ls where the horses munched their dinner and looked
solemnly through the opening over the mangers at the two children
engaged at play. Between where they sat and the rafters, the space was
open.

Maggie took her seat in the middle of the floor, and her brother placed
himself opposite. Before doing so, he stepped to the nearest stall and
picked up a block of wood six inches in diameter and two feet in
length. This he laid on the floor and seated himself upon it, tossing
the jackstones to his sister to begin the game.

She was his superior, for her pretty taper fingers were more nimble
than his sturdy ones, and, unless she handicapped herself by certain
conditions, she invariably won in the contest of skill. She tossed
them one after the other, then two or three or more at a time,
snatching up the others from the floor and going through the varied
performance with an easy perfection that was the wonder of Tim. Once
or twice, she purposely missed some feat, but the alert lad was sure to
detect it, and declared he would not play unless she did her best, and,
under his watchful eye, she could not escape doing so. As I have said,
the only way to equalize matters was for her to handicap herself, and
even then I am compelled to say she was more often winner than loser.

Sitting on the block of wood tipped up on one end, Tim kept his eyes on
the bits of metal, popping up in the air and softly dropping into the
extended palm, and wondered again why it was so hard for him to do that
which was so easy for her. Finally she made a slip, which looked
honest, and resigned the stones to him.

Now, you know that in playing this game, you ought to sit on the floor
or ground; for if your perch is higher, you are compelled to stoop
further to snatch up the pieces and your position is so awkward that it
seriously interferes with your success.

The very first scramble Tim made at the stones on the floor was not
only a failure, but resulted in a splinter catching under the nail of
one of his fingers. Maggie laughed.

"Why do you sit way up there?" she asked; "you can't do half as well as
when you are lower down like me."

"I guess you're right," he replied, as he pushed the block away and
imitated her. "I 'spose I'll catch the splinters just the same."

"There's no need of it; you mustn't claw the stones, but move your hand
gently, just as I do. Now, watch me."

"It's a pity that no one else in the world is half as smart as