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work down here。 We set men to something else。 Do you see that woodpile
by the shed door？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Very good。 In the kitchen you'll find an empty woodbox。 Do you
think you could fill it with wood from that woodpile？ You'll find plenty of
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short； small sticks already chopped。〃
〃Oh； yes； sir； I'd like to；〃 nodded David； hastily but carefully tucking
his violin into its case。 A minute later he had attacked the woodpile with a
will； and Simeon Holly； after a sharply watchful glance； had turned away。
But the woodbox； after all； was not filled。 At least； it was not filled
immediately。 for at the very beginning of gathering the second armful of
wood； David picked up a stick that had long lain in one position on the
ground； thereby disclosing sundry and diverse crawling things of many
legs； which filled David's soul with delight； and drove away every thought
of the empty woodbox。
It was only a matter of some strength and more patience； and still more
time； to overturn other and bigger sticks； to find other and bigger of the
many…legged； many…jointed creatures。 One； indeed； was so very wonderful
that David； with a whoop of glee； summoned Mrs。 Holly from the shed
doorway to come and see。
So urgent was his plea that Mrs。 Holly came with hurried stepsbut
she went away with steps even more hurried； and David； sitting back on
his woodpile seat； was left to wonder why she should scream and shudder
and say 〃Ugh…h…h！〃 at such a beautiful； interesting thing as was this little
creature who lived in her woodpile。
Even then David did not think of that empty woodbox waiting behind
the kitchen stove。 This time it was a butterfly； a big black butterfly banded
with gold； and it danced and fluttered all through the back yard and out
into the garden； David delightedly following with soft…treading steps； and
movements that would not startle。 From the garden to the orchard； and
from the orchard back to the garden danced the butterflyand David； and
in the garden； near the house； David came upon Mrs。 Holly's pansy…bed。
Even the butterfly was forgotten then； for down in the path by the pansy…
bed David dropped to his knees in veritable worship。
〃Why； you're just like little people；〃 he cried softly。 〃You've got faces；
and some of you are happy； and some of you are sad。 And youyou big
spotted yellow oneyou're laughing at me。 Oh； I'm going to play youall
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of you。 You'll make such a pretty song； you're so different from each
other！〃 And David leaped lightly to his feet and ran around to the side
porch for his violin。
Five minutes later； Simeon Holly； coming into the kitchen； heard the
sound of a violin through the open window。 At the same moment his eyes
fell on the woodbox； empty save for a few small sticks at the bottom。 With
an angry frown he strode through the outer door and around the corner of
the house to the garden。 At once then he came upon David； sitting Turk…
fashion in the middle of the path before the pansy…bed； his violin at his
chin； and his whole face aglow。
〃Well； boy； is this the way you fill the woodbox？〃 demanded the man
crisply。
David shook his head。
〃Oh； no； sir； this isn't filling the woodbox；〃 he laughed； softening his
music； but not stopping it。 〃Did you think that was what I was playing？ It's
the flowers here that I'm playingthe little faces； like people； you know。
See； this is that big yellow one over there that's laughing；〃 he finished；
letting the music under his fingers burst into a gay little melody。
Simeon Holly raised an imperious hand； and at the gesture David
stopped his melody in the middle of a run； his eyes flying wide open in
plain wonderment。
〃You meanI'm not playingright？〃 he asked。
〃I'm not talking of your playing；〃 retorted Simeon Holly severely。 〃I'm
talking of that woodbox I asked you to fill。〃
David's face cleared。
〃Oh； yes； sir。 I'll go and do it；〃 he nodded； getting cheerfully to his
feet。
〃But I told you to do it before。〃
David's eyes grew puzzled again。
〃I know； sir； and I started to；〃 he answered； with the obvious patience
of one who finds himself obliged to explain what should be a self…evident
fact； 〃but I saw so many beautiful things； one after another； and when I
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found these funny little flower…people I just had to play them。 Don't you
see？〃
〃No； I can't say that I do； when I'd already told you to fill the
woodbox；〃 rejoined the man； with uncompromising coldness。
〃You meaneven then that I ought to have filled the woodbox first？〃
〃I certainly do。〃
David's eyes flew wide open again。
〃But my songI'd have lost it！〃 he exclaimed。 〃And father said always
when a song came to me to play it at once。 Songs are like the mists of the
morning and the rainbows； you know； and they don't stay with you long。
You just have to catch them quick； before they go。 Now； don't you see？〃
But Simeon Holly； with a despairingly scornful gesture； had turned
away； and David； after a moment's following him with wistful eyes；
soberly walked toward the kitchen door。 Two minutes later he was
industriously working at his task of filling the woodbox。
That for David the affair was not satisfactorily settled was evidenced
by his thoughtful countenance and preoccupied air； however； nor were
matters helped any by the question David put to Mr。 Holly just before
dinner。
〃Do you mean；〃 he asked； 〃that because I didn't fill the woodbox right
away； I was being a discord？〃
〃You were what？〃 demanded the amazed Simeon Holly。
〃Being a discordplaying out of tune； you know；〃 explained David；
with patient earnestness。 〃Father said〃 But again Simeon Holly had
turned irritably away； and David was left with his perplexed questions still
unanswered。
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CHAPTER VI
NUISANCES； NECESSARY
AND OTHERWISE
For some time after dinner； that first day； David watched Mrs。 Holly
in silence while she cleared the table and began to wash the dishes。
〃Do you want me tohelp？〃 he asked at last； a little wistfully。
Mrs。 Holly； with a dubious glance at the boy's brown little hands；
shook her head。
〃No； I don't。 No； thank you；〃 she amended her answer。
For another sixty seconds David was silent； then； still more wistfully；
he asked： 〃Are all these things you've been doing all day 'useful
labor'？〃
Mrs。 Holly lifted dripping hands from the dishpan and held them
suspended for an amazed instant。
〃Are theyWhy； of course they are！ What a silly question！ What put
that idea into your head； child？〃
〃Mr。 Holly； and you see it's so different from what father used to call
them。〃
〃Different？〃
〃Yes。 He said they were a necessary nuisance；dishes； and getting
meals； and clearing up；and he didn't do half as many of them as you do；
either。〃
〃Nuisance； indeed！〃 Mrs。 Holly resumed her dishwashing with some
asperity。 〃Well； I should think that might have been just about like him。〃
〃Yes； it was。 He was always that way；〃 nodded David pleasantly。 Then；
after a moment； he queried： 〃But aren't you going to walk at all to…day？〃
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〃To walk？ Where？〃
〃Why； through the woods and fieldsanywhere。〃
〃Walking in the woods； NOWJUST WALKING？ Land's sake； boy；
I've got something else to do！〃
〃Oh； that's too bad； isn't it？〃 David's face expressed sympathetic
regret。〃 And it's such a nice day！ Maybe it'll rain by tomorrow。〃
〃Maybe it will；〃 retorted Mrs。 Holly； with slightly uplifted eyebrows
and an expressive glance。 〃But whether it does or