“O, no,” said Rollo. “I mean to ask my father to let you make it this afternoon.”
“No; I’d rather you wouldn’t,” said Jonas.
“Why not?” asked Rollo. “I know he will let you.”
“Yes, I suppose he would let me, if you were to ask him; but that would spoil the museum.”
“Spoil it?” said Rollo.
“Yes,” said Jonas. “The way to spoil any pleasure is to neglect duty for the sake of it. Work first, and play afterwards. That’s the rule.”
“Well, but, Jonas, we want to begin our museum this afternoon.”
“Very well,” said Jonas; “you may begin collecting your curiosities, you know; and you can put them all in a safe place, and have them all ready to put in when I get the case made.”
Rollo did not quite like this plan; but he knew that Jonas was always firm when it was a question of right and wrong, and so he said no more; only, after a moment’s pause, he asked Jonas when he would make the cabinet.