one difficulty, however, and that was that the gravel rolled
over each side of the mole, and went into the water. To prevent this,
they arranged the largest stones on each side, in a row, for the edge,
and then filled in with gravel up to the edge, and thus they gradually
advanced towards the middle of the stream, finishing the mole completely
as they went on. Caleb then said he liked it very much, and wanted to
walk on it. So the boys let him. He went out to the end, and stood there
a minute, and then said that he wished he had his whip there, to whip in
a stick which was sailing down a little way off.

"Where is your whip?" said David.

"I suppose it is hanging up on its nail," said Caleb, "I mean to go and
get it."

So Caleb walked off the mole, and went slowly up towards the house,
singing by the way, while David and Dwight went after another load of
gravel. While they were putting down this load, and spreading it on,
Caleb came back, looking disappointed and sorrowful, and saying that he
could not find his whip.

"Where did you put it when you had it last?" asked David.

"I put it on the nail," said Caleb, "I always put it on the nail."

"O, no, Caleb," said Dwight; "you must have left it about somewhere."

"No," said Caleb, shaking his head with a positive air, "I am _sure_ I
put it on my nail."

"When did you have it last?"

"Why,--let me see," said Caleb, thinking. "I had it yesterday, playing
horses on the wood-pile: and then I had it this morning,--I
believe,--when I went up the brook to meet Raymond."

"Then you left it up there, I know," said Dwight.

"No," said Caleb, "I am sure I put it on my nail."

"You did not have it, Caleb," said David, mildly, "when we met you on
the bridge."

"Didn't I?" said Caleb, standing still and trying to think.

"No," replied Dwight, decidedly.

"I wish you would go up there with me, and help me find it."

"Why, we want to finish our mole," said David.

"I'll go," said Dwight, "while you, David, get another load of gravel.
Come, Caleb," said he, "go and shew me where it was."

So Dwight and Caleb walked on. They went down to the bridge, crossed the
stream upon it, then turned up, on the opposite bank, and walked on
until they came to the cotton landing. Caleb then pointed to the place
where he had fallen in; and they looked all about there, upon the bank,
and in the water, but in vain. No whip was to be found.

Before they returned, they stopped a mome