of the fresh dates.

So the Egypt plan was reluctantly postponed; and, to make amends for the
disappointment to the little boys, an excursion for maple syrup was
proposed instead.

Mr. Peterkin considered it almost a necessity. They ought to acquaint
themselves with the manufactures of their own new country before
studying those of the oldest in the world. He had been inquiring into
the products of Egypt at the present time, and had found sugar to be one
of their staples. They ought, then, to understand the American methods
and compare them with those of Egypt. It would be a pretty attention,
indeed, to carry some of the maple sugar to the principal dignitaries
of Egypt.

But the difficulties in arranging an excursion proved almost as great
as for going to Egypt. Sugar-making could not come off until it was
warm enough for the sun to set the sap stirring. On the other hand,
it must be cold enough for snow, as you could only reach the woods on
snow-sleds. Now, if there were sun enough for the sap to rise, it would
melt the snow; and if it were cold enough for sledding, it must be too
cold for the syrup. There seemed an impossibility about the whole thing.
The little boys, however, said there always had been maple sugar every
spring,--they had eaten it; why shouldn't there be this spring?

Elizabeth Eliza insisted gloomily that this was probably old sugar they
had eaten,--you never could tell in the shops.

Mrs. Peterkin thought there must be fresh sugar occasionally, as the old
would have been eaten up. She felt the same about chickens. She never
could understand why there were only the old, tough ones in the market,
when there were certainly fresh young broods to be seen around the
farm-houses every year. She supposed the market-men had begun with the
old, tough fowls, and so they had to go on so. She wished they had begun
the other way; and she had done her best to have the family eat up the
old fowls, hoping they might, some day, get down to the young ones.

As to the uncertainty about the weather, she suggested they should go to
Grandfather's the day before. But how can you go the day before, when
you don't yet know the day?

All were much delighted, therefore, when Hiram appeared with the
wood-sled, one evening, to take them, as early as possible the next
day, to their grandfather's. He reported that the sap had started,
the kettles had been on some time, there had been a light snow for
sleighing, and to-mor