“What do you want?” she asked.
“Merry Christmas!” said Jack. “May I stay for an hour and help you?”
“Humph!” said Aunt Jane. “Want to keep you out of mischief, do they? Well, you may bring in some wood.”
“Shall I split some kindling, too?” asked Jack.
“If you know how,” said Aunt Jane. “I can’t have you cutting your foot and messing my clean shed all up.”
Jack found some fresh pine wood and a bright hatchet, and he split up a great pile of kindling and thought it fun. He stacked it neatly, and then brought in a pail of fresh water and filled the kettle.
“What else can I do?” he asked. “There are twenty minutes more.”
“Humph!” said Aunt Jane. “You might feed the pig.”
Jack fed the pig, who thanked him in his own way.
“Ten minutes more!” he said. “What shall I do now?”