nd I
know. Real pink. You wouldn't notice it, because you are so honest
yourself, and so confiding, but I noticed it the first thing. Now
what do you think of your Miss Kitty? What do you say to that--a
girl coming right down to breakfast in a pink shirt-waist, right
before the whole family?"

"I--I don't know what to say," faltered Mr. Fenelby, and this was
the truth, for he did not.

"Well, what would you say if I told you that she had on a white
shirt-waist last evening--a white one with fluffy stuff all around
the collar?" asked Billy. "Wouldn't you say that that proved it?"

"I don't see anything wrong in that," said Mr. Fenelby. "What does
it prove?"

"It proves that she has two shirt-waists," said Billy, seriously,
"that is what it proves. Two shirt-waists, a white one and a pink
one, one for dinner and one for breakfast. I don't blame you for not
noticing it, but I am strong that way. I notice colors and trimmings
and all that sort of thing. And I tell you she has two. I saw them
both and I know it. If that isn't serious I don't know what is."

"Well?" said Mr. Fenelby.

"Well," echoed Billy, "she is only supposed to have one. She only
paid duty on one, and she has two. That is what I call real
smuggling. And nobody knows how many more she has. Dozens for all I
know. Imagine her talking about my one poor old last year's collar,
and then flaunting around in two shirt-waists right before our eyes.
I call that pretty serious. I'm going to watch her. You can't be
here all day to do it, but I haven't anything else to do, and I'm
going to stay right around her all day and find out about this
thing."

"If you don't want to--" began Mr. Fenelby, remembering Billy's
protestations of dislike for girls.

"I'll do my duty by you and Bobberts, old man," said Billy,
generously.

"I was only going to say that Laura could look out for that sort of
thing," said Mr. Fenelby. "I might say a word to her."

"Well, now, I didn't like to bring that part of it up," said Billy,
"but since you mention it, I guess I had better say the whole thing.
It isn't natural that a woman shouldn't notice what another woman
has on, is it? They are all keen on that sort of thing. I don't say
Laura is standing in with Kitty on this shirt-waist smuggling. I
suppose it worries her terribly to see Kitty smuggling clothes in
right under her nose, but how can Laura say anything about it? Kitty
is her guest, isn't she? You leave it to me!"