So Royal, when his clay was all crowded into its place, around the bottom of the box, took his wheelbarrow again, and went after a load of sand and gravel. He had to go to some distance for this; but he succeeded at length in getting as much as he could wheel, of pretty clean sand and pebble-stones.
This load he put into the box, and he disposed of the sand and gravel in such a way, as that it filled the box nearly full around the sides, leaving a deep place in the middle. Then he went to get some water.
He brought pailful after pailful, until he had filled up his little pond level with the top. The water was somewhat turbid immediately after he had poured it in; but he told Lucy that in a little while it would subside and be clear.
“It will settle,” said he, “while I am making the duck house.”
“Are you going to make a duck house too?” asked Lucy.
“Yes,” replied Royal; “for, pretty soon, you see, the duck will be big enough to live out of doors, and then you will want a house for him.”
So Royal went and got another box. It was shaped like a trunk, and about as large, only it had no cover. Royal brought this, and placed it at one end of his duck pond, laying it down upon its side, so that the open part was towards the pond.
“There,” said he, “that will do for a house, only the top ought to be slanting.”
“What for?” said Lucy.
“Why, for the roof,—so that the water will run off when it rains.”