The boys went on with their work the next day, and built the causey up high enough with stones. They then levelled them off, and began to wheel on the gravel. Jonas made each of them a little shovel out of a shingle; and, as the gravel was [pg 94]lying loose under a high bank, they could shovel it up easily, and fill their wheelbarrows. The third day they covered the stones entirely with gravel, and smoothed it all over with a rake and hoe, and, after it had become well trodden, it made a beautiful, hard causey; so that now there was a firm and dry road all the way from the house to the watering-place at the brook.
Calculation.
On counting up the loads which it had taken to do this work, Rollo's father found that he owed Rollo twenty-three cents, and James twenty-one. The reason why Rollo had earned the most was because, at one time, James said he was tired, and must rest, and, while he was resting, Rollo went on wheeling.
James seemed rather sorry that he had not got as many cents as Rollo.
“I wish I had not stopped to rest,” said he.
“I wish so too,” said Rollo; “but I [pg 95]will give you two of my cents, and then I shall have only twenty-one, like you.”
“Shall we be alike then?”
“Yes,” said Rollo; “for, you see, two cents taken away from twenty-three, leaves twenty-one, which is just as many as you have.”
“Yes, but then I shall have more. If you give me two, I shall have twenty-three.”