THE yOUNG SCIENTIST. 
105 
the round bar of iron mentioned above 
was made red hot in the kitchen flre, and 
while in that state driven through the 
centre of each wheel, thus making a hole 
large enough for the hard-wood axles, 
which, by the way, were whittled out 
with the jack-knife and saw. These tools 
were so rude, and so utterly unfit to do 
anything with in making the wagon, that 
Mr. Carpenter, who had been watching 
Fred work, promised to buy his boys some 
tools in the Fall, and have a little work- 
shop fixed up for them in the barn, which 
is not far from the house. He also said 
he would explain what each tool was for, 
and show them how they were to be used. 
Of course the boys were pleased— what 
boys wouldn't be?— for they knew that 
whatever their father promised them he 
would surely do ; and on this very even- 
ing, a few moments before you were in- 
troduced into the family, Mr. Carpenter 
had said to Fred that he thought he would 
go to the hardware store on the next day 
and purchase a few of the tools he had 
promised him and EUwood, as the even- 
ings were beginning to lengthen out. 
"To-morrow," lie said, "I will have a 
place prepared in the barn, and will pro- 
cure some lumber and the tools I spoke 
of, and if I am not otherwise engaged, I 
will instruct and assist : you in making 
a small work-bench, and after that is 
finished I will show you how to make 
boy's wagons, hand-sleighs, flower stands, 
stools, and many other things that will be 
amusing, instructive, or useful." "Oh 
yes, Papa!" said Jessie, " and won't you 
show Fred how to make girl's workboxes, 
doll's cradles, and things ? " " Certainly, 
my dear," said Mr. Carpenter, " I'll show 
him how to make a whole set of furniture 
for your doll, and how to build a nice 
little play-house to put the furniture and 
doll into ; but you must not be impatient, 
my dear, for you know Fred will not 
neglect his studies for the purpose of 
'making things,' as you express it, and he 
must also have time to play with the boy's 
outside, for I cannot allow him to be kept 
at work all the time, either at his studies 
or in the workshop I am going to prepare 
for him." " Oh, I'll wait, Papa, until he 
:gets all the other things made, and then. 
if Mamma doesn't want him to make or 
mend something for her, I'll ask him to 
work at some of the nice things you say 
you will show him how to make for me." 
" I want another wagon," said EUwood, 
"for the one with the cracker box on top, 
that Fred made me last Fourth, is all 
broken. One of the wheels is split in two, 
and the axle on the back end is broken, 
and i can't pull Jessie around with it on 
three wheels, so I want Fred to make me 
a wagon first. Can't he. Pa?" "Well, 
EUwood, you know," said Mr. Carpenter, 
"you must wait. Fred will have to learn 
a good many things before he will be able 
to make even a fair-looking wagon or cart. 
And besides, you must not tax Fred too 
much, he may want to make something 
for himself before he begins work on your 
wagon, and in that case you will have to 
wait." "But I can make a wagon my- 
self. Pa, if you will only let me have the. 
tools," said Ellwood. "I doubt it very 
much, my son ; I'm afraid it would not be 
so good a one'as Fred made you last sum- 
mer, and which you now seem to despise. 
However, Fred will, no doubt, make you 
one as soon as possible, after he has 
learned to use the tools I shall buy to- 
morrow." 
All this conversation had taken place 
but a short time before the " Reader " had 
been introduced ; in fact, the introduction, 
which was somewhat abrupt, interrupted 
it, and as tea was announced shortly after- 
wards, it was not resumed again that even- 
ing. In the morning, however, at break- 
fast table, after Fred, Jessie, and Ellwood 
had gone up-stairs to prepare for school, 
Mr. Carpenter told Mrs. Carpenter of the 
promises he had made to the children. 
She was quite pleased to hear that he was 
going to purchase tools, lumber, and other 
necessary materials, but she expressed a 
fear that some one of her darlings might 
get cut or injured if they were allowed to 
handle edge tools, when their father was 
not present to guide their actions. Mr. 
Carpenter soon set her fears at rest on this 
point, by saying that he would see that 
Ellwood did not get any very dangerous 
tools to use, and that so far as Fred was 
concerned, she need have no fears, for he 
is such a careful boy, and will handle 
