And
they took him to the hospital, and cut off his legs, and gave him
wooden ones instead. But he could not fly any more because they
were too heavy."
For days afterwards all the children would tie their bootlaces in
bows.
Sometimes they would all look into the dark tank, and George would
tell them about the splendid fish that lived in its depths. If the
tank was only half full, he would whisper to the fish, and the
children would hear its indistinct reply. But when the tank was full
to the brim, he said that the fish was too happy to talk, and he would
describe the beauty of its appearance so vividly that all the children
would lean over the tank and strain their eyes in a desperate effort
to see the wonderful fish. But no one ever saw it clearly except
George, though most of the children thought they had seen its tail
disappearing in the shadows at one time or another.
It was doubtful how far the children believed his stories; probably,
not having acquired the habit of examining evidence, they were
content to accept ideas that threw a pleasant glamour on life. But the
coming of Jimmy Simpson altered this agreeable condition of mind.
Jimmy was one of those masterful stupid boys who excel at games and
physical contests, and triumph over intellectual problems by sheer
braggart ignorance. From the first he regarded George with contempt,
and when he heard him telling his stories he did not conceal his
disbelief.
"It's a lie," he said; "there ain't no fish in the tank.
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