“I am glad that this cargo has arrived safe, William, for it is very valuable to us. Now we will take them all up, and that will be sufficient for to-day; to-morrow, if we can, we will make two trips.”
“We can, if we start early,” replied William; “but now let us have our dinner, and carry the remainder of the things up afterwards.”
As they were eating their dinner, and William was giving the bones to the dog, Ready said, “Pray, William, what was the idea in your head which made you bring Remus with you?”
“I will tell you, Ready; I mean him to carry a letter to mamma; you know that he always goes back when he is ordered, and now I wish to see if he will not go back to the tents, if he is told. I have brought a piece of paper and pencil with me.”
William then wrote on the paper:
“Dear Mamma:— We are quite well, and just returned with the first cargo quite safe. Your affectionate son, William.”
William tied the paper round the dog’s neck with a piece of twine, and then calling him out of the house, said to him, “Remus, go back, sir—go back, sir;” the dog looked wistfully at William, as if not sure of what he was to do, but William took up a stone, and pretended to throw it at the dog, who ran away a little distance, and then stopped.
“Go back, Remus—go back, sir.” William again pretended to throw the stone, repeating the order, and then the dog set off as fast as his legs could carry him through the cocoa-nut grove.
“He is gone at all events,” said William; “I think he will go home.”
“We shall see, sir,” replied Ready; “and now that we have finished our dinner, we will bring up the things, and put them in the storehouse.”