Betsy and the Boys by Carolyn Haywood Read Free Book Online Page A

looked at the football that Mr. Kilpatrick had given her. She picked it up and tucked it under her arm. Father was sitting by the fire, reading his paper. Betsy went to him and he looked up at her.
    "Well, little one?" he said.
    "I'm going to take Billy a just-for-instance present," said Betsy.
    "That's great!" said Father.
    Betsy ran over to Billy's house. When she arrived, Billy was working on a model airplane.
    "Hi, Betsy!" he said. "What do you know?"
    Betsy held out the football. "It's a present," said Betsy.
    "What do you mean?" asked Billy.
    "It's a present for you," said Betsy. "A just-for-instance present."
    "Golly!" cried Billy, his eyes popping. "You mean you're going to give me that swell football?"
    "Yepper," replied Betsy.
    "Oh, gee, Betsy!" said Billy. "That's swell. Thanks ever so much."
    Then Betsy told Billy of how Mr. Kilpatrick had given her the football. When she finished, Billy said, "Do you know, Betsy, I think we ought to give Mr. Kilpatrick a present."
    "Oh, I do too," said Betsy. "What shall we get for a present for Mr. Kilpatrick?"
    "Well, I don't know," replied Billy. "We'll have to think about it."
    "I have to go now," said Betsy. "I guess my dinner is ready. I'll see you tomorrow."
    "Sure thing," said Billy.
    When Betsy reached the door, she said, "Oh, I almost forgot! I can't play football tomorrow. I'm having a skating lesson. Father brought me a present tonight. Ice skates."
    "Ice skates!" exclaimed Billy. "Boy! That's great! I'm going to ask for a pair for Christmas."
    "Good-bye," said Betsy, as she went out of the door.
    "So long," said Billy. "And thanks again for the football."
    That night Betsy fell asleep thinking about the present for Mr. Kilpatrick.
    The following day Billy came over to Betsy's house.
    "Have you thought of a present for Mr. Kilpatrick?" asked Billy.
    "No," replied Betsy. "I've thought and thought. I think it would be nice to go shopping for it. I like to go shopping. Then you see all kinds of things you never thought of."
    "OK," said Billy. "How much money do you have?"
    "I'll go see," replied Betsy.
    Betsy went upstairs and got her pocketbook. She emptied out the money. It was all small change. When she counted it, it came to thirty-eight cents.
    "I have thirty-eight cents," she said, when she came downstairs.
    "I don't have that much now," said Billy. "But I will have it by Saturday. I can earn that much on Saturday morning, delivering grocery orders.

    Then we can buy the present Saturday afternoon."
    When Saturday afternoon arrived, Betsy and Billy walked into the shopping district of the town. They had seventy-five cents to spend on a just-for-instance present for Mr. Kilpatrick.
    "There's no use going to the pet shop," said Billy, "'cause we couldn't get anything there for seventy-five cents."
    "Well, I don't think Mr. Kilpatrick would want any more pets," said Betsy. "The Queen of Sheba is enough."
    By this time the children had reached a men's shop. Something pink in the window caught Betsy's eye. Pink was Betsy's favorite color.
    "Let's look in this window," said Betsy.
    The children pressed their noses against the glass.
    "Oh," exclaimed Betsy, "look at that beautiful pink necktie." Betsy pointed to a pink satin bow resting in a box. "I think Mr. Kilpatrick would love that."
    "What?" said Billy.
    "That pink necktie," said Betsy. "I think he would just love that."
    "Well, I don't," said Billy. "I think it's skunky,
if you know what I mean. I wouldn't wear it to collect garbage."
    "It's beautiful," said Betsy.
    "I won't put a cent to buy a skunky necktie like that," said Billy.
    Then his eye lit upon something. It was a pair of bright red suspenders. "Now, there's something!" cried Billy, pointing to the suspenders. "There's something real!"
    "What is it?" said Betsy.
    "Those red suspenders," said Billy. "That's a present that Mr. Kilpatrick would like. They've got class."
    "Yes," agreed Betsy. "They're awful nice."
    "Nice!" cried Billy. "They're