he ran, and threw the other money down
upon the kitchen floor. His father stopped to pick up this money, and by
this means Rodolphus gained distance. He ran out from the kitchen into the
yard, and from the yard into the road--his father pursuing him. Rodolphus
went on at the top of his speed, filling the air with shouts of laughter.

He scrambled up a steep path which led to the top of the rocks; his father
stopped below.

"Ah, Rolfy!" said his father, in an entreating sort of tone. "Give me back
that money; that's a good boy."

Rolfy did not answer, but stood upon a pinnacle of the rock, holding one
of his hands behind him.

"Did you throw down all the money that you took," said his father.

"No," said Rodolphus.

"How much have you got now?" said his father.

"A quarter of a dollar," said the boy.

"Come down, then, and give it to me," said his father. "Come down this
minute."

"No," said Rodolphus, "I want it to buy my rabbit."

Mr. Linn paused a moment, looking perplexed, as if uncertain what to do.

At length he said,

"Yes, bring back the money, Rolfy, that's a good boy, and to-morrow I'll
go and buy you a rabbit myself."

Rodolphus knew that he could not trust to such a promise, and so he would
not come. Mr. Linn seemed more perplexed than ever. He began to be
seriously angry with the boy, and he resolved, that as soon as he could
catch him, he would punish him severely: but he saw that it was useless to
attempt to pursue him.

Rodolphus looked toward the house, and there he saw his mother standing at
the kitchen-door, laughing. He held up the quarter of a dollar toward her,
between his thumb and finger, and laughed too.

"If you don't come down, I shall come up there after you," said Mr. Linn.

"You can't catch me, if you do," said Rodolphus.

Mr. Linn began to ascend the rocks. Rodolphus, however, who was, of
course, more nimble than his father, went on faster than his father could
follow. He passed over the highest portion, of the hill, and then
clambered down upon the other side, to the road. He crossed the road, and
then began climbing down the bank, toward the shore. He had often been up
and down that path before, and he accordingly descended very quick and
very easily.

When he reached the shore, he went out to the flat rock, and there stopped
and turned round to look at his father. Mr. Linn was standing on the brink
of the cliff, preparing to come down.

"Stop," said Rodolphus to h