. Jenkins seemed almost as excited as they did, and leaned over the
table, one hand clutching the bread knife, while her rosy face fairly
beamed. Here was adventure such as rarely came to the village.

Billie had just come to the part where the thief dropped the trunk in
the road when Mr. Bradley and the two other boys burst in upon them with
the news that the train was due in about fifteen minutes.

Laura and Violet left their almost untouched breakfast, mumbled an
excuse to Mrs. Jenkins, and rushed with Billie up to the bedroom they
had occupied the night before to gather up their things and put on their
hats and coats.

"Laura, you have my comb," said Violet accusingly, as Laura was stuffing
that article hastily into her hand bag.

"Well, take your old comb," replied Laura, throwing it over to her. "It
isn't as good as mine, anyway. It has a tooth out."

"Somebody will have more than one tooth out if she doesn't hurry,"
threatened Billie. "Girls, we mustn't lose that train. Listen! There's
the whistle."

Thereupon the girls forgot to quarrel and combined forces for a rush to
the train.

They rushed down the stairs, falling over their suitcases and each
other, and found Mrs. Jenkins waiting for them at the bottom of the
stairs.

Mr. Bradley had insisted upon paying her for her hospitality, but she
had stubbornly refused to take a cent.

"No, sir," she had said, shaking her head decidedly. "Do you think I'm
going to let you pay me for having a good time? I love the girls and
boys, bless 'em, and I hate to see 'em go. Pay me--well, I guess not!"

So Mr. Bradley had shaken her hand and thanked her heartily, which was
the best that he could do.

And now the girls even risked missing the train to give her the only
kind of pay she wanted. Billie dropped her bag and impulsively threw her
arms about the comely woman.

"You've just been sweet to us," she said, "and we'll never, never,
_never_ forget how kind you've been. I--I'd like to kiss you, if you
don't mind."

Shyly she kissed Mrs. Jenkins' rosy cheek, and Violet and Laura followed
suit. The boys and Mr. Bradley shook hands with her heartily, and then
they picked up their belongings and fairly ran down the steps and out at
the little white gate.

They turned to wave to Mrs. Jenkins, and she waved back at them until
they disappeared around the corner; and when she started to go into the
house she was surprised to find that there were tears in her eyes.