There was a big garden near Mr. Jones' house, and it had a lot of fruit trees in it. One day he saw some beautiful apples on one of them. He went home and got a ladder, put it against the high wall of the garden and climbed up. Then he pulled the ladder up, put it down on the other side, and climbed down into the garden. Just then a gardener came round a corner and saw him.

“What are you doing here?” he shouted.

Mr. Jones thought quickly and then said. “I'm selling my ladder.”

“Selling your ladder? In somebody else's garden? Do you think I believe such a stupid story?” said the gardener and came towards Mr. Jones with a stick.

“It is my ladder,” said Mr. Jones, “and I can sell it where I like. You needn't buy if you don't want to.” And he took his ladder and climbed over the wall again.