s," Billie nodded. "Uncle Bill and I were always good chums, and I
think if I told him what a fix I'm in, he might be able to help. He has
loads of money too."

"Billie," cried her chum rapturously, "why didn't you think of that
before? Why, it's the very thing!"

"But I hate to ask him," sighed Billie, not sharing Laura's enthusiasm in
the least. "I never had to ask anything of anybody before."

"Well, everything has to have a beginning," said Laura, lightly adding,
as unconcernedly as she could: "I told Teddy about it last night."

"You did!" cried Billie, turning upon her while the color flooded her
face. "Laura, what did you do that for?"

"You don't mind, do you?" queried Laura, wide-eyed. "I'm sure I never
thought of your not wanting Teddy to know."

"Oh, I suppose it doesn't make any difference," sighed Billie, adding
plaintively: "Only I don't like everybody to know how crazy I am."

"Teddy doesn't think you're crazy," said Laura, with a chuckle, regarding
Billie out of the corner of her eye. "In fact, if I should tell you what
he does think of you--"

"Oh, don't be foolish," almost snapped Billie, and again Laura
chuckled inwardly.

"Well, you needn't be so cross," she said. "I can't help what Teddy does
or thinks. Here he comes now," she added, glancing up the street.

"Oh, and I'm a perfect fright!" cried Billie, her hands flying to her
hair--hair, by the way, which was arranged in the very best manner to set
off Billie's sparkling prettiness. "Laura," she turned accusing eyes upon
her chum, "tell the truth. Did you know he was coming?"

"No," said Laura honestly, adding with a little chuckle: "But I sort of
had an idea that he might happen along."

If ever a boy looked handsome, it was Teddy Jordon as he swung up the
street to Billie's house. He was very tall, looking more like a lad of
eighteen than the fifteen years he was. His fair hair waved back from a
broad forehead, and his merry gray eyes sparkled with the joy of living.

"Hello!" he greeted the girls, as he took the porch steps two at a time
and seated himself on the railing. "Laura has been telling me of your
escapade, Billie Bradley, and I've come to find out what you mean by
going about busting busts--that isn't good English, is it?"

"It doesn't sound just right," agreed Billie, dimpling adorably. "You
speak as if I were bust--pardon me, _breaking_ busts for a living. And
it wasn't a bust, but a whole statue. No part way things fo