that in the whole town not one hand was held out to him. He was a
child, yet the heartlessness of it all cut him to the quick. This
thought overwhelmed him, again and again, each time with more
agonizing force, like an increasing wave, and as one flood washed over
him with fiercer passion than the others, the boy rose hurriedly, ran
around the barn, and flung himself upon a pile of hay. There he gave
way to a storm of sobs. One of the group, who had been watching him
more closely than the others, soon withdrew from the game, and going
in the opposite direction from that taken by Bud Perkins, came
tiptoeing around the haystack.

[Illustration: _His luck was bad_.]

[Illustration: _He withdrew from the game and sat alone against the
barn_.]

The paroxysm of sobs had ceased, and Bud was lying face downward as if
asleep. He heard the step, but pretended not to hear it. He felt some
one pressing the hay beside him. He knew who it was, and the two boys
lay upon the hay without speaking. The Perkins boy turned his head
away from the new-comer; but try as he would, Bud could not keep from
sniffling. In a few moments the other boy tried to roll the Perkins
boy over. It was a vain attempt. Then the sobbing began anew. But it
was a short attack, and, at length, the other boy said: "Bu-ud?" Again
he said, "Bu-ud?" There came no response. "O, Bud--I got somethin'
to tell you!" The sniffling continued, and the other boy kept on
pleading. "Ah, Bud, come on; I got somethin' real good," he said.
Silence answered. The teasing went on: "Say, Bud, I won back all your
marbles." That was repeated twice. Then a hand went over toward the
other boy. He filled it with marbles, and it went back. Another