Oscar lost no time in seeing this boy, and in getting his lowest price for the collar, which was fifty cents.

This was much less than the price at the shops, and Oscar thought his father might be induced, by this fact, to let him have the money to purchase it; but Mr.Preston did not think Tiger needed any such appendage, and Oscar's request was again denied.
Oscar now set his wits to work to devise a way of buying the collar, without his father's aid.

He looked over the little collection of "goods and chattels," which he called his own, to see what there was he could exchange for the article he wanted.

His eye soon fell upon a brass finger ring, and his plan was quickly formed.

The ring had been tumbled about among his playthings for a year or two, and was now dull and dingy; but he remembered that he once cleaned and polished it, so that it looked very much like gold, so long as the lustre lasted.