left for their several homes, too worn out to do anything but
rest.

Up in his room John threw himself on the bed with a sigh. His injured
leg hurt terribly--but they'd won. Pity Louise had missed the defeat of
the "Jeffersons." Why did women folks always have to go shopping,
anyway? Only spent a lot of money on hats and other foolishness.

He turned over wearily and found the yellow pig bank leering at him from
the bureau with hungry, malignant eyes. Where was that apportioned two
dollars which he was to earn by the end of the week? Four days had
already elapsed, and the beast's interior was as empty as it had been on
the toy-shop shelf. Why had he bought those lemon drops on Monday? And
the marbles and his rubber spear top? Was there anything left after the
shin-guard purchase? He sat up on the edge of the bed and rummaged in
his pockets. One lonely penny remained from his weekly allowance of a
quarter.

He dropped the coin into the long slot and shook the pig disgustedly.
Two dollars could never be earned by Saturday night. Not even if three
lawns were to be cut, and a half-dozen errands run for the neighbors. He
slammed the big china animal back on the bureau and went down to supper.
The lonely copper had seemed to make the beast sound more hollow than
ever as it rattled against the unglazed interior.

That night the wind veered to the south, and Friday proved to be mild
and sunny, save for a touch of autumnal haze in the air. But not even
this freakish return of summer could rouse him from the grumpy mood
which held over from the night before.

He scanned the front yards on the street as he sulked along to school.
How slowly grass grew in the fall! Not a lawn needed trimming, and as
for freeing them from leaves, the nearly denuded boughs made such
operations unnecessary. Coin of the realm seemed further away than ever.

In the afternoon, the haze thickened and hinted of rain. As he and
Louise sauntered homeward, a drop of water spattered on her cheek.
Another hit him on the nose, and it was but a short time before the
cement sidewalks were covered with rapidly merging mosaics of a darker
hue.

What luck! Dimes and even quarters, quickly and easily earned, were
within his grasp. He left Louise at the apartment entrance and dashed
into his own front hall in great excitement.

"I've got the umbrellas," he shouted, as he struggled into his raincoat.
"I'm going out with them."

"Don't take my good one," Mrs.