Indeed, with school-closing in the offing and lessons and
examinations getting harder and harder, the girl scarcely had
time to keep her own clothing neat and mended. She knew that
right now daddy was wearing socks with holes in them.

So, when her mind was not fixed upon her lessons, it was not
likely that even Stella Latham's birthday party occupied much of
Janice's thought. She started home from school as soon as she
was released, considering if she could get the back kitchen
cleaned up before it was time to get supper for daddy. The lumps
of soft coal Olga Cedarstrom had thrown at the cats had made an
awful mess of the place, Janice very well knew.

As she turned the corner into Knight Street there was Arlo Weeks,
Junior, just ahead of her. Arlo Junior, the cause of the
morning's trouble! Arlo Junior, the cause of Olga's leaving the
Days in the lurch! More, Arlo Junior, who was the spring of
Janice Day's deeper trouble, for if it had not been for that
mischievous wight, Olga Cedarstrom could not have run off with
the treasure-box!

Arlo Junior had black, curly hair like his father. He had
snapping brown eyes, too, and was quick and nervous in his
movements. Of all the Weeks' children (Daddy said there was a
"raft" of them!) Arlo Junior was the worst behaved. He was
forever in trouble.

To report him to his parents was just like shooting cannon balls
into a stack of feathers. His mother, tall, cadaverous, and of