A speedy search of the house revealed the sad fact that Mother was not at home.
The boys’ faces fell. They someway did not care to meet the little girls. Ernest twisted his scalp lock in deep thought.
“Say, I’ll cut home and ask Sister Sue for it,” volunteered Sherm, who didn’t have red hair and freckles for nothing. “She’ll almost always help a fellow out.”
The boys watched impatiently. Fifteen minutes passed. They could see from the window that the little girls were all on the front fence watching for their return.
“How’ll Sherm ever get in?” asked Carol gloomily.
“He won’t! They’ve seen him now, I bet. Watch them all running. Sherm must be trying to make it in the back way. Gee, they’ve got him!”
Sherm shook off his pursuer’s clinging fingers. His longer legs soon distanced them enough for him to dash up the stairs and shoot into the room ahead of them. Ernest promptly shut the door and bolted it.
Sherm dropped panting into a chair, shaking his head.
“Sue wasn’t there, and Mother didn’t have any small change and said I’d had more spending money than was good for me anyhow.”
The little girls began to pound vigorously on the door.