In front of Henry were balls of moist clay; in front of Douglas were twigs tied together in curious shapes. The sightseers refused all William’s blandishing persuasions to buy.
“Well, it’s you I’m thinking of,” said William. “’F you go home without takin’ these int’restin’ things made by natives you’ll be sorry and then it’ll be too late. An’ you mayn’t ever again see ’em to buy an’ you’ll be sorry. An’ if you bought ’em you could put ’em in a museum an’—an’ they’d always be int’restin’.”
The smallest boy was moved by William’s eloquence to pay a penny for a clay ball, then promptly regretted it and demanded his penny back.
It was while this argument was going on that Violet Elizabeth appeared.
“Wanter be a native like Ginger—all black,” she demanded loudly.
William, who was harassed by his argument with the repentant purchaser of native ware, turned on her severely.
“You oughter pay a penny comin’ into this show,” he said.
“I came in a different hole, a hole of my own so I’m not going to,” said Violet Elizabeth, “an’ I wanter be a native like Ginger an’ Henry an’ Douglas—all lovely an’ black.”
“Well, you can’t be,” said William firmly.
Tears filled her eyes and she lifted up her voice.