The Girl Crusoes - The Original Classic Edition. Strang Mrs

beyond; and the hillside will protect us from storms, unless they come from the sea."

       "And what a lovely outlook it has!" said Mary, turning towards the sea. "We couldn't have a nicer place."

       "Then we will fix on it," said Elizabeth. "Now who's to be architect?"

       "Oh, you, Bess!" said Tommy; "we're no good at that."

       "I'm afraid I'm not either," said Elizabeth, laughing. "But I suppose we ought to put up some posts for the walls, and weave rushes

       and things between them. Anyway, the first thing is to cut down some stout saplings that will be strong enough."

       "Well, there are plenty in the woods; quite close too," said Tommy.

       "But how can we cut them down?" asked Mary; "we haven't axes or saws." "We have our knives, though," said Tommy. "Come on, let's begin."

       They went into the wood, where the trees at the edge were not at all dense, and selected several saplings of about the same height and thickness. Then each dropped on her knees before one of the saplings, scratched a circular line on the bark and began to hack away at this with the knife. For some time nothing was heard but the slight sounds made by the knives; each girl worked hard as though engaged in a competition. But presently Tommy straightened her back, and uttered a sort of sighing grunt.

       "How are you getting on?" asked Elizabeth, without desisting from her task.

       "All right," cried Tommy, stooping and setting to work furiously. "They shan't beat me," she said to herself.

       But in a few minutes Mary gave a plaintive little exclamation, dropped her knife, and rubbed her right hand with her left. "You're soon tired," said Tommy, working harder than ever.

       "I think my tree must be a specially tough one," said Mary. "I don't seem to make much impression, and my wrist does ache so."

       "Take a rest, dear," said Elizabeth. "Shouldn't we get on better if two worked at the same tree while the other rested? We could take

       it in turns. When we have cut down the first, we shall have something to show for our work."

       "A good idea!" said Tommy, springing up and running to Elizabeth's tree. "You take first spell off, Mary."

       The two girls worked at the trunk from opposite sides. The air was growing hotter and hotter, the insects became very troublesome, and as time went on and the incisions they had made in the sappy wood were still very shallow, both felt very much discouraged.