They saw at once a great number and variety of playthings exhibited to view. All around the floor were arranged horses on wheels, little carts, wagons, and baskets. The counter had a great variety of images and figures,—birds that would peep, and dogs that would bark, and drummers that would drum—all by just turning a little handle. Then the shelves and the window were filled with all sorts of boxes, and whips, and puzzles, and tea-sets, and dolls, dressed and not dressed. There were bows and arrows, and darts, and jumping ropes, and glass dogs, and little rocking-horses, and a thousand other things.
When the boys first came in, there was a little girl standing by the counter with a small slate in her hand. She looked like a poor girl, though she was neat and tidy in her dress. She was talking with the shopman about the slate.
"Don't you think," said she, "you could let me have it for ten cents?"
"No," said he, "I could not afford it for less than fifteen. It cost me more than ten."
The little girl laid the slate down, and looked disappointed and sad. Rollo's mother came up to her, took up the slate, and said,
"I should think you had better give him fifteen cents. It is a very good slate. It is worth as much as that, certainly."
"Yes, madam, so I tell her," said the shopman.
"But I have not got but ten cents," said the little girl.
"Have not you?" said Rollo's mother. She stood still thinking a moment, and then she asked the little girl what her name was.