Mrs. Spargo smiled.
“Here is the quarter,” said she. “Now we must all hunt for the rest of the money.”
“How did Johnny reach up to the mantelpiece?” demanded Letty. “We have to stretch and stretch, and we put the jar there on purpose because it was so high.”
Mrs. Spargo pointed to a chair, and Johnny, taking the hint, in a short time, in spite of his bandy legs, had hitched and pulled himself up until he stood upon the seat. He laughed and clapped his hands and made a sudden spring at his mother who caught him just in time to save him from a fall.
“Rascal,” said she, patting him on the back as he clung to her. “That is how he did it. Now we must all look for the money.”
It was surprising the number of places Johnny Spargo had contrived to hide the money.
Four ten-cent pieces were found in Letty’s doll carriage; three pennies were under the rug; one five-cent piece was on the window-sill; the other in the express wagon. But one penny and a ten-cent piece were still missing.
“Oh, Johnny, did you swallow them?” asked Mrs. Spargo.
But Johnny, not being able to talk, only laughed and hid his face in his mother’s neck.
Susan and Letty were crawling about the floor on their hands and knees when Mrs. Spargo had a bright thought.