“Then you’ll allow us to finish our play here?” Red demanded.
“Well, if you agree to pay, I suppose I might let you stay on for a week or two. But no longer.”
“How much will we owe?” Brad asked.
He knew that the shrubs which had burned were not rare or valuable ones. Actually, he thought that the fire had done very little damage. Although the blackened area was ugly and disfiguring, new growth quickly would cover it.
“Twenty-five dollars should cover it,” Mr. Kain said, after a little thought.
Now to him the amount seemed comparatively small. To the Cubs it represented a huge sum. To meet the debt they would be required to pool every cent they had earned for costumes and perhaps dip into the organization treasury as well.
Seeing the look of consternation upon the faces of the boys, Mr. Kain amended his calculation.
“Well, I’ll be easy on you,” he said. “Make it twenty dollars. However, the sum must be paid to the bank no later than tomorrow.”
Brad turned to the Cubs of Den 2. “How about it fellows?” he asked. “Can we do it?”
“We’ll have to,” decided Dan grimly. “I have three dollars and a half saved for my costume. I’ll toss that into the kitty.”