In vain Josiah tried to draw forth a genuine sneeze. Finding he could not do so, he resorted to deception and feigned a sneeze.
No money fell into the hat.
Frank uttered a cry of pretended despair.
"Oh, why did you do that?" he fluttered. "The charm is broken! I should have told you!"
"Whut is it?" asked the farmer, in great agitation. "Whut hev I done?"
"You faked that sneeze. It was not genuine."
"Whut of that?"
"You broke the charm, and now you might sneeze your head off without sneezing out so much as a plugged nickel. It's all over."
"Josiah Doodle," came from the little woman, "yeou don't know so much as I thought ye did, an' I never thought ye knew anything! Git your sheer of whut there is in the hat an' come down often that air platform before yeou do something to etarnally disgrace yourself."