t apart all up the wall, so now there was no difficulty in
finding a sufficient resting-place for their feet. This was much
lighter work than dragging heavy branches across the field from the
wood-pile, and had consequently been more popular with everybody. But
at last Madge had been obliged to remind her little band of labourers
that even the best sort of staircase, if it led nowhere, was not very
serviceable. So then they began to drag branches again, and very weary
work they found it. And now at the end of a fortnight there were only
five rough misshapen logs pulled up into the right place, with a great
many torn pocket-handkerchiefs to show what a hard struggle it had been
to lift them from the ground. No wonder John was becoming
faint-hearted.

"You talked about a house big enough to hold several people, with a
nice roof in case it rained," he said reproachfully.

Madge represented that it so seldom rained in June they could easily
wait for their roof a little longer. "One can put that on at any
time," she urged. "There is a good bough above, and we could spread an
old shawl over it like a tent, or we might make a sort of wren's nest
with sticks all up the sides and top, and crawl in through a hole.
That would be very cozy, only I am afraid it would take a good many
sticks, and you none of you like getting sticks."

"No, I don't," said John stoutly. "I've dragged enough of those old
things across the field, and I won't be bothered with them any more.
And it's no good talking about making it like a wren's nest--silly
little birds that never fight or anything! What do eagles want with
those sort of stuffy little houses?"

When John embarked on a thoroughly unreasonable grumble, it was no good
arguing with him or interrupting him until he stopped from sheer loss
of breath. So while he went on fault-finding, Madge was making up her
mind to a great resolve. When at last he came to an end, she spoke out
so decidedly that the twins were compelled to listen to her.

"Do you want to make the Eagle's Nest a great success--much the nicest
thing we have ever done, or do you want to give it up altogether?" she
inquired sternly.

"Not give it up! Of course, not give it up!" cried the two younger
ones.

"Very well. I'm glad you said that. It would be a very cowardly and
stupid thing to give it up when we have gone so far, but you can do
just as you like."

"I never wanted to give it up," began John, in an