"Cis!" he whispered. "What's a
vallay?"

She peeped out. "What's a _what_?"

"A v-a-l-l-a-y?"

"Oh!--A valley's a scoopy place between two hills."

A scoopy place between two hills! How like a girl's was the answer! Her
candle was out, her tone sleepy. He did not argue. Flat upon his pallet
once more, with both hands under his yellow head, he smiled into the
black of the kitchen, telling himself that he would not change places
with any boy in the whole of the great sleeping city.

CHAPTER XIII

CHANGES

IT was a blue Monday. In fact, it was the bluest Monday that Johnnie had
ever spent in the flat. The urge of unrest was upon him. He had been out
once, and far into the great world. And, oh, _how_ he yearned to go out
again! And just wander up Broadway to Fifth Avenue, the morning sun on
his back, and the wind in his hair, while he gave more strangers an
opportunity to do those pleasant and generous things which it seemed the
privilege of strangers to do. A second trip, and there was no telling
but that he might come back to the flat fairly bowed under a load of
things!

He took a peep at his books; but he could not settle down to read. And
he was able to get through with a hasty trip to Chickamauga by forcing
himself to be patient with Grandpa. Also, that morning was a bad one for
millionaires. He called up none of the four. If a millionaire had
chanced by and offered to adopt him, Johnnie would have said a flat No.
Cowboys! Rivals, these were, of the famous quartette. And the moment
Grandpa was asleep, Johnnie got on the telephone, called up one of the
larger stores, and ordered a complete cowboy outfit--from hat to spurs.
And having received his order with lightning rapidity, he put it on at
once, and began to stride to and fro, gesturing and talking bad grammar
in his best possible imitation of One-Eye. He ended this fascinating
game by trying to pinch his eye in the door.

Naturally the door led to the idea of taking a walk.

And the walk made him think of the dog. He had seen a handsome dog while
he was riding in the truck--a black dog with a brown spot over each eye.
At once he determined to have one like it. "Here! Boof! Boof!" he
called. And the dog came to him across the kitchen, wagging a bushy
tail, and was warmly greeted, and fed. A fine, shining dog collar was
then ordered and presented, after which Johnnie made a hasty toilet by
splashing his face with his well hand and drying it on t