slope of the hill; "I vote we have a race-one, two, three, off and away!" and dashing forward like a young stag, he ru

ot help clapp

de, "that you, of all people in the world, would have hated this si

he lame child; "I would go at a gr

does it not vex you to b

oes vex me a little; but then I am comforted when I think that as lo

ng; for Dick, who was in a merry mood, had stopped there to help the old dame to

l he does it

his fingers like a girl!" exclaimed Lu

d round with a sm

fingers th

ng, fidgeting,

rved

are ready and fit for something harder," and he squared up towards Lubin with clenched fists, and such a merry look of defiance, t

," cried Dick, "or he'll arri

ual. Indeed the walk was so agreeable that Dick remarked that "trouble is a pleasure." It was not l

s of which it stood. It was separated into two divisions, over the first and principal of which Mr. Reading himself presided. A great vari

rise; "I think that one might spend half one's life in the sho

bin; "and how are we to get through this iro

t from behind the counter, and with a large iron key in his hand came toddling up to the grat

you let us in?" said Dick,

; "my name is not 'little chap,' but 'Mr. Alphabet,' though some dare to call me

in your growth," laughed Lubin; "I

ot formed for jumping; "and I should advise you to have a care how you provoke me by any boasting or insolent la

low," cried Dick; "just turn your key in the

ss without paying toll," growled Alphabet; "I a

ied Lubin, kick

tle dwarf; "no one gets to Mr. Reading without paying

e done with it," cried Matty,

oduced some money, Dick giving less than the others. Alphabet took the bright hours with a merry grin, as

could jump over m

ld," said Lubin, who was daunt

w you to pass till you've paid twice as much as the others have

in (who was, however, still on the outside, having been a

said the dwar

abet was strong as well as little, and quite ab

n to Dick; the fat boy was gett

"you must fight it out for yourself. If you can't mast

l never let you in!" sho

ed to pull out his money; and Alphabet, with a

ing at home?

ou'll look over the papers for a minute, I

to co