not, for it is quite rotten. Why do you bring me such things? What can I
do with them?"

"Why, mother," says I, "it's new rope; not been used hardly; it's the
very best of junk."

"Boy, boy! do you pretend to teach me? Well, what do you want for it?"

"I want a shilling," replied I.

"A shilling!" cried she, "where am I to find a shilling? And if I could
find one, why should I throw it away upon a thing not worth twopence,
and which will only lumber my store till I die? The boy's demented!"

"Mother," says I, "it's worth a shilling, and you know it; so give it to
me, or I go elsewhere."

"And where will you go to, good-for-nothing that you are? where will you
go to?"

"Oh! the fishermen will give me more."

"The fishermen will give you a couple of stale flat-fish, to take home
to your mother."

"Well, I'll try that," said I, going.

"Not so fast, Jack, not so fast; if I make a penny by you one day, I
suppose, to keep your custom, I must lose something by you the next.
Now, I'll give you sixpence; and how I'm to get my money back I don't