“I know what we’ll do!” she asserted, sitting up in bed.  “Listen, Roddy, Ellis Carr said his father said Miss Putnam worked too hard.  Well, why can’t Mickey help her?”

“Maybe he can,” murmured Brother sleepily.  “Only she wont like him, ’cause he’s a boy.”

CHAPTER XXI

BROTHER AND SISTER PAY A CALL

Sister’s first thought in the morning was Mickey and Miss Putnam.  “It’s too bad he is a boy,” she admitted, referring to Mickey, “because Miss Putnam doesn’t like children.  But if Mickey was grown up he wouldn’t have to have shoes to wear to school, because he wouldn’t go to school.”

“Sister, your reasoning is all right,” Ralph praised her.  “Perhaps you will grow up to be a lawyer like your father and brothers.”

“Oh, no,” said Sister positively and sweetly.  “When I grow up I’m going to be a farmer.”

After breakfast, she helped Brother clear the table and brush the crumbs, and then she dragged him out to the porch steps to consult with him.

“We have to go see Miss Putnam,” she whispered.  “About Mickey, you know.”

Brother looked frightened.

“She won’t let us in,” he said in alarm.  “She thinks we threw tar on her porch.  ’Sides, can’t Mickey go see her?”

“No, we want to have it all fixed for him,” explained Sister patiently.  “Mickey is scared of her, too, and maybe he wouldn’t go.  But if she says yes, he can work for her, he’ll go work ’cause he wants the shoes.  Come on, Roddy, I’m not afraid.”

“Will you do the talking?” suggested Brother.

Sister promised to “do the talking,” and without saying anything to anyone in the house, the small boy and girl set out for the “terrible” Miss Putnam’s.

In her heart of hearts, Sister was very much afraid of the cross old lady, and when they turned in at her gate she was almost ready to run home.  But she remembered Mickey and how sadly he needed the new shoes, so she lifted the brass knocker on the white door and waited as bravely as she could.

“Land sakes!” gasped Miss Putnam when she came to the door.  “What on earth do you want?”

This wasn’t a very gracious welcome, and Sister stuttered a little from nervousness as she said they wanted to speak to her.

“Come in then,” said Miss Putnam shortly.  “Mind you wipe your feet, and don’t scratch the rounds of the chairs with your heels.”

She led them into a tiny sitting-room and Brother and Sister sat down on two hard, straight chairs while Miss Putnam took the only rocker.

“Well?” she asked expectantly.

“We’ve come about Mickey Gaffney,” said Sister hurriedly.  “He hasn’t any shoes to wear to school and he wants to earn money to buy ’em.  He’s going to work for us, some, but school starts in about three weeks and we’re afraid he won’t have enough money.”

“And couldn’t he work for you?” chimed in Brother bravely, determined not to let his sister have to do all the talking.