Jerry's Charge Account

as a W

fle and his fourth sausage-the Martins always had an especially good lunch on Saturdays sinc

and the family heard him sa

parrot cage in hand. The parrot was head-

d already informed his family of that fact. "Ma

"Say 'Buenos días,'" he urged the parrot. "That is 'Good day' or 'How do yo

ng on the floor by the cage. "Pretty Po

he, he's a he

r the cage. He might bite,

e me. Parrots li

th a parrot?" asked Cathy, who had co

ewhe

er a hug, against which he pretended to struggle. He b

" cried Mr

had not been in the house more than five minutes. So, I'll have to dispose of the bird. Fine specimen it is, too. Well, it's too late now to get a 'for sale' notice in the paper before Monday,

said Mr. Mar

e parrot alone. You know how it is with bird

one. You know she is. Besides, having a parrot who can speak Spanish in the house will teach us a little Spanish. I heard you say that the reason

proficient in the language," said Mrs. Martin. Then she turned to Mr. Bullfinch and told him she

to buy the parrot from Mr. Bullfinch. Jerry rashly promised all his allowance for May. Cathy wouldn't go as

nd tell him he needn't phone in tha

"I agreed to keep the parrot over the week e

tone of voice, her children ha

and here is a good chance to get one

rot's name?" as

ask him what his name is in

much good but he could and did ask t

response fr

to give him a nam

him Pete," s

me. He ought to have a S

te," said Jerry, remembering a stor

the parrot by name but he only glared at

's dumb,"

ung to know how to

hat young,"

own cake-when the parrot beat his wings and

mean?" Jerry a

that they use the sam

!" repea

ame out more like "Carimba!" The way he

on't teach the children any b

swear in Spanish over the week end," sai

be in her room because the parrot's color would go so well with her bedspread and curtains. Jerr

e does," declared Andy. "I

m would be more appropria

crewed in over one of the windows. "You can spend as much ti

ht teach him a little English," said Jerry. "

gh," said

it stop growing instead of all that fertilizer his father put on to make it grow, when his mother called and asked him to ru

until he decided that Jerry was old enough to run it. In Jerry's opinion, he was old enough now. He threw down the despised hand lawn mower and started for the

was pleased to note. May Day would mean the end of all that rigmarole of the secret charge account. And what a relief that would be! In his thoughts Jerry had shied away from applying the word deceit to his charging groceries

ase next to the cash register looked luscious. Jerry wondered how many pieces there were in a half pound and thought of asking b

the grandfather clock. He stopped to visit a few minutes wit

had more sense. I forgot that it's possible to half roast and half freeze on the same day. This mor

ed chilly. He watched the flames lick

al instead of logs. It would be a wonderful fire for a cook-out, Jerry thought. Only he g

hat as far as he could tell, it was good. Jerry said he had wheele

, too, if I hadn't had to mow th

re a busy lad," sympa

ter Monday," said Jerry, after replacing t

u run in every day or so. Hope yo

ng no curiosity about Jerry's affairs. Jerry was so grateful to him for not asking embarrassing questions that he found it hard not to break dow

I'll give him some and tell

find his father finis

ught you might not get it done be

l for what you had done, they bawled you out for not fi

fore he took the box of raisins in to

e's down lo

m. The TV had been turned off. Cathy

athy," she repea

on the lawn and then running to the store, Cathy h

that," ord

ke to k

ut and say that he wanted

mportant word in the English language," he said. "Pretty conceit

tant word in the Englis

depe

ds on

questions as you can ask, you

me a moron? You know I get bett

led you

u d

than half bright you'd be if you coul

ou're imp

s a singing commercial came on, t

eak English but that parrot's g

other from upstairs, "you come right up he

utting the grass," grumbled Jerry. "I was going to c

ugh!" sa

you let a little green garter snake w

up at her reflection in a mirror over the television set and smoothed her hair

hey were no longer the companions they used to be, though he did not realize it. He missed the old Cathy, who reappeared only now and then. They w

. "Little pats of powder, Little daubs of paint, Make

think of using rouge. Mummy wo

er from upstairs. "Come

ie-queen looks, sailed pas

e nuts,"

" laughe

the parrot to say "Jerry." Pedro said "Caramba" again and a

u time and you'll learn to speak English," said Jerry. And, "Gosh, I wish you

en he heard what he thought was a car backfiring outside. Then, at the very edge of sleep again, Jerry smelled smoke. He rushed to the window. By moo

Fire!" he shouted all t

elled at the door of the living room w

cried hi

ur ideas of a joke

!" he kept shouting all the way to the Bullfinch house, as i

I've got to," Jerry thought, so excited and driv

l hard with one hand while he po

the door. He looked

is on fire!"

ullfinch. "Won't you come in?" he asked politely, as if it we

money safe in two pockets of his paja

rry out things?" he

g what should be saved first, when sirens scr

ket for him to put on over his pajamas. He was glad of its warmth and also because he could

e chimney. Jerry heard his father ask Mr. Bullfinch if he knew how the fire had started. And

in my den. I keep a big sack of charcoal briquets out in the garage. Well, soon after I put fresh charcoal

hadn't been a car back

It must be that a few cartridges spilled into the charcoal and they went off when I put them on the fire. Lucky they fired up the chim

cause of a fire I ever he

so soon," mourned Andy, who had b

hat child to bed,

ugh they had not needed to be rescued. "But if I hadn't still been up you might have saved our lives," he told Jerr

to himself until the family were i

malade and peanut butter on a slice of bread. "A five-dollar parrot and he's worth

said Mrs

loud hoarse voice

th pride. "He'll be as good as a watchdog. Don't miners sometimes ta

we're really in very little danger from poisonous fumes. But

rot can be a lot of w

d Cathy. And Jerry

arrot kept ba

," Jerry's mother told him. "Yes, you can keep him. I might have kn

ave hurried quite as fast over to the Bullfinch house if it had not been for the money in the grandfather clock. He had s

ing gentle, c

andy," he thought on his way upstairs to bed. "When I get that candy from Mr. Bartlett tomorrow I'm goin

rry's steps light on the stairs. He went to bed by