wish I had a dipper to carry!" said Rollo. "It is better than a
basket."

Rollo went into the house, and presently returned bringing two small
baskets.

"One for me?" said James, interrogatively, holding out his hand.

"Yes," said Rollo.

"Give me the other," said Henry, "and you shall have my dipper."

"Well," said Rollo.

"_I_ should rather have a basket," said James.

"No," said Rollo, "I think a dipper is better. I can get some drink with
it, if we come to any brook."

"But you must give me some drink out of the dipper, if I want any," said
Henry--

"Well," said Rollo, "I will."

"Though I can drink without a dipper," said Henry.

"How?" said Rollo.

"O, I can get a piece of elder, and punch out the pith, and that will
make a hollow reed; and I can draw up the water through that into my
mouth."

By this time, Rollo and Henry had exchanged the basket and the dipper,
and they were all walking along together. Rollo told the boys of several
other reasons why he would rather have the dipper on such an expedition;
but Henry preferred the basket, and so all were satisfied.

They went on down the lane. The berries were very thick. The boys ate a
great many, and they filled their baskets, and the dipper besides. When
they reached the bottom of the lane, Rollo proposed that they should go
on, through the woods, to the brook. They liked the plan. They
accordingly hid their baskets under the fence, heaping full of
raspberries. Rollo said that he should take his dipper with him, so as
to get a drink at the brook.

"But you can't use it to get a drink," said Henry; "it is full of
raspberries."

Rollo had not thought of this difficulty. He walked slowly along, with
the other boys, a few minutes, looking somewhat foolish; but in a moment
he said he meant to eat his raspberries up, and then his dipper would be
empty when he should get to the brook.

So he began to eat them. The other boys wanted some of them, and he gave
them some, on condition that they should help him fill up his dipper
again, when they returned up the lane on their way home. They assented
to this condition, and so the boys walked along, eating the raspberries
together, in great harmony.

They rambled about in the woods, for some time, meeting with various
adventures, until they reached the brook. Neither of the boys were
thirsty, not even Rollo; but still he took a drink from the brook, for
the sake of using the dipper. He then amused him