ink 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, f