n," Rollo answered, "who have got some sand to sell."

His mother looked out of the window, and had quite a talk with them about
their sand; she asked them where it came from, what color it was, and
whether it was free from pebble-stones. The boys had to admit that there
were a good many pebble-stones in it, and that pebble-stones were not very
good to scour floors with.

The Gray Garden.

At last, Rollo's mother recommended that they should carry the sand out to
a corner of the yard, where the chips used to be, and spread it out there,
and stick their flowers up in it for a garden.

The boys liked this plan very much. "We can make walks and beds,
beautifully, in the sand," said Rollo. "But, mother, do you think the
flowers will grow?"

"No," said his mother, "flowers will not grow in sand; but, as it is
rather a shady place, and you can water them occasionally, they will keep
green and bright a good many days, and then, you know, you can get some
more."

So the boys wheeled the sand out to the corner of the yard, took the
flowers out carefully, and then tipped the sand down and spread it out.
They tried to make walks and beds, but they found they had not got as much
sand as they wanted. So they concluded to go back and get some more.

In fact, they found that, by getting a great many wheelbarrow loads of
sand, they could cover over the whole corner, and make a noble large place
for a sand-garden. And then, besides, as James said, when they were tired
of it for a garden, they could build cities there, instead of having to go
away down to the brook.

So they went on wheeling their loads of sand, for an hour or two. James
had not learned to work as well as Rollo had, and he was constantly
wanting to stop, and run into the woods, or play in the water; but Rollo
told him it would be better to get all the sand up, first. They at last
got quite a great heap, and then went and got a rake and hoe to level it
down smooth.

Thus the afternoon passed away; and at last Mary told the boys that they
must come and get ready for tea, for she was going to carry it in soon.

A Contract.

So Rollo and James brushed the loose sand from their clothes, and washed
their faces and hands, and went in. As tea was not quite ready, they sat
down on the front-door steps before Rollo's father, who was then sitting
in his arm-chair in the entry, reading.

He shut up the book, and began to talk with the boys.

"Well, bo