Chapter Fourteen


So the Bradleys had a bank account. And even before the precious
money was actually paid them, and deposited in the bank, Nancy
knew what they were going to do with it. There was only one
sensible thing for young persons who were raising a family on a
small salary to do. They must buy a country home.

No more city, no more rent-paying for Nancy and Bert. The bank
account had just five figures. Nancy and Bert said that they could
buy a lovely home anywhere for nine thousand, and have a whole
thousand left for furniture and incidentals. They could begin to
live!

A week later they began their hunt, and all through the white
winter and the lovely spring they hunted. They asked friends about
it, and read magazines, and the advertisements in the Sunday
papers.

Unfortunately, however, in all the Saturdays and the Sundays they
spent hunting for their home, they never saw anything that cost
just nine thousand dollars. There were hundreds of places that
cost sixty-five hundred or seven thousand. After that prices made
a clean leap to ten thousand, to twelve thousand, to fourteen--
"No, it's no use our looking at those!" said the young Bradleys,
sighing.

They learned a great deal about houses, and some of their dreams