o sew the
bright strips of stars, and pricked their little fingers assiduously,
finding this sort of needle-work much more attractive than piecing
bed-quilts.

Such a snipping and pasting, planning and stitching as went on in the
big back room, which was given up to them, and such a noble array of
banners and petitions as soon decorated its walls, would have caused the
dullest eye to brighten with amusement, if not with admiration. Of
course, the Stars and Stripes hung highest, with the English lion
ramping on the royal standard close by; then followed a regular
picture-gallery, for there was the white elephant of Siam, the splendid
peacock of Burmah, the double-headed Russian eagle, and black dragon of
China, the winged lion of Venice, and the prancing pair on the red,
white, and blue flag of Holland. The keys and mitre of the Papal States
were a hard job, but up they went at last, with the yellow crescent of
Turkey on one side and the red full moon of Japan on the other; the
pretty blue and white flag of Greece hung below and the cross of free
Switzerland above. If materials had held out, the flags of all the
United States would have followed; but paste and patience were
exhausted, so the busy workers rested awhile before they "flung their
banner to the breeze," as the newspapers have it.

A spell of ship-building and rigging followed the flag fit; for Thorny,
feeling too old now for such toys, made over his whole fleet to "the
children," condescending, however, to superintend a thorough repairing
of the same before he disposed of all but the big man-of-war, which
continued to ornament his own room, with all sail set and a little red
officer perpetually waving his sword on the quarter-deck.

These gifts led to out-of-door water-works, for the brook had to be
dammed up, that a shallow ocean might be made, where Ben's piratical
"Red Rover," with the black flag, might chase and capture Bab's smart
frigate, "Queen," while the "Bounding Betsey," laden with lumber, safely
sailed from Kennebunkport to Massachusetts Bay. Thorny, from his chair,
was chief-engineer, and directed his gang of one how to dig the basin,
throw up the embankment, and finally let in the water till the mimic
ocean was full; then regulate the little water-gate, lest it should
overflow and wreck the pretty squadron or ships, boats, canoes, and
rafts, which soon rode at anchor there.

Digging and paddling in mud and water proved such a delightful past