THE WORTH OF ONE - A CHRISTMAS STORY 

By Tessa Harvey

The next morning, Augustus was kicking a pebble around the school drive. His father would have to pay for the broken window and Gus was dreading the outcome. Already he liked the school and other kids would be arriving tomorrow.
    "Hey boy!" a male voice called, "over here, mate!" The gardener was beckoning him around the shrubs. Gus hesitated but the man was holding out some coins in a grimy hand. "Get some lollies for you and the other kids. You know, sweeties," he added, impatiently. Dumb boy, the gardener thought. He gave the boy his trump  card. "I got spare glass in the shed. Can fix your window quick. Maybe no trouble, eh?" 
    Augustus was ecstatic. Dad will be furious, but I can get money to pay from my aunt. "Well, go on, boy, get some lollies and I will see Mrs. Smith. "No charge for the window." He winked.
    A man was waiting, about ten minutes walk away. Good job, it's fine, he thought. Silas better pay me for this. Two grouse from Lord Richards estate, he said.
    Augustus was whistling, happy. Suddenly he was roughly grabbed, a hand over his mouth and dragged to some kind of hut, shoved in and door locked.

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