Bullfinch's hair was gray, too, and she hadn't taught
Freshman English. Jerry would have asked her what had turned her hair
gray if he had not been afraid it would have been too long a story.
Not that Jerry disliked Mrs. Bullfinch even though she was
long-winded. She was kind and she made good cookies. Jerry usually
went home from the Bullfinch house munching an oatmeal cookie.

[Illustration]

"You took long enough getting back from the store to have gone and
come back twice," scolded Jerry's mother an afternoon when he had
stopped to play "The Stars and Stripes Forever" on Mr. Bullfinch's
phonograph on his way home from the store. It was Jerry's favorite
record, with John Philip Sousa leading his own band. One reason
Jerry liked this particular march was because he had shaken bells to
it in the rhythm band at school. Next summer Jerry was going to take
lessons playing a horn. He had already picked out the instrument he
wanted to learn to play, a giant tuba in Kitt's music store downtown.
By fall he would be ready to play in the junior high band.

Jerry was thinking of playing in a band and was not paying much
attention to his mother's scolding, when she said something that
shocked him into alertness.

"Next time I want something from the store in a hurry, I'll send
Cathy," she said.

"Honest, next time I'll come home like the wind," Jerry promised. It
wouldn't do at all to have Cathy go to the store. Mr. Bartlett knew
her. He might ask her if she wanted the groceries charged before she
got the money out to pay for them. And good-by then to Jerry's secret
charge account. "You said running errands was my chore," he reminded
his mother. "You haven't heard me gripe about having to go to the
store, have you?"

"Not recently," his mother acknowledged. "It's something to have you
so willing. But why can't you come right home with the groceries? Now
I was going to make Bavarian cream for dessert tonight but you're too
late getting back with the whipping cream."

"I'm sorry." Jerry really was. He was very fond of Bavarian cream.

"Let's see. I have a box of gingerbread mix. And I can make applesauce
while it's baking."

"That will be swell," said Jerry.

"Go find Cathy, will you, Jerry? I wouldn't be surprised if you found
her somewhere with her nose in a book. Tell her to come and peel the
apples for me."

Jerry was glad to get away from his mother just then. It was not hard
to find Cathy. She was on the window