They were all very much pleased at the idea.

"That's the book-case part," said Elizabeth Eliza; "but where are
the books?"

So they sat and thought a little while, when Solomon John
exclaimed, "I will make a book!"

They all looked at him in wonder.

"Yes," said Solomon John, "books will make us wise, but first I
must make a book."

So they went into the parlor, and sat down to make a book. But
there was no ink.

What should he do for ink? Elizabeth Eliza said she had heard that
nutgalls and vinegar made very good ink. So they decided to make
some. The little boys said they could find some nutgalls up in the
woods. So they all agreed to set out and pick some. Mrs. Peterkins
put on her cape-bonnet, and the little boys got into their
india-rubber boots, and off they went.

The nutgalls were hard to find. There was almost everything else
in the woods,­chestnuts, and walnuts, and small hazel-nuts, and a
great many squirrels; and they had to walk a great way before they
found any nutgalls. At last they came home with a large basket
and two nutgalls in it. Then came the question of the vinegar. Mrs.
Peterkin had used her very last on some beets they had the day