282 _ THE LAND OF PLUCK

in despair, and close his eyes, longing to get well, so that
he might eat plumcake and popcorn balls again.

But Johnny was not always sick; and, as I said before,
he had many beautiful things. So, of course, this visit
promised Master Hal a world of enjoyment. But, alas!
when the poor little fellow returned home in the after-
noon, his brow was clouded, and he had a dismal look in |
his blue eyes, and the least bit of a pout on his cherry lips.

Something was wrong, I knew, and at last Hal gave it
words. ‘

“Mother, Johnny has money in both his pockets !”

“ Has he, dear?”

_ “Yes; and he says he could get ever so much more, if
he. wanted it.”

“Well, now, that makes it very pleasant for Johnny,” I
returned cheerfully, as a reply evidently was expected.
“Very pleasant; don’t you think .so ?”

«Yes, only —” :

“Only what, Hal?”

“Why, he has a big pop-gun and a gold watch and a
hobby-horse, and lots of things.” And Hal looked up into
my face with a disconsolate, doleful stare.

“Well, my boy, what of that?”

“ Nothing, Mother,” and the telltale tears sprang to his
eyes, “only I think we ’re very poor, are n’t we ?”

“No indeed, Hal, dear; we are very far froin being
poor. But we are not so rich as Mr. Lewis’s family, if
that is what ‘you mean.”

“Oh, Mother!” insisted the little fellow, “I do think

199

we re very poor; anyhow J am!