malleville were +very much amused, too. They postponed their plan of <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>going out to play +for some time, in order that they might see Frink run about the +parlor. At length, however, they went away, and Phonny commenced +reading his story. After a time, Frink crept slyly along and perched +himself on the back of the sofa, close to the book out of which Phonny +was reading.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XI" id="Chapter_XI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XI.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Journey.</span></h2> + +<p>One evening about a week after the occurrences related in the last +chapter, when Phonny’s foot had got entirely well, Mrs. Henry went to +the door which led to the back yard with a letter in her hand. She was +looking for Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>Presently she saw him and Phonny coming through the garden gate with +tools in their hands. They had been down to build a bridge across a +small brook in a field beyond the garden.</p> + +<p>“Stuyvesant,” said Mrs. Henry, “I have just received a letter from +your father.”</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant’s eye brightened as Mrs. Henry said this, and he pressed +eagerly forward to learn what the letter contained.</p> + +<p>“It is about you,” said Mrs. Henry, “and it is a very important letter +indeed.”</p> + +<p>“What is it?” said Phonny eagerly. “Read it to us, mother.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p><p>So Mrs. Henry opened the letter and read it as follows,—the boys +standing before her all the time, with their tools in their hands.</p> + +<p><span class="right">“<span class="smcap">New York</span>, June 20.</span></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>“My Dear Sister,</p> + +<p>“My business has taken such a turn that I am obliged to go +to Europe, to be gone five or six weeks, and I am thinking +seriously of taking Stuyvesant with me. He is so thoughtful +and considerate a boy that I think he will give me very +little trouble, and he will be a great deal of company for +me, on the way. Besides I think he will be amused and +entertained himself with what he will see in traveling +through England, and in London and Paris, and I do not think +that he will care much for whatever hardships we may have to +endure on the voyage. So I have concluded to take him, if he +would like to go. I intend to sail in the steamer of the +first, so that it will be necessary for him to come home +immediately. I would rather have him come home <i>alone</i>, if +he feels good courage for such an undertaking,—as I think +he could take care of himself very well, and the experience +which he would acquire by such a journey <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>would be of great +service to him. If he seems inclined to come alone, please +send him on as soon as may be. Furnish him with plenty of +money, and give him all necessary directions. If on the +other hand he appears to be a little afraid, send some one +with him. Perhaps Beechnut could come.”</p></div> + +<p>Here Mrs. Henry raised her eyes from the letter as if she had read all +that related to the subject, and Phonny immediately exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“Send me, mother; send <i>me</i>. I’ll go and take care of him. Let me go, +Stivy, that will be the best plan.” As he said this Phonny, using his +hoe for a vaulting pole, began to leap about the yard with delight at +the idea.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant remained where he was, with a pleased though thoughtful +expression of countenance, but saying nothing.</p> + +<p>“I’ll give you two hours to think of it,” said Mrs. Henry, addressing +Stuyvesant. “You must set off either alone or with Beechnut to-morrow +morning.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant, “I will think of it and come to tell you. And +now, Phonny, let us go and put away the tools.”</p> + +<p>In the course of the two hours which Stuyvesant <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>was allowed for +considering the question, he made a great many inquiries of Beechnut +in respect to the journey, asking not only in relation to the course +which he should pursue at the different points in the journey if every +thing went prosperously and well, but also in regard to what he should +do in the various contingencies which might occur on the way.</p> + +<p>“Do you advise me to try it?” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “by all means; and that is very disinterested +advice, for there is nothing that I should like better than to go with +you.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry herself afterward asked Beechnut if he thought it would be +safe for Stuyvesant to go alone.</p> + +<p>“Just as safe,” said Beechnut, “as it would be for him to go under my +charge. There is always danger of accidents, in traveling,” he added, +“but there is no more danger for Stuyvesant alone than if he were in +company.”</p> + +<p>“But will he know what to do always,” said Mrs. Henry, “in order to +get along?”</p> + +<p>“I think he will,” said Beechnut. “I shall explain it all to him +beforehand.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span></p><p>“But there may be some accident,” said Mrs. Henry. “The train may run +off the track, or there may be a collision.”</p> + +<p>“That is true,” replied Beechnut, “but those things will be as likely +to happen if I were with him as if he were alone. It seems to me that +when a boy gets as old as Stuyvesant, the only advantage of having +some one with him when he is traveling is to keep him from doing +careless or foolish things,—and Stuyvesant can take care of himself +in that respect.”</p> + +<p>It was finally decided that Stuyvesant should go alone.</p> + +<p>About eight o’clock, Mrs. Henry went up into Stuyvesant’s room to pack +his trunk, but she found it packed already. Stuyvesant had put every +thing in, and had arranged the various articles in a very systematic +and orderly manner. The trunk was all ready to be locked and strapped; +but it was left open in order that Mrs. Henry might see that all was +right.</p> + +<p>Besides his trunk, Stuyvesant had a small carpet-bag, which contained +such things as he expected to have occasion to use on the way. In this +carpet-bag was a night-dress, rolled up snugly, and also a change of +clean linen. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>Besides these things there were two books which +Stuyvesant had borrowed of Phonny to read in the cars, in case there +should chance to be any detention by the way. Stuyvesant had a small +morocco portfolio too, which shut with a clasp, and contained note and +letter paper, and wafers and postage stamps. This portfolio he always +carried with him on his journeys, so that he could, at any time, have +writing materials at hand, in case he wished to write a letter. He +carried the portfolio in his carpet-bag. There was a small square +morocco-covered inkstand also in the carpet-bag. It shut with a spring +and a catch, and kept the ink very securely.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Henry calculated that it would cost Stuyvesant about ten dollars +to go from Franconia to New York; so she put ten dollars, in small +bills, in Stuyvesant’s wallet, and also a ten dollar bill besides, in +the inner compartment of his wallet, to be used in case of emergency. +When all these arrangements were made, she told Stuyvesant that he +might go and find Beechnut, and get his directions.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant accordingly went in pursuit of Beechnut. He found him +sitting on a bench, under a trellis covered with woodbine, at the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span>kitchen door, enjoying the cool of the evening. Malleville was with +him, and he was telling her a story. Stuyvesant and Phonny came and +sat down upon the bench near to Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“So then it is decided that you are to go alone,” said Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant, “and I have come to you to get my directions.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Beechnut. “I am glad you are going. You will have a very +pleasant journey, I have no doubt,—that is, if you have accidents +enough.”</p> + +<p>“Accidents!” said Stuyvesant. “So you wish me to meet with accidents?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut. “I don’t desire that you should meet with any +very serious or dangerous accidents, but the more common accidents +that you meet with, the more you will have to amuse and entertain you. +If it were only winter now, there would be a prospect that you might +be blocked up in a snow storm.”</p> + +<p>“Hoh!” said Phonny, “that would be a dreadful thing.”</p> + +<p>“No,” replied Beechnut, “not dreadful at all. For people who are on +business, and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>who are in haste to get to the end of their journey, it +is bad to meet with accidents and delays; but for boys, and for people +who are traveling for pleasure, the more adventures they meet with the +better.”</p> + +<p>“Accidents are not adventures,” said Phonny.</p> + +<p>“They lead to adventures,” replied Beechnut.</p> + +<p>“But now for my directions,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Well, as for your directions,” replied Beechnut, “I can either go +over the whole ground with you, and tell you what to do in each +particular case,—or I can give you one universal rule, which will +guide you in traveling in all cases, wherever you go. Which would you +prefer?”</p> + +<p>“I should prefer the rule,” said Stuyvesant, “if that will be enough +to guide me.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Beechnut, “it is enough to guide you, not only from here +to New York, but all over the civilized world.”</p> + +<p>“What is the rule?” asked Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“I shall write it down for you,” replied Beechnut, “and you can read +it in the stage, to-morrow morning, or in the cars.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p><p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant,—“if you are sure that it will be enough for +me.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied Beechnut, “I am sure it will be enough. It is the rule +that I always travel by, and I find it will carry me safely anywhere. +It is an excellent rule for ladies, who are traveling alone. If they +would only trust themselves to it, it would be all the guidance that +they would need.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Stuyvesant, “I will decide to take the rule.”</p> + +<p>Shortly after this, Beechnut and the children all went into the house, +and Stuyvesant and Phonny went to bed. Stuyvesant was so much excited, +however, at the thoughts of his journey, that it was a long time +before he could get to sleep.</p> + +<p>He woke at the earliest dawn. He rose and dressed himself, and took +his breakfast at six o’clock. At seven the stage came for him. +Beechnut carried his trunk out to the stage, and the driver strapped +it on in its place, behind. Mrs. Henry and Malleville stood at the +door to see. Stuyvesant went first to the kitchen, to bid Dorothy +good-by, and then came out through the front door, and bade Mrs. Henry +and Malleville good-by.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 407px;"> +<img src="images/i188.jpg" class="smallgap" width="407" height="350" alt="THE DEPARTURE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE DEPARTURE.</span></div> + +<p>By this time the driver of the stage had finished strapping on the +trunk, and had opened the door and was waiting for Stuyvesant to get +in. Beechnut handed Stuyvesant a small note. He said that the +Traveling Rule was inside of it, but that Stuyvesant must not open the +note until he got into the car on the railroad. So Stuyvesant took the +note and put it in his pocket, and then shaking hands with Beechnut +and Phonny, and putting <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>his carpet-bag in before him, he climbed up +the steps and got into the stage. The driver shut the door, mounted +upon the box, and drove away.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant had about twenty-five miles to go in the stage. He was then +to take the cars upon a railroad and go about a hundred and fifty +miles to Boston. From Boston he was to go to New York, either by the +railroad all the way, or by one of the Sound boats, just as he +pleased.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant had a great curiosity to know what the rule was which +Beechnut had written for him as a universal direction for traveling. +He had, however, been forbidden to open the note until he should reach +the cars. So he waited patiently, wondering what the rule could be.</p> + +<p>One reason in fact why Beechnut had directed Stuyvesant not to open +his note until he should reach the cars, was to give him something to +occupy his attention and amuse his thoughts on first going away from +home. The feeling of loneliness and home-sickness to be apprehended in +traveling under such circumstances, is always much greater when first +setting out on the journey than afterward, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>and Beechnut being aware +of this, thought it desirable to give Stuyvesant something to think of +when he first drove away from the door.</p> + +<p>When Stuyvesant first got into the stage he took a place on the middle +of the front seat, which was not a very good place, for he could not +see. Pretty soon, however, he had an opportunity to change to a place +on the middle seat, near the window. Here he enjoyed the ride very +much. He could look out and see the farms, and the farm-houses, and +the people passing, as the stage drove along, and at intervals he +amused himself with listening to the conversation of the people in the +stage.</p> + +<p>It was about ten o’clock when the stage arrived at the railroad +station. As they drew near to the place, Stuyvesant began to consider +what he should have to do in respect to getting his trunk transferred +from the stage to the train of cars. He knew very well that he could +ask the driver what to do, but he felt an ambition to find out +himself, and he accordingly concluded to wait until after he had got +out of the stage, and had had an opportunity to make his own +observations before troubling the driver with his questions. As for +his ticket, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>he was aware that he must buy that at the ticket-office, and he +supposed that he could find the ticket-office very readily.</p> + +<p>When the stage stopped, Stuyvesant and all the other passengers go +out. The stage was standing near a platform which extended along the +side of one of the buildings of the station. As soon as the passengers +had got out, the driver began to take off the trunks from the rack +behind the stage, and to put them on the platform.</p> + +<p>There was a gentleman among the passengers who had said in the course +of conversation in the stage, that he belonged in Boston, and was +going there. It occurred to Stuyvesant that it would be a good plan to +watch this man and see what he would do in respect to his trunk, and +then do the same in respect to his own. So he stood on the platform +while the driver was taking down the trunks, and said nothing.</p> + +<p>The driver put the trunks and baggage down, in heaps of confusion all +about the platform, and though the passengers were all standing +around, none of them paid much attention to what he was doing; this +led Stuyvesant to think that there was no urgent <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span>necessity for haste +or anxiety about the business, but that in some way or other it would +all come right in the end. So he stood quietly by, and said nothing.</p> + +<p>The result was just as he had anticipated; for after he had been +standing there a short time, a man with a band about his hat, on which +were inscribed the words <span class="smcap">baggage-master</span>, came out from a door in the +station-house, and advancing toward the baggage with a business-like +air, he said,</p> + +<p>“Now then, gentlemen, tell me where all this baggage is going to?”</p> + +<p>As the baggage-master said this, the people standing by began to point +out their several trunks, and to say where they were to go. As fast as +the baggage-master was informed of the destination of the trunks and +carpet-bags, he would fasten a check upon each one by means of a small +strap, and give the mate of the check to the owner of the baggage. +Stuyvesant stood quietly by, watching this operation until it came to +the turn of the gentleman who he had observed was going to Boston.</p> + +<p>“That trunk is to go to Boston,” said the gentleman, pointing to his +trunk.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span></p><p>So the baggage-master checked the trunk and gave the duplicate check +to the gentleman.</p> + +<p>“And that trunk is to go to Boston too,” said Stuyvesant, pointing to +his own trunk.</p> + +<p>So the baggage-master put a check upon Stuyvesant’s trunk and gave +Stuyvesant the duplicate of it.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant observed that as soon as the baggage was checked, the +owners of it appeared to go away at once, and to give themselves no +farther concern about it, and he inferred that it would be safe for +him to do so too. So he went into the station to find the +ticket-office, in order to buy his ticket. He saw, in a corner of the +room, a sort of window with a counter before it, and a sign, with the +words <span class="smcap">Ticket Office</span> above. Stuyvesant went to this window. The Boston +gentleman was there, buying his ticket.</p> + +<p>“<i>One</i> for Boston,” said the gentleman. As he said this, he laid down +a bank-bill upon the counter just within the window. The ticket seller +gave him two tickets and some change.</p> + +<p>“He said <i>one</i> and he has got <i>two</i>,” said Stuyvesant to himself. “I +wonder what that means.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span></p><p>Stuyvesant then took the Boston gentleman’s place at the window, and +laid down a bank bill upon the counter, saying:</p> + +<p>“<i>Half</i> a one, for Boston.”</p> + +<p>The ticket-seller looked at Stuyvesant a moment over his spectacles, +with a very inquiring expression of countenance, and then said,</p> + +<p>“How old are you, my boy?”</p> + +<p>“I am between nine and ten,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“And are you going to Boston, all alone?” asked the man.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>So the man gave Stuyvesant two tickets and his change, and Stuyvesant +put them, tickets, money and all, carefully in his wallet, and turned +away. He observed that each of his tickets had one of the corners cut +off. This was to show that they were for a boy who had only paid +half-price.</p> + +<p>As Stuyvesant turned to go away, he met the driver of the stage coming +toward him.</p> + +<p>“Ah, Stuyvesant,” said he, “I was looking for you. Have you got your +tickets?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“And is your trunk checked?” asked the driver.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span></p><p>“Yes,” said Stuyvesant.</p> + +<p>“Very well, then; it’s all right. I was going to show you. I did not +suppose that you knew how to take care of yourself so well.”</p> + +<p>There were no cars at the station at this time. It was a way station, +and the train was to pass there, and stop a few minutes to take up +passengers, but it had not yet arrived. Stuyvesant went round to see +what had been done with his trunk. It had been removed from the place +where he had left it, but after a time he found it, with others, on +another platform near the railroad track. He supposed that that was +the place where the train was to come in.</p> + +<p>He was right in this supposition, for in a few minutes the sound of +the whistle was heard in the distance, and soon afterward the train +came thundering in. It slackened its speed as it advanced, and finally +stopped opposite to the platform on which Stuyvesant was standing. The +baggage-master put the trunks into the baggage car, and the passengers +got into the passenger cars, and in a very few minutes the bell rang, +and the train began to move on again. Stuyvesant got an excellent seat +near a window.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span></p><p>“Now,” said he, “for Beechnut’s rule.”</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant opened his note, and read as follows:—</p> + +<p class="center">“UNIVERSAL RULE FOR INEXPERIENCED TRAVELERS.<br /> +“Keep a quiet mind, and do as other people +do. <span class="smcap">Beechnut.</span>”</p> + +<p>“That’s just what I have been doing all the time,” said Stuyvesant to +himself, as soon as he had read the paper. “I found out Beechnut’s +rule myself, before he told me.”</p> + +<p>This was true; for Stuyvesant’s instinctive good sense and sagacity +had taught him that when traveling with a multitude of other people, +who were almost all perfectly familiar with the usages of the road, a +stranger would always find sufficient means of guidance in his +observation of those about him. It gave Stuyvesant pleasure to think +that he had found out the way to travel himself, and he was very glad +to have the wisdom of the method which he had adopted, confirmed by +Beechnut’s testimony.</p> + +<p>During the whole of the journey to Boston, Stuyvesant guided himself +by observation of <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>those about him. When the conductor came for the +tickets Stuyvesant looked to see what the others did, and then did the +same himself. At one time the cars stopped, and all the passengers +rose from their seats and seemed to be going out. Stuyvesant +accordingly rose and went with them. There was a man on the platform, +who called out as the people stepped down from the cars, “Passengers +for Boston will take the forward cars on the right.” Stuyvesant +followed the crowd and entered with them into the cars of another +train. In fact the travelers had arrived at what is called a +<i>junction</i>, that is to a place where they come upon a railroad +belonging to another company, and here of course they took another +train. The fact that there were two railroads and two companies was +the reason why each passenger had two tickets.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant wondered whether the baggage men would remember to transfer +his trunk to the new train, without his attending to it, but as he +observed that the other passengers did nothing about their trunks, but +went at once into the new cars, he concluded that he had nothing to do +but follow their example.</p> + +<p>When he arrived at Boston it was very late. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>This was owing to a +detention which took place on the road through a somewhat singular +cause. It seems that there was in one part of the road a very narrow +<i>cut</i>, through a rocky hill, and the company were attempting to widen +it in order to make a double track. They had accordingly been blasting +the rocks on one side of the cut, and having fired a very heavy charge +just before the train that Stuyvesant was in came along, an immense +mass of rocks had fallen down into the cut and covered the track so +that the train could not get by. The workman had accordingly sent a +man along with a red flag to stop the train when it should come, and +in the mean time they went to work with an enormous crane, which was +set up on the rocks above, to hoist the stones off from the track, and +swing them out of the way. A great many of the passengers got out and +went forward when the train stopped, in order to see this operation; +and Stuyvesant felt himself authorized by Beechnut’s rule to go with +them. It took more than half an hour to raise and remove the rocks so +as to clear the track, and Stuyvesant had a very pleasant time in +watching the operation, and in listening to the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>remarks of the men +who were standing around.</p> + +<p>On account of this delay, and of some subsequent delays which were +caused by this one, it was quite late when the train arrived in +Boston. When the cars at length reached the Boston station and the +passengers began to get out, a great scene of noise and confusion +ensued.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Stuyvesant to himself, “I must obey the first part of +Beechnut’s direction, and keep a quiet mind.”</p> + +<p>He accordingly rose from his seat, and taking his carpet-bag in his +hand he went out with the rest of the passengers. There was a great +crowd of hackmen on the platform, all clamorously shouting together to +the passengers, offering their carriages and calling out the names of +the several hotels. Stuyvesant observed that those before him who +wished for a hack would quietly speak to one of these men, give him +their baggage tickets and then ask him to show them his carriage. +Stuyvesant accordingly did the same. He spoke to a man who was +standing there with a whip in his hand and asking every body if they +wanted a carriage.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span></p><p>“I want a carriage,” said Stuyvesant. “I want to go to the Marlboro’ +Hotel.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said the man, eagerly. “I’ll take you right there. Walk this +way and I’ll show you the carriage.”</p> + +<p>So Stuyvesant followed the man and got into his carriage. At the same +time he gave him his check and said, “That’s for my trunk.” The man +took the check and went away. In about ten minutes he returned with +the trunk, and after fastening it upon the carriage behind, he got +upon the box and drove away.</p> + +<p>Stuyvesant had a very fine time at the Marlboro’ Hotel. He had a good +bed-room to sleep in that night, and an excellent breakfast the next +morning. He took a little walk in Washington-street after breakfast, +and then wrote a short letter to Phonny to tell him how well he had +got along on his journey. He wrote this letter in his room, having all +the necessary materials in his portfolio. When his letter was +finished, he brought it to the office of the hotel, and asked the +clerk how he could get that letter to the post-office.</p> + +<p>“Put it right in there,” said the clerk.</p> + +<p>So saying, the clerk pointed to a letter-box on the counter, with an +opening at the top, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>and Stuyvesant dropped the letter in. He then +told the clerk that he wished to go to New York that day by the +afternoon train. The clerk said that it was very well, and that he +would have a carriage ready at the proper time to take him to the +station. Stuyvesant had no idea where the station was, or what the +arrangements would be there about checks and tickets; but he had no +doubt that he should find plenty of people there who were going to New +York that day, and that he could very easily find out, by observing +them, what he would have to do.</p> + +<p>And so it proved. He had no difficulty whatever. In fact, all that he +had to do was to throw himself, as it were, into the current, and be +floated along to New York without any care or concern. He arrived very +safely there at last, and his father was quite proud of him when he +found that he had come all the way home alone.</p> + +<h3> +THE END.</h3> + +<hr class="large" /> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Footnotes:</span></h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> To prevent the squirrels that are caught from gnawing +out, the boys sometimes line the inside of their traps with tin.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B_2" id="Footnote_B_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_2"><span class="label">[B]</span></a> See <a href="#Frontispiece">Frontispiece</a>.</p></div> + +<hr class="large" /> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Transcriber’s Note:</span></h3> + +<p>Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters’ errors; otherwise, +every effort has been made to remain true to the author’s words and +intent.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Stuyvesant, by Jacob Abbott + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STUYVESANT *** + +***** This file should be named 28776-h.htm or 28776-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/7/7/28776/ + +Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Stuyvesant + A Franconia Story + +Author: Jacob Abbott + +Release Date: May 12, 2009 [EBook #28776] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STUYVESANT *** + + + + +Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + Stuyvesant + + _A FRANCONIA STORY_ + + BY JACOB ABBOTT + + ILLUSTRATED + + NEW YORK AND LONDON + + HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS + + 1904 + + + + + Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by + + HARPER & BROTHERS, + + In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New York. + + Copyright, 1881, by BENJAMIN VAUGHAN ABBOTT, AUSTIN + ABBOTT, LYMAN ABBOTT, and EDWARD ABBOTT. + + + + +[Illustration: THE BOYS AT THE MILL.] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The development of the moral sentiments in the human heart, in early +life,--and every thing in fact which relates to the formation of +character,--is determined in a far greater degree by sympathy, and by +the influence of example, than by formal precepts and didactic +instruction. If a boy hears his father speaking kindly to a robin in +the spring,--welcoming its coming and offering it food,--there arises +at once in his own mind, a feeling of kindness toward the bird, and +toward all the animal creation, which is produced by a sort of +sympathetic action, a power somewhat similar to what in physical +philosophy is called _induction_. On the other hand, if the father, +instead of feeding the bird, goes eagerly for a gun, in order that he +may shoot it, the boy will sympathize in that desire, and growing up +under such an influence, there will be gradually formed within him, +through the mysterious tendency of the youthful heart to vibrate in +unison with hearts that are near, a disposition to kill and destroy +all helpless beings that come within his power. There is no need of +any formal instruction in either case. Of a thousand children brought +up under the former of the above-described influences, nearly every +one, when he sees a bird, will wish to go and get crumbs to feed it, +while in the latter case, nearly every one will just as certainly look +for a stone. Thus the growing up in the right atmosphere, rather than +the receiving of the right instruction, is the condition which it is +most important to secure, in plans for forming the characters of +children. + +It is in accordance with this philosophy that these stories, though +written mainly with a view to their moral influence on the hearts and +dispositions of the readers, contain very little formal exhortation +and instruction. They present quiet and peaceful pictures of happy +domestic life, portraying generally such conduct, and expressing such +sentiments and feelings, as it is desirable to exhibit and express in +the presence of children. + +The books, however, will be found, perhaps, after all, to be useful +mainly in entertaining and amusing the youthful readers who may peruse +them, as the writing of them has been the amusement and recreation of +the author in the intervals of more serious pursuits. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I.--THE CAVERN, 11 + + II.--BOYISHNESS, 30 + + III.--THE PLOWING, 47 + + IV.--NEGOTIATIONS, 66 + + V.--PLANS FOR THE SQUIRREL, 85 + + VI.--DIFFICULTY, 96 + + VII.--THE WORK SHOP, 111 + + VIII.--A DISCOVERY, 130 + + IX.--THE ACCIDENT, 148 + + X.--GOOD ADVICE, 165 + + XI.--THE JOURNEY HOME, 181 + + + + +ENGRAVINGS + + + PAGE + THE BOYS AT THE MILL--FRONTISPIECE. + + GOING OUT THE GATE, 18 + + THE CAVERN, 27 + + THE TRAP, 40 + + THE HORNET'S NEST, 57 + + OXEN DRINKING, 60 + + BEECHNUT'S ADVICE, 89 + + THE APPEAL, 105 + + FRINK ON THE BEAM, 119 + + DOROTHY'S FIRE, 140 + + THE DOCTOR'S VISIT, 163 + + THE EFFIGY, 168 + + FRINK IN THE PARLOR, 179 + + THE DEPARTURE, 190 + + + + +SCENE OF THE STORY. + + +Franconia, a place among the mountains at the North. The time is +summer. + + +PRINCIPAL PERSONS. + +MRS. HENRY, a lady residing at Franconia. + +ALPHONZO, commonly called Phonny, about nine years old. + +MALLEVILLE, Phonny's cousin from New York, seven years old. + +WALLACE, Malleville's brother, a college student, visiting Franconia +at this season. + +STUYVESANT, Wallace's brother, about nine years old. + +ANTOINE BIANCHINETTE, commonly called Beechnut, a French boy, now +about fourteen years old, living at Mrs. Henry's. + + + + +STUYVESANT. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE CAVERN. + + +One pleasant summer morning Alphonzo was amusing himself by swinging +on a gate in front of his mother's house. His cousin Malleville, who +was then about eight years old, was sitting upon a stone outside of +the gate, by the roadside, in a sort of corner that was formed between +the wall and a great tree which was growing there. Malleville was +employed in telling her kitten a story. + +The kitten was sitting near Malleville, upon a higher stone. +Malleville was leaning upon this stone, looking the kitten in the +face. The kitten was looking down, but she seemed to be listening very +attentively. + +"Now, Kitty," said Malleville, "if you will sit still and hark, I will +tell you a story,--a story about a mouse. I read it in a book. Once +there was a mouse, and he was white, and he lived in a cage. No I +forgot,--there were three mice. I'll begin again. + +"Once there was a boy, and he had three white mice, and he kept them +in a cage." + +Here Malleville's story was interrupted by Phonny, who suddenly called +out: + +"Here comes Beechnut, Malleville." + +"I don't care," said Malleville, "I'm telling a story to Kitty, and +you must not interrupt me." + +Here the kitten jumped down from the stone and ran away. + +"Now Phonny!" said Malleville, "see what you have done;--you have made +my Kitty go away." + +"I didn't make her go away," said Phonny. + +"Yes you did," said Malleville, "you interrupted my story, and that +made her go away." + +Phonny laughed aloud at this assertion, though Malleville continued to +look very serious. Phonny then repeated that he did not make the +kitten go away, and besides, he said, he thought that it was very +childish to pretend to tell a story to a kitten. + +Malleville said that she did not think it was childish at all; for +_her_ kitten liked to hear stories. Phonny, at this, laughed again, +and then Malleville, appearing to be still more displeased, said that +she was not any more childish than Phonny himself was. + +By this time Beechnut, as Phonny called him, had come up. He was +driving a cart. The cart was loaded with wood. The wood consisted of +small and dry sticks, which Beechnut had gathered together in the +forest. + +"Beechnut," said Phonny, "are you going into the woods again for +another load?" + +"Yes," said Beechnut. + +"And may I go with you?" said Phonny. + +"Yes," said Beechnut. + +"And I?" said Malleville. + +"Yes," said Beechnut. + +Beechnut drove on into the yard, and at length stopped near a great +woodpile. Beechnut began to throw off the wood. Phonny climbed up into +the cart too, to help Beechnut unload. Malleville sat down upon a log +lying near to see. + +While they were at work thus, throwing off the wood, Phonny, instead +of taking the smallest sticks that came in his way, tried always to +get hold of the largest. He had three motives for doing this, all +mingled together. The first was a pleasure in exercising his own +strength; the second, a desire to show Malleville that he was no +child; and the third, to make a display of his strength to Beechnut. + +After a while, when the load had been about half thrown off, Phonny +stopped his work, straightened himself up with an air of great +self-satisfaction and said, + +"Malleville says I am childish; do you think I am, Beechnut?" + +"No," said Malleville, "I did not say so." She began to be a little +frightened at this appeal to Beechnut. + +"Yes," said Phonny, "you certainly did." + +"No," said Malleville. + +"What did you say?" asked Phonny. + +"I said I was not childish myself, any more than you." + +"Well, that is the same thing," said Phonny. + +Malleville was silent. She thought that it was a different thing, but +she did not know very well how to explain the difference. + +In the mean time Beechnut went on unloading the wood. + +"Do _you_ think I am childish at all, Beechnut," said Phonny. + +"Why I don't know," said Beechnut, doubtfully. "I don't know how many +childish things it is necessary for a boy to do, in order to be +considered as childish in character; but I have known you to do _two_ +childish things within half an hour." + +Phonny seemed a little surprised and a little confused at this, and +after a moment's pause he said: + +"I know what one of them is, I guess." + +"What?" asked Beechnut. + +"Swinging on the gate." + +"No," said Beechnut, "I did not mean that. You have done things a +great deal more childish than that." + +"What?" said Phonny. + +"The first was," said Beechnut, "making a dispute with Malleville, by +appealing to me to decide whether you were childish." + +"Why I ought to know if I am childish," said Phonny, "so that if I am, +I may correct the fault." + +"I don't think that that was your motive," said Beechnut, "in asking. +If you had wished to know my opinion in order to correct yourself of +the fault, you would have asked me some time privately. I think that +your motive was a wish to get a triumph over Malleville." + +"Oh, Beechnut!" said Phonny. + +Although Phonny said Oh Beechnut, he still had a secret conviction +that what Beechnut had said was true. He was silent a moment, and then +he asked what was the other childishness which Beechnut had seen +within half an hour. + +"In unloading this wood," said Beechnut, "you tried to get hold of the +biggest sticks, even when they were partly buried under the little +ones, and thus worked to great disadvantage. _Men_ take the smaller +ones off first, and so clear the way to get at the larger ones. But +boys make a great ado in getting hold of the largest ones they can +see, by way of showing the by-standers how strong they are." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will throw off the little ones after this." + +So Phonny went to work again, and in throwing off the remainder of the +load, he acted in a much more sensible and advantageous manner than he +had done before. The cart was soon empty. Beechnut then went into the +house and brought out a small chair; this he placed in the middle of +the cart, for Malleville. He also placed a board across the cart in +front, in such a manner that the ends of the board rested upon the +sides of the cart. The board thus formed a seat for Beechnut and +Phonny. Beechnut then gave the reins to Phonny, who had taken his seat +upon the board, while he, himself, went to help Malleville in. + +He led Malleville up to the cart behind, and putting his hands under +her arms, he said "Jump!" Malleville jumped--Beechnut at the same time +lifting to help her. She did not however quite get up, and so Beechnut +let her down to the ground again. + +"Once more," said Beechnut. + +So Malleville tried again. She went a little higher this time than +before, but not quite high enough. + +"That makes twice," said Beechnut. "The rule is, + + "Try it once, try it twice, + And then once more, and that makes thrice." + +The third time Malleville seemed to be endowed with some new and +supernatural strength in her jumping: for she bounded so high that her +feet rose almost to a level with the top of the seat, and then, as she +came down gently upon the floor of the cart, Beechnut released his +hold upon her, and she walked to her chair and sat down. Beechnut then +mounted to his place by the side of Phonny, and the whole party rode +away. + +[Illustration: GOING OUT THE GATE.] + +After riding along for some distance, Phonny asked Beechnut if he +really thought that he was childish. + +"Why no," said Beechnut, "not particularly. You are a little boyish +sometimes, and I suppose that that is to be expected, since you are +really a boy. But you are growing older every year, and I see some +marks of manliness in you, now and then. How old are you now?" + +"I am nine years and five months," said Phonny. "That is, I am about +half-past nine." + +"That is pretty old," said Beechnut, "but then I suppose I must expect +you to be a boy some time longer." + +"Beechnut," said Phonny, "did you know that my cousin Wallace was +coming here pretty soon?" + +"Is he?" said Beechnut. "From college?" + +"Yes," said Phonny, "it is his vacation. He is coming here to spend +his vacation." + +"I am glad of that," said Beechnut. "I like to have him here." + +"And my cousin Stuyvesant is coming too," said Phonny. + +"Stuyvesant is my brother," said Malleville. + +"How old is he?" asked Beechnut. + +"He is only nine," said Phonny. + +"Then he is not so old as you are," said Beechnut. + +"Not quite," said Phonny. + +"And I suppose of course, he will be more of a boy than you," said +Beechnut. + +"I don't know," said Phonny. + +"We shall see," said Beechnut. + +Just then, Phonny heard the sound of wheels behind him. He turned +round and saw a wagon coming along the road. + +"Here comes a wagon," said he. "I am going to whip up, so that they +shall not go by us." + +"No," said Beechnut, "turn out to one side of the road, and walk the +horse, and let them go by." + +"Why?" asked Phonny. + +"I'll tell you presently," said Beechnut, "after the wagon has got +before us." + +Phonny turned out of the road and let the wagon drive by, and then +Beechnut told him that the reason why he was not willing to have him +whip up and keep ahead was, that he wanted to use the strength of the +horse that day, in hauling wood, and not to waste it in galloping +along the road, racing with a wagon. + +At length the party reached a place where there was a pair of bars by +the roadside, and a way leading in, to a sort of pasture. Phonny knew +that this was where Beechnut was going, and so he turned in. The road +was rough, and Malleville had to hold on very carefully to the side of +the cart as they went along. Presently the road went into a wood, and +after going on some way in this wood, Beechnut directed Phonny to +stop, and they all got out. + +"Now, Phonny," said Beechnut, "you can have your choice either to work +or play." + +"What do you think that I had better do?" said Phonny. + +"Play, I rather think," said Beechnut. + +"I thought you would say work," said Phonny. + +"You had better play, in order to keep Malleville company," said +Beechnut. + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will." + +So while Beechnut went to work to get a new load of wood, Phonny and +Malleville went away to play. + +There was a precipice of rocks near the place where Beechnut was +loading his cart, with a great many large rocks at the foot of it. The +top of the precipice was crowned with trees, and there were also a +great many bushes and trees growing among the rocks below. It was a +very wild and romantic place, and Phonny and Malleville liked to play +there very much indeed. + +After a time Phonny called out to Beechnut to inquire whether he had +any matches in his pocket. He said that he and Malleville were going +to build a fire. + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "I have. Come here and I will give you some." + +So Phonny sent Malleville after the matches, while he collected dry +wood for a fire. When Malleville returned, she gave Phonny the +matches, and told him that Beechnut said that they must make the fire +on the _rocks_ somewhere, or in some other safe place, so that it +should not spread into the woods. + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will look about and find a good place." + +Accordingly, he began to walk along at the foot of the precipice, +examining every recess among the rocks, and all the nooks and corners +which seemed to promise well, as places of encampment. Malleville +could not quite keep up with him on account of the roughnesses and +inequalities of the way. + +At last Malleville, who had fallen a little behind, heard Phonny +calling to her in tones of great delight. She hastened on. In a +moment she saw Phonny before her just coming out from among the bushes +and calling to her, + +"Malleville! Malleville! come here quick!--I have found a cavern." + +Malleville went on, and presently she came in view of what Phonny +called a cavern. It was a place where two immense fragments of rock +leaned over toward each other, so as to form a sort of roof, beneath +which was an inclosure which Phonny called a cavern. He might perhaps +have more properly called it a grotto. There was a great flat stone at +the bottom of the cavern, which made an excellent floor, and there was +an open place in the top behind, where Phonny thought that the smoke +would go out if he should make a fire. + +"There, Malleville," said Phonny, when she came where she could see +the cavern, "that is what I call a discovery. We will play that we are +savages, and that we live in a cavern." + +Phonny rolled two large stones into the cavern, and placed them in the +back part of it, where he intended to build his fire. These stones +were for andirons. Then he began to bring in logs, and sticks, and +branches of trees, such as he found lying upon the ground dead and +dry. These he piled up inside of the cavern in a sort of corner, where +there was a deep recess or crevice, which was very convenient for +holding the wood. + +Malleville helped him do all this. When a sufficient supply of wood +was gathered, Phonny laid some of it across his stone andirons, and +then prepared to light the fire. + +He rubbed one of his matches against a dry log, and the match +immediately kindled. Phonny looked at the blue flame a moment, and +then, as if some sudden thought had struck him, he blew it out again, +and said, + +"On the whole, I will go and ask Beechnut. We may as well be sure." + +So he ran down from the entrance of the cavern, and thence along by +the way that they had come, through the thicket, until he came in +sight of Beechnut. + +"Beechnut," said he, calling out very loud, "we have found a +cavern;--may we build a fire in it?" + +"Yes," said Beechnut. + +Then Phonny went back, and telling Malleville that Beechnut had said +yes, he proceeded to kindle his fire. + +It happened that there were two large stones, tolerably square in +form, each of them, and flat upon the upper side, which were lying in +the cavern in such places as to be very convenient for seats. When the +fire began to burn, Phonny sat down upon one of these seats, and gave +Malleville the other. The fire blazed up very cheerily, and the smoke +and sparks, winding their way up the side of the rock, which formed +the back of the cavern, escaped out through the opening at the top in +a very satisfactory manner. + +"There," said Phonny, "this is what I call comfortable. If we only now +had something to eat, it is all I should want." + +"I'll tell you what," said he again, after a moment's pause, "we will +send home by Beechnut, when he goes with his next load, to get us +something to eat." + +"Well," said Malleville, "so we will." + +Beechnut very readily undertook the commission of bringing Phonny and +Malleville something to eat. Accordingly, when his cart was loaded he +went away, leaving Phonny and Malleville in their cavern. While he was +gone the children employed themselves in bringing flat stones, and +making a fireplace by building walls on each side of their fire. + +In due time Beechnut returned, bringing with him a large round box, +which he said that Mrs. Henry had sent to Phonny and Malleville. It +was too heavy for Phonny to lift easily, and so Beechnut drove his +cart along until it was nearly opposite the cavern. Then he took the +box out of the cart and carried it into the cavern, and laid it down +upon Malleville's seat. + +Phonny opened it, and he found that it contained a variety of stores. +There were four potatoes and four apples, each rolled up in a separate +paper. There were also two crackers. These crackers were in a tin mug, +just big enough to hold them, one on the top of the other. The mug, +Phonny said, was for them to drink from, and as there was a spring by +the side of the cavern they had plenty of water. + +"One cracker is for me," said Phonny, "and the other for you, +Malleville. I mean to split my cracker in two, and toast the halves." + +At the bottom of the box there was half a pie. + +[Illustration: THE CAVERN.] + +Beechnut stopped to see what the box contained, and then he went away +to his work again. As he went away, he told the children that Mrs. +Henry said that they need not come home to dinner that day, unless +they chose to do so,--but might make their dinner, if they pleased, in +the cavern, from what she had sent them in the box. + +The children were very much pleased with this plan. They remained in +the cavern a long time. They roasted their potatoes in the fire, and +their apples in front of it. They toasted their crackers and warmed +their pie, by placing them against a stone between the andirons; and +they got water, whenever they were thirsty, in the dipper from the +spring. + +At length, about the middle of the afternoon, when their interest in +the cavern was beginning to decline, their thoughts were suddenly +turned away from it altogether, by the news which Beechnut announced +to them on his return from the house, after his eighth load, that +Wallace had arrived. + +"And has my brother Stuyvesant come too?" asked Malleville. + +"I suppose so," said Beechnut, "there was a boy with him, about as +large as Phonny, but I did not hear what his name was." + +"Oh, it is he! it is he!" said Malleville, clapping her hands. + +Phonny and Malleville mounted upon the top of the load as soon as +Beechnut got it ready, and rode home. They ran into the house, while +Beechnut went to unload his wood. Just as Beechnut was ready to go out +of the yard again with his empty cart, Phonny came out. + +"Cousin Wallace has really come," said Phonny. + +"Ah!" said Beechnut, "and what does he have to say?" + +"Why, he says," replied Phonny, "that he is going to make a man of +me." + +"Is he?" said Beechnut. "Well, I hope he will take proper time for it. +I have no great opinion of the plan of making men out of boys before +their time." + +So saying, Beechnut drove away, and Phonny went in. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +BOYISHNESS. + + +Two or three days after Wallace arrived at Franconia, he and Phonny +formed a plan to go and take a ride on horseback. They invited +Stuyvesant to go with them, but Stuyvesant said that Beechnut was +going to plow that day, and had promised to teach him to drive oxen. +He said that he should like better to learn to drive oxen than to take +a ride on horseback. + +There was another reason which influenced Stuyvesant in making this +decision, and that was, that he had observed that there were only two +horses in the stable, and although he knew that Beechnut could easily +obtain another from some of the neighbors, still he thought that this +would make some trouble, and he was always very considerate about +making trouble. This was rather remarkable in Stuyvesant, for he was a +city boy, and city boys are apt to be very inconsiderate. + +So Wallace and Phonny concluded to go by themselves. They mounted +their horses and rode together out through the great gate. + +"Now," said Phonny, when they were fairly on the way, "we will have a +good time. This is just what I like. I would rather have a good ride +on horseback than any thing else. I wish that they would let me go +alone sometimes." + +"Won't they?" asked Wallace. + +"No, not very often," said Phonny. + +"Do you know what the reason is?" asked Wallace. + +"I suppose because they think that I am not old enough," replied +Phonny, "but I am." + +"I don't think that that is the reason," said Wallace. "Stuyvesant is +not quite so old as you are, and yet I shall let _him_ go and ride +alone whenever he pleases." + +"What _is_ the reason then?" asked Phonny. + +"Because you are not _man_ enough I suppose," said Wallace. "You might +be more manly, without being any older, and then people would put more +trust in you, and you would have a great many more pleasures." + +Phonny was rather surprised to hear his cousin Wallace speak thus. He +had thought that he _was_ manly--very manly; but it was evident that +his cousin considered him boyish. + +"I do not know," continued Wallace, "but that you are as manly as +other boys of your years." + +"Except Stuyvesant," said Phonny. + +"Yes, except Stuyvesant," said Wallace, "I think that he is rather +remarkable. I do not think that you are _very_ boyish,--but you are +growing up quite fast and you are getting to be pretty large. It is +time for you to begin to evince some degree of the carefulness, and +considerateness, and sense of responsibility, that belong to men. + +"There are two kinds of boyishness," continued Wallace. "One kind is +very harmless." + +"What kind is that?" asked Phonny. + +"Why if a boy continues," said Wallace, "when he is quite old, to take +pleasure in amusements which generally please only young children, +that is boyishness of a harmless kind. For example, suppose we should +see a boy, eighteen years old, playing marbles a great deal, we should +say that he was boyish. So if _you_ were to have a rattle or any other +such little toy for a plaything, and should spend a great deal of +time in playing with it, we should say that it was very boyish or +childish. Still that kind of boyishness does little harm, and we +should not probably do any thing about it, but should leave you to +outgrow it in your own time." + +"What kind of boyishness do you mean then, that is not harmless?" +asked Phonny. + +"I mean that kind of want of consideration, by which boys when young, +are always getting themselves and others into difficulty and trouble, +for the sake of some present and momentary pleasure. They see the +pleasure and they grasp at it. They do not see the consequences, and +so they neglect them. The result is, they get into difficulty and do +mischief. Other people lose confidence in them, and so they have to be +restricted and watched, and subjected to limits and bounds, when if +they were a little more considerate and manly, they might enjoy a much +greater liberty, and many more pleasures." + +"I don't think that I do so," said Phonny. + +"No," rejoined Wallace, "I don't think that you do; that is I don't +think that you do so more than other boys of your age. But to show you +exactly what I mean, I will give you some cases. Perhaps they are +true and perhaps they are imaginary. It makes no difference which they +are. + +"Once there was a boy," continued Wallace, "who came down early one +winter morning, and after warming himself a moment by the sitting-room +fire, he went out in the kitchen. It happened to be ironing day, and +the girl was engaged in ironing at a great table by the kitchen fire. +We will call the girl's name Dorothy. + +"The boy seeing Dorothy at this work, wished to iron something, +himself. So Dorothy gave him a flat-iron and also something to iron." + +"What was it that she gave him to iron?" said Phonny. + +"A towel," said Wallace. + +"Well," said Phonny, "go on." + +"The boy took the flat-iron and went to work," continued Wallace. +"Presently, however, he thought he would go out into the shed and see +if the snow had blown in, during the night. He found that it had, and +so he stopped to play with the drift a few minutes. At last he came +back into the kitchen, and he found, when he came in, that Dorothy +had finished ironing his towel and had put it away. He began to +complain of her for doing this, and then, in order to punish her, as +he said, he took two of her flat-irons and ran off with them, and put +them into the snow drift." + +"Yes," said Phonny, "that was me. But then I only did it for fun." + +"Was the fun for yourself or for Dorothy?" asked Wallace. + +"Why, for me," said Phonny. + +"And it made only trouble for Dorothy," said Wallace. + +"Yes," said Phonny, "I suppose it did." + +"That is the kind of boyishness I mean," said Wallace, "getting fun +for yourself at other people's expense; and so making them dislike +you, and feel sorry when they see you coming, and glad when you go +away." + +Phonny was silent. He saw the folly of such a course of proceeding, +and had nothing to say. + +"There is another case," said Wallace. "Once I knew a boy, and his +name was--I'll call him Johnny." + +"What was his other name?" asked Phonny. + +"No matter for that, now," said Wallace. "He went out into the barn, +and he wanted something to do, and so the boy who lived there, gave +him a certain corner to take charge of, and keep in order." + +"What was that boy's name?" asked Phonny. + +"Why, I will call him Hazelnut," said Wallace. + +"Ah!" exclaimed Phonny, "now I know you are going to tell some story +about me and Beechnut." Here Phonny threw back his head and laughed +aloud. He repeated the words Johnny and Hazelnut, and then laughed +again, until he made the woods ring with his merriment. + +Wallace smiled, and went on with his story. + +"Hazelnut gave him the charge of a corner of the barn where some +harnesses were kept, and Johnny's duty was to keep them in order +there. One day Hazelnut came home and found that Johnny had taken out +the long reins from the harness, and had fastened them to the branches +of two trees in the back yard, to make a swing, and then he had loaded +the swing with so many children, as to break it down." + +"Yes," said Phonny, "that was me too; but I did not think that the +reins would break." + +"I know it," said Wallace. "You did not think. That is the nature of +the kind of boyishness that I am speaking of. The boy does not +_think_. Men, generally, before they do any new or unusual thing, stop +to consider what the results and consequences of it are going to be; +but boys go on headlong, and find out what the consequences are when +they come." + +While Wallace and Phonny had been conversing thus, they had been +riding through a wood which extended along a mountain glen. Just at +this time they came to a place where a cart path branched off from the +main road, toward the right. Phonny proposed to go into this path to +see where it would lead. Wallace had no objection to this plan, and so +they turned their horses and went in. + +The cart path led them by a winding way through the woods for a short +distance, along a little dell, and then it descended into a ravine, at +the bottom of which there was a foaming torrent tumbling over a very +rocky bed. The path by this time became quite a road, though it was a +very wild and stony road. It kept near the bank of the brook, +continually ascending, until at last it turned suddenly away from the +brook, and went up diagonally upon the side of a hill. There were +openings in the woods on the lower side of the road, through which +Wallace got occasional glimpses of the distant valleys. Wallace was +very much interested in these prospects, but Phonny's attention was +wholly occupied as he went along, in looking over all the logs, and +rocks, and hollow trees, in search of squirrels. + +At last, at a certain turn of the road, the riders came suddenly upon +a pair of bars which appeared before them,--directly across the road. + +"Well," said Wallace, "here we are, what shall we do now?" + +"It is nothing but a pair of bars," said Phonny. "I can jump off and +take them down." + +"No," said Wallace, "I think we may as well turn about here, and go +back. We have come far enough on this road." + +Just then Phonny pointed off under the trees of the forest, upon one +side, and said in a very eager voice, + +"See there!" + +"What is it?" said Wallace. + +"A trap," said Phonny. "It is a squirrel trap! and it is sprung! +There's a squirrel in it, I've no doubt. Let me get off and see." + +"Well," said Wallace, "give me the bridle of your horse." + +So Phonny threw the bridle over his horse's head and gave it to +Wallace. He then dismounted--sliding down the side of the horse safely +to the ground. + +As soon as he found himself safely down, he threw his riding-stick +upon the grass, and ran off toward the trap. + +The trap was placed upon a small stone by the side of a larger one. It +was in a very snug and sheltered place, almost out of view. In fact it +probably would not have been observed by any ordinary passer-by. + +Phonny ran up to the trap, and took hold of it. He lifted it up very +cautiously. He shook it as well as he could, and then listened. He +thought that he could hear or feel some slight motion within. He +became very much excited. + +He put the trap down upon the high rock, and began opening up the lid +a little, very gently. + +[Illustration: THE TRAP.] + +The trap was of the kind called by the boys a box-trap. It is in the +form of a box, and the back part runs up high, to a point. The lid of +the box has a string fastened to it, which string is carried up, over +the high point, and thence down, and is fastened to an apparatus +connected with the spindle. + +The spindle is a slender rod of wood which passes through the end of +the box into the interior. About half of the spindle is within the box +and half without. There is a small notch in the outer part of the +spindle, and another in the end of the box, a short distance above the +spindle. There is a small bar of wood, with both ends sharpened, and +made of such a length as just to reach from the notch in the end of +the box, to the notch in the spindle. This bar is the apparatus to +which the end of the string is fastened, as before described. + +When the trap is to be set, the bar is fitted to the notches in such a +manner as to catch in them, and then the weight of the lid, being +sustained by the string, the lid is held up so that the squirrel can +go in. The front of the box is attached to the lid, and rises with it, +so that when the lid is raised a little the squirrel can creep +directly in. The bait, which is generally a part of an ear of corn, is +fastened to the end of the spindle, which is within the trap. The +squirrel sees the bait, and creeps in to get it. He begins to nibble +upon the corn. The ear is tied so firmly to the spindle that he can +not get it away. In gnawing upon it to get off the corn, he finally +disengages the end of the spindle from the bar, by working the lower +end of the bar out of its notch; this lets the string up, and of +course the lid comes down, and the squirrel is shut in, a captive. + +When the lid first comes down, it makes so loud a noise as to terrify +the poor captive very much. He runs this way and that, around the +interior of the box, wondering what has happened, and why he can not +get out as he came in. He has no more appetite for the corn, but is in +great distress at his sudden and unaccountable captivity. + +After trying in vain on all sides to escape, by forcing his way, and +finding that the box is too strong for him in every part, he finally +concludes to gnaw out. He accordingly selects the part of the box +where there is the widest crack, and where consequently the brightest +light shines through. He selects this place, partly because he +supposes that the box is thinnest there, and partly because he likes +to work in the light.[A] + +[Footnote A: To prevent the squirrels that are caught from gnawing +out, the boys sometimes line the inside of their traps with tin.] + +There was a squirrel in the trap which Phonny had found. It was a +large and handsome gray squirrel. He had been taken that morning. +About an hour after the trap sprung upon him, he had begun to gnaw +out, and he had got about half through the boards in the corner when +Phonny found him. When Phonny shook the trap the squirrel clung to the +bottom of it by his claws, so that Phonny did not shake him about +much. + +When Phonny had put the trap upon the great stone, he thought that he +would lift up the lid a little way, and peep in. This is a very +dangerous operation, for a squirrel will squeeze out through a very +small aperture, and many a boy has lost a squirrel by the very means +that he was taking to decide whether he had got one. + +Phonny was aware of this danger, and so he was very careful. He raised +the lid but very little, and looked under with the utmost caution. He +saw two little round and very brilliant eyes peeping out at him. + +"Yes, Wallace," said he. "Yes, yes, here he is. I see his eyes." + +Wallace sat very composedly upon his horse, holding Phonny's bridle, +while Phonny was uttering these exclamations, without appearing to +share the enthusiasm which Phonny felt, at all. + +"He is here, Wallace," said Phonny. "He is, truly." + +"I do not doubt it," said Wallace, "but what are we to do about it?" + +"Why--why--what would you do?" asked Phonny. + +"I suppose that the best thing that we could do," said Wallace, "is to +ride along." + +"And leave the squirrel?" said Phonny, in a tone of surprise. + +"Yes," said Wallace. "I don't see any thing else that we can do." + +"Why, he will gnaw out," said Phonny. "He will gnaw out in half an +hour. He has gnawed half through the board already. Espy ought to have +tinned his trap." So saying, Phonny stooped down and peeped into the +trap again, through the crack under the lid. + +"Who is Espy?" asked Wallace. + +"Espy Ransom," said Phonny. "He lives down by the mill. He is always +setting traps for squirrels. I suppose that this road goes down to the +mill, and that he came up here and set his trap. But it won't do to +leave the squirrel here," continued Phonny, looking at Wallace in a +very earnest manner. "It never will do in the world." + +"What shall we do, then?" asked Wallace. + +"Couldn't we carry him down to Espy?" said Phonny. + +"I don't think that we have any right to carry him away. It is not our +squirrel, and it may be that it is not Espy's." + +Phonny seemed perplexed. After a moment's pause he added, "Couldn't we +go down and tell Espy that there is a squirrel in his trap?" + +"Yes," said Wallace, "that we can do." + +Phonny stooped down and peeped into the trap again. + +"The rogue," said he. "The moment that I am gone, he will go to +gnawing again, I suppose, and so get out and run away. What a little +fool he is." + +"Do you think he is a fool for trying to gnaw out of that trap?" asked +Wallace. + +"Why no,"--said Phonny, "but I wish he wouldn't do it. We will go down +quick and tell Espy." + +So Phonny came back to the place where Wallace had remained in the +road, holding the horses. Phonny let down the bars, and Wallace went +through with the horses. Phonny immediately put the bars up again, +took the bridle of his own horse from Wallace's hands, threw it up +over the horse's head, and then by the help of a large log which lay +by the side of the road, he mounted. He did all this in a hurried +manner, and ended with saying: + +"Now, Cousin Wallace, let's push on. I don't think it's more than half +a mile to the mill." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE PLOWING. + + +While Wallace and Phonny were taking their ride, as described in the +last chapter, Stuyvesant and Beechnut were plowing. + +Beechnut told Stuyvesant that he was ready to yoke up, as he called +it, as soon as the horses had gone. + +"Well," said Stuyvesant, "I will come. I have got to go up to my room +a minute first." + +So Stuyvesant went up to his room, feeling in his pockets as he +ascended the stairs, to find the keys of his trunk. When he reached +his room, he kneeled down before his trunk and unlocked it. + +He raised the lid and began to take out the things. He took them out +very carefully, and laid them in order upon a table which was near the +trunk. There were clothes of various kinds, some books, and several +parcels, put up neatly in paper. Stuyvesant stopped at one of these +parcels, which seemed to be of an irregular shape, and began to feel +of what it contained through the paper. + +"What is this?" said he to himself. "I wonder what it can be. Oh, I +remember now, it is my watch-compass." + +What Stuyvesant called his watch-compass, was a small pocket-compass +made in the form of a watch. It was in a very pretty brass case, about +as large as a lady's watch, and it had a little handle at the side, to +fasten a watch-ribbon to. Stuyvesant's uncle had given him this +compass a great many years before. Stuyvesant had kept it very +carefully in his drawer at home, intending when he should go into the +country to take it with him, supposing that it would be useful to him +in the woods. His sister had given him a black ribbon to fasten to the +handle. The ribbon was long enough to go round Stuyvesant's neck, +while the compass was in his waistcoat pocket. + +Stuyvesant untied the string, which was around the paper that +contained his compass, and took it off. He then wound up this +string into a neat sort of coil, somewhat in the manner in which +fishing-lines are put up when for sale in shops. He put this coil +of twine, together with the paper, upon the table. He looked at the +compass a moment to see which was north in his chamber, and then +putting the compass itself in his pocket, he passed the ribbon round +his neck, and afterward went on taking the things out of his trunk. + +When he came pretty near to the bottom of his trunk, he said to +himself, + +"Ah! here it is." + +At the same moment he took out a garment, which seemed to be a sort of +frock. It was made of brown linen. He laid it aside upon a chair, and +then began to put the things back into his trunk again. He laid them +all in very carefully, each in its own place. When all were in, he +shut down the lid of the trunk, locked it, and put the key in his +pocket. Then he took the frock from the chair, and opening it, put it +on. + +It was made somewhat like a cartman's frock. Stuyvesant had had it +made by the seamstress at his mother's house, in New York, before he +came away. He was a very neat and tidy boy about his dress, and always +felt uncomfortable if his clothes were soiled or torn. He concluded, +therefore, that if he had a good, strong, serviceable frock to put on +over his other clothes, it would be very convenient for him at +Franconia. + +As soon as his frock was on, he hastened down stairs and went out to +the barn in search of Beechnut. He found him yoking up the cattle. + +"Why, Stuyvesant," said Beechnut, when he saw him, "that is a capital +frock that you have got. How much did it cost?" + +"I don't know," said Stuyvesant; "Mary made it for me." + +"Who is Mary?" asked Beechnut. + +"She is the seamstress," said Stuyvesant. "She lives at our house in +New York." + +"Do you have a seamstress there all the time?" said Beechnut. + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant. + +"And her name is Mary," said Beechnut. + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant. + +"Well, I wish she would take it into her head to make me such a frock +as that," said Beechnut. + +During this conversation, Beechnut had been busily employed in yoking +up the oxen. Stuyvesant looked on, watching the operations carefully, +in order to see how the work of yoking up was done. He wished to see +whether the process was such that he could learn to yoke up oxen +himself; or whether any thing that was required was beyond his +strength. + +"Can _boys_ yoke up cattle?" said Stuyvesant at length. + +"It takes a pretty stout boy," said Beechnut. + +"Could a boy as stout as I am do it?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"It would be rather hard work for you," said Beechnut, "the yoke is +pretty heavy." + +The yoke was indeed quite heavy, and it was necessary to lift it--one +end at a time--over the necks of the oxen. Stuyvesant observed that +the oxen were fastened to the yoke, by means of bows shaped like the +letter U. These bows were passed up under the necks of the oxen. The +ends of them came up through the yokes and were fastened there by +little pegs, which Beechnut called keys. There was a ring in the +middle of the yoke on the under side to fasten the chain to, by which +the cattle were to draw. + +When the oxen were yoked, Beechnut drove them to the corner of the +yard, where there was a drag with a plow upon it. Beechnut put an axe +also upon the drag. + +"What do you want an axe for," asked Stuyvesant, "in going to plow?" + +"We always take an axe," said Beechnut, "when we go away to work. We +are pretty sure to want it for something or other." + +Beechnut then gave Stuyvesant a goad stick, and told him that he might +drive. Stuyvesant had observed very attentively what Beechnut had done +in driving, and the gestures which he had made, and the calls which he +had used, in speaking to the oxen, and though he had never attempted +to drive such a team before, he succeeded quite well. His success, +however, was partly owing to the sagacity of the oxen, who knew very +well where they were to go and what they were to do. + +At length, after passing through one or two pairs of bars, they came +to the field. + +"Which is the easiest," said Stuyvesant, "to drive the team or hold +the plow?" + +"That depends," said Beechnut, "upon whether your capacity consists +most in your strength or your skill." + +"Why so?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"Because," said Beechnut, "it requires more skill to drive, than to +hold the plow, and more strength to hold the plow, than to drive. I +think, therefore, that you had better drive, for as between you and I, +it is I that have the most strength, and you that have the most +skill." + +Stuyvesant laughed. + +"Why you _ought_ to have the most skill," said Beechnut--"coming from +such a great city." + +Beechnut took the plow off from the drag, and laid the drag on one +side. He then attached the cattle to the plow. They were standing, +when they did this, in the middle of one side of the field. + +"Now," said Beechnut, "we are going first straight through the middle +of the field. Do you see that elm-tree, the other side of the fence?" + +"I see a large tree," said Stuyvesant. + +"It is an elm," said Beechnut. + +"There is a great bird upon the top of it," said Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "it is a crow. Now you must keep the oxen headed +directly for that tree. Go as straight as you can, and I shall try to +keep the plow straight behind you. The thing is to make a straight +furrow." + +When all was ready, Stuyvesant gave the word to his oxen to move +on, and they began to draw. Stuyvesant went on, keeping his eye +alternately upon the oxen and upon the tree. He had some curiosity to +look round and see how Beechnut was getting along with the furrow, but +he recollected that his business was to drive, and so he gave his +whole attention to his driving, in order that he might go as straight +as possible across the field. + +The crow flew away when he had got half across the field. He had a +strong desire to know where she was going to fly to, but he did not +look round to follow her in her flight. He went steadily on attending +to his driving. + +When he was about two thirds across the field, he saw a stump at a +short distance before him, with a small hornet's nest upon one side of +it. His course would lead him, he saw, very near this nest. His first +impulse was to stop the oxen and tell Beechnut about the hornet's +nest. He did in fact hesitate a moment, but he was instantly reassured +by hearing Beechnut call out to him from behind, saying, + +"Never mind the hornet's nest, Stuyvesant. Drive the oxen right on. I +don't think the hornets will sting them." + +Stuyvesant perceived by this, that Beechnut thought only of the oxen, +when he saw a hornet's nest, and he concluded to follow his example in +this respect. So he drove steadily on. + +When they got to the end of the field the oxen stopped. Beechnut and +Stuyvesant then looked round to see the furrow. It was very +respectably straight. + +"You have done very well," said he, "and you will find it easier now, +for one of the oxen will walk in the furrow, and that will guide him." + +So Stuyvesant brought the team around and then went back, one of the +oxen in returning walking in the furrow which had been made before. In +this manner they went back to the place from which they had first +started. + +"There," said Beechnut, "now we have got our work well laid out. But +before we plow any more, we must destroy that hornet's nest, or else +when we come to plow by that stump, the hornets will sting the oxen. +I'll go and get some straw. You may stay here and watch the oxen +while I am gone." + +In a short time Beechnut came back, bringing his arms full of hay. He +walked directly toward that part of the field where the hornet's nest +was, calling Stuyvesant to follow him. Stuyvesant did so. When he got +near to the stump, he put the hay down upon the ground. He then +advanced cautiously to the stump with a part of the hay in his arms +This hay he put down at the foot of the stump, directly under the +hornet's nest, extending a portion of it outward so as to form a sort +of train. He then went back and took up the remaining portion of the +hay and held it in his hands. + +"Now, Stuyvesant," said Beechnut, "light a match and set fire to the +train." + +Beechnut had previously given Stuyvesant a small paper containing a +number of matches. + +"How shall I light it?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"Rub it upon a stone," said Beechnut. "Find one that has been lying in +the sun," continued Beechnut, "and then the match will catch quicker, +because the stone will be warm and dry." + +So Stuyvesant lighted a match by rubbing it upon a smooth stone which +was lying upon the ground near by. He then cautiously approached the +end of the train and set it on fire. + +[Illustration: THE HORNET'S NEST.] + +Beechnut then came up immediately with the hay that he had in his +hands, and placed it over and around the hornet's nest, so as to +envelop it entirely. He and Stuyvesant then retreated together to a +safe distance, and there stood to watch the result. + +A very dense white smoke immediately began to come up through the +hay. Presently the flame burst out, and in a few minutes the whole +mass of the hay was in a bright blaze. Stuyvesant looked very +earnestly to see if he could see any hornets, but he could not. At +last, however, when the fire was burnt nearly down, he saw two. They +were flying about the stump, apparently in great perplexity and +distress. Stuyvesant pitied them, but as he did not see what he could +do to help them, he told them that he thought they had better go and +find some more hornets and build another nest somewhere. Then he and +Beechnut went back to the plow. + +Stuyvesant had quite a desire to try and hold the plow, after he had +been driving the team about an hour, but he thought it was best not to +ask. In fact he knew himself that it was best for him to learn one +thing at a time. So he went on with his driving. + +When it was about a quarter before twelve, Beechnut said that it was +time to go in. So he unhooked the chain from the yoke, and leaving the +plow, the drag, the axe and the chain in the field, he let the oxen +go. They immediately ran off into a copse of trees and bushes, which +bordered the road on one side. + +"Why, Beechnut!" said Stuyvesant, "the oxen are running away." + +"No," said Beechnut, "they are only going down to drink. There is a +brook down there where they go to drink when they are at work in this +field." + +Oxen appear to possess mental qualifications of a certain kind in a +very high degree. They are especially remarkable for their sagacity +in finding good places to drink in the fields and pastures where +they feed or are employed at work, and for their good memory in +recollecting where they are. An ox may be kept away from a particular +field or pasture quite a long time, and yet know exactly where to go +to find water to drink when he is admitted to it again. + +Stuyvesant looked at the oxen as they went down the path, and then +proposed to follow them. + +"Let us go and see," said he. + +[Illustration: OXEN DRINKING.] + +So he and Beechnut walked along after the oxen. They found a narrow, +but very pretty road, or rather path, overhung with trees and bushes, +which led down to the water. The road terminated at a broad and +shallow place in the stream, where the sand was yellow and the water +very clear. The oxen went out into the water, and then put their heads +down to drink. Presently they stopped, first one and then the other, +and stood a moment considering whether they wanted any more. Finding +that they did not, they turned round in the water, and then came +slowly out to the land. They walked up the bank, and finally emerging +from the wood at the place where they had entered it, they went toward +home. + +When they reached the house the cattle went straight through the yard, +toward the barn. Beechnut and Stuyvesant followed them. Beechnut was +going to get them some hay. Stuyvesant went in with Beechnut and stood +below on the barn floor, while Beechnut went up the ladder to pitch +the hay down. + +During all the time that Beechnut and Stuyvesant had been coming up +from the field, conversation had been going on between them, about +various subjects connected with farming. Stuyvesant asked Beechnut if +Phonny could drive oxen pretty well. + +"_Pretty_ well," said Beechnut. + +"Does he like to drive?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"He likes to begin to drive," said Beechnut. + +"What do you mean by that?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"Why, when there is any driving to be done," replied Beechnut, "he +thinks that he shall like it, and he wants to take a goad stick and +begin. But he very soon gets tired of it, and goes away. You seem to +have more perseverance. In fact, you seem to have a great deal of +perseverance, which I think is very strange, considering that you are +a city boy." + +Stuyvesant laughed. + +"City boys," continued Beechnut, "I have always heard said, are good +for nothing at all." + +"But you said, a little while ago," replied Stuyvesant, "that city +boys had a great deal of skill." + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "they are bright enough, but they have generally +no steadiness or perseverance. They go from one thing to another, +following the whim of the moment. The reason of that is, that living +in cities, they are brought up without having any thing to do." + +"They can go of errands," said Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "they can go of errands, but there are not many +errands to be done, so they are brought up in idleness. Country boys, +on the other hand, generally have a great deal to do. They have to go +for the cows, and catch the horses, and drive oxen, and a thousand +other things, and so they are brought up in industry." + +"Is Phonny brought up in industry?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"Hardly," said Beechnut. "In fact he is scarcely old enough yet to do +much work." + +"He is as old as I am," said Stuyvesant. + +"True," said Beechnut, "but he does not seem to have as much +discretion. Do you see that long shed out there, projecting from the +barn?" + +This was said just at the time when Beechnut and Stuyvesant were +passing through the gate which led into the yard, and the barns and +sheds were just coming into view. + +"The one with that square hole by the side of the door?" asked +Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "that was Phonny's hen house. He bought some +hens, and was going to be a great poulterer. He was going to have I +don't know how many eggs and chickens,--but finally he got tired of +his brood, and neglected them, and at last wanted to sell them to me. +I bought them day before yesterday." + +"How many hens are there?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"About a dozen," said Beechnut. "I gave him a dollar and a half for +the whole stock. I looked into his hen-house when I bought him out, +and found it all in sad condition. I have not had time to put it in +order yet." + +"I will put it in order," said Stuyvesant. + +"Will you?" said Beechnut. + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant, "and I should like to buy the hens of you, if +I were only going to stay here long enough." + +"I don't think it is worth while for you to buy them," said Beechnut, +"but I should like to have you take charge of them. I would pay you by +giving you a share of the eggs." + +"What could I do with the eggs?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"Why you could sell them, or give them away, just as you pleased. You +might give them to Mrs. Henry, or sell them to her, or sell them to +me. If you will take the whole care of them while you are here, I will +give you one third of the eggs, after all expenses are paid." + +"What do you mean by that?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"Why, if we have to buy any grain, for instance, to give the hens, we +must sell eggs enough first to pay for the grain, and after that, you +shall have one third of the eggs that are left." + +Stuyvesant was much pleased with this proposal, and was just about to +say that he accepted it, when his attention was suddenly turned away +from the subject, by hearing a loud call from Phonny, who just then +came running round a corner, with a box-trap under his arm, shouting +out, + +"Stuyvesant! Stuyvesant! Look here! I've got a gray squirrel;--a +beautiful, large gray squirrel." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +NEGOTIATIONS. + + +It is necessary in this chapter to return to Phonny and Wallace, in +order to explain how Phonny succeeded in getting his squirrel. + +He was quite in haste, as he went on after leaving the squirrel, in +order to get down to the mill where Espy lived, before the squirrel +should have gnawed out. The road, he was quite confident, led to the +mill. + +"I should like to buy the squirrel, if Espy will sell him," said +Phonny. + +"Do you think that your mother would be willing?" asked Wallace. + +"Why yes," said Phonny, "certainly. What objection could she have?" + +"None, only the trouble that it would occasion her," replied Wallace. + +"Oh, it would not make her any trouble," said Phonny. "I should take +care of it myself." + +"It would not make her much trouble, I know," said Wallace, "if you +were only considerate and careful. As it is I think it may make her a +great deal." + +"No," said Phonny, "I don't think that it will make her any trouble at +all." + +"Where shall you keep your squirrel?" asked Wallace. + +"In a cage, in the back room," said Phonny, promptly. + +"Have you got a cage?" asked Wallace. + +"No," said Phonny, "but I can make one." + +"I think that in making a cage," replied Wallace, "you would have to +give other people a great deal of trouble. You would be inquiring all +about the house, for tools, and boards, and wire,--that is unless you +keep your tools and materials for such kind of work, in better order +than boys usually do." + +Phonny was silent. His thoughts reverted to a certain room in one of +the out-buildings, which he called his shop, and used for that +purpose, and which was, as he well knew, at this time in a state of +great confusion. + +"Then," continued Wallace, "you will leave the doors open, going and +coming, to see your squirrel, and to feed him." + +"No," said Phonny, "I am very sure that I shall not leave the doors +open." + +"And then," continued Wallace, "after a time you will get a little +tired of your squirrel, and will forget to feed him, and so your +mother or somebody in the house, must have the care of reminding you +of it." + +"Oh, no," said Phonny, "I should not forget to feed him, I am sure." + +"Did not you forget to feed your hens?" asked Wallace. + +"Why--yes," said Phonny, hesitatingly, "but that is a different +thing." + +"Then, besides," said Wallace, "you will have to go and beg some money +of your mother to buy the squirrel with. For I suppose you have not +saved any of your own, from your allowance. It is very seldom that +boys of your age have self-control enough to lay up any money." + +As Wallace said these words Phonny, who had been riding along, with +the bridle and his little riding stick both in his right hand, now +shifted them into his left, and then putting his right hand into his +left vest pocket, he drew out a little wallet. He then extended his +hand with the wallet in it to Wallace saying, + +"Look in there." + +Wallace took the wallet, opened it as he rode along, and found that +there was a quarter of a dollar in one of the pockets. + +"Is that your money?" said Wallace. + +"Yes," said Phonny. + +"Then you are not near as much of a boy as I thought you were. To be +able to save money, so as to have a stock on hand for any unexpected +emergency, is one of the greatest proofs of manliness. I had no idea +that you were so much of a man." + +Phonny laughed. At first Wallace supposed that this laugh only +expressed the pleasure which Phonny felt at having deserved these +praises, but as he gave back the wallet into Phonny's hands, he +perceived a very mysterious expression upon his countenance. + +"That's the money," said Phonny, "that my mother just gave me for my +next fortnight's allowance." + +"Then you have had no opportunity to spend it at all?" + +"No," said Phonny. + +Phonny thought that he was sinking himself in his cousin's estimation +by this avowal, but he was in fact raising himself very much by +evincing so much honesty. + +"He is not willing to receive commendation that he knows he does not +deserve," thought Wallace to himself. "That is a good sign. That is a +great deal better trait of character than to be able to lay up money." + +Wallace thought this to himself as he rode along. He did not, however, +express the thought, but went on a minute or two in silence. At length +he said, + +"So, then, you have got money enough to buy the squirrel?" + +"Yes," said Phonny, "if a quarter is enough." + +"It is enough," said Wallace, "I have no doubt. So that one difficulty +is disposed of. As to the second difficulty," he continued, "that is, +troubling the family about making the cage, we can dispose of that +very easily, too, for I can help you about that myself. What shall we +do about the third, leaving the doors open and making a noise when you +go back and forth to feed him?" + +"Oh, I will promise not to do that," said Phonny. + +"Promise!" repeated Wallace, in a tone of incredulity. + +"Yes," said Phonny, "I'll promise, positively." + +"Is it safe to rely on boys' promises about here?" said Wallace. "They +would not be considered very good security in Wall Street, in New +York." + +"I don't know," said Phonny; "I always keep _my_ promises." + +"Are you willing to agree, that if you make any noise or disturbance +in the family with your squirrel, that he is to be forfeited?" + +"Forfeited!" said Phonny, "how do you mean?" + +"Why, given up to me, to dispose of as I please," said Wallace. + +"And what should you do with him?" asked Phonny. + +"I don't know," said Wallace. "I should dispose of him in some way, so +that he should not be the means of any more trouble. Perhaps I should +give him away; perhaps I should open the cage and let him run." + +"Then I think you ought to pay me what I gave for him," said Phonny. + +"No," said Wallace, "because I don't take him for any advantage to +myself, but only to prevent your allowing him to make trouble. If you +make noise and disturbance with him, it is your fault, and you lose +the squirrel as the penalty for it. If you do your duty and make no +trouble with him, then he would not be forfeited." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I agree to that. But perhaps you will say that I +make a disturbance with him when I don't." + +"We will have an umpire, then," said Wallace. + +"What is an umpire?" asked Phonny. + +"Somebody to decide when there is a dispute," replied Wallace. "Who +shall be the umpire?" + +"Beechnut," said Phonny. + +"Agreed," said Wallace. + +"And now there is one point more," he continued, "and that is, perhaps +you will neglect to feed him, and then we shall be uncomfortable, for +fear that the squirrel is suffering." + +"No," said Phonny, shaking his head; "I shall certainly feed him every +day, and sometimes twice a day." + +"Are you willing to agree to forfeit him, if you fail to feed him?" + +"Why--I don't know," said Phonny. "But I certainly shall feed him, I +know I shall." + +"Then there will be no harm in agreeing to forfeit him if you fail," +rejoined Wallace; "for if you certainly do feed him, then your +agreement to forfeit him will be a dead letter." + +"But I might accidentally omit to feed him some one day," said Phonny. +"I might be sick, or I might be gone away, and I might ask Stuyvesant +to feed him, and he forget it, and then I should lose my squirrel +entirely." + +"No," said Wallace, "you are not to forfeit him except for _neglect_. +It must be a real and inexcusable neglect on your part, Beechnut being +judge." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I agree to it." + +"And I will give you three warnings," said Wallace, "both for making +trouble and disturbance with your squirrel, and for neglecting to feed +him. After the third warning, he is forfeited, and I am to do what I +please with him." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I agree to it." + +A short time after this conversation, the road in which Wallace and +Phonny were riding emerged from the wood, and there was opened before +them the prospect of a wide and beautiful valley. A short distance +before them down the valley, there was a stream with a mill. By the +side of the mill, under some large spreading elms, was a red house, +which Phonny said was the one where Espy lived. + +They rode on rapidly, intending to go to the house and inquire for +Espy. Just before reaching the place, however, Phonny's attention was +arrested by his seeing some boys fishing on the bank of the stream, +just below the mill. It was at a place where the road lay along the +bank of the stream, at a little distance from it. The stream was very +broad at this place, and the water quite deep and clear. The ground +was smooth and green between the road and the water, and there were +large trees on the bank overshadowing the shore, so that it was a very +pleasant place.[B] + +[Footnote B: See Frontispiece.] + +There were two boys standing upon the bank in one place fishing. Two +other boys were near the water at a little distance, trying to make a +dog jump in, by throwing in sticks and stones. + +Just as Wallace and Phonny came along, one of the boys who was +fishing, called out in a loud and authoritative tone to one of those +who were trying to make the dog jump in, saying, + +"Hey-e-e, there! Oliver, don't throw sticks into the water; you scare +away all the fish." + +"Ned!" said Phonny, calling out to the boy who was fishing. + +The boy looked round, without, however, moving his fishing-pole. + +"Is Espy down there anywhere?" said Phonny. + +Here the boy turned his head again toward the water, without directly +answering Phonny, though he called out at the same time in an audible +voice, + +"Espy!" + +In answer apparently to his call, a boy came suddenly out of a little +thicket which was near the water, just below where Ned was fishing, +and asked Ned what he wanted. + +"There's a fellow out here in the road," said Ned, "calling for you." + +Hearing this, the boy came out of the thicket entirely, and scrambled +up the bank. He stood at the top of the bank, looking toward Wallace +and Phonny, but did not advance. His hand was extended toward a +branch of the tree which he had taken hold of to help him in climbing +up the bank. He continued to keep hold of this tree, showing by his +attitude that he did not mean to come any farther. + +He was in fact a little awed at the sight of Wallace, who was a +stranger to him. He did not know whether he was wanted for any good +purpose, or was going to be called to account for some of his +misdeeds. + +"Come here a minute," said Phonny. + +Espy did not move. + +"Is that your trap up in the woods?" asked Phonny. + +"Yes," said Espy. + +"There is a squirrel in it," rejoined Phonny, "and I want to buy him." + +Hearing this, the boys who had been playing with the dog began to move +up toward Wallace and Phonny. Espy himself taking his hand down from +the tree, came forward a few steps. Wallace and Phonny too advanced a +little with their horses toward the stream, and thus the whole party +came nearer together. + +"There is a squirrel in your trap," repeated Phonny, "if he has not +gnawed out;--and I want to buy him. What will you sell him for?" + +"What kind of a squirrel is it?" asked Espy. + +"I don't know," said Phonny. "I couldn't see any thing but his eyes." + +"If it's a gray squirrel," said Espy, "he is worth a quarter. If it's +a red squirrel you may have him for four pence-- + +"Or for nothing at all," continued Espy, after a moment's pause, "just +as you please." + +Wallace laughed. + +"What will you sell him for just as he is," asked Wallace, "and we +take the risk of his being red or gray?" + +"Don't you know which it is?" asked Espy. + +"No," said Wallace, "_I_ do not. I did not go near the cage, and +Phonny did not open it. He says he could only see his eyes." + +"And his nose," said Phonny, "I saw his nose,--but I don't know at +all, what kind of a squirrel it is." + +"You may have him for eighteen cents," said Espy. + +"But perhaps he has gnawed out," said Phonny. "He was gnawing out as +fast as he could when we saw him." + +"Why, if he has gnawed out," said Espy, "you will not have anything to +pay, of course; because then you won't get him. + +"Or," continued Espy, "you may have him for ten cents, and you take +the risk of his gnawing out. You give me ten cents now, and you may +have him if he is there, red or gray. If he is not there, I keep the +ten cents, and you get nothing." + +"Well," said Phonny. "Would you, Wallace?" + +"I don't know," said Wallace. "You must decide. There is considerable +risk. I can't judge." + +"I have not got any ten cents," said Phonny--"only a quarter of a +dollar." + +"Oh, I can pay," said Wallace, "and then you can pay me some other +time." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I believe I will take him." + +"You must lend me the trap," said Phonny, again addressing Espy,--"to +carry the squirrel home in, and I will bring it back here some day." + +"Well," said Espy. + +So Wallace took a ten cent piece from his pocket, and gave it to Espy, +and then he and Phonny rode away. + +"Now," said Phonny, "we must go ahead." + +They rode on rapidly for some time. At length, on ascending a hill, +they were obliged to slacken their pace a little. + +"If it should prove to be a gray squirrel," said Phonny, "what a +capital bargain I shall have made. A squirrel worth a quarter of a +dollar, for ten cents." + +"I don't see why a gray squirrel is so much more valuable than a red +one," said Wallace. "Is gray considered prettier than red?" + +"Oh, it is not his color," said Phonny, "it is the shape and size. The +gray squirrels are a great deal larger, and then, they have a +beautiful bushy tail, that lays all the time over their back, and +curls up at the end, like a plume. The red squirrels are very small." + +"Besides," continued Phonny, "they are not red exactly. They are a +kind of reddish brown, so that they are not very pretty, even in +color. I am afraid that my squirrel will be a red one." + +"I am afraid so, too," said Wallace. + +"The red squirrels are altogether the most common," said Phonny. + +"There are the bars," said Wallace, "now we shall soon see." + +They had arrived in fact, at the bars. Phonny jumped off his horse and +gave Wallace the bridle, and then went to take down the bars. As soon +as he had got them down, he left Wallace to go through with the +horses, at his leisure, and he himself ran off toward the rock where +he had left the trap, to see what sort of a squirrel he had. + +Wallace went through the bars in a deliberate manner, as it was in +fact necessary to do in conducting two horses, and then dismounted, +intending to put the bars up. He had just got off his horse when he +saw Phonny coming from the direction of the place where the trap had +been left, with a countenance expressive of great surprise and +concern. + +"Wallace," exclaimed Phonny, "the squirrel has gone, trap and all." + +"Has it?" said Wallace. + +"Yes," said Phonny; "I left it on that rock, and it is gone." + +So saying Phonny ran to the place and put his foot upon the rock, +looking up to Wallace, and added, + +"There is the very identical spot where I put it, and now it is gone." + +Wallace seemed at a loss what to think. + +"Somebody must have taken him away," said he. + +"Hark!" said Phonny. + +Wallace and Phonny listened. They heard the voices of some boys in the +woods. + +"There they are now," said Phonny. + +"Mount the horse," said Wallace, "and we will go and see." + +Phonny mounted his horse as expeditiously as possible, and he and +Wallace rode off through the woods in the direction of the voices. +They followed a path which led down a sort of glen, and after riding a +short distance they saw the boys before them, standing in a little +open space among the trees. The boys had stopped to see who was +coming. + +There were three boys, one large and two small. The large boy had the +trap under his arm. + +"Halloa!" said Phonny, calling out aloud to the boys, "stop carrying +off that trap." + +The boys did not answer. + +"I have bought that squirrel," said Phonny, "you must give him to me." + +"No," said the great boy; "it belongs to Espy, and I am going to keep +it for him." + +"Hush," said Wallace, in a low tone to Phonny; "_I_ will speak to +him." + +Then calling out aloud again, he said, "We have just been down to +Espy's and have bought the squirrel, and have now come to take him +home." + +The boy did not move from the place where he stood, and he showed very +plainly by his countenance and his manner, that he did not mean to +give the squirrel up. Presently they heard him mutter to the small +boys, + +"I don't believe they have bought him, and they shan't have him." + +"Let us go down and take the squirrel away from them," said Phonny, in +a low tone to Wallace; "I don't believe they will give him up, unless +we do." + +"We can not do that," said Wallace. "We might take the trap away, +perhaps, but they would first open the trap and let the squirrel go." + +"What shall we do, then?" asked Phonny. + +Wallace did not answer this question, directly, but called out again +to the boy who held the trap, saying, + +"We found the squirrel here in the woods, and then went down to tell +Espy, and we bought the squirrel of him. But we can't carry him home +very well on horseback, at least till we get out of the woods, because +the road is so steep and rough. Now if you will carry him down the +road for us, till we get out of the woods, I will give you six cents." + +"Well," said the boy, "I will." + +He immediately began to come toward Wallace and Phonny, so as to go +back with them into the road which they were to take. Wallace and +Phonny led the way, and he followed. As soon as he came within +convenient distance for talking, Phonny asked him what sort of a +squirrel it was. + +"A gray squirrel," said he. "The prettiest gray squirrel that ever I +saw." + +Phonny was very much elated at hearing this intelligence, and wanted +to get off his horse at once, and take a peep at the squirrel; but +Wallace advised him to do no such thing. In due time the whole party +got out of the woods. Wallace gave the boy his six cents, and the boy +handed the trap up to Phonny. Phonny held it upon the pommel of the +saddle, directly before him. He found that the squirrel had gnawed +through the board so as to get his nose out, but he could not gnaw any +more, now that the box was all the time in motion. So he gave it up in +despair, and remained crouched down in a corner of the trap during the +remainder of the ride, wondering all the time what the people outside +were doing with him. + +"You managed that boy finely," said Phonny. "He is one of the worst +boys in town." + +"It is generally best," said Wallace, "in dealing with people, to +contrive some way to make it for their interest to do what you want, +rather than to quarrel with them about it." + +For the rest of the way, Phonny rode on without meeting with any +difficulty, and arrived at home, with his squirrel all safe, just at +the time when Beechnut and Stuyvesant were talking about the poultry. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +PLANS FOR THE SQUIRREL. + + +As soon as Phonny had told Stuyvesant about his squirrel and had +lifted up the lid of the trap a little, so as to allow him to peep in +and see, he said that he was going in to show the squirrel to the +people in the house, and especially to Malleville. He accordingly +hurried away with the box under his arm. Stuyvesant went back toward +the barn. + +Phonny hastened along to the house. From the yard he went into a shed +through a great door. He walked along the platform in the shed, and at +the end of the platform he went up three steps, to a door leading into +the back kitchen. He passed through this back kitchen into the front +kitchen, hurrying forward as he went, and leaving all the doors open. + +Dorothy was at work at a table ironing. + +"Dorothy," said Phonny, "I've got a squirrel--a beautiful squirrel. If +I had time I would stop and show him to you." + +"I wish you had time to shut the doors," said Dorothy. + +"In a minute," said Phonny, "I am coming back in a minute, and then I +will." + +So saying Phonny went into a sort of hall or entry which passed +through the house, and which had doors in it leading to the principal +rooms. There was a staircase here. Phonny supposed that Malleville was +up in his mother's chamber. So he stood at the foot of the stairs and +began to call her with a loud voice. + +"Malleville!" said he, "Malleville! Where are you? Come and see my +squirrel." + +Presently a door opened above, and Phonny heard some one stepping out. + +"Malleville," said Phonny, "is that you?" + +"No," said a voice above, "it is Wallace. I have come to give you your +first warning." + +"Why, I only wanted to show my squirrel to Malleville," said Phonny. + +"You are making a great disturbance," said Wallace, "and besides, +though I don't _know_ any thing about it, I presume that you came in a +noisy manner through the kitchen and left all the doors open there." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will be still." + +So Phonny turned round and went away on tiptoe. When he got into the +kitchen, he first shut the doors, and then carried the trap to +Dorothy, and let her peep through the hole which the squirrel had +gnawed and see the squirrel inside. + +"Do you see him?" asked Phonny. + +"I see the tip of his tail," said Dorothy, "curling over. The whole +squirrel is there somewhere, I've no doubt." + +Phonny then went out again to find Stuyvesant. He was careful to walk +softly and to shut all the doors after him. + +He found Stuyvesant and Beechnut in the barn. Beechnut was raking up +the loose hay which had been pitched down upon the barn floor, and +Stuyvesant was standing beside him. + +"Beechnut," said Phonny, "just look at my squirrel. You can peep +through this little hole where he was trying to gnaw out." + +Phonny held the trap up and Beechnut peeped through the hole. + +"Yes," said he, "I see the top of his head His name is Frink." + +"Frink?" repeated Phonny, "how do you know?" + +"I think that must be his name," said Beechnut. "If you don't believe +it, try and see if you can make him answer to any other name. If you +can I'll give it up." + +"Nonsense, Beechnut," said Phonny. "That is only some of your fun. But +Frink will be a very good name for him, nevertheless. Only I was going +to call him Bunny." + +"I don't think his name is Bunny," said Beechnut. "I knew Bunny. He +was a squirrel that belonged to Rodolphus. He got away and ran off +into the woods, but I don't think that this is the same one." + +"I'll call him Frink," said Phonny. "But what would you do with him if +you were in my place?" + +"Me?" said Beechnut. + +"Yes," said Phonny. + +"Well, I think," said Beechnut, stopping his work a moment, and +leaning on his rake, and drawing a long breath, as if what he was +about to say was the result of very anxious deliberation, "I think +that on the whole, if that squirrel were mine, I should put two large +baskets up in the barn-chamber, and send him into the woods this fall +to get beechnuts, and hazelnuts, and fill the baskets. One basket for +beechnuts and one for hazelnuts, and I would give him a month to fill +them." + +[Illustration: BEECHNUT'S ADVICE.] + +"Nonsense, Beechnut," said Phonny, "you are only making fun. If I were +to let him go off into the woods, he never would come back again." + +"Why, do you suppose," said Beechnut, "that he would rather be running +about in the woods than to live in that trap?" + +"Yes," said Phonny. + +"Then," said Beechnut, "you must make him a beautiful cage, and have +it so convenient and comfortable for him, that he shall like it better +than he does the woods. That would not be difficult, one would +suppose, because he has nothing but holes in the ground and old hollow +logs in the woods." + +"I know that," said Phonny; "but then I don't think he would like any +house that I could make him, so well as he does the old logs." + +"Then I don't know what you will do," said Beechnut, "to make him +contented." + +So saying Beechnut went away, leaving Phonny and Stuyvesant together. +They talked a few minutes about the squirrel, and then began to walk +along toward the house. + +As they walked along, they heard the bell ring for dinner. + +"There," said Phonny, "there is the dinner-bell, what shall we do now? +Where shall I put my squirrel while we are in at dinner?" + +"Haven't you got some sort of cage to put him in?" said Stuyvesant. + +"No," said Phonny, "I was going to make one after dinner in my shop. +I have got a shop, did you know it?" + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant, "Beechnut told me." + +"Only my tools are rather dull," added Phonny. "But I think I can make +a cage with them." + +"You might put the trap in the shop, on the bench," said Stuyvesant, +"till after dinner, and then make your cage." + +"Well," said Phonny, "so I will." + +So the two boys went into the shop. The room was indeed in great +confusion. The floor was covered with chips and shavings. The tools +were lying in disorder on the bench. There was a saw-horse in the +middle of the room, tumbled over upon one side, because one of the +legs was out. The handle was out of the hatchet, and one of the claws +of the hammer was broken. + +While Stuyvesant was surveying this scene of disorder, Phonny advanced +to the bench, and pushing away the tools from one corner of it, he put +the trap down. + +"There!" said he, "he will be safe there till after dinner." + +"Only," said Stuyvesant, "he may finish gnawing out." + +"I will stop him up," said Phonny. + +So saying he took the foreplane, which is a tool formed of a steel +cutter, set in a pretty long and heavy block of wood, and placed it +directly before the hole in the trap. "There!" said he, "now if he +does gnaw the hole big enough, he can't get out, for he can't push the +plane away." + +"Perhaps he will be hungry," said Stuyvesant. + +"No," said Phonny, "for there was half an ear of corn tied to the +spindle for bait, and he has not eaten but a very little of it yet, I +can see by peeping in." + +"Then, perhaps, he will be thirsty," said Stuyvesant. + +"I will give him something to drink," said Phonny. + +"Yes," said Beechnut. + +The boys turned and saw Beechnut standing at the door of the shop, +looking at them. He continued, + + "His name is Frink, + And so I think, + I'd give him a little water to drink." + +So saying, Beechnut went away. Phonny took up an old tin cover which +lay upon a shelf behind the bench, and which had once belonged to a +tin box. The box was lost, but Phonny had kept the cover to put nails +in. He now poured the nails out upon the bench, and went out to the +pump to fill the cover with water. + +In a minute or two he came back, walking carefully, so as not to spill +the water. He raised the lid of the trap a little, very cautiously, +and then pushed the cover in underneath it, in such a manner that +about half of it was inside the trap. + +"There! That's what I call complete. Now he can have a drink when he +pleases, and we will go in to dinner." + + * * * * * + +At the dinner table, Phonny and Stuyvesant sat upon one side of the +table, and Malleville sat on the other side, opposite to them. Mrs. +Henry sat at the head, and Wallace opposite to her, at the foot of the +table. The dinner consisted that day, of roast chickens, and after it, +an apple pudding. + +Wallace carved the chickens, and when all had been helped, Phonny +began to talk about the squirrel. + +"I suppose you consider it as boyishness in me, Cousin Wallace, to +like to have a squirrel," said he. + +"It is a very harmless _kind_ of boyishness, at any rate," replied +Wallace. + +"Then you have no objection to it," said Phonny. + +"None at all," said Wallace. "In one sense it is boyishness, for it is +boys, and not men, that take pleasure in possessing useless animals." + +"Useless!" said Phonny, "do you call a gray squirrel useless?" + +"He is not useful in the sense in which the animals of a farm-yard are +useful," said Wallace. "He gives pleasure perhaps, but cows, sheep, +and hens, are a source of profit. Boys don't care much about profit; +but like any kind of animals, if they are pretty, or cunning in their +motions and actions." + +"I like gray squirrels," said Phonny, "very much indeed, if it _is_ +boyishness." + +"It is a very harmless kind of boyishness at all events," replied +Wallace. "It is not like some other kinds of boyishness, such as I +told you about the other day." + +"Well, Cousin Wallace," said Phonny, "what would you do, if you were +in my case, for a cage?" + +"I would take some kind of box, without any top to it," replied +Wallace, "and lay it down upon its side, and then make a front to it +of wires." + +"Yes," said Phonny, "that will be an excellent plan. But how can I +make the front of wires?" + +"I will come and show you," said Wallace, "when you get the box all +ready. You must look about and find a box, and carry it into the shop. +Is your shop in order?" + +"No," said Phonny, "not exactly; but I can put it in order in a few +minutes." + +"Very well," said Wallace. "Put your shop all in order, and get the +box, and then come and call me." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +DIFFICULTY. + + +After dinner, Stuyvesant told Phonny that he should be glad to help +him about his cage, were it not that he was engaged to go with +Beechnut that afternoon, to plow. Phonny was very sorry to hear this. +In fact he had a great mind to go himself, and help plow, and so put +off making his cage until the next day. It is very probable that he +would have decided upon this plan, but while he was hesitating about +it, Beechnut came to tell Stuyvesant that he should not be able to +finish the plowing that day, for he was obliged to go away. Then +Stuyvesant said that he would help Phonny. So they went together into +the shop. + +They found the squirrel safe. Phonny examined the water very +attentively, to see whether Frink had been drinking any of it. He was +very confident that the water had diminished quite sensibly. +Stuyvesant could not tell whether it had diminished or not. + +"And now," said Phonny, "the first thing is to put the shop in order." + +So saying, he took the plane away from before the trap, and looked at +the hole to see whether Frink had gnawed it any bigger. He had not. +Phonny then carried the trap to the back side of the shop and put it +upon a great chopping-block which stood there. He did this for the +purpose of having the bench clear, so as to put the tools in order +upon it. + +"I am glad that you are going to put this shop in order," said +Stuyvesant,--"that is, if you will let me use it afterward." + +"Yes," said Phonny, "I will let you use it. But what should you want +to make in it?" + +"Why, Beechnut has given me charge of the hen-house," said Stuyvesant, +"and I am to have one third of the eggs." + +Here Phonny stopped suddenly in his work and looked up to Stuyvesant +as if surprised. + +"What, _my_ hen-house!" said he. + +"The one that you used to have," said Stuyvesant. "He said that you +sold it to him." + +"So I did," said Phonny, thoughtfully. As he said this, he laid down +his saw, which he had just taken to hang upon a nail where it +belonged, and ran off out of the shop. + +He was in pursuit of Beechnut. He found him harnessing a horse into a +wagon. + +"Beechnut," said he, "have you given Stuyvesant the charge of my +hen-house?" + +"I have offered it to him," said Beechnut, "but he has not told me yet +whether he accepted the offer or not." + +"You are going to let him have half the eggs if he takes care of the +house and the hens?" inquired Phonny. + +"One third of them," said Beechnut. + +"I did not know that you would do that," said Phonny. "If I had known +that you would be willing to let it out in that way, I should have +wanted it myself." + +"I am not certain that it would be safe to let it to _you_," said +Beechnut. + +"Why not?" asked Phonny. + +"I am not sure that you would be persevering and faithful in taking +care of the hens." + +"Why should not I as well as Stuyvesant?" asked Phonny. "Stuyvesant is +not so old as I am." + +"He may have more steadiness and perseverance, for all that," said +Beechnut. + +"I think you might let me have it as well as him," said Phonny. + +"Very well," said Beechnut, "either of you. It shall go to the one who +has the first claim." + +"You say he did not accept your offer of it to him?" + +"No," said Beechnut, "I believe he did not." + +"Then I agree to accept it now," said Phonny, "and that gives me the +first claim." + +Beechnut did not answer to this proposal, but went on harnessing the +horse. When the horse was all ready, he gathered up the reins and +stood a moment, just before getting into the wagon, in a thoughtful +attitude. + +"Well now, Phonny," said he, "here is a great law question to be +settled, whether you or Stuyvesant has the best right to the contract. +Go and ask Stuyvesant to come to the shop-door." + +So Beechnut got into the wagon and drove out of the shed, and along +the yard, until he came to the shop-door, and there he stopped. Phonny +and Stuyvesant were standing in front of the door. + +"Stuyvesant," said Beechnut, "here is a perplexing case. Phonny wants +to have the care of the hen-house on the same terms I offered it to +you. You did not tell me whether you would take it or not." + +"No," said Stuyvesant, "I was going to tell you that I would take it, +but if Phonny wants it, I am willing to give it up to him." + +"And you, Phonny," said Beechnut, "are willing, I suppose, if +Stuyvesant wants it, to give it up to him?" + +"Why--yes," said Phonny. In saying this, however, Phonny seemed to +speak quite reluctantly and doubtfully. + +"That's right," said Beechnut. "Each of you is willing to give up to +the other. But now before we can tell on which side the giving up is +to be, we must first decide on which side the right is. So that you +see we have got the quarrel into a very pretty shape now. The question +is, which of you can have the pleasure and privilege of giving up to +the other, instead of which shall be _compelled_ to give up against +his will. So you see it is now a very pleasant sort of a quarrel." + +"No," said Phonny, "it is not any such thing. A quarrel is not +pleasant, ever." + +"Oh, yes," said Beechnut, "one of the greatest pleasures of life is to +quarrel. We can not possibly get along, without quarrels. The only +thing that we can do is to get them in as good shape as possible." + +"Have you got a pencil and paper in your shop?" continued Beechnut. + +"Yes," said Phonny. + +"Bring them out to me." + +Phonny brought out a pencil and a small piece of paper, and held them +up to Beechnut in the wagon. + +"Now boys," said Beechnut, "are you willing to submit this case to Mr. +Wallace, for his decision?" + +"Yes," said Phonny. + +"I am too," said Stuyvesant. + +"Then I'll write a statement of it," said Beechnut. + +Beechnut accordingly placed the paper upon the seat of the wagon +beside him, and began to write. In a few minutes he held up the paper +and read as follows: + + "A. has a certain contract which he is willing to offer to + either B. or C. whichever has the prior right to it. He + first offered it to B. but before B. accepted the offer C. + made application for it. C. immediately accepted the offer, + before A. decided upon B.'s application. Now the question is + whose claim is best, in respect simply of priority,--the one + to whom it was first _offered_, or the one who first + signified his willingness to accept of it." + +"There," said Beechnut, "there is a simple statement of the case." + +"I don't understand it very well," said Phonny. + +"Don't you?" said Beechnut; "then I'll read it again." + +So Beechnut began again. + +"A. has a certain contract----" + +Here Beechnut paused and looked up at the boys. + +"A. means Beechnut," said Stuyvesant. + +"Then why don't you _say_ Beechnut?" said Phonny. + +"And the contract," continued Stuyvesant, "is the agreement about the +hens." + +"Which he is willing to offer," continued Beechnut, "to either B. or +C." + +"That is, either to you or me," said Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Phonny, "I understand so far. But what is that about +priority." + +"Priority," said Beechnut, "means precedence in respect to time." + +"That is harder to understand than priority," said Phonny. + +"The question is," continued Beechnut, "which must be considered as +first in order of time, the one who had the offer first, or the one +who accepted first." + +"The one who accepted first," said Phonny. + +"You are not to decide the question," said Beechnut. "I was only +explaining to you what the question is. You must carry the paper to +Mr. Wallace and get his opinion." + +"But Beechnut," said Phonny, "why don't you tell him all about it, +just as it was, instead of making up such a story about A. B. and C. +and priority." + +"Why, when we refer a case to an umpire for decision," said Beechnut, +"it is always best, when we can, to state the principle of the +question in general terms, so that he can decide it in the abstract, +without knowing who the real parties are, and how they are to be +affected by his decision. Here's Mr. Wallace now, who would not like +very well to decide in favor of his brother and against you, even if +he thought that his brother was in the right. But by not letting him +know any thing but the general principle he can decide just as he +thinks, without fear that you would think him partial." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will carry him the paper." + +"You must only give him the paper," said Beechnut, "and not tell him +any thing about the case yourself." + +"No," said Phonny, "I will not." + +"For if you do," continued Beechnut, "he will know who the parties +are, and then he will not like to decide the question." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will not tell him." + +"Let Stuyvesant go with you," said Beechnut. + +"Well," said Phonny. + +Phonny accordingly took the paper and went into the house with +Stuyvesant. He led the way up into his cousin Wallace's room. He found +Wallace seated at his table in his alcove, where he usually studied. +The curtains were both up, which was the signal that Phonny might go +and speak to him. + +Phonny and Stuyvesant accordingly walked up to the table, and Wallace +asked them if they wished to speak to him. + +[Illustration: THE APPEAL.] + +Phonny handed him the paper. + +"There," said he, "is a case for you to decide." + +Wallace took the paper and read it. He said nothing, but seemed for a +moment to be thinking on the subject, and then he took his pen and +wrote several lines under the question. Phonny supposed that he was +writing his answer. + +After his writing was finished, Wallace folded up the paper, and told +Phonny that he must not read it until he had given it to Beechnut. + +"How did you know that it was from Beechnut?" said Phonny. + +"I knew by the handwriting," said Wallace. "Besides, I knew that there +was nobody else here who would have referred such a question to me, in +such a scientific way." + +So Phonny took the paper and carried it down to Beechnut. + +Beechnut opened it, and read aloud as follows: + + My judgment is, that it would depend upon whether B. had a + reasonable time to consider and decide upon the offer, + before C. came forward. In all cases of making an offer, it + is implied that reasonable time is allowed to consider it. + +"The question is, then, boys," said Beechnut, "whether Stuyvesant had +had a reasonable time to consider my offer, before Phonny came +forward. What do you think about that, Phonny?" + +"Why, yes," said Phonny, "he had an hour." + +Stuyvesant said nothing. + +"I will think about that while I am riding," said Beechnut, "and tell +you what I conclude upon it when I return. Perhaps we shall have to +refer that question to Mr. Wallace, too." + +So Beechnut drove away, and the boys went back into the shop. Here +they resumed their work of putting the tools in order, and while doing +so, they continued their conversation about the question of priority. + +"_I_ think," said Phonny, "that you had abundance of time to consider +whether you would accept the offer." + +"We might leave that question to Wallace, too," said Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Phonny, "let's go now and ask him." + +"Well," said Stuyvesant, "I am willing." + +"Only," said Phonny, "we must not tell him what the question is +about." + +"No," said Stuyvesant. + +So the boys went together up to Wallace's room. They found him in his +alcove as before. They advanced to the table, and Wallace looked up to +them to hear what they had to say. + +"B. had an hour to consider of his offer," said Phonny, "don't you +think that that was enough?" + +Phonny was very indiscreet, indeed, in asking the question in that +form, for it showed at once that whatever might be the subject of the +discussion, he was not himself the person represented by B. It was now +no longer possible for Wallace to look at the question purely in its +abstract character. + +"Now I know," said Wallace, "which is B., and of course you may as +well tell me all about it." + +Phonny looked at Stuyvesant with an expression of surprise and concern +upon his countenance. + +"No matter," said Stuyvesant, "let us tell him the whole story." + +Phonny accordingly explained to Wallace, that the contract related to +the care of the hen-house and the hens,--that it was first offered to +Stuyvesant, that Stuyvesant did not accept it for an hour or two, and +that in the course of that time he, Phonny, had himself applied for +it. He concluded by asking Wallace if he did not think that an hour +was a reasonable time. + +"The question," said Wallace, "how much it is necessary to allow for a +reasonable time, depends upon the nature of the subject that the offer +relates to. If two persons were writing at a table, and one of them +were to offer the other six wafers in exchange for a steel pen, five +minutes, or even one minute, might be a reasonable time to allow him +for decision. On the other hand, in buying a house, two or three days +would not be more than would be reasonable. Now, I think in such a +case as this, any person who should receive such an offer as Beechnut +made, ought to have time enough to consider the whole subject fairly. +He would wish to see the hen-house, to examine its condition, to +consider how long it would take him to put it in order, and how much +trouble the care of the hens would make him afterward. He would also +want to know how many eggs he was likely to receive, and to consider +whether these would be return enough for all his trouble. Now, it does +not seem to me, that one hour, coming too just when Stuyvesant was +called away to dinner, could be considered a reasonable time. He ought +to have a fair opportunity when the offer is once made to him, to +consider it and decide understandingly, whether he would accept it or +not." + +"Well," said Phonny, with a sigh, "I suppose I must give it up." + +So he and Stuyvesant walked back to the shop together. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE WORK SHOP. + + +When the boys entered the shop door, the first thing for Phonny to do, +was to look and see if his trap was safe. It _was_ safe. It remained +standing upon the horse-block where he had placed it. + +"And now," said Phonny, "the question is, where I am to find a box for +a cage. I must go and look about." + +"And I must go and look at my hen-house," said Stuyvesant. + +Phonny proposed that Stuyvesant should go with him to find a box, and +then help him make a cage, and after that, he would go, he said, and +help Stuyvesant about the repairs of the hen-house. + +"I must go and _look_ at the hen-house first," said Stuyvesant. "I can +do that, while you are finding the box, and then I will help you." + +"Well," said Phonny. "But--on the whole, I will go with you to look +at it, and then you can go with me to find the box." + +So the boys walked along toward the hen-house together. + +When they came to the place, they went in, and Stuyvesant proceeded to +examine the premises very thoroughly. There were two doors of +admission. One was a large one, for men and boys to go in at. The +other was a very small one, a square hole in fact, rather than a door, +and was intended for the hens. + +This small opening had once been fitted with a sort of lid, which was +attached by leather hinges on its upper edge to a wooden bar or cleat +nailed to the side of the house, just over the square hole. This lid +formed, of course, a sort of door, opening outward and upward. When +up, it could be fastened in that position, by means of a wooden +button. The button and the bar of wood remained in its place, but the +door was gone. + +"Where is the door?" asked Stuyvesant, after he had examined all this +very carefully. + +"Why, I took it off," said Phonny, "to make a little stool of. I +wanted a square board just about that size." + +"And did you make a stool?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"No," said Phonny. "I found that I could not bore the holes for the +legs. I _tried_ to bore a hole, but I split the board." + +"Then I must find another piece of board, somewhere," said Stuyvesant. + +Stuyvesant next turned his attention to the great door. He swung it to +and fro, to see if the hinges were in order. They were. Next he shut +it, but he found there was nothing to keep it shut. + +"There used to be a button," said Phonny. + +"Where is the button now?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"I don't know," said he. "Let me see;--it must be about here +somewhere." + +So saying, Phonny began to look around upon the ground. There was some +litter upon the ground, formed of sticks, straws, &c., and Phonny +began to poke this litter about with his foot. + +"I saw it lying down here somewhere, once," said he, "but I can't find +it now." + +"Why didn't you pick it up and put it away in some safe place?" said +Stuyvesant, "or get it put on?" + +"Why, I don't know," said Phonny. "You see we don't want to shut up +the hens much in the summer." + +"No," replied Stuyvesant; "but it is a great deal better to have the +doors all in order." + +"Why is it better?" asked Phonny. + +"It is more satisfactory," said Stuyvesant. + +"Satisfactory!" repeated Phonny. "Hoh!" + +Stuyvesant went into the hen-house. Phonny followed him in. + +It was a small room, with a loft upon one side of it. The floor was +covered with sticks, straw and litter. In one corner was a barrel, +three quarters filled with hay. There were two or three bars overhead +for the hens to roost upon. Stuyvesant looked around upon all these +objects for a few minutes in silence, and then pointing up to the +loft, he asked, + +"What is up there?" + +"That is the loft," replied Phonny. "There is nothing up there." + +"How do you get up to see?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"I can't get up, except when Beechnut is here to boost me," said +Phonny. + +"I mean to make a ladder," said Stuyvesant. + +"Hoh!" said Phonny, "you can't make a ladder." + +"I will try, at any rate," said Stuyvesant. Then after a short pause +and a little more looking around, he added, + +"Well, I am ready now to go and help you find your box. I see what I +have got to do here." + +"What is it?" asked Phonny. + +"I have got a small door to make, and a button for the large door, and +a ladder to get up to the loft. Then I have got to clear the hen-house +all out, and put it in order. What is in this barrel?" + +"That is where the hens lay sometimes," said Phonny, "when they don't +lay in the barn." + +So saying, Phonny walked into the corner where the barrel stood, and +there he found three eggs in the nest. + +"Three eggs," said he. "I think Dorothy has not been out here to-day. +That is the beginning of your profits. You can take two of them; we +have to leave one for the nest-egg." + +Phonny proposed that Stuyvesant should carry the eggs in, and give +them to Dorothy; but he said he would not do it then. He would leave +them where they were for the present, and go and look for the box. +Stuyvesant was intending to look, at the same time, for the materials +necessary for his door, his ladder, and his button. + +Phonny, accordingly, led the way, and Stuyvesant followed, into +various apartments in the barns and sheds, where lumber was stored, or +where it might be expected to be found. There were several boxes in +these places, but some were too large, and others too small, and one, +which seemed about right in respect to size, was made of rough boards, +and so Phonny thought that it would not do. + +At last he found some boxes under a corn-barn, one of which he thought +would do very well. It was about two feet long, when laid down upon +its side, and one foot wide and high. The open part was to be closed +by a wire front which was yet to be made. + +"Now," said Phonny, "help me to get the box to the shop, and then +Wallace is coming down to help me make it into a cage." + +So Phonny and Stuyvesant, working together, got the box into the shop. +The bench had been cleared off, so that there was a good space there +to put the box upon. Phonny and Stuyvesant placed it there, and then +Phonny went to the trap to see if his squirrel was safe. + +"Now, Frink," said he, "we are going to make you a beautiful cage. +Wait a little longer, and then we will let you out of that dark trap." + +Phonny said this as he passed across the floor toward the horse-block. +As soon however as he came near to the trap, he suddenly called out to +Stuyvesant, + +"Why, Stuyvesant, see how big this hole is." + +He referred to the hole which the squirrel had begun to gnaw. Somehow +or other the opening had grown very large. Phonny stooped down with +his hands upon his knees and peeped into the trap. + +The squirrel was gone. + +"He's gone!" said Phonny. "He's gone!" So saying he lifted up the lid +gradually, and then holding out the empty trap to Stuyvesant, he +exclaimed again in a tone of despair,--"He's gone!" + +"He gnawed out," said Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Phonny. + +There were two windows in Phonny's shop. One was over the work bench +and was an ordinary window, formed with sashes. The other was merely a +large square hole with a sort of lid or shutter opening upward and +outward, like the small door of the hen-house. Phonny used to call +this his shutter window. It was the place where he was accustomed to +throw out his shavings. + +Of course there was no glass in this window, and nothing to keep out +the wind and rain when it was open. In stormy weather, therefore, it +was always kept shut. The shavings which Phonny threw out here formed +a little pile outside, and after accumulating for some time, Phonny +used to carry them away and burn them. + +As Phonny stood showing the empty cage to Stuyvesant, his back was +turned toward this window, but Stuyvesant was facing it. Happening at +that instant to glance upward, behold, there was the squirrel, perched +at his ease upon a beam which passed along just over the window. + +Stuyvesant did not say a word, but pointed to the place. Phonny looked +up and saw the squirrel. + +[Illustration: FRINK ON THE BEAM.] + +"Oo--oo--oo!--" said Phonny. + +"Shut the window," he exclaimed. "Let us shut the window quick," he +added impatiently; and then creeping softly up to the place, he took +hold of the prop which held the shutter up, and gently drawing it in, +he let the shutter down into its place. + +"Shut the other window," said Phonny. "Climb up on the bench, Stivy, +and shut the other window as quick as you can." + +Stuyvesant clambered up upon the bench and shut down the sash of the +window. + +"Now for the door," said Phonny; and he ran to the door and shut it, +looking round as he went, toward the squirrel. As soon as he got the +door shut he seemed relieved. + +"There," said he, "we have got him safe. The only thing now is to +catch him." + +Here followed quite a long consultation between the two boys, in +respect to the course which it was now best to pursue. Phonny's +first plan was to put the trap upon the table and then for him and +Stuyvesant to drive the squirrel into it. Stuyvesant however thought +that that would be a very difficult operation. + +"If the squirrel were a horse," said he, "and the trap a barn, we +might possibly get him in; but as it is, I don't believe the thing can +be done." + +Phonny next proposed to chase the squirrel round the shop until they +caught him. Stuyvesant objected to this too. + +"We should frighten him," said he, "and make him very wild; and +besides we might hurt him dreadfully in catching and holding him. Very +likely we should pull his tail off." + +After considerable consultation, the boys concluded to let the +squirrel remain for a time at liberty in the shop, taking care to keep +the door and windows shut. They thought that by this means he would +become accustomed to see them working about, and would grow tame; +perhaps so tame that by-and-by, Phonny might catch him in his hand. + +"And then, besides," said Phonny, "we can set the trap for him here +to-night, when we go away, and perhaps he will go into it, and get +caught so before morning." + +"Then we mustn't feed him any this afternoon," said Stuyvesant. "He +won't go into the trap to-night, unless he is hungry." + +"Well," said Phonny, "we won't feed him. I will leave him to himself, +and let him do what he pleases, and I'll go to work and make my cage." + +Phonny's plan for his cage was this. Stuyvesant helped him form it. He +was to take some wire, a coil of which he found hanging up in the +shed, and cut it into lengths suitable for the bars of his cage. Then +he was going to bore a row of holes in the top of his box, near the +front edge, with a small gimlet. These holes were to be about half an +inch apart, and to be in a line about half an inch from the front +edge of the top of the box. The wires were to be passed down through +these holes, and then in the bottom of the box, at the points where +the ends of those wires would come, respectively, he was to bore other +holes, partly through the board, to serve as sockets to receive the +lower ends of the wires. + +This plan being all agreed upon, Phonny climbed up upon the bench, +with his gimlet in his hand, and taking his seat upon the box, was +beginning to bore the holes. + +"Stop," said Stuyvesant, "you ought to draw a line and mark off the +places first." + +"Oh no," said Phonny, "I can guess near enough." + +"Well," said Stuyvesant, "though I don't think that guessing is a good +way." + +Phonny thought that it would take a great while to draw a line and +measure off the distances, and so he went on with his boring, looking +up, however, continually from his work, to watch the squirrel. + +"And now," said Stuyvesant, "I will begin my work." + +Stuyvesant accordingly went out, taking great care, as he opened and +shut the door, not to let the squirrel escape. Presently he returned, +bringing his materials. There was a short board for the small door, +two long strips for the sides of the ladder, and another long strip, +which was to be sawed up into lengths for the cross-bars. + +Stuyvesant began first with his door. He went out to the hen-house, +carrying with him an instrument called a square, on which feet and +inches were marked. With this he measured the hole which his door was +to cover, and then making proper allowance for the extension of the +door, laterally, beyond the hole, he determined on the length to which +he would saw off his board. He determined on the breadth in the same +way. + +He then went to the shop and sawed off the board to the proper length, +and then, with the hatchet and plane, he trimmed it to the proper +breadth. Next he made two hinges of leather, and nailed them on in +their places, upon the upper side of the board. He then carried his +work out to the hen-house, and nailed the ends of the hinges to the +cross-bar provided for them. When this was all done, he turned the lid +up and fastened it into its place. + +Then, standing up, he surveyed his work with a look of satisfaction, +and said, + +"There!" + +He returned to the shop again. When he came to the door he opened it a +very little way, and paused, calling out to Phonny, to know if the +squirrel was anywhere near. + +"No," said Phonny, "come in." + +So he went in. The squirrel had run along the beams to the back part +of the shop, and was nibbling about there among some blocks of wood. + +"I have a great mind to feed him," said Phonny. "He is hungry." + +"Well," said Stuyvesant. + +So Phonny took the ear of corn out of the trap, and breaking it into +two or three pieces he carried the parts into the back part of the +shop, and put them at different places on the beams. Then he crept +back to his work again. + +Stuyvesant went to work making his button. He selected a proper piece +of wood, sawed it off of the proper length, and then shaped it into +the form of a button by means of a chisel, working, in doing this, at +the bench. As soon as this operation was completed, he took a large +gimlet and bored a hole through the center of the button. He measured +very carefully to find the exact center of the button, before he began +to bore. + +When the button was finished, Stuyvesant looked in Phonny's nail-box +to find a large screw, and when he had found one, he took the +screw-driver and went out to the hen-house and screwed the button on. +When the screw was driven home to its place, Stuyvesant shut the door +and buttoned it. Then standing before it with his screw-driver in his +hand, he surveyed his work with another look of satisfaction, and +said, + +"There! there are two good jobs done." + +He then opened and shut his two doors, both the large and the small +one, to see once more whether they worked well. They did work +perfectly well, so he turned away and went back toward the shop again, +saying, + +"Now for the ladder." + +He went back to the shop and entered cautiously as before. He found +that Phonny had bored quite a number of holes, and was now engaged in +cutting his wire into lengths. He used for this purpose a pair of +cutting-plyers, as they are called, an instrument formed much like a +pair of nippers. The instrument was made expressly for cutting off +wire. + +Stuyvesant came to the place where Phonny was at work, and stood near +him a few minutes looking on. He perceived that the holes were not in +a straight line, nor were they equidistant from each other. He, +however, said nothing about it, but soon went to his own work again. + +He took the piece of wood which he had selected to make his cross-bars +of, and began to consider how many cross-bars he could make from it. + +"What is that piece of wood for?" asked Phonny. + +"It is for the cross-bars of my ladder," said Stuyvesant. + +"The cross-bars of a ladder ought to be round," said Phonny. "They +always make them round. In fact they call them _rounds_." + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant, "I know they do, but I can't make rounds very +well. And besides if I could, I could not make the holes in the +side-pieces to put them into. So I am going to make them square, and +nail them right on." + +"Hoh!" said Phonny, "that is no way to make a ladder. You can bore +the holes easily enough. Here. I'll show you how. I've got an auger." + +So saying, Phonny jumped down from the bench and went and climbed up +upon the chopping-block to get down an auger. Phonny had two augers, +and they both hung over the block. He took down one and began very +eagerly to bore a hole into the side of the chopping-block. He bored +in a little way, and then, in attempting to draw the auger out, to +clear the hole of chips, the handle came off, leaving the auger itself +fast in the hole. + +"Ah! this auger is broken," said Phonny, "I forgot that. I could bore +a hole if the auger was not broken." + +"Never mind," said Stuyvesant, "I don't think I could make a ladder +very well in that way, and don't like to undertake any thing that I +can't accomplish. So I will make it my way." + +Stuyvesant went out to the hen-house, and measured the height of the +loft. He found it to be seven feet. He concluded to have his ladder +eight feet long, and to have six cross-bars, one foot apart, the upper +and lower cross-bars to be one foot from the ends of the ladder. The +cross-bars themselves being about two inches wide each, the breadth of +the whole six would be just one foot. This Stuyvesant calculated would +make just the eight feet. + +Stuyvesant then went back to the shop. He found that the pieces which +he had chosen for the sides of the ladder were just about eight feet +long. + +Phonny came to him while he was measuring, to see what he was going to +do. + +"How wide are you going to have your ladder?" said he. + +"I don't know," said Stuyvesant. "I am going to have it as wide as I +can." + +So saying, Stuyvesant took down the piece which he had intended for +the cross-bars. + +"I am going to divide this into six equal parts," said he, "because I +must have six bars." + +So Stuyvesant began to measure. The piece of wood, he found, was eight +feet long,--the same as the side pieces of the ladder. + +"And now, how are you going to divide it?" said Phonny. + +"Why, eight feet," said Stuyvesant, "make ninety-six inches. I must +divide that by six." + +So he took a pencil from his pocket and wrote down the figures 96 upon +a board; he divided the number by 6. + +"It will go 16 times," said he. "I can have 16 inches for each cross +bar." + +Stuyvesant then measured off sixteen inches, and made a mark, then he +measured off sixteen inches more, and made another mark. In the same +manner, he proceeded until he had divided the whole piece into +portions of sixteen inches each. He then took a saw and sawed the +piece off at every place where he had marked. + +"There," said he, "there are my cross-bars!" + +"What good cross-bars," said Phonny. "That was an excellent way to +make them." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A DISCOVERY. + + +While the boys were at work in this manner, Stuyvesant making his +ladder, and Phonny his cage, they suddenly heard some one opening the +door. Wallace came in. Phonny called out to him to shut the door as +quick as possible. Wallace did so, while Phonny, in explanation of the +urgency of his injunction in respect to the door, pointed up to the +squirrel, which was then creeping along, apparently quite at his ease, +upon one of the beams in the back part of the shop. + +"Why, Bunny," said Wallace. + +"His name is not Bunny," said Phonny. "His name is Frink." + +"Frink," repeated Wallace. "Who invented that name?" + +"I don't know," replied Phonny, "only Beechnut said that his name was +Frink. See the cage I am making for him." + +Wallace came up and looked at the cage. He stood a moment surveying +it in silence. Then he turned toward Stuyvesant. + +"And what is Stuyvesant doing?" said he. + +"He is making a ladder." + +"What is it for, Stuyvesant?" said Wallace. + +"Why, it is to go upon the loft, in the hen-house," said Phonny, +"though I don't see what good it will do, to go up there." + +"So it is settled, that _you_ are going to have the hen-house," said +Wallace, looking toward Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant. + +Here there was another long pause. Wallace was looking at the ladder. +He observed how carefully Stuyvesant was making it. He saw that the +cross-bars were all exactly of a length, and he knew that they must +have been pretty accurately measured. While Wallace was looking on, +Stuyvesant was measuring off the distances upon the side pieces of the +ladder, so as to have the steps of equal length. Wallace observed that +he did this all very carefully. + +Wallace then looked back to Phonny's work. He saw that Phonny was +guessing his way along. The holes were not equidistant from each +other, and then they were not at the same distance from the edge of +the board. As he had advanced along the line, he had drawn gradually +nearer and nearer to the edge, and, what was a still greater +difficulty, the holes in the lower board, which was to form the bottom +of the cage, since their places too had been guessed at, did not +correspond with those above, so that the wires, when they came to be +put in, inclined some this way, and some that. In some places the +wires came very near together, and in others the spaces between them +were so wide, that Wallace thought that the squirrel, if by any chance +he should ever get put into the cage, would be very likely to squeeze +his way out. + +Then, besides, Phonny had not measured his wires in respect to length, +but had cut them off of various lengths, taking care however not to +have any of them too short. The result was that the ends of the wires +projected to various distances above the board, presenting a ragged +and unworkmanlike appearance. + +Wallace was silent while he was looking at these things. He was +thinking of the difference between the two boys. The train of thought +which was passing through his mind was somewhat as follows. + +Stuyvesant is younger than Phonny, and he was brought up in a city, +and yet he seems a great deal more of a man; which is very strange. In +the first place he takes a great deal more interest in the hens, which +are useful and productive animals, than he does in the squirrel, which +is a mere plaything. Then he plans his work carefully, considers how +much he can probably accomplish himself, and undertakes no more. He +plans, he calculates, he measures, and then proceeds steadily and +perseveringly till he finishes. + +In the midst of these reflections, Wallace was called away by Phonny, +as follows. + +"Cousin Wallace, I wish you would finish my cage for me. I am tired of +boring all these holes, and besides I can't bore them straight." + +Wallace looked at the work a moment in uncertainty. He did not like to +throw away his own time in finishing an undertaking so clumsily begun, +and on the other hand, he did not like very well to refuse to help +Phonny out of his difficulties. He finally concluded to undertake the +work. So he took the cage down from the bench and put it upon the +floor; he borrowed the iron square and the compasses from Stuyvesant; +he ruled a line along the top of the box at the right distance from +the edge, and marked off places for the holes, half an inch apart, +along this line, pricking in, at the places for the holes, deep, with +one of the points of the compass. When this had all been done he went +on boring the holes. + +Stuyvesant was now ready to nail the cross-bars to the side pieces of +the ladder. He asked Phonny where he kept his nails. Phonny showed him +a box where there was a great quantity of nails of all sizes, some +crooked and some straight, some whole and some broken, and all mixed +up in confusion with a mass of old iron, such as rings, parts of +hinges, old locks and fragments of keys. Stuyvesant selected from this +mass a nail, of the size that he thought was proper, and then went to +his ladder to apply it, to see whether it would do. + +"It is too large," said Phonny. + +"No," said Stuyvesant, "it is just right. I want the nail to go +through and come out on the other side, so that I can clinch it." + +"You can't clinch such nails as these," said Phonny. "They are cut +nails, and they will break off if you try to clinch them." + +"But I shall soften them first," said Stuyvesant. + +"Soften them!" said Phonny, "how can you do that?" + +"By putting them in the fire," said Stuyvesant. + +"He can't soften them, can he, Wallace?" said Phonny. + +"Yes," said Wallace, "he can soften them so that they will clinch." + +This was true. What are called cut-nails, are made by machinery. They +are cut from flat-bars or plates of iron, almost red-hot, by a massive +and ponderous engine carried by water. At the same instant that the +nail is cut off from the end of the plate by the cutting part of the +engine, the end of it is flattened into a head by another part, which +comes up suddenly and compresses the iron at that end with prodigious +force. The nail is then dropped, and it falls down, all hot, into a +box made to receive it below. + +The prodigious pressure to which the hot iron is subjected in the +process of making cut-nails, seems as it were to press the particles +of iron closer together, and make the metal more compact and hard. +The consequence is, that such nails are very stiff, and if bent much, +they break off. This is no disadvantage, provided that the wood to be +nailed is such that the nail is to be driven straight into the +substance of it to its whole length. In fact, this hardness and +stiffness is an advantage, for, in consequence of these properties, +the nail is less likely to bend under the hammer. + +When, however, the nailing to be done is of such a kind that it +becomes necessary that the nail should pass through the wood so as to +come out upon the other side, to be clinched there, the stiffness of +the iron in a cut-nail constitutes a serious difficulty; for the end +of the nail where it comes through, instead of bending over and +sinking into the wood, as it ought to do, at first refuses to bend at +all, and then when the workman attempts to force it to bond by dint of +heavier blows with the hammer, it breaks off entirely. + +To remedy this difficulty, it is found best to heat nails intended for +clinching before driving them. By heating the iron red hot, the metal +seems to expand to its original condition of ductile iron, and it +loses the extreme hardness and stiffness which was given to it by the +force and compression of the nail-making machine. + +Stuyvesant had seen a carpenter in New York heating some nails on one +occasion, and he had asked him the reason. He, therefore, understood +the whole process, and his plan was now, after selecting his nails, to +go and heat them red-hot in the kitchen-fire. + +He made a little calculation first in respect to the number of nails +that he should want. There were six cross-bars. These bars were to be +nailed at both ends. This would make twelve nailings. Stuyvesant +concluded that he would have four nails at each nailing, and +multiplying twelve by four, he found that forty-eight was the number +of the nails that he should require. To be sure to have enough, he +counted out fifty-two. Some might break, and perhaps some would be +lost in the fire. + +Phonny felt a considerable degree of interest in Stuyvesant's plan of +softening the nails, and so he left Wallace to go on boring the holes, +while he went with Stuyvesant into the house. + +"You never can get so many nails out of the fire in the world," said +Phonny. "They will be lost in the ashes." + +"I shall put them on the shovel," said Stuyvesant. + +When they got into the kitchen, Stuyvesant went to Dorothy, who was +still ironing at a table near the window, and asked her if he might +use her shovel and her fire to heat some nails. + +"Certainly," said Dorothy. "I will go and move the flat-irons out of +the way for you." + +Stuyvesant was always very particular whenever he went into the +kitchen, to treat Dorothy with great respect. He regarded the kitchen +as Dorothy's peculiar and proper dominion, and would have considered +it very rude and wrong to have been noisy in it, or to take possession +of, and use without her leave, the things which were under her charge +there. Dorothy observed this, and was very much pleased with it, and +as might naturally be expected, she was always glad to have Stuyvesant +come into the kitchen, and do any thing that he pleased there. + +There was a large forestick lying across the andirons, with a burning +bed of coals below. Directly in front of these coals was a row of +flat-irons. Stuyvesant put his nails upon a long-handled shovel, and +Dorothy moved away one of the flat-irons, so that he could put the +shovel, with the nails upon it, in among the burning coals. + +"Now," said he, "it will take some time for them to get hot, and I +will go and clear out the floor of the hen-house in the meanwhile." + +"Well," said Phonny, "I will help you." + +"Only," said Stuyvesant, turning to Dorothy, "will you look at the +nails when you take up your irons, and if you see that they get +red-hot, take the shovel out from the coals and set it down somewhere +on the hearth to cool?" + +"Yes," said Dorothy, "but what are you going to heat the nails for?" + +"To take the stiffness out of them," said Stuyvesant. + +"To take the stiffness out?" replied Dorothy. "What do you wish to do +that for?" + +"So that I can clinch them," replied Stuyvesant, "and I should like to +have you take them off the fire as soon as you see that they are +red-hot." + +[Illustration: DOROTHY'S FIRE.] + +"Yes," said Dorothy, "I will." + +So Phonny and Stuyvesant went away, while Dorothy resumed her ironing. + +They got a wheel-barrow and a rake, and went out to the hen-house. +They raked the floor all over, drawing out the old straw, sticks, &c., +to the door. They then with a fork pitched this rubbish into the +wheel-barrow, and wheeled it out, and made a heap of it in a clear +place at some distance from the buildings, intending to set it on +fire. There were four wheel-barrow loads of it in all. + +They then went into the barn and brought out a quantity of hay, and +sprinkled it all over the floor of the hen-house, which made the +apartment look extremely neat and comfortable. They then brought out +another fork-full of hay and pitched it up upon the loft. + +"There!" said Stuyvesant, "now when we have got our ladder done, we +will climb up and spread it about." + +"Hark!" said Phonny. + +"What is that?" said Stuyvesant. + +"It sounded like a hen clucking. I wonder if it is possible that there +is a hen up there." + +"We will see," said Stuyvesant, "when we get our ladder done." + +"Yes," said Phonny, "we must go and finish our ladder; and the +nails--it is time to go and get the nails or they will be all burnt +up." + +The boys accordingly went back to the kitchen. They found that Dorothy +had taken the nails away from the fire, and they were now almost cool. +Stuyvesant slid them off from the shovel upon a small board, which he +had brought in for that purpose, and then they went back to the shop. + +They found that Wallace had gone. He had finished boring the holes, +and now all that Phonny had to do, was to cut off the wires and put +them in. He had, however, now become so much interested in the +operation of making the ladder, that he concluded to put off finishing +the cage until the ladder was done. Besides, he was in a hurry to see +whether there really was a hen up there on the loft. + +So he helped Stuyvesant nail his ladder. Stuyvesant got a small gimlet +to bore holes for the nails. Phonny thought that this was not +necessary. He said they could drive the nails without boring. +Stuyvesant said that there were three objections to this: first, they +might not go straight, secondly, they might split the wood, and +thirdly, they would cause the wood to _break out_, as he called it, +where they came through on the other side. + +As soon as he had bored one hole he put a nail into it, and drove it +almost through, but not quite through, as he said it might prove that +he should wish to alter it. He then went to the other end of the same +cross-bar, bored a hole there, and put a nail in, driving it as far as +he had driven the first one. This was the topmost cross-bar of the +ladder, and it was held securely in its place by the two nails. +Stuyvesant then took the bottom cross-bar and secured that in the same +way. Then he put on the other bars one at a time, until his ladder was +complete in form, only the cross-bars were not yet fully nailed. He +and Phonny looked at it carefully, to see if all was right, and +Stuyvesant, taking it up from the floor, placed it against the wall of +the shop. + +"Let me climb up on it," said Phonny. + +"Not now," said Stuyvesant,--"wait till it is finished." + +Stuyvesant then proceeded to drive the nails home, and clinch them. +The clinching was done, by putting an axe under the part of the ladder +where a nail was coming through, and then driving. The point of the +nail when it reached the axe, was deflected and turned, and bending +round entered the wood again, on the back side, and so clinched the +nail firmly. Thus the other holes were bored, and the other nails put +in, and at length the ladder was completed. + +Just as the boys were ready to carry it out, the door opened, and +Beechnut came in. + +Beechnut looked round at all that the boys had been doing, with great +interest. He examined the ladder particularly, and said that it was +made in a very workmanlike manner. Phonny showed Beechnut his cage +too, though he said that he had pretty much concluded not to finish it +that afternoon. + +"I don't see why you need finish it at all," said Beechnut. "You have +got a very good cage already for your squirrel." + +"What cage?" asked Phonny. + +"This shop. It is a great deal better cage for him than that box,--_I_ +think, and I have no doubt that he thinks so too." + +"He would gnaw out of this shop," said Phonny. + +"Not any more easily than he would gnaw out of the box," said +Beechnut. + +Phonny turned to his box and looked at the smooth surface of the pine +which formed the interior. He perceived that Frink could gnaw through +anywhere, easily, in an hour. + +"I did not think of that," said Phonny "I must line it with tin." + +He began to picture to his mind, the process of putting his arm into +the box and nailing tin there, where there was no room to work a +hammer, and sighed. + +"Well," said he, "I'll let him have the whole shop, to-night, and now +we will go out and try the ladder." + +The whole party accordingly went to the hen-house. Beechnut examined +the small door that Stuyvesant had made, and the button of the large +door, while Stuyvesant was planting the ladder. Phonny was eager to go +up first; Stuyvesant followed him. + +Phonny mounted upon the floor of the loft, and immediately afterward +began to exclaim, + +"Oo--oo--Stivy,--here is old Gipsy, on a nest, and I verily believe +that she is setting; I could not think what had become of old Gipsy." + +Just at this time, Beechnut's head appeared coming up the ladder. He +called upon the boys to come back, away from the hen, while he went up +to see. She was upon a nest there, squatted down very low, and with +her wings spread wide as if trying to cover a great nest full of eggs. + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "she is setting, I have no doubt; and as she has +been missing a long time, I presume the chickens are about coming +out." + +"Hark!" said Beechnut. + +The boys listened, and they heard a faint peeping sound under the hen. + +Beechnut looked toward the boys and smiled. + +Phonny was in an ecstacy of delight. Stuyvesant was much more quiet, +but he seemed equally pleased. Beechnut said that he thought that they +had better go away and leave the hen to herself, and that probably she +would come off the nest, with her brood, that evening or the next +morning. + +"But stop," said Beechnut, as he was going down the ladder. "It is +important to ascertain whether they are eggs or chickens under the +hen. For if they are eggs they are one third your property, and if +they are chickens, they are all mine." + +"However," he resumed, after a moment's pause, "I think we will call +them eggs to-day. I presume they were all eggs when we made the +bargain. To-morrow we will get them all down, and you, Phonny, may +make a pretty little coop for them in some sunny corner in the yard." + +Phonny had by this time become so much interested in the poultry, that +he proposed to Stuyvesant to let him have half the care of them, and +offered to give Stuyvesant half of his squirrel in return. Stuyvesant +said that he did not care about the squirrel, but that he would give +him a share of the hen-house contract for half the shop. + +Phonny gladly agreed to this, and so the boys determined that the +first thing for the next day should be, to put the shop and the tools +all in complete order, and the next, to make the prettiest hen-coop +they could contrive, in a corner of the yard. This they did, and +Beechnut got the hen and the chickens down and put them into it. The +brood was very large, there being twelve chickens in it, and they were +all very pretty chickens indeed. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE ACCIDENT. + + +About a week after the occurrences related in the last chapter, Mrs. +Henry was sitting one morning at her window, at work. It was a large +and beautiful window, opening out upon a piazza. + +The window came down nearly to the floor, so that when it was open one +could walk directly out. There was a sort of step, however, which it +was necessary to go over. + +Mrs. Henry had a little table at the window, and she was busy at her +work. There was a basket on the floor by her side. Malleville was +sitting upon the step. She had quite a number of green leaves in her +lap, which she had gathered in the yard. She said that she was going +to put them into a book and press them. + +Just then she heard Phonny's voice around a corner, calling to her. + +"Malleville! Malleville!" said the voice, calling loudly. + +Malleville hastily gathered up her leaves, and called out, "What, +Phonny? I'm coming." + +Before she got ready to go, however, Phonny appeared upon the piazza. + +"Malleville," said he, "come and see our chickens." + +"Well," said Malleville, "I will come." + +"And mother, I wish you would come out and see them, too," said +Phonny. + +"I have seen them once," said his mother, "only two or three days +ago." + +"But, mother, they are a great deal larger now," replied Phonny. "I +wish you _could_ come and see them. You don't know how large they have +grown." + +"Very well," said Mrs. Henry, "I will come." + +So she laid aside her work, and stepping out into the piazza, she +followed Phonny and Malleville around the corner of the house. Phonny +walked fast, with long strides, Malleville skipped along by his side, +while Mrs. Henry came on after them at her leisure. + +They all gathered round the coop, which had been made in a sunny +corner of the yard. It was a very pretty coop indeed. It was formed +by a box, turned bottom upward to form a shelter for the hen when she +chose to retire to it, and a little yard with a paling around it made +by bars, to prevent the chickens from straying away. Phonny said that +there was a good, comfortable nest in under the box, and he was going +to lift up the box and let Mrs. Henry see the nest, but Stuyvesant +recommended to him not to do so, as it would frighten the hen. + +There was an opening in the side of the box, which served as a door +for the hen to go in and out at. At the time of Mrs. Henry's visit, +the hen was out in the yard walking about. She appeared to be a little +anxious at seeing so unusual a company of visitors at her lodgings, +and at first thought it probable that they might have come to take +some of her chickens away. But when she found that they stood quietly +by, and did not disturb her, she became quiet again, and began to +scratch upon the ground to find something for the chickens to eat. + +Seeing this, Phonny ran off to bring some food for them, and presently +returned with a saucer full of what he called pudding. It consisted +of meal and water stirred up together. He threw out some of this upon +the ground within the yard, and the hen, calling the chickens to the +place, scattered the pudding about with her bill for the chickens to +eat. + +The boys then wished to have Mrs. Henry go to the shop. She, +accordingly, went with them. They opened the shop-door very carefully +to keep Frink from getting out. When they were all safely in and the +door was shut, they began to look about the room to find the squirrel. +"There he is," said Phonny, pointing to the beam over the +shutter-window. + +So saying he went to the place, and putting up his hand, took the +squirrel and brought him to his mother. + +"Why, how tame he is!" said Mrs. Henry. + +"Yes," said Phonny, "Stuyvesant and I tamed him. He runs all about the +shop. And we have got a house for him to sleep in. Come and see his +house." + +So saying, Phonny led his mother and Malleville to the back side of +the shop, where, upon a shelf, there stood a small box, with a hole in +the side of it, much like the one which had been made for the hen, +only not so large. + +"He goes in there to sleep," said Phonny. "We always feed him in +there too, so as to make him like the place." + +As Phonny said this, he put the squirrel down upon the beam before the +door of his house. + +"Now you will see him go in," said he. + +Frink crept into his hole, and then turning round within the box, he +put his head out a little way, and after looking at Mrs. Henry a +moment with one eye, he winked in a very cunning manner. + +There was a small paper tacked up with little nails on the side of the +squirrel's house, near the door. + +"What is this?" said Mrs. Henry. + +"Oh! that's his poetry," said Phonny, "you must read it." + +So Mrs. Henry, standing up near, read aloud as follows:-- + + My name is Frink, + And unless you think, + To give me plenty to eat and drink, + You'll find me running away + Some day; + I shall tip you a wink, + Then slyly slink, + Out through some secret cranny or chink, + And hie for the woods, away, + Away. + +Mrs. Henry laughed heartily at this production. She asked who wrote +it. + +"Why, we found it here one morning," said Phonny. "Stuyvesant says +that he thinks Beechnut wrote it." + +"But Beechnut," added Malleville, "says that he believes that Frink +wrote it himself." + +"Oh no," said Stuyvesant, "he did not say exactly that." + +"What did he say?" asked Mrs. Henry. + +"Why, he said," replied Stuyvesant, "that as there was a pen and ink +in the shop, and hammer and nails, and as the paper was found nailed +up early one morning, when nobody had slept in the shop the night +before but Frink, if it did not turn out that Frink himself wrote the +lines, he should never believe in any squirrel's writing poetry as +long as he lived." + +Mrs. Henry laughed at this, and she then began to look about the shop +to see the tools and the arrangements which had been made by the boys +for their work. + +She found the premises in excellent order. The floor was neat, the +tools were all in their proper places, and every thing seemed well +arranged. + +"I suppose the tools are dull, however," said Mrs. Henry, "as boys' +tools generally are." + +"No," said Phonny, "they are all sharp. We have sharpened them every +one." + +"How did you do it?" asked Mrs. Henry. + +"Why, we turned the grindstone for Beechnut while he ground his axes, +and then he held our tools for us to sharpen them. We could not hold +them ourselves very well." + +"We are going to keep them sharp," continued Phonny,--"as sharp as +razors. Won't we, Stivy?" + +"We are going to try it," said Stuyvesant. + +Phonny took up the plane to show his mother how sharp it was. + +"Yes," said she; "I like that tool too, very much--it is so safe." + +The plane is a very safe tool, indeed, for the cutting part, which +consists of a plate of iron, faced with steel for an edge, is almost +embedded in the wood. It is made in fact on purpose to take off a +_thin shaving_ only, from a board, and it would be impossible to make +a deep cut into any thing with it. + +Phonny then showed his mother his chisels. He had four chisels of +different sizes. They were very sharp. + +"It seems to me that a chisel is not so safe a tool as a plane," said +Mrs. Henry. + +"Why not, mother?" asked Phonny. + +"Why you might be holding a piece of wood with your fingers, and then +in trying to cut it with the chisel, the chisel might slip and cut +your fingers." + +"Oh no, mother," said Phonny, "there is no danger." + +Boys always say there is no danger. + +Phonny next showed his gimlets, and his augers, and his bits and +bit-stocks. A bit is a kind of borer which is turned round and round +by means of a machine called a bit-stock. + +Phonny took the bit-stock and a bit and was going to bore a hole in +the side of the bench, by way of showing his mother how the tool was +used. + +"Stop," said Stuyvesant, "I would not bore into the work bench. I will +get a piece of board." + +So he pulled out a small piece of board from under the work bench and +Phonny bored into that. + +Mrs. Henry next came to the chopping block. The hatchet was lying upon +the block. + +"I am rather sorry to see that you have got a hatchet," said Mrs. +Henry. + +"Why, mother?" asked Phonny. + +"Because I think it is a dangerous tool. I think it is a very +dangerous tool indeed." + +"Oh no, mother," said Phonny, "there is no danger." + +"You might be holding a piece of wood in your hand," said Mrs. Henry, +"and then in trying to chop it with your hatchet, hit your hand +instead of the wood. There is great danger when you strike a blow with +a sharp instrument." + +"Oh no, mother," said Phonny. "There is not any danger. I have had my +hatchet a long time and I never have cut myself but once." + +"That shows that there is some danger," said his mother. "Besides I +knew a boy who was cutting with a hatchet, and it came down through +the board that he was cutting, and struck the boy himself, in the +knee, and wounded him very badly." + +"But I shall be very careful," said Phonny. "I _know_ I shall not cut +myself with it." + +"I wish," said his mother, "that you would let me have the hatchet to +carry in the house and keep it till you grow older." + +"Oh no, mother," said Phonny, "we could not get along at all without +the hatchet, unless we had an axe, and that would be more dangerous +still. But we will be very careful with it." + +Mrs. Henry did not appear satisfied with these promises, but she did +not urge Phonny any longer to give the hatchet to her. She walked +along, seeming, however, not at all at her ease. Phonny showed her his +stock of boards and blocks, among which last, was one which he said +was to be made into a boat. After looking around at all these things, +Mrs. Henry and Malleville went away. Phonny and Stuyvesant remained in +the shop. + +"I would let her have the hatchet," said Stuyvesant. + +"I don't think there is any danger," said Phonny. + +"Nor I," said Stuyvesant. + +"Then why would not you keep the hatchet here?" asked Phonny. + +"Because, Aunt Henry does not feel easy about it," said Stuyvesant. +"It is not right for us to make her feel uncomfortable." + +"But then what shall we do when we want to sharpen stakes?" asked +Phonny. + +"I don't know," said Stuyvesant,--thinking. "Perhaps we might burn +them sharp in the kitchen fire." + +"Hoh!" said Phonny, "that would not do at all." + +"It would be better than to make Aunt Henry feel anxious," said +Stuyvesant. + +"But I don't think she feels anxious," said Phonny. "She will forget +all about it pretty soon. However, if you think it is best, I will +carry my hatchet in and give it to her. We can get along very well +with the draw shave." + +"Well," said Stuyvesant, "I do think it is best; and now I am going to +finish mending the wheel-barrow." + +"Well," said Phonny, "and I will go and carry the hatchet in to my +mother." + +Phonny accordingly took the hatchet and went sauntering slowly along +out of the shop. + +In a few minutes, Stuyvesant heard an outcry in the yard. It sounded +like a cry of pain and terror, from Phonny. Stuyvesant threw down his +work, and ran out to see what was the matter. + +He found Phonny by the woodpile, where he had stopped a moment to +chop a stick with his hatchet, and had cut himself. He was down upon +the ground, clasping his foot with his hands, and crying out as if in +great pain. + +"Oh, Stuyvesant," said he. "I have cut my foot. Oh, I have cut my +foot, most dreadfully." + +"Let me see," said Stuyvesant, and he came to the place. Phonny raised +his hands a little, from his foot, so as to let Stuyvesant see, but +continued crying, with pain and terror. + +"Oh dear me!" said he. "What shall I do?--Oh dear me!" + +Stuyvesant looked. All that he could see, however, was a gaping wound +in Phonny's boot, just over the ankle, and something bloody beneath. + +"I don't think it is cut much," said Stuyvesant. "Let us go right into +the house." + +Phonny rose, and leaning upon Stuyvesant's shoulder, he began to +hobble along toward the house, uttering continued cries and +lamentations by the way. + +"I would not cry," said Stuyvesant. "I would bear it like a hero." + +In obedience to this counsel, Phonny abated somewhat the noise that he +was making, though he still continued his exclamations and moanings. +Dorothy came to the door to find out what was the matter. + +Dorothy was not much alarmed. In fact the more noise a child made when +hurt, the less concerned Dorothy always was about it. She knew that +when people were dangerously wounded, they were generally still. + +"What's the matter?" said Dorothy. + +"He has cut his foot," said Stuyvesant. + +"Let me see," said she. So she looked down at Phonny's ankle. + +"I guess he has cut his boot more than his foot," said she. "Let's +pull off his boot." + +"Oh dear me!" said Phonny. "Oh, go and call my mother. Oh dear me!" + +Dorothy began to pull off Phonny's boot, while Stuyvesant went to call +Phonny's mother. Mrs. Henry was very much alarmed, when she heard that +Phonny had cut himself. She hurried out to him, and seemed to be in +great distress and anxiety. She kneeled down before him, while Dorothy +held him in her lap, and examined the foot. The cut was a pretty bad +one, just above the ankle. + +"It is a very bad place for a cut," said she. "Bring me some water." + +"I'll get some," said Stuyvesant. + +So Stuyvesant went and got a bowl from a shelf in the kitchen, and +poured some water into it, and brought it to Mrs. Henry. Mrs. Henry +bathed the wound with the water, and then closing it up as completely +as possible, and putting a piece of sticking-plaster across to keep +the parts in place, she bound the ankle up with a bandage. + +By this time Phonny had become quiet. His mother, when she had +finished bandaging the ankle, brought another stocking and put it on, +to keep the bandage in its place. + +"There!" said she, "that will do. Now the first thing is to get him +into the other room." + +So Dorothy carried Phonny in, and laid him down upon the sofa in the +great sitting-room. + +That evening when Beechnut went to the village to get the letters at +the post-office, he stopped at the doctor's on his way, to ask the +doctor to call that evening or in the morning at Mrs. Henry's. The +doctor came that evening. + +"Ah, Phonny," said he, when he came into the room, and saw Phonny +lying upon the sofa, "and what is the matter with you?" + +"I have cut my foot," said Phonny. + +"Cut your foot!" rejoined the doctor, "could not you find any thing +else to cut than your foot?" + +Phonny laughed. + +"I hope you have cut it in the right place," continued the doctor. "In +cutting your foot every thing depends upon cutting it in the right +place." + +While the doctor was saying this, Mrs. Henry had drawn off Phonny's +stocking, and was beginning to unpin the bandage. + +"Stop a moment, madam," said the doctor. "That bandage is put on very +nicely; it seems hardly worth while to disturb it. You can show me now +precisely where the wound was." + +Mrs. Henry then pointed to the place upon the bandage, underneath +which the cut lay, and she showed also the direction and length of the +cut. + +"Exactly," said the doctor. "You could not have cut your ankle, +Phonny, in a better place. A half an inch more, one side or the other, +might have made you a cripple for life. You hit the right place +exactly. It is a great thing for a boy who has a hatchet for a +plaything, to know how to cut himself in the right place." + +[Illustration: THE DOCTOR'S VISIT.] + +The doctor then said that he would not disturb the bandage, as he had +no doubt that the wound would do very well under the treatment which +Mrs. Henry herself had administered. He said that in a few days he +thought it would be nearly well. + +It might be prudent, however, he added, not to walk upon that foot in +the mean time. There might be some small possibility in that case, of +getting the wound irritated, so as to bring on an inflammation, and +that might lead to serious consequences. + +The doctor then bade Phonny good-bye, telling him that he hoped he +would be as patient and good-natured in bearing his confinement, as he +had been dextrous in the mode of inflicting the wound. And so he went +away. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +GOOD ADVICE. + + +Phonny was confined nearly a week with his wound. They moved the sofa +on which he was lying up into a corner of the room, near Mrs. Henry's +window, and there Stuyvesant and Malleville brought various things to +him to amuse him. + +He was very patient and good-natured during his confinement to this +sofa. Wallace came to see him soon after he was hurt, and gave him +some good advice in this respect. + +"Now," said Wallace, "you have an opportunity to cultivate and show +one mark of manliness which we like to see in boys." + +"I should think you would like to see all marks of manliness in boys," +said Phonny. + +"Oh no," said Wallace. "Some traits of manly character we like, and +some we don't like." + +"What don't we like?" asked Phonny. + +"Why--there are many," said Wallace, hesitating and considering. "We +don't desire to see in boys the sedateness and gravity of demeanor +that we like to see in men. We like to see them playful and joyous +while they are boys." + +"I thought it was better to be sober," said Phonny. + +"No," said Wallace, "not for boys. Boys ought to be sober at proper +times; but in their plays and in their ordinary occupations, it is +better for them to be frolicsome and light-hearted. Their time for +care and thoughtful concern has not come. The only way by which they +can form good healthy constitutions, is to run about a great deal, and +have a great deal of frolicking and fun. Only they must be careful not +to let their fun and frolicking give other people trouble. But we like +to see them full of life, and joy, and activity, for we know that that +is best for them. If a boy of twelve were to be as sage and demure as +a man, always sitting still, and reading and studying, we should be +afraid, either that he was already sick, or that he would make himself +sick." + +"Then I think that you ought to be concerned about Stuyvesant," said +Phonny, "for he is as sage and demure as any man I ever saw." + +Wallace laughed at this. + +"There is a boy that lives down in the village that is always making +some fun," said Phonny. "One evening he dressed himself up like a poor +beggar boy, and came to the door of his father's house and knocked; +and when his father came to the door, he told a piteous story about +being poor and hungry, and his mother being sick, and he begged his +father to give him something to eat, and a little money to buy some +tea for his mother. His father thought he was a real beggar boy, and +gave him some money. Then afterward he came in and told his father all +about it, and had a good laugh. + +"Then another day he got a bonnet and shawl of his sister Fanny, and +put them upon a pillow, so as to make the figure of a girl with them, +and then he carried the pillow up to the top of the shed, and set it +up by the side of the house. It looked exactly as if Fanny was up +there. Then he went into the house and called his mother to come out. +And when she got out where she could see, he pointed up and asked her +whether Fanny ought to be up there on the shed." + +[Illustration: THE EFFIGY.] + +Wallace laughed to hear this story. + +"Then in a minute," continued Phonny, "the boy pointed off in another +direction, and there his mother saw Fanny playing safely upon the +grass." + +"And what did his mother say?" asked Wallace. + +"She was frightened at first," replied Phonny, "when she saw what she +supposed was Fanny up in such a dangerous place; but when she saw how +it really was, she laughed and went into the house." + +"Do you think he did right, Wallace?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"What do you think, Phonny?" asked Wallace. + +"Why, I don't know," said Phonny. + +"Do you think, on the whole, that his mother was most pleased or most +pained by it?" asked Wallace. + +"Most pleased," said Phonny. "She was not much frightened, and that +only for a moment, and she laughed about it a great deal." + +"Were you there at the time?" asked Wallace. + +"Yes," said Phonny. + +"What was the boy's name?" said Wallace. + +"Arthur," said Phonny. + +"Another day," continued Phonny, "Arthur was taking a walk with Fanny, +and he persuaded her to go across a plank over a brook, and when she +was over, he pulled the plank away, so that she could not get back +again. He danced about on the bank on the other side, and called +Fanny a savage living in the woods." + +"And what did Fanny do?" asked Wallace. + +"Why, she was very much frightened, and began to cry." + +"And then what did Arthur do?" asked Wallace. + +"Why, after a time he put up the plank again and let her come home. He +told her that she was a foolish girl to cry, for he only did it for +fun." + +"And do you think he did right or wrong?" said Wallace. + +"Why, wrong, I suppose," said Phonny. + +"Yes," said Wallace, "decidedly wrong, I think; for in that case there +is no doubt that his fun gave his sister a great deal of pain. It is +very right for boys to love frolicking and fun, but they should be +very careful not to let their fun give other people trouble or pain." + +"But now, Phonny," continued Wallace, "you are to be shut up for +perhaps a week, and here is an opportunity for you to show some marks +of manliness which we always like to see in boys." + +"How can I?" asked Phonny. + +"Why, in the first place," said Wallace, "by a proper consideration of +the case, so as to understand exactly how it is. Sometimes a boy +situated as you are, without looking at all the facts in the case, +thinks only of his being disabled and helpless, and so he expects +every body to wait upon him, and try to amuse him, as if that were his +right. He gives his mother a great deal of trouble, by first wanting +this and then that, and by uttering a great many expressions of +discontent, impatience and ill-humor. Thus his accident is not only +the means of producing inconvenience to himself, but it makes the +whole family uncomfortable. This is boyishness of a very bad kind. + +"To avoid this, you must consider what the true state of the case is. +Whose fault is it that you are laid up here in this way?" + +"Why it is mine, I suppose," said Phonny. "Though if Stuyvesant had +not advised me to bring the hatchet in, I suppose that I should not +have cut myself." + +"It was not by bringing the hatchet in, that you cut yourself," said +Wallace, "but by stopping to cut with it on the way, contrary to your +mother's wishes." + +"Yes," said Phonny, "I suppose that was it." + +"So that it was your fault. Now when any person commits a fault," +continued Wallace, "he ought to confine the evil consequences of it to +himself, as much as he can. Have the evil consequences of your fault, +extended yet to any other people, do you think?" + +"Why, yes," said Phonny, "my mother has had some trouble." + +"Has she yet had any trouble that you might have spared her?" asked +Wallace. + +"Why--I don't know," said Phonny, "unless I could have bandaged my +foot up myself." + +"If you could have bandaged it up yourself," said Wallace, "you ought +to have done so, though I suppose you could not. But now it is your +duty to save her, as much as possible, from all other trouble. You +ought to find amusement for yourself as much as you can, instead of +calling upon her to amuse you, and you ought to be patient and gentle, +and quiet and good-humored. + +"Besides," continued Wallace, "I think you ought to contrive something +to do to repay her for the trouble that she has already had with this +cut. She was not to blame for it at all, and did not deserve to suffer +any trouble or pain." + +"I don't know what I can do," said Phonny, "to repay her." + +"It is hard to find any thing for a boy to do to repay his mother, for +what she does for him. But if you even _wish_ to find something, and +_try_ to find something, it will make you always submissive and gentle +toward her, and that will give her pleasure." + +"Perhaps I might read to her sometimes when she is sewing," said +Phonny. + +"Yes," said Wallace, "that would be a good plan." + +When this conversation first commenced, Malleville was standing near +to Wallace, and she listened to it for a little time, but she found +that she did not understand a great deal of it, and she did not think +that what she did understand was very interesting. So she went away. + +She went to the piazza and began to gather up the green leaves which +she had been playing with when Phonny had called her to go out to see +the chickens. She put these leaves in her apron with the design of +carrying them to Phonny, thinking that perhaps it would amuse him to +see them. + +She brought them accordingly to the sofa, and now stood there, holding +her apron by the corners, and waiting for Wallace to finish what he +was saying. + +"What have you got in your apron?" said Wallace. + +"Some leaves," said Malleville. "I am going to show them to Phonny." + +So she opened her apron and showed Phonny. + +"They are nothing but leaves," said Phonny, "are they? Common leaves." + +"No," said Malleville, "they are not common leaves. They are very +pretty leaves." + +Stuyvesant came to look at the leaves. He took up one or two of them. + +"That is a maple leaf," said he, "and that is an oak." + +There was a small oak-tree in the corner of the yard. + +"I am going to press them in a book," said Malleville. + +Wallace looked at the leaves a minute, and then he went away. + +Stuyvesant seemed more interested in looking at the leaves, than +Phonny had been. He proposed that while Phonny was sick, they should +employ themselves in making a collection of the leaves of +forest-trees. + +"We can make a scrap-book," said he, "and paste them in, and then, +underneath we can write all about the trees that the leaves belong +to." + +"How can we find out about the trees?" asked Phonny. + +"Beechnut will tell us," said Stuyvesant. + +"So he will," replied Phonny, "and that will be an excellent plan." + +This project was afterward put into execution. Stuyvesant made +a scrap-book. He made it of a kind of smooth and pretty white +wrapping-paper. He put what are called false leaves between all the +true leaves, as is usually done in large scrap-books. Stuyvesant's +scrap-book had twenty leaves. He said that he did not think that they +could find more than twenty kinds of trees. They pressed the leaves in +a book until they were dry, and then pasted them into the scrap-book, +one on the upper half of each page. Then they wrote on a small piece +of white paper, all that they could learn about each tree, and put +these inscriptions under the leaves, to which they respectively +referred. + +The children worked upon the collection of leaves a little while every +day. They divided the duty, giving each one a share. Stuyvesant +pressed the leaves and gummed them to their places in the book. +Phonny, who was a pretty good composer, composed the descriptions, and +afterward Stuyvesant would copy them upon the pieces of paper which +were to be pasted into the book. Stuyvesant used to go out to the barn +or the yard, to get all the information which Beechnut could give him +in respect to the particular tree which happened, for the time being, +to be the subject of inquiry. He would then come in and tell Phonny +what Beechnut had told him. Phonny would then write the substance of +this information down upon a slate, and after reading it over, and +carefully correcting it, Stuyvesant would copy it neatly upon the +paper. + +One day during the time that Phonny was confined to his sofa, +Stuyvesant and Malleville had been playing with him for some time. At +last Stuyvesant and Malleville concluded to go out into the yard a +little while, and they left Phonny with a book to read. + +"I am sorry to leave you alone," said Stuyvesant. + +"Oh, no matter," said Phonny, "I can read. But there is one thing I +should like." + +"What is that?" said Stuyvesant. + +"I should like to see Frink. I suppose it would not do to bring him in +here. Would it, mother?" + +Mrs. Henry was sitting at her window at this time sewing. + +"Why, I don't know," said Mrs. Henry. "How can you bring him in?" she +asked. + +"Oh, I can put his house upon a board," said Stuyvesant, "and put him +into it, and then bring house and all." + +"Well," said Mrs. Henry, "I have no objection. Only get a smooth and +clean board." + +So Stuyvesant went out to the shop to get the squirrel. He found him +perched upon the handle of the hand-saw, which was hanging against the +wall. + +"Come, Frink, come with me," said Stuyvesant. So he extended his hand +and took Frink down. + +"Ah!" said he, "I have not got your house ready yet. So you will +please to go down into my pocket until I am ready." + +So saying, Stuyvesant slipped the squirrel into his jacket-pocket, +leaving his head and the tip of his tail out. The squirrel being +accustomed to such operations, remained perfectly still. Stuyvesant +then found a board a little larger than the bottom of the squirrel's +house, and putting this board upon the bench, he placed the house upon +it. He then took Frink out of his pocket and slipped him into the +door. He next put a block before the door to keep the squirrel from +coming out, and then taking up the board by the two ends he carried it +out of the shop. + +He walked along the yard with it until he came to the piazza, and then +went in at Mrs. Henry's window, which was open. As soon as he had gone +in, Mrs. Henry shut her window, and Malleville shut the doors. +Stuyvesant then put the house down upon a chair, and took the block +away from the door to let the squirrel come out. + +Frink seemed at first greatly astonished to find himself in a parlor. +The first thing that he did was to run up to the top of a tall clock +which stood in the corner, and perching himself upon a knob there, he +began to gaze around the room. + +[Illustration: FRINK IN THE PARLOR.] + +Phonny was very much amused at this. Stuyvesant and Malleville were +very much amused, too. They postponed their plan of going out to play +for some time, in order that they might see Frink run about the +parlor. At length, however, they went away, and Phonny commenced +reading his story. After a time, Frink crept slyly along and perched +himself on the back of the sofa, close to the book out of which Phonny +was reading. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE JOURNEY. + + +One evening about a week after the occurrences related in the last +chapter, when Phonny's foot had got entirely well, Mrs. Henry went to +the door which led to the back yard with a letter in her hand. She was +looking for Stuyvesant. + +Presently she saw him and Phonny coming through the garden gate with +tools in their hands. They had been down to build a bridge across a +small brook in a field beyond the garden. + +"Stuyvesant," said Mrs. Henry, "I have just received a letter from +your father." + +Stuyvesant's eye brightened as Mrs. Henry said this, and he pressed +eagerly forward to learn what the letter contained. + +"It is about you," said Mrs. Henry, "and it is a very important letter +indeed." + +"What is it?" said Phonny eagerly. "Read it to us, mother." + +So Mrs. Henry opened the letter and read it as follows,--the boys +standing before her all the time, with their tools in their hands. + + "NEW YORK, June 20. + + "My Dear Sister, + + "My business has taken such a turn that I am obliged to go + to Europe, to be gone five or six weeks, and I am thinking + seriously of taking Stuyvesant with me. He is so thoughtful + and considerate a boy that I think he will give me very + little trouble, and he will be a great deal of company for + me, on the way. Besides I think he will be amused and + entertained himself with what he will see in traveling + through England, and in London and Paris, and I do not think + that he will care much for whatever hardships we may have to + endure on the voyage. So I have concluded to take him, if he + would like to go. I intend to sail in the steamer of the + first, so that it will be necessary for him to come home + immediately. I would rather have him come home _alone_, if + he feels good courage for such an undertaking,--as I think + he could take care of himself very well, and the experience + which he would acquire by such a journey would be of great + service to him. If he seems inclined to come alone, please + send him on as soon as may be. Furnish him with plenty of + money, and give him all necessary directions. If on the + other hand he appears to be a little afraid, send some one + with him. Perhaps Beechnut could come." + +Here Mrs. Henry raised her eyes from the letter as if she had read all +that related to the subject, and Phonny immediately exclaimed. + +"Send me, mother; send _me_. I'll go and take care of him. Let me go, +Stivy, that will be the best plan." As he said this Phonny, using his +hoe for a vaulting pole, began to leap about the yard with delight at +the idea. + +Stuyvesant remained where he was, with a pleased though thoughtful +expression of countenance, but saying nothing. + +"I'll give you two hours to think of it," said Mrs. Henry, addressing +Stuyvesant. "You must set off either alone or with Beechnut to-morrow +morning." + +"Well," said Stuyvesant, "I will think of it and come to tell you. And +now, Phonny, let us go and put away the tools." + +In the course of the two hours which Stuyvesant was allowed for +considering the question, he made a great many inquiries of Beechnut +in respect to the journey, asking not only in relation to the course +which he should pursue at the different points in the journey if every +thing went prosperously and well, but also in regard to what he should +do in the various contingencies which might occur on the way. + +"Do you advise me to try it?" said Stuyvesant. + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "by all means; and that is very disinterested +advice, for there is nothing that I should like better than to go with +you." + +Mrs. Henry herself afterward asked Beechnut if he thought it would be +safe for Stuyvesant to go alone. + +"Just as safe," said Beechnut, "as it would be for him to go under my +charge. There is always danger of accidents, in traveling," he added, +"but there is no more danger for Stuyvesant alone than if he were in +company." + +"But will he know what to do always," said Mrs. Henry, "in order to +get along?" + +"I think he will," said Beechnut. "I shall explain it all to him +beforehand." + +"But there may be some accident," said Mrs. Henry. "The train may run +off the track, or there may be a collision." + +"That is true," replied Beechnut, "but those things will be as likely +to happen if I were with him as if he were alone. It seems to me that +when a boy gets as old as Stuyvesant, the only advantage of having +some one with him when he is traveling is to keep him from doing +careless or foolish things,--and Stuyvesant can take care of himself +in that respect." + +It was finally decided that Stuyvesant should go alone. + +About eight o'clock, Mrs. Henry went up into Stuyvesant's room to pack +his trunk, but she found it packed already. Stuyvesant had put every +thing in, and had arranged the various articles in a very systematic +and orderly manner. The trunk was all ready to be locked and strapped; +but it was left open in order that Mrs. Henry might see that all was +right. + +Besides his trunk, Stuyvesant had a small carpet-bag, which contained +such things as he expected to have occasion to use on the way. In this +carpet-bag was a night-dress, rolled up snugly, and also a change of +clean linen. Besides these things there were two books which +Stuyvesant had borrowed of Phonny to read in the cars, in case there +should chance to be any detention by the way. Stuyvesant had a small +morocco portfolio too, which shut with a clasp, and contained note and +letter paper, and wafers and postage stamps. This portfolio he always +carried with him on his journeys, so that he could, at any time, have +writing materials at hand, in case he wished to write a letter. He +carried the portfolio in his carpet-bag. There was a small square +morocco-covered inkstand also in the carpet-bag. It shut with a spring +and a catch, and kept the ink very securely. + +Mrs. Henry calculated that it would cost Stuyvesant about ten dollars +to go from Franconia to New York; so she put ten dollars, in small +bills, in Stuyvesant's wallet, and also a ten dollar bill besides, in +the inner compartment of his wallet, to be used in case of emergency. +When all these arrangements were made, she told Stuyvesant that he +might go and find Beechnut, and get his directions. + +Stuyvesant accordingly went in pursuit of Beechnut. He found him +sitting on a bench, under a trellis covered with woodbine, at the +kitchen door, enjoying the cool of the evening. Malleville was with +him, and he was telling her a story. Stuyvesant and Phonny came and +sat down upon the bench near to Beechnut. + +"So then it is decided that you are to go alone," said Beechnut. + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant, "and I have come to you to get my directions." + +"Well," said Beechnut. "I am glad you are going. You will have a very +pleasant journey, I have no doubt,--that is, if you have accidents +enough." + +"Accidents!" said Stuyvesant. "So you wish me to meet with accidents?" + +"Yes," said Beechnut. "I don't desire that you should meet with any +very serious or dangerous accidents, but the more common accidents +that you meet with, the more you will have to amuse and entertain you. +If it were only winter now, there would be a prospect that you might +be blocked up in a snow storm." + +"Hoh!" said Phonny, "that would be a dreadful thing." + +"No," replied Beechnut, "not dreadful at all. For people who are on +business, and who are in haste to get to the end of their journey, it +is bad to meet with accidents and delays; but for boys, and for people +who are traveling for pleasure, the more adventures they meet with the +better." + +"Accidents are not adventures," said Phonny. + +"They lead to adventures," replied Beechnut. + +"But now for my directions," said Stuyvesant. + +"Well, as for your directions," replied Beechnut, "I can either go +over the whole ground with you, and tell you what to do in each +particular case,--or I can give you one universal rule, which will +guide you in traveling in all cases, wherever you go. Which would you +prefer?" + +"I should prefer the rule," said Stuyvesant, "if that will be enough +to guide me." + +"Yes," said Beechnut, "it is enough to guide you, not only from here +to New York, but all over the civilized world." + +"What is the rule?" asked Stuyvesant. + +"I shall write it down for you," replied Beechnut, "and you can read +it in the stage, to-morrow morning, or in the cars." + +"Well," said Stuyvesant,--"if you are sure that it will be enough for +me." + +"Yes," replied Beechnut, "I am sure it will be enough. It is the rule +that I always travel by, and I find it will carry me safely anywhere. +It is an excellent rule for ladies, who are traveling alone. If they +would only trust themselves to it, it would be all the guidance that +they would need." + +"Well," said Stuyvesant, "I will decide to take the rule." + +Shortly after this, Beechnut and the children all went into the house, +and Stuyvesant and Phonny went to bed. Stuyvesant was so much excited, +however, at the thoughts of his journey, that it was a long time +before he could get to sleep. + +He woke at the earliest dawn. He rose and dressed himself, and took +his breakfast at six o'clock. At seven the stage came for him. +Beechnut carried his trunk out to the stage, and the driver strapped +it on in its place, behind. Mrs. Henry and Malleville stood at the +door to see. Stuyvesant went first to the kitchen, to bid Dorothy +good-by, and then came out through the front door, and bade Mrs. Henry +and Malleville good-by. + +[Illustration: THE DEPARTURE.] + +By this time the driver of the stage had finished strapping on the +trunk, and had opened the door and was waiting for Stuyvesant to get +in. Beechnut handed Stuyvesant a small note. He said that the +Traveling Rule was inside of it, but that Stuyvesant must not open the +note until he got into the car on the railroad. So Stuyvesant took the +note and put it in his pocket, and then shaking hands with Beechnut +and Phonny, and putting his carpet-bag in before him, he climbed up +the steps and got into the stage. The driver shut the door, mounted +upon the box, and drove away. + +Stuyvesant had about twenty-five miles to go in the stage. He was then +to take the cars upon a railroad and go about a hundred and fifty +miles to Boston. From Boston he was to go to New York, either by the +railroad all the way, or by one of the Sound boats, just as he +pleased. + +Stuyvesant had a great curiosity to know what the rule was which +Beechnut had written for him as a universal direction for traveling. +He had, however, been forbidden to open the note until he should reach +the cars. So he waited patiently, wondering what the rule could be. + +One reason in fact why Beechnut had directed Stuyvesant not to open +his note until he should reach the cars, was to give him something to +occupy his attention and amuse his thoughts on first going away from +home. The feeling of loneliness and home-sickness to be apprehended in +traveling under such circumstances, is always much greater when first +setting out on the journey than afterward, and Beechnut being aware +of this, thought it desirable to give Stuyvesant something to think of +when he first drove away from the door. + +When Stuyvesant first got into the stage he took a place on the middle +of the front seat, which was not a very good place, for he could not +see. Pretty soon, however, he had an opportunity to change to a place +on the middle seat, near the window. Here he enjoyed the ride very +much. He could look out and see the farms, and the farm-houses, and +the people passing, as the stage drove along, and at intervals he +amused himself with listening to the conversation of the people in the +stage. + +It was about ten o'clock when the stage arrived at the railroad +station. As they drew near to the place, Stuyvesant began to consider +what he should have to do in respect to getting his trunk transferred +from the stage to the train of cars. He knew very well that he could +ask the driver what to do, but he felt an ambition to find out +himself, and he accordingly concluded to wait until after he had +got out of the stage, and had had an opportunity to make his own +observations before troubling the driver with his questions. As for +his ticket, he was aware that he must buy that at the ticket-office, +and he supposed that he could find the ticket-office very readily. + +When the stage stopped, Stuyvesant and all the other passengers got +out. The stage was standing near a platform which extended along the +side of one of the buildings of the station. As soon as the passengers +had got out, the driver began to take off the trunks from the rack +behind the stage, and to put them on the platform. + +There was a gentleman among the passengers who had said in the course +of conversation in the stage, that he belonged in Boston, and was +going there. It occurred to Stuyvesant that it would be a good plan to +watch this man and see what he would do in respect to his trunk, and +then do the same in respect to his own. So he stood on the platform +while the driver was taking down the trunks, and said nothing. + +The driver put the trunks and baggage down, in heaps of confusion all +about the platform, and though the passengers were all standing +around, none of them paid much attention to what he was doing; this +led Stuyvesant to think that there was no urgent necessity for haste +or anxiety about the business, but that in some way or other it would +all come right in the end. So he stood quietly by, and said nothing. + +The result was just as he had anticipated; for after he had been +standing there a short time, a man with a band about his hat, on which +were inscribed the words BAGGAGE-MASTER, came out from a door in the +station-house, and advancing toward the baggage with a business-like +air, he said, + +"Now then, gentlemen, tell me where all this baggage is going to?" + +As the baggage-master said this, the people standing by began to point +out their several trunks, and to say where they were to go. As fast as +the baggage-master was informed of the destination of the trunks and +carpet-bags, he would fasten a check upon each one by means of a small +strap, and give the mate of the check to the owner of the baggage. +Stuyvesant stood quietly by, watching this operation until it came to +the turn of the gentleman who he had observed was going to Boston. + +"That trunk is to go to Boston," said the gentleman, pointing to his +trunk. + +So the baggage-master checked the trunk and gave the duplicate check +to the gentleman. + +"And that trunk is to go to Boston too," said Stuyvesant, pointing to +his own trunk. + +So the baggage-master put a check upon Stuyvesant's trunk and gave +Stuyvesant the duplicate of it. + +Stuyvesant observed that as soon as the baggage was checked, the +owners of it appeared to go away at once, and to give themselves +no farther concern about it, and he inferred that it would be safe +for him to do so too. So he went into the station to find the +ticket-office, in order to buy his ticket. He saw, in a corner of the +room, a sort of window with a counter before it, and a sign, with the +words TICKET OFFICE above. Stuyvesant went to this window. The Boston +gentleman was there, buying his ticket. + +"_One_ for Boston," said the gentleman. As he said this, he laid down +a bank-bill upon the counter just within the window. The ticket seller +gave him two tickets and some change. + +"He said _one_ and he has got _two_," said Stuyvesant to himself. "I +wonder what that means." + +Stuyvesant then took the Boston gentleman's place at the window, and +laid down a bank bill upon the counter, saying: + +"_Half_ a one, for Boston." + +The ticket-seller looked at Stuyvesant a moment over his spectacles, +with a very inquiring expression of countenance, and then said, + +"How old are you, my boy?" + +"I am between nine and ten," said Stuyvesant. + +"And are you going to Boston, all alone?" asked the man. + +"Yes, sir," said Stuyvesant. + +So the man gave Stuyvesant two tickets and his change, and Stuyvesant +put them, tickets, money and all, carefully in his wallet, and turned +away. He observed that each of his tickets had one of the corners cut +off. This was to show that they were for a boy who had only paid +half-price. + +As Stuyvesant turned to go away, he met the driver of the stage coming +toward him. + +"Ah, Stuyvesant," said he, "I was looking for you. Have you got your +tickets?" + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant. + +"And is your trunk checked?" asked the driver. + +"Yes," said Stuyvesant. + +"Very well, then; it's all right. I was going to show you. I did not +suppose that you knew how to take care of yourself so well." + +There were no cars at the station at this time. It was a way station, +and the train was to pass there, and stop a few minutes to take up +passengers, but it had not yet arrived. Stuyvesant went round to see +what had been done with his trunk. It had been removed from the place +where he had left it, but after a time he found it, with others, on +another platform near the railroad track. He supposed that that was +the place where the train was to come in. + +He was right in this supposition, for in a few minutes the sound of +the whistle was heard in the distance, and soon afterward the train +came thundering in. It slackened its speed as it advanced, and finally +stopped opposite to the platform on which Stuyvesant was standing. The +baggage-master put the trunks into the baggage car, and the passengers +got into the passenger cars, and in a very few minutes the bell rang, +and the train began to move on again. Stuyvesant got an excellent seat +near a window. + +"Now," said he, "for Beechnut's rule." + +So Stuyvesant opened his note, and read as follows:-- + + "UNIVERSAL RULE FOR INEXPERIENCED TRAVELERS. + + "Keep a quiet mind, and do as other people + do. BEECHNUT." + +"That's just what I have been doing all the time," said Stuyvesant to +himself, as soon as he had read the paper. "I found out Beechnut's +rule myself, before he told me." + +This was true; for Stuyvesant's instinctive good sense and sagacity +had taught him that when traveling with a multitude of other people, +who were almost all perfectly familiar with the usages of the road, a +stranger would always find sufficient means of guidance in his +observation of those about him. It gave Stuyvesant pleasure to think +that he had found out the way to travel himself, and he was very glad +to have the wisdom of the method which he had adopted, confirmed by +Beechnut's testimony. + +During the whole of the journey to Boston, Stuyvesant guided himself +by observation of those about him. When the conductor came for the +tickets Stuyvesant looked to see what the others did, and then did the +same himself. At one time the cars stopped, and all the passengers +rose from their seats and seemed to be going out. Stuyvesant +accordingly rose and went with them. There was a man on the platform, +who called out as the people stepped down from the cars, "Passengers +for Boston will take the forward cars on the right." Stuyvesant +followed the crowd and entered with them into the cars of another +train. In fact the travelers had arrived at what is called a +_junction_, that is to a place where they come upon a railroad +belonging to another company, and here of course they took another +train. The fact that there were two railroads and two companies was +the reason why each passenger had two tickets. + +Stuyvesant wondered whether the baggage men would remember to transfer +his trunk to the new train, without his attending to it, but as he +observed that the other passengers did nothing about their trunks, but +went at once into the new cars, he concluded that he had nothing to do +but follow their example. + +When he arrived at Boston it was very late. This was owing to a +detention which took place on the road through a somewhat singular +cause. It seems that there was in one part of the road a very narrow +_cut_, through a rocky hill, and the company were attempting to widen +it in order to make a double track. They had accordingly been blasting +the rocks on one side of the cut, and having fired a very heavy charge +just before the train that Stuyvesant was in came along, an immense +mass of rocks had fallen down into the cut and covered the track so +that the train could not get by. The workman had accordingly sent a +man along with a red flag to stop the train when it should come, and +in the mean time they went to work with an enormous crane, which was +set up on the rocks above, to hoist the stones off from the track, and +swing them out of the way. A great many of the passengers got out and +went forward when the train stopped, in order to see this operation; +and Stuyvesant felt himself authorized by Beechnut's rule to go with +them. It took more than half an hour to raise and remove the rocks so +as to clear the track, and Stuyvesant had a very pleasant time in +watching the operation, and in listening to the remarks of the men +who were standing around. + +On account of this delay, and of some subsequent delays which were +caused by this one, it was quite late when the train arrived in +Boston. When the cars at length reached the Boston station and the +passengers began to get out, a great scene of noise and confusion +ensued. + +"Now," said Stuyvesant to himself, "I must obey the first part of +Beechnut's direction, and keep a quiet mind." + +He accordingly rose from his seat, and taking his carpet-bag in his +hand he went out with the rest of the passengers. There was a great +crowd of hackmen on the platform, all clamorously shouting together to +the passengers, offering their carriages and calling out the names of +the several hotels. Stuyvesant observed that those before him who +wished for a hack would quietly speak to one of these men, give him +their baggage tickets and then ask him to show them his carriage. +Stuyvesant accordingly did the same. He spoke to a man who was +standing there with a whip in his hand and asking every body if they +wanted a carriage. + +"I want a carriage," said Stuyvesant. "I want to go to the Marlboro' +Hotel." + +"Yes," said the man, eagerly. "I'll take you right there. Walk this +way and I'll show you the carriage." + +So Stuyvesant followed the man and got into his carriage. At the same +time he gave him his check and said, "That's for my trunk." The man +took the check and went away. In about ten minutes he returned with +the trunk, and after fastening it upon the carriage behind, he got +upon the box and drove away. + +Stuyvesant had a very fine time at the Marlboro' Hotel. He had a good +bed-room to sleep in that night, and an excellent breakfast the next +morning. He took a little walk in Washington-street after breakfast, +and then wrote a short letter to Phonny to tell him how well he had +got along on his journey. He wrote this letter in his room, having all +the necessary materials in his portfolio. When his letter was +finished, he brought it to the office of the hotel, and asked the +clerk how he could get that letter to the post-office. + +"Put it right in there," said the clerk. + +So saying, the clerk pointed to a letter-box on the counter, with an +opening at the top, and Stuyvesant dropped the letter in. He then +told the clerk that he wished to go to New York that day by the +afternoon train. The clerk said that it was very well, and that he +would have a carriage ready at the proper time to take him to the +station. Stuyvesant had no idea where the station was, or what the +arrangements would be there about checks and tickets; but he had no +doubt that he should find plenty of people there who were going to New +York that day, and that he could very easily find out, by observing +them, what he would have to do. + +And so it proved. He had no difficulty whatever. In fact, all that he +had to do was to throw himself, as it were, into the current, and be +floated along to New York without any care or concern. He arrived very +safely there at last, and his father was quite proud of him when he +found that he had come all the way home alone. + + THE END. + + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: + +Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors; otherwise, +every effort has been made to remain true to the author's words and +intent. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Stuyvesant, by Jacob Abbott + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STUYVESANT *** + +***** This file should be named 28776.txt or 28776.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/7/7/28776/ + +Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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