this fish, please?"

"I generally sell that sort of fish for about two dollars." He
looked out of the window, hummed a tune, and then added: "Let's
see, what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't, but it's Barbara Armstrong. HOW much did you say the
fish was?"

"Eh? . . . Oh, two dollars."

Miss Armstrong looked very much disappointed.

"Oh, dear," she sighed. "I didn't know it would be as much as
that. I--I'm 'fraid I can't get it."

"So? That's too bad. What was you cal'latin' to do with it, if
you did get it?"

"I was going to give it to Captain Hedge. He misses his, now that
it's rusted so fast that it won't go. But I can't get it. I
haven't got but fourteen cents, ten that Mamma gave me this morning
for being a good girl and taking my medicine nice yesterday, and
four that Mrs. Smalley gave me for getting the eggs last week. And
two dollars is EVER so much more than fourteen cents, isn't it?"

"Hum. . . . 'Tis a little more, that's right. It's considered
more by the--um--er--best authorities. Hum . . . er . . . h-u-u-m.
Sometimes, though, I do take off a little somethin' for spot cash.
You'd pay spot cash, I presume likely, wouldn't you?"