“Take hold of the string, little boy,” said the man. “Don’t let it get away from you.”

“Please, sir,” said Betty. “I want to buy a balloon.”

“Which one will you have, little girl?” asked the balloon man.

“I want a yellow balloon, if you please,” said Betty. “Here is a dime.”

The balloon man took the dime and said, “Be careful, Miss. Keep hold of the string.”

For study and play:

Now boys, now girls, come buy a balloon,

’Twill fly so swiftly up to the moon;

Come buy them, blue, red, yellow, or green,