“Oh, I guess we can get on!” returned Jack, becoming impatient again, and feeling that it would be impossible to delay, with the whole bright day before them.  Rob seemed to be of the same opinion.

Uncle Gerald smiled, reflecting that, since manual training does not begin with boat-building, they would soon discover the task so confidently undertaken to be a far greater one than they realized.  He made no comment, however; and the boys started for the barn-loft, where they selected the wood best suited to their purpose, and carried it down to the yard, where Leo had dragged out the pony wagon.

“Here,” said he, “you may stow the boards into this; and I’ll lend you Winkie to draw them home, if you’ll promise to let Jim and me see you build the boat.”

Jack’s brother Jim was a year older than Leo; but the two chummed together, and were accustomed to stand up for each other, and thus hold their own against the big boys, who were sometimes rather too much inclined to adopt a patronizing tone toward them.

Jack and Rob now exchanged significant glances, which said plainly that they would prefer the loan of the pony without any conditions.  It would be annoying to have the little fellows “tagging after them.”  But there was no help for it.  The pony belonged to Leo, and they could not take it without his permission.

“Oh—­ahem—­I suppose so!  Hey, Rob?” said Jack, shutting one eye expressively.

“Well—­yes,” agreed Rob, appreciating the situation.

They went round to the front of Winkie’s stall.  Immediately a shaggy head protruded through the window-like opening, a pair of bright eyes passed over the other visitors and rested upon Leo, with a look which might well be interpreted as one of affection; and a rough nose rubbed up against the boy’s arm, this being Winkle’s way of expressing delight at seeing his master.  He rather resented any attempt at petting from Jack or Rob, however; which led them to tease him, much as they would play with a dog,—­for he was only a little Shetland pony, hardly larger than a good-sized Newfoundland.

“Kittelywink!” exclaimed Rob, giving him his full name, which had been shortened for the sake of euphony.  “What in the world did you call him that for?”

“Well, I can’t exactly say,” replied Leo; “but somehow it’s a name that’s all jumbled up and confused like, and, that is just about how you feel when he gets playing his pranks.  Presto, change! you know.  Now you’re here, and now you don’t know where you are, but most likely it is in the middle of a dusty or muddy road.  Oh, you don’t mind the fall, ’cause he has an accommodating way of letting you down easy; but it hurts your feelings awful, especially if there’s anybody round.  You don’t seem as big as you were a few moments before.  He doesn’t act that way with me now, because I try to be always kind and gentle with him.  But you just attempt to really plague him, and see who’ll get the best of it.”