. Alice, if we only
had a cow, wouldn't that be jolly?"

The crops were now all up, and as the days began to be long, the work
became comparatively light and easy. Humphrey was busy making a little
wheelbarrow for Edith, that she might barrow away the weeds as he hoed
them up; and at last this great performance was completed, much to the
admiration of all, and much to his own satisfaction. Indeed, when it is
recollected that Humphrey had only the hand-saw and axe, and that he had
to cut down the tree, and then to saw it into plank, it must be
acknowledged that it required great patience and perseverance even to
make a wheelbarrow; but Humphrey was not only persevering, but was full
of invention. He had built up a hen-house with fir poles, and made the
nests for the hens to lay and hatch in, and they now had between forty
and fifty chickens running about. He had also divided the pigsty, so
that the sow might be kept apart from the other pigs; and they expected
very soon to have a litter of young pigs. He had transplanted the wild
strawberries from the forest, and had by manure made them large and
good; and he had also a fine crop of onions in the garden, from seed
which Jacob had bought at Lymington; now Humphrey was very busy cutting
down some poles in the forest to make a cow-house, for he declared that
he would have a cow somehow or another. June arrived, and it was time
to mow down grass to make into hay for the winter, and Jacob had two
scythes. He showed the boys how to use them, and they soon became
expert; and as there was plenty of long grass at this time of the year,
and they could mow when they pleased, they soon had White Billy in full
employment carrying the hay home. The little girls helped to make it,
for Humphrey had made them two rakes. Jacob thought that there was hay
enough made, but Humphrey said that there was enough for the pony, but
not enough for the cow.

"But where is the cow to come from, Humphrey?"

"Where the venison comes from," replied he,--"out of the forest."

So Humphrey continued to mow and make hay, while Edward and Jacob went
out for venison. After all the hay was made and stacked, Humphrey found
out a method of thatching with fern, which Jacob had never thought of;
and when that was done, they commenced cutting down fern for fodder.
Here again Humphrey would have twice as much as Jacob had ever cut
before, because he wanted litter for the cow. At last it became quite a