Part 23 (1/2)
”Indeed it will,” replied Humphrey; ”I only wish it were six acres instead of three.”
”I can't say I do,” replied Edward, laughing; ”you are too grand in your ideas; only think what a quant.i.ty of spruces we shall have to cut down on it, to post and rail what you just propose. Let it be three acres first, Humphrey; and when they are inclosed, you may begin to talk of three more.”
”Well, perhaps you are right, Edward,” said Humphrey.
”Why, here's Pablo coming after us; he's not coming to work, I presume, but to amuse himself by looking on.”
”I don't think he's strong enough to do much hard work, Humphrey, although he appears very ingenious.”
”No, I agree with you; and if he is to work, depend upon it it must not be by having work set out for him; he would take a disgust to it directly. I have another plan for him.”
”And what is that, Humphrey?”
”I shall not set him any thing to do, and shall make him believe that I do not think he is able to do any thing. That will pique him, and I think by that means I shall get more work out of him than you would think, especially when, after he has done it, I express my wonder and give him praise.”
”Not a bad idea, that; you will work upon his pride, which is probably stronger than his laziness.”
”I do not think him lazy, but I think him unused to hard work, and having lived a life of wandering and idleness, not very easy to be brought to constant and dayly work, except by degrees, and by the means which I propose. Here we are,” continued Humphrey, throwing his ax and bill-hook down, and proceeding to take off his doublet; ”now for an hour or two's fulfillment of the sentence of our first parents-to wit, 'the sweat of the brow.'”
Edward followed Humphrey's example in taking off his doublet; they selected the long thin trees most fitted for rails, and were hard at work when Pablo came up to them. More than a dozen trees had fallen, and lay one upon the other, before they stopped a while to recover themselves a little.
”Well, Pablo,” said Humphrey, wiping his forehead, ”I suppose you think looking on better than cutting down trees; and so it is.”
”What cut down trees for?”
”To make posts and rails to fence in more ground. I shall not leave the boughs on.”
”No cut them off by-and-by, and then put poles on the cart and carry them home.”
Edward and Humphrey then recommenced their labor, and worked for another half hour, when they paused to recover their wind.
”Hard work, Pablo,” said Humphrey.
”Yes, very hard work; Pablo not strong enough.”
”Oh no, you are not able to do any thing of this kind, I know. No work this for gipsies; they take birds' nests and catch rabbits.”
”Yes,” replied Pablo, nodding, ”and you eat them.”
”So he does, Pablo,” said Edward, ”so you are useful in your way; for if he had nothing to eat, he would not be able to work. Strong man cut down trees, weak man catch rabbits.”
”Both good,” said Pablo.
”Yes, but strong man like work; not strong man not like work, Pablo. So now look on again, for we must have another spell.”
”Strong man cut down trees, not strong man cut off branches,” said Pablo, taking up the bill-hook and setting to work to cut off the boughs, which he did with great dexterity and rapidity.
Edward and Humphrey exchanged glances and smiles, and then worked away in silence till it was, as they supposed, dinner time. They were not wrong in their supposition, although they had no other clock than their appet.i.tes, which, however, tell the time pretty correctly to those who work hard. Alice had the platters on the table, and was looking out to see if they were coming.
”Why, Pablo, have you been at work?” said Edith.