JUak Iphy Alphy was not the only one who noticed Edmond's new boots. Mary Anne asked Edmond where he got them. At first Edmond would not say; however, when Henri questioned him, Edmond reluctantly admitted that he had charged them on his father's credit account. Henri responded, "You can't keep them; you'll have to take them back." Edmond replied that he didn't think he could take them back, as he wore them on his feet and had come home from St. Louis to DeBlois on foot, rather than come back with Alphonse by horse and sleigh. Henri exclaimed, "You know you can't keep them because you charged them without my consent." He added, "And you don't need a new pair of boots because you can wear Alphy's old ones." Edmond did not get his way; Henri returned the boots the next day. Once again, Edmond had to settle for secondhand boots. One thing he had learned- he would never again charge on his father's account. 29