"Yes, sir: to Jared Bates, for two cents. Here they are: I s'pose they
belong to you," said the little fellow tugging at his pocket.
"For two cents!" exclaimed Mr. Ross laughing in spite of himself. "You'll
never grow rich, my boy, making such bargains as that. But see here," he
added, growing grave again, "whose dog was it?"
"I--I thought it was ours, papa."
"Ours? Yours to play with, but only mine to sell or give away. You'll have
to go to Jared to-morrow, return his two cents, and tell him the dog is
mine, and you sold what did not belong to you."
"Oh where's my bird?" cried Violet, reminded of it by this little episode.
"I laid it down to look at Elsie's watch, and oh it's gone! Mamma, mamma,
I'm so sorry!"
"I am too, dear, for your sake," the mother said, putting an arm about her
and kissing the wet cheek, for the tears had begun to flow again. "Was it
the bird Ranger killed?"
"Yes, mamma, I was going to ask you to get it stuffed for me."
"Some cat has got it, no doubt," said Mr. Ross. "But don't cry: it
couldn't hurt it, you know, after it was dead."
"If it only had a heaven to go to," sobbed Vi
"Perhaps it has," said the gentleman kindly.
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