220 THE LAND OF PLUCK

Poor little Dot had no idea that she had told her mother
only half of their plan. Her own head was so full of it that
she thought every one else must know all about it, too. As
for Ruth, she being three years older, could not help being
surprised at their mother's consent to such wild fun, yet
she never dreamed but that her mother had consented.
Tt was a time of deep delight to her, for she could work as
hard as any of the boys.

In a little while the bank was made. “Many hands
make light work.” It was a fine affair, well packed and
quite regular in shape, for Wilbur had chalked a cirele on
the floor for them “to work by.”

So before very long Ned and Tommy took two pails that
were in a corner of the garret and ran to the bath-room
for water. Ruth gave a pitcher to Jamie, a basin to Her-
bert, a tub to Wilbur, and, seizing a big earthen jar for
herself, gave the word for all to follow.

It was hard work, but it passed for play, and they all
played with a will, They let the water run from both of
the faucets into the bath-tub, so that after a while some
could fill at the faucets and others could dip as much
water as they wished out of the tub.

Up and down, down and up, the laughing children went,
panting and puffing, filling and pouring, bucketful, pailful,
pitcherful, basinful, crockful, over and over again, till at
last the pond began to show in earnest. Wilbur seized an
old spade out of a broken cradle, and had as much as he
could do to watch the clay bank, and mend breaks, and
beat it solid with the back of the spade.

“Keep on! keep on!” shouted Ned, still leading the way,