at she meant.

"Yes. And if the 'Codfish' hadn't got scared and dropped the trunk in
the middle of the road you would have lost it after all."

"Yes," sighed Vi, "and that would have been worse than not finding it at
all."

"The only thing that bothers me," said Billie, with a little frown, "is
that we didn't go after that man and get him. He may be a regular thief
for all we know, and if he is he ought to be in prison where he belongs.
Every once in a while," her voice lowered and she looked over her
shoulder nervously, "I dream about him, and when I do he always has a
mask or something over his eyes, but his codfish mouth is always there
sort of grinning at me----"

"Billie!" cried Laura and Vi in the same voice, and Laura got up
suddenly, sat on her pillow, and regarded Billie with startled eyes.

"But you never told us!" she said. "Have you--have you dreamed that
often?"

"No, only once or twice," said Billie. "Just the same, I wish we could
have caught him. I always have a sort of feeling that if he robs anybody
else it will be our fault for not having had him arrested when we had
the chance. Of course, he may not be a regular thief at all. But, oh,
girls, he was an awful looking thing. And I feel sure some day I'll
meet him again."

"You said he had red hair, didn't you?" asked Laura, a delicious little
thrill running up and down her spine. "And little eyes and that broad
codfishy mouth. Goodness! I wish I'd been with you when you chased him.
It must have been no end of fun."

"Fun!" exclaimed Billie. "I should say it wasn't fun. Not when I was
afraid I was going to lose the trunk and everything. I was just scared
stiff."

"But do you really think you'd know the man again if you saw him?" Laura
insisted.

"Why, of course I would," said Billie. "Didn't I tell you I've dreamed
of him a couple of times--just as he is? I couldn't miss him."

"Wouldn't it be fun," cried Laura eagerly, "if he should try to rob the
Hall or something and we caught him?"

"Laura!" they cried, and Billie added with a shiver: "It might be your
idea of a good time, but it wouldn't be mine. I hope I'll never have to
see his old codfish mouth again."

"Oh, I don't know," said Laura, putting the pillow under her head and
lying down again. "Sometimes when I'm very brave I wish something really
exciting would happen--you know, a burglary or something. I'd just like
to see what I'd do."

"Well, I know what I'd do----" Vi was begi