132 BRAGGADOCIO.

loud, and talked over the things that he read,
with his sister, all day long.

At supper time, Mixon came in with the
empty basket, and laid another half dollar
upon the table, which was divided as before,
Bessie being the banker.

Thus they went on till Tom had two whole
dollars of his own. Meantime, the house on
the island had not been entirely neglected.
Tom and Bessie had spent many hours there.
Tom’s working tools had been carried over from
time to time; and the house was raised, and
covered with rough boards. The chimney and
furnace had not been built, because Tom want-
ed mortar. He now could buy lime, and he
had learned from Pat Malony how to make the
mortar. There was a large iron pot in the
wood-yard, with the legs and handle broken
off, that Tom had set his eye on for a boiler to
his furnace. He asked his father for it.

“Do you want to sell it for old iron? It
isn’t good for anything else.”

“ T want it to set in my furnace. If you can
spare my work for a day, I should like to go