Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/324

290 and so the outside began to wrinkle, just like a dried-up old winter apple. And because it was colder than the air, the water condensed on the  earth like steam on a cold window, and it all  ran down into the low places, so there was an  ocean where the Rocky Mountains are now. That was where this fish lived. He died, and his body sank down, and the sand washed in on  top of it and grew hard. But the earth kept shrinking and making new wrinkles, till by and by they had changed places, and the Rocky  Mountains were high up out of the water, and  the fish was left there in the rock.”

There was a perfect quiet while Fred was speaking, for all those present knew the boy’s  sad story, and marvelled at the change in him. But as he turned back to his chair, there came a hearty burst of applause, not so much for the  little talk, as for the boy himself who had made  such a bold fight against his trouble.

“Master Robert Atkinson” was the next announcement from the mistress of ceremonies.

Rob shyly came forward and made his best bow, as he gave his subject.