down the mountain and soon overtook his brothers.

"Well, Mr Why-and-How," said Paul, "what did you find up there?"

"It was really an axe that we heard," answered Jack.

"Of course it was," said Peter. "You might have saved yourself all
your trouble by staying with us."

After the boys had passed through the woods they came to a great rocky
place between two mountains. The path was narrow and crooked, and
steep cliffs towered above it on both sides.

Soon they heard a dull sound high up on the top of a cliff. _Thump!
Thump! Thud!_ it went, like someone striking iron against stone.

"I wonder why anyone is breaking stones up there," said Jack.

"Yes, of course you wonder," growled Paul; "you are always wondering."

"It is nothing but a woodpecker tapping on a hollow tree," said Peter.
"Come along, and mind your own business."

"Business or no business," said Jack, "I mean to see what is going on
up there."

With these words he began to climb up the side of the cliff. But Peter
and Paul stood still and laughed at him, and cried, "Good-bye, Mr
Why-and-How!"

And what do you think Jack found far up on the great rock?

He found a bright steel pickaxe working all alone. It was so hard and
sharp that when it struck a rock it went into it a foot or more.

"Good-morning, Mr Pickaxe," he said. "Are you not tired digging here
all by yourself?"

"Ah, my master," answered the pickaxe, "I have been waiting for you a
long time."

"Well, here I am," said Jack; and he took the pickaxe and put it into
his other pocket.

Then he slid merrily down between the rocks to the place where Peter
and Paul were resting themselves.

"Well, Mr Why-and-How," said Paul, "what great wonder did you find up
there?"

"It was really a pickaxe that we heard," answered Jack.

About noon the boys came to a pleasant brook. The water was cool and
clear, and it flowed in shady places among reeds and flowers.

The boys were thirsty, and they stopped to drink. Then they lay down
on the grass to rest.

"I wonder where this brook comes from," said Jack.

"Of course you do," growled Paul. "You are always trying to pry into
things and find out where they come from. You are foolish."

"Foolish or not foolish," answered Jack, "I am going to find out all
about this brook."

So, while his brothers went to sleep in the shade, he ran along up its
banks, looking at this thing and that and wondering at them all.

The stream became narrower and