It was Uncle Richard's idea, and we had such fun
building it up. The little ones brought the stones; and the big ones
piled them together till you see we made quite a nice fireplace. And it
has lasted ever since. Whenever I come here I mend it up if any of the
stones have tumbled down. Numbers of little children come to picnic here
every summer, and they always use our fireplace. But now, come along
into the woods, children, and gather sticks."
Off they ran after Aunt Emma, and soon they were scrambling about the
wood which grew along the shore, picking up the dry sticks and dry fern
under the trees. Milly filled her cotton frock full, and gathered it up
with both her hands; while Olly of course went straight at the biggest
branch he could see, and staggered along with it, puffing and panting.
"You grasshopper, you!" said Mr. Norton, catching hold of him, "don't
you think you'd better try a whole tree next time? There, let me break
it for you." Father broke it up into short lengths, and then off ran
Olly with his little skirts full to Aunt Emma, who was laden too with an
armful of sticks. "That'll do to begin with, old man. Come along, and
you and I'll light the fire."
What fun it was, heaping up the sticks on the stones, and how they did
blaze and crackle away when Aunt Emma put a match to them.
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