“No’m, pepper—­black pepper.”

“Oh, yes, black pepper!  And it’s on a high shelf, too.  I wish Philip was back.  He’d reach it down for me.  I don’t believe he’ll get that legacy after all.  Let me see now—­pepper—­black pepper——­”

“Let me get it!” begged Bunny.  “I can climb up on a high shelf!”

“So can I!” cried Sue.  “I went up on a ladder, after I fell in the brook, and I got red paint on my dress!”

“My, what a lot of things to happen!” murmured Mrs. Golden, as slowly and feebly she made her way around the store to the side where she kept the groceries.

“Let me get the pepper!” begged Bunny, as he saw the old woman looking toward a top shelf.  “I can climb up.”

“Well, my dear, if you’re sure you won’t fall, you may get it,” said Mrs. Golden.  “I’ve got some sort of a thing to reach down packages and boxes from the high shelf.  My boy Philip got it for me.  But I can hardly ever find it when I want it.  Be careful now, Bunny.”

“I will,” said the little fellow, as he began to climb.

Sue watched her brother, thinking over what Mrs. Golden had told them about a legacy.

“If she got a lot of money,” mused Sue, “she could get a big store, all spread out flat and she wouldn’t have to have any high shelves.  I hope she gets her legacy.”

Bunny was just reaching for the box of pepper when there was a sudden barking of dogs outside the store and something black and furry, with a long tail, rushed in, leaped up on the counter, and thence to the top shelf, knocking down a lot of boxes and cans.

“Oh!  Oh!” screamed Sue.  “Look out, Bunny!”

CHAPTER XI

THE LAST DAY

Mrs. Golden was too surprised to do or say anything.  She just stood still, looking up at Bunny.  As for the little boy, he had been so startled that he almost let go his hold on one of the upright pieces of wood that held up the shelves.  But he did not quite unclasp his hand, and so he clung there.  Sue was dancing up and down in her excitement.

Then into the store rushed a big dog, barking and leaping about, his eyes fixed on that scrambling object in brown fur which had sprung to the highest shelf.

“Mercy me!  What’s that?” cried Mrs. Golden.

“It’s Wango, Mr. Winkler’s monkey,” Sue answered.

And that is what it was.

Wango had got loose—­nothing new for him—­and had wandered out into the street.  There a strange dog, catching sight of the animal, had chased him.  Bunny and Sue knew it was a strange dog, for their own dog, Splash, and most other dogs in the neighborhood, were used to Wango and liked him.  They seldom ran after him or barked at him.  But this was a strange dog.

[Illustration:  “Go on out of here!” Sue ordered.
  Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue Keeping Store. Page 109]