"We'd better make a little ship first. That will be easy and we can make it like a big one. Then we'll have something to go by—a sort of pattern, such as your mother uses when she makes a dress for your little sister."
"Oh yes!" cried Freddie. "That's what we'll do—make a little pattern ship first. It will be easier."
"Much easier," said James. "Now I'll find some small pieces of board for you, and——"
But just then one of the workmen in the yard called to the watchman to come and help him pile some lumber on a wagon.
"Wait just a minute, Freddie," said James. "I'll be back soon and help you."
"All right," answered Freddie. He sat down on a pile of shingles, and thought of the time when he and Tommy Todd should set off on their ship to find the shipwrecked Mr. Todd.
The watchman was gone longer than he expected. Freddie grew tired of waiting for him, and finally said to himself:
"I'm going to look for some wood myself. I guess I can find it." He looked for some on the ground, but, though there were many chips, and broken pieces, there was none of the kind Freddie thought would be good for a toy ship—the pattern after which the real one would be made.
"I guess I'll climb up on one of these piles of lumber," thought Freddie, "and see if there are any small pieces of board on top. It is easy to climb up."
This was true enough, and once or twice before Freddie had made his way to the top of a pile. Each stack of lumber was made in a sort of slanting fashion, so that the back of it was almost like a pair of steps. Lumber is piled this way to let the rain run off better.