THE NEW SUIT OF CLOTHES, 57

“T cannot go,” said I, at last, “for I have taken this
job, and I must do it.” ;

“Oh! Mr. Merry will let you off ne one day, will
you not, Mr. Merry?” said Charley. “Just to have
Robert go with us, nutting.”

“Go if -he likes! I can get somebody elie, easy
enough.”

Saw—saw---saw—and so he sawed up and down as
if he heard nothing. —

“Come! go, Robert! Why, you must!” cried Charley.

“Come out here!” said I, drawing them outside the

“gate, just to get away from the presence of Mr. Merry.
A noisy discussion followed.

“No, Charley ; Iam not going. I have taken the
job, and I mean to go straight through it.. Father says
‘We must not back out for small things.’” Such was
my settled yet painful conclusion.

“Tt is too bad!—Pile wood all day!” cried one.
“That great pile!”
| “Only stick by stick,” said I, courageously. “If we

make up our minds-to it, we can then do it.”