SHOPPING. 119

It looked like a little black line drawn upon the
water.

“ What is that?” said Lucy, pointing to it.

“What?” said the girl; “I don’t see any.
thing.”

«That little black thing, very straight, in the
water, close by the island, where that great tree is.”

“ OQ, I don’t know,” said the girl ; “ nothing but
a slab, or something floating down.”

Lucy looked at it very intently, and said, —

' «T verily believe it is our slab!”

Lucy ran into the store to tell Comfort. Com-
fort was standing before the counter, looking at
some calico. ‘The counter was covered with
calicoes.

* Comfort,” said Lucy.

“That, you say, is one and ninepence,” said
Comfort, speaking to the storekeeper.

“ Comfort,” said Lucy, putting her hand gently
on Comfort’s arm. “Here’s our slab. floating
down.”

“ And nine yards, at one and ninepence,
comes to how much ?—— Jet me see—”

“ Comfort,” said Lucy.

“Let me.see; nine shillings and nine nine-
pences is — wait a minute, Lucy.”

Lucy stood still, The storekeeper drew out