The Kilroys #17

When Natch's father Edgar orders him to paint the back steps or lose his allowance, the lazy boy disappears—forcing his sister Katie to do the job herself to protect the two dollars Natch owes her. But when Natch finally rushes home to tackle the chore, a series of paint-covered mishaps ensues, trapping everyone in the house and turning dinner with Edgar's boss into absolute chaos. The Kilroys discover that sometimes the best-laid plans create the messiest results.

When Natch Kilroy tries to prove his hot rod can do a hundred miles an hour—by deliberately getting a speeding ticket from Officer Farrell—he sets off a chain reaction that lands him in hot water with Judy and gives rival Wilbur Morton exactly the opening he needs. As Natch scrambles to salvage the deal and his romance, he discovers that things aren't quite what they seem—and that sometimes the fastest way to lose what you love is to rush toward the wrong finish line.

A teen valentines scheme spirals when Natch tries to buy a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Judy, only to discover his rival Wilbur Morton has already purchased it. Racing to outmaneuver each other with increasingly elaborate gift swaps, the two boys end up trading places in ways neither quite expected—leaving one of them holding the short end of the stick when Judy opens her Valentine's Day present.