“Is it?” said Eddy again.
“Different people look at it differently,” said Anderson, “and the best way is for you to wait until you are a man and decide for yourself.”
“Is it nicer to be a man than it was to be a boy?” inquired Eddy.
“That, also, is a matter of opinion,” said Anderson.
“You can do lots of things that a boy can't,” said Eddy. “You can smoke, and you can keep store, and have all the candy you want.” Eddy cast an innocent glance towards the office door as he spoke.
“Sam!” called Anderson; and when the young clerk's grinning face appeared at the door, “Will you bring some of those peppermint-drops here for this young man.”
“I'd rather have chocolates, if you can't sell 'em any better than the peppermint-drops,” Eddy said, quickly.
When Sam reappeared with chocolates in a little paper bag, Eddy was blissful. He ate and swung his feet. “These are bully,” said he. “I should think as long as you can have all the chocolates you want, you'd rather eat those than smoke a pipe.”
“It is a matter of taste,” replied Anderson.
“I'm always going to eat chocolates instead of smoking,” said Eddy. “He gave me a lot. Say, I don't see how a boy can steal candy, do you?”