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{A Nickel for

Alice)]

By FRANCES SALOMON IHURPHYCover by George WithersIllustrated

by Mabel Jones Woodbury

SCHOLASTIC

\^IbjM BOOK

SERVICES

of

division Published by Scholastic Book Services, a Magazines, Inc., New York, N.Y. Scholastic

To

Mywho

Father and Mother

and to Marguerite, Noel, Eleanor, and Richardshared

my

fortunate childhood

This

book

Is

sold subject to th condition that

sold, lent, or otherwise circulated in

that

in which it is published unless prior written permission ha been obtained from the publisher and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

ft shall not be reany binding or cover other than

Copyrightpublished

1951 by Frances Salomon Murphy. This edition b by Scholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic Magazinec, Inc., by arrangement with Thomas Y. Crowell

Company.7thprinting

FebruaryPrintedin

1967

the

U.SX

CHAPTER

1

THE

Home and School was was a sunny room with plants on the window sills and on the desk. The only sound Ahce heard was the rustling of papers as Miss Cannon, the social worker, looked through her folder. She glanced up from the letters and smiled atoflBce

at the StateIt

quiet and pleasant.

Ahce, who sat stiffly on a straight chair, looking down at her new black shoes. Ahce also wore a new blue cotton dress with a white collar and new white socks. Beside her chair was a cardboard box and in the box. Miss Cannon knew, were two cotton dresses, one set of imderwear, two pairs of socks, two nightgowns, asweater, a pair of rubbers, a comb, and a toothbrush,all

new. Every

girl

State

Home andAlice,''

placed in a foster home from the School carried with her the same cloththe young

ing in an identical cardboard box."Well,

woman

said,

*Tm

going in

to see Dr.

Wagner now. I'll be with you very shortly go to your new foster home." Alice Wright lifted her gray eyes and looked at Miss Cannon but she did not say a word. She was about twelve years old, a thin child with straight, light brown hair which was fastened at one side widi a barretteandwe'll

and was cut

just

below hernot.

ears.

Alice did not answer Miss Cannon. She did not an-

swer because she could

She was trying hard

to

be

1

calm. She was determined not tofelt.

show how she

really

She would not let anyone see that she was terrified, that the words "foster home" alarmed her. She began to study her new shoes again, and Miss Cannon

went

into Dr.

Wagner's

oflBce.

In the superintendent'sing some papers.

oflBce,

Dr.

Wagner

sat study-

He was a middle-aged man with kind brown eyes and a worried expression on his thin face."Miss Cannon," he said, "I

am

not at

all

sure that

She is an intelligent girl; she is quiet and obedient and we have no trouble with herif we keep our eyes on her. But you know what her trouble is she runs away. She comes back meekly when we go for her, but it is a very bad thing for a child her age to run away. No teUing what might happen to her." "You say she always runs to the same place," began Miss Cannon. "Yes, here's the address. Mrs. John Baker, 210 Blacktojust at this time.

Ahce Wright ought

be placed

well Street.

It's

in a miserable section of the city, the

secondthere

floor of a

shabby old house. Alice was boarded

by her

father for six years after the death of her

it's the only home she remembers. Still it is hard to understand why she goes back there. Mrs. Baker makes it plain that she doesn't want her. She has five children of her own, is a nervous, overworked woman who screams at them most of the time. Her house is dirty and the children aren't kept too clean. Mrs. Baker calls us as soon as AUce arrives and demands that we take her back immediately. Of course, we go there now as soon as she is reported missing."

mother, so

2

moneyleft

"Apparently Mrs. Baker was only interested in the Alice's father sent," said Miss Cannon. "That's all," Dr. Wagner answered. "When her father

Baker had only two children and I suppose conditions were better. He found Work in another city and could seldom visit Ahce, though he did send money regularly, and he always remembered her at Christmas time and her birthday." "He meant to take care of her, I suppose." Miss Cannon looked at some papers she had brought withthere, Mrs.her.just remarried,

Ahce

"According to the pohce report, her father had a yoimg woman with a four-year-old boy of her own, and he had written Mrs. Baker that they were coming for Alice to take her home withthem.

On

the way, they were in that dreadful automo-

bile accident

and were both

killed."

"Yes," said Dr.

Wagner

soberly. "Mrs.

Baker couldn't

get rid of Alice fast enough and she was committedto the care of the state.

And

the httle boy,

Charhetoo.

he had been

left

with a neighborwas committed

He's a nice httle fellow."

Miss Cannon had a speculative look in her eyes. "Perhaps, later, I can place him with Alice." Dr. Wagner laughed. "I wouldn't plan on that. Miss

housemother felt sorry for her, all alone as she is and not even a visitor to see her once in a while. She suggested that Alice go over to Charlie's cottage and visit him, but Alice said, *No, I won't go. He's not my brother.* And, of course, he isn't actually her brother, but it seemed as though she would welcome almost anyone in order to have a family." "Perhaps," said Miss Cannon, "she's had too much

Cannon.

Alice's

3

family

life

with the Bakers. She

may

think that

all

fam-

iUes are like that."

"Then why does she go back there?" asked Dr. Wagner.

"That'sState

The

why Tm Home is no

not sure about placing AHce.jail,

the children here are good

children on the whole, and are here through no faultof theiruntil they

own. We try to make a home for them here go to foster homes. Still, we do give them closer supervision than they would have in a home. They are kept in groups with an adult and they don't leave the grounds without permission. When Alicegoes out to play alone andshe'll

off to

school,

Tm

afraid

have many opportunities to run away." Miss Cannon gathered up her papers. She stood up. "We'll have to take that chance. She is much too good a child to be kept in an institution. It may bethat she's looking for a realI

hope

I

have the rightchild outside

home without knowing it. one for her. And now I'llandwe'll

pick upDoctor."

my

be

off.

Good-by,

CHAPTER

2

AS THE/"

doof

to

the

superintendent's" oflBce

opened and Miss Cannon came out, Alice's thin shoulders straightened even more and she drew her two new shoes back under her chair. She heard a clear voice saying, "Shall we be going, Alice?" When she looked up she saw again the yoimg woman with blue eyes and Hght hair, and a smile that was even more warm and friendly. Alice picked up her box and followed without a backward glance. Only when they were in the car with the state seal on the door Miss Cannon spoke again. "Ill tell youabout your new home as we drive there. It's in the city but in a different part of the city from Mrs. Baker's. There are three people in the family, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan and their daughter, Marilyn, who is tenyears old.to their

/^ m

The Jordans want someone to be a child. They are nice people."

friend

Ahce spoke for the first time. "How do you know?" Miss Cannon gave her a quick sidewise glance andthen answered, "I don't absolutely know, AUce, but I have every reason to beheve it's a good home. Yousee, before

we

use a home,

we

get the

names

of six

people as references.

One

has to be a clergyman, oneIf

a doctor, and four are friends of the family.

any

one of thesethenself.

six

people doesn't approve of the home,it.

weI

don't use

Of

course, I visit the

home myfosterit."

go through the house and I talk to the mother. If I don't like the home, then I don't use 5

"Oh," said Alice, but she still felt uneasy. "You must not think," went on Miss Cannon, "thatI

home. You 11 see a great you often at home and I shall see you at school, too. Til take you to the dentist and to the doctor's every so often. And Ahce, I want youin this

am

just leaving

you

deal of me.

I shall visit

always to

tell

me

if

you're not happy.

You

are

my

chief interest, not the Jordans.

"Am

I

I want you to be happy." going to a regular school?" asked AUce.

"Yes, you are. There is just one thing I wish you would promise. Please don't go to Mrs. Baker's." Alice set her mouth stubbornly and said nothing. "Why do you go there?" Miss Cannon asked her. "Do you like Mrs. Baker so much?"

"and she doesn't like me. She says I am too much work because I like to comb my hair and wear clean dresses." "Then why do you go there?" Miss Cannon persisted. "I don't know," Alice said helplessly. "I don't have anywhere else to go." The car stopped before a small house, painted white with green blinds. There was a low picket fence around the neat httle yard and there were pansies planted in a bed in the center of the yard. Ahce and Miss Cannon were met at the door by a girl with red curls, freckles, and blue eyes. She was chubby but she was pretty. Mrs. Jordan was plump too, and like her daughter she was pretty. Her eyes and hair were brown and she wore a spotless, stiffly starched and"I

don't

like

her at

all,"

Alice replied,

very nice print house dress.

"Come

in,

Miss Cannon," said Mrs. Jordan. "So

this

is Ahce. You wouldn't think she was than Marilyn, would you, they are so near the same

two years older

6

height. Letto see

me

take your box, dear.It's

Don t you wantwas pa-

your room?

Marilyn's room, too."

The bedroom

the two girls were to share

pered with a rosebud paper and had furniture painted apple green. There were twin beds, a chair, a' bureau, and a dressing table with a mirror. The closet doorstood half open and Alice saw that half the closet was packed tightly with Marilyn's dresses and coats on hangers. The other half was left empty for Ahce's three dresses and her sweater. Marilyn showed Alice her dolls and her other toys. "Don't you have even one doll," she asked in amazement.**No," said Alice fiercely, "I hate dolls. I never play

with them."

had put out her hand toward the dolls before Marilyn spoke, but now she drew back her hand. "Oh," said Marilyn, "I was going to let you have this one," and she pointed to a doll with brown curls and blue eyes. For a moment Ahce wavered. She wanted the doll, she wanted to dress it and imdress it, to make clothesAliceforit,

to tie a ribbon

on

its hair,

but she held

firm.

"I wouldn't

want

it,"

she said.

"Oh," said Marilyn again.

Suddenly a smile came over Alice's face a smile that sweetened her whole expression."I love to play hopscotch," she said. "If you'll play

hopscotch with me, I'll play dolls with you sometimes." "All right." Marilyn was eager to please. "Do you want to play hopscotch now?" "No," said Alice. "I'll play dolls with you first. This one will be mine." And she reached for the doll with the brown curls and the blue eyes.7

CHAPTER

3

WHENclearly.

Alice

woke up

the next morning, she

bed and looked around the room. She looked at the shining windows through which the sky and the trees could be seen solay for a while in

She looked at the starched whitethe

curtains.

She

looked at the rosebud paper, the matching pink bedspreads,

green painted furniture.

She saw that

everything in the room was neat and clean, washed

and polished. She knew that inside the closet the dresses hung all starched and ironed, and the polished shoes stood in a neat row. Even the dolls sat on their chairsprimly.

hked what she saw. This was the home she had dreamed of when she had lived in the clutter and confusion of the Baker house. Only when she looked at the red curls in the other twin bed, was she less happy. Then she felt that the room belonged to Marilyn, and that she was an outsider. The closetAliceespecially

made

her feel that way.

"Are these all the clothes you have?" Marilyn had asked in honest amazement when she unpacked. "Mother," she called, "poor Alice has only threedresses."

Mrs. Jordan had appeared in the doorway. "Marilyn," she said sharply, "you mustn't talk like that. AHce has

very pretty dresses.""Yes, Mother, but she only has three."

8

"Comeunpack

out in the kitchen with me, andpeace," said Mrs. Jordan.the kitchenvoice,

let

Ahce

in

FromJordan's

came the low murmur of Mrs. and Alice knew Marilyn was being

scolded. But in spite of the scolding Marilyn ran to

meet her father that night with the announcement, "Daddy, Ahce has only three dresses. Why don t you buy her some?'' Mrs. Jordan turned to Alice and said, *Tm sorry, dear, that she keeps saying that. But she's only ten." "It's all right," answered AUce. But it wasn't. She feltherself thatit

wasn't right that Marilyn should have athree.

dozen or more dresses while she had only

She

hoped desperatelyeveryone the

that Marilyn wasn't going to tell

size of

her wardrobe.

As the days went by Alice noticed that Mrs. Jordan was always reminding her that Marilyn was only ten. The two girls were supposed to make their beds every morning and wash and dry the dishes at night. Alice always made her bed up neatly right after breakfast,but Marilyn's often remained unmade until the middle

morning when her mother noticed it and called her in from play to make it. "She's only ten," Mrs. Jordan would explain, "and she's never had to make her bed before. I decided she was old enough now to help. I suppose she's so irof the

responsible because she's so young."

Ten

isn't

so young, thought Alice grimly. If she'd

been making her bed since she was six or sleeping in a mess for a week at a time, she'd make her bed allright.

When

they did the dishes at night, Marilyn insisted

9

on washing because she Hked to playto the glasses, but shedishes.

in

the dishclean the

water. She poured water back and forth from the cups

made no

effort to

When

Alice returned dishes to the dishpan to

be washed again, Marilyn was always siuprised and sometimes indignant.

"Whyyou'dlet

can't

you wipe

it

off?"I

"Because

it's

supposed to be washed clean.ciu-ls

wish

wash. You're too slow." Sometimes Mrs. Jordan patted the redsaid, "She'll learn. After all, she's

me

fondly

and

only ten."

Sometimes,

when

she was in a hurry herself, Mrs.let Alice

Jordan agreed with Alice. "Yes,

wash. You're

too poky tonight. Where did you ever learn to do your work so well, Ahce?" "I used to help where I lived," answered Ahce, but she never added that she had helped when necessity had driven her to it. When there was not a clean dish or glass or spoon in the house and Mrs. Baker was outtalking

over the back fence with a neighbor, thenset to

and washed dishes. But it had been no pleasure. There had never been enough hot water and never enough dish towels. As she did her best with the greasy water and the dirty, wet dish towels, she had told herself that someday she would hve in a house by herself with plenty of hot water and soap and stacks of clean towels. In the Jordan house she would have liked to wash the dishes all alone, but Marilyn was supposed to help "now that she was ten." She certainly has her own way of helping, AhceAlice

had

thought to herself.

When

they were not trying to work together, she

10

liked Marilyn.

to the grocery store for ice-cream cones.

They played together on errands and

all

day, walked

to the drugstore

Alone with Marilyn, she was con-

tented. But

when

Mrs. Jordan was with them, AUce

often felt

ill

at ease, particularly

when Marilyn was

hugging and kissing her mother, as she so often did. "YouVe the best mother in the whole wide world," she woidd cry, or, "T love you best in the world.*' "That's good, because I love you too.*' And Mrs. Jordan would stoop to hug Marilyn or kiss the rosy cheeks. Alice wondered sometimes what it would be like to rush up to Mrs. Jordan and put her arms aroimd her. She was sure that Mrs. Jordan would kiss her too, but she could not do it. If only she could be alone with her foster mother! She knew that then she could talk with her freely, could show the affectionshe was beginning; to feel forthis

woman who was

kind to her. But Marilyn was alwavs there, always bubbUng over with laughter and chatter, so Ahce heldback.

Mrs. Jordan often put her arm about Ahce, too, and gave her a httle squeeze, but Ahce, to her dismay, foimd she could not respond with Marilyn watching. She was not used to any show of affection, and she could not accept it easily. When Mrs. Jordan kissed the girls good night, Marilyn almost strangled her mother, but Alice turned her cheek. She did the same

with Mr. Jordan, whom she liked also. He was a jovial man, always making little jokes or producing money for ice cream. It was Marilvn who sat on his lap and rummaged through his pockets. Alice said "Thank you"

and kept her

distance.

After

all,

she

told

herself,

11

twelve was too old for such baby behavior. But she wished that she had had a lap to sit on when she wasten.

On Monday,Jordans,

the third day she had lived wdth thestarted school.

Ahce had

The

girls

who knew

Marilyn clustered around them both at recess. It was obvious that they wanted to ask Alice all about herself,

but they did not

know what

to say.

At

last

a

girl

named Jean

blurted out, "Are you really a poor

child?"

gave a sudden jump. The girl went on, "My mother said we must all be nice to you, because you don t have any money or any mother or father. She says you don t have anyAlice's heart

one."

The other girls stared at Alice, not unkindly, but as though she were a curiosity, something strange they had never seen before.Alice's heart

was

still

thumping but she looked

di-

rectly at Jean.

"I

do too have somebody," said Ahce with dignity, have Miss Cannon." "Who's she?" "Why," cried Marilyn in surprise, "she's a social worker. She isn't a family. She only comes to see Alice." Alice could feel the color coming into her cheeks and she held her back straighter. "I do too have a family," she went on stubbornly, "I have a little"I

brother

named Charhe."

"You do?" asked one of the girls. "Why doesn't he hve with you?" "He is going to, by and by," said Ahce recklessly.12

Maril>Ti's cheeks

were redder

too,

and her voice was

determined when she spoke. "No, he isn't going to Hve with you. Not in our house. I don't want a boy and my mother says we

have a nice family now."Alice felt completely defeated. There was nowhere

from the staring eyes of her schooknates. Mercifully, the school bell rang just then and they all went in. Marilyn disappeared into the fourth-gradeto

turn

room and Ahce wentthe building again.

as far as the door of the sixth

grade. There she hesitated, turned, and went out ofIt was a long way to Mrs. Baker's and the day was warm. Alice's face was flushed with the heat and her hiuxying, but chiefly by the effort she was making to suppress her tears. No one she passed seemed to

think

it

strange that a child her age should not be in

school and the few people oftions

whom

she asked direc-

answered her with no great interest, though one woman remarked that it was a long way to walk. When at last she reached the shabby house, she stood on the doorstep awhile. She knew she was not wanted there, she wished she had not come, but she

had nowhere else to go. From inside came the famihar sound of small children quarreling and a woman's raised voice. At last she turned the doorknob and went in. Mrs. Baker looked up and said the words

Ahce had expectedBack you"I

to hear.I

"So here you are again!didn't

won't have

it,

Alice!

go, just as fast as I can call the State

Home."

come from

the State

Home,"

said Alice

13

placed out now. You'll have to call my Miss Cannon.^' "ril call someone. You sit right here now, Alice, and don't you go away. And you mind the children so they don't kill each other while I'm gone."drearily.

'Tm

social worker,

"I'll

stay here," promised Alice.

It was not long before Miss Cannon arrived and Ahce drove off with her in the car with the state seal

on the door. "You haven't had any lunch," said Miss Cannon and her voice was kind and quiet. "Neither have I, so let's go into a diner." After Ahce had eaten her limch, Miss Cannon said, "And now, Alice, let's have a talk. Remember, I am trying to take care of you and to make you happy. Don't you like it at the Jordans'?" "Yes, I do. They are good to me." Her voice trembled and then she cried, "But they won't let me have Charhe there." "Why, Ahce, I didn't know you wanted Charhe. I didn't know you had even seen him.'* "Well, I never did," said Ahce honestly, "and I don't really want him, but if it was my real home, I could have him if I wanted him. Only I can't have him, because Marilyn doesn't want him and it's her home,not mine."

Miss Cannon hstened quietly, then she asked, "Isthat

why you wentsaid

to Mrs. Baker's?"

"No-o-o. Miss Cannon,

am

I

a poor child?"

"Who"The"If

you were?"are

girls at school."

they

mean you have no money, then you14

poor," said Miss Cannon, ''and so are they. All chil-

dren are poor in money. They have to havething gi\en to them.give things to

ever)^-

Some

children have parents tostate."

them and some have the

"Oh," said

.\lice.

"Those childrenMiss Cannon,state, too."

at school don't realize it,"

went on

'TDut

they are under the care of the

"They are^'"Ever\^ child

bomstate

in this state

is

imder the care of

the

state.

The

says

a child must be sent to

school at a certain age and a parent must send hischild at that age.

The

state says a child

cannot leave

school imtil a certain age.to work.

Some

parents might take

their children out of school verv*

young and put them

And any

time a parent cannot or does not

take proper care of his child, the state takes care ofit."

"I didn't

know

that," said .\hce.girls at

"No, you didn't. And, of course, the

school

know it. Don't you think, go home now and tr\^ again?"didn't"I'llfrt/,"

Alice,

you had better

said .Alice doubtfully.

"Won't you promise not to run away?" "I can't promise," whispered Ahce. She wanted to please Miss Cannon but this she could not do for her. "Well, you are honest an\-\vay." Miss Cannon's voice was still kind. "You know, Alice, if you keep running away, I can't keep you out in a foster home. Let's do this. You try as hard as you can to wait and let me know if things are going wrong. But if you can't wait, I'm gi\'ing you permission to go away."15

was startled. "You're giving me permission?" you have permission, we won't have to call it running away. Here is a dime. You keep it safe andAlice"Yes. If

don't spend

it

for anything else.

And

here

is

myat

card

with

my

telephone number at the

office

and

home.

Keep

that safe, too.

telephonedon't feelmission.

When things go wrong, please me and ask me to come see you. If you that you can wait, then go with my per-

But please, Alice, go in the daytime." "Oh, yes," Alice promised, "I'd be afraid to go at"Well, that's something," sighed Miss Cannon.

night."

"Now

whencall

you're on your way, stop at a drugstore and me. Before you get to Mrs. Baker's, mind." "I wiU," said Ahce. "I promise. And I won't be running away, will I, Miss Cannon?" "Not the next time. But, of course, this can't go onindefinitely.

What would

they say at the

office if

they

knew

I

encouraged

girls to

run away?"

Ahce turned to look at Miss Cannon and saw there was laughter in the blue eyes. "Don't tell them," advised Ahce as they reached the Jordans'. She began to laugh. It was fun to have aCannon. Mrs. Jordan was reheved to see Alice, but she could not understand what had happened. She told Miss Cannon over and over how good she had tried to be to Alice, and Miss Cannon patiently assured her that Ahcesecret with Miss

had

said so.last

Athand.

Miss Cannon

left.

Alice stood watching her

in the

doorway, turning the dime over and over in her16

CHAPTERA LICE began

4

was being watched. /\ Mrs. Jordan no longer sent her on errands and she came to the door often to look at the two / girls. If they were out of sight, she called them and her voice had a frightened soimd. She's afraid Til runto feel that she

%

away, thought Alice. She watches me every minute. She wanted to tell her foster mother not to worry, that she wouldn't run away. She wanted to do something to show her that she liked her. But somehow she couldn't. Every day the words rose to her Hps, but she did not speak them.School was a reUef School was good. School was fun. Although she had entered at the end of the year, she.

was near the top

of

her

class.

Her teacher oftenand was liked

praised her and gave her special tasks to do. She had

madebyall.

friends with several of the girls

Nobody watched

her and she was treated just

She lost the feeling of being a state ward. Miss Cannon called at the school one day. Alice caught a glimpse of her when the teacher opened the door and stepped into the hall. And when she retiuned from school, Miss Cannon was waiting for her. "I'm going to take Alice for a wnlk," she told Mrs. Jordan. "We'll be back in about fifteen minutes." "I hear good things about you," said the social worker. "Your teacher says your work is very good."like the others.

"I get a

hundredI

in arithmetic almost

every day,"

boasted Alice, "and

stood up in a spelling match this

week."17

"And do you have"They'reIall

friends at school?"

friends now. At first when I was have many friends, but now I do." "I suppose Marilyn is yoiu- best friend though." "Yes." Try as she would, Ahce could think of no more than the one word to say, and she could not make that one word sound enthusiastic. "Do you like your home, Ahce? Don t be afraid to tell me if you don't."

my

new

didn't

"I like

it."

She could say no more.as

"Mrs. Jordan says she likes you too. She thinks you

though she had two daughters." But it isn't true, she thought. If she'd always had me, I'd be like Marilyn and not like me. I wouldn't be so stiff and funny. "Somehow," said Miss Cannon and she took Ahce's hand in hers, "I'm not sure you are happy. If you would only tell me, perhaps I could make things right." "Everything's all right," answered Alice firmly. "I've got a good home and everyone is good to me." To herself she said, everyone is good to me, and I do have a good home. I'm the one that's wrong. "Well, if you say so." Miss Cannon's voice was stillfit

into her

home

"Yes," said Ahce.

doubtful as they tin^ned back.Several days went by, and then

came the Saturday

morning when Alice slipped into the kitchen for a drink of water. With her hand on the faucet, she paused. She had heard her name spoken by her foster mother. "Alice just seems to have a cold nature," said Mrs. Jordan. "I told my husband we don't appreciate our luck having a loving warm-hearted girl like Marilyn.

Not that AlicebutI don't

isn't

a nice child. She's smart as can be,

know I

guess

she'll

never be

like Marilyn."

18

As quietly as she had slipped into the kitchen, Ahce went out. She was on the sidewalk and walking away before she thought what she was doing. She only knew she had to go an\^vhere. She could not stay here. She took a few steps and then turned back. She entered quietly and went to her bedroom. She rummaged in her drawer and found the dime and the card."Is that you, Marilyn?" called Mrs. Jordan.

"No,

it's

me,^ answered Ahce.

*Tm

just

going out."

When

she was several blocks away, she telephoned

from a drugstore. A strange voice answered somehow she had expected to hear her social worker's voice and told her that Miss Cannon was out."Tell her

Ahce

called," she said in a small voice,

"and I don't have another dime." She hung up quickly. Then she trudged along on the hot pavements with her head down and her heart hesivy. When she reached the Baker house, she was reheved to see no one in the yard and no dirty Httle faces peering out the windows. She hesitated at the door, and this time she did not go in. She sat on the steps outside and drew herself far over to one side so she could not be seen from the window. An hour passed before Miss Cannon arrived. She opened the car door and called, "Want to go with me?" Ahce jumped up and ran to the car, her heart pounding with joy. Miss Cannon was not angry! She was smiling, and she took Alice's hand in hers. "What a good girl you were to telephone me," she said. "I remembered afterward I didn't say where I was going." "I guessed," said Miss Cannon, her blue eyes very bright. "But first I did go to Mrs. Jordan's to see if perhaps you wanted to talk to me. Mrs. Jordan was19

very surprised not to find you at home. She that she doesn't feel she wants you back."

is

so upset

"Am

I

going back to the State

Home?" asked AHce.

"No," answered Miss Qannon, "because you didn't run away, did you?""No," said AHce, "I didn't "But where can I go?"really."

Then she added,

"Before we talk about that, I want you to tell me something truthfully, Alice. Remember you are not going back to the Jordan's I have your clothes with me. Now, just what is wrong with the Jordans?" "Nothing, Miss Cannon, honesti They were awfully good to me."

"And

yet you don't seem sorry to be leaving them."

"It just doesn't

seem

like

my

home, and

I

don't think

Mrs. Jordan feels asreal

if I

were her daughter. She has ashe doesn't need another. If I

good

girl

now and

were you, I'd give her a cute Httle baby. Someone that would be diflFerent from Marilyn. I know they'd all love it and be so good to it. But it isn't my right home. Oh, Miss Cannon," Ahce cried, "perhaps I won't ever have my right home." "Yes, you will," Miss Cannon said firmly. "We'll find it, you and I, but now you'll have to help me, because I can't do it all." "How?" Alice's voice was eager. "You'll have to be patient, that's how. You know, dear, when you called the ofiBce today, the girl who talked to you felt that there was something wrong and she went to a lot of trouble to find me. I dropped everything and I was really busy to find you. It wouldn't be fair to the other children to expect me to do that very often, would it?"20

nodded her head silently in agreement. She could see the justice of what her social worker said.Alice

be honest with you," went on Miss Cannon. "I I have the right home for you just now. But I won't take you back to the State Home, and I don't want to ask another social worker to place you in a home. I think you and I like each other, AHce." "Oh, yes," breathed Alice, and her hand made the"I'll

don't think

least flutter in

Miss Cannon's direction, then dropped. Miss Cannon must have seen the motion out of the comer of her eye, for she reached out and squeezed it.I

"Could you be patient in a temporary home while try to find your right home?""ril really try."

Miss Cannon smiled. "Ahce, the

home

I

am

taking

you

to has

no telephone and sobutI

I

couldn't talk to the

foster mother,

am

pretty sure she'll take you

temporarily. She really wants a boy, orthere's

maybe

two, sois

no

possibility of

your staying there. She

one

women I ever interviewed and she lives on a fine farm." "Farm!" Alice exclaimed. "I never hved on a farm." Miss Cannon caught the note of dismay in Ahce's voice. Quickly she said, "It might be interesting for a short while, don't you think?" "Maybe," said Alice. "Anyway, I'll try to be good." "And I'll try to hurry with that just-right home. It might take two or three weeks." "I stayed that long at the Jordans'," said Alice. "Butof the nicest

Miss Cannon,case?I

maywant

I

please have another dime, just in

don't

to

nm

away."

"All right, just in case, but Iit.

hope you won't use

Here we

are,

Ahce, everybody out!"

22

CIL\FTER 5

THEvine.

car stopped before a large, weather-beatenit

were a bam and several small were large trees in the yard and over the front door hung a hea%y honeysucklehouse. Behindbuildings. There

.\hce trailed Missto the side door.

the air

Cannon up the path and around The day was warm and sunny and was sweet with the scent of flowers, but Ahce

was suddenly depressed. She found herself in a strange place that was unlike an>thing she had ever known. Her whole life had been spent in a bus>' city, and now as far as she could see were wide and empt>' fields. Instead of the noise of the cit>', there was silence, except for the hum of bees. Her fears were increased by the sight of a large collie dog by the door which lumbered to its feet and ambled over to her. Ahce shrank against Siiss Cannon, but the dog turned and went back. "Miss Cannon, I'm coming!" cried a heart\^ voice. Ahce saw a middle-aged woman approaching them. She was a large woman dressed in a faded but ver>^ clean cotton dress. Her hair, which was only shghtly gray, was pinned in a tight and unbecoming knot on top of her head. At the moment, her face was hghted b>' such a warm and welcoming smile that she seemed ahnost pretty, though it was obvious that no care had23

been given her appearance except that of soap andwater.

"Come

in!

Come

in'/'

she cried. "Youoff

sit

right

down

here, Httle girl."

She scooped a kittenforit,

the rocking chair she of-

fered Ahce, looked about her as though to find a place

and then dropped it in Ahce's lap as she turned Cannon. "Have you got good news for me about my little boy?'' she asked in the same hearty voice. "Not yet, Mrs. Potter. Today I stopped in to ask you to do me a favor. This girl is Alice Wright and she needs a home for two or three weeks while I find another home for her. Do you think" "Of course, Miss Cannon, of course! If it's just two or three weeks, of course she can stay. But you know I really want a boy, don t you?" Mrs. Potter stopped abruptly, her eyes on Alice's bent head. Her voice was gentle as she went on. "Aliceto Miss

looks like a dear

girl.

If

only

I

knew anything about

had four brothers and no sisters; too far away from town for me to have any girl playmates. Then after I was married, I had three boys. They're all grown now and two of them are married. And do you know, even my two grandchildrengirlsbut I don't. I

we hved

are boys."

Miss Cannon began to laugh. "You can't deny that

you were awith

girl yourself."

"I almost can," said Mrs. Potter. "I've lived so long

boys that I have forgotten what girls are like. I wouldn't know how to bring one up. That's why I couldn't keep Ahce. It wouldn't be fair to her.

men and

24

Some women know how dresses. I only know how

to curl hairto

and make pretty patch pants and put iodine

on scratches." "That does sound hke a hard hfe for a girl," said Miss Cannon, still laughing, "but neither of you has to worry. You will have a boy in good time to patch and daub with iodine, and Alice will have someone to tie ribbons on her hair. So just be happy together for a few weeks. Perhaps Alice will fall out of a tree yet and you can put on a Httle iodine."Alice

was

horrified at the idea. "I never climb trees,"I

she said, "andcareful."

almost never get hint because

Tm

"You

see!" said Mrs. Potter, turning to Miss

Cannon.

"A

careful child I

know nothingchange.It

about. I'm only used

to wild,

tough boys."like the

"You may

may be

restful for a

while, Mrs. Potter. I think Til leave you

two

to get ac-

Cannon put her hand Hghtly on Alice's head. "Remember, Alice, you agreed to help me."quainted." Miss

Turning to Mrs.to helpsee,

Potter, she explained, "Alice

is

going

me by

trying to wait for the right home.

she ran

away once from

the last hom.e she

You was in.

Nowwill

she has a dime to telephone

meI

if

she leaves

again so Til"I'm sure

know whereit

she

is.

But

don't think that

happen."won't," said Mrs. Potter heartily.left,

After Misssaid she

Cannon

Mrs. Potter suggested that

they go out to see the cows and chickens, but Alice

would

rather stay in the kitchen. She sat in the

rocking chair, holding the sleeping kitten, while Mrs. Potter bustled about getting supper. Ahce looked

25

very clean and neat;in

about her and liked what she saw. The kitchen was it was painted yellow and on thewalls were pictures and calendars. There

one

pictiure,

asleep

in

studied

prettier

it for some time. baby than any of Mrs. Baker's, she thought. And the kitchen was much nicer than Mrs. Baker's dirty, cluttered kitchen. It was even nicer than Mrs. Jordan's kitchen, she reflected, because it was much larger. There was only one window in the Jordan kitchen and here there were three. There was no room in the Jordan kitchen for a rocking chair. Here there was not only a rocking chair but a low couch and still there was plenty of room. Alice sat back in her chair, smoothed the kitten's fur, and listened to the tick of the clock. She felt relaxed and almost happy. There was a step on the walk outside and a man opened the screen door. He was a very big man with ruddy cheeks and gray hair. He was dressed in faded

was a baby a high chair, and Alice It was a cleaner, fatter,

blue overalls."I*l3ut

saw Miss Cannon," he boomed in a loud voice, I was too busy to come in. Is this our little boy.heartily.

Mother?" He began to laughto

So did Mrs. Potter, andin.

her

sin^prise

Alice joined

The

idea that she

might be mistaken for a boy seemed very funny all of a sudden and she could hardly stop laughing. Mrs. Potter explained to her husband how Alice happened to be there. He smiled down at her. "Must say I always liked girls," he said. He held out one huge hand. "Now you just come along with me, young lady,

and rU show you something pretty26

nice."

thought of saying she didn't want to go entered She rose obediently, laid the kitten on the chair, and shpped her small hand into the hard big one. Out the door they went together. The coUie got to his feet and came toward them. Ahce shrank back against Mr. Potter, and he stooped down and putAlice's head.his

No

arm aroundthat's

her.

"Nowtle

only Boy,*' he said, "and he's just as

He might not be gentoward a strange man, but he knows by now you're one of the family, and he'll always take care of you. No need to be afraid of him." He put his other hand on the dog's head and went on. "Every dog we ever had has been named Boy. Mother used to go to the door to call one of the boys and half the time she'd call the wrong name if she was in a hurry. Suppose she saw Alan trying to ride the cow. She'd run to the door and yell, *DickI Johnny! Alan!' before she'd get the right name. And if there were half a dozen of the neighbors' boys here too, it would be worse. So she fell in the habit of nmning to the door and yelling, *Boy!' You can be sure the guilty one always heard her and stopped what he was doing. By and by, we noticed that the dog always came nmning too! Seemed as though he thought he was a boy. So we call our dogs *Boy' and it works outgentle as that kitten back there.fine."

Alice laughed again.dog's head.All three

"He

thinks he's a

boy!" she

cried in deUght, and she put her hand on the big

went

into the dim, dustyall

bam

that smelled

of hay. In one comer,

alone, stood a calf tied to a

27

stanchion.Potter.

"He's waiting for his mother," cried Mr.is

"Wherehis

she?" asked Alice, looking about.I

**You and

are going to get her so he can have

dinner," answered Mr. Potter,

and he led Alicea path to a barred

out the otherfence.

bam

door and

down

On

the other side of the fence were nine cows,

swishing their tails and chewing their cud. They looked very large to Alice and she drew back to a safe distance while the bars were lowered and the cows

toward the bam. But she took the big hand again trustingly and hurried ahead of the cows. Mr. Potter said, "Now watch the calf," as he fastened the stanchion around the mother^s neck. The calf s rope was lengthened and he made a limge toward the cow. He began to drink milk as though he were half-starved and with a great deal of noise. He butted his mother with his head several times as though the milk did not come fast enough to suit him, and at last his mother raised her hind leg and gave him a Httle kick. "Oh," cried Alice. "She kicked him!" "Just an easy kick. It didn't hurt him, just taught him his manners," explained Mr. Potter. And indeed, the calf did not seem to mind the kick at all, but kept on butting until he was kicked again. Alice watched while the cows were milked and the calf was tied up again. Mr. Potter told her to put her hand out to the calf and she did. He came over to her immediately. "He likes mel He likes me!" criedstartedAlice.

"He

certainly does." Mr. Potter's eyes twinkled. "Poor

have any name. Can't seem to think of the right name for him. Suppose you name him."calf doesn't

28

''Oh, can I name him?" Alice was dehghted. "He's a boy, but you can't call him *Boy* because there is one

Boy

already. Let's call

him Laddie

or else

Baby be-

cause he's so Httle."big

Mr. Potter roared with laughter. "Do you know how Baby will grow? Just the same, I think Baby wouldfine

be athe

name

for a bull calf. Let's go tell

name

you've picked out forfair."

Mother the bull who'll win us

blue ribbons at the

Supper was on the table when they went in. There were fried ham, eggs, and hot biscuits. Alice discovered that she was hungrier than she could ever remember being. She ate her dinner and drank her milk and when Mrs. Potter put a saucer of strawberries and cream and a piece of cake before her, she ate that too. Mrs. Potter started to clear the table and Ahce helped. Then she insisted on being given a dish towel and dried the dishes. "It doesn't seem natural to have a child around that's willing to dry dishes," Mrs. Potter said. "The boys used to help Dad if he kept after thembut whenever I tried to get a httle help, they always claimed they couldn't do girl's work." "What did they used to do?" Alice had become interested in the three boys who had been children here hke herself and who were now men. "They brought in woodthat was before we had the electric stove and they went for the cows, and in the winter they shoveled snow ofiE the paths. There was enough work for them to do, but it was all outside." "Well, I hke to help inside," Ahce stated flatly. "I think it's fun to wash dishes when you have plenty of29

I always washed hved before but it wasn't any fun because the water wasn't hot and the dish towels had holes in them. I'd just as soon do all the dishes here." "Bless your sweet heart/' cried Mrs. Potter, "and to thinJc I never knew what I'd been missing." Before it was dark, Alice began to yawn. It had been a long, exciting day. Mrs. Potter gathered up her sewing and stood up. "Time for bed," she announced. "Your bed isn't even made yet, because I wanted you

hot water and soap and dish towels.

dishes

where

I

to choose your**Will

own room."

you

let

me

choose a room?" asked Alice.

**You

may have

your choice of three rooms."

Mrs. Potter led the

way up

the

stairs.

"Here's the

big room," she said. "It has a double bed and two of

my

boys used lonesome in it,

to sleep here,it's all

but

if

one

girl

won't feel

hers."

Alice followed her down the hall and looked in on two smaller rooms. All the rooms were pretty, but Alice had made up her mind."Ifit's

all right,"

she said, "I'd like the big room.all

I

never had a roomslept in

to myself before

and

I

neverlook-

such a big bed. I'd feel

Like a princess."

Mrs. Potter lookeding

dovm

at the girl

who was

wdth starry eyes and flushed cheeks. "I'd be honored to have a princess sleep in this room," she said gently, and touched Alice's cheek with her hand. The collie had climbed the stairs and stood in the doorway while the bed was being made and Alice put on her nightgown. "Do you want Boy to sleep on your floor?" asked

up

at her

Mrs. Potter.

"He always

sleeps in with the boys

when

30

home. I'll leave the door open and he can go out any time he wants to." Ahce raised herself on one elbow and looked at Boy. The dog no longer seemed a huge, terrifying animal. He was just a big dog with kind brown eyes. "If he wants to, he can stay," she said. Mrs. Potter hovered uncertainly over the bed. She smoothed the covers and then she took hold of one of Ahce's hands. "I'll tell you something I used to do with my boys when they were going to bed. I used to put a kiss in the palm of each boy's hand and close his fingers over it and say *Keep it tight all the night.' Alanhe's the youngest one got it into his head that he must not loosen his fingers all night for fear he would lose the kiss. So, of course, he couldn't go to sleep and he*d he awake the longest time. At last he had an idea. He used to pretend to swallow the kiss. That way he kept it tight all the night." She stooped suddenly, kissed the palm of Alice's hand, and closed the fingers over it. "Keep it tight all the night," she said and went out. Alice heard her going down the stairs. She lay there with her hand clenched. She was lying in a great big bed in a great big room all her own. Over there was a big empty closet for her dresses and over there wasthey're

a big bureau with empty drawers. Everything in the room was hers as long as she stayed here. And on thefloor lay a colheIt

named Boy

to take care of her.out.

was true what Alan had found

Her hand

was

growing very tired trying to hold the kiss tightly.

She raised her hand carefully in the darkness and swallowed the kiss. Then she relaxed, closed her eyes, andfell asleep.

32

CHAPTER

6

WHENin

Alice woke in the morning, she heard voices downstairs and Boy was no longer in the room. Again she lay in a strange bed and looked about her. The sun streamed

through two of the three windows. The wallpaper

was white with pink roses, the bedspread was pink, the curtains were starched and white, and on the floor were three braided rugs. It was the prettiest room Alice had ever slept in as well as the largest. All it needed, she thought, was a bouquet of flowers. She dressed and ran down the stairs. "May I go out and pick some flowers?" she askedeagerly.

"Of course you may, child. But why don't you have your breakfast first? Then you can stay out as long as you Uke, or at least till hunger drives you homefor dinner."

be a minute," promised AHce. "After my breakfast, Tm going to wash the dishes before I go out"ril just

again.""If

you wash the

dishes.

111

make

the beds and

then we'll just sneak out so quietly that the dust will

never hear us leaving."

"Oh, that will be fim," cried Ahce. "But you're only fooling about the dust. This house is as clean as clean." "It's clean enough, I guess," admitted Mrs. Potter. "And it isn't every day I have someone to go out

33

with. It willplace.

be fun

for

You

sit

here opposite the

watch and ute now."

you'll see

show you around the window and keep the school bus go by any minto

me

"School!" echoed Alice.

"Today is the last day of school here. There isn't any sense sending you for one day. So you stay here with me and tomorrow we'll see if the girl from next door can come over to play with you."

"Where

is

next door?" asked Ahce, gazing as far asfields.

she could see across the open

"Next doorPotter, *l3ut

isit

about a quarter of a mile," said Mrs.isn't

far as the

crow

flies

or a child

rims.

The Maguires hve there and they have four children. One of them is Margaret and she's eleven years old. They call her Daisy though I don't know why and she has the bluest eyes you ever saw. She's theonlygirl

in

the family, so I guess she'll be pretty

glad to see you."

"WhoAlice.

hves next door on the other side?" asked

"The Johnsons live half a mile the other side of us," Mrs. Potter told her. "They have five boys, two of their

own and

three from the state,

all

brothers.

They

are

all

ages from seven to fomrteen."Alice laid

down

her spoon. "There are some moreleast five families

children from the state here?"

"Oh, yes, dear. There are at

near

here that have state wards. The Johnsons' boys have

Uved with them for five years." "They have!" exclaimed Ahce. Five years was a long time to be with one family, she thought.34

"There's one

woman

lives

downis

in the village

who

took a httle

girl

only five years old. That was twenty

years ago, and that Httle girl

grown up and married now. Lives right next door to her mother, and is in and out every day. Her mother never had any children of her own and if she didn't have Evelyn she'd be a very lonesome woman." Alice finished her toast and milk slowly. It was true then. Children did find good homes and stay in them for years and years. She washed the dishes thoughtfully, dried them, and put them away. Mrs. Potter came down the stairs and looked around. "You are as neat as a pin, AHce, and as smart as you can be." Alice glowed. Praise was sweet to her and she hadheard verygotHttle ofit.

They up from

stepped out the door into the simshine. Boyhis

usual spot and ambled along be-

side Ahce. She patted him confidently on the head.

35

CHAPTER

7said Mrs. Pot-

IET'S go find the other kittens," ter. "They're out in the bam/*2

"why

aren't they in the house?" asked

Ahce.in theal-

"Well, you see, honey,

we

don't

need them

house, because

we

haven't any mice. But a

bam

ways has mice; they comefoodis

scarce.

We

in in the wintertime when always have three or four cats and

kittens in the barn.

one toit

raise for a

Sometimes I pick out the prettiest house cat, just because I like to seeit

sleeping in the kitchen chair. But once

a kitten into the house, there's no gettingthe

you bring back to

bam.

kittens,

even want to play with the other or go out to the barn to chase mice. KittensIt doesn't

and they liked to stay where life is easy. That's why you must never bring the bam kittens upare smart,to the house."

"But the poor

httle

bam

kittens!

Nobody

to pet

themhus-

and

in the winter

when

it's

cold"

Mrs. Potter laughed. "Nobody to pet them!

My

bandlet

is

the softest-hearted

man

that ever Hved. Just

a kitten rub up against his legs and he'll take time to talk to that kitten the way you would to a baby. And don't worry about the bam being cold.You'll see

how warm the bam is on the coldest day. The cows warm it with the heat of their bodies."be here." "Well, that's so." Mrs. Potter hesitated and then added, "Perhaps Miss Cannon could bring you out someday for a visit.""I

won't see

it,"

said Alice soberly. "I won't

36

Alice's face

lit

up. *Td like to see

all

the snow/*

"We've got onestill.

of the boys' old sleds in the

bam

get that out and shde down a fine we've got in the back pasture." "I never had a sled. There wasn't any safe place to shde in the city and the other children would have broken my sled right away if I'd had one. Do youhill

You could

think Mr. Potter"I think

would

let

me

see that sled in the

bam?"

he might. I'm sure he would if you called him 'Dad' when you asked him. That is what he's used to being called." In the dim bam, Mr. Potter looked up from his work with his usual hearty smile. Alice clutched Mrs. Potter's hand and looked up.

"Dad Dad could I please see the sled?" He roared with laughter. "In June? Why do youwantto get a sled out in June?"sled," his wife explained,this one."

"She never had a

"and she

kind of wanted to see

"Never had a sled? Why, young lady, this sled can be your sled and you can shde down the hill in the back pasture. It's a fine safe hill." He became aware of the dead silence that met his words. There was no joy on Ahce's face and Mrs. Potter gave him a warning look. He tumed and was gone a few minutes, bringing back a sled from whichhe was dusting cobwebs with his hand. "Isn't much of a sled now," he said. "Needs a coat

and the runners are msted. Be better if I threw it out. Ma." "Oh, no," cried Alice, and she held the sled tightly.of paint"It's

a beautiful sled! Don't throw

it

away. Dad!""I'll

"He

won't," promised Mrs. Potter.

see that he

37

"

paints

it

and shines up the runners and thenit."if I

if

any

child visits us, that child can use

"Even

shouldn't visit you," Alice said in a low

voice, "that httle

boy you're going

to

have could use

it

They found the kittens playing around the stanchions. "Even when the cows are here, they run aroimd under their feet just the same. The cows just stand there and chew their cud. If they do get impatient and move their feet, the kittens seem to jump out ofthe

way

in time."

"They couldn't jump out of the way of autos. We had a kitten once at Bakers'. We brought it home becauseit

didn'tlet

wouldn't

us keep

have any place to Uve, but Mrs. Baker it. She put it out, and it got

run over." "That was too bad," comforted Mrs. Potter. "Come, Alice, let's go out to the field and see the horse." "A horse!" shouted Alice, her old grief forgotten.

The horse stood by the bars and whinnied as they came up. He held his head out to Mrs. Potter to be patted, but no amount of reassiurance could make Ahce touch him. He was too big.you were here long enough," said Mrs. Potter, "you would soon be riding him just like the boys. We never had a saddle because, of course, we never"If

but the boys used to ride the horses bareback. We always had two horses until Dad bought the tractor. He says he hardly needs a horse now, but it wouldn't seem like a farm without one. And now, AHce, we'd better get to our work."real saddle horse,

owned a

"Our work?" asked Alice. "I thought we were all through in the house." "So we are. On a farm, women have some work to38

chickens. I get

My work is taking care of the enough eggs for the house and I always have six or seven dozen to sell at the store every week. Any money I get for the eggs is mine, and it comes in handy, I can tell you. And then, of course, Idooutside, though.

hens sometimes to Mr. Svenson when he comes through with his truck, buying from the farmers." She chuckled, and Alice looked up questioningly.sell

"I was just laughing, honey, because bering the time Alan wouldn't let me"Sell

I

was rememhim."

sell

him? You wouldn't sell your own Httle boyl" "To be sure I wouldn't, but Alan wasn't too sure about it. He was two years old when it happened. They were having a baby clinic in town, and I decided to take him because he hadn't seen a doctor since he was bom. I wanted to know how much he weighed and if he was all right. Well, Alan was good at first. He made friends with the mu-se and let me undress him. Then when the mu-se tried to lift him onto the baby scales, he started roaring and struggling. She couldn't hold him and neither could I. He got away from me and started for the door without a stitch on, still roaring. There didn't seem to be anything to do but take him home again. I told Dad Ididn't

know whatever got into him." "Maybe he didn't want the doctor to

stick a

needle

remembering experiences of her own at the State Home and School. "No, it wasn't that. I found out what it was the next time Mr. Svenson came. He used to hang the scales from the back of his truck and weigh my chickens. Then into the truck went the chickens and ofiF drove Mr. Svenson. Alan had always watched with interest.into him," said Alice,

39

This day as soon as Mr. Svenson took out the scales, Alan ran bawling into the house and hid under thebed.It

took

me

a long time to convince him that I

wasn't having him weighed at the clinic so I could seU him to the nurse."

Mrs. Potter wiped her eyes on her apron. She had

been laughing, but now she said remorsefully, "We ought not to laugh. The poor thing was so frightened/' "I know," said Alice, who had been laughing too, "but doesn't he laugh now that he's big?" **Oh, sure, he's afraid of nothing now, that one." As Mrs. Potter talked, she had led the way to the hen house. On one side was a yard fenced in with chicken wire and inside the yard were the hens scratching busily on the ground. Some were clucking to their chickens, and over in one comer a large rooster flapped his wings and crowed lustily. Mrs. Potter unhooked the door to the yard and gave Alice a httle push ahead of her. "Step in quicklybefore the hens get out."

As soon

as

they were in the yard, the hens

left

and with much clucking and peeping from the chickens ran up to them. Ahce had never seen a hve hen before. She had never imagined from the pictures in books that hens were so large, that theytheir scratching

a noise, that they rushed about in this fashion. They seemed almost to be attacking her, and she was afraid of their sharp beaks and claws. Mrs. Potter had gone into the hen house andshe appeared with a dipperfull

made such

now

of

com. She saw

Ahce standing rigid among the hens, her cheeks pale and her fists clenched. She threw several handfuls of com at the hens and immediately they settled down to40

eat

close.

Then she put her arm about Ahce and held her With the other hand she patted her hair. "Don't be afraid, dear. See, they only wanted theirit.

dinner. IAlice,little

won t let anything who had been very

hurt you."close to tears,

drew one

quivering breath and buried her head deeper in the wide, comfortable, warm shoulder. She could not

remember ever having anyone hold her so close, so protectingly, so lovingly. This was not like the squeeze Miss Cannon gave her hand sometimes, or the dutiful kiss Mrs. Jordan had placed on her cheek every night. This was spontaneous and warm and hearty. She suddenlyfelt

raised her

very brave, not afraid of chickens or hens. She head and smiled tremulously at Mrs. Potter.I'll

"I'm not afraid any more.

help you feed them."

"Of course you're not afraid. You were just surprised by those fooHsh hens. I forgot you were from the city. I expect you aren't afraid of lots of things that would frighten a country girl.""That's right," agreed Alice, throwinghens. "I used to go

com

to the

downtownbills.

all

alone in the city andstreets

pay all Mrs. Baker's where there was lotsthat for years."

I

used to go across

of traffic.

Why,

I've

been doing

"Think of that!" admired Mrs. Potter. "I don't know what Daisy Maguire would do if she had to cross a wide city street all alone." "She'd probably go across just like me after she thought about it a while," said Alice, "because now Tm feeding hens just like her." When their work was done, she fairly danced back to hens the house beside Mrs. Potter. She was not afraid ofor dogs

and someday she would pat the 41

horse's nose.

CHAPTERA LICE wassitting

8

on the side porch holding the

/\

kitten that afternoon

whenit

the school bus, in-

had in the morning, % / stopped before the Potter house and a girl jumped off. The girl waved her hand casually at the children looking out of the windows, and ran up the walk. Mrs. Potter came to the door. "Daisy Maguire," she cried, "whatever are you doing here? You must be a mind reader to know I was wishing you were here tostead of going by as

keep Alice company.*' "I came because I knew she was here," laughed the girl. "Miss Cannon had to stop at the Johnsons' house and she told them you had a girl and so I told my brothers to take my books home and tell Mother where I was. Will you let Ahce walk home with me? I'll walk her back again." "All right. If you walk back with her this time. Next time shell know the way by herself. You ask your mother if you may stay to supper with AHce.'* It seemed to Ahce the most natural thing in the world to run out the gate with her new friend. "Don't call me Margaret, will you?" the girl begged. "That's what the teacher calls me, but it never seems like my real name. I always think she's speaking to some poky old goody-goody in the back of the room, and then it turns out she means me!" Anyone less deserving of being called "a poky old

goody-goody" than Daisy Maguire, Ahce could not imagine. Everything about her was full of life, she al42

most seemed bm-sting with happiness and fun. She was ahnost as tall as AHce, but was much sturdier. Her eyes were indeed very blue and beautiful, but otherwise she was not pretty. Her face was round, her cheeks were red and hberally sprinkled with freckles, hfer nose was upturned, and her hair hung in a dark loose tangle. She gave a bounce and turned to Ahce. "As soon as I change my clothes," she said, "let's you and I get upa club.""Who'll be init?"

asked Alice.

"Just you and I. It will be a club against the boys. There are three of them and all those Johnson boys and they're always teasing me and having secrets. You and I will have a club and have secrets, too. I used to try to have secrets with Jimmy, but he's only seven and he always told the other boys when they asked."

have?" Ahce asked. answered Daisy vaguely, *T3ut we'll think up some. We'll have lots of fun, won't we?"secrets will"I don't

"What

we

know

yet,"

Ahce was

pleasantly excited at the prospect of havfelt

ing secrets with Daisy. She too

that they could

have fun together. Another who was equally pleasedat

the prospect was Daisy's mother,

who

held the

screen door open for them and smiled at Alice.

"Thisat last

is

wonderful!" she cried. "A friend for Daisyjust

and

her age

I

should think by the size of

you.

WhenI

Clara Potter told

me

she was getting a

boy,

Why

*Now why do you want to do that? you get a girl to play vdth my Daisy?' Too many boys aroimd here! I'm glad she changed her mind." The brilliance of the day was dimmed for Alice. She had forgotten that she would not be staying here, that this was only a temporary home until Miss Cannonsaid to her,

don't

43

home for her. She said nothing, however, because she did not know how to explain the situation to Mrs. Maguire. She took the two sugar cookies Mrs. Maguire held out to her and munched oncould find the right

them

until

Daisy appeared again in worn and faded

dungarees. She took her two cookies, received permis-

have supper with Alice, and led Ahce out the door. Around the comer of the bam came two boys. They were dressed in dungarees and seemed to be older than Daisy. They were engaged in a heated argument about who had the hammer last, and giving Alice only a glance, they went into the house, still arguing. "They're my brothers, Billy and Joe,'' Daisy told her. "They're building a tree house and if we hurry, we can climb up the tree before Mother has time to find the hammer for them and we can peek inside."sion to

"Will they care?"

"Oh, yes! That's one of their secrets. But every day I climb up and look inside just the same. They keep saying they have secrets, but they haven't. I know becauseI

look."

When

the two girls reached the tree, Alice, in spite

of her efforts,

gaze upward from branch to branch until she was able to lift the piece of cloth which hung over the door of the tree house and look inside. "There's nothing new here today," she announced,longingly

could only stand on the ground and as Daisy swomg herself up

"but four sugar cookies."

She had hardly finished speaking when there was a yell from behind them and the two boys were mnning toward the tree, one of them brandishing a hammer. Daisy dropped quickly from the tree with the ease

44

of long experience,

grabbed

Alice's hand,

and

fled

with

her to a safe distance.

"Ha! ha!" she taunted the boys over her shoulder."There's nothing there but old sugar cookies."

Once on the road again, Daisy turned to AUce. "The Cannon orders your clothes, you teU her to get you dungarees. Then you can climb trees." "Can she get me dungarees?" Alice was uncertain. She had come from the State Home and School with new clothes and so far had needed no others.next time Miss

"Oh, sure," answered Daisy with assurance. "She and girls every spring and every fall. I know, because lots of my friends are from the state. They can't have everything they want any more than I can, but they get just as good clothes as I do, and Miss Cannon is awfully nice about picking out their favorite colors. You just tell her you don't need so many dresses, but you do need duntakes orders for clothes for her boys

garees so you can climb trees.""All right," agreed AHce. to her at that

Her three

dresses

seemed

moment a great plenty and her crying need seemed to be dungarees. Then the thought crossed her mind again that she would not be staying and that if her new home were in the city, dungarees would not be at all necessary. "Daisy," she said hesitantly, "I might not ask MissCannonfor the dungarees."

"Don't you want to climb trees?" asked Daisy inhonest astonishment. "Oh, I dor Ahce's tone was fervent. "But I don't think I'm going to be staying here. Miss Cannon just

put me here until she could find me another home." "But don't you want to stay here? Don't you like it

46

here? I think

\frs. Potter is

sweet and Mr. Potter, too."

"So do I. I like it here, but Mrs. Potter wants boys. She doesn't hke girls as well, and Miss Cannon is getting her a boy/'

"A boy!" Daisy was disgusted. "I'll Ahce. You tell Mrs. Potter you want toshe'll

tell

you what, stay and I bet

keep you!" "Oh, no, I couldn't do that." "Then I'll tell her," Daisy said in a determined voice. "Oh, no, please don't," Alice implored. She stopped in the road and faced her friend. "Promise you won't say anything about it. They might keep me just because they're so good, but they really want a boy and it wouldn't be fair." Daisy promised, although it was plain she thought Ahce was not showing very good sense. "Well, an\^vay,'' she said at last, "you might as well learn to chmb trees while you're here. We'll go out in the orchard and begin with an easy tree." The orchard soon rang with the soimd of their laughter as Daisy instructed Ahce in the art of climbing trees. It was hard work because Alice, once she was securely on a Umb, was very unwiUing to leavethe safety of her perch and try to climbstill

higher.

But at last she began to lose her fear and glow of achievement as she looked down through the leaves at the ground below. She did not climb very high, in fact, but it seemed to her that she would soon be in the clouds. Mrs. Potter, mo\ing about the kitchen, heard their voices and their laughter and smiled to herself. Then she heard the voices drawing nearer, and the two girls stood in the doorway. "Mrs. Potter," began Daisy,to feel the

47

"We were up

in a tree and Alice fell and" She did not need to continue. Mrs. Potter had already seen the bruised knee and was laying out bandages and iodine. Alice did not make a sound when the iodine was applied, though she winced. Mrs. Potter nodded her head at her approvingly. "You're a brave girl," she said. "My boys used to yell like savages when they had iodine put on." Then she put her head to one side and gave Alice a quizzical look. "I thought you were the girl who was

too careful to get hurt?"

She and Alice both burst into laughter. of the dungarees was brought up at the supper table. Mr. and Mrs. Potter agreed that dungarees were necessary in the country, but they doubted whether Miss Cannon could provide them. "There is only so much money," explained Mrs. Potter, "and it's the way it is in a big family, everyone has to have his share. Right now Alice wants dungarees and can't see much need for dresses, but come fall she

The matter

will

want

to look like the other girls at school.

Then

she'll

wish she hadn't used her share for dungarees."climb something could be done." looked expectantly across the table at his wifeif

"That's so," Mr. Potter said in his deep voice, "but

she does need dungarees

she's ever to learn to

a tree properly. Seems as

if

He

and she smiledAliceisn't

in turn at

him and

at Alice.isif

"Well," she began, "I did have an idea, thatafraid of work."

Alice lifted her head and her eyes shone with hope. She started to speak, but Daisy interrupted her. "I'll help her. I'll do half of her work." "You help your ovm mother, Daisy Maguire,"

48

laughed Mrs. Potter. "I don

t

have much fear that Alice

won't help me. You see, I really have too much work in the house to take care of my hens. If AUce will feed them and water them and collect the eggs and put

themwas

in the boxes, she may have half the egg money." "Yippee!" yelled Daisy and gave Ahce a hug which

so violent

it

almost pushed her

off

her chair.

"On

Satiurday," continued Mrs. Potter,

"when we

all

go into the city, we'll buy the dungarees. AHce will have some money by then and Til lend her the extrathat she needs."

"Oh, I'm so glad," breathed Alice. That night after Mrs. Potter and Ahce had taken Daisy home, they walked back hand in hand. Not a

word was

said,

but when Alice was

in

bed and Mrs.

Potter bent over to place a kiss in her hand, Alice put

an impulsive arm about her foster mother's neck and the kiss was placed on her cheek instead. Her hair was smoothed back and a second kiss was bestowed on the other cheek. Alice did not turn her head away. Sherecognizedthereal,

honest

affection

in

her

foster

mother's eyes for what

it was and she responded to it. She knew these were no duty kisses she had received. As they sat on the porch later that evening with the light from the kitchen shining out through the door, Mr. Potter timied to his wife. "Clara," he said, "that's a mighty nice httle girl we've got." "She is indeed," agreed his wife. "Seems good to have a child in the house again. I'll be glad when

Miss Cannon brings us a boy." "Not much wrong with having a

girl in

the house."

"A boy

is

better for us," said Mrs. Potter.

"We're

used to boys."

49

CHAPTER

9

EVERYhouse

other Saturday, the Potters went into the

city to sell their

eggs and buy supplies for thefarm.Alice

and

the

looked

forward

she would buy what money she could. Every day she carried out the grain and water for the hens. She still hesitated before she unhooked the door into the hen yard, just long enough to remind herself that it was the grain the hens were interested in and not herself, but unhook it she did and in she went. She set the pan of water down and scattered the grain on the ground. She began to take pleasure in seeing the hens run up cackling and settle down quietly to the work of eating. Then she turned to the hen house where an even more fearful task awaited her. She first collected the eggs from the nests which were unoccupied, but then she had to collect the eggs from the nests where hens might be sitting. Mrs. Potter had shown her how easy hft the hen and slip out whatever eggs it was to might be lying beneath her, but when it was time for Alice to face a hen alone for the first time, she was terrified. The hen looked at her with beady eyes as Ahce approached, but did not budge. Alice made shooing noises at the hen and waved her hands. The hen made low, gurghng noises, but did not move. At last Alice shpped her hands under the hen and lifted her. There was one egg. After she had put the hen backeagerly to the following Satiurday

when

her dungarees. She had a

week

to earn

50

she held the egg for some time. It felt warm and smooth in her hand. She looked into the hen's beady eyes and was filled with courage. She never was asafraid again, and toward the end of the week, she approached the hens on their nests with assurance.

When her work was finished in the morning, Alice would hurry down the road to Daisy's house, unless Daisy met her on the way or arrived at the Potter house first. The two girls spent hours damming up a small brook which ran behind the bam and wading in it. They played hide-and-seek in the bam when the cows were out and petted the calf. They hung over the pigsty and scratched the sides of the two fat pigs with sticks. They climbed high in the apple trees and,perched in the branches, they exchanged confidences. Daisy told Alice the details of her many quarrels with her brothers and told her some of the good times she had with them. They had spells, it seemed, of being tolerant of her. Joe was very good at making things and had recently finished a doll's bed for her. And Jimmy, the youngest, was a great show-off and made

them

all

laugh. Alice told Daisy about her

life at

the

and School. She liked Daisy much better than she had MariKTi Jordan and felt that she wanted to tell her many things she would never have mentioned to Marilyn. In short, they hadBakers' and at the State"secrets"

Home

up

in the tree.

She told Dasiy

all

about herself

everything except the secret of her dime. She knew that Daisy would not understand about mnning away. When they played at Daisy's house, they played dolls. Daisy's two dolls were rather old and battered and unhke Marilyn's big, beautiful dolls, but when Daisy pressed one of them into her arms and said,51

"Here, you be the mother of this one," AHce forgot thebeautiful doll she

had left behind at the Jordans'. "Her name is Susie," said Daisy, "but you can name her anything you want to." "I like Susie for a name," said Alice. "She might not like my changing her name.""She wouldn't care."

you don't think she'd mind," hesitated Alice, "I call her Lucille. There was a little girl at the State Home with curls and her name was Lucille. She had some sickness and she couldn't walk." "We could play your doll was a crippled child too." "Not my doll. My Lucille is a beautiful cliild and she has curls and she can run and walk and I take her swimming, too. I take her everywhere I go and we have lots of money. She has a pony and a dog and a kitten and twenty-five dresses." "She's really only got two dresses," said Daisy doubtfully, "and they aren't very good." "I'm going to get some cloth at home and make her twenty-five dresses," AUce replied. She took up the matter with Mrs. Potter. "Have you some old cloth I could have to make some"If

could

dresses for"I

my

doll?" she asked.Potter.

have a rag bag full," answered Mrs. what do you mean, Alice your doU?""It isn't reallydoll,

"But

my

doll,"

explained AHce.

"It's

Daisy's

but she has two and she's letting me play that one of them is mine. Her name is Susie, but I'm changingit

to Lucille."

"That's

much

prettier, I think."

Mrs. Potter looked tenderly into the gray eyes. She remembered a doll in her own childhood that had been

52

much

loved. "Let's get out the rag bag/' she said briskly. Treasure after treasure poured out of the rag bag-

old pieces of sheeting to

make

doll's sheets,

remnantsall,

of curtains, of dresses, of aprons, and, best of

a

piece of wliite cheesecloth.

"This will be a piece of netting to put over hersheis

whento

asleep," exclaimed Ahce.

"Or

it

could be a wed-

ding

veil.

Now

all

she needs

is

shoes, but

you have

"You can crochet you want her to be a baby doll. I could show you how. Or you can make pretty good shoes out of old rubbers. I remember I used to cut them up into shoes and sew them. Then I'd punch a hole on each side and put ribbon through for shoelaces." Ahce's e}'es were shining and her voice was eager. "Have you got an old rubber? Would you show me how?" "I've got an old rubber and 111 show \^ou how," laughed her foster mother. "Why don't you ask Daisy if you may bring Lucille home tonight and after we wash the supper dishes, I'U help you with her clothes." ^\hce was ofi down the road in a flash and was soon back with the battered Lucille held lovingly in herdon't," said Mrs. Potter.if

buy those." "No you

httle bootees

arms. Mrs. Potter looked at Lucille's matted, thin hair,

chipped nose, and pale, washed-out cheeks; then she touched the doll's faded, torn dress and said, "She certainly could use some new clotlies." They sat companionably on the porch after supper and sewed. Mrs. Potter taught Alice that a long thread was not the most eSicient, because it was almost certain to snarl,

of all

and showed her how sleeves, kimono sleeves.53

to

make

the simplest

Mr. Potter, passing through the kitchen, looked out

and cried out triumphantly, "Look, Dad! Look what I made!" "That's real pretty," he said, and his eyes met hisdoll's dress

at the two.

Ahce held up a

wife's over her head.

had gone, Mrs. Potter spoke. "You don't call me anything, do you, Alice? You don't say *Mrs. Potter' or 'Mother' or *Ma,' do you?" "No," Alice admitted. "I don't know what you want me to say. You said to call him *Dad,' but you neverAfter hesaid anything about you."

"Youoncallall

call

calling

me what you feel like, Alice. me nothing. If you feel like

Just don't

go

saying 'Mrs.

Potter,'

you say that. I always tried to get'Mother,' but as soon as theycall

myit

boys tosize at

me

were any

they began to

me

*Ma.' I suppose

doesn't

come natural to a boy to say 'Mother.'" They sewed on in silence for a time. Then Mrs.ter held out a little finished shoe

Pot-

with a pink ribbon

nm

and tied in a bow. "There, Alice. Try that on Lucille."throughit

"Oh,in joy.

it's

beautiful!" Alice clapped her

hands together

"Oh it's

beautiful!"

She had abiost said "Oh, Mother, it's beautiful," but the word "Mother" would not come out. She had always called Mrs. Baker "Ma" as the other children did, but not because she was fond of her. She had never called Mrs. Jordan anvthing. Now she wanted to call Mrs. Potter "Mother" but something held her back. As shetried the doll's shoe on, she said to herself,"I'll

practiceI'll

saying 'Mother'get used toit."

when no one54

is

around to hear me.

CHAPTER

10

THEshe

long-awaited Saturday came at last. Alice was in a fever of impatience from the moment

and had her dress changed and her hair combed before her foster mother had gone upstairs to change. Mrs. Potter stood at the foot of the stairs and laughed gently. "We've got all day, Ahce. By the time we've shopped and eaten and shopped some more, home will begin to look good to you." "I know," said Ahce, 'l3ut I never went shopping with anyone before except Mrs. Baker and she used to drag me along by the arm. She just took me to carrythings for her. I never ate

woke

up. She rushed through the dishes,

downtown

before.life."

And

I

never had a pair of dungarees in

my

The

Potters' car

was

old, the upholstery

and the paint was scratched and scarred, climbed in proudly and sat down between her foster parents. As they passed Daisy's house, she leaned forward to wave at her friend if she were in sight, but there was no one there to see her riding to town withher family. She leaned back then and laid a small hand on each of the knees beside her. Mr. Potter reached

was worn, but Ahce

down and patted the hand on"Let usoff

his

knee two or three times.Potter.

at the

same

place," said Mrs.

"We'll get rid of our eggs

first.

No

fun to shop with-

out any money, is it, Alice? We'll shop and have our lunch and meet you back here at four o'clock." Mr. Potter stopped the car in front of a grocerystore.

He

put his hand

in his

pocket and drew out a

55

spend just as you want to. You mustn't spend it on dungarees, though, even if you don't have enough money, and don't you spend it on ice cream. Let Mother take care of that. You go in the ten-cent store and shop around, why don't you?"dime. "Here, Alice," he said. "Thisis

for

you

to

With the dime clasped

in her hand,

Ahce went

into

the store with Mrs. Potter.

A

thin

man

with wispy

gray hair and glasses looked up as they entered.

How many

"Glad to see you, Mrs. Potter. I need those eggs. dozens do you have?" "This week I have only six dozen," answered Mrs. Potter. "I've been doing more baking cookies and cakes because my family is bigger. I've got a girl now." "That so? What's her name? Going to stay with you

right along?"

"Her name is Alice. She's the kind of girl anyone would like to have stay in their house a good longtime," replied Mrs. Potter.

Alice looked

sounds as

if

she

up quickly at Mrs. means it, thought

Potter's face.Alice.

Sheshe

Maybe

would let me stay if I asked her. But then the dismal thought entered her head that Mrs. Potter might like to have her stay all the time if she wanted a girl at all, but, of course, she had said right from the beginning that she wanted a boy. She had made that very clear to Miss Cannon. No, AUce was only Hving at the Potters' temporarily. She had never lived anywhere in her twelve years where she had been as contented, where she had been the onlyand treated with real affection, but soon, she knew in her heart, she would have to leave. Miss Cannon would drive off with her in the state car and shechild

56

might never see Mother and Dad again or Daisy or Lucille or Boy or the calf, Baby. While she had been standing there with a lump in her throat and lost in thoughts of her future, Mrs. Potter had been busily transacting her business with the man. Now she turned to Ahce. "Your half is a dollar and fifty cents, honey. She gets half,*' she explained to the man, *T3ecause she's my helper. Feeds and waters the hens and collects the eggs all by herself. Helps me in the house besides, but she doesn't get paid for that. Ahce is the best help you ever saw." "Well, now, that's just fine," admired the man. "I liketo see a girl that's a help to her mother."

The day brightened for Ahce. Warmed by the praise, she managed a weak smile for the man as they turnedto leave the grocery store. "I think

we'd better go to Pierce's department

store

for the

dungarees," said Mrs. Potter. "I don't

know

where

to look for girl's clothes there, but we'll ask." "Daisy says," suggested Alice, "that her dungarees

are her brother's old ones.

Why

don't

we buy mine

in

the boys' store?""That's a good idea. They'll probably wear better too."

Mrs. Potter went straight to the boys' department.

She had bought too many boys' clothes to need directions. The dungarees were held up to Ahce, and Mrs. Potter and the woman wait