Now we will take them all up, and that will be
sufficient for to-day; to-morrow, if we can, we will make two trips."
"We can, if we start early," replied William; "but now let us have our
dinner, and carry the remainder of the things up afterwards."
As they were eating their dinner, and William was giving the bones to
the dog, Ready said, "Pray, William, what was the idea in your head
which made you bring Remus with you?"
"I will tell you, Ready; I mean him to carry a letter to mamma; you
know that he always goes back when he is ordered, and now I wish to see
if he will not go back to the tents, if he is told. I have brought a
piece of paper and pencil with me."
William then wrote on the paper,
"Dear Mamma:--We are quite well, and just returned with the first cargo
quite safe. Your affectionate son, WILLIAM."
William tied the paper round the dog's neck with a piece of twine, and
then calling him out of the house, said to him, "Remus, go back, sir -
go back, sir;" the dog looked wistfully at William, as if not sure of
what he was to do, but William took up a stone, and pretended to throw
it at the dog, who ran away a little distance, and then stopped.
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