"They might be varnished," said Jonas. "That would bring out the colors; and the varnish would dry, so that you could handle them." "That would do," said Rollo, "if I only had some varnish." "But the best way is to _polish_ them," said Jonas. "How is that done?" asked Rollo. "O, it is very hard to do," replied Jonas. "They grind them on stones, and then they polish them on polishing wheels." "I wish I could do it," said Rollo. "It is not worth while to take so much pains with any of _your_ curiosities," said Jonas, "because you very soon get tired of them, and throw them away." "O, no," said Rollo, "_I_ never throw them away." "You leave them lying about the house and yard, then, and so other people throw them away." Rollo knew that this was true, and so he did not contradict Jonas. "It's not of much use to collect curiosities," said Jonas, "unless you have a museum." "A museum?" said Rollo. "Yes, that is a cabinet to put them in, and keep them safe. Then, when you have done looking at them yourself, you put them away safely; and, after a time, you get a great many collected, and you take pleasure in looking them over from time to time, and showing them to other boys that come to see you." "Well," said Rollo, "I should like to have a museum." "O, _you_ could not keep one," said Jonas. "Why not?" said Rollo. "You have not patience and perseverance enough. You would be very much pleased with it for a day or two; but then you would get interested in other plays, and let your museum all get into disorder." Rollo was silent. He knew that what Jonas said was true. "I don't know but that your cousin Lucy might keep a museum," said Jonas; "she is more careful than you are." "And cousin James could help us find the curiosities," said Rollo. "So he could," said Jonas. "I think it might be a very good plan." "But what shall we have for our cabinet to put them in?" said Rollo. "Why, sometimes they have something like a book-case," replied Jonas, "with shelves and glass doors. Then the curiosities are all put upon the shelves, and you can see them through the glass doors. But this can only be done with very valuable curiosities." "Why?" asked Rollo. "Because such a case, with glass doors, costs a good deal of money; and it is not worth while to pay so much money only to keep common things, such as your pebble stones." "But we have got such a book-case, already made; it is in mother's chamber," said Rollo. "Yes," said Jonas; "but it is full of books. Sometimes they keep a museum in the drawers of a bureau; but that is not a very good plan." "Why not?" said Rollo. "Because, when you open and shut the drawers, it joggles the curiosities about." "Does it?" said Rollo.