home tonight, if I'd known they were to be of
so little use," laughed Herbie.

"Oh, you'll need them later on," replied Chuck, "see if you don't."

"Three at a time," called out Father, "in a three minute try to see who
can find the dime. Hopie, you, Toad and Fat try first."

[Illustration: The boys screamed with laughter as the queer-looking
things bumped about on the table.]

Down went all three boys on their knees before the pan of flour and down
into the flour went the three faces. Such a puffing and blowing that the
flour rose like a white cloud and settled on the heads of the three who
were pushing each other about in their efforts to find the money.

"They look like a lot of hungry pigs," laughed Reddy.

"You're not sick, are you Toad?" asked Herbie, "your face looks so
pale," at which everyone laughed.

Suddenly Hopie Smith jumped up with the flour falling from his face and
the dime held fast between his lips.

"Hurrah; three cheers for Hopie," shouted all the boys.

The pan was now carried out for a supply of fresh flour and a new dime.
The three boys were brushed off and soon were watching the others trying
to find the dime.

"Say, Reddy, you're an old man," cried Toad, "your hair is turning
gray."

"Look out there, Linn," warned Fat, "you'll turn into a pancake if you
eat all that flour."

At this Linn laughed, causing a great cloud of flour to rise from the
pan.

"Chuck's digging for sil----" but before Hopie could finish Reddy stood
up, his dancing blue eyes shining like two stars. Between his lips he
held the dime.

"Good for you, Red," shouted Toad, "I knew you'd win it."

CHAPTER VIII

THE WONDERFUL PIE

Mother Brown now appeared in the doorway.

"Won't you come into the dining room?" she requested, and the boys lost
no time in accepting the invitation.

"That means something to eat," whispered Herbie. "Wonder what it'll be."

As the boys entered the dining room they started with surprise, for
there, hanging over the table, was the huge grinning face of a
jack-o-lantern.

"Well," exclaimed Fat, "what a sweet face!" which brought a round of
laughter from the others.

In the center of the table was a large paper pie and seven ribbons came
from under the crust, each of them having a card on the end. A plate of
paper snap-crackers of bright colors and the fancy yellow paper napkin
at each place gave the table a gay look.

"What a funny pie," laughed Hopie. "What's insid