“One day in the year, sure, there’s no harm in being merry,” said the stable boy.
“I hope not,” said Jem; “for I know for my part, I am merry every day in the year.”
“That’s very odd,” said Lawrence; “but I know for my part, I would not for all the world miss going to the fair, for at least it will be something to talk of for half a year after. Come, you’ll go, won’t you?”
“No,” said Jem, still looking as if he did not like to talk before the ill-looking stranger.
“Then what will you do with all your money?”
“I’ll tell you about that another time,” whispered Jem; “and don’t you go to see that cock’s eyes pecked out; it won’t make you merry, I’m sure.”
“If I had anything else to divert me,” said Lawrence, hesitating and yawning.
“Come,” cried the stable boy, seizing his stretching arm, “come along,” cried he; and, pulling him away from Jem, upon whom he cast a look of extreme contempt; “leave him alone, he’s not the sort.
“What a fool you are,” said he to Lawrence, the moment he got him out of the stable; “you might have known he would not go, else we should soon have trimmed him out of his four and sevenpence. But how came you to talk of four and sevenpence. I saw in the manger a hat full of silver.”
“Indeed!” exclaimed Lawrence.