Lee Chu and Lee Yen sat on a stone beneath the shade of a fig tree. The
way to school seemed a very long way and the morning was warm, the road
dusty.
“The master’s new pair of goggles can see right through our heads,”
observed Lee Chu.
“And his new cane made Hom Wo’s fingers blister yesterday,” said Lee
Yen.
They looked sideways at one another and sighed.
“The beach must be very cool today,” said Lee Chu after a few moments.
“Ah, yes! It is not far from here.” Thus Lee Yen.
“And there are many pebbles.”
“Of all colors.”
“Of all colors.”
The two little boys turned and looked at each other.
“Our honorable parents need never know,” mused one.
“No!” murmured the other. “School is so far from home. And there are
five new scholars to keep the schoolmaster busy.”
Yes, the beach was cool and pleasant, and the pebbles were many, and the
finest in color and shape that Lee Chu and Lee Yen had ever seen. The
tide washed up fresh ones every second—green, red, yellow, black, and
brown; also white and transparent beauties. The boys exclaimed with
delight as they gathered them. The last one spied was always the
brightest sparkler.
“Here’s one like fire and all the colors in the sun,” cried Lee Chu.
“And this one—it is such a bright green. There never was another one
like it!” declared Lee Yen.
“Ah! most beautiful!”
“Oh! most wonderful!”
And so on until they had each made an iridescent little pile. Then they
sat down to rest and eat their lunch—some rice cakes which their mother
had placed within their sleeves.
As they sat munching these, they became reflective. The charm of the sea
and sky was on them though they knew it not.
“I think,” said Lee Chu, “that these are the most beautiful pebbles that
the sea has ever given to us.”
“I think so too,” assented Lee Yen.
“I think,” again said Lee Chu, “that I will give mine to the Little Fat
One.”
“The Little Fat One shall also have mine,” said Lee Yen. He ran his
fingers through his pebbles and sighed with rapture over their
glittering. Lee Chu also sighed as his eyes dwelt on the shining heap
that was his.
The Little Fat One ran to greet them on his little fat legs when they
returned home at sundown, and they poured their treasures into his
little tunic.
“Why, where do these come from?” cried Lee Amoy, the mother, when she
tried to lift the Little Fat One on to her lap and found him too heavy
to raise.
Lee Chu and Lee Yen looked away.
“You bad boys!” exclaimed the mother angrily. “You have been on the
beach instead of at school. When your father comes in I shall tell him
to cane you.”
“No, no, not bad!” contradicted the Little Fat One, scrambling after the
stones which were slipping from his tunic. His mother picked up some of
them, observing silently that they were particularly fine.
“They are the most beautiful pebbles that ever were seen,” said Lee Chu
sorrowfully. He felt sure that his mother would cast them away.
“The sea will never give up as fine again,” declared Lee Yen
despairingly.
“Then why did you not each keep what you found?” asked the mother.
“Because—” said Lee Chu, then looked at the Little Fat One.
“Because—” echoed Lee Yen, and also looked at the Little Fat One.
The mother’s eyes softened.
“Well,” said she, “for this one time we will forget the cane.”
“Good! Good!” cried the Little Fat One.