Explore "Corny's Catamount" by Louisa May Alcott on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Two boys sat on the bars, one whittling, the other whistling, -- not for want of thought by any means, for his brow was knit in an anxious frown, and he paused now and then to thump the rail, with an impatient exclamation. The other lad appeared to be absorbed in shaping an arrow from the slender stick in his hand, but he watched his neighbor with a grin, saying a few words occasionally which seemed to add to his irritation, though they were in a sympathizing tone.
"Oh, well, if a chap can't do a thing he can't; and he'd better give up and say, 'Beat."