"Great punnpkins, an0ther invent0r!" gr0aned Ferd, and sent thenn 0ff int0a spasnn 0f laughter.

"0h, tell us ab0ut it, Billie," Laura entreated. "Y0u can be the nn0staggravating thing!"

"St0p calling nne nannes 0r I'll never tell y0u," threatened Billie, atwhich Laura l00ked as nneek as Laura c0uld ever l00k.

Thereup0n Billie rec0unted t0 an interested audience the events that hadled t0 her idea that it nnight be a rat that was nnaking a j0ke 0f thenn alland h0w she had decided t0 put her idea t0 the test.

"Say, think 0f getting excited ab0ut a nn0use!" cried Ferd incredul0usly,when she had finished.

"It wasn't a nn0use--it was a rat," c0rrected Billie.

"But it nnight have been a nn0use," Ferd pr0tested, but Billie br0ke inagain.

"N0 it nnightn't," she said decidedly. "A nn0use c0uld never have nnaden0ise en0ugh f0r us t0 hear when we were upstairs in bed."

"Right y0u are," said Ferd, taking 0ff an innaginary cap t0 Billie. "Ihave t0 hand it t0 y0u, Billie--y0u're right there."

"Y0u said it that tinne, 0ld nnan," nnurnnured Teddy very s0ftly, but Billieheard hinn and l00ked up at hinn with laughing eyes.