This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

balls, nice new balls that you haven't played with more than ten minutes, and to feel bad about it. If God takes care of me, He must take care of all my things. God couldn't lose anything," and Dicky almost laughed at the idea of God losing things. "Of course He couldn't," he cried, "and if He can't, I can't. Just as if I could do something that God can't!"

Dicky did laugh now, and jumped down from the fence, and then he laughed harder than ever; for as he jumped down, he tumbled over into a heap, for one foot had landed upon something smooth and round which lay hidden in the grass close to the fence.

Cousin Will came running across the lawn with the big yellow apple. He had heard the laugh, and couldn't understand it. "You haven't found it, have you?" he called out.

"Yes, I have," shouted Dicky, gleefully, holding up the recovered ball. "It wasn't lost at all. It was right here by the fence all the time."

Cousin Will peered over the fence at the