Page:The Children of the New Forest - 1847 - Marryat.djvu/329

 "Yes, I know that. You want me at cottage very much. Missy Alice and Edith and Massa Edward no want me, so I stay at cottage."

"Yes, Pablo, we will stay at the cottage, but we can't do every thing now. I think we must give up the dairy, now that my sisters are gone. I'll tell you what I have been thinking of, Pablo. We will make a large enclosed place, to coax the ponies into during the winter, pick out as many as we think are good, and sell them at Lymington. That will be better than churning butter."

"Yes, I see; plenty of work for Pablo."

"And plenty for me, too, Pablo; but you know, when the enclosure is once made, it will last for a long while; and we will get the wild cattle into it if we can."

"Yes, I see," said Pablo. "I like that very much; only not like trouble to build place."

"We shan't have much trouble, Pablo: if we fell the trees inside the wood at each side, and let them lie one upon the other, the animals will never break through them."

"That very good idea—save trouble," said Pablo. "And what you do with cows, suppose no make butter?"

"Keep them, and sell their calves; keep them, to entice the wild cattle into the pen."

"Yes, that good. And turn out old Billy to 'tice ponies into pen," continued Pablo, laughing.

"Yes, we will try it."

We must now return to the Intendant's House. Oswald delivered the letter to the Intendant, who read it with much astonishment.

"Gone! is he actually gone!" said Mr. Heatherstone.

"Yes, Sir, before daylight this morning."

"And why was I not informed of it?" said Mr. Heatherstone;