"I do declare, George," said Ella, "you are the meanest boy I ever heard of."
"Why, what is the matter with George?" inquired his grandmother.
"He 's been popping some of the corn you gave us," replied Ella; "and he won't give us a kernel of it, nor tell us where the bag is, so that we can pop some for ourselves."
"Why, George," said Mrs. Lee, "that is too bad; I would tell them where the corn is, for I intended it as much for them as for you."
"I don't care," said George; "they've called me mean and stingy, and now they may find it for themselves."
"We did n't call you mean and stingy till you refused to tell us where it was," added Ella.
"If I could find it, I guess you would n't get another kernel of it," said Ralph, addressing George; "I'd burn it all up first."
"No, no, Ralph, that is wrong," replied his grandmother. "The corn is n't worth quarrelling about. If George wants to be selfish, and keep it all to himself, I 'll send down some more for the rest of you, when I go home. But I guess Georgie does n't mean to be selfish," she added, coaxingly; "he only wants to plague you a little, that's all. He 'll tell you where he found the corn, pretty soon."
George, who was growing uneasy under this combined attack, now retreated to bed, leaving his grandmother more astonished than ever at his obstinacy.
"There," said Alice, "it's of no use to try to drive or coax him out of his selfishness. Mother says he 'll outgrow it by-and-bye, but I don't see as there is any prospect of it. You know what made him so selfish, don't you, grandmother?"