“What will you sell him for just as he is,” asked Wallace, “and we take the risk of his being red or gray?”
“Don’t you know which it is?” asked Espy.
“No,” said Wallace, “I do not. I did not go near the cage, and Phonny did not open it. He says he could only see his eyes.”
“And his nose,” said Phonny, “I saw his nose,—but I don’t know at all, what kind of a squirrel it is.”
“You may have him for eighteen cents,” said Espy.
“But perhaps he has gnawed out,” said Phonny. “He was gnawing out as fast as he could when we saw him.”
“Why, if he has gnawed out,” said Espy, “you will not have anything to pay, of course; because then you won’t get him.
“Or,” continued Espy, “you may have him for ten cents, and you take the risk of his gnawing out. You give me ten cents now, and you may have him if he is there, red or gray. If he is not there, I keep the ten cents, and you get nothing.”
“Well,” said Phonny. “Would you, Wallace?”