But a moment later he was cheerfully confidential; he had thirty cents

to spend! "Dear, dear," said Dr. Lavendar, "we mustn't do anything

rash. Here, let's look in this window."

Oh, how many windows there were, and all of them full of beautiful

things! Dr. Lavendar was willing to stop at every one; and he joined

in David's game of "mine," with the seriousness that all thoughtful

persons give to this diversion.

"That's mine!" David would cry, pointing to a green china toad

behind the plate glass; and Dr. Lavendar would say gravely, "You may have it, David; you may have it."

"Now it's your turn!" David would instruct him.

"Must I take something in this window?" Dr. Lavendar would plead. And

David always said firmly that he must. "Well, then, that's mine," Dr.

Lavendar would say.

"Why, that's only a teacup! We have thousands of them at our house!"

David boasted. "I should think you would rather have the toad. I'll--

I'll give you the toad, sir?"

"Oh, dear me, no," Dr. Lavendar protested; "I wouldn't rob you for the

world." And so they sauntered on, hand in hand. When they came to a

book-store, Dr. Lavendar apologized for breaking in upon their "game."

"I'm going to play mine, in here," he said.

David was quite content to wait at the door and watch the people, and

the yellow boxes full of windows, drawn by mules with bells jingling

on their harness. Sometimes he looked fearfully back into the shop;

but Dr. Lavendar was still playing "mine," so all was well. At last,

however, he finished his game and came to the door.

"Come along, David; this is the most dangerous place in town!"

David looked at him with interest. "Why did you skip with your eye

when you said that, sir?" he demanded.

At which the clerk who walked beside them laughed loudly, and David

grew very red and angry.

But when Dr. Lavendar said, "David, I've got a bone in my arm; won't

you carry a book for me?" he was consoled, and immediately began to

ask questions. It seemed to Dr. Lavendar that he inquired about

everything in heaven and earth and the waters under the earth, and at

last the old gentleman was obliged, in self-defence, to resort to the

formula which, according to the code of etiquette understood by these

two friends, signified "stop talking."




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