Have in common?

The Garage Painters

Happy Weekend

Beaver’s Accordion

Substitute Father

Hint: Something about Ward.

Ward is to pay Mr. Franklin for the accordion repair, Ward is to pay the cabbie in Subs. Father, Ward is to pay the dock guy for the fish in Happy Weekend, but now I'm hung up on the Garage Painters, unless he went to the hardware store and bought paint.

Good try! Here’s another hint. Dudley has one when he walks to school with Wally.

Well, it probably has nothing to do with a briefcase or topcoat. In Accordion I think Ward was preening in the hall with his hat (using the mirror that isn't normally there), and in Subs. Father Wally was shaping Ward's hat (or trying to) before Ward left. So it must have been Ward wearing his hat.

Yup and in Garage Painters he arrives home taking off a rain hat. In Happy Weekend he has a hat on while fishing. That’s it!! The only time he wears a hat.