“I know of a grand trick to play upon Jane, father, if you will let me run to the shop and spend my bright half-dollar that my grandfather gave me. Jane has a hole in her thimble, and she pricked her finger sadly to-day. Now, I can buy a nice new thimble for her, and take her old one from her work-basket, and put the new one in its place. How surprised she will be! May I do this, father?”
“If you feel willing to spend your money for your sister, I shall be glad to have you do so, Arthur.”
“I am willing, father. And now for Willie; what shall I do for him? I think I must drop a little parcel where he will pick it up, father; but I will not put sticks and stones in it. I have some nice candies in my pocket, which a boy at school gave me. Willie does not know that I have them; and I will put them into his paper. How he will wonder where they came from!”
Mr. Willard felt much pleased to see how readily Arthur followed his advice; and the little boy himself felt far happier now that his plans for the jokes of the next day were all of a kind to make others happy.
The thimble was bought; the package of candy tied up, and carefully placed where Willie would be sure to find it. Every thing succeeded quite to Arthur’s satisfaction. He awoke very early, and, stealing softly from the house, brought the milk, and replaced the pail in the closet.
Susan came out of her room somewhat later than usual, and hurried around, fearful that her breakfast would not be ready at the appointed hour. She did not observe Arthur, who had seated himself where he thought he should be unnoticed, that he might enjoy her surprise. He came very near laughing aloud when he heard Susan exclaim, as she hastily tied on her bonnet and ran to the closet,—
“Oh, dear, I must go for the milk! I was so in hopes that Arthur would have got it for me this morning!”
Arthur held his hand tightly over his mouth; but when he saw Susan lift the pail up suddenly, and then quickly take off the cover to see what made it so heavy, he could no longer keep quiet, but with a merry laugh bounded from his hiding-place, exclaiming,—
“Now, Susan, didn’t I tell you I would play a trick on you to-day?”
Susan smiled pleasantly, and said she did not care how many tricks he played on her if they were all as good as that.