somersault, an accomplishment which he had
acquired by painful perseverance, practising in private till every joint
of his little frame was black and blue. His feats were received with
great applause, and he was about to retire, flushed with pride and a
rush of blood to the head, when a scornful voice in the audience was
heard to say,

"Ho! that ain't any thing!"

"Say that again, will you?" and Tommy bristled up like an angry
turkey-cock.

"Do you want to fight?" said Dan, promptly descending from the barrel
and doubling up his fists in a business-like manner.

"No, I don't;" and the candid Thomas retired a step, rather taken aback
by the proposition.

"Fighting isn't allowed!" cried the others, much excited.

"You're a nice lot," sneered Dan.

"Come, if you don't behave, you shan't stay," said Nat, firing up at
that insult to his friends.

"I'd like to see him do better than I did, that's all," observed Tommy,
with a swagger.

"Clear the way, then," and without the slightest preparation Dan turned
three somersaults one after the other and came up on his feet.

"You can't beat that, Tom; you always hit your head and tumble flat,"
said Nat, pleased at his friend's success.

Before he could say any more the audience were electrified by three more
somersaults backwards, and a short promenade on the hands, head down,
feet up. This brought down the house, and Tommy joined in the admiring
cries which greeted the accomplished gymnast as he righted himself, and
looked at them with an air of calm superiority.

"Do you think I could learn to do it without its hurting me very much?"
Tom meekly asked, as he rubbed the elbows which still smarted after the
last attempt.

"What will you give me if I'll teach you?" said Dan.

"My new jack-knife; it's got five blades, and only one is broken."

"Give it here, then."

Tommy handed it over with an affectionate look at its smooth handle.
Dan examined it carefully, then putting it into his pocket, walked off,
saying with a wink,

"Keep it up till you learn, that's all."

A howl of wrath from Tommy was followed by a general uproar, which did
not subside till Dan, finding himself in a minority, proposed that they
should play stick-knife, and whichever won should have the treasure.
Tommy agreed, and the game was played in a circle of excited faces,
which all wore an expression of satisfaction, when Tommy won and secured
the knife in the depth of his safest pocket.

"Y