Gilly has an opportunity to search Mr. Randolph’s bookshelf for more money. She asks Agnes Stokes and William Ernest to help her. While Agnes Stokes watches outside for Maime Trotter and William Ernest to get home, William Ernest climbs up on Gilly’s shoulders to search behind the encyclopedia for more money. He finds another large wad of cash, and Maime Trotter and Mr. Randolph arrive. Gilly quickly grabs the money. She is disappointed when her theft brings her to only $44 dollars total. The next day, she gives Agnes $5 for helping her, and considers giving William Ernest $1, but decides against it because she is so far from her goal of $136.60.

Gilly concocts another scheme to search Mr. Randolph’s bookshelf more thoroughly. She offers to dust both Maime Trotter’s and Mr. Randolph’s homes and convinces them to let her use a step ladder to clean. After thoroughly dusting Maime Trotter’s house, she goes to Mr. Randolph’s to dust, but there isn’t any money hidden anywhere. In a last desperate bid to go to San Francisco, she mails her biological mother a letter asking for the money. In the letter, Gilly calls Maime Trotter “a religious fanatic,” Mr.