rst?" persisted Alfy.

"No-o; I can't say as how I do," replied Jones slowly, rubbing his head
and knitting his brows as though deeply pondering the knotty point.

"Well, now, we must hasten on," said Alfy. "Where are those things for
the house? Are they far?"

"They are in the cart in the lane."

"How can they be brought here?" asked Alfy. "Shall I help? Can't you
bring the pony and cart through that gate? Let us be quick!"

"I think as how you and I must carry them here in lots," drawled
slow-witted Jones. "I don't think pony and cart could come."

"Well, be sharp then!" urged Alfy, springing from the boat.

"Why, I do believe Mansy can see us from the house." And he shouted,
and waved his handkerchief.

"Now, come on," cried he, "and show me where the things are."

The transferring of the goods from Mr. Daw's cart took some time, and
made the youths very tired, for it was some little distance off. But
Alfy was determined to start for the house as quickly as possible, and
continued to urge on the slow-coach Jones; so that the task was
accomplished more speedily than he had thought would be the case.

But then a new difficulty presented itself. Alfy wished to tie the tub
and bath to the boat and take them back to the house, but he found that
if he did so, wearied as he was, he could not row the laden boat
against the flood. So he was finally obliged to take Jones with him.
Even then the task was difficult, for Jones was not an expert oarsman.

At length, however, the house was reached, and with joy and gladness,
shoutings and hearty congratulations, the goods were borne in through
the window, and on to the table as before. Mansy and Alfy's sisters
were rejoiced to see him. He had been so long away they feared some
accident had befallen him; but he did not tell what had happened until
Jones had gone.

For Jones had to go back, and of course he went in the boat. This was
against Alfy's plan, but he could not help it. Jones could not leave
the pony all night, and he could not navigate Alfy's tub. So promising
to send some one with the boat in the morning, he departed.

Yet, if Alfy had known what would happen with that boat in the night he
would have gone with Jones, and tired as he was, would have brought it
back. But he did not know; and after a hearty supper all the inmates
of the Island House retired to bed.

They had hardly passed out of their beauty sleep--_i.e._, the slumber
before m