“That’s right!” agreed Ted.
“An’ maybe I find Jim crow,” said Trouble.
So far no trace had been found of the missing lame bird pet of Mr. Jenk. Jim seemed to have disappeared. Once or twice he had flown away, to be gone perhaps a day or so, but he had never remained away as long as this before, his owner declared.
The Curlytops and other children of the neighborhood had searched through the near-by woods and fields for Jim, but had not heard his harsh cawing cry nor had they heard him “pull corks.” And of course no one had seen him stand on one leg, with the other stuck stiffly out and his head, with his sharp, beady eyes, thrust to one side.
Jim was not to be found, and Mr. Jenk felt sorry to lose the crow. He even published a notice in the Cresco paper about Jim, offering now a reward of ten dollars for the return of his pet.
“If I find the crow I’ll give you half the reward,” promised Ted to his sister.
“And if I find him I’ll give you half,” she added. “If I get the five dollars I’ll buy me a new doll carriage.”
“And I’ll get roller skates, a steam engine, a foot ball, some ice skates and a baseball bat,” decided Ted.
“My!” laughed his father, “you must think the five dollars are going to be rubber ones that will stretch out enough to buy a whole store full of toys.”
“Well, I can get something, anyhow!” declared Ted.