t do?"

"Just tell him somebody else must have done it," suggested Andy.

"I did but he didn't believe me."

"Then he's a bad, bad man."

"It burns me up to be blamed for something I didn't do. You wouldn't
like to be blamed for breaking a window if Tommy Jenks did it, would
you, Andy?"

"Tommy and I can't throw a ball hard enough to break a window."

"I give up," cried Jerry. "I might have known you wouldn't lift a
finger to get me out of trouble. Save your own skin, that's all you
care about. And I was meaning to give you something nice when I get
it," said Jerry, thinking of the candy he would receive from
Bartlett's store.

"What were you going to give me?"

"Never you mind. Whatever it is, you won't get any."

"Please, Jerry."

"Nope."

"I didn't mean to break that old record. It wasn't my fault. It
slipped right out of my hand," remarked Andy.

Jerry breathed a sigh of relief. Andy's resolution not to tell had
begun to give. "I'll go right to the door with you if you'll fess up
to Mr. Bullfinch what you did," he offered.

Andy was not in the mood for an early morning call on Mr. Bullfinch.
It took a lot of persuasion and the gift of two large rubber bands, an
old campaign button, and two feet or so of good string before Andy let
Jerry take him by the hand and lead him to the Bullfinch front door.

"You ring the bell," said Jerry. He knew Andy liked to ring doorbells.

Andy did not care to ring Mr. Bullfinch's bell just then. Jerry
pressed it hard. He hoped Mr. Bullfinch would answer the bell in a
hurry before Andy changed his mind about telling.

"I'll tell him I'll help you pay for the record," said Jerry.

"I don't want to pay money for an old broken record. It's no good,"
said Andy, trying to pull away from Jerry.

Just then Mr. Bullfinch opened the front door. He was wearing a dark
blue bathrobe with a red plaid collar. He looked sleepy and not at all
pleased to see his visitors.

"Did you have to come so early?" he inquired.

"It's almost time for school. Andy has something he wants to tell
you."

"No, I don't," said Andy.

"Come on, Andy, you promised you'd tell."

"I've changed my mind."

"I wish you'd say whatever you came to say and be off. I find small
boys hard to take before I have a cup of coffee," said Mr. Bullfinch.

"I'll give you the first nickel I find rolling uphill. Or downhill
either," Jerry promised Andy. "Go on, tell him." Jerry gave Andy a
gentle poke in th