"You must be careful, Edward, how you go about the forest now."
"I have no wish to go," replied Edward; "as we can not hunt, it is no use; but in November we shall begin again."
"Yes," replied Jacob, "that will be soon enough. To-morrow I will help you with the acorns, and the day afterward, if I am spared, I will take Alice's poultry to Lymington for her."
"Yes, and when you come back you will help me to churn for then I shall have a good deal of cream."
"And don't forget to buy the kitten, Jacob," said Edith.
"What's the good of a kitten?" said Humphrey, who was very busy making a bird-cage for Edith, having just finished one for Alice; "she will only steal your cream and eat up your birds."
"No, she won't; for we'll shut the door fast where the milk and cream are, and we'll hang the cages so high that Miss Puss won't be able to get at them."
"Well, then, a kitten will be useful," said Edward, "for she will teach you to be careful."
"My coat is a little the worse for wear, and so is yours, Edward. We must try if we can not, like Alice, find means to pay for another."
"Humphrey," said Jacob, "I'll buy all you want, and trust to you for paying me again as soon as you can."