“I thought you were picking up chips in the basket I got for you.”
“Yes, mother, I did a little while; but I thought I could get them along faster with the wheelbarrow.”
“And, instead of that, it seems you cannot get them along at all.”
“Why, mother, it is only one little place. It is in a little hole. If I could only get it out of that little hole, it would go very well.”
“But it seems to me you are not a very profitable workman, Rollo, after all. You wanted me very much to go and get you [pg 26]a small basket, because the common basket was too large and heavy; so I left my work, and went and got it for you. But you soon lay it aside, and go, of your own accord, and get something heavier than the common chip-basket, a great deal. And now I must leave my work and go down and wheel it along for you.”
“Only this once, mother. If you can get it out of this hole for me, I will be careful not to let it get in again.”
“Well,” said his mother at length, “I will go. Though the common way with wagoners, when they get their loads into difficulty, is to throw a part off until they lighten it sufficiently, and then go on. I will go this time; but if you get into difficulty again, you must get out yourself.”
So Rollo and his mother went down together, and she took hold of the wheelbarrow, and soon got it out. She advised Rollo not to use the wheelbarrow, but to return to his basket, but yet wished him to do just as he thought best himself.
When she had returned to the house, Rollo went on with his load, slowly and with great difficulty. He succeeded, however, in working it along until he came to [pg 27]the edge of the platform which was before the shed door, where he was to carry in his chips. Here, of course, he was at a complete stand, as he could not get the wheel up such a high step; so he sat down on the edge of the platform, not knowing what to do next.
He could not go to his mother, for she had told him that she could not help him again; so, on the whole, he concluded that he would not pick up chips any more; he would pile the wood. He recollected that his father had told him that he might either pick up chips or pile wood; and the last, he thought, would be much easier.