Dick's enthusiasm died out very suddenly at this suggestion, and he looked discouraged. He had taken it for granted that Billy would be the one to get into the barrel.
"Oh, you can crawl in easy, Billy! There's just lots of room in there for you."
"But I can start the barrel to rolling better than you can," insisted Billy.
Perhaps Dick would have consented to go, but just then the sheep, hearing voices in the smoke-house, came nearer to investigate, and Dick's courage failed.
There was another long discussion between the two boys, each urging the other to get into the barrel. Finally Billy took out his "Barlow" pocket-knife. It had but one blade, and had cost ten cents.
"I'll give you that if you'll roll," he proposed.
Dick had no knife, and looked longingly at the offered reward. Then he looked out through a crack at Aleck, and shook his head.
Billy put his hand in his other pocket and took out some marbles. "Then I'll give you them," he said, spreading them out temptingly on his hand.
"Will you give me them and the knife too?"
"Not much, I won't," Billy answered, emphatically. "I wouldn't give you both if you rolled all the way to Granbury." Granbury was the nearest town.