“O no,” said James, “that would spoil your half dollar.”
“Why, they would know it was a half dollar by the letters and the head on the other side. What a pretty thin eagle! How do you suppose they fasten it on so strong?”
James said he thought he could get it off; so they went and sat down on a smooth log, that was lying on the ground, and laid Rollo’s half dollar on the log. Then he took a pin, and tried to drive the point of it under the eagle’s head, with a small stone. But the eagle would not move. They only made some little marks and scratches on the silver.
“Never mind,” said Rollo; “I will keep it as it is.” So he took his half dollar, and they walked along towards the brook.
They showed their money to Jonas, and told him that they had tried to get the eagle off. He smiled at this. The boys went back soon to the wigwam, and James said he would help Rollo finish it. While they were at work they put their money on a large flat stone, on the brink of the brook. They fixed a great many boughs into their wigwam, weaving them in all around, and thus made a very pleasant little house, leaving a place for a door in front. When they were tired, they went and opened Rollo’s little package, and found a fine luncheon in it of bread and butter and pie; which they ate very happily together, sitting on little hemlock branches in the wigwam.
DIFFICULTY.
After their luncheon, the boys began to talk about the best place for a window for the wigwam.
“I think we will have it this side, towards the brook,” said James, “and then we can look out to the water.”
“No,” said Rollo, “it will be better to have it here, towards where Jonas is working, and then we can look out and see him.”
“No,” said James, “that is not a good plan; I do not want to see Jonas.”