“What’s that?”

Mr. Hodge explained, and his wife agreed with him that it would be wise first to try what a personal demand would do.

It was about six o’clock when Mr. Hodge reached the Henderson home.  Mr. Henderson stopped work at five, and he was at supper when the storekeeper entered.  Bob knew the object of the visit, and, making an excuse that he wanted to see one of his boy chums, was about to leave the table.

“My business is with him, too,” said Mr. Hodge in rather surly tones.

“With Bob?” asked Mr. Henderson, and his heart sank.  He realized that his son must have been up to some prank in which the storekeeper was involved, for Mr. Hodge was not a person to pay friendly calls.

“Yes.  I’ve come t’ see if ye’ll settle my claim fer damages without a lawsuit.”

“A lawsuit?” inquired Mr. Henderson, now becoming quite alarmed, while Bob’s mother grew pale.  Bob himself, not a little frightened as the result of his joke, sank down in a chair,

“I want damages fer personal injuries, as well as fer five gallons of molasses that run to waste.”

“It couldn’t have been more than three gallons,” interrupted Bob.  “Molasses runs awful slow, and the spigot wasn’t open more than three minutes.”

“It runs fast in hot weather,” observed the storekeeper.

“What is it all about?” asked Mr. Henderson.

Then Mr. Hodge explained, dwelling on the pain he had suffered as a result of the fall from the string that tripped him and on the loss of the molasses.

“I want ten dollars damage,” he concluded.  “A dollar fer the molasses an’ the rest fer personal injuries.”

“I am afraid I cannot afford to pay so much,” said Mr. Henderson, who, while he made good wages, was trying to save up enough to pay for his home.

“Then I’ll sue ye.”

“I would not like you to do that, but I cannot afford to pay ten dollars—­at least not now.  I have some interest to meet this week.”

“Well, maybe I might take a little less,” said Mr. Hodge, as he saw a prospect of Bob’s father coming to a settlement.  “I’ll make it eight dollars, an’ ye can pay me in installments.”

“I suppose that will be fair,” admitted Mr. Henderson.  He spoke very quietly, but he was much exercised over what had happened.

“Can ye pay me anythin’ now?” asked Mr. Hodge eagerly, rubbing his shins, which, to tell the truth, were only slightly bruised and did not hurt him in the least now.

“I could give you two dollars.  But first I want to ask Bob if he is responsible for this.”

To his sorrow Mr. Henderson did not have much doubt of it.

“Oh, I guess he won’t deny it,” said the storekeeper.

“Did you do this, Bob?” inquired his father.

“I—­I guess so, but I didn’t mean anything.”

Bob was not so happy over his prank as he had been at first.