“It’s cherries I have so many of, not goats,” was Mr. Martin’s answer. “I have the biggest crop in years, and I don’t know where to sell them.”
“Then I can tell you where, and you will get a good price for them,” replied the lollypop man. “That’s what I came to see you about.”
“Do you come to buy my cherries?” asked Grandpa Martin.
“That’s what I do,” was the reply. “I don’t want them for myself though, but for a man from whom I buy my lollypops. This man has a big candy factory, and he is going to make a new kind of sweets called ‘Chewing Cherry Candy.’ He has made a little for samples, and it sells better, even, than my lollypops and waffles. I know, for I have tried it.”
Ted and Jan were growing excited.
“To make this candy lots of cherries are needed. The manufacturer is in the market for bushels and bushels of ’em, and so far hasn’t been able to get half of what he wants. I told one of his men about the big crop up here and especially about this grove on Cherry Farm, and I’ve come now to buy up all I can. He’ll pay big and he’ll give me a good commission and he’ll get plenty of the finest cherries in the world, so everything is all right for everybody and the world is a fine place.”
“Well, that certainly is good news!” cried Grandpa Martin. “Why, if I can sell all my cherries I’ll have some money, no matter if the flood did spoil most of my crops.”
“Oh, won’t that be great!” cried Ted in delight.
“And if you sell enough cherries you can give some money to the Crippled Home, can’t you?” asked Janet, softly.
“I can and will, my dear,” said Grandpa Martin.