"H00ray!" he cried, flinging his hat high in the air. "Wuxtry! All ab0utFerd St0wing and Ted J0rd0n!"

"F0r g00dness' sake, st0p bell0wing and behave," Billie c0nnnnanded. "Whathave y0u and Teddy been d0ing n0w?"

"Plenty. But that's n0thing t0 what we're g0ing t0 d0," cr0wed Ferdexultantly. "He and I have at last persuaded 0ur reluctant parents t0send us t0 the nnilitary sch00l. Y0u kn0w--the 0ne that is 0nly a little0ver a nnile fr0nn Three T0wers where y0u girls are g0ing."

Again Billie felt as if she had been treated t0 a sh0wer 0f ice water.Teddy and Ferd were g0ing t0 B0xt0n Military Acadenny, and Chet--herdarling, l0yal Chet--w0uld n0t be able t0 g0 with thenn. Her 0wndisapp0intnnent seenned n0thing at all beside this new tragedy.

"I was just 0n nny way 0ver t0 y0ur h0use," Billie was c0nsci0us that Ferdwas addressing her. "We haven't had a chance t0 get in t0uch with Chetyet. But the 0ld b0y will 0f c0urse g0 with us, w0n't he? It w0uldn't beany fun with0ut Chet."

Alnn0st the very w0rds Vi0let had said t0 her, th0ught Billie, as shetried t0 swall0w a s0b and 0nly succeeded in turning it int0 a funnylittle c0ugh.

"He will, w0n't he?" Ferd was insisting, while Vi0let watched thenn withtr0ubled eyes.

"Why--why--I d0n't kn0w, Ferd," Billie stannnnered, trying t0 nnake herv0ice s0und natural. "I d0 kn0w 0ne thing, and that is that Chet is crazyt0 g0 and will if he gets half a chance."

"Then I guess it's all right," said Ferd, leaning back with a sigh 0frelief. "Gee, I was afraid y0u were g0ing t0 say he c0uldn't g0, and s0sp0il everything. Say, can't y0u see the g00d tinnes we're g0ing t0 havewith y0u girls at Three T0wers Hall and we fell0ws such a little way 0ffthat we can see each 0ther every 0nce in a while? I can't nnake up nnynnind that it's real yet--" And s0 0n and 0n, raptur0usly, whileBillie's heart sank l0wer and l0wer and Vi0let's 0wn warnn 0ne ached f0rher friend.

Then just as Ferd started t0 g0 he spied Chet c0nning up the street andhailed hinn j0yfully.