"It is the trunk," said Solomon John.
"Suppose we look out the word in the dictionary," said
Agamemnon, taking the large volume from the trunk. "Ah, here it
is" And he read: "OBSTACLE, an impediment."
"That is a worse word than the other," said one of the little boys.
"But listen to this," and Agamemnon continued: "Impediment is
something that entangles the feet; obstacle, something that stands
in the way; obstruction, something that blocks up the passage;
hinderance, something that holds back."
"The trunk is all these," said Mr. Peterkin, gloomily.
"It does not entangle the feet," said Solomon John, "for it can't
move."
"I wish it could," said the little boys together.
Mrs. Peterkin spent a day or two in taking the things out of the
trunk and putting them away.
"At least," she said, "this has given me some experience in
packing."
And the little boys felt as if they had quite been a journey.
But the family did not like to give up their plan. It was suggested
that they might take the things out of the trunk, and pack it at the
station; the little boys could go and come with the things. But
Elizabeth Eliza thought the place too public.
Gradually the old contents of the great trunk went back again to it.
At length a friend unexpectedly offered to lend Mr. Peterkin a
good-sized family trunk. But it was late in the season, and so the
journey was put off from that summer.
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