"Why I don't know," said Beechnut, doubtfully. "I don't know how many childish things it is necessary for a boy to do, in order to be considered as childish in character; but I have known you to do _two_ childish things within half an hour." Phonny seemed a little surprised and a little confused at this, and after a moment's pause he said: "I know what one of them is, I guess." "What?" asked Beechnut. "Swinging on the gate." "No," said Beechnut, "I did not mean that. You have done things a great deal more childish than that." "What?" said Phonny. "The first was," said Beechnut, "making a dispute with Malleville, by appealing to me to decide whether you were childish." "Why I ought to know if I am childish," said Phonny, "so that if I am, I may correct the fault." "I don't think that that was your motive," said Beechnut, "in asking. If you had wished to know my opinion in order to correct yourself of the fault, you would have asked me some time privately. I think that your motive was a wish to get a triumph over Malleville." "Oh, Beechnut!" said Phonny. Although Phonny said Oh Beechnut, he still had a secret conviction that what Beechnut had said was true. He was silent a moment, and then he asked what was the other childishness which Beechnut had seen within half an hour. "In unloading this wood," said Beechnut, "you tried to get hold of the biggest sticks, even when they were partly buried under the little ones, and thus worked to great disadvantage. _Men_ take the smaller ones off first, and so clear the way to get at the larger ones. But boys make a great ado in getting hold of the largest ones they can see, by way of showing the by-standers how strong they are." "Well," said Phonny, "I will throw off the little ones after this." So Phonny went to work again, and in throwing off the remainder of the load, he acted in a much more sensible and advantageous manner than he had done before. The cart was soon empty. Beechnut then went into the house and brought out a small chair; this he placed in the middle of the cart, for Malleville. He also placed a board across the cart in front, in such a manner that the ends of the board rested upon the sides of the cart. The board thus formed a seat for Beechnut and Phonny. Beechnut then gave the reins to Phonny, who had taken his seat upon the board, while he, himself, went to help Malleville in. He led Malleville up to the cart behind, and putting his hands under her arms, he said "Jump!" Malleville jumped--Beechnut at the same time lifting to help her. She did not however quite get up, and so Beechnut let her down to the ground again. "Once more," said Beechnut. So Malleville tried again. She went a little higher this time than before, but not quite high enough. "That makes twice," said Beechnut. "The rule is, "Try it once, try it twice, And then once more, and that makes thrice."