he more there
were, the harder they worked. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, all
the work stopped.

The next morning when the neighborhood waked up, a freshly-painted
sign had taken the place over the door of the dingy old black and
white one. The lettering was gilt, the background a skyey blue. It
read:

MAIDA'S LITTLE SHOP

CHAPTER II: CLEANING UP

The next two weeks were the busiest Maida ever knew.

In the first place she must see Mrs. Murdock and talk things over.
In the second place, she must examine all the stock that Mrs.
Murdock left. In the third place, she must order new stock from the
wholesale places. And in the fourth place, the rooms must be made
ready for her and Granny to live in. It was hard work, but it was
great fun.

First, Mrs. Murdock called, at Billy's request, at his rooms on
Mount Vernon Street. Granny and Maida were there to meet her.

Mrs. Murdock was a tall, thin, erect old lady. Her bright black eyes
were piercing enough, but it seemed to Maida that the round-glassed
spectacles, through which she examined them all, were even more so.

"I've made out a list of things for the shop that I'm all out of,"
she began briskly. "You'll know what the rest is from what's left on
the shelves. Now about buying--there's a wagon comes round once a
month and I've told them to keep right on a-coming even though I
ain't there. They'll sell you your candy, pickles, pickled limes and
all sich stuff. You'll have to buy your toys in Boston--your paper,
pens, pencils, rubbers and the like also, but not at the same places
where you git the toys. I've put all the addresses down on the list.
I don't see how you can make any mistakes."

"How long will it take you to get out of the shop?" Billy asked.

Maida knew that Billy enjoyed Mrs. Murdock, for often, when he
looked at that lady, his eyes "skrinkled up," although there was not
a smile on his face.

"A week is all I need," Mrs. Murdock declared. "If it worn't for
other folks who are keeping me waiting, I'd have that hull place
fixed as clean as a whistle in two shakes of a lamb's tail. Now I'll
put a price on everything, so's you won't be bothered what to
charge. There's some things I don't ever git, because folks buy too
many of them and it's sich an everlasting bother keeping them in
stock. But you're young and spry, and maybe you won't mind jumping
about for every Tom, Dick and Harry. Bu