So, as he and his comrades were returning from the water-side, Ben suddenly threw down his string of fish with a very determined air. </p> <p> &ldquo;Boys,&rdquo; cried he, &ldquo;I have thought of a scheme which will be greatly for our benefit and for the public benefit.&rdquo; </p> <p> It was queer enough, to be sure, to hear this little chap&mdash;this rosy-cheeked, ten-year-old boy&mdash;talking about schemes for the public benefit! Nevertheless, his companions were ready to listen, being assured that Ben&rsquo;s scheme, whatever it was, would be well worth their attention. They remembered how sagaciously he had conducted all their enterprises ever since he had been old enough to wear small-clothes. </p> <p> They remembered, too, his wonderful contrivance of sailing across the mill-pond by lying flat on his back in the water and allowing himself to be drawn along by a paper kite. If Ben could do that, he might certainly do anything. </p> <p> &ldquo;What is your scheme, Ben?&mdash;what is it?&rdquo; cried they all. </p> <p> It so happened that they had now come to a spot of ground where a new house was to be built. Scattered round about lay a great many large stones which were to be used for the cellar and foundation. Ben mounted upon the highest of these stones, so that he might speak with the more authority. </p> <p> &ldquo;You know, lads,&rdquo; said he, &ldquo;what a plague it is to be forced to stand in the quagmire yonder,&mdash;over shoes and stockings (if we wear any) in mud and water. See! I am bedaubed to the knees of my small-clothes; and you are all in the same pickle. Unless we can find some remedy for this evil, our fishing business must be entirely given up. And, surely, this would be a terrible misfortune!&rdquo; </p> <p> &ldquo;That it would! that it would!&rdquo; said his comrades, sorrowfully. </p> <p> &ldquo;Now, I propose,&rdquo; continued Master Benjamin, &ldquo;that we build a wharf, for the purpose of carrying on our fisheries. You see these stones. The workmen mean to use them for the underpinning of a house; but that would be for only one man&rsquo;s advantage. My plan is to take these same stones and carry them to the edge of the water and build a wharf with them. This will not only enable us to carry on the fishing business with comfort and to better advantage, but it will likewise be a great convenience to boats passing up and down the stream. Thus, instead of one man, fifty, or a hundred, or a thousand, besides ourselves, may be benefited by these stones. What say you, lads? shall we build the wharf?&rdquo; </p> <p> Bell&rsquo;s proposal was received with one of those uproarious shouts wherewith