“That’s my name,” was the answer.
“Well, we were sent to help you in the store,” went on one of the men. “The rest of the crowd will be over to-morrow. My name is Jack Nestor and this is my partner, Henry Hart,” he concluded.
“Glad to know you,” replied Mr. Martin. “Well, there is plenty to do, and the sooner we get started the better. Come on, I’ll show you what’s to be done.”
While Mr. Martin was busy with those who were to be his helpers, and while Mrs. Martin, Lucy and Janet were clearing away the dinner things, Ted and Trouble wandered off through the woods. It was a most delightful place, Ted decided.
“The best one I’ve ever been to on vacation,” he said.
Trouble, too, seemed to like it, running here and there in the woods. Then the little fellow had one of his many ideas.
“Can you make me a whistle?” he asked his brother. “I want a whistle.”
“Yes, I guess I can make you a willow whistle,” said Ted, as he took out his knife. “There’s a willow tree growing over there.” He pointed to one near the bank of the lake, and soon he and Trouble were sitting on a mossy log under the drooping willow tree while Ted cut a branch and was fashioning it into a whistle for his brother.
Ted cut the bark around and pounded it to soften it so it could be slipped off, for this must be done if a whistle is rightly made. Ted used the handle of his knife to pound the bark lightly. Then he laid his knife down on the log and began to twist off the piece of bark.
While waiting for his brother to do this Trouble had wandered about the little clearing under the willow tree. Before Ted knew it Trouble was out of his sight, and, hearing the little fellow tramping in the underbrush, Ted started up after him.