He was anxious to make his money go as far as possible, and yet secure the best, so he wended his way to a market, which had often attracted his attention.
Arriving at the market he feasted his eyes upon bunches of crisp, white celery, selected some fine sweet-potatoes, picked out a fine chicken, and then felt in his pocket for his money.
The marketman saw him turn pale as death, and then say, in a whisper, which he knew was not feigned:
"My gold-piece is gone!"
"Have you lost your money, my little man?" he asked, in a kindly way.
"Yes, sir; and it is all we have in the world.
"Ah! here is a hole in my pocket, and it has rolled out, for it was a three-dollar gold-piece.
"But maybe I can find it, sir," and the tears were in the boy's eyes.
"If you do not come back, I will trust you for your Thanksgiving dinner, for I know you will pay me when you can."