s that I gave you money to
pay for. I never thought I would be so ashamed of you, Jerry Martin."
The look she gave him was worse than a blow.

So she thought him a thief--was ashamed of him--believed the worst of
him before giving him a chance to explain. Jerry felt such a deep hurt
he felt like crying but he wasn't going to let anybody see him cry.
And if that was what his mother thought of him, he wasn't going to
stay around here. Not after she had looked at him as if she wished he
did not belong in her family.

Jerry slammed the box of candy so hard on the table that the cover
opened and some of the candy fell out.

"I paid the bill with the money. Ask Mr. Bartlett if you don't believe
me. I was going to surprise you by showing you the bonus he gives for
charging a month's groceries. I didn't spend a cent of your old money.
I--" Jerry suddenly could not endure being there a second longer. He
rushed out, slamming the door behind him.

Rage sent Jerry hurrying down his street and out to Massachusetts
Avenue. He was so hurt and angry he could hardly see straight. He
would run away from home. He would leave Washington. He would go
somewhere a long way off. He would go where nobody would be likely to
accuse him unjustly of being a thief. He walked rapidly, almost
running in his hurry to leave home.

Where should he go? Jerry did not have even the bus fare to go to
town, let alone get out of the city. But he had two feet, didn't he?
Maybe after he decided where he was going he would hitchhike. Jerry
knew his mother disapproved of hitchhiking but why should he pay any
attention to that now, after she had believed him to be a thief? Jerry
made no effort, however, to hitch a ride. He walked and walked.

There were azaleas in bloom in some of the yards he passed. Bushes of
faded lilacs. Bright beds of tulips and pansies. Jerry did not notice
them. He was in no mood to enjoy flowers. He was about a mile from
home when he remembered hearing a guest say to his mother, "Florida is
really delightful in the spring. And after the winter visitors have
left the prices go down."

[Illustration]

Jerry thought it might be a good idea to go where the prices had gone
down. Be easier for him to earn enough to live on. A lot of people
went fishing off the coast of Florida. Maybe he could help out on some
fishing boat. Jerry liked to fish and he liked boats. That idea
appealed to him. But he realized that it was a long, long way to