undone!' cried he, as he tugged at the cord; and he
pulled the knot closer instead of loosening it. 'Ben! why, how did you
get yours undone, man? What's in your parcel? I wonder what is in mine.
I wish I could get this string off. I must cut it.'

'Oh no,' said Ben, who now had undone the last knot of his parcel, and
who drew out the length of string with exultation, 'don't cut it, Hal.
Look what a nice cord this is, and yours is the same. It's a pity to cut
it. "_Waste not, want not!_" you know.'

'Pooh!' said Hal, 'what signifies a bit of packthread?'

'It is whipcord,' said Ben.

[Illustration: _'Oh, what an excellent motto!' exclaimed Ben.--Page
205._]

'Well, whipcord. What signifies a bit of whipcord? You can get a bit of
whipcord twice as long as that for twopence, and who cares for twopence?
Not I, for one! So here it goes,' cried Hal, drawing out his knife; and
he cut the cord precipitately in sundry places.

'Lads, have you undone the parcels for me?' said Mr. Gresham, opening
the parlour door as he spoke.

'Yes, sir,' cried Hal; and he dragged off his half-cut, half-entangled
string. 'Here's the parcel.'

'And here's my parcel, uncle; and here's the string,' said Ben.

'You may keep the string for your pains,' said Mr. Gresham.

'Thank you, sir,' said Ben. 'What an excellent whipcord it is!'

'And you, Hal,' continued Mr. Gresham--'you may keep your string, too,
if it will be of any use to you.'

'It will be of no use to me, thank you, sir,' said Hal.

'No, I am afraid not, if this be it,' said his uncle, taking up the
jagged knotted remains of Hal's cord.

A few days after this Mr. Gresham gave to each of his nephews a new top.

'But how's this?' said Hal. 'These tops have no strings. What shall we
do for strings?'

'I have a string that will do very well for mine,' said Ben; and he
pulled out of his pocket the fine, long, smooth string which had tied up
the parcel.

With this he soon set up his top, which spun admirably well.

'Oh, how I wish I had but a string!' said Hal. 'What shall I do for a
string? I'll tell you what: I can use the string that goes round my
hat!'

'But, then,' said Ben, 'what will you do for a hatband?'

'I'll manage to do without one,' said Hal, and he took the string off
his hat for his top.

It was soon worn through, and he split his top by driving the peg too
tightly into it. His Cousin Ben let him set up his the next day, but Hal
was not more fortunate o