"Apple-pie--armed with apple-pie!"

Old Tilly came briskly to the rescue.

"Never mind the errands or the pie!" laughed he. "We'll be reg'lar
knights and hunt up distressed folks to relieve, and have reg'lar
adventures. It will be great--good for Jot! We won't decide where
we're going or anything--just keep a-going. We'll start to-morrow
morning at sunrise."

"Hoo-ray for to-morrow morning!"

"Hoo-ray for sunrise!"

"Hoo-ray for Jot!" finished Kent, generously forgetting mockeries.

The plan promised gloriously. When father and mother came home from the
mill they fell in with it heartily, and mother rolled up her sleeves at
once to make cakes to fill the boys' bundle racks. They would buy other
things as they went along--that would be part of the fun.

In the middle of the night Jot got out of bed softly and padded his way
across to the bureau, to feel of the three five-dollar bills they had
left together under the pincushion for a paper weight. He slid his
fingers under carefully. What! He lifted the cushion. Then he struck
a match--two matches--three, in agitated succession.

The money was gone!