Part 3 (2/2)
”But what in the world--” began Auntie Jean, in amazement, hastily transferring the heap to a newspaper. Cricket waved the chamois bag in wild delight.
”It's one of the bags, auntie, that you and mamma buried so long ago in the sand-banks, because you thought it was the right kind of a bank to put money in.”
”We digged the hole,” put in Zaidee, eager for her share of the glory.
”We digged for Mr. Satam's house, an' most found him, an' Cricket came an' said he'd gone to China, an' then Cricket digged this up, and we're going to dig every day, now, and get lots of money,” for the whole performance was very mysterious in Zaidee's mind.
You can imagine the clatter when the rest of the children arrived on the scene, and Cricket, flushed with victory, waved her bag, which had been found to have mamma's initials on it. Therefore, auntie's was still unfound, and, strange to say, it never _has_ been found, although, after Cricket's remarkable achievement, the sand-banks in that locality were excavated to a point just short of China.
CHAPTER IV.
KEEPING STORE.
It was voted by all that the money in the bag belonged undeniably to Cricket, by right of discovery, but she would not touch it till she had written to mamma the astounding news. She was very anxious to cable the important announcement, and Auntie Jean had some difficulty in persuading her that a letter would convey it just as well. The money only amounted to two dollars and sixty-four cents in all, but this was larger in Cricket's eyes than any money she had ever owned before. She spent it in imagination a hundred times, and the others helped her, till even little Kenneth caught the fever, and begged ”Tritet, buy Tennet bikachine,” his own invention for bicycle.
”Goody!” exclaimed Cricket, ”that's just what I'll do for myself.
Eunice, I'm going to put the money in the really-truly bank this time, and keep putting more in, and I'll save my allowance and get a bicycle to ride when I'm too big to ride Mopsie. Wonder how long it would take.”
”Years,” said Eunice, with a cold-water expression. ”Why, Cricket, bicycles cost lots of money. You never could do it.”
”I can ride on the boys' bicycles when they get them, to learn how, and keep saving till I'm grown up. Couldn't I get enough by that time? Wish I could earn money.”
”Keep a peanut stand,” suggested Archie.
”I wonder if I couldn't,” said Cricket, instantly attracted by the idea.
”What fun! Where could I have one? I'd just love to. I'd have that big white umbrella that used to stand up in the old phaeton, over my head, and I'd have a chair and a table. Do you suppose auntie would let me go down on the dock and sell peanuts?”
”I should think not!” cried Edna, horrified.
”I'm going to ask her,” returned Cricket, undaunted. ”I'll make great piles of money. Everybody will stop and buy of me when they're going out sailing. Peanuts are always good when you're sailing.”
”Discount to the family?” asked Will.
”Discount to me, anyway,” put in Archie, insinuatingly, ”for my suggestion. Really, you know you ought to supply me free.”
”Free!” replied Cricket, with much scorn. ”I might as well try to fill up Marbury Bay as you, Mr. Archie. I know who ate twenty-seven griddle-cakes for breakfast.”
”Don't confess it right out loud, Miss Scricket, if you did get away with that number. I'm not astonished, but I'm overcome.”
”Dear me,” answered Cricket, tossing her curls, ”you think you're abdominally smart, I know, but--”
A howl of laughter stopped her, and Cricket looked dismayed. They always made so much fun of her when she made one of her constant mistakes in the use of words.
”She means abnormally,” shouted Archie, rolling on the ground.
”Abdominally smart, oh, my!”
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