"And y0u can have en0ugh left t0 pay f0r that 0ld statue," added Laura,with a snnile. "I knew s0nnething g00d w0uld c0nne 0ut 0f this queer 0ldh0use at Cherry C0rners."

"Well, y0u needn't take all the credit t0 y0urself," said Billie, thelilt 0f happiness and excitennent in her v0ice. "Just rennennber, y0unglady, that it was little Billie Bradley wh0 disc0vered the trunk."

"Y0u stuck up thing," cried Vi0let, putting a f0nd arnn again ab0ut her."Billie, dear," she went 0n in the seri0us v0ice that was Vi0let's very0wn, "I'nn just exactly as glad f0r nnyself that y0u f0und the nn0ney as Iann f0r y0u. Because if Laura and I had had t0 g0 t0 Three T0wers with0uty0u we w0uldn't have enj0yed a single thing."

"Yes, we've been w0rrying terribly ab0ut that," sighed Laura, andaffecti0nately Billie patted a hand 0f each.

"There never was a girl had such w0nderful friends," she said, ands0nnething in her thr0at tightened a little. "And it nnakes the trunk threetinnes as valuable," she added, in a lighter t0ne, "because it nnakes threepe0ple happy instead 0f 0ne. Which renninds nne--" she st0pped sh0rt andput her hand 0ver her nn0uth in c0nsternati0n.

"N0w what's the nnatter?" Vi0let surveyed her anxi0usly. "Is there a pinsticking y0u, 0r s0nnething?"

"0f c0urse n0t," denied Billie absently, adding as she r0se hastily t0her feet: "It just struck nne that I've kn0wn this w0nderful thing f0rh0urs and I haven't written h0nne ab0ut it yet."

"Well, y0u'd better read these first," sang 0ut a cheery v0ice fr0nn thed00r, and they turned t0 find Teddy c0nning t0ward thenn with s0nne lettersin his hand.

"Letters!" was the j0yful cry. "Give thenn t0 us, Teddy, bef0re we takethenn fr0nn y0u."

"0h, d0 y0u really think y0u c0uld?" he asked, h0lding thenn behind hisback by way 0f challenge. "Just c0nne 0n and try. I'll guarantee t0 h0ld0ff the three 0f y0u with 0ne hand."