Panther and Jane ran out of Dot's and didn't stop until they got to the game store.
"Are the police coming?" gasped Jane.
Panther looked around.
"I don't think so.
But we should find the boys and leave."
They didn't have to look long.
At that moment, Cy and Bobby came rushing out the door of the game store.
Behind them, the clerk was waving a fist and shouting threats.
With an exchange of helpless looks, the children began running down the street.
"I have to rest," Panther shouted after a few minutes.
"Can we please stop?"
Cy led the children to a park where they collapsed on some benches.
They sat for a while catching their breath.
"Did you buy your games?"
Panther asked, her voice calmer now.
Cy explained to his sisters what had happened.
Bobby did not say a word.
He was still mad at Cy.
Then Panther told her brothers what had happened at Dot's.
"We might have been rich, but those gold coins did nothing good for us," concluded Cy.
Everyone agreed.
"And I acted very badly, Jane," said Panther. "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry, too, Panther," said Jane.
"By the way, you did look pretty in that dress."
Jane hugged her sister.
"Hey, the ice cream man is here!" Cy called, jumping up.
He ran toward an ice cream truck that was playing music as it approached.
His sisters went with him, but Bobby followed behind, dragging his feet.
"My treat," offered Cy.
"So have whatever you want."
Panther and Jane both chose strawberry with a scoop of chocolate, and Cy got vanilla caramel.
"Hey, Bobby," called out Cy.
"Why don't you get chocolate marshmallow?"
"I don't want anything.
And stop telling me what to do!" Bobby shouted back.
The other children looked at each other.
"He's still mad at me," shrugged Cy.
"He'll get over it."
Cy handed the ice cream man two gold coins that he had left in his pocket.
The man shook his head and said, "What's this? Play money?"
Cy gave the man a weary smile and took out his wallet.
He paid for the ice cream with his own money.
The sun had just begun to set when the children headed for home.
Soon the day's wish to be rich would end, and everything would be the same as it had been before.
The next morning, Bobby was the first to wake up.
He dressed quietly and snuck out of the house just as the sun began to rise.
Today was Bobby's turn to make a wish, and he knew exactly what he wanted.
He walked through the forest and found the old well.
"Huey, Huey!" Bobby called impatiently as he pulled the bucket up from the well.
Huey slowly poked his head out of his shell.
He looked sleepily at Bobby.
"Do you know what time it is?"
"I want to make a wish," Bobby said, ignoring him.
"Where are the others?" Huey asked, looking around.
"It doesn't matter.
Today it's my turn," Bobby answered hastily.
Huey glanced at him curiously.
"Okay, then. What is your wish?"
Bobby closed his eyes and said, "I wish I was an only child."