Stuyvesant: A Franconia Story

tiat

o Phonny and Wallace, in order to explain h

der to get down to the mill where Espy lived, before the squirrel shou

e squirrel, if Espy will

ur mother would be wi

, "certainly. What obj

that it would occasion

y trouble," said Phonny. "I s

Wallace, "if you were only considerate and carefu

't think that it will mak

keep your squirre

e back room," sai

t a cage?" a

onny, "but I

of trouble. You would be inquiring all about the house, for tools, and boards, and wire,-that is u

out-buildings, which he called his shop, and used for that purpose, and

eave the doors open, going and coming,

very sure that I shall

red of your squirrel, and will forget to feed him, and so your mother

"I should not forget

t to feed your hen

hesitatingly, "but tha

buy the squirrel with. For I suppose you have not saved any of your own, from your allowa

k both in his right hand, now shifted them into his left, and then putting his right hand into his left v

in t

rode along, and found that there was a

ur money?"

said

ve money, so as to have a stock on hand for any unexpected emergency, is one of

e which Phonny felt at having deserved these praises, but as he gave back the wallet

"that my mother just gave me fo

no opportunity to

said P

sin's estimation by this avowal, but he was in fact r

deserve," thought Wallace to himself. "That is a good sign. That is a

He did not, however, express the thought, but went

got money enough t

nny, "if a quar

ued, "that is, troubling the family about making the cage, we can dispose of that very easily, too, for I can help you about t

ise not to do th

d Wallace, in a to

nny, "I'll prom

e?" said Wallace. "They would not be considered

d Phonny; "I always

any noise or disturbance in the family wit

aid Phonny, "h

to dispose of as I p

you do with him

so that he should not be the means of any more trouble. Perhaps I sh

t to pay me what I gav

g him to make trouble. If you make noise and disturbance with him, it is your fault, and you lose the squir

. But perhaps you will say that I mak

n umpire, then,

umpire?" a

e is a dispute," replied Wall

t," said

," said

is, perhaps you will neglect to feed him, and then we shall

d; "I shall certainly feed him eve

ree to forfeit him, if

onny. "But I certainly shal

u fail," rejoined Wallace; "for if you certainly do feed him

I might be sick, or I might be gone away, and I might ask Stuyvesant to

except for neglect. It must be a real and inexcu

Phonny, "I

e and disturbance with your squirrel, and for neglecting to feed him. After

Phonny, "I

d before them the prospect of a wide and beautiful valley. A short distance before them down the valley, there was a stream with

of the stream, just below the mill. It was at a place where the road lay along the bank of the stream, at a little distance from it. The stream was very broad at this place, and the water

ng. Two other boys were near the water at a little distance,

as fishing, called out in a loud and authoritative tone to o

t throw sticks into the water

calling out to the

without, however, mo

there anywhere

ter, without directly answering Phonny, though h

sp

ut of a little thicket which was near the water, just b

ere in the road," said

Wallace and Phonny, but did not advance. His hand was extended toward a branch of the tree which he had taken hold of to help him

anger to him. He did not know whether he was wanted for any good pu

a minute,"

id not

ap up in the woo

" sai

it," rejoined Phonny,

Espy himself taking his hand down from the tree, came forward a few steps. Wallace and Phonny too a

d Phonny, "if he has not gnawed out;-and I

a squirrel is

onny. "I couldn't see a

he is worth a quarter. If it's a red sq

tinued Espy, after a moment'

ce la

he is," asked Wallace, "and we tak

ow which it i

go near the cage, and Phonny did not open

w his nose,-but I don't know at al

m for eighteen c

aid Phonny. "He was gnawing out as

"you will not have anything to pay, of

his gnawing out. You give me ten cents now, and you may have him if he is ther

honny. "Would

"You must decide. There is con

cents," said Phonny-"onl

llace, "and then you can

nny, "I believe

in addressing Espy,-"to carry the squirrel ho

" said

rom his pocket, and gave it to Esp

honny, "we mu

length, on ascending a hill, they were

onny, "what a capital bargain I shall have made. A

h more valuable than a red one," said Wall

a great deal larger, and then, they have a beautiful bushy tail, that lays all the time

re a kind of reddish brown, so that they are not very pretty,

so, too," s

e altogether the most

" said Wallace, "now

o take down the bars. As soon as he had got them down, he left Wallace to go through with the horses, at his le

and then dismounted, intending to put the bars up. He had just got off his horse when he saw Phonny coming from th

honny, "the squirrel h

?" said

"I left it on that r

and put his foot upon the rock,

tical spot where I put

d at a loss w

have taken him

" said

ed. They heard the voices

are now,"

said Wallace, "and

ion of the voices. They followed a path which led down a sort of glen, and after riding a short distance they saw

rge and two small. The large

ng out aloud to the boys, "s

did not

irrel," said Phonny, "y

it belongs to Espy, and I a

n a low tone to Phonny;

e just been down to Espy's and have bought the

plainly by his countenance and his manner, that he did not mean to gi

have bought him, and

hem," said Phonny, in a low tone to Wallace; "I d

take the trap away, perhaps, but they would

e do, then?"

n, directly, but called out again t

e can't carry him home very well on horseback, at least till we get out of the woods, because the road is so steep

id the boy

road which they were to take. Wallace and Phonny led the way, and he followed. As soon as he

he. "The prettiest gray

ve the boy his six cents, and the boy handed the trap up to Phonny. Phonny held it upon the pommel of the saddle, directly before him. He found that the squirrel had gnawed through the board so as to get his nose out, but he could not gn

y," said Phonny. "He is one

le, to contrive some way to make it for their interest to d

fficulty, and arrived at home, with his squirrel all safe, just at