“That isn’t work,” said Royal; “it is nothing but play. It does not do any good.”
“Yes it does,” said Lucy; “I am doing it to earn money.”
“To earn money!” repeated Royal; and he began to laugh aloud at the idea of earning money in any such way as that.
Lucy explained to Royal that this was a way which Miss Anne had contrived for her to learn her letters herself, without troubling other people, and that she had told her that she should have sixpence for every three letters.
Royal then perceived that the plan was at least worthy of being treated with more respect than he had at first supposed;—but then he told Lucy that, in his opinion, she was beginning wrong.
“You ought to begin with some letter that you don’t know, Lucy,” said he; “you know o now, as well as I know my own thumb; and of course it’s of no use to prick it.”
Lucy did not know what to reply to this reasoning,—only that Miss Anne had told her to prick o, and Miss Anne knew best.
“At any rate,” said Royal, “you can finish it another time; so come out with me now, and help me get out the boxes for our boat.”
Lucy concluded that she would go out a few minutes with Royal, and then come back again, and finish her work. They accordingly went out together.
They found one long box, which Royal said would do very well indeed for a boat. The box was made to pack bedsteads in, and of course it was more than six feet long; but it was narrow, like a boat, and Royal said it was just the thing.