k I'll take her into the city with me tomorrow to a
doll's hospital. You come for her a week from today and she will be
ready for you. I can't tell how much it will cost, you tell your
brother, until I find out what the hospital will charge me."

On their way home, Brother and Sister met Mickey Gaffney. They had not
seen him since he played school with them, and the sight of him at once
suggested something to Brother.

"Say, Nellie Yarrow says you're going to be in the first grade at
school this term," he said to Mickey. "I'm going to be in first grade,
too. We'll be in the same room."

"Don't know as I'm going to school," declared Mickey perversely. "I
didn't go much last year."

"Wouldn't--wouldn't your 'father let you?" suggested Sister timidly.

Mickey flushed a little.

"Aw, it wasn't so much his fault, leastways he said he didn't care if I
went," he muttered, digging his bare foot into the gravel on one side
of the stone flagging. "After they had him arrested he said I had to
go."

"Didn't you want to go?" urged Brother, round-eyed. "I think it's lots
of fun to go to school."

"Guess you wouldn't think so if you didn't have some shoes and a good
coat," retorted Mickey. "I ain't going to school this year, either, if
I can't have things to wear. None of the boys go barefoot."

"But Nellie says Mr. Alexander got some shoes for you to wear," said
Brother quickly.

"How would you like to wear somebody else's shoes?" inquired Mickey
with scorn. "They belonged to Ted Scott and he was always looking at my
feet when I wore 'em. I want some shoes of my OWN!"

"Couldn't your father buy you just one pair?" Sister asked.

"No, he couldn't," Mickey answered desperately. "He doesn't like to
work, and we had to sell Ted Scott's shoes this summer for fifty cents.
When the old man does work it takes all he makes to buy grub. My mother
takes in washing to pay the rent."

Mickey told them this jerkily, as though against his will, and
kind-hearted little Brother thought perhaps they had asked too many
questions.

"Maybe you could earn money yourself," he said presently. "I'm going to
ask Daddy. You just wait, Mickey."

"I wouldn't mind earning SOME money," admitted Mickey cautiously. "But
it takes a LOT for new shoes. And they got to be new."

Brother and Sister hurried home, eager to see Daddy Morrison, and ask
his advice. They found him reading on the porch and waiting for dinner.

"Oh, Daddy!" Sister rushed fo