e back.

[Illustration]

Andy looked up at Mr. Bullfinch. "You shouldn't leave your cellar
window unlocked. A real burglar might have gotten in instead of me.
And that record must have been cracked. I dropped it very easy,
honest," said Andy in a rush of words. "It wasn't Jerry, it was me,"
he added.

Mr. Bullfinch stopped looking displeased. "Well," he said, not
sounding at all cross with Andy, "I must say I admire a young fellow
who will step right up and confess he's been into a little mischief."

"Little mischief!" thought Jerry. Last night at the door Mr. Bullfinch
had sounded as if he had considered getting into his house a real
crime. Still, Jerry was glad Mr. Bullfinch was not being hard on Andy.

"Good-by," said Andy.

"Just a minute," said Mr. Bullfinch. "When something is broken it has
to be paid for. I think you owe me something for that record, even if
you think it was cracked."

"I'll help pay for it," offered Jerry, without great enthusiasm.

"I'm saving my money to buy a space helmet," said Andy.

"Let's see," mused Mr. Bullfinch. "How are you boys at mowing lawns?"

"Not bad," said Jerry, not remembering that his mother often remarked
that it was like pulling teeth to get him to mow their lawn.

"I can't mow but I can rake real good," said Andy.

"Then if you'll come over after school this afternoon and take care of
my lawn, we'll call it quits," said Mr. Bullfinch. "And I owe you an
apology, Jerry, for misjudging you. Sorry I had the wrong Martin boy
by the ear. I hope you'll bring back that little something you've been
keeping over here."

"I may at that," said Jerry.

Mr. Bullfinch looked at Andy sternly. "It's wrong to go into a house
when nobody's home. Don't you let me hear of your doing that again."

"I won't," promised Andy, giving Mr. Bullfinch one of his beaming
smiles that showed his dimple.

"Come on, Andy, we can't stand here all day or we'll be late for
school. I'll be seeing you," Jerry told Mr. Bullfinch, glad that they
were friends again.

Andy chattered happily on the way to school. Nothing got Andy down,
Jerry thought, envying his carefree little brother. He should be
feeling relieved about getting his guilt off his chest. But Andy had
not seemed at all downhearted before. "Anyway, I got it out of him,"
Jerry thought with satisfaction. Yet Jerry was grateful to Andy. He
had known him to be far more stubborn.

"Only nine more days before I get that candy from Bar