“Why, made it smaller,” said Royal.
“Yes,” said Miss Anne; “and the circumstance which made his pleasure in the picture-book less than it otherwise would have been, was, that his little brother Georgie had no new book or plaything. David showed Georgie his book, and sometimes let him have it by himself; but he would have liked it better, if Georgie had had a present of his own.”
“And now about the horse?” said Royal.
“Well,—that evening, when these boys’ father came home to supper, he brought something tied up in a paper, which, he said, was for Georgie. David took it, and ran to find Georgie,—hoping that it was some present for him. Georgie opened it, and found that it was a handsome wooden horse, on wheels,—with a long red cord for a bridle, to draw him about by. David was very much pleased at this; and now he could go and sit down upon his cricket, and look at his book, with a great deal more pleasure; for Georgie had a present too. So, you see, the horse made the picture-book more valuable.”
The children sat still a short time, thinking of what Miss Anne had said; and at length Royal said,
“Are these stories which you have been telling us true, Miss Anne?”
“No,” said Miss Anne, quietly.
“Then you made them up.”
“Yes,” said Miss Anne.
“What for?” said Lucy.