s he
does 'em for his mother."

Miss Putnam thought for a few moments.

"I'm going to need someone to do errands for me this winter when I
can't get around," she said slowly. "And I've about broke my back in
the garden this summer. But boys are noisy, careless creatures--I don't
know as I could stand a boy around me."

"Oh, Mickey is nice," Sister hastened to explain. "He's going to grow
up and support his mother. He won't make any more noise than he can
help."

Miss Putnam smiled grimly.

"I guess that's true," she said. "Well, tell your Mickey to come round
and see me, and if he doesn't charge too much, perhaps we can suit each
other."

Brother and Sister trotted home, well-pleased with the success of their
errand. It was something to have secured the promise of more work for
Mickey.

"There he is now!" exclaimed Brother, spying the flaming red head of
the Gaffney boy ahead of them. "Hey, Mickey!"

Mickey was on his way to the grocery store for soap, he informed them.

"Wait a minute," said Brother. "We want to tell you--Daddy says you can
help Jimmie and Ralph in our garden and they will pay you, by the hour,
Ralph says. And Miss Putnam says you can run errands for her."

"Miss Putnam?" repeated Mickey, surprised. "Miss Putnam wouldn't have a
boy in her yard."

"Yes, she will," declared Sister. "She said so. And you can run errands
after school this winter when she can't get around--she said so, didn't
she, Roddy?"

Brother nodded.

"It would be kind of nice to have a job this winter, wouldn't it?" said
Mickey thoughtfully. "My mother would like that. Well, if you're sure
Miss Putnam won't come out with a broom when she sees me, I'll go."

"No, she won't," Sister assured him. "I don't believe she's so cross
when you know her."

"'Cept about tar," said Brother sorrowfully.

Mickey looked at them, mystified.

"What about tar?" he asked. "Has Miss Putnam any?"

CHAPTER XXII

MICKEY OWNS UP

Brother told Mickey the tar incident in a few words.

"And you can't make her believe Betty and I didn't put it on her
porch," he concluded. "She's just 'termined we did it."

"And she sent the policeman to your house and all," mused Mickey. "Gee!"

His face was rather red and he looked at Brother and Sister queerly. He
opened his mouth as though to say something, then apparently changed
his mind.

"Well, we have to go home," declared Brother. "You'll go see Miss
Putnam, won't you, Mickey?"