"About two or three acres."
"But that is more than you can dig this year or the next."
"I know that; but I will manure it without digging, and the grass will grow so rich to what it will outside of the inclosure, that they will suppose it has been inclosed a long while."
"That's not a bad idea, Humphrey; but I advise you to look well after that boy, for he is of a bad race, and has not been brought up, I am afraid, with too strict notions of honesty. Be careful, and tell your sisters also to be cautious not to let him suppose that we have any money in the old chest, till we find out whether he is to be trusted or not."
"Better not let him know it under any circumstances," replied Humphrey; "he may continue honest, if not tempted by the knowledge that there is any thing worth stealing."
"You are right, Humphrey. Well, I will be off to-morrow morning and get this visit over. I hope to be able to get all the news from her, now that her father is away.
"I hope to get some work out of this Pablo," replied Humphrey; "how many things I could do, if he would only work! Now, I'll tell you one thing—I will dig a sawpit and get a saw, and then I can cut out boards and build any thing we want. The first time I go to Lymington I will buy a saw—I can afford it now; and I'll make a carpenter's bench for the first thing, and then, with some more tools, I shall get on; and then, Edward, I'll tell you what else I will do."
"Then, Humphrey," replied Edward, laughing, "you must tell me some other time, for it is now very late, and I must go to bed, as I have to rise early. I know you have so many projects in your mind that it would take half the night to listen to them."
"Well, I believe what you say is true," replied Humphrey, "and it will be better to do one thing at a time than to talk about doing a hundred; so we will, as you say, to bed."
At sunrise, Edward and Humphrey were both up; Alice came out when they tapped at her door, as she would not let Edward go without his breakfast. Edith joined them, and they went to prayers. While they were so employed, Pablo came out and listened to what was said. When prayers were over, Humphrey asked Pablo if he knew what they had been doing.