"Yes, sir. Findin's is keepin's."
Uncle Hector stroked his chin and twisted his mouth, as if wondering
how to answer. "Well--er--if you should take one of those oranges and
refuse to pay for it, and just walk away with it and say 'findin's is
keepin's'--would that be all right?"
"No, sir, because I know they are for sale. This dollar wasn't."
Again Uncle Hector stroked his chain and twisted his mouth. And Cyrus
smiled up at him, the smile of triumph. It was obvious, even to Ruth,
that this opening skirmish was a victory for Cyrus. She also smiled
up at Uncle Hector and nodded, signifying that her escort was an able
person.
But Uncle Hector was not vanquished. He laid the dollar on the counter,
off near Cyrus' face, to make it clear there was no forcible retention
of doubtful property--that justice should be rendered to the smallest
boy as fairly as to the biggest man. Then he straightened up, pushed
back his coat and inserted his thumbs in the arm holes of his vest.
And there was something in his smile and in his confident manner that
caused uneasiness in Ruth.
"If I should go to your house, Cyrus, and carry off a handsome sled
with the name Hiawatha on it in blue letters, refuse to give it back,
and say 'findin's is keepin's--would that be all right?"
"No, sir, because you know it's my sled, and there's no other like it."
Again was Uncle Hector taken by surprise, and in his face the two
children saw signs of the hesitation which often leads to defeat.
Ruth's faith in Cyrus rose yet higher. As she smiled at the tall figure
behind the counter her expression said as plainly as words, "Nobody can
get ahead of Cyrus."
But Uncle Hector, while not prepared for such an answer to his
question, even now was unconquered. "Cyrus," he said, "you'll make a
great lawyer some day. You are mighty good at an argument. But suppose
a stranger took that sled, and when you ran after him and told it was
yours, he should say 'findin's is keepin's and refuse to give it up.
Would that be all right?"
"Oh, no!"
"Why not?"
"Because I had told him it was mine."
"Well, now, Mrs. Bennett bought seventy cents worth of tea and sewing
silk just before you and Ruth came in. She laid a dollar bill on the
counter and I gave her the change--thirty cents. Then we went away for
a minute to the back of the store and left it lying here. When I came
back I found you claimed it, saying 'findin's is keepin's.' So, if you
keep it, I lose seventy cents' worth of tea and sewing silk and thirty
cents in cash."
Cyrus frowned, and looked sidewise at the bill. Ruth also frowned. As
she looked up at the jar that held the striped candy tears came to her
eyes. Uncle Hector smiled pleasantly upon the two troubled faces and
inquired in his gentlest manner:
"Now, Cyrus, just as man to man, whose bill do you think it is?"
Cyrus worked his lips, and looked away. He stood firm on his legs,
but inwardly he staggered beneath the blow. It was a whole dollar,
and gone--gone forever, before he could spend it! He might never have
another. Full grown men have been known to collapse under sudden loss
of fortune. He dared not look at Ruth. It might unnerve him for the
sacrifice. With tightened lips and blinking eyes he reached up over the
counter and silently pushed the bill away, as far toward the new owner
as his short arm could do it.
"Thank you, Cyrus," said Uncle Hector. "I knew I was dealing with a man
who would do the right thing when he saw it. And now, let's have some
candy together and celebrate the occasion. What'll you have, Ruth?" He
moved his hand, at a guess, toward the glass jar that held the pink
candy with the white stripes.