dom gives up what he likes best. 113

Archie turned quite red, he was so happy.
Tom felt he had really done it.

“Mine?” said Archie. ‘Is it mine ?”

“Yes, said Tom. “Please carry it away
at once. I don’t want to look atit. I might
wish to take it back again, you know.”

“Oh, thank you!” cried Archie. “May I
play one tune—yjust one, to hear how it
sounds ?”

“Very well,” said Tom, “if it is a short
one. There, Ill turn my back.”

Archie took it in both his hands, and Tom
stood with his back to him.

“ Don’t squeeze it too hard,” he said, as he
was beginning ; “it might hurt it.”

The noise rose up beautifully out of its
inside, and filled the whole room.

Tom was thinking what his mamma would
say when she knew that he had really been
like the martyrs, and given up the thing he
liked best.

“Oh, Tom!” cried Archie, when he
stopped; “it’s beautiful !”

He was quite, quite happy.