Mary Nash

When their father heads off to New Zealand for a business trip and their housekeeper, Mrs. Coverlet, is called away suddenly to take care of her daughter, Malcolm, Molly, and Theobold "The Toad" find themselves home alone for the summer. They decide not to alert their neighbors that Mrs. Coverlet is gone. After all, they can take care of themselves! But when their money -- and their supply of hamburgers and chocolate ice cream -- runs low, their self-reliance is put to the test. Could stubborn, quirky, six-year-old Toad and his cat provide the key to their survival?

It's up to Molly and Malcolm to see that their brother "the Toad" has a proper Christmas when nosy Miss Penalty, who is babysitting while the housekeeper is away at a bake-off, comes down with a mysterious malady that "the Toad" may have caused.

The three Persever children go to New York hoping to find Mrs. Dextrose-Chesapeake's valuable tortoise shell cat that disappeared after the cat show.

With their father away on a trip and the housekeeper called home, the Persever children manage everything and discover amazing ways to make money.