"If you do no worse stealing than that," answered John, "you will not be sent to jail this week."
It was therefore agreed, that the cherry-tree should be visited, even if they allowed the cherries to remain unmolested. Without further discussion they proceeded to execute their purpose, and lost no time in finding the famous tree. John's glowing description of the crop had caused their mouths to water long before they came in sight of them.
"John is hoaxing us," said Nat, smiling, before they were half way there. "I don't believe as good cherries as he tells about ever grow wild."
"Wait and see," responded John. "If you won't believe me, I guess you will your eyes. Wild or not wild, I hardly think you will keep your hands off, when you have a peak at them."
"I tell you what it is, Nat," said Frank, "if it should turn out that the cherries are tame, you might not get off so easy as Harry and Tom did for disturbing the exhibition."
"I shouldn't deserve to," answered Nat.
The conversation kept up briskly as the boys crossed the fields and scaled the walls and fences. At length they came in sight of the tree, standing apart from any garden, nursery, or orchard, a full half mile from the nearest house.
"There it is," said John, pointing to it. "If that is not a wild cherry-tree, then no tree is wild."
"I should think it would be as wild as the beasts, so far from any house," added Frank.
They were surprised, on approaching the tree, to find it loaded with cherries of so nice a quality. They were much larger than the common wild cherries, a sort of "mazards," similar to the kind that is cultivated in gardens.