I did not know where it was, and so I didn't find it for a good many days." "Then, I presume," said Forester, "that James supposed that you would leave his knife out in the same way and spoil it." "No," replied Marco, "that was not the reason." "You are sure that you asked him for it distinctly, and he refused ?" "Yes," said Marco.
Here there was a moment's pause.

Marco thought that his cousin Forester was considering what should be done to James, for being so unaccommodating.

He did not know but that he would report him to his father and have him turned away; though Marco did not really wish to have him turned away.
But Forester said, after reflecting a moment, "That makes me think of a story I have got here; listen and hear it." [Illustration: MARCO'S ROOM.] So Forester took out his pocket-book and opened it, and then appeared to be turning over the leaves, for a moment, to find a place.

Then he began to read, or to appear to read, as follows: Once there was a little girl named Anne.

She came to her mother one day, as she was sitting in the parlor, and began to complain bitterly of her sister Mary.