"That's a secret," said Jem, looking great.
"I can guess; I know what I'd do with it if it was mine. First, I'd buy my pockets full of gingerbread; then I'd buy never so many apples and nuts; don't you love nuts? I'd buy nuts enough to last me from this time to Christmas, and I'd make little Newton crack 'em for me, for that's the worst of nuts, there's the trouble of cracking 'em."
"Well, you never deserve to have a nut."
"But you'll give me some of yours?" said Lawrence, in a fawning tone, for he thought it easier to coax than to work. "You'll give me some of your good things, won't you?"
"I shall not have any of these good things."
"Then what will you do with all your money?"
"Oh, I know very well what to do with it; but, as I told you, that's a secret, and I shan't tell it anybody. Come now, let's go back and play—their game's up, I dare say."
Lawrence went back with him, full of curiosity, and out of humour with himself and his eight-pence. "If I had four and seven-pence," said he to himself, "I certainly should be happy!"
The next day, as usual, Jem jumped up before six o'clock and went to his work, whilst Lazy Lawrence sauntered about without knowing what to do with himself. In the course of two days, he laid out six-pence of his money in apples and gingerbread, and as long as these lasted, he found himself well received by his companions; but at length the third day he spent his last half-penny, and when it was gone, unfortunately some nuts tempted him very much, but he had no money to pay for them; so he ran home to coax his father, as he called it.
When he got home, he heard his father talking very loud, and at first he thought he was drunk; but when he opened the kitchen door, he saw he was not drunk, but angry.