“You may keep the string for your pains,” said Mr. Gresham.
“Thank you, sir,” said Ben: “what an excellent whip cord it is!”
“And you, Hal,” continued Mr. Gresham, “you may keep your string too, if it will be of any use to you.”
“It will be of no use to me, thank you, sir,” said Hal.
“No, I am afraid not, if this be it,” said his uncle, taking up the jagged knotted remains of Hal’s cord.
A few days after this, Mr. Gresham gave to each of his nephews a new top.
“But how’s this?” said Hal; “these tops have no strings; what shall we do for strings?”
“I have a string that will do very well for mine,” said Ben; and he pulled out of his pocket the fine, long, smooth string, which had tied up the parcel. With this he soon set up his top, which spun admirably well.
“Oh, how I wish I had but a string,” said Hal. “What shall I do for a string? I’ll tell you what, I can use the string that goes round my hat!”
“But then,” said Ben, “what will you do for a hat-band?”