"There's no 'free list'," said Bobby, his eyes twinkling. "Pa told me to be sure not to let you in unless you paid. And I am sure, Mother, that you will see the handsomest woman in the world, if you want to, when you go inside."
"I declare! you have me puzzled, Bobby Blake," said easy going Mrs. Martin.
"Just a minute, please!" urged Bobby, detaining his chum's mother. "You'll have to take your turn. But one person is allowed to enter at a time. This way! this way, kind friends! The line forms on the right. Only a penny—a cent—the smallest coin of the realm. It won't make you and it can't break you!"
The two mothers joined each other afterward outside of Mr. Martin's store. They looked into each other's faces wonderingly.
"What do you think of those boys?" demanded Mrs. Martin. "What will they do next?"
"I—I don't know," admitted Mrs. Blake, with a sigh. "But I do fear that they will turn that school they are going to this fall topsy-turvy!"
CHAPTER IX
OFF FOR ROCKLEDGE
Trade at the peep-show was brisk until mid-afternoon. Bobby and Fred had been able to get only a bite of luncheon from the store "in their fists," and had compared notes but seldom.
Bobby's trouser-pockets were borne down with the weight of pennies. In refusing to make change it soon became very hard along Hurley Street to obtain pennies at all. All the copper money in the town was fast coming the way of the proprietors of the peep-show.