Comstock and Parker tell
everything that everybody knows or guesses. Steele biles his'n down.
But do just as you've a mind to: it wont make a bit o' difference to me
one way or the other."
Johnny took Steele, handed over his dollar, and received twenty-five
cents in change.
Before the money was fairly stowed away in his wallet his eye fell upon
a beautiful rubber ball, painted in various brilliant colors, which lay
in the show case. The book-seller tossed it upon the clean-swept floor,
and up it bounded to the ceiling.
"The last of the lot," said he; "filled with air; that's why it bounces
so; been selling at thirty cents; will close this out at twenty-five;
every boy ought to have one; children cry for 'em; just the thing for
'hand-ball,'--what d' y' say?"
"I'll take it," said Johnny; and he took his book and ball and hurried
home, "dead broke" financially, but happy, nevertheless.
Being open-hearted, he told his folks about his purchase, and they were
inclined to find fault with him, though I do not know why. He seemed
never to tire of his book and ball, but would change from one to the
other, and for some days was as happy as a king is supposed to be.
Then came his bad luck.
He was tossing his ball upon the roof of the house, and catching it as
it came down; but by and by it did not come down--it bounded into the
tin eave-trough and rolled slowly along till it came to the big pipe
that led to the cistern, and into this it dropped, and went whirring
down, and stopped somewhere with a faint plash.
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