Johnny began to read, in a clear, expressive tone, while Felix picked up one of the pine sticks he had laid on the floor, and began to whittle a mast. Pretty soon the shavings began to fall almost anywhere except into the basket; and Sue, who was playing with her dolls in the corner, said, "Look out, Felix! your shavings are falling over everywhere."
"Bother the shavings!" replied Felix, seeming to notice them for the first time, and getting down to pick them up. "I don't believe they ever spaded over a whole acre of ground in any such time as that. Just read that over.—Oh! I thought you said in one hour. I mean to have father let me have an acre of ground by the cottage next season, and go down early, and see what I can do with it."
"But you have all the money you want without earning it," said Sue.
"That's so,—I forgot that; but I just wish my father was a poor man. I'll bet I could do as well as either of those boys. Go on now: let's see what they did next."
The morning had advanced considerably, and yet Felix had not asked Johnny to stop; although the masts were finished, and the shipbuilder was lying on the floor with his head on a hassock, for lack of any further employment. Johnny's throat ached with reading so long, and at last he felt obliged to say,—
"My throat is getting tired: let's put the book up now, until some other time."
"No: go on a little farther; just finish up that chapter, so you'll know where you left off."
"Stop a few moments, and rest, Johnny, and then, if Felix wants you to, you can finish the chapter," suggested Mrs. Le Bras, giving a significant glance towards Felix, which was intended for Johnny's benefit. Johnny looked, and saw that Felix's eyes were closed. Johnny put down the book, and in a few moments it was evident his audience was sound asleep. Johnny immediately rose softly, and left the room: he went into the back entry, and then ran up-stairs with light bounds to the sky-room. He opened all the windows; and the breeze, which was scarcely perceptible below, began to blow in very freshly. Johnny got one of his philosophies, and sat down by one of the front windows to read. He did not lock the door, since Felix had expressed himself as disinclined to pay him any calls. There was no danger of visits from any other source, for Sue understood that Johnny was not to be disturbed without permission. After reading in that book a while, he took down another, still leaving the first open upon the table. After consulting the second book, he took down the dictionary, and consulted that. While he was still in the midst of his researches, he was startled by a loud voice behind him.
"Well! I say! This isn't so bad, is it? Let's call this aboard ship, with the sky for sea; 'cause you can't see any land up here, except off at a distance as you do on the water. But I'd like to know if this is how you lock yourself in?"
"I didn't think of any one's coming up," replied Johnny, looking blankly at the open door. "But that's all right," he added, smiling. "I'm not very busy now: I've got about through with my studying."