“I will put it in order,” said Stuyvesant.
“Will you?” said Beechnut.
“Yes,” said Stuyvesant, “and I should like to buy the hens of you, if I were only going to stay here long enough.”
“I don’t think it is worth while for you to buy them,” said Beechnut, “but I should like to have you take charge of them. I would pay you by giving you a share of the eggs.”
“What could I do with the eggs?” asked Stuyvesant.
“Why you could sell them, or give them away, just as you pleased. You might give them to Mrs. Henry, or sell them to her, or sell them to me. If you will take the whole care of them while you are here, I will give you one third of the eggs, after all expenses are paid.”
“What do you mean by that?” asked Stuyvesant.
“Why, if we have to buy any grain, for instance, to give the hens, we must sell eggs enough first to pay for the grain, and after that, you shall have one third of the eggs that are left.”
Stuyvesant was much pleased with this proposal, and was just about to say that he accepted it, when his attention was suddenly turned away from the subject, by hearing a loud call from Phonny, who just then came running round a corner, with a box-trap under his arm, shouting out,
“Stuyvesant! Stuyvesant! Look here! I’ve got a gray squirrel;—a beautiful, large gray squirrel.”