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mother about the penny, and how much she wanted to earn another ha'penny to buy the blue balloon.
    "Well, Susie dear," said Mother, "if you want to earn a ha'penny, you can turn out the hall-cupboard, and put it tidy for me."
    Susie didn't like turning out cupboards, because spiders sometimes lived in cupboards, and she was afraid of them. Still, it would be lovely to earn the last ha'penny towards the blue balloon!
    So off she went to the hall-cupboard with duster, a dustpan, and a brush. She emptied out all the boots and shoes, bats and balls, and the things that usually live in hall-cupboards, and then she swept the cupboard out well, and dusted it round, She put back all the things very neatly and tidily, felt glad there had been no spider, and called to her mother to come and see if she had done her job properly.
    "That's very nice, Susie," said Mother. "Here is your ha'penny. Now you can go and buy your blue balloon!"
    Susie was excited, She took the two ha'pennies she had and the penny Mrs. Jones had given her, and off she went to the balloon-woman. The big blue balloon was still there, floating at the top of the bunch! Lovely!
    Susie gave the woman her twopence, and went off with the glorious blue balloon. It really was very big indeed, and was exactly the colour of the sky in April, so you can guess what a pretty blue it was.
    And just as she got round the corner, who should come along but Big Jim! Big Jim was a horrid boy, who loved to tease all the little children. Susie was afraid of him, because Big Jim often pulled her hair and pinched her.
    She turned back, but Big Jim had seen her. He came running after her.
    "Let's have a look at your balloon!" he shouted. "Let me hold the string."
    Now Susie knew quite well that if she let Big Jim hold the string, he would go off with her lovely balloon and she would never see it again. So she held it very tightly, and shook her curly head.
    "If you don't let me hold your balloon I'll burst it!" cried Big Jim. "Look—see this pin? Well, I'll stick it right into your balloon if you won't let me hold it!"
    Susie held the string fast and began to run down the road. Big Jim ran after her and caught her. He made a jab at the balloon with the pin.
    POP!
    The balloon burst! Susie stared in horror. Instead of a marvellous blue balloon bobbing in the air there was now only a ragged bit of blue rubber on the ground. Susie burst into loud sobs. How she sobbed!
    It is always a dreadful shock to any child when a balloon goes pop, but it was extra dreadful to Susie, because she had worked so hard to get the money for it. Big Jim gave a loud laugh and ran off. He thought he had played a fine joke on Susie.
    Susie sobbed and sobbed. She really felt as if her heart was broken. She didn't hear footsteps coming up close to her—but she suddenly felt an arm round her shoulder.
    "What's the matter, my dear?" said a kind voice—and, lo and behold, it was Mr. Pink-Whistle again! He had heard the sound of crying, and come along to see what was the matter.

    JIM JABBED THE BALLOON WITH A PIN AND IT BURST.
    "Oh, it's my beautiful blue balloon!" wept Susie. "Big Jim burst it with a pin because I wouldn't let him hold it. And I worked so hard to get a penny and a ha'penny to buy it. And now it's gone. And the balloon-woman hasn't another blue balloon at all. It was the only one."
    "It's a shame!" said Mr. Pink-Whistle fiercely. "It's not fair! I won't have it! Where does Big Jim live?"
    "At the first house round the corner," wept Susie. "But even if you go and scold him, it won't bring back my balloon, will it?"
    "You go home and cheer up," said Mr. Pink-Whistle. "I'll be along this evening with a-surprise. Now, dry your eyes and smile. That's better! Good-bye!"
    And off went Mr. Pink-Whistle to Big Jim's. My, what a surprise was coming to that bad boy!
    Mr. Pink-Whistle looked very angry as he marched down the street. He turned the corner, and came to the first house there. That was where Big Jim