Why was Holling able to get the cream puffs without having enough money?

Holling is able to get the cream puffs from the baker without enough money because he performs some Shakespeare for the baker. Earlier in the story, Mrs. Baker has some wonderfully delicious-looking cream puffs in the back of her classroom. She tells Holling that he may have one, if he cleans up her room really well. A 7th grader will do anything for food, so Holling cleans erasers like a fiend. Unfortunately the cloud of chalk dust settles on the cream puffs, which causes the kids who eat them to get sick. The kids threaten Holling and tell him he had better get them some clean cream puffs. Holling doesn't have enough money to buy them from the baker, so he offers to do some work for the baker. The baker tells Holling that he doesn't need any work done.

"What I should really need," he said, "is a boy who knows Shakespeare."  

Holling has just started reading Shakespeare with Mrs. Baker and announces that he knows Shakespeare. The baker is doubtful, but Holling successfully recites several passages from Shakespeare plays. The baker is impressed and gives Holling the twenty-two cream puffs that he needs.