ck.

"It's law, the rabbi says," Nathan supplemented. "I don't know why is
it; on'y rides on holidays ain't fer us."

"I guess," Eva sagely surmised; "I guess rubber-neck-boat-birds rides
even ain't fer us on holidays. But I don't know do I need rides on birds
what hollers."

"You'll be all right," Patrick assured her. "I'm goin' to let ye hold me
hand. If ye can't go on Saturday, I'll take ye on Sunday--next Sunday.
Yous all must meet me here on the school steps. Bring yer money and
bring yer lunch too. It's a long way and ye'll be hungry when ye get
there. Ye get a terrible long ride for five cents."

"Does it take all that to get there?" asked the practical Nathan. "Then
how are we goin' to get back?"

Poor little poet soul! Celtic and improvident! Patrick's visions had
shown him only the triumphant arrival of his host and the beatific joy
of Eva as she floated by his side on the most "fancy" of boat-birds. Of
the return journey he had taken no thought. And so the saving and
planning had to be done all over again. The struggle for the first
nickel had been wearing and wearying, but the amassment of the second
was beyond description difficult. The children were worn from long
strife and many sacrifices, for the temptations to spend six or nine
cents are so much more insistent and unusual than are yearnings to
squander lesser sums. Almost daily some member of the band would confess
a fall from grace and solvency, and almost daily Isaac Borrachsohn was
called upon to descant anew upon the glories of the Central Park. Becky,
the chaperon, was the most desultory collector of the party. Over and
over she reached the proud heights of seven or even eight cents, only to
lavish her hoard on the sticky joys of the candy cart of Isidore
Belchatosky's papa or on the suddy charms of a strawberry soda.

Then tearfully would she repent of her folly, and bitterly would the
others upbraid her, telling again of the joys and wonders she had
squandered. Then loudly would she bewail her weakness and plead in
extenuation: "I seen the candy. Mouses from choc'late und Foxy Gran'pas
from sugar--und I ain't never seen no Central Park."

"But don't you know how Isaac says?" Eva would urge. "Don't you know how
all things what is nice fer us stands in the Central Park? Say, Isaac,
you should better tell Becky, some more, how the Central Park stands."

And Isaac's tales grew daily more wild and independent of fact until the
little girls q