shining quarters
back in his hand, saying bravely, "Here's my first payment. I haven't
the rest now, but if you will wait until I earn it, I'll pay it all
back. I will have Hope figure up just how much I owe you, so's I will
know for sure. Can you wait? Maybe you will let me pick strawberries
next summer until I get it paid up. Will you? 'Cause what money I get
this winter I'd like to give to Gail for a coat. She has to wear
Faith's jacket now whenever she goes anywhere, and, of course, two
people can't wear one coat at the same time."

"No, they can't," he answered soberly, with a suspicion of a tremble in
his voice. "Is that what you meant to do with this money?"

"Yes. Gail got a dollar for Christmas, and I thought this would 'most
make enough to buy a good coat for her. She needs one dreadfully."

Mr. Hartman slipped the money into the grimy fist again, cleared his
throat and then said, "Now, I've got a plan. You keep this dollar and
fifty cents for your work last summer, and when the strawberries are
ripe again, we'll see about your picking some more to pay for the
spoiled ones. Is that all right?"

"Yes," cried Peace, giving a delighted little jump. "You aren't near
bad, are you?"

"I hope not," he replied with a queer laugh. "Can you give me a kiss, do
you suppose?"

"If you will skin me a rabbit," she answered promptly.

"If I'll what?" he yelled in amazement, almost dropping her from his
lap.

"Skin me a rabbit. Winkum and Blinkum are starving to death--Faith says
so--and they really don't seem as fat as when Bryan gave them to me; so
if we can save them by eating them up, we better do it. Don't you think
so?"

"Well, now, that might be a good idea," he answered slowly, for he
regarded rabbits as a nuisance, and was not anxious to see any such
pests in his neighborhood. "Stewed rabbit makes a pretty good dish,
too."

"That's what I had heard. Will you skin them for me?"

"Yep, any time you say so."

"All right, I'll get them now and we will have them for dinner."

She was off like a flash before he could say another word, returning
almost immediately with the squirming rabbits in her apron, and he
dressed them carefully. By the time the long process was finished her
face was very sober, and she offered no objections when he claimed two
kisses instead of one as his reward, but gathering up the hapless
bunnies, she departed for home.

"Here's our Christmas dinner, Gail," she announced, dumping