After rowing a while, and finding “she didn’t go any,” they thought they would try to find Dan, and ask him how he “made her go.” So the tub was hoisted over the fence again, and the brooms tied on for another pull. Both took hold of the reins; and then away they ran along the road, up hills and down hills, to find Dan.
“How easy she goes!” cried Johnny at last as they were rounding a corner.
Both turned to look, and, oh! what did they see? Alas! what did they see?—two hoops, pieces of wood scattered along the road, and the brooms far behind. The tub had fallen apart, and the hoops that bound it were rolling away.
The brothers Plummer stood still and gazed. It was all they could do.
“And now won’t it be a tub any more?” Johnny asked at last very soberly.
“I—don’t—I guess so,” said Jimmy. “Maybe pa can tub it up again.”
Each boy took an armful of the pieces (leaving one that neither of them saw), hung a hoop over his shoulder, and in this manner turned to go home, dragging the brooms behind.
But, finding themselves quite near aunt Emily’s, they went that way, and made a call at the house. And very good reasons they had for doing so. One reason was a puppy; one reason was a gold-fish; but the sweetest reason of all was aunt Emily’s gingerbread.