THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



little athlete and seat himself upright on the out- 

 spread palm. Thence he would survey the world, 

 wrinkling up his tiny brow. 



This chastened and scholarly attitude of mind 

 lasted for four or five days. Then Funny Face con- 

 cluded that he understood all about it, had settled 

 satisfactorily to himself all the problems of the world 

 and his relations to it, and had arrived at a good 

 working basis for life. Therefore these questions 

 ceased to occupy him. He dismissed them from his 

 mind completely, and gave himself over to light- 

 hearted frivolity. 



His disposition was flighty but full of elusive charm. 

 You deprecated his lack of serious purpose in life, 

 disapproved heartily of his irresponsibility, but you 

 fell to his engaging qualities. He was a typical 

 example of the lovable good-for-naught. Nothing 

 retained his attention for two consecutive min- 

 utes. If he seized a nut and started for his chop 

 box with it, the chances were he would drop it and 

 forget all about it in the interest excited by a crawl- 

 ing ant or the colour of a flower. His elfish face was 

 always alight with the play of emotions and of 

 flashing changing interests. He was greatly given 

 to starting off on very important errands, which he 

 forgot before he arrived. 



In this he contrasted strangely with his friend 

 328 



