Marble. That left just sixty-one dollars and fifty cents to be
raised. Willie ran across the street and brought Mr. Marble. He said he
had made up his mind to give the boys a book apiece, and that each book
would cost a dollar. It was rather more than he could well afford; but as
he had intended to give eight dollars for their presents, and as he was
pleased with their unselfish behavior, he would make it ten.
"Good!" said Charley Somerset, who always saw the bright side of things,
"that makes it all, except fifty-one dollars and a half."
"Yes," said Sammy Bantam, "and you're eleven feet high, lacking a couple
of yards!"
Willie next called his father in, and inquired how much his Christmas
present was to cost.
"Three and a half," said his father.
"That's a lot! Will you give me the money instead?"
"Yes; but I meant to give you a Life of George Stephenson, and some other
books on engineering."
This made Willie think a moment; but seeing the walking-stick in the
corner, he said: "Mrs. Martin must have a machine, and that three and a
half makes seventeen dollars. How to get the other forty-eight is the
question."
Mr. Blake and Mr. Marble both agreed that the boys could not raise so
much money, and should not undertake it.
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