e those men at work on a long shaft or pillar? They
are called stone-cutters, and they were hewing them. They have a sharp
instrument with which they continually chop, chop, or strike; and this
hews off the rough places, making the whole smooth. I engaged my posts,
too, for the gates, Cecilia; and a curb-stone to lay on the top of the
wall nearest the house. That makes a handsome finish."

"You did a great deal of business for so short a time, Lawrence."

He laughed. "I only spent about fourteen hundred dollars. It doesn't
take long to do that. I fancy the owner thought he had done a good
morning's work. He had heard of my purchase, and was coming to see me to
engage the job. Oh, I forgot to tell you! I bought the steps, too. Three
flights, very handsome ones."

CHAPTER IX.

THE CELLAR.

One pleasant morning Bertie drove his father over to Woodlawn, and,
after tying Whitefoot to a tree, ran as fast as he could go to the
cellar. The day before it had been quite damp; and mamma didn't think it
best for him to go out. So he stayed at the farm and amused Winnie by
playing at dolls' visits with her till it was time for her daily nap,
and then went to see Mrs. Taylor in the kitchen. Esther was shelling
peas for dinner; and he helped her till they were all done.

Now he was very anxious to see how much the men had dug. He had but a
little time to stay, for at ten he was to be at the farm to drive mamma
to the blacksmith's house.

He thought as he went toward the cellar that the men had all gone, for
he could see nothing of them. But when he reached the place, there they
were down so deep as to be out of sight from the new road.

They had dug a path all around the edge of the cellar, close to the line
his papa had marked out. The path was four feet from the ground which
was as deep as it was to go. Now they did not try to throw out their
shovelsful upon the bank, they threw them on the great pile in the
centre.

Bertie stood still and watched them for some time, wondering what it
could mean. He did not suppose this great pile was to remain in the
middle of the cellar; and yet he did not see how it could be taken out.

The men were so busy he didn't like to interrupt them. Besides he didn't
feel so well acquainted with them as he did with Tom and Jim. A good
many times he had jumped on the drag, and the oxen had drawn him to the
other part of the farm where the old stone wall was being pulled down.

At last