Rollo at Work Part 9

James and Rollo remained, according to Jonas's proposal, near the bars, while he went along the path towards the spring. Rollo and James had a fine time gathering blackberries, until, at last, they saw the cows coming, lowing along the path. Presently they saw Jonas's head among the bushes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Cows.]

When he came up to the boys, he told them it was lucky that they did not go with him.

"Why?" said Rollo.

"I came upon an enormous hornet's nest, and you would very probably have got stung."

"Where was it?" said James.

"O, it was right over the path, just before you get to the spring."

The boys said they were very sorry to hear that, for now they could not go to the spring any more; but Jonas said he meant to destroy the nest.

"How shall you destroy it?" said Rollo.

"I shall burn it up."

"But how can you?" said Rollo.

Jonas then explained to them how he was going to burn the hornet's nest.

He said he should take a long pole with two p.r.o.ngs at one end like a pitchfork, and with that fork up a bunch of hay. Then he should set the top of the hay on fire, and stand it up directly under the nest.

The boys continued talking about the hornet's nest all the way home, and forgot to say any thing more about the causey until just as they were going into the yard. Then they told Jonas that he had not told them how to put on the gravel, on the top.

He said he could not tell them then, and, besides, they would have as much as they could do to put in stones for one day.

Besides, James said it was sundown, and time for him to go home; but he promised to come the next morning, if his mother would let him, as soon as he had finished his lessons.

Keeping Tally.

Rollo and James began their work the next day about the middle of the forenoon, determined to obey Jonas's directions exactly, and to work industriously for an hour. They put a number of small pieces of board upon their wheelbarrows, to put along the pathway at first, and just as they had got them placed, Jonas came down just to see whether they were beginning right.

He saw them wheel in one or two loads of stones, and told them he thought they were doing very well.

"We have earned one cent already," said Rollo.

"How," said Jonas; "is your father going to pay you for your work?"

"Yes," said Rollo, "a cent for every two loads we put in."

"Then you must keep tally," said Jonas.

"_Tally_," said Rollo, "what is tally?"

"Tally is the reckoning. How are you going to remember how many loads you wheel in?"

"O, we can remember easily enough," said Rollo: "we will count them as we go along."

"That will never do," said Jonas. "You must mark them down with a piece of chalk on your wheelbarrow."

So saying, Jonas fumbled in his pockets, and drew out a small, well-worn piece of chalk, and then tipped up Rollo's wheelbarrow, saying,

"How many loads do you say you have carried already?"

"Two," said Rollo.

"Two," repeated Jonas; and he made two white marks with his chalk on the side of the wheelbarrow.

"There!" said he.

"Mark mine," said James; "I have wheeled two loads."

Jonas marked them, and then laid the chalk down upon a flat stone by the side of the path, and told the boys that they must stop after every load, and make a mark, and that would keep the reckoning exact.

Jonas then left them, and the boys went on with their work. They wheeled ten loads of stones apiece, and by that time had the bottom of the path all covered, so that they could not wheel any more, without the long boards. They went up and got the boards, and laid them down as Jonas had described, and then went on with their wheeling.

At first, James kept constantly stopping, either to play, or to hear Rollo talk; for they kept the wheelbarrows together all the time, as Jonas had recommended. At such times, Rollo would remind him of his work, for he had himself learned to work steadily. They were getting on very finely, when, at length, they heard a bell ringing at the house.

This bell was to call them home; for as Rollo and Jonas were often away at a little distance from the house, too far to be called very easily, there was a bell to ring to call them home; and Mary, the girl, had two ways of ringing it--one way for Jonas, and another for Rollo.

The bell was rung now for Rollo; and so he and James walked along towards home. When they had got about half way, they saw Rollo's father standing at the door, with a basket in his hand; and he called out to them to bring their wheelbarrows.

So the boys went back for their wheelbarrows.

When they came up a second time with their wheelbarrows before them, he asked how they had got along with their work.

"O, famously," said Rollo. "There is the tally," said he, turning up the side of the wheelbarrow towards his father, so that he could see all the marks.

"Why, have you wheeled as many loads as that?" said his father.

"Yes, sir," said Rollo, "and James just as many too."

"And were they all good loads?"

"Yes, all good, full loads."

"Well, you have done very well. Count them, and see how many there are."

The boys counted them, and found there were fifteen.

"That is enough to come to seven cents, and one load over," said Rollo's father; and he took out his purse, and gave the boys seven cents each, that is, a six-cent piece in silver, and one cent besides. He told them they might keep the money until they had finished their work, and then he would tell them about purchasing something with it.