“What will you please to buy to-day?
If it’s coffee or tea, just walk this way,”
And, with this charming couplet Mr. Lagg started toward the rear of his store, where the aromatic odor of ground coffee indicated that he had spoken truly.
“We’d like some of your good soda,” spoke Will.
“Ha, soda. I don’t know that I have anything in the line of soda.”
“No soda?” exclaimed Frank.
“I mean I haven’t made up any poetry about that. I have about almost everything else in my store. Let me see—soda—soda——”
He seemed searching for a rhyme.
“Pagoda! Pagoda!” laughed Betty.
“That is it!” exclaimed Mr Lagg. “Thank you for the suggestion. Let me see, now. How would this do?
“If you wish to drink of Lagg’s fine soda,
Just take your seat in a Chinese pagoda!”