As fast as these stakes were finished, Lucy wheeled them along, upon a little wheelbarrow, to the place where the coop was to be made. So Royal found that, besides keeping him company, Lucy could really assist him, much more than he had at first supposed she could.
Royal drove the stakes down into the ground, in such a way as to enclose a square place. The fence formed the back side of this enclosure, and it was big enough to hold several hens, and to give them room to walk about a little. When it was nearly done, Lucy said that she meant to go and ask Joanna to come out and see it, to tell them if it would do.
Royal said that he should like to have her go, very much; though he was pretty sure that the coop would do very well. Lucy ran off into the house, and after a little while she appeared again leading Joanna.
“Yes,” said Joanna,—after she had looked at the coop a minute or two, with a smile upon her countenance,—“yes, that is quite a coop, really.”
“Isn’t it a good coop?” said Royal. “See how strong these stakes are driven into the ground.”
“It is a great deal better than I thought you could make,” said Joanna.
Joanna’s commendations were not quite so unqualified as Royal wished them to be.
“Well, don’t you think,” said he, “that it will do very well to keep hens in?”
“Why, it is an excellent coop for you and Lucy to play with,” said Joanna; “but as to keeping hens in it, there are two objections.”
“What are they?” said Royal.