"Then," said his mother, in a whisper too low for Felix to notice it, "you must not blame any one if you are not able afterwards to have it to yourself."

"No; but I'll make a bargain with him about it."

"Do as you please, only don't get fretted over the consequences."

Felix was trying to cut out the deck of a boat.

"Where is your boat?" asked Johnny.

"I thought I'd make the deck first: I haven't got the right piece of wood for the boat. Have you any thick blocks of wood?"

"No, but I can get some. Richard Scott is a great friend of the man who has charge of the wood-working room at the brass-works, and the man gives him any odd pieces of wood he wants, and lets him use the machinery too: he could cut out your boat in a very short time, with a circular saw and other machines."

"I wish I could get him to do it, then: I'll pay him for it. What I like to do, is to rig a ship: I can't make the hull very well."

"If you will let me take your bicycle again, this afternoon, I will go down and see Dick about it."

"Of course you can have the bicycle whenever you want it, till my ankle gets well."