Page:Tales in Political Economy by Millicent Garrett Fawcett.djvu/94

 the jersey very badly, so rather than go without it he promised Mrs. Collins the 30s., and she agreed to let him have the jersey in a week. He went away feeling that he had been very unfortunate, and that he wasn't so much better off as he expected to be in consequence of his pocketful of silver.

The Collinses, now they had received the 37l., and were also receiving higher prices in the island itself for everything they could make, began to think they should do well to buy the materials they wanted for the addition to their house. Collins went to the carpenter to hear if he could come and work for them, and to see if he could buy planks, doors, and other woodwork. He found the carpenter hard at work on a beautiful carved side-board, on which he was working, as he said, "almost night and day." "Who is it for?" said Collins. "Why, for the Carrier Pigeon, to be sure," replied the carpenter; "she's the best customer I've got." When Collins explained what he wanted, the carpenter shook his head. "Impossible," he said; "I can't do it; it's as much