“Follow me, then,” cried Jem, “and I’ll soon make you believe me; come.” “Is it far?” said Lawrence, following half-running, half-hobbling, till he came to the stable, where Jem showed him his treasure. “And how did you come by it—honestly?” “Honestly! to be sure I did; I earned it all.” “Lord bless me, earned it! well, I’ve a great mind to work; but then it’s such hot weather, besides, grandmother says I’m not strong enough yet for hard work; and besides, I know how to coax daddy out of money when I want it, so I need not work. But four and sevenpence; let’s see, what will you do with it all?” “That’s a secret,” said Jem, looking great. “I can guess; I know what I’d do with it if it was mine. First, I’d buy pocketfuls of gingerbread; then I’d buy ever so many apples and nuts. Don’t you love nuts? I’d buy nuts enough to last me from this time to Christmas, and I’d make little Newton crack ’em for me, for that’s the worst of nuts; there’s the trouble of cracking ’em.” “Well, you never deserve to have a nut.” “But you’ll give me some of yours,” said Lawrence, in a fawning tone; for he thought it easier to coax than to work—“you’ll give me some of your good things, won’t you?” “I shall not have any of those good things,” said Jem. “Then, what will you do with all your money?” “Oh, I know very well what to do with it; but, as I told you, that’s a secret, and I sha’n’t tell it anybody. Come now, let’s go back and play—their game’s up, I daresay.” Lawrence went back with him, full of curiosity, and out of humour with himself and his eightpence. “If I had four and sevenpence,” said he to himself, “I certainly should be happy!” The next day, as usual, Jem jumped up before six o’clock and went to his work, whilst Lazy Lawrence sauntered about without knowing what to do with himself. In the course of two days he laid out sixpence of his money in apples and gingerbread; and as long as these lasted, he found himself well received by his companions; but, at length the third day he spent his last halfpenny, and when it was gone, unfortunately some nuts tempted him very much, but he had no money to pay for them; so he ran home to coax his father, as he called it. When he got home he heard his father talking very loud, and at first he thought he was drunk; but when he opened the kitchen door, he saw that he was not drunk, but angry. “You lazy dog!” cried he, turning suddenly upon Lawrence, and gave him such a violent box on the ear as made the light flash from his eyes; “you lazy dog! See what you’ve done for me—look!—look, look, I say!” Lawrence looked as soon as he came to the use of his senses, and with fear, amazement and remorse, beheld at least a dozen bottles burst, and the fine Worcestershire cider streaming over the floor. “Now, did not I order you three days ago to carry these bottles to the cellar, and did not I charge you to wire the corks? answer me, you lazy rascal; did not I?” “Yes,” said Lawrence, scratching his head.