When the Curlytops told their mother and father what they wanted to do—give goat rides to earn money—everyone said it was all right.
Mother Martin made a muslin sign, and with some black paint found in grandpa’s barn Daddy Martin painted the words. They read:
GOAT RIDES
UP AND DOWN THE ROAD
5 CENTS
MONEY FOR THE CRIPPLED HOME
“There!” cried Ted, as he looked at the sign hanging on either side of Nicknack, “that ought to earn some money. Come on now, Jan, we’ll go out and see what we can do.”
“Oh but we can’t ride if we’re going to take passengers!”
“No. But we can ride until someone wants to get in, and then we can get out. I’ll walk alongside the wagon and drive Nicknack, and you can be the conductor and collect the money.”
“All right. And if only one or two want to ride at once we can get in too, for there’s room.”
“All right! But come on! Now we can earn money for Hal’s home!”
CHAPTER XVII
JIMMIE HAS A TUMBLE
Down the road trotted Nicknack, while Ted and Jan sat on the front seat of the wagon and looked eagerly ahead for the first sight of some boy or girl to whom they might offer a ride, and so earn money for the Crippled Children’s Home where Hal Chester hoped to have his lame foot cured.