Ellen disdained to answer and Rosie remarked: "I'd rather spend my money
on skates than on old curls."

Ellen looked at her kindly. "They say skates are going out of style,
Rosie."

Rosie folded her hands complacently. "I don't care whether they're going
out or coming in. I don't like 'em because they're fashionable but
because I like 'em. If the Boulevard Placers didn't have one pair I'd
want to go up there by myself and skate by myself just the same. I love
roller skates! And, what's more, by the time vacation comes I'll have
the finest pair of ball-bearing skates in town! And vacation, mind you,
comes at the end of next week!"

Terence nodded a cautious approval. "You're that close to the finish,
are you, Rosie?"

"Sure I am. Tomorrow night when I get paid I'll have two twenty and, by
the end of next week, if I can manage to scrape up an extra nickel, I'll
have two fifty exact."

Mrs. O'Brien fluttered her hands nervously. "I dunno about all this
skatin', Rosie dear. I dunno if it's healthy to jump around so."

Rosie smiled superiorly. "I don't jump around. I know how to skate."

A few moments later Ellen excused herself from her usual evening duties
on the plea that her friend, Hattie Graydon, had invited her out. So
Rosie had to wipe the supper dishes as well as wash them before she
could slip upstairs for the purpose of counting her savings.

She found the wardrobe key in its usual place and the little bank where
she had put it, hidden beneath her mother's Sunday hat. She reached for
it and lifted it up and then, with a loud cry, she clutched it hard and
shook it with all her might.

"Ma! Ma!" she screamed, flying wildly downstairs. "My money! Some one's
taken all my money!"

"Ssh!" Mrs. O'Brien implored. "Ye'll be wakin' Geraldine!"

For once Rosie heeded not the warning. "I tell you my money's gone! Some
one stole it! Listen here!" She was weeping distractedly and waving the
empty bank aloft. "There's not a cent left! And, Terry, look here how
they took it!"

The thief had not even had the grace to use a hairpin, but had calmly
bent back the opening slit.

Terence looked at his mother sternly. "Ma, who took Rosie's money?"

Mrs. O'Brien squirmed uncomfortably. "Now, Terry lad, how do I know who
took it? But I do know this: whoever it was that took it only borrowed
it and Rosie'll get paid back."

"Paid back!" wept Rosie. "Don't talk to me about getting paid back in
this house! I guess I kn