Jerry's Charge Account

e Hidi

to make change up attic. Yet it grew increasingly difficult to dodge Cathy. Time

oing up attic?"

all there was to know about it in less than a month, that is, if there were anything to kno

imals. Since their mother did not have time to drive them to town, they took a bus. It was a short walk from the bu

iverpool, the signs on the buses said. That was in Ohio, Jerry told his small brother. And the big boys and gi

y blossoms are out," said Jerry. "Guess they wish they were like us and lived here." It suddenly seemed pre

id Andy. He never would believe that ever so ma

evoted himself to the one nearest the entrance. "Dip," he called the enormous skeleton, though its full name was Diplodocus. Jerry was interested in rea

and gazed at his bony fri

ld have one of the two bear cubs to take home with him, now that he was too old to pl

me a buffalo,

complete confidence. "Now

dance, Indians weaving baskets, grinding corn, weavin

d so many Indians t

at his little brother. After seeing so many stuffed animals it was a natural th

d kindly. "The Indians are sort of statue

appointed that they w

f-starved, so, although it was now only eleven-thirty, they decided to have lunch. Their mother had given them lunch money. There was no lunchroom near the museum. T

ry it was a reprieve from his worry about the charge account, which by now had become a burden. Once

well go take a look at the che

Tidal Basin, where the cherry blossoms were, they were not far from the Washington Monument, with its circle of flags

ome other time

g something with Jerry again. He

trees. Along the path close to the water, men, women, and young people were walking. Th

e air. "Smells

came to Washington to see the cherry blo

am cones," said Andy, which for him was high

house next door to theirs had been vacant so long that

must have bought the house. Wonder

ers take in a long green sofa,

thing to eat

t as soon as he was in the back door. He and Andy went looking for their mother and found her sittin

Dip and the pretend Indians," Andy

s of milk but don't touch the ca

hy?" Jerry t

ng about looking for somethin

attic while he was out of the house. Had she found Mr. Bartlett's money? If she had she woul

ived at the top of

Mr. Bartlett's money was in the third one. Jerry tried to keep from looking at it. Cathy was smart enough t

nk you're doing?

an up here Monday. I'm help

ooping around to se

er. "So you are hiding something

aid too much. He had made Cathy

r rags-and crammed it in the drawer, shutting it crookedly. She blinked her blue eye

to have Cathy bli

idea I was hiding anyth

if I had somet

You wou

mean. You're the mea

than snoopy. You're just a snea

ate

if I

was surprised to see them fill with tears. Sh

irs. The instant the words were out, he was a little ashamed of them. He had n

owder and lipstick were dopes. Now she herself was carrying a lipstick in her handbag. Jerry guessed she had not sunk so low she used eye makeup but he wouldn't put it past her almost any time. Not long ago he and Cathy had liked to do the same things, liked the same things.

s a good finder. Jerry went to the garment bag, got the money out of the white shoe-my but there was getting to be a lot-and

ined her mother and Andy at the win

such a conglomeration go into any house. Our new neighbor's name is Bullfinch and he's a retired college professor. His

found a new hiding place for Mr. Bartlett's money if Cathy

next door with a small gilded cage in one hand and a picture frame in the other.

d but what on earth could the big o

himp for a pet,"

bid!" gaspe

finger painting? Her owner sells the pictures. Actually gets real money fo

wanted to,

ey had been painted by a chimp. He guessed not. Pictures painted by chimps weren't usually put in heavy gold frames. I

ure of good antiques and

t, maybe Andy and I can teach him finger painting. Then if we s

hat showed what she

those especially noticing looks came over her face. "What on earth do you have in your pants pocket that

could sense it coming. "I just thought of something," he cried, and rushed from the living

niffing all over the place. Even if she wasn't, the money wouldn't be safe up attic, not after my mother gets to house-cleaning up there. She doesn't miss a thing. And the cellar would be no