“Of course not,” Ruth said, briskly. “Now, girls, look here. Mr. Howbridge says we may keep Uncle Rufus, and he will pay him.” “Oh, goody!” cried Agnes, clapping her hands. At once Spotty tumbled off her lap and scurried under the sofa. He was not used to such actions. “Now you’ve scared Spotty, I’m afraid,” said Tess. “He can get over his scare. What’s that in your hand, Ruth?” demanded Agnes. “This is some money Mr. Howbridge gave me for us to spend. He calls it our monthly allowance. He says we are to use it just as we please—each of us.” “Is some of it mine?” asked Dot. “Yes, dearie. We’ll see how much he gives you to spend for your very owniest own, first of all.” Ruth tore open the big envelope and shook out four sealed envelopes of smaller size. She sorted them and found the one addressed in Mr. Howbridge’s clerkly hand to “Miss Dorothy Kenway.” “Now open it, Dot,” urged Tess. The little girl did so, with sparkling eyes and the color flushing into her cheeks. From the envelope, when it was opened, she drew a crisp, folded dollar bill. “My!” she murmured. “A whole—new—dollar bill! My! And can I spend it all, Ruthie?” “Surely,” said the elder sister, smiling. “Then I know just what I’m going to do,” said Dot, nodding her head. “What’s that?” asked Agnes. “I’m going to buy some candy on Saturday that’s not pep’mints. I just _am_. I’m tired of Aunt Sarah’s old pep’mint drops.” The other girls laughed loudly at this decision of Dot’s. “You funny little thing!” said Ruth. “Of course you shall buy candy—if you want to. But I wouldn’t spend the whole dollar for it. Remember, you’ll get no more spending money until this time next month.” “I should hope she’d have sense enough to kind of spread it out through the month,” said Agnes. “Hurry up, Ruth. Let’s see what he’s given the rest of us.” Tess opened her envelope and found a dollar and a half. “Oh, I’m _rich_!” she declared. “I’m awfully obliged to Mr. Howbridge. I’ll tell him so when he comes again.” Then she turned swiftly to Dot and hugged her. “You don’t mind if I have half a dollar more than _you_ do, Dot?” she asked. “I’ll divide it with you.” That was Tess’ way. She could not bear to think that anybody’s feelings were hurt because of her. Ruth intervened: “Dot knows you are two whole years older than she, Tess. Both of you have more money to spend than you ever had before, and I am sure neither will be selfish with it.” Agnes grabbed her envelope. “I’m just as anxious to see as I can be,” she confessed. When she ripped open the envelope she drew forth two crisp dollar bills. But in Ruth’s there were five dollars.