`` How do you get these things ? '' he asked , when he joined Tommy in the barn . `` We find 'em or buy 'em , or folks give 'em to us . My father sends me mine ; but as soon as I get egg money enough , I 'm going to buy a pair of ducks . There 's a nice little pond for 'em behind the barn , and people pay well for duck-eggs , and the little duckies are pretty , and it 's fun to see 'em swim , '' said Tommy , with the air of a millionaire . Nat sighed , for he had neither father nor money , nothing in the wide world but an old empty pocketbook , and the skill that lay in his ten finger tips . Tommy seemed to understand the question and the sigh which followed his answer , for after a moment of deep thought , he suddenly broke out , `` Look here , I 'll tell you what I 'll do . If you will hunt eggs for me , I hate it , I 'll give you one egg out of every dozen . You keep account , and when you 've had twelve , Mother Bhaer will give you twenty-five cents for 'em , and then you can buy what you like , do n't you see ? '' `` I 'll do it ! What a kind feller you are , Tommy ! '' cried Nat , quite dazzled by this brilliant offer . `` Pooh ! that is not anything . You begin now and rummage the barn , and I 'll wait here for you . Granny is cackling , so you 're sure to find one somewhere , '' and Tommy threw himself down on the hay with a luxurious sense of having made a good bargain , and done a friendly thing . Nat joyfully began his search , and went rustling from loft to loft till he found two fine eggs , one hidden under a beam , and the other in an old peck measure , which Mrs. Cockletop had appropriated . `` You may have one and I 'll have the other , that will just make up my last dozen , and to-morrow we 'll start fresh . Here , you chalk your accounts up near mine , and then we 'll be all straight , '' said Tommy , showing a row of mysterious figures on the side of an old winnowing machine . With a delightful sense of importance , the proud possessor of one egg opened his account with his friend , who laughingly wrote above the figures these imposing words , `` T. Bangs & Co. '' Poor Nat found them so fascinating that he was with difficulty persuaded to go and deposit his first piece of portable property in Asia 's store-room .
Then they went on again , and having made the acquaintance of the two horses , six cows , three pigs , and one Alderney `` Bossy , '' as calves are called in New England , Tommy took XXXXX to a certain old willow-tree that overhung a noisy little brook .
Co. Cockletop Nat Pooh Tommy cents duck-eggs first store-room winnowing