The White Crystals: Being an Account of the Adventures of Two BoysGaris, Howard Roger
General
The White Crystals: Being an Account of the Adventures of Two Boys
Garis, Howard Roger
Boys -- Juvenile fiction; Country life -- Juvenile fiction; Cousins -- Juvenile fiction; Farm life -- Juvenile fiction
At first Roger was a little bashful about going to houses peddling, for
he had never done that sort of thing before. But he soon got the knack
of it, and, though at several places the old ladies said they thought
they wanted no fruit that day, he didn't mind the refusals. Adrian had
good luck on his side of the road, and sold many baskets. By noon they
had gone over all of the main and only street in Tully, and had disposed
of a little more than half the load.
"I guess we can't sell any more here," said Adrian as he counted over
his money.
"What'll we do? Go back home?"
"No, I guess we'll push on to Dagman's Corners. That's only four miles
farther, and we can peddle some on the way. But, come to think of it,
I'm hungry. Ain't you?"
"A little bit," admitted Roger with a laugh.
So the boys drove a short way out of the village, and pulled the white
horse up along side of a grassy bank. After Adrian had fixed the oats,
which they had brought with them, so that the patient nag could eat, he
opened the lunch his mother had put up for him and Roger. There was a
clear spring of water near by, and from this the boys and the horse
drank. It was like a picnic instead of work, Roger thought, as he
breathed in the pure, cool air, and felt his cheeks glowing in the
October sun.
The meal over they took a brief rest, and then resumed the trip. In the
next village they succeeded in disposing of all the remaining grapes,
the dusty miller of the town taking the last four baskets. Thus, with
about fifteen dollars snugly tucked away in his pocket, Adrian felt that
he and Roger had accomplished something worth while, for he had received
a little higher price for the fruit by peddling it around than if he had
sold it to Mr. Andrews, who would have paid wholesale rates, while the
boys had done business at retail.
"I don't call this bad," commented Adrian as he turned the horse for the
journey home.
"I should say not," agreed Roger, heartily.
It was the first time he had ever taken an active part in any real
business transactions, and it made him want to do more in that line when
he saw how self-reliant Adrian had been in the trading.
When the boys reached Tully on the return trip it was five o'clock. They
had eight miles to drive, but, as Adrian knew the road, he didn't mind
the gathering darkness, though to Roger it seemed strange, for he had
never driven in the country after nightfall. In the city it was very
light after dark, but here in Cardiff it was almost as black as ink when
twilight had faded, for there were no street lamps to dispel the gloom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account