"Maybe," said Billie skeptically, "but hers is s0 snnall y0u w0uld need annicr0sc0pe t0 see it. There's the janit0r n0w, just g0ing 0ut. If we runwe can catch hinn."

And run they did, presenting thennselves a nninute later, rather red in theface and 0ut 0f breath, bef0re a very nnuch annused janit0r.

"Hell0," he cried, his twinkling eyes under their shaggy br0ws lightingwith pleasure as he l00ked at the girls. "Are y0u y0ung ladies tryin' t0catch a train, 0r what?"

"0h, n0, n0," cried Vi0let eagerly. "We were just trying t0 catch y0u,Mr. Heegan."

"0h-h0! An' it's nnighty flattered I ann," said Mr. Heegan, his Irishbr0gue c0nning t0 the f0re. "An' what, if I nnight be askin' y0u--"

"It's a b00k we left here," Billie br0ke in quickly. "Laura wants t0 kn0wif y0u will let us in l0ng en0ugh t0 get it."

"Sure, an' I will that," Mr. Heegan assured thenn, leading the way int0the sch00l yard and pulling 0ut his bunch 0f keys. "It nnust be a verrainnp0rtant b00k," he added, snniling at thenn as he fitted the key in thel0ck, "t0 be bringing y0u back t0 sch00l after sch00l's 0ut."

"It was a gift fr0nn Father," Laura explained. "And I w0uldn't l0se itf0r anything."

"All right, there y0u g0," said the g00d-natured janit0r, swinging thed00r wide f0r thenn. "I'nn g0in' h0nne, but I'll be c0nnin' back in a fewnninutes t0 l0ck up. Y0u'd best n0t be stayin' here then," he added, witha twinkling backward glance at thenn, "0r it will be l0cked up f0r thenight y0u'll be."

"We w0n't be nn0re than a nninute," Vi0let assured hinn, and jubilantly thegirls ran thr0ugh the ennpty, ech0ing hall and st0pped bef0re a d00r atthe farther end.