The Apple of His Eye Author:Gerard Robichaud When Michel Dumont overhears that the top-heavy North Pole will soon cause the world to tip over, he reveals in the confessional the secret of the money he and his three young friends came upon months ago and have since kept hidden in their clubhouse. They must give it back. It is the rule of the confessional. But how? And to whom? In good wo... more »rks for others, advises kindly Father Prevost. Reluctantly they compile a list of possible candidates as fresh evidence of doom prods them on.
But giving away the money turns out to be extremely difficult. When they leave their brown-paper cash-box in a church pew, the town cop runs after them to restore the package to them; when they buy a gift in a store, the clerk gives them too much change and chases them out when they try to explain. But as the week progresses Michel begins to understand a great many things about the adult world--about his aunt who has attempted to replace his parents; Denise Michaud, young, attractive, and a friend, though some folks call her the town's "bad girl"; Madame Quackenbush who operates Dreamland, the movie house; Stitchnose, an embittered spinster; and the terrifying Jewish store proprietor, who is in reality a kind and learned man.
As well as making a continual effort to dispose of sixty dollars, Michel has to escape Uncle Victor's determination to send him to a lovely boarding school, more usually referred to as an orphanage; and Uncle Victor discovers that in the long run happiness cannot be judged by the size of a town.« less