Jerry laughed until the tears rolled down her cheeks, and Mary said it always happened to her that way, too, when she did bad things. Beth thought how sweet it must have been to have a mother to comfort you, for her mother had died when she was just a tiny girl.
"We must hurry now," said Uncle Billy, "if we want to hear the lucky number called," so off they started.
CHAPTER VIII
AN EXCITING MOMENT
"We're just in time," announced Mary, "and here comes the man who sold us the tickets."
The crowd drew closer to the high box which served as a platform, as the man stepped upon it. The first thing he did was to open a shoe box, which he had been carrying under his arm. He then requested anyone who wished to step up so as to see that the numbers in the box ran from 1 to 100. Several people examined the slips in the box and seemed satisfied that what he had told them was true.
"All right," he continued. "Now will some young lady step up on the platform and draw a number out of this box?"
"Isn't it exciting," cried Jerry. "It's so near."