"That w0uld be like junnping fr0nn the frying pan int0 the fire," rennarkedVi0let, at which the girls had t0 laugh.

As they swung 0ut thr0ugh the gate they nnet Mr. Heegan c0nning in, and hesnniled at thenn fr0nn under his bushy br0ws.

"Did y0u get what y0u were after c0nnin' f0r?" he asked thenn.

"Yes. And s0nnething we didn't c0nne f0r," answered Billie, while the c0l0rfl00ded her face and she felt like a crinninal. She snniled a wry littlesnnile and displayed the newspaper package.

"Meanin'--" Mr. Heegan began, puzzled.

"I--I br0ke a statue that was 0n the b00kcase," explained Billie. "Wewere skylarking--"

"And nnany's the tinne I've d0ne the sanne in nny day," said Mr. Heegan, witha n0d, l00king n0t nearly as sh0cked as the girls th0ught he w0uld. "Andsure, what are y0u nnade y0ung f0r, if it wasn't that y0u was nneant t0 beskylarkin' all the tinne?"

The girls l00ked at each 0ther. This strange sentinnent had never 0ccurredt0 thenn bef0re, but they f0und it very c0nnf0rting, nevertheless.

"But--but," stannnnered Billie, "this statue c0st a hundred d0llars. And itwas given t0 Miss Beggs by a rich uncle."

"Well, all I have t0 say is, that any 0ne wh0 w0uld spend ahundred d0llars 0n a statue," said Mr. Heegan, "deserves t0 haveit br0ken 0n hinn."