"how many things I could do if he would only work! Now, I'll tell you
one thing--I will dig a saw-pit and get a saw, and then I can cut out
boards, and build anything we want. The first time I go to Lymington I
will buy a saw--I can afford it now; and I'll make a carpenter's bench
for the first thing, and then, with some more tools, I shall get on; and
then, Edward, I'll tell you what else I will do."

"Then, Humphrey," replied Edward, laughing, "you must tell me some other
time, for it is now very late, and I must go to bed, as I have to rise
early. I know you have so many projects in your mind that it would take
half the night to listen to them."

"Well, I believe what you say is true," replied Humphrey, "and it will
be better to do one thing at a time than to talk about doing a hundred;
so we will, as you say, to bed."

At sunrise Edward and Humphrey were both up; Alice came out when they
tapped at her door, as she would not let Edward go without his
breakfast. Edith joined them, and they went to prayers. While they
were so employed, Pablo came out and listened to what was said. When
prayers were over, Humphrey asked Pablo if he knew what they had been
doing.

"No, not much; suppose you pray sun to shine."

"No, Pablo," said Edith, "pray to God to make us good."

"You bad then?" said Pablo; "me not bad."

"Yes, Pablo, everybody very bad," said Alice; "but if we try to be good,
God forgives us."

The conversation was then dropped, and as soon as Edward had had his
breakfast, he kissed his sisters, bidding them and Humphrey farewell: he
then threw his gun over his arm, and calling his puppy, which he had
named Holdfast, set off on his journey across the forest.

Holdfast, as well as Humphrey's puppy, which had been named Watch, had
grown very fine young animals. The first had been named Holdfast,
because it would seize the pigs by the ears and lead them into the sty,
and the other because it was so alert at the least noise: but, as
Humphrey said, Watch ought to have learnt to lead the pigs, it being
more in his line of business than Holdfast's, which was to be brought up
for hunting in the forest, while Watch was being educated as a house and
farm-yard dog.

Edward had refused to take the pony, as Humphrey required it for the
farm-work, and the weather was so fine that he preferred walking; the
more so, as it would enable him on his return across the forest to try
for some venison, which he could no