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"I've been setting down and adding up what we all bring in each week. Ma's washings, the Boarder's board, my studio work, Flamingus' and Milt's wages, Gus's cow, Bud's singing, Co's dish-washing, and Bobby's papers. What do you suppose it all amounts to?" She allowed a few seconds of tragic silence to ensue before she gave the electrifying total. "Land sakes! Who'd 'a thought it!" exclaimed Mrs.
"Purty near buy the old shack," said Flamingus. "Our landlord," said Amarilly sagaciously, "is a shark, and he'll try to get the best of us. I am going to get Mr. Vedder to do the business for us, and he'll get the deed in all our names." "Put in Iry's too," pleaded Mrs. Jenkins solicitous for her Benjamin. "I'll put it to vote," said parliamentary Amarilly. "Who's for Iry?"
Flamingus read a psalm in a sing-song, resonant voice, and then Amarilly announced a hymn, cordially inviting the neighbors to "jine in." The response was lusty-lunged, and there was a unanimous request for another tune. After Amarilly had explained the use to which the collection was to be put, Gus passed a pie tin, while an offertory solo was rendered by Bud in sweet, trebled tones.
Jenkins obtained a few of her old customers, Bobby got a paper route, Flamingus and Milton were again at work, but Amarilly, Gus, and Cory were without vocations. Soon after the quarantine was lifted Amarilly went forth to deliver the surplice and the waist which had hung familiarly side by side during the weeks of trouble.
Like a row of blocks the children, with the exception of Flamingus and Amarilly, in rapid succession came down with a mild form of the fever. Mrs. Jenkins and Amarilly divided the labors of cook and nurse, but the mainstay of the family was the Boarder. He aided in the housework, and as an entertainer of the sick he proved invaluable.
The curtain partitions had been removed, and the big room was beautifully decorated with festoons and masses of green interspersed with huge bunches of June roses. Derry and Flamingus received the guests. Upstairs the Boarder and the brakeman were nervously awaiting the crucial moment.
"It would be fine," sighed Mrs. Jenkins, "to own your own place and feel that no one could turn you out." "You've got a great head, Amarilly," complimented Gus. "We could borrow on the house if we ever got hard up, or the fever struck us again," said Flamingus. "Well," proposed Amarilly, the ever-ready, "let's get right at it.
"You see the Boarder has been larnin' me bookkeepin', and so I keep all our accounts now in a big book the grocer give me." She produced a large, ledger-like book and laid it on the table for his inspection. He examined her system of bookkeeping with interest. Under the head of "Cr.," which she explained to him meant "brung in," was "Washins," "Boarder," "Flamingus," "Milt," "Bobby," "Bud."
Here is fifty cents from me, Co." "I'll give you fifty, Co," said her mother. "Me, too," said Flamingus. The other boys followed with equal contributions, Bud generously donating a five-dollar bill he had received that day for a solo at a musicale given by Miss Lyte. "Here's fifty cents from me," said the Boarder, who had remained very thoughtful during this transaction.
"I perpose," suggested Flamingus patronizingly, "that we start a cow fund and all chip in and help Gus out." "Sure thing!" declared the generous Amarilly. "He can have all my savings. We ought to all help Gus get a start." "I'm in," cried Bobby. "You kin hev all you want from me, Gus," offered Bud. Firmly and disdainfully Gus rejected all these offers and suggestions.
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