`` And if my father had n't run away he might have given me something too . But I 'm going to do the best I can anyhow . Your Aunt Olivia says I can have the job of gathering the eggs , and I 'm to have one egg out of every dozen to sell for myself . '' Felicity made a similar bargain with her mother . The Story Girl and Cecily were each to be paid ten cents a week for washing dishes in their respective homes . Felix and Dan contracted to keep the gardens free from weeds . I caught brook trout in the westering valley of spruces and sold them for a cent apiece . Sara Ray was the only unhappy one among us . She could do nothing . She had no relatives in Carlisle except her mother , and her mother did not approve of the school library project , and would not give Sara a cent , or put her in any way of earning one . To Sara , this was humiliation indescribable . She felt herself an outcast and an alien to our busy little circle , where each member counted every day , with miserly delight , his slowly increasing hoard of small cash . `` I 'm just going to pray to God to send me some money , '' she announced desperately at last . `` I do n't believe that will do any good , '' said Dan . `` He gives lots of things , but he does n't give money , because people can earn that for themselves . '' `` I ca n't , '' said Sara , with passionate defiance . `` I think He ought to take that into account . '' `` Do n't worry , dear , '' said Cecily , who always poured balm . `` If you ca n't collect any money everybody will know it is n't your fault . '' `` I wo n't ever feel like reading a single book in the library if I ca n't give something to it , '' mourned Sara .
Dan and the girls and I were sitting in a row on Aunt Olivia 's garden fence , watching XXXXX weed .
Carlisle Cecily Dan Felix Sara balm day hoard spruces week