“O, famously,” said Rollo. “There is the tally,” said he, turning up the side of the wheelbarrow towards his father, so that he could see all the marks.
“Why, have you wheeled as many loads as that?” said his father.
“Yes, sir,” said Rollo, “and James just as many too.”
“And were they all good loads?”
“Yes, all good, full loads.”
[pg 89]“Well, you have done very well. Count them, and see how many there are.”
The boys counted them, and found there were fifteen.
“That is enough to come to seven cents, and one load over,” said Rollo's father; and he took out his purse, and gave the boys seven cents each, that is, a six-cent piece in silver, and one cent besides. He told them they might keep the money until they had finished their work, and then he would tell them about purchasing something with it.
“Now,” said he, “you can rub out the tally—all but one mark. I have paid you for fourteen loads, and you have wheeled in fifteen; so you have one mark to go to the new tally. You can go round to the shed, and find a wet cloth, and wipe out your marks clean, and then make one again, and leave it there for to-morrow.”
“But we are going right back now,” said Rollo.