Up and Down the River

Bonnie and Debbie's desire to get rich causes them to respond to a sure-thing magazine advertisement. They are soon embarked upon an ambitious summer of selling "up and down the river." Not that circumstances end quite in the way they had imagined! In a surprising flurry of trading, the girls somehow accumulate wealth in the form of unexpected friends, assorted animals, and unforeseen situations, even as their collection of dimes and dollars seem always to be slipping through their hands. Bonnie and Debbie Fairchild occupy center stage in this story of a summer season in the lovely hills of Kentucky of the early 1900's.

"I do wish we could find some way to get rich, like Althy!" said Bonnie.

Bonnie was talking half to herself, half to Debby. She was stretched on the grass under an apple tree, looking at the advertisements on the back pages of Mother's magazine. "Listen to this Debby!" she said. " 'Earn one d-o-l-l-a-r, dollar.' "

Quickly Debby laid aside her clover chain and read the advertisement. " 'Earn one dollar. Sell twenty of our beautiful colored pictures at ten cents each. Every home wants one. You collect two dollars. Send us one. You keep one.' "

"And look here," Bonnie cried as her eyes wandered farther down the page. " 'Sell s-e-n-s-a-t-i-o-n-a-l-' "

" 'Sensational,' "Debby said, taking the magazine and reading. " 'Sell sensational new bluing! Try it yourself. Sell it to your friends...' Let's sell them together, Bonnie, shall we? I'll go to the house and fill out the coupons right now if you'll carry my share of the stove wood. Then we can go across the river to Mr. Flinchum's store and mail the letters."