"Was not care-less!" Denied Bobby and that unsteady lower lip began to tremble.
"Of course you were not careless," said the man with the mustache. "Somebody just forgot to tell you. Here, take this."
He put his hand in his pocket and drew it out full of money. He selected a large shining white piece and put it in Bobby's hand.
"Here's a quarter for you. Now it will soon be sundown and you'd better make tracks for Mr. Eller's. Know how to find it?"
"Thank you," said Bobby, clutching the quarter and not forgetting what the Supe'tendent told him to say whenever anybody gave him anything. Then, after a time, he remembered the man's question and he replied to it. "Yes'm."
"That's it—that house way over there on the other side of the road," said the man. "Keep your eyes on the house and you can't miss it."
"Yes'm," said Bobby and started off.
"Here," called the man, "Wait a minute. Here's a quarter for you." He drew out another handful of money and selected another shining white quarter, only it was not so shiny as the other one. "Now skeedaddle for Mr. Eller's."
Forgetting to thank the man for the second quarter, Bobby started off, keeping his eyes fixed on the house. When he had gone a long ways he turned and looked back. The Man with the Pocketful of Quarters waved to him, and Bobby, after waving, too, set resolutely onwards for the house far off across the road.
Now it's hard to remember just what you a going to do when one is a very little boy and has just been given two whole quarters all for his very own, particularly if the disturbing thought will come to you that you can have lots and lots of quarters and other things given to you if you have birth—the thing you musn't think about.