Classic Audiobook Collection - Billie Bradley and Her Classmates by Janet D. Wheeler ~ Full Audiobook [mystery]

Episode Date: September 20, 2024

Billie Bradley and Her Classmates by Janet D. Wheeler audiobook. Genre: mystery At Three Towers Hall, Billie Bradley and her best friends, Violet Farrington and Laura Jordon, expect a winter term filled with skating parties, lessons, and laughter. But when an afternoon on Lake Molata turns into a desperate rescue of three little children who have fallen through thin ice, Billie is drawn into the hardships of a struggling local family and a mystery that refuses to stay outside the school gates. Rumors swirl about a valuable missing invention, and soon Three Towers Hall itself seems touched by trouble: petty thefts, uneasy secrets, and the ominous, long-locked tower that the girls have been warned never to enter. As jealousy and rivalry flare among the students, Billie also faces an enemy in sneaky classmate Amanda Peabody, whose schemes threaten to turn friends against one another and place blame where it does not belong. Following scattered clues through snowstorms, midnight corridors, and the shadowy upper reaches of the school, Billie must rely on courage, quick thinking, and loyal friendship to protect the innocent and uncover the truth behind the locked tower's secret. For ad-free listening try our premium subscription Chapters (Approximate) (00:00:00) Chapter 01 (00:11:31) Chapter 02 (00:25:02) Chapter 03 (00:41:49) Chapter 04 (00:51:20) Chapter 05 (01:03:25) Chapter 06 (01:15:17) Chapter 07 (01:24:51) Chapter 08 (01:36:19) Chapter 09 (01:47:17) Chapter 10 (01:57:58) Chapter 11 (02:07:46) Chapter 12 (02:17:33) Chapter 13 (02:27:46) Chapter 14 (02:38:13) Chapter 15 (02:48:27) Chapter 16 (03:02:15) Chapter 17 (03:12:34) Chapter 18 (03:22:24) Chapter 19 (03:32:28) Chapter 20 (03:42:29) Chapter 21 (03:51:20) Chapter 22 (04:02:30) Chapter 23 (04:12:39) Chapter 24 (04:26:05) Chapter 25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Thin ice. Click, click, click, click, went three pairs of skates as three snugly dressed girls fairly flew along the frozen surface of the lake. Isn't it glorious? cried the laughing, brown-eyed one, who was no other than Billy Bradley. as she threw back her head and sniffed the crisp cold air. Whoever heard of the lake freezing over in the middle of November, and the ice is pretty solid too.

In spots, added Violet Farrington, a slender dark girl with black hair and dark eyes. What do you mean in spots? asked the third of the trio, Laura Jordan. Laura was as fair as Violet was dark, and now her blue eyes darted an anxious glance at her chum. Do you think we shall find any thin ice? I don't know, of course, Violet answered quickly. But you notice Miss Walters told us to stay close to the shore,

and that certainly looks as if she weren't any too certain about the ice. Miss Walters was the much-loved principal of Three Towers Hall, the boarding school which the girls were attending, and to the three chums, Miss Walter's word was law. As Billy Bradley had said, Lake Amolada, upon which Three Towers Hall was situated, had frozen over unusually early this year. though it was not quite the middle of November, there had been several rather heavy snowfalls. The thermometer had fallen lower and lower till it had dropped below the freezing point, and after a few days of this falling weather, a thin glaze of ice had begun to form over the still surface of the lake. At first, the girls had not been too joyful, fearing that the ice was too fragile to last,

and that one good thaw would do away with it entirely. But the thaw had not come, and as day after day, the prematurely cold weather continued, the girls at the hall had grown more and more excited. Finally, they could stand it no longer, and dispatched a committee of three to Miss Walters, among whom had been Billy, asking for the unique privilege of skating over the frozen surface of Lake Malada in the middle of November. The petition had been granted, with the reservation, as Vye had said, that the girls should stay close to shore and not venture out into the uncertain center of the lake.

When the jubilant committee of three had brought back the glad news to the eagerly waiting girls, the dormitories had been the scene of wild but noiseless fancy dancing in celebration of the great event. Soon after was heard the clinking of skates and the babble of excited girls' voices, as those of the students who were lucky enough to have prepared their lessons for the next day, and so had the afternoon free, made ready for the fun. Then down the slope, lawn of three towers hall, the hard-crested snow crackling merrily under their feet, down to the edge of the lake where skates were put on, mufflers tightened, and woolly caps pulled well down to protect ears that already were feeling the nip of the cold, rushed to the crowd of excited,

happy girls. Fun! Anyone who has tasted the joy of skating over freshly frozen ice on a crisp winter day when the sun pouring down seems only to make the air more chill. Anyone who has tasted that joy knows that there is no other sport like it. So, singly, in groups of two or three, in parties of four, the girls spread out over the lake, their gaily-hued caps and sweaters making vivid patches of color on the surface. Although they had started out with the rest of the girls, Billy and Laura and Vi had become separated from them some way or other, and they now found themselves skimming merrily along with not another person in sight. This did not worry them, however, because they had learned by experience that

whenever the three of them were together, they were always sure of having a good time. A week from now, Billy cried, strands of hair escaping from under her tamoshanter and whipping about her glowing face, the lake will probably look as though we had dragged a farmer's plow across it. A week from now, we may not have any ice at all, added by pessimistically. Laura, who was skating between them, let go their hands for a moment to fasten her sweater still more closely about her throat. The wind had stung her face to a vivid red. I must say you both sound cheerful, she said reproachfully, with a gay little toss of her head. From the way this wind feels, I'd say we were going to have ice all winter. Don't wake her up. She is dreaming, saying Billy, mockingly, adding, as Laura gave her a push that would have unbalanced a less skillful skater.

Whoever heard of Lake Molada being frozen over all winter? Well, whoever heard of it's being frozen over in the middle of November? Laura retorted, adding with a grin as Billy looked nonplussed, I guess that will hold you for a while. Laura Jordan, said Vye, folding her mittened hands and trying to look very prim and teacher-like. Report to Miss Walters immediately. That is the third time you have used slang this morning. The girls giggled, and this time it was Vye who got the push. Go along with you, said Billy Galey. You can't imitate the dill pickles in a red sweater and a

green cap. The Dill Pickles, as my old readers will remember, were two teachers, Miss Ada and Miss Cora Dill, who had recently lived at the hall. The two had done their best to make the girls' lives miserable, and had finally, after the students had revolted and marched out of the school, been sent away by Miss Walters. The vacancies had been filled by teachers. The vacancies had been filled by teachers who were as different from the Miss Dills in every way as they could be, and since then, life at Three Towers Hall had been one happy round of study and fun for the girls. Thank goodness the Dills have gone forever, said by, in response to Billy's observation. Yes, agreed Laura, reminiscently, it was a lot of trouble getting rid of them.

but it was worth it. There are only nice teachers up at the hall now, said Billy contentedly, especially Miss Arbuckle. Isn't she ducky? said Laura enthusiastically, if disrespectfully. I was afraid she might change her mind and take up her old job of governess to those two kitties. I wouldn't have blamed her much if she had, Vise said with a chuckle. She might make the little children behave, while with us. She hasn't a chance, giggled Billy. Just the same, put in Laura, with unusual gravity. You notice that we all do what Miss Arbuckle says. She isn't stern like Miss Race either, nor nasty like the Dill Pickles used to be.

I guess we just obey her because we all like her. her, she finished simply. That's right. And Billy was saying when suddenly the ice cracked under her skates, and with a cry, she lunged forward. Luckily, her feet struck on solid ice beyond the cracked part, and with difficulty, she regained her balance. The ice! She gasped, as Laura and Vise.

stared at her. I struck a thin spot, I guess. Goodness, that scared me. I should say so, agreed Laura, with a little whistle of astonishment as she edged over to the treacherous place in the ice, which was criss-crossed over with long cracks. Look here, girls, I could almost push this ice through with my finger. Well, don't try it, advised Vi. backing away anxiously from the dangerous spot. I wonder if there's any more places like it. Suppose there are lots of them, said Billy, who had recovered from her fright

and was disposed to treat the whole thing as a joke. The thing for us to do is to keep out of their way, that's all. Sounds easy, grumbled by, as they joined hands again and skated on more slowly over frozen surface. But how are we going to know where the thin places are unless we step on them and fall through maybe? Perhaps we better go back if Billy was beginning uneasily when a sudden, terrified scream cut her short. It was a child scream, and it was followed by another and yet another. Oh, cried Laura wildly. Somebody's getting killed. End of Chapter 1, read by Bookbarred.

Chapter 2 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Nearly Frozen The screams for help seemed to be quite near the girls, but whoever was in trouble was hidden from them by a sharp bend in the lake shore. Without further thought of danger to themselves, the chums skated forward swiftly, the long, fringed ends of their scarves flying out behind them and their bodies thrown eagerly forward. Maybe somebody's drowning. It's some great peril, you may be sure of that.

Otherwise, they wouldn't scream so. They are children. Yes, and little ones at that if I'm any judge of voices. Thus talking excitedly, the girls skated forward along the lake shore. Then came a sudden scream from Vye. Vi. She had skated too close to an overhanging tree and a branch caught in her hair as she tried to sweep past. Wait, wait, she cried. Don't leave me behind. What's the trouble? came simultaneously from the others. I'm caught. My hair is fast in the tree. Pull yourself loose, cried Billy.

Hurry, do. Oh, just listen. to those cries, she added, as scream after scream rent the wintry air. In frantic haste, poor Vye tried to do as bidden, but the tree was a thorny one, and she had considerable trouble to liberate herself. Then came fresh trouble as Billy's left skate became loosened. I've got to fasten it, she said, and bent down to do so. Then the Classmates swept forward as before. They rounded the bend in the lake a minute later, and then drew up suddenly as they came upon a singular scene. Three small children, a boy and two girls, were standing up to their waist in the icy water. Evidently they had ventured out

upon the lake in a spirit of mischief, and had stepped upon thin ice, which had given way beneath even their slight weight. Luckily, they had not got far from shore, for if the ice had broken through in a deeper part of the lake, they must surely have been drowned. As it was, they were three very badly frightened children who were beginning to feel numb with the cold. At the sight of the girls, they began to wail afresh and held out their little arms imploringly. The sight was too much for Billy, and she began to edge her way cautiously along the thin ice, calling to the girls to follow her example. Be careful, she warned.

If we went through two, it would be hard to get out, and while we were trying it, the kitties would probably freeze to death. Look out! She exclaimed, as the ice cracked treacherously under her weight. it's paper thin right here. And while the girls are busy at their work of rescue, we will take a few minutes to tell those who are meeting Billy Bradley and her chums for the first time, something of the good times the girls have had in other volumes of the series. In the first book called Billy Bradley and her inheritance, the girls had many and varied adventures, some of which were thrilling,

and others only funny. Just when Billy was wondering how to raise $100 to pay for a statue which she had accidentally broken, a queer old aunt of hers, Beatrice Powerson by name, died and left to her an inheritance which had at first seemed a doubtful blessing, namely a rambling, gloomy old homestead at a place called Cherry Corners. The house dated back to revolutionary times and had many weird and romantic legends attached to it. The girls, anxious to see the old place for themselves, had decided to spend their vacation there, and a little later some boys had joined them. They had an unusual and exciting time of it, and the climax of the whole outing was the finding of a shabby old trunk,

which was hidden away in the attic. This trunk contained $5,000 worth of rare old coins and queer postage stamps, and this small fortune enabled Billy not only to replace the statue she had broken, but gave her more than enough to send herself to Three Towers Hall and her brother, Chet, to Buxton Military Academy. But we forgot entirely to introduce the boys, and they at least considered themselves by far the most important part of the story. Here they are then. First of all, comes Chetwood Bradley, Billy's brother,

whom his friends called Chet, short. Chet was a lovable boy, good-looking, quiet, reserved, and devoted to Billy, whose real name, by the way, was Beatrice. Then there was Ferd Stowing, an all-around good-natured boy, who always added a great deal to whatever fun was at hand. And last but not least, Laura's brother, Teddy. Teddy was 15. as were the other boys. But unlike them, he looked quite a good deal older than he was. He was tall, with wavy hair and handsome gray eyes and an athletic build, which was the envy of most of the boys at North Bend, where the young folks lived. Teddy had always liked Billy a lot because,

as he told his sister, Laura, Billy was the nearest like a boy of all the girls he knew. She liked sports almost as well as he did. And so, as a matter of course, they played tennis and hiked and skated a good deal together. Returning from their vacation in the old homestead at Cherry Corners, the girls went straight to three Towers Hall, the boarding school to which their parents were sending them. partly because the young folks wanted to go, and partly because the high school at North Bend was hopelessly inefficient and unsatisfactory. At the same time, the boys departed for Boxton Military Academy, which was only a little over a mile from the boarding school, and which was also situated close to Lake Malada.

The good times the young folks had at school are told in the second volume of the series, entitled Billy Bradley at Three Towers Hall. The most startling thing that happened during the year was the capture of the man whom the boys and girls had named the codfish, on account of his peculiarly fish-like mouth. The latter had once attempted to steal Billy's precious trunk, and had later on been suspected of planning and carrying out a robbery at Buxton Military Academy. Later, he had robbed Miss Race, one of the teachers at the hall. The girls had made new friends, and enemies also, at Three Towers Hall. Chief among the enemies were Amanda Peabody and her chum, Eliza Dilks.

The girls were both sneaks and tattletails, and the former, being jealous of Billy and her chums, had done her best to make life unbearable. for them at three towers. That the disagreeable girls had not succeeded was not in the least their fault. Another enemy of Billy's had been Rose Belser, a pretty black-haired, very vain girl who was also jealous of Billy because of her unusual and immediate popularity with the girls. However, even Rose was won over to Billy's side in the end, and became sincerely repentant for her mean behavior. Connie Danvers, a pretty fluffy-haired girl, became a staunch friend of the chums at once,

and it was she who had invited Billy and Laura and Vi to spend their vacation at Lighthouse Island, where her parents had a summer bungalow. Connie's uncle John, an interesting bluff character, lived at the lighthouse on the island. The girls had become very much interested in a mystery surrounding Miss Arbuckle, one of the very nice new teachers who had come to three towers to replace the disagreeable dill pickles. They had also met a queer-looking man one day when they were lost in the woods, and they had wondered about him a great deal. It seems Miss Arbuckold. It seems Miss Arbuckle, had been very greatly disturbed over the loss of an album. And when Billy, accidentally

stumbling upon the book, had returned it to the teacher, the latter had wept with joy. Turning over the pages of the album until she came to the pictures of three beautiful children, she'd cried out, Oh, my precious children, I couldn't lose your pictures after losing you. Of course, this exclamation, together with Miss Arbuckle's strange conduct, considerably puzzled the girls, and they wondered about it all during the vacation at Lighthouse Island. Then one day a terrible storm came up, and a ship was wrecked on one of the treacherous shoals which surrounded the island. The girls, helping in the work of rescue, discovered three chants. children lashed to a rude raft, and after releasing the little victims, the girls had carried them to the lighthouse to be cared for. Later, Billy saw a marked resemblance in the three children

to the pictures of the children she had seen in Miss Arbuckle's album, and what strange discovery this led to is told in the third volume of this series, entitled Billy Bradley on Lighthouse Island. And now the girls were all back at three towers again in search of further education. Likewise, they hoped, much fun and adventure. Don't come any farther, Billy said to Laura and Vi, as she stretched herself out at full length on the ice and reached out to grasp one of the children in the water. Lied down on the thick ice, both of you, and hold on to me just as hard to you.

as you can. When I say pull, pull. Obediently, Laura and Vi flopped down on the ice, each grasping one of Billy's feet and holding on stoutly. I'd like to see you get away from us now, said Laura. Leaning over, Billy grasped the nearest child under the arms and tugged with all her strength. Pull! She gasped to the girls, I'm slipping. The girls pulled and dragged her, child and all, out on the more solid ice.

They set the child on his poor, shivering little feet and then went back for the next one. A moment more, and all three of the little things were standing huddled together on the ice, shivering and crying miserably. I want to do home, wailed the little boy. I want to do home. End of chapter two, read by Bookbarred. Chapter 3 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording.

All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Polly Haddon Where do you live? asked Billy, turning to the oldest of the three children. Tell us quick so we can get you there. We live with our mother, Polly Haddon, said the little one quaintly, pointing with a shivering finger out across the lake.

we runned away this morning. So we see, said Laura, adding as she turned to Billy, I think I know where they live. Teddy pointed the house out to me one day when we were taking a hike through the woods, said he and the boys had stopped there one day and had bought some waffles and real maple syrup from Mrs. Haddon.

Of course, I don't know whether it is the same one or not, Well, come on. We'll find out, said Billy, lifting the largest of the three children in her strong arms. You and Vi can manage the other two kitties, I guess. You lead the way, Laura, if you know where the house is. But hadn't we better take our skates off and walk around, suggested Vi. We can make it quicker on skates, said Billy impatiently, because we can cut our skates. across the lake. But the ice, Laura objected. It may not be solid. We'll have to take a chance on that, Billy returned, adding with an exasperated stamp of her foot. If you don't hurry and show us the way, Laura, I'll do it myself. So Laura, knowing that nothing could change Billy's mind when it was

once made up, caught the little boy in her arms and started off across the lake, Billy and Vye following close behind her. Luckily, the children were not heavy, being thin almost to emaciation, or the girls could never have made their goal. As it was, they had to stop several times and set the children down on the ice to rest. And more than once, the treacherous ice cracked. And more than once, the treacherous ice cracked under their feet, frightening them horribly. They made it at last, however, and with a sigh of relief, set the children on the ground while they fumbled with numbed fingers at their skate straps. Is this where you live? asked Billy of the elder of the two little girls.

Billy had undone the last strap buckle and was peering off through the woods in search of some sort of habitation. "'Yes,' answered the little girl through chattering teeth. "'Our house is just a little way off along that path.' She pointed to a narrow footpath, or rather, to the place where a footpath had once been, for now it was obliterated by snow and was indicated only very faintly by footprints recently made. Billy, seeing that the other girls were ready, caught up the little girl again, holding her close for warmth, and started down the snow-covered path, Laura and Vye following. The snow was hard, which made the going a little easier, and in a minute or two they came in sight of a shabby cabin set in the heart of a small clearing.

If the place had been a mansion, the girls could not have greeted the sight of it any more joyfully. They stumbled forward recklessly at the imminent risk of dropping the poor little children in the snow. Before they could reach the cottage, the door of it opened and a woman stood on the threshold, hatless and coatless, and staring at them anxiously. When she recognized the children, she gave a gesture of relief and backed into the house, motioning to the girls to follow her. This the girls were not in the least reluctant to do, for they were chilled through, and the warmth of Mrs. Haddon's kitchen was wonderfully comforting. They set the children on the floor, and the little ones ran straight to their mother. Polly hadn't dropped to her knees and put her arms around the three of them, cuddling them hungrily.

My precious little lambs, you frightened mother so, she said. She thought you were lost, but you are wet, or you have been. She rose to her feet and faced the girls while the children clung to her skirts. Where did you find my little ones? she asked abruptly, looking anxiously from one to the other of them. We found them up to their waist in icy water, Billy explained, knowing that no time was to be lost if the children were to be saved from a bad cold. They fell through the ice on the lake. Fell through the ice?

The woman repeated dumbly. Then, seeming suddenly to realize, the full seriousness of the situation, she roused herself to action. With a quick motion, she swept the children nearer to the warmth of the coal stove, then started for a door at the opposite end of the room. Then, as if she realized that something was due to the girls, she paused and looked back at them. Draw up chairs close to the fire and warm yourselves, she directed, you must be nearly frozen. The girls managed to find three rather rickety old chairs, and these they drew as close to the stove as they could without scorching their clothes.

They tried to draw the children into their laps, but the children were either too miserable to want to be touched by strangers, or they had become a little shy. At any rate, they drew away so sharply that one of them nearly fell on the stove. This frightened them all, and they began to cry dismally. The girls were glad when Mrs. Haddon returned with three shabby, but warm, little bathrobes, which she hung close to the stove. Then she undressed the children quickly, rubbed their little bodies till they were in a glow, then slipped them into the snug robes. And all the time she was doing it, she kept up a running fire of conversation with

the girls. Thank goodness, she said. I only missed the children a little while ago. They have always been so good to play close to the house, and I was so busy I didn't look out as usual. And to think that they ran away and fell into the lake. Well, it's only one more trouble, that's all. It's funny how a person can become used to trouble after a while. But it could have been so much worse, Billy suggested gently, if the kitties had fallen through into deeper water. Eh? said Mrs. Haddon, looking up at Billy quickly, then down again. Yes, I suppose that would have been worse. Then she added with a bitterness the girls did not understand. It isn't often that the worst doesn't happen to me. Puzzled, the girls looked at each other, then around the bare,

specklessly clean little kitchen. That Mrs. Haddon was very poor, there could be no doubt. The shabbiness of the place, her dress, and the children's clothes all showed that. But could poverty alone account for the sadness in her voice? Mrs. Haddon had once been, a very pretty woman, and she was sweet-looking yet, in spite of the lines of worry about her mouth. She had lovely hair, black as night and thick, but she had arranged it carelessly, and long strands of it had pulled loose from the pins and struggled down over her forehead. At this moment, as though she felt the eyes of the girls upon her, she flung the untidy hair back with an impatient movement.

How old are the kitties? asked Laura, feeling that the silence was becoming awkward. They look almost the same age. There isn't more than a year's difference between Mary and Peter here, indicating the taller of the two girls and the boy, and Isabel is 13 months younger than Peter. Mary is nine years old, she added as a sort of after. afterthought. Nine years old? cried Vian's surprise. Why, that would make Peter eight and the little girl seven. I thought they were much younger than that. Yes, added Laura thoughtlessly. They are very tiny for their age. As though the innocent words had been a deadly insult, the woman rose from her knees and shot the girl so blue. lack a glance from her dark eyes that they were frightened. My children are tiny, yes, she said in a hard voice, repeating what Laura had said,

and no wonder they are small when for years they've been half starved. Then she turned quickly and heard the three frightened little ones out of the room. You go to bed, she said to them as they disappeared. peered through the door. Left to themselves, the girls looked blankly at one another. Billy, did you hear what I heard? asked Laura anxiously. Did she really mean that the kitties are so little because they don't get enough to eat? Sounds that way, said Billy, pityingly. Poor little things. We must find some way to help them. By was beginning, when Mrs. Haddon herself came into the room.

She seemed to be sorry for what she had said, and she told them so. She drew up the only chair that was left in the bare little room and sat down, facing the chums. You must have thought it very strange for me to speak as I did, she began, and went on hurriedly as the girls seemed about to protest. but I have had so much trouble for years that sometimes I don't know just what I'm doing. Have you lived alone here for very long? asked Billy gently. Ever since my husband died, answered Polly Haddon, leaning back in her chair as though she were tired and smoothing her heavy hair back from her forehead. He was an inventor.

went on, encouraged by the girl's friendly interest to tell of her troubles. For years he made hardly enough to keep us alive, and after the children came, we had a harder pull of it than ever. Then suddenly, she straightened up in her chair, and into her black eyes came a strange gleam. Suddenly, my husband found the one little thing that was wrong with the invention. that he had been working on for so long, just some little thing it was that a child could almost see, yet that he had overlooked. And we were fairly crazy with happiness. We thought we had at last realized our dream of a fortune. She paused a moment, evidently living over that time in her mind. And the girls, fired by her excitement,

waited impatiently for her to go on. What happened then? asked by. Then, said the woman, the light dying out of her eyes, leaving them tired and listless again. The invention was stolen. Stolen, they echoed breathlessly. The woman nodded wearily. She had evidently lost all injuries.

in her story. My husband suspected a Philadelphia knitting company, whom he had told of his invention, and who were very enthusiastic over it, of having some hand in the robbery. But when he accused them of it, they denied it and offered a reward of $20,000 for the recovery of the models of the machinery. $20,000, repeated Billy in an odd voice. I guess they must have liked your husband's invention pretty well to offer all that money for it. The woman nodded drearily, while two big tears rolled slowly down her face.

Yes, I think they would have accepted it and paid my husband almost anything he would have asked for. it, she answered. But haven't you ever found out who stole it? asked Vi eagerly. I should think that the thief, whoever he is, would have brought the invention back because of the $20,000. The woman nodded again. Yes, that was the queer thing about it, she said. When the knitting company first told us of the reward, we were jubilant, my husband and I. We thought surely we would recover the precious invention then. But as the weeks went by and we heard nothing, the strain was too much. Poor Frank, after all those years of struggle, with victory snatched away at the last minute,

when he had every right to think it in his grasp, my poor husband could fight no longer. He died. With those words, the poor woman bowed her head upon her hands and sobbed brokenly. The girls, feeling hardly sorry for her trouble, but helpless to comfort her, rose awkwardly to their feet and picked up their skates from the floor where they had thrown them. Billy went over to the sobbing woman and patted her shyly on the shoulder. I, I wish I could help you, she ventured. I, we are dreadfully sorry for you. Then, as the woman neither moved nor made an answer,

Billy motioned Delora and Vi, and they stepped quietly from the room into the chill of the open, closing the door softly behind them. End of Chapter 3, read by Bookbarred. Chapter 4 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Labor Vox recording. All Labor Vox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibraVox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler.

Generous Plans The girls talked a great deal of Mrs. Haddon and her trouble as they put on their skates and slowly skated back to the hall. It must be dreadful, Laura was saying thoughtfully, just as the three towers of the school loomed up before them. Not to have enough to eat. Just think of it, girls, to be hungry, and not have enough to eat. no wonder this condition of affairs seemed unusually horrible, in fact, almost impossible to luxury-loving Laura, whose father was one of the richest and most influential men in rich and influential North Bend. To Laura, it seemed incredible that everyone should not have enough and to spare of the good things that rightly used, go to make happiness in this strange old world. She had never known what it was to have a wish that was not gratified almost on the instant.

Yes, it must be awful, Billy answered soberly, in response to Laura's exclamation. And I'm sure, she added decidedly, that I won't be able to enjoy another good meal until I know that those three poor little kitties and Mrs. Haddon have had all they could possibly eat for once at least. What do you mean? They asked wonderingly. We'll pack a basket, planned Billy, growing excited over the great idea which had just that minute occurred to her. We'll put everything in it that we can possibly think of, chicken sandwiches and a bottle of current, Ellie, a thermos bottle of hot coffee, and another of milk for the children. Say, wake up, wake up, begged Laura, irreverently.

Where do you suppose we're going to get all this stuff anyway? It's too late to go to town. Who said anything about going to town? Billian interrupted impatiently. I'm going straight to Miss Walters and tell her all about the Haddon family. and ask her to let us raid the kitchen and make up the basket ourselves. We can pay for the things, she added as an afterthought. It's a bright idea, but it takes nerve, said Laura, slangily.

Miss Walters may not like the idea of feeding the countryside. I'm not asking her to feed the countryside, Billy retorted, adding comfortably as a picture of Miss Walters, white-haired, blue-eyed, and sweet, rose before her. I'm sure she will let us do it just this once. For Miss Walters, strict though she was at maintaining discipline in the school, was nevertheless generosity and kindness itself to everyone about her. But, said Laura, uttering one last protest,

I don't believe Mrs. Haddon would accept anything that look like charity. She's too proud. We won't take any chances on her being too proud to accept it, said Billy decidedly, adding with a chuckle. We'll do the way the boys used to do on Halloween. Ring the bell and run. They had no other chance to talk. For in a minute they were surrounded by about a dozen of their classmates. who all began scolding them at once about running away and demanded to know where they had been

so that plans for the Haddens were pushed temporarily into the background. Laughing and shouting to each other, the girls took off their skates and scrambled up the long terraced hill that led to three towers. If the hall and its surroundings were beautiful in the summertime, it was even more attractive in the winter. The ivy that covered the green-gray stone of the building was now frosted white with snow and ice, and this, catching the ruddy gleam of the afternoon sun, gave the hall the appearance of a great sparkling jewel. The three towers, which gave the school its name, made the place seemed like some castle of old, and the surrounding trees and shrubbery, heavily coated with snow

and icicles, gave to the old building just the air of mystery that it needed. The beauty of the familiar place struck Billy afresh, and she stopped short suddenly and gazed up at it with loving eyes. Isn't it lovely to have a place like this to come home to? She said, as the girls looked at her inquiringly, when you are tired and cold and hungry, finished Laura, giving her a shove. Gidea up, Billy, you're slowing down the works. Slang again, sighed by plaintively,

as Billy obligingly giddyapt. If I should tell Miss Walters, you would never live to tell another tale prophesied Laura, amid a gale of laughter from the girls. Two snakes and tattletails are enough, she added significantly, as she caught sight of Amanda Peabody and Eliza Dilks walking a little ahead of them. I wonder where Connie and Nellie have kept themselves, said Billy, as she, with the other girls, crowded through the wide door of the hall.

They were up in the dorm, cramming for the exams when I saw them last, said a tall girl at Billy's elbow. She had evidently not been with the girls on the lake, for she wore no coat or hat, and she carried a book under each arm as though she also had been studying. Oh, hello, Carol, greeted Billy, putting an arm about the tall girl and sweeping her toward the stairs. So you've been grinding away as usual when you ought to have been out getting some good fresh air? My, you look as pale as a ghost. For the tall girl, so studiously inclined, was none other than Caroline Brandt, who had been such a good friend to Billy upon her arrival at Three Towers Hall the year before. The girls were all fond of Caroline, in spite of the evening.

in spite of the undeniable fact that she was one of those usually despised students commonly known as grines. You know I don't skate, Caroline said in response to Billy's accusation, and I never could see why people prefer freezing their toes and noses to staying comfortably indoors. You're an old lamb, said Billy with a squeeze, but there are lots of things that. that you never will see. As Caroline had predicted, the chums found Connie Danvers and Nellie Bain in the dormitory, curled up uncomfortably on the bed, heads bent disconsolately over two thick and bulky history books. When the door burst open and the chums swung into the room, skates slung over their shoulders, eyes bright and cheeks glowing from exercise, the two on the

bed flung away their books and looked despairingly at the newcomers. Great heavens, here they are back already, cried Connie, running her hands wildly through her fluffy hair. And I haven't learned more than five dates so I can save them straight. And that's just five more than I have learned, cried Billy Galey, dropping her skates in a corner and flinging herself on the edge of the bed. Come closer, girls, she added, lowering her voice to a mysterious whisper, while Nellie and Connie wriggled over to her. I would whisper in thine ear. We have met with an adventure. End of Chapter 4, read by Bookbard.

Chapter 5 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit librivox.org. Read by Catherine Leach. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Bearding the Lion The one word adventure was enough to make the girls all interest at once. Caroline Brandt wedged herself into a square inch of space on the

bed between Connie and the bedpost, and as Rose Belser came in at that moment, the girls motioned her to join them. What's up? asked Rose, flinging off her cap and scarf as she came. Billy been getting into mischief again? Or is it only trouble this time? Trouble, I guess, said Billy, and then she told them the astonishing tale of what had happened that afternoon. But instead of being interested,

as she had expected them to be. The girls actually seemed disappointed. Well, was that all you had to tell us? asked Connie when she had finished. I'm surprised at you, Billy. I thought you had really done something exciting. Yes, added Rose, in her aggravating little drawl, as she rose to get ready for dinner. It was awfully good of you to run. rescue those three annoying little brats and return them to their distracted mother and all that. But I don't see anything dreadfully hair-raising about it. Rose read books that were too old for her and ran with girls who were too old for her,

and so she herself contrived to seem much older than she was. And sometimes Billy found this manner extremely irritating, in spite of the fact that she and Rose were friends. now. I suppose it doesn't seem very exciting to you, she said, as she pulled off her cap and unwound the muffler from about her neck. But I presume you would be a little bit more interested if it was you who didn't have enough to eat. Don't be mad at us, Billy, Connie begged, patting Billy's hand soothingly. Of course, we all feel sorry for the poor little kitties. and their mother, and we want to help them all we can. But you can't blame us for being disappointed when you said you had had an adventure.

I wonder if you would call it an adventure, mused Billy, more to herself than to them, if one of us should find that stolen invention and claim the $20,000 reward for it. Her classmates stopped what they were doing, and stared at her. What, what did you say? demanded Connie. You heard me, said Billy with a grin. But Billy, you know that's absurd, said Rose in her best draw. How could we possibly hope to find a thing that has been missing for a couple of years?

It may be absurd, said Billy good-naturedly, pulling the ribbon from her curls and brushing them vigorously. I think it sounds foolish myself, but while there's life, there's hope. Hand me that comb, will you, vie? A few minutes later, the big gong sounded through the halls, announcing gratefully to the hungry girls that dinner was ready, and now that the vinegory dill had gone, delight reigned supreme in the dining hall. The girls had all they could possibly eat of good satisfying food, and they were allowed to chatter as much as they would, as long as they did not become too noisy. But although they had chicken for dinner and cranberry

sauce and creamed cauliflower, things all of which she especially liked, Billy enjoyed it less than any meal she had ever eaten. Again and again before her eyes arose the reproachful images of the three little Haddens, undersized, undernourished, half starved. She could hardly wait until she could hardly wait until dessert had been served, and then, with a murmured word to Laura and Vi, she excused herself from the table and went in search of Miss Walters. She found that lady in the act of drinking her after-dinner coffee in the privacy of her own little domain. Miss Walters had a suite of three rooms all to herself, a bedroom, a dressing room, and a sitting room, and all three of the rooms were fitted up in a manner that befitted a queen. The sitting room was done in mahogany and blue. An exquisite Persian rug

of dull blue covered the floor, and the rich mahogany furniture was all upholstered in blue velour. The curtain draperies were all of this same rich blue over cream-colored lace. In the center of the room was a huge mahogany library table, upon which stood a handsome reading lamp with a blue silk shade. Billy, who had never been in this sanctum before, and who had seen Miss Walters only in her office, was amazed when in reply to her timid knock, the principal invited her to enter. For a moment she stood dumbly staring, while Miss Walters set down her cup and looked up with a smile. The smile changed to a look of surprise, and then to annoyance, as the principal saw who the intruder was. It must be something very important to bring you here at this hour, Beatrice,

said Miss Walters, while poor Billy began to wish herself back in the security of dormitory sea. She was too frightened to explain her presence, and yet she knew that Miss Walters expected an explanation. What is it you wish? asked the latter, impatiently. I, I'm sorry, said Billy, at last, backing away toward the door. I shouldn't have come, but I thought, that is, I thought it was important. She was half through the door by this time, and Miss Walters, her annoyance changing to amusement, took pity on her. What was important? she asked, adding, as Billy still continued to back away.

Come in here, Billy Bradley and shut that door. There is a draft in the hall. Relieved at the use of the familiar name Billy, the girl obeyed, shutting the door softly, then turned imploringly to the teacher. Sit down, commanded the latter, pointing to one of the blue Valor armchairs nearby. Now, tell me the important thing you came about while I finished my coffee. Billy made poor work of her story at first, for she was still wondering how she had ever had the courage to approach Miss Walters in the privacy of her sanctum sanctorum, but as she went on, she became less self-conscious and was encouraged by Miss Walter's unfaigned interest.

And when, at the end of the recital, Miss Walters reached over and patted her hand, and told her she had been quite right in coming to her as she had, Billy was in the seventh heaven of delight. With poverty behind them, fortune and comfort ahead, and then again desolation, Miss Walters mused, talking more to herself than Billy. How the human mind can stand up under the strain is a mystery to me. Poor starving little mites and pitiful noble mother, fighting for her young with the only weapons she has. Lucky mother, too have come to the notice of a girl like you, Billy Bradley. She added, turning upon Billy so warm and bright a smile that the girl's heart swelled with pride and adoration. Then, you will let us help the Haddens? She asked breathlessly.

More than that, smiled Miss Walters, I will help you to help them. I think it is too late to follow out your plan of taking them something tonight. But she added as she saw Billy's bright face fall. But we will pack a basket full to the brim with good things early tomorrow morning, and you and Laura and Violet may take them to the cottage after breakfast. Only you must walk around the lake. I could not take the chance of your skating after what happened this afternoon. Billy stammered out some incoherent words of thanks. Miss Walters patted her cheek, and in another moment she found herself standing outside in the hall in a sort of happy days. A girl passed her, eyed her curiously, went on a few steps, and then came back. It was Eliza Dilks. In Miss Walter's room at night,

said the sneering voice that Billy knew only too well. No wonder you get away with everything. "'Teacher's pet!' Billy started to retort angrily, but knowing that silence was the very worst punishment one could afflict upon Eliza, she merely shrugged her shoulders, turned up her straight little nose as far as it would go, and walked off, leaving Eliza fuming helplessly.

When Billy reached the dormitory, she found the girls waiting for her in an agitated group. There was not one of them who would have dared to approach Miss Walter after school hours, unless it had been about a matter of life and death importance, and they had more than half expected that Billy would be carried back on a stretcher. When they found out what had really happened, they welcomed Billy as a hero should be welcomed. They lifted her on their shoulders and carried her around the dormitory, chanting school songs till a warning hiss from one of the girls

near the door sent them scuttling. By the time Miss Arbuckle, reached the dormitory, they were bent decorously over their textbooks, seeking what knowledge they might discover. Next morning, true to her word, Miss Walters herself superintended the packing of an immense basket with all the dainties at her command. There were chicken and roast beef sandwiches, half of a leg of lamb, two or three different kinds of jelly, some rice pudding left over from the night before, a big slab of cake, two quarts of fresh milk, and some beef tea made especially for the Haddens. And the girls, feeling more important than they had ever felt before in their lives, marched off after breakfast during school hours, Miss Walters,

having personally excused them from class, joyfully bent upon playing the Good Samaritan. "'I never knew,' said Laura, as if she was. were making a great discovery that it could make you so happy to be kind to somebody else. End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Read by Catherine Leach. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler Trouble

It was the girl's intention at first to leave the hamper of good things before the Haddon's door so that Mrs. Haddon would have no chance of refusing the gift through pride. But when they came to the little cottage after half an hour of steady walking, they found to their dismay that fate had taken a hand and spoiled all their plans. For Mrs. Haddon herself, a shawl over her head, and looking even more worried and anxious than she had when they had seen her before, rounded the corner of the house, and met them just as they reached the door. For a moment, the girls had a panicky impulse to drop the basket and run,

but on second thought, they decided that that would be just about the worst thing they could possibly do. And while they were trying to think of something to say, Mrs. Haddon took the whole situation entirely out of their hands. At first she did not seem to recognize them, but the next instant her face lighted up with relief, and she opened the door of the cottage, beckoning them to enter. Just stay here in the kitchen a minute, where it's warm. She directed them in a strained tone, and before the girls had time to draw their breath, she had disappeared from the room, leaving the classmates alone.

Now we've gone and spelled the beans, whispered slangy Laura, eyeing the blameless hampered disapprovingly as she warmed her chilled hands before the stove. I don't suppose she will touch a thing now, and after we went and walked all this way and everything, too. Shh, cautioned Billy a hand to her lips. At that moment, Mrs. Haddon did indeed come back into the kitchen. She closed the door very gently behind her, and then came quickly toward the girls. Listen, she said breathlessly. I don't know who sent you just now. Maybe it was God. She caught her breath on the words, and the girls regarded her wonderingly, and a little fearfully. For goodness sake, what was she talking about?

Anyway, you've come, went on the woman swiftly. And if you want to, you can do me a great favor. What is it? They asked together. Run for the nearest doctor, one of you, or all of you, said the woman, her words stumbling over, one another in her agitation. Peter, my little boy is sick. If I don't have a doctor very soon, he may die. Oh, where is the nearest doctor? asked Billy breathlessly, her eyes big with sympathy.

Tell me, and I'll go. Half a mile down the road, said the woman. Dr. Ramsey, in the big white house. These are his office hours. He should be at home. I just went to a neighbor's, but she was not at home. And I could not go myself. Peter would have been alone. I'll go, and I'll have him back here in half an hour, promised Billy, running to the door as she

spoke. But Laura grabbed her skirt and held onto it. No, you stay here, I'll go, she said, thinking desperately of the food hamper and fearing that if Billy went for the doctor, she would probably have to explain their mission. I'll go with you, volunteered Vi. with the same thought in mind. And before Billy could do more than blink, her two chums had flashed through the door, closing it with a sharp little click behind them.

Then it opened again for an instant, and Laura put her pretty head inside. You always could explain things so much better than the rest of us, Billy? She said, by way of excuse it is to be supposed, and then the door closed again. It was good for Billy at that moment, that she had been blessed with a sense of humor. Otherwise, she might have been a little put out. As it was, she took it as a joke on her, and turned back resignly to her task of telling why they had come to proud Polly Haddon.

The latter was pacing the floor anxiously. Then, as a little moan came from the next room, she flew to the patient, leaving Billy entirely alone. The latter regarded the hamper uncertainly for a moment. then with a sigh she lifted it from the floor to the rickety kitchen table. I'll let her see all the good things first. She decided wisely as she removed the cover from the basket, exposing to view its inviting contents. Then, maybe she'll be too busy looking at them to be angry. So busy was she that she did not hear Mrs. Haddon re-enter the room.

Neither did she know that the latter was staring unbelievingly over her shoulder till a slight exclamation of wonder made her start and whirl round suddenly. Where did you get all that? asked the woman, her eyes still fixed on the contents of the basket. And what is it for? It's, uh, it's for you. If you will take it, please, stammered Billy in her surprise and confusion, saying what came first to her mind. We, we thought maybe, maybe the kitties, would, Like the beef tea and milk, and, uh, and things? She finished weekly, thinking resentfully that the girls, or one of them anyway, might have stayed and helped her out.

But after all, she need not have worried. For an instant, the look that Billy had expected and dreaded flared into Polly Haddon's eyes, a look of outraged pride. But then, the woman thought of the children, and she had no pride. You said you brought some beef tea, she repeated, bending eagerly over the basket. And milk? Two quarts of milk, cried Billy joyfully, the relief she felt singing in her voice. And we made the beef tea fresh this morning.

Why, why, what's the matter? For Polly Haddon's black eyes had filled with tears, and she had turned away impatiently to hide them. Beneath the worn old shawl, her thin shoulders. shook in an effort to suppress her hysterical sobs. Then Billy ran to her and put her young arms around her, and Polly Haddon, who had struggled so long and so bravely alone, clung to the girl hungrily while she fought for self-control. It's so long, she said huskily. So long since anyone did anything for us, or my babies. Her voice broke, and for a minute she just clung to Billy, and let tears wash some of the bitterness from her heart. Then she straightened up suddenly,

wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief that Billy had slipped into her hand, and holding the girl off at arm's length, regarded her intently. It seems, said the woman softly, while Billy looked up at her out of clear, grave eyes. that when things get as bad as they can be, the Lord sends somebody to help. This time, he sent you. Hark, what's that? It was only the restless turning of a feverish little boy in bed, but the mother was instantly alert.

The beef tea, she directed, and Billy quickly handed her one of the bottles. He has had hardly any real nourishment since day before yesterday. Polly Haddon went on as she poured the liquid into one of the pans on the store, stove and sniffed of it hungrily. Strong beef tea is just what the little fellow needs. Billy wondered while she watched Mrs. Haddon with pitying eyes. No nourishment for almost two days? Why, if they had not come, the children might have starved to death. Where are the two little girls? She asked, remembering suddenly that she had seen no sign of them. Mrs. Hadden said nothing for so long that Billy began to think she had not heard her question. Then the woman turned and faced the girl,

holding a steaming cup of beef broth in her hand. I've kept them in bed too, she said. I was afraid they had caught cold, and then two, one feels less hungry if one doesn't move about. Then abruptly she turned and once more left the room. Billy would have followed, but the thought that perhaps Polly Haddon would not wish her to, held her back. The woman had accepted the food for her children's sake, because they were practically starving. But in spite of that, she was very proud. Perhaps she would not wish to have Billy see the poverty-stricken bareness of the rooms beyond. So Billy stayed in the kitchen and waited. Her eyes strayed nervously to an alarm clock that ticked away on a shelf over the sink. She wished the girls would come with the doctor. If little Peter was a small,

as sick as his mother thought he was, every minute might be precious. And besides that, they must get back to school. Then she heard the girl's voices, mingled with the gruff tones of a man, the doctor, of course, and her heart jumped with relief. The next moment the door was flung open, and Laura and Vye came in, followed by an immense man who seemed to completely fill the narrow doorway. Then Polly Haddon appeared in the doorway between the two rooms, an empty cup in her hand. At sight of the doctor, she set down the cup and motioned him eagerly into the other room. The latter glanced curiously at Billy, flung his hat on the kitchen table in passing, and disappeared with Mrs. Hadden into the sick room.

"'Just luck that we happened to catch the doctor on his way out!' panted Laura, for the big man had hustled the girls back to the cottage on a run. "'Say, Billy,' she added. Her eyes lighted on the open hamper. "'I see you did the trick. Any bones broken?' "'Tell us about it,' begged Vye. "'I'll tell you on the way home,' said Billy,

her eye once more on the clock. Miss Walters told us not to stay long, you know. We were to come right back. "'Gracious, look at the time,' cried Laura in consternation, following Billy's eyes to the clock. Miss Walters will think we have eloped. I wish we could wait and see what the doctor says, protested Vye, hanging back,

and just then Billy raised a warning finger. Listen, she said. The doctor had raised his voice for a moment, and his words came clearly to the girls where they stood near the door. The boy is very sick, Mrs. Adden, he said. It will take good nursing to pull him through, and plenty of nourishing food.

He lowered his voice again, and the rest of what he said was lost in a meaningless murmur. In the kitchen, the girls stared at each other. Plenty of nourishing food, whispered Billy. Where is he going to get it? I guess, said Laura as she opened the door. It is up to us. End of Chapter 6. Chapter 7 of Billy Bradley and her classmates.

This is a Libre Vox recording. all Liber Rock's recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler, settling a score. The girls walked back to school in a rather thoughtful frame of mind. They were sorry for poor Mrs. Haddon, and they were worried about Little Peter. The sandwiches and milk and things that we brought this morning will last some of a little little while, Billy said, but I don't suppose Miss Walters would want us to take them food every

morning. Oh, and that reminds me, cried Laura. You haven't told us yet what happened after we ran for the doctor and left you alone with Mrs. Hadid. There isn't very much to tell, said Billy. She didn't want to touch the basket at first, but when she thought of the kitties, she changed her mind. she said that the children hadn't had any real nourishing food since the day before yesterday. The girls were silent for a moment, letting this last remark of Billy's sink in. Then it was Billy who broke the silence. I wonder, she said, how they ever managed to get along up to this time. They must have had something to live on.

Why, said why, wrinkling her forehead thoughtfully, The doctor said something about Mrs. Haddon, having to give up her work because of ill health. Didn't he, Laura? Yes, said Laura, stuffing her hands deeper into her pockets. He seems dreadfully sorry about poor little Peter. I heard a mumble something about troubles, always coming in a heap. Oh, said Billy, with a big long sigh. If somebody could only stumble across those inventions somewhere or

other. Then we could all be happy again. For a moment, her classmates stared at Billy blankly. They had all but forgotten about the invention. Somehow, Mrs. Haddon's tale of a nearly won fortune had seemed unreal and vague to them, almost like a fairy story. And now here was Billy bringing it all up again and even talking about finding that knitting machine model. If it doesn't always take you to think up impossible things, Billy Bradley, said Fy. Just the same, Laura spoke up unexpectedly. You must admit that lots of times Billy is done what we would think was impossible to do. Goodness, have you got him too, as Fye with a giggle? We all know Billy's a wonder, but I don't think she's going to find an invention that has been

missing for a long time. Probably wouldn't be any good anyway. all rusted in everything. That wouldn't make any difference, Billy pointed out promptly, as long as they had the model to copy from they could make any number of new machines just like it. All right, Ray Vaughan McDuff,

cried Laura, who was just beginning to read Shakespeare and who annoyed the other girls by insisting on quoting him, incorrectly, upon all occasions. If you can find this old, thing and get a fortune out of it for Mrs. Haddon and the kitties, and 20,000 nice little dollars for yourself, honey, no one will be gladder than me. I corrected Violet sternly, don't you know me

me is bad grammar? Well, me's a bad girl, said Laura irrepressibly, and the girls giggled. A few minutes later, they came within sight of the school and found to their dismay that it was lunch hour. Do you mean to say we've been gone all morning? cried Laura, stopping short at the familiar sight of the girls pouring out on the campus for a breath of air before their studies should commence again. Goodness, Miss Walters will murder us. Oh, come on, cried Billy, hurting the girls along. Haven't we been on an errand of mercy and everything? She can't kill us for that. Even if we were a long time about it.

Greetings and laughing gives were flung at the girls as they hurried across the snow-covered campus, but they did not stop to answer. They wanted to see Miss Walters, explain why they were so late, and get a bite of something to eat before the afternoon classes began. They had almost reached the door when a voice called to Billy from overhead. She looked up unexpectedly and were seated. an avalanche of snow right in the face, almost blinding her and sending her staggering back

against her chums. Sputtering and choking, she dashed the snow from her eyes and looked up to see who had done such a mean thing. There at a window just over her head was the grinning face of Amanda Peabody. In a flash, Billy realized that it had been Amanda, who had pushed the snow from the window ledge upon her. Once a more, as that disagreeable person in response to Billy's stare, there's just a little bit left, and she made a gesture as if to push the rest of the snow from the window sill down upon Billy's upturned face. But Billy did not wait to see whether she would really have done it, with the cry she made for the door of the school, pushing through a group of girls who had gathered at the first sign of a fracas.

Laura and Wye followed, fuming. As usual, instead of staying and facing the consequences of her own deeds, Amanda tried to get away, but Billy was too quick for her. The former reached the door of the room, just as Amanda darted through it, bent upon escape. Her eyes blazing, Billy seized the girl's arm and hurried her through the hall, Laura and Vi assisting and a delighted crowd following close behind. You let me go, you big cowards you, spluttered Amanda, almost crying with rage and fright.

You let me go, Billy Bradley. I'll tell Miss Walters. Go ahead and tell Miss Walters, you miserable sneak, cried Billy, giving the girl a contemptuous shake, but you won't tell her till I'm through with you. What are you going to do, wind Amanda? Too scared now even to bluster. I won't do it again. Honest, I won't. Only let me go. Don't you do it, Billy, cried one of the girls in the following crowd. Don't let her off so easy. But Billy had no intention of letting her enemy off easily. Having now reached the outside door, she shoved it open at the same time motioning to Vaya and Laura to let go of Amanda. Then she dragged the whimpering whineering whine,

girl over to a spot where the wind had formed the snow into a small drift. Into this, she flung the protesting girl, and the next instant was upon her, washing her face with the snow, and it is safe to say that no girl ever had her face so thoroughly washed before, and the crowd of girls behind Billy cheered her on gleefully. There was no telling just how long Billy might have kept it up, for she was enjoying herself immensely. if Laura had not brought her to her senses. The latter leaned down, took a firm grip of the belt on Billy's coat,

and jerked her to her feet. Better let her go, she warned. You will have Miss Walters or one of the teachers out here in a minute. Come on, Billy. She's had enough. So Billy reluctantly stepped back while Amanda picked herself out of the snow, wiped her red and dripping face on her sleeve,

and pushed through the laughing, mocking crowd of girls towards the school. She stopped just before she reached the door, however, and faced her tormentors. Her face distorted with rage. You think you're smart, all of you, she cried furiously, then added, as her eyes fell on Billy, who had drawn a handkerchief from her pocket and was wiping her hands carefully. And you, Billy Bradley, standing there grinning, someday I'll make you grin out at the other side of your mouth. Just wait. Would you like your face washed again?

Billy demanded, darting forward threateningly. Come on, let's get it over with. But Amanda did not wait for the threat to be carried out. She scuttled precipitately into the hall and made delighted giggles from the girls. Amanda fairly choking with rage at the laughter, stopped and shook her fists in the direction of it. Then with all sorts of plans in her heart for getting even,

she went on toward the dormitory. End of Chapter 7. Chapter 8 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Librevox recording. All LibreVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibreVox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler, Just like Billy, several days followed during which the girls settled down earnestly to their studies.

Her scholarship was held very hot at Three Towers Hall, and anyone who do not stand well in class was apt to find herself not only in ill favor with the teachers, but with the students as well. The girls had reported to Miss Walters the result of their visit to Polly Haddon, and the principal had seemed unusually interested and sympathetic. Now that you girls have taken the Haddon family under your wing, she had said, smiling at the chums, I think we shall have to see the thing through, at least until the mother is strong enough to begin work again.

But in the meantime, she had added, with a nod of the head that meant dismissal, I don't want interest in the Haddon family to make my girls neglect their studies. I expect great things of you this year. And so the girls, feeling warm all over, as they always did after a talk with Miss Walters, went back to their work, confident in the thought

that the Haddons would not be left to starve, at least. Saturday we will go over ourselves and see how little Peter is, said Billy. As pencil in hand, she prepared to wade into a geometry problem. Listen, Laura, she added, looking up at her friend hopefully, If you will help me with this geometry, I'll quote you in history. Is it a go? Laura declared it was a go, and so they settled down to work. But no amount of work could keep their thoughts from straying time and again

to the Haddon family and the mystery of the stolen invention. As the girls who have read the former adventures of Billy Bradley already know, Billy and her chums had been admitted to the Ghost Club, a secret society to which only the most popular girls and those who stood highest in their studies were admitted. The membership had never exceeded 15, but the girls knew that to have too large a membership would only cheap in the club.

Rose Belser was the president of it, and Connie Danvers and several other of the girls' good friends were members. Carolyn Brandt had been asked to join long before, but had refused because she thought it would take too much time from her studies. Last year's commencement had taken two of the clubs as members so that now the girls were watching the freshmen for good material. They were very careful in choosing. However, for it was far easier to get members into the club than it was to get them out. The club was to have its first real meeting in two weeks, and it was at that meeting that the names of prospective members were to be tentatively submitted to the president.

After that, a period of close watching, and then the fun of initiations. But first came news that ran through the hall-like wildfire. Some of the boys from Boxton Military Academy were coming over to the big hill behind the Three Towers Hall for the first real sledding of the year. and they had invited as many of the girls as they knew and their friends to meet them there. Chet and Teddy and Ferg were coming over, of course, and as the day approached, anticipation grew accordingly until the girls could think and talk of nothing but the fun they were going to have. I wonder if Teddy will bring Paul Martinson with them, said by,

after trying vainly for half an hour to fix her mind on an essay, she must hand in the next morning. He's ever so much fun, don't you think? It was in Paul Martinson's motorboat, which he had named the Shelling, in honor of Captain Shelling, who was master of the military academy, that the boys had visited the girls

on Lighthouse Island the summer before. Paul Martinson was a splendid-looking, fine boy whom all the girls liked, Rose Belser in particular, but who himself seemed to prefer Billy. Like Teddy, Paul thought that Billy was the very best sport he knew and declared that a fellow can have more fun with her any day than he can with another boy. Of course, Teddy did not like this a bit. Having known Billy practically all his life, he naturally felt that he should

have first right to her. And so there was a good-natured rivalry between the boys that amused Billy and Vai and Laura, and rather piqued Rose Velser and Connie Danvers and some of the other girls at the school, who thought that Billy had more than her share. For, as Connie declared once to a sympathetic group of girls, it's ever so much more fun to be paddled around in a canoe by a boy than to have to paddle yourself, and it's lots of fun to skate with them because they fairly haul you a lot. And here, when we haven't nearly enough to go around, Billy goes and takes two of the nicest ones. She's a darling, of course,

but I think she might be content with one. And so when Viad happened to mention innocently that Paul was ever so much fun, Rose Belser, who was preparing for a botany quiz at the other end of the room, looked up and made a face at her. How do we know whether he's any fun or not, she said? you had better ask Billy.

But Billy was too busy, studying, so that she might be free for the next day's fun to hear, and Rose's shot was lost. As though autumn had regretted giving way to winter so soon, it had been unexpectedly warm that day, and the girls had worried for fear a thaw might spoil their sledding. But a cold wind rose in the night, and the morning dawn clear and cold enough to suit even them.

As soon as breakfast was over, the coasters dawned sweaters and caps and mufflers and ran down into the storeroom next to the gymnasium to get their slats. Then up once more and out into the bright morning sunshine, their cheeks glowing with health and their eyes sparkling with anticipation of the fun ahead of them. They were 25 of them in all, but as they filed out at the side door of the school, they looked like a small army. Isn't it funny, giggled Laura to Billy? How many more of the girls turn out when they know the boys are going to be there? It's sad but true, admitted Billy, with an answering chuckle. After that first heavy snowfall, when we said something about an all-girls' sledding party, they didn't seem awfully anxious about it,

said it was too early in the season, and they hated dragging sleds up the hill. Now I suppose they will expect the boys to do the drag. dragging, laughed by. When they had climbed almost to the top of the hill that made such a fine toboggan, they heard the sound of boys's voices. Goodness, they must have started before breakfast, said Connie Danvers, who was puffing with the effort to get her plump little body and her heavy sled up the steep incline. Say, give me a lift, will you, Billy? This hill is so slippery. You mean that you're getting too fat? said Laura, wickedly. as she reached over and grabbed Connie's line.

I told you you were eating too much candy. Billy reached the top of the hill first, and with dancing eyes, she looked down at the long, steep, ice-covered incline. The slight thawed the day before had been the one thing needed to perfect the sledding. For the surface of the snow had melted, then frozen over again,

forming a solid coat of ice. As she took the saw-in gleefully, the first of the boys emerged from the trees at the foot of the hill, and an impish impulse seized her. With a shout of warning, she pulled up her sled, flung herself upon it, gave a little push, and was off. Down the hill she hurtled at a terrific rate of speed, the glaze of ice forming almost no resistance to her flight. Taken by surprise, the boys had no more than time to get out of the way before she literally dropped among them. She swung off to the right where an abrupt rise of ice-covered ground checked her speed, and, after almost reaching the top of this small hill, the backrunners of the sled were caught in the ice, and she was tumbled head over heels to land in an undignified heap at the boys' feet.

Then she sat up, rubbed her head, and smiled at them gleefully. I went some that time, didn't I? she said. Yes, and you might have broken your neck too, said Teddy, in an awfully gruff voice, as he took both her hands and pulled her to her feet. The other boys were looking on in moderation at Billy's feet. Don't you know you should never have taken that turn to the right? That hill's too steep. I know it is now, said Billy ruefully, feeling for the first time the horrible suspicion that she had skinned her knee.

You should have taken one of these paths, spoke up Chet, pushing his way through the crowd of boys and regarding Billy sternly as an older brother should. I thought you knew that. Of course I know that, returned Billy, mimicking Chet's tone to perfection, but will you please tell me? how I could take either one of those paths, when both of them were chalkful of boys? The paths of which they spoke branched off from the foot of the hill. One had been an old wagon road which had become overgrown with bushes and stubble, and the other was only a footpath. Nevertheless, either one was wide enough to permit easily a sled to pass through, and the ground was level for a long enough distance to allow the sluts to come to an easy standstill.

From the top of the hill, the girls had been watching Billy's escapade, and now as she started with the boys up the long slope, they looked at one another smiling. Goodness, there she goes again, sighed Connie plaintively. She isn't satisfied with two of the boys anymore. Now she has the whole crowd of them. End of Chapter 8. Chapter 9 of Billy Bradley and her classmates.

This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Into space. For a glorious hour, the girls and boys enjoyed what was, to them, the best sledding of their lives. They coasted down the hill and dragged their sleds up again, shouting and calling to each of each other while her cheeks, and, it must be admitted, sometimes their noses, too, clod with the sting of the sharp wind, and they had to stand hard on the frozen ground to keep their toes from freezing. The best sport ever, cried Paul. All to the merry, came from chat. What do you say, girls? And he turned to Billy and her classmates. What did they say? All shouted at once

that such fine sport couldn't possibly be beaten. Can't be beat, sang out chat gaily, just like, oh, Maw Jackson's rag carpet. My Jackson's rag carpet? What do you mean? asked Laura. She couldn't beat it, for fear it would fall apart, was the sly reply. And then, the merry lad had to dodge a hard chunk of snow,

Laura threw at him. Burr, isn't it cold? cried Billy, taking a mitten from one of our hands and blowing on her numb fingers. I'd never know what it was to feel cold if it weren't for my fingers and toes. Teddy, stop your pushing. What do you want now? For Teddy had seized her by the shoulders and had sat her firmly down upon his big bobsled. You've let Paul Martinson take you down three times to my once, he accused her,

while he settled himself comfortably behind her on the sled. And now it's my turn. "'Hey, look out there, you fellows, we're off!' And before the astonished Billy could do more than utter a gaitling protest, they were indeed, off, flying down the ice-glazed hill, at a rate that took her breath away. "'Some speed, eh?' cordial Teddy in rear. "'This old boat of mine has got them all beat.

"'I bet we could raise them all to a standstill.' "'Why don't we try?' Billy yelled back at him. "'It would be lots of fun.' "'Oh, Teddy! "'Taddy, look out!' she shrieked, for they had reached the foot of the hill, and Teddy had skimmed so close to the trunk of a tree that Billy afterward declared they had scraped off a piece of bark. "'Don't worry,' Teddy said reassured me. Nothing's going to happen to you when you're with your Uncle Ted. At which remark, Billy could not help giggling to herself. Boys did think they were so awfully much. Then suddenly she cried out, "'Tedie, that's the wrong path. We have to be able to be able to be. We have to be able to be. We have. We've been,

never been down it before that's why i'm trying it said teddy recklessly as he swung down the strange path that ran at right angles to the one they were on the ground slopes too so we ought to have some more fun billy said nothing she would not for the life of her have teddy guess that she was afraid they had never been down that path before because never before had a sled had momentum enough to carry it that far and the ground was sloping more and more and the sled was going faster and faster with each second the path was by no means straight either and if teddy had not been pretty good at keeping his head they would most surely have run into something and have had a nasty spill oh teddy can't we stop asked billy at last unable to keep her fright all to herself we don't know where this leads to can't you stop teddy not very well answered the boy uneasily we will surely run on to level ground in a minute don't worry but even as he spoke he jerked the sled around a sudden turn in the path and they came apparently to the end of the world with a nasty little scraping sound the sled dived off into nothingness it all happened so suddenly that billy did not have even time enough to scream She had a sickening feeling of falling through space, and then she struck something, something that yielded, luckily, under her weight, and she sank, down, down, down,

coming to rest, at last, in a world where everything was white and slippery and cold. Oh, so cold. She must have lost consciousness for a minute, for when she came to herself again in this strange new world, she heard somebody calling her name wildly, and a moment later Santa Claus poked his head over a snowbank and peered down at her. At least, she thought at first it was Santa Claus, because its face was so very red, and the snow was clinging to his fuzzy cap in such a funny manner.

But in a moment more she realized her mistake, for the red face and the funny hat disappeared, and in their place were shoved two legs that she was very sure belonged to Teddy. and in a moment more Teddy himself slid down beside her Hello, she greeted him with a smile I thought you were Santa Claus. Why weren't you?

Teddy stared at her for a minute, anxiously. I say, he cried, taking one of her hands and rubbing it gently. I guess that loop-the-loop of ours knocked you silly. I'm always silly, was Billy's amazing reply, as she sat up and began feeling herself all over. carefully. But it certainly did not me. Are you all right?

Demanded Teddy, watching her as she stretched out first one leg and then the other. You didn't break anything, did you? Nothing but my dignity, she answered, with a giggle that brought an answering grin from the boy. Teddy, she demanded, turning to him suddenly. What did happen anyway? I'm sure I don't know, except that we came to the end of that path and jumped off, answered Teddy, feeling gingerly of his forehead, on which Billy could see that a large purple lump was beginning to swell. If I had had a chance to see what was coming, I could have rolled

off the sled and pulled you with me. But that turn in the road brought us right on top of it. It's a sort of precipice, I guess, he went on to explain, while Billy eyed, with sympathy, the swelling lump on his forehead. It's about 15 feet high, I think, and, if there hadn't been snow on the ground, we surely would have got hurt. If there hadn't been snow on the ground, we wouldn't have been sledding, Billy pointed out, adding, so unexpectedly as to make Teddy jump, Who hit you? What? What? he gasped.

Then seeing that her eyes were fixed on the bump that he was still fingering gingerly, Teddy's face grew redder than it already was, if such a thing were possible, and his hand fell quickly to a side. Oh, that, he said loftily, as if it were nothing at all. I guess the runner of the sled gave me a whack, just as we dumped over. It doesn't hurt, though, not a bit.

I bet it does, too, said Billy, as the boy pulled his cap down tight over the tell-tale spot. Where is the sled, Teddy? she added. Out there somewhere, sticking in a drift, answered the boy. I didn't have time to pull it out because I thought you had been killed or something, and I had to come to look for you. Thanks, she laughed at him. Then her face became suddenly serious,

and she struggled to her feet, trying to brush off the snow that seemed to cover her from head to foot. How are we going to get out of this, Teddy? she asked, looking at him seriously. Ask me an easy one, he returned, his good-looking face extremely anxious and puzzled. The snow is awfully deep, and I don't believe we could ever get up that path again. It would take us a couple of hours to go around, and besides, I'm not sure just how to go.

In other words, said Billy, trying our best to speak gaily, while her heart sank at this unusually long speech of Teddy's. We're lost, aren't we? I guess it amounts to that, Teddy answered soberly, and for a long minute they just stood staring at each then Billy gave herself an impatient shake. Help me out of this, she said, as she tried to push through the heavy snow that seemed to press in upon her from every side. I'd like to have a look around anyway. She found that, even with Teddy's help, it was no easy task to clamber out of the snowdrift that she had fallen into, and both she and the boy were panting with insertion

when they had finally managed to get out into the open. Even there, they stood up to their waist in the cleaning snow, and Billy, looking desolately out over the white expanse, began to realize that she was very, very cold. There's the sled, said Teddy, pointing to two runners sticking out of the snow and marking the spot where the sled had struck. Wait here, and I'll get it. Billy watched him as he struggled through the drifts,

and suddenly she was aware of an overwhelming desire to sit down where she was and cry. But that wouldn't do any good, she told herself sharply. Even if this place does look more lonely than the desert, if we don't get where it's warm pretty soon, we'll turn into icicles ourselves, I guess. The wind had become stronger and more biting, and Billy's teeth had begun to chatter.

She was glad when Teddy floundered back to her. The rope of his sled looked over one arm. He slipped the other arm through her, is protectingly. We'll find a way out of this soon, he said, comfortingly. You just watch your Uncle Teddy. Billy tried to laugh,

but she could not. Her teeth were chattering so. You said that before, she told him hysterically, and we went over the cliff. End of Chapter 9, read by Nancy Cochran-Gurgin, Gilbert, Arizona,

December 9, 2022. Chapter 10 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. The cave. The next minute, Billy was sorry for what she had said. Teddy's face clouded over and he looked at her unhappily. You ought to know that I didn't get you into this on purpose, he muttered. Oh, Teddy, dear, I didn't mean it. You know I didn't, she stammered, trying hard to control the chattering of her teeth. I'm a bad, mean, horrid girl. Truly, I didn't mean it.

And she put her cold little hand penitently over his great big one. I know you didn't, said Teddy, his face clearing instantly. You're cold and tired and all upset. "'Poor little kid. I wish I could do all the feeling.' "'Well, I'm glad you can't,' said Billy, snuggling up close to him for warmth. "'For you have trouble enough of your own.' "'Teddy!' she drew up suddenly and stared at an object that caught her eye. "'What is that thing over there that looks like a tangle of twigs and leaves?' "'No, not that way. Over there. To the left.'

Teddy followed the direction of her pointing finger, and his face lighted up excitement. The tangle twigs and branches, as Billy had described it, was close to the side of the 15-foot precipice over which he and Billy had plunged a little while before. The fact that the branches were not covered with snow certainly looked as if they had been put there rather recently in a crude effort to hide the entrance to something, perhaps a cave. That's worth having a look at, he said, jerking the sled up to him and tightening his hold on Billy's arm. Can you make it, Billy? The snow seems to be deeper over this way. Oh, I can make it all right, answered Billy stoutly, as she clenched her teeth and shed her eyes

and floundered on through the cleaning snow. I guess I've got to make it, she added to herself. They had almost reached their goal when suddenly they stepped into a hole hidden by the snow and sank down in the icy whiteness until Billy was almost up to her neck. gosh cried teddy as he struggled out to higher ground pulling his thoroughly frightened companion after him i hope there aren't many more places like that around here we'll make it all right billy say you're not crying are you he broke off with a boy's utter terror of tears as billy dug too mitten and numbed hands into her smarting eyes no i'm not crying she answered giving him a rather watery smile i'm laughing can't you see i am him poor little kid said teddy for the second time that afternoon and the sympathy in his voice pretty nearly did send billy into a downpour of tears she was so thoroughly miserable that it was all she could do to keep from wailing her grief aloud but teddy had put one big protecting arm around her now and was half carrying her over to that strange object that looked so dark against the gleaming bank of snow then he let billy go and while she shivered by herself he laid hold of the branches and pulled with all his white.

Oh, look out, called Billy. There might be a bomb or something at the other end. Oh! The queer doorway gave so easily before the boy's string that he was sent stacking back against the snowdrift and sat down in it most uncomfortably. The next minute he was up again, had swept the branches and twigs aside,

and was examining the exposed opening, with all the boy's eager curiosity. Billy peered eagerly over his shoulder. What is it? she asked, breathlessly. It's what I thought it was. A cave, answered Teddy joyfully. Come inside, Billy. It will get you out of the wind anyway and give you a chance to warm up. He had put an arm about her again and was pushing her forward with his usual impetuosity, but Billy hung back. We don't know what's in there, she protested, but Teddy refused to listen to her. We don't know and we don't care, he informed her masterfully,

adding, as she still hung back, we'll freeze to death out there anyway. But Ted, suppose some wild animals should be in there. You know the bears hide in hollow trees and caves. Bear sleep most of the winter. Besides, I don't think there are any bears around here. But there might be a fox. or a wild cat.

I'll take a chance on that. You must remember, the average wild beast will get out of your way if you give it half a chance. Come on. As I said before, if you stay out here in this icy wind, you'll surely freeze to death.

This argument appealed her, and, with a shivering look over her shoulder at the desert of whiteness behind, she stepped gingerly into the blackness of the cave. then, with a little nervous giggle, she ran back again, got behind Teddy, and pushed him before her. Gentlemen first, she said, anyway, you're bigger than I am, Ted. So Teddy, feeling as important as a boy always feels when he is protecting a girl that he likes, walk boldly into a cave, stretching a hand behind him for Billy to cling to.

Come on, it's all right, he assured her. You'll get used to the darkness in a minute. the snow blinds you. Ouch, what was that? Billy gave a little choke scream and would have run out into the open again, had not Teddy's grip on her hand prevented. Don't get scared, the boy said, and bent over to examine whatever it was he had stubbed his toe against.

I didn't mean to yell like that, but, gosh, that thing did give my toe an awful wallop. I say, look at this, and he held up an object that shown Wally White against the blackness of the cave. Billy, whose eyes had become a little accustomed to the darkness, saw that what Teddy held looked like an old broken water pitcher. A pitcher, she said, adding disgustedly, and that was what I was afraid of. At the entrance, this queer hole in the mountain had been so low

that the two had been forced to stoop down to avoid knocking their heads on the roof of it. But now, as they felt their way cautiously, they found, to their surprise, that they could stand upright. The walls also seemed to have widened out, and they realized, with a thrill of excitement, that they were in a real cave dug into the side of the mountain. In here, it was darker than it had been at the entrance,

and they had to feel their way about cautiously to avoid colliding with each other or the walls of the cave. It was surprisingly warm and snug in there also, for the thick snow wrapped them in the warmest and fleeciest of blankets, and the only place for old Jack Frost to come in was the narrow entrance of the cave. Anne, once assured that the owner of the cave, whether man or animal, was at that moment not at home, Billy began to feel a sense of exquisite comfort. Her teeth had ceased to chatter. They were safe from the bitter north wind,

and she had Teddy to take care of her. What more could any girl want? As for Teddy, he had evidently found something over in one corner of the cave that interested him immensely. He had stumbled by accident over what seemed to be a pile of old junk, and now he was down on his hands and knees, trying to satisfy his curiosity by the sense of touch. Now, aren't I the idiot? he exclaimed suddenly, and Billy started at the sudden sound of his voice in the darkness. here I go feeling around like a blind man when I have some perfectly good matches in my pocket. Come on over, Billy, and see what I've found. Guided by the flare of a match, Billy made her way across the cave and kneeled down beside the boy.

Then they both stared in utter amazement at what they saw. Heaped up carelessly in the corner was a mass of so many and such queerly assorted articles that it is no wonder the boy and girl were puzzled. There was an old alarm clock, rusty with age and disuse, a mirror, several got the articles of jewelry that looked as if they might have been found in ten-cent prize packages,

a telephone receiver, a broken fishing rod that stood lamely against the wall, as though ashamed of its own decrepit state, a cell-dust doll, an empty tin can that evidently had once contained bait, a talcum powder box full of scented violet talc. Billy smelled it, and, but it would take too long to name all the strange things

that Billy and Teddy found. They're in the corner of the funny little cave. Teddy, remembered Billy as the boy's match burn out, and he struck another one. What do you think these things are for? Who do you suppose owns them? How should I know? asked Teddy, getting through his feet and looking eagerly about the place, illumined fitfully by the flare of the match.

Somebody comes here often, that's a sure thing. And judging by those things, he waved toward the conglomeration of junk in the corner. He must be pretty simple. Oh, Teddy, breathed Billy, moving closer to him. Suppose he should come and find us here. Teddy looked down at her with a grin. Why worry, he asked. Haven't you got your uncle Ted? He had scarcely spoken when there came a terrifying sound. It was a snarl of rage, half animal, half human.

The half-burn match dropped from Teddy's fingers. They were in the dark. End of Chapter 10, read by Nancy Cochran Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, December 10, 2022. Chapter 11 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Leaprovox recording. All Leaprovox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Leapervox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler.

The Simpleton. Billy did not cry out. She was either too frightened or too brave. But the next minute Teddy's arm had reached out and caught her to him, reassuringly. It's all right, he whispered in her ear. Just hold tight and keep still. I'll do the talking. Cautiously he drew her to the back of the cave,

and there they turned and waited for whatever was to happen. They did not have to wait long. Someone or something was coming into the cave. There was a growling and muttering in the tunnel-like entrance, and the sounds increased as the intruder came slowly nearer. Then there came a stumbling sound, followed by a coarse oath that made Billy clap her hands to her ears. It's a man, anyway, Teddy whispered, adding maliciously, stubbed his toe on that old pitcher, I guess.

Glad of it. Oh, Teddy, hush, whispered Billy frantically. He'll hear you. Evidently the intruder had heard them. He stopped short as though listening. Billy and Teddy could distinctly hear his heavy breathing while they held their own. Then a hoarse, strident voice challenged them. Who are ye? it cried menacingly.

Whoever ye are, you've got to get out. I'll teach you go breaking into my caves and meddling with my things. Come out there, will ye? For answer, Teddy lighted a match, holding it high above his head while he studied the intruder. The latter, evidently, startled by the sudden light, staggered back a little and flung his hand before his eyes. The advantage was all Teddy's, and for a moment it looked as though he would fling himself upon the little man who stood cowering there. But he hesitated, and while he hesitated, the match burned out in his fingers, and they were left in the dark once more. Light another match, Teddy, quick, whispered Billy, and he did.

This time the man lowered his hands before his eyes and stood blinking at them foolishly. He was so small and so slight and so puny looking in every way that the gruff voice with which he had greeted them in the beginning seemed a little short of ridiculous. And while they stared at the little man and the little man stared at them, Teddy's third match went out. Gosh, he said groping in his pocket for another. I only hope they'd hold out, that's all.

Hate to be left in the dark. He found a match and lit it rather shagely, for the whole thing was beginning to get on his nerves. and as the uncertain light flared out once more, he saw that their queer new friend was holding something out to him. Don't touch it, whispered Billy at his elbow. It might be, but it's only a candle, Billy, and. Teddy was beginning when the little fellow himself interrupted impatiently.

Light it, light it! he commanded, glancing nervously over his shoulder into the spooky corners of the cave, your match will be burn out and will be left in the dark. The dark. I'm afraid of the dark. hurry hurry to teddy and billy at the same instant came the startling thought that the man was a lunatic his looks his voice his manner were all proof of it and while teddy lighted the candle with his one remaining match billy began to shipper wretchedly if only they had not found the old cave everything would have been all right they might have even been home by this time for the moment she had forgotten how cold it was outside and that neither she nor Teddy knew the way home. While Teddy glanced about for some place to set the lighted candle, she furtively studied the simpleton into whose hiding place they had been unlucky enough to stumble. He was about twenty-one, she guessed, scarcely more than a boy.

His features were small as his body, his eyes little and red-rimmed and shifty, with an expression of vacancy that made Billy's blood run cold. his hair as nearly as she could tell in the flickering light was red, and while Billy watched him, he watched Teddy, and she was surprised to see his vacant eyes suddenly fill with terror. Then, when Teddy turned back, after setting the candle on a projecting piece of rock, the simpleton came close to him, holding out shaking, imploring hands. "'Haven't come to take me away, have you?' he asked wildly,

and then as Teddy still continued to stare at him, he fell to the crown, grovelling in the dirt at the boy's feet. It was not a pretty sight, and with a little exclamation of disgust, Teddy reached down, gripped the fellow's collar, and jerked him to his feet. For heaven's sake, get up, he cried. What's the matter with you anyway? I'm not going to hurt you. You haven't come to take me away. You won't put me in prison. One simpleton, shaking and trembling, there before them till Billy put her hands before her eyes to shut out the side of him. I haven't done anything. Truly I haven't. Don't put me in prison. I'm afraid of the dark. I'm afraid of the dark. There's no telling how much longer he might have gone on in that manner, had not Teddy put a hand over his mouth and shaking him into silence. Billy, cowering back against

the wall, had begun to cry. Now, growled Teddy, giving one extra shake to the whining red. suppose you keep still a minute and try to understand what i'm going to tell you we didn't come into your cave to get you we're not going to hurt you if you'll do what we tell you we're lost and we want to get back to three towers hall do you suppose you can tell us how the simpleton relieved of his suspicion that they had come to do him harm became suddenly sullen teddy had to repeat his question before the fellow answered i can he said then if i'm want to. Teddy was about to answer angrily, but he remembered that he had heard somewhere that the only way you can get anything out of a weak-minded person is to humor them. So he controlled his temper, and said he hoped very much that the fellow would want to, and the sooner the better, or words to that effect. What's your name? asked Billy suddenly. It was the first time she had spoken, and both Teddy and the simpleton started. The latter stared at her for a moment.

open-mouthed, and then his manner underwent a bewildering change. He became softer, more normal. Evidently he had not noticed before that she was a girl, for she had been nearly hidden behind Teddy. What's your name? asked Billy again. Nick Bud, ma'am, answered the fellow, never taking his eyes from Billy's pretty face. Son of Tim Bud, the gardener up at Three Towers Hall. Oh, cried Billy delightedly. while Teddy himself felt immensely relieved.

Then you'll show us the way home, won't you? We'd be ever so much obliged to you. Yes, and said the poor Simpleton, shuffling his feet as though embarrassed. I'll show you right away. But there's a powerful lot of snow between us and the hall, he added, as he turned to leave the cave. Teddy started to take the candle to light them out, but the Simpleton, as though he had eyes in the back of his head,

turned upon Teddy furiously. You let that candle be! He cried to the astonished boy, while Billy shrank back in fresh alarm. You let that candle be. I tell you, it's my candle, ain't it? Hoo, whistled Billy, feeling a wild desire to shout. Yet afraid to do it for fear of angering still, this poor idiot. Yes, it's your candle, old man.

Be sure you take care of it. It's very precious. The Simpleton stared at him suspiciously for a moment. Then he turned his back and led the way out of the cave. Oh, Teddy, I'm scared to death, whispered Billy, as the boy grabbed tight hold of her hand and started to follow Nick Budd. You need it be, he whispered back to her. I could clean up that little shrimp with one finger, which observation, though extremely slangy, was very comforting to Billy. They found the sled outside where Teddy had dropped it when they entered the cave,

and then began a long, hard struggle with the snow and the wind that the boy and girl were to remember long afterward. They didn't talk much, for they were too busy trying to keep up with Nick Budd as he floundered through the snow, and breath was very precious. However, Billy did find a chance to ask the question that they had been looming larger and larger with each second. Teddy, whatever do you suppose the boys and girls will think of our disappearing like that, she asked him. I suppose they'll think we went off on an airplane or something, he answered, trying to be funny, and not succeeding. very well. Well, sighed Billy, I only hope they won't go and say anything about it at school. Not till we get back and have a chance to explain anyway. Teddy glanced at her quickly. Nobody would be mean enough to do that, he said decidedly.

No, I guess not, agreed Billy, but in her heart, she was not at all sure. She was thinking of Amanda Peabody. End of Chapter 11. Chapter 12 of Billy Bruby. Bradley and her classmates. This is a Leaprofox recording. All Leaprofox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LeBervox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. The accusation.

Nick Budd, plunging on in the snow ahead of the young folks, hardly once turned his head to look back. Evidently, he had made this trip often and was used to waiting through snow, halfway to his waist, for he went so swiftly that Teddy was winded, and Billy pretty near worn out, when at last they reached the road. Oh, but what a relief it was to step out on its hard, crusty firmness after the yielding depth of the snow in the field. Then Nick Bud turned and addressed them for the first time since they had left the cave behind them. This here's the road that leads to the three towers,

he told him, evidently in a sullen mood again. Just fall her straight, and you'll get there. Before either Teddy or Billy had the chance to thank him, he turned back without another word and started to retrace his steps through the heavy snow, leaving the two standing in the middle of the road, staring after him. Then Billy turned wonderingly to the boy.

Teddy, isn't he the queerest thing, she breathed? Teddy nodded. He sure is, he said soberly, adding slowly, I just wonder what made him so afraid that we were going to put him in prison. He was scared almost to death until I told him why we had come. But he's a simpleton, Billy pointed out. Poor thing. I don't suppose you could count on anything he says or does.

People who aren't all there have their moods, don't they? Is that why you act so funny sometimes, asked Teddy with a grin, and Billy pouted me. becomingly. I think you're horrid, she said, while Teddy's grin became still water. Come on, let's get back. I'm freezing to death. Don't stand there grinning like an ape, she commanded, with an impatient stamp of her foot. He looks silly. Like Nick Budd, said Teddy good-naturedly, and Billy had to smile. Look here, he added, jerking the sled toward him and motioning Billy to sit on it. We can get back much more quickly,

if you let me pull you. Get aboard, Miss Billy, and I'll give you a regular sleigh ride. Oh, fine, cried Billy as she settled herself comfortably on the big sled. Only I'm afraid it's a rather long pull, Teddy. You may get tired. Just watch me, cried the boy and galloped off at a great rate. The sled, with Billy clinging wildly to it, bumping and swaying over the hard and rough road. Meanwhile, the other boys and girls had been considerably alarmed by Teddy and Billy's abrupt disappearance. At first they supposed that the two were simply playing a trick on them and would appear when they got good and ready.

But as time passed and nothing happened, they became worried and even began to talk about a search party. Though how they could have gotten lost, I don't know, Laura had said to an agitated group, they certainly know their way about here well enough. Perhaps they got lost on purpose, said a nasal voice, and Billy's chums turned. indignantly to face the speaker.

It was Amanda, of course, and beside her, so close as to have earned her the title of Amanda's shadow, stood her friend and crony, Eliza Dilks. Laura was about to retort furiously when Billy's brother Chet pushed her aside and faced Amanda. If you were a boy, I'd know what to do to you for saying a thing like that, cried the boy, such fury in his face that Amanda was frightened. But since you're a girl,

I'll just tell you to lay off that line of talk. Billy Bradley is my sister. As Chet said the last words proudly, there is many a girl present who would have been glad to own a brother as loyal as Chet Bradley. As Amanda muttered something to herself and turned away angrily,

the boys and girls returned to the discussion of Billy and Teddy's mysterious absence. I think, suggested Paul Martinson, his face looking extremely worried, that we had better searched through the woods, thoroughly in case they're lost. Something must have happened to them to keep them away this long. He had no sooner made the suggestion than it was carried into effect,

and the girls and boys scattered through the woods in search of the two who had disappeared. They returned in a little while, however, dispirited and more anxious than ever. There was an attempt to go on with the fun and hoped that Teddy and Billy would return in a little while to laugh at their fears. but it was no use. The fun lagged, and finally the girls broke up the party altogether by declaring their intention of going back to the school.

Billy may be at the hall now, for all we know, Connie said hopefully, as they started back along the road. She may have been cold or something and asked Teddy to take her home. Sniffed Laura, that sounds a lot like Billy. Nevertheless, they did hope that, as foolish as it sounded, Billy had returned to the hall before they, them. But when they reached there and found no sign of either her or Teddy, they were puzzled and more worried than ever. The boys had gone on to the academy, and there is not one of them

who was not disturbed in his mind. Teddy was as popular at the academy as Billy was at the hall, and besides, Billy was a general favorite with all the lads. I'll wait a little while after I get back, Chet told them, as they tramped back silently, their sleep. bloods, skidding along behind them, and then I'll call up the hall. If Billy isn't back by then, we'll have to notify the police, or something. And at the hall, her classmates had decided to wait a little while also, before they reported Billy's disappearance to Miss Walters. Probably nothing serious had happened, they argued, and if Miss Walters were notified, Billy might have a lot of explaining to do that otherwise she would be saved. But as the minutes

sped by and still no sign of Billy. They fidgeted and squirmed and could set their minds to nothing. Then suddenly, Connie Danvers rushed into the dormitory, her eyes blazing with the wrath. What do you suppose? she cried when the girls gathered around her. I met Carolyn Brent in the hall just now, and she said that Amanda and the shadow were spreading the report that Billy and Teddy ran away on purpose. "'Ah, the sneak! The wretched sneak!' cried Laura, making a dash for the door. But she stopped suddenly, and ran back to Connie.

Has she gone to Miss Walters with that report, she asked? Her hands working as though she longed to get hold of Amanda. "'I don't think so,' replied Connie. She hasn't had time yet. "'Lora, where are you going?' For Laura had started off the door again. To find Amanda, of course, Laura cried over her shoulders she flung out of the rim. I'll see that she doesn't get to Miss Walters with that report.

She has the right idea, girls, said Viac excitedly. We mustn't let Amanda say such things about Billy. Why, if Miss Walters heard it, it would be dreadful. Come on, then, said Connie, adding recklessly, we'll see that Amanda doesn't squeal if we have to gag her. They found Amanda and her shadow haranguing a group of younger girls at the end of the hall on the first floor. Billy's champions, coming upon the group suddenly,

overheard the last of Amanda's speech. Of course her friends say she didn't do it on purpose, the girl was saying. But I know she did, and I'm going straight to Miss Walters and tell her about it. Laura started toward the sneak, but she drew back so suddenly as nearly to lose her balance and had to be steadied with the girls behind her. For a familiar figure, hidden until that moment by the shadows about the great entrance door, suddenly swung into the light and faced Amanda. Now what have you said behind my back? rang out a clear voice.

You can tell me to my face. It's Billy, gasped Laura in relief. Sab, she looks good to me. Come on. I have a notion she may need a little help, said Connie, as she made her way to Billy's side, causing the freshman who had been Amanda's audience to scatter and panic. Laura and Vy and several others followed,

but Billy did not seem to notice. them. Her eyes were still upon Amanda. The latter, taken by surprise, at first looked about her for some means of escape. Then, seeing that she was cornered, she straightened up defiantly. The usual sneer overspread her mean features. "'Oh, all right,' she said. "'I'm not afraid to tell the truth if you are. "'Did you and Teddy Jordan have a good time when you ran away today?' "'It's false,' replied Billy furiously, and I'll make you take it back. What's this?

What's this? Interrupted a cool voice behind them, and Billy turned with tears of rage in her eyes to face Miss Arbuckle. Miss Arbuckle, she pleaded intensely, Make her take it back. What she said about me. It isn't true. Oh, it isn't true.

End of Chapter 12. Chapter 13 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Librevard. recording all livervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit livervox dot org billy bradley and her classmates by janet d wheeler billy is chosen miss arbuckle laid a kindly hand on billy's shoulder and looked at amanda inquiringly the latter was smiling triumphantly billy had done what she had hoped she would do she amanda would tell what in her meanly mind she really thought was a truth and get billy in bad with the powers that be what is this that you are telling about beatrice amanda asked miss arbuckle adding impatient of amanda's grin be quick about it she and teddy jordan ran off together to-day and were gone for about three hours she said triumphantly billy just came in billy's eyes black and her white set face looked up at miss arbuckle steadily i didn't know do it, Miss Arbuckle, she said, her lips quivering. I... I couldn't. I know you couldn't,

Billy Bradley, said Miss Arbuckle, so unexpectedly that Amanda's mouth dropped open from sheer surprise. There must be some mistake. But they were away together for three hours, Amanda repeated, angry at having this tempting morsel of revenge, snatched away from her at the last minute. I know it. That will do, Amanda, said Miss Arbuckle's turn. you have been guilty several times of starting stories about the girls that have had absolutely no foundation and truth and i warn you that if you are caught again in this mischief it may need serious trouble for you you say she added turning soberly to billy that you and teddy jordan did not leave the other boys and girls this morning oh yes we did said billy so eager to explain that her words tripped all over themselves only we didn't do it on purpose purpose. Miss Arbuckle looked grave, and Amanda's triumphant Lear returned. "'Please let me explain,' began poor Billy, but the teacher interrupted her.

"'Yes, I want you to,' she said, only not just now. Come to me tomorrow morning at nine, Billy, and I want you to be there also, Amanda. In the meantime,' she added to the latter, "'you will make no mention of this affair in any way. Do you understand?' and at Miss Harbuckle's command the small group of girls that had gathered dispersed to their various dormitories, talking excitedly of what had happened. Billy was too tired and cold, and worn out with conflicting emotions, to talk much at first, but under the tireless cross-questioning of the girls, she gradually began to give them the story of a remarkable adventure. They were very much excited about Nick Budd in the cave, and declared that they must visit it,

and Billy must show them the way. But Billy, who was comfortably stretched out on her bed, with Vye rubbing one half-rozen hand, and Laura the other, absolutely denied that she would do anything of the sort. It sounds very interesting now, she said, but I tell you, I was scared to death while it lasted. I wouldn't go back to that place for a million dollars. Oh, girls, she added stretching luxuriously. You don't know how heavily it feels just to be where it's warm. didn't teddy keep you warm astro's bells her wickedly but just then the door opened and amanda came into the room needless to say billy did not answer the question promptly at nine o'clock the next morning billy went to miss arbuckle and told her the story of yesterday's adventure just as it had happened and miss harbuckle to amanda's immense disgust believed her a little talk by the teacher on the wisdom of taking fewer chances in the future ended the interview to which billy had been looking forward with not a little dread and amanda found herself once more facing the problem of how to get even with billy

the girls talked and wondered about the queer little cave and simple dick bud but as the days went on and they were whirled into a veritable maelstrom of quizzes and examinations they gradually forgot the incident it seemed that the schoolwork was to be unusually interesting that year there were the usual number of essays to be written and for one miss walters had offered a prize to the girl turning in the best work the title of the essay was the world's greatest generals and any girl in the school was entitled to try for it there were other prizes offered too but billy whose mark in english was usually the highest of her class thought that she would try for the composition prize laura and connie and rose belser were going to enter the list with her but vi and nelly bane decided to try for the highest mark in geometry working for a price makes the work seem more like a game said connie as she happily looked up her greatest generals i'm as excited as if i were going to a party well you'd better not get too excited advised why pulling a lock of her hair absently in order to solve a particularly steep problem in her beloved geometry billy is sure to come off with the essay prize oh she is she spoke up rose who had set her heart on the essay prize herself and who could never quite stifle her former jealousy of billy well maybe she is but i'm going to give her a run for her money just the same good cried billy looking up from a book and smiling sunnily at rose that's the kind of game i like to play and how about us said laura smiling ruefully over at fluffy-haired connie we don't seem to be in this at all besides their studies the girls had the ghost club to think about and the importance of initiating new members they had decided upon two of the freshmen for the honor one a fair-haired intelligent girl named anne fleming

and the second, a laughing imp of a girl with red hair and red-brown eyes, who bore the name of Ada Slope. Both girls stood well in their studies and showed a remarkable popularity among their classmates, considering the short time they had been at the hall. And of course, they were overwhelmed with joy when Billy drew them aside one day and ordered them to be in the gymnasium at not later than nine o'clock that night. They were there before nine, shivering in the darkness of the big gym, gymnasium and wishing that this fearful business of being initiated were over and done with. A few minutes later, the ghosts arrived and put the girls through a series of trials that tested

their courage and endurance to the limit. They were made to walk the plank blindfolded. They were prepared for branding with a red-hot poker and then touched with a lump of ice that made them cry out in a match in pain. They were handed all sorts of slimy things, harmless in themselves. but terrifying to the overstrained nerves of the girls. But they came out of the test with flying colors, and the members of the club were well satisfied with their choice. And now, said Rose Belser, who was still president of the club, as the handkerchiefs were removed from the eyes of the new members,

we are about to put to the test a new rule suggested by a fellow ghost. The girls held their breath, for the announcement was a surprise to all but Billy, who had herself made the suggestion. it occurred to this fellow member of our illustrious club rose went on in a deep voice looking very weird and ghostly in her long white ceremonia robe with only slits cut in it for the eyes and nose and mouth that it is only fair to the new members who have stood the test to suggest some difficult feat for one of the old members to perform this person to be chosen by the new members of the club the girls were silent for a moment sitting there like so many actual ghosts in their white rogues and they thrilled with excitement as they realized the possibilities of the new rule if it should be accepted it was fair for it would give the girls who had gone through the hazing a chance to get even and it would also be lots of fun for themselves so when rose called in a sepulchral voice for a vote there was a unanimous cry of i

billy smiled under her white mask thiefily she had known that the girls would be good sports the suggestion has been unanimously accepted rose romadon in the deep voice she adopted for such occasions fellow ghosts we will now withdraw and give our fellow members a chance to consult upon this important topic you don't have to withdraw cried red hair to ada slope with a giggle that she could not entirely suppress despite the seriousness the occasion. I'll give a nickel to any girl who will climb up into Tower number three with only a candle to see by. And I'll give a dine, said Anne Fleming, decidedly. A ripple of very human laughter ran through the ghosts, and Rose had to demand order three times before she was obeyed. Very well, she said then, our new members have decided. It now remains for them to select one among our number, to do this mighty deed. Advanced new members of the Ghost Club. Choose. And Fleming put out her hand and touched one white robe figure. I choose this one, she said. Tis done, cried Ada Sloke dramatically.

Oh, poetic justice, for the chosen one was Billy. End of Chapter 13, read by Nancy Cochran Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, November 23, 2002. Chapter 14 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. A blood-stained handkerchief.

The next problem was to find the candle for the ghost to carry up to the gloomy heights of Tower No. 3. Ada Slope, little minx that she was, had chosen this particular one of the three towers for which the hall was named, because of a legend among the girls, started from goodness knows where, that this tower was haunted. Now, Billy was not by any means a coward, and she had proved by her behavior in the spooko mansion at Cherry Corners that she was not inclined to believe in or fear of ghosts. Yet, when Ada's slope ran hastily up to her room, and returned bearing a tiny Christmas candle, which was all that Billy was to have to accompany her on her perilous journey, it must be admitted that her heart began to beat a little faster, and she was guilty, for a moment, of wishing that Ada's slope had picked on any other girl but herself.

However, she acted so perfectly that there was not one of her chums but who thought that she was delighted at the chance to explore the gloomy old tower. with one little candle for company suppose she thought to herself as laura lighted the candle for her or at least she thought it was laura they all looked pretty much alike in their ghostly robes suppose it should go out when i reached the top of the tower and i should have to find my way back in the dark courage rose-bells cried as she pushed billy toward the door the candle flickering in her hand there are those who say that tower number three is haunted but let me remind you friend that a ghost is never afraid of a ghost farewell this was not a very encouraging speech though billy could not help giggling about it as she climbed the back stairs to the first floor the house was as still as death for it was after ten o'clock now and it was after ten o'clock now and she could not help giggling about it as she climbed the back stairs to the first floor the house was as still as death for it was after ten o'clock now and and everybody, even Miss Walters, seemed to be in bed. Billy almost ran up to second and third flights, stumbling over her white robe,

and shielding the flickering candle with her hand, for fear it would go out. When she reached the fourth floor, which was really the attic, she went more slowly, for the place was dark and spooky. So she said, and the noise of her footsteps frightened her.

The tiny light of her candle seemed to make the shadowy corners of the place, all the more startlingly black. Once she thought she heard a noise and stopped short, her heart beating suffocatingly in her throat, but it was only the wind sighing drearily around the place, and she went on again, more slowly now, starting at every real or imaginary sound.

The stairway that led to the third tower was at the very end of the long attic, and as she came near to it, Billy's courage almost failed her. It seemed to her that something sinister and terrible, was closing it around her, and she pressed her hand against her mouth to keep from screaming. She could see the dim outline of the stairway right before her, but she was afraid to go forward, and she dared not go back. What would the girl say if she went back to them, and

confessed that she had been too cowardly to stand the test? She would be disgraced forever in the eyes of her chums. Her reputation of her daring and bravery would be gone. She might even be asked to resign from the Ghost Club. For a long minute she stood there, fighting the desire to rush back to her friends and human companionship. Then, with a sharp intake of breath, she forced herself to approach the stairs. With every step she stopped and listened, glancing about her fearfully, but nothing, save the sound of her own rapid breathing, broke the musty, heavy silence of the place. I must go on, I must go on, she kept telling herself over and over again. To the very top of the tower, to the top of the tower.

What was that? A reddling, a scurrying, a scratching of tiny feet across the floor. Billy screamed, but stifled the sound halfway by stuffing a handkerchief into her mouth. Her eyes were wide with terror. Her hair began to stand on in, and with a little moan she made a rush for the stairs up which she had come a minute before. She had almost reached them when by the light of her candle, she saw something running across the floor. It was a mouse. Weakly, she leaned against the wall, trying to summon what remained of her courage. They're only mice, silly. They can't hurt you, she told herself,

while her hand shook so that she could scarcely hold the candle. Then a sudden thought made her start back for the tower stairs almost on a run. The candle was burning low. She must hurry or she would be left in the dark. Just a quick dive up the stairs to the tower room, and the deed would be done. She could go back, then, to friends and lights and adulation, for she would be able to tell them proudly that she had done what no other girl had dared to do, climbed to the top of Tower Three. With such thoughts, she bolstered up her courage and ran swiftly up the stairs, but the swish of her garments in that silent place frightened her, and she stopped before she had quite reached the top. She listened intently.

was it imagination or had she really heard that eerie whisper in her ear felt the soft brushing of a dress against hers of course it was only imagination she mustn't think such things or she could never climb to the top of those hateful stairs she must go on and on to the top the very top again that scurrying and squealing as she disturbed another nest of mice she grasped the banister frantically to steady herself she must go up up finally she had reached the top of the stairs and for one joyful minute she thought that she had climbed to the top of the tower she could go back again to the girls she had turned toward the stairs when her eyes fell on an object that made her breath catch in her throat revealed by the uncertain flare of the candle was a ladder leaving apparently to some room above of course that must be the tower room then she still had some climbing to do before her task was finished. Billy's heart sank as she approached the ladder, stumbling over bits of junk and rubbish that littered the floor. She must hurry, too, for the candle was burning down,

and she must not be left in the dark in that place. She would go crazy, or something. Outside the wind was rising, and it wailed around the corners of the old building with an unspeakably weird and mournful sound that filled Billy with a dreadful premonition of evil. she really felt as she hesitated at the foot of the ladder that she must get back to the girls or she would go mad her knees were trembling so that she was afraid she could never climb the ladder to the top but she must do it or go back to the girl's disgraced one hand grasped the rung above her head while the other held aloft the flickering candle and she began the difficult climb hampered by the long white robe that clung like something alive about her angles

and by the necessity of holding the candle four rungs five runs six rungs was the latter a mile long she wondered while the wind wailed still more dismally about the house then at last she reached the top her candle showed a small door not more than four feet high the door to the tower room her hand felled for the knob she grasped it the door was locked To make sure, Billy gave the door a vigorous shake, and as it did so, something white and soft flooded to her feet, and fell on the top rung of the ladder. For a minute, Billy felt faint and dizzy, and she had to cling to the ladder desperately to keep from falling. The next moment she saw that what had frightened her was only a handkerchief, and she stooped to pick it up. It was old and stained. What was that stain upon it? She brought the little square of and closer to her eyes, and then, with a stifled scream, she flung it from her while a candle fell

from her nerveless fingers and went out, leaving her in the dark. The stain on the handkerchief was, Blood! Billy never remembers to this day how she got out of that awful place. Someway, she half fell, half scrambled down the ladder, stumbled and fell and stumbled again in her mad rush across the pitch-black attic to the head of the stairs. Then, down, down, down, a countless number of stairs that came up and hit her in the face. Down, down to the gymnasium where thousands of ghostly figures rushed at her.

Oh, what could have happened? Do you have frightened her so? She heard a voice saying from a long, long distance, and she opened her eyes to find Laura's white face bending anxiously over her, while other white-faced girl stared at her pityingly. she struggled to her feet but her knees wavered so that she sat down again quite suddenly what's the matter with you all she asked then as the memory of what had happened came back to her in a flood she shuddered and instinctively she looked down at her hands to see if they still held that piece of linen with a stain upon it oh i remember she murmured as though talking to herself the girls were watching her anxiously i threw it away what honey asked laura gently the blood-stained handkerchief

end of chapter fourteen read by nancy cochrane gurgen gilbert arizona november twenty seven two thousand twenty two Chapter 15 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is the Libervox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. A discovery They took the other girls some time to get the whole story from Billy,

but when she had stammered it out to them, they broke into a babble of excited exclamations that threatened to bring one of the teachers to their hiding place. It was Billy herself who thought of this danger, and who finally managed to calm them down a little. Not so loud, she entreated, still feeling faint and shaky from her experience. You know what will happen if somebody finds us here. But Billy, protested Laura, though her voice sank to a more cautious whisper. We've got to do something about it, you know. there may have been a murder or something up there.

Perhaps we'd better all go back with Billy, and try to get into that little room at the head of the ladder, suggested one of the girls, but the mere idea made Billy shudder. You can go, she said decidedly, but I'm through for tonight. Oh, well, if you won't go, said the girl dejectedly. It's all off, of course.

We need a guide. I don't see why, protested Billy. Nobody gave me a guide. No, and it was a shame to send you away up there all alone, said by, putting a protective arm about her. It's a wonder you didn't die of fright. I suppose, said Anne Fleming thoughtfully, we might tell one of the teachers about it, or Miss Walters, perhaps, and she could go up with us to the tower. Say, interrupted Rose Belser, with her most pronounced drawl, as she looked contemptuously upon the freshmen who had proposed so foolish a thing.

It's easy to see you haven't been at three towers long, Anne. Now, just what do you suppose would happen if we told Miss Walters that we were up after hours initiating and doing stunts? I... I didn't think of that, stammered Anne, completely crushed. I thought you didn't, answered Rose dryly. For some time afterward, the girls discussed in odd whispers the startling thing that had happened, and then somebody suddenly conceived the idea

that it would not be a bad thing to go to bed. Billy was looking very white and shaky after her ordeal. Then, too, it was getting late, and there was always the chance of discovery by some over-curious teacher. But I'll never, never sleep a wink, said By, as they file ghost-like out of the gymnasium. I know I'll be dreaming of blood-stained handkerchiefs all night long.

"'And I don't think it's fair,' powdered Connie, "'for Billy to have all the adventures. "'First she gets lost with Teddy and discovers a perfectly good cave, "'and then she unearths a thrilling mystery like this. "'Too much good luck for one person.' "'Good luck,' repeated Billy ruefully. "'Well, if you call that good luck, "'I certainly would hate to be the one to find out what bad luck is.'

"'Hush,' ordered Rose, once more assuming the deep voice of the head of the ghost. some one may hear you and will all be shot at sunrise i never get up that early giggled laura many and varied were the plans the girls made for a storming of tower number three in the hope of solving the mystery of that little locked door and the blood-stained handkerchief however there seemed to be so many obstacles in the way of carrying out these plans that they reluctantly decided to give up the idea at least for the time being and anyway loride said in one of her discussions the blood-stains on that handkerchief might not have meant anything mysterious at all maybe somebody had a nosebleed how romantic girl droves while the other girls giggled at the idea their studies in the race for prizes absorbed the classmates in the days that followed and gradually the mystery if indeed it was a mystery faded from their minds billy worked hard and thought she was getting along fine Finally, she convinced to grow a trifle pale, and at this Vi and Laura shook their heads. Don't overdo it, Billy, said Vi. No kind of prize is worth one's health, added Laura. Don't worry about me, declared Billy with a smile. I know what you want to do. Make me let up so you can

pass me. Oh, you know better than that, cried Laura. Of course she does, came from Vi. Now remember, don't study so hard that you get sick. No danger, retorted Billy early. It was nearly a week later, when Billy suddenly realized that there was another thing they had almost forgotten, and that was Polly Haddon and her unhappy little family. And poor little Peter, said by it penitently,

when Billy spoke to her about it. He must be either better or dead by this time. Suppose we go over tomorrow, the next day being Saturday, Laura suggested. We can walk to town first, or maybe we can get Tim Budd to drive us over in the wagon. We can get some good canned stuff, soups and things, and take them over to the Haddens when we go. The next day the girl sought out Tim Bud, who was the gardener at the hall, and who was also, Alas, the father of poor, simple Nick Bud, with whom Teddy and Billy had had so queer an experience.

After a great deal of coaxing, they succeeded in getting the gardener. to take them to town in the carry-all. From this, it may be seen, that Tim acted a chauffeur also upon occasion. They were in hilarious spirits all the way to town and back again, and it was not until they had almost reached three towers that by made a suggestion that somehow clouded their faces. Suppose you won't accept these things, she said,

giving the well-stocked basket at her feet a little shove. You said yourself she was awfully proud, Billy. Billy looked sober for a moment, but Laura, as ever, found something to laugh at. Why worry about that? said the incorrigible one, gaily. If she doesn't want them, we'll have a midnight feast and use them ourselves. Tim Budd let them out the hall, and they walked the rest of the way to the little cottage. Mrs. Haddon herself opened the door, but she looked so pale and when that they hardly recognized her. The woman welcomed the girls absently, as if her mind were great way off, but when her eyes fell on the basket, a resigned little smile played about her lips.

More charity, she muttered, as though to herself. Well, I will take it because I must, but I'll pay it back. She turned proudly upon the girls, and her fine eyes flashed. No one can say of Polly Hedon that she left her debts unpaid. Taken aback by this unexpected declaration, the girl said nothing, but shifted their feet uneasily, wishing fervently that Polly Haddon would turn the fire of her black eyes on something else. But almost instantly the woman's mood became softer, and, seeing the girl's embarrassment, she tried to put them at their ease. Thank you so much, she said. Won't you sit down? The basket is heavy, and you have come a long way. The girls, not knowing what else to do, sat down on the three spindly chairs awkwardly enough,

and Lauren Vy sent distress signals Billy words, for Billy was always their spokesman. So Billy, who had been as much abashed as any of them at their rather queer reception, found her tongue with difficulty, and asked Mrs. Haddon how Peter was. He is dreadfully low, Mrs. Hadden answered softly. Her head drooped wearily, and her hands were crossed listlessly in front of her. The doctor says it is not even an even chance whether he lives or dies. The girls murmured their very real sympathy, and Billy started to ask another question when the door at the other end of the room opened, and the two little girls, Mary and Isabel, entered. At sight of the visitors, they looked startled and started to retreat, but their

mother called to them. "'Come here,' she said, and the children sidled slowly up to her where they stood, their large eyes fixed shyly on the girls. "'Don't you know these young ladies?' asked the mother, putting an arm about each of the poor little thin things caressingly, and drawing them up close to her. There are the ones who brought you home that day that you were naughty and ran away, and they have been very kind to us since.

There was a slight sound from the room beyond where poor little Peter lay so desperately ill, and Mrs. Haddon rose suddenly, leaving the two little girls and the three big girls together. It would have been hard to tell at first who was the most embarrassed, but as no children had ever known to resist Billy for very long, the two little haddens were soon won over, and chatted to the three big girls in careless, innocent child fashion. We get good things eat now, said Isabel confidentially, speaking of the thing that loomed biggest and most important in her starved little life.

A man comes almost every night with a basket, just like this, and she eyed the basket which the girls had brought with hungry eyes. "'Yes, and he's a funny little man, too,' added Mary. "'Her big eyes round with eagerness. "'He has whiskers, and he stoops, dreadful.' "'A glance of understanding passed between the chums. "'That description, Vib began. "'Suits Tim Budd,' added Laura.

"'To a T. finished Billy.' "'Eend of Chapter 15, read by Nancy Cochran-Gurgan, Gilbert, Arizona, November 28, 2002. Chapter 16 of Billy Bradley at her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,

please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Christmas cheered. So Miss Walters was seeing to it that Polly hadn't received food regularly. Almost every night. of course miss walters had promised to look out for the family but the girls had hardly expected her to be so generous and while they were still turning the revelation over wonderingly in their minds polly hadn't called to them softly from the other room it was a bare little room in which they stepped bearer and poorer than even they had imagined and in the midst of a little iron bed lay peter so pathetically white and emaciated that it tore their heart to look at him.

Is he very bad? asked Billy, turning to weary-eyed Polly Haddon. The doctor says he almost surely will die, answered the latter in the toneless voice. He has just one chance out of a hundred. And, as though speaking the doctor's name had brought him there, the big man himself entered at that moment and the girls took that opportunity to say goodbye. Poor little Peter sighed Billy, as they watch. slowly homeward. I suppose, if he dies, poor Mrs. Haddon will nearly die, too. I wish there was something we could do, said by, frowning.

I don't know what more we could do than we have done, said Laura gloomily. Except, said Billy, thoughtfully, her eyes fixed on the far horizon. Find that invention of hers. I imagine that would make her so happy that she might even persuade poor little Peter to live. good gracious cried laura throwing up her hands in a despairing gesture she's raving again girls she's raving again billy laughed but her eyes were still very thoughtful but the holiday season was upon them and it was impossible for the girls to be gloomy or unhappy for very long they wished with all their hearts that polly hadden and her pathetic little brood might be made happy and prosperous once more but even while they were wishing they could not shake off the exultant thought that Christmas was coming, and Christmas, to most of them, met home and family and turkeys and cranberry sauce and presents. Oh, oodles of presents!

No holiday quite as good as good old Christmas, observed Laura Gayley, as she danced around with a package she had just been doing up in a red ribbon. I'm with you on that, declared Billy. Oh, do you know, sometimes I can hardly wait till Christmas comes. But you'll wait just the same, drawled by. We all will. It's waiting that makes it worthwhile, declared Billy. It's like the small boy in the circus. Tell him in the morning that you will take him in the afternoon, and it doesn't amount to much. But tell him a month ahead, and he'll get a whole month's fun out of it before it comes off.

All right, Billy, I'll tell you a secret. whispered by, with a twinkle in her eyes. About a year from now, we'll have another Christmas. And now is your time to start thinking about it. And then there were giggles all around. I'll wait for one Christmas to be over before I think of the next, declared Billy. Billy had asked Connie Danvers to come home with her for over the holidays, but Connie, after riding eagerly home for permission, had had to refuse the invitation.

Mrs. Danvers thanked Mrs. Bradley and Billy, but there was to be a big reunion of the Danvers family that Christmas, and they had all counted on having Connie with them. If Billy could come home with Connie for Christmas, but here Billy shook her head decidedly, though the invitation was an enticing one. She knew that her mother would certainly want her at home for the most wonderful day in all the year.

And so when the time came, that classmates went their son. several ways, after many fond embraces had been exchanged, to say nothing of various mysterious little green and red-ribbon parcels. The Christmas spirit is a wonderful thing, intangible, yet so real, that even the most hardened old reprobate will thrill to the magic of it. And, as these girls were neither hardened nor reprobates, they were kept in a continual state of excitement and joyful anticipation for two whole weeks before the great day arrived. ever since the opening of three towers hall in the fall the girls had used their spare moments to sew on little mysterious things which were immediately hidden upon the arrival of any of their fellow-students

and now these same pieces of needlework began to blossom forth in gay be ribbon boxes that passed between the girls in a continual stream sometimes one would be found between the sheets of a girl's bed when she jumped in at night and the touch of it would elicit a muffled shriek to be followed by hysterical giggles when the gift was pulled from its hiding place, and disclosed in all its glory, to be admired and exclaimed over by the girls who had not been lucky enough to bark their shins on gifts of their own. And sometimes another berubin parcel would find its way into the stocking of a lucky maiden while she slept, or be discovered in an out-of-the-way corner of her desk, nearly covered by books and papers. And as a time drew still nearer, even interest in their studies flag, and the teachers, wisely forbearing to force them, entered into the fund themselves, knowing that one could not study much while the

Christmas cheer was in the air. The girls had fondly hoped that Teddy and Chet and Ferd would be able to make the return trip with them, but as Boxton Academy did not close for the holidays until the day after the official close of the three towers, the girls were forced to give up the idea. Oh, well, Billy said, resignedly, as long as they get there for Christmas, it will be time enough. The day of release came at last, and found the three North Bend girls doing a two-step of impatience on the station platform, waiting for the train, which was already half an hour late. Goodness, but your bed looks stuffed, Billy, remarked Laura, stopping before Billy's big suitcase, whose bulging sides did look as though they might.

burst at any moment and disgorched the contents. It has twenty presents in it, confided Billy, surveying her fat property with a loving eye. I only hope it holds out till we get home, that's all. Then the train puffed around the bend and slowed up to the station, and several hours later, three very much flushed, very much excited, and very pretty young girls, popped off the train at North Bend and straight into the arms of their doting families.

Merry Christmas, they cried to everyone in general, and no one in particular. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Oh, isn't it glorious to be at home? The boys arrived the next day, and they all had a great reunion at Billy's home, where they exchanged presents and talked in hushed tones of what they hoped that Santa Claus would bring them. Tomorrow! For this was Christmas Eve! But the party broke up soon, and they all went to better. so that they could get up at six o'clock the next morning at the very latest.

Oh, the fun of anticipating and the joy of Christmas day. First of all, the bulging stocking with its slumps of coal, and pieces of carefully wrapped sugar with really pretty things stuck in between. Then the mad rush for the Christmas tree, and the admiring exclamations over its glittering beauty, and then the opening of the gay-briven boxes, the laughter, the joy, the tears, as each little parcel disclosed something prettier, or funnier, or dearer than the last.

It was all so wonderful that it was a pity it could not have lasted forever. Then, after Christmas, one glorious, ecstatic week of fun that passed like a day. There were dances and parties and sleigh-rides and so many other festivities that there was hardly a minute of the day that was not accounted for. it was not till the week was almost over that the girls thought penitently of the haddens i wonder said billy as she turned over and over in her fingers a ten-dollar gold piece that had been a gift from an aunt what kind of christmas poor little peters had oh for goodness sake billy laura replied and little impatiently what is the use of spoiling all our fun by bringing up the unhappiness of some one else we can't help it if the hadens haven't had as nice a christmas as we have we certainly have done all we could but vi had been eyeing billy's gold piece and suddenly she had a bright idea all her own listen she said pulling out her pocket-book and fumbling in it eagerly she brought out a glistening five-dollar gold piece we all got a little money in gold this christmas suppose we do it up in a box and leave it at the hadn't's door when we get back we have enough money to get along with for the rest of the term anyway for a moment laura looked a little bit undecided

But Billy jumped up, ran over to Vye, and hugged her. "'You're a perfect angel,' she cried. "'That's just exactly what I was thinking myself. "'Only I wasn't going to ask you, girls. "'I was just going to leave mine and say nothing about it.' "'Oh, well,' rumbed Laura, "'taking her own bright coin from its hiding place "'and handing it over reluctantly.

"'If you girls are going to be foolish, "'I suppose I've got to be too. "'Only it's no joke, she added, in a plaintive tone that made the girls giggle, when you think of all the sodas and candy you buy. At last, the long-anticipated holidays were at an end, and, after a few days of readjustment at the school, the class-bait settled down to work in earnest.

For the rest of the semester was crowded with work, and the prices were held out as a glittering bait to spur them on to fresh endeavor. Only once, after their return to the hall, the girls fell in time to run over to see the Haddens, hoping to be able to hide the generous gift they had decided to make, in some inconspicuous place, where it would not be discovered until they had had time to make their escape. Polly Hadens seemed very glad indeed to see them, but she had no good news to report of Peter. He was still very low, but the doctor, great man that he was, was vending every energy to bring him through. but he will die, said the mother despairingly. There are so little left of him now

that I wonder that every breath he draws as not his last. Oh, my little boy, my poor little boy, I'll not let him be taken for me. They comforted her as best they could, and then Billy, to the astonishment of her chums, began asking questions about the knitting machinery model, the disappearance of which had so changed life for this distracted woman. was the model large or was a small so that it could easily be stolen and hidden away she asked while polly hadn't looked up at her with something like surprise in her black eyes

it was large she answered and rather heavy it could not be easily stolen and neither could it have been hidden away in any small place that is why we wondered but why do you ask i don't know answered billy honestly perhaps it is just because-because I would like to help you so much. The woman reached over and patted her hand gently, but her eyes had become listless again. You, everybody, have been so good to me, she said, tonelessly. I don't know why you have been so good. No one ever was before. But there is one thing you cannot do for me.

You cannot restore my poor husband's invention, the loss of which cost is death. That would be a miracle. and in these days no one is working miracles. Mrs. Haddon left the room for a moment, and, in that moment, Billy slipped the little box containing their three precious gold pieces behind the alarm clock that stood on a shelf over the sink. The woman returned before Billy had quite finished,

but she was too worried and anxious and unhappy to notice anything unusual, and the little box was still safe in its hiding place when the girls took their leave a few minutes later. Won't she be surprised when she finds it? Quote by, delighted me. I feel like Santa Claus. Well, you don't look like it, returned Laura. Your face isn't red enough. End of Chapter 16, read by Nancy Cochran Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, November 30,

2002. Chapter 17 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the book. public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit livervox.org. Billy Bradley under class fades by Janet D. Wheeler. Billy on guard. From this remark of Laura's, it may be easily seen that she was still a little grouchy about having to give up five dollars worth of sodas in candy. But a way down in her heart,

she derived more real pleasure from the thought of what her gold piece would buy for the Haddens then she would out of a great deal more than five dollars worth of pleasure for herself. Billy, spoke up by suddenly, after they had walked some little way in silence, what did you ask Mrs. Haddon about that lost invention for? Yes, it sounded as if you really knew something about it, Laura took her up eagerly. You don't, do you? Not a thing in the world, Billy replied quickly. Only, she added slowly, the same thoughtful look in her eyes that had had,

had been there before. So many queer things have happened to me lately that I'm getting sort of queer myself, I guess. I can't help thinking about that cave Teddy and I found. Well, I don't blame you for thinking of it, said Laura, looking curiously at her chum. I think of it myself quite often. But what has that to do with the stolen machinery models? Nothing, of course, said Billy, adding as the three towers of the grand old hall loomed into view. but I would like to have a look at the inside of that cave again. Maybe the models were taken there and broken up. The cave was full of junk.

Laura, really curious by this time, was about to put a question when she saw Amanda and the shadow approaching and the question died in her throat. The three classmates, who never deliberately cut anybody, nodded to the two girls in a friendly enough manner, but the latter looked straight at them and never so much as wankton I.

Shoo! Whistled Laura softly, as the chum stopped and looked back after the unmanorly girls. Cut, by jinx? And by Amanda, of all people, added by, in the same tone. Well, come on, said Billy, and she turned and led the way up the steps. There's no use standing there and looking after them like a lot of wooden Indians.

I'd like, she added, her temper getting the better of her for a moment. I would like to ring that girl's neck. Do you know, said Vi, a few minutes later, when they were washing themselves in the dormitory, that Amanda has entered for the composition prize? The girls looked at her unbelievingly. Amanda, cried Billy, laughing at the absurdity of the thing.

Why, Amanda can hardly write her own name. You know that. Of course I know it, agreed Vi, scrubbing her face vigorously. That's why it seems so silly. Unless she asked something up her sleeve, she added meaningly. How did you find out? asked Laura, curling up on the bed and regarding her chum severely. Did she tell you? Tell me, repeated Vi with a chuckle. That is a good one.

No, I just happened to overhear her telling Eliza that she had entered for the composition prize and that she was going to give Billy Bradley this surprise in her life. She surely does love. me sighed Billy as she pulled her pretty curls into place. I don't see why she doesn't pick on somebody else for a change. Well, you better look out, that's all, said Vye, wrinkling her forehead seriously. I'm almost sure she is planning some crooked work, and it is up to us to double-cross her. Here, hear, cried Laura, delightedly, and Vye is the one who is always calling me down for using slang.

Fine for beginner, Vye, darling. keep it up. The result of this revelation of vise was to make the girls watch Amanda and the shadow more carefully than ever before. And if it had not been for just this watchfulness, there is no telling what might have happened to Billy Bradley and threw her to her classmates. And this was the way it happened. Luckily for the three North Bend chums, Amanda and her shadow shared the dormitory with them and Rose Belser. And so it was. that billy coming in unexpectedly one day heard the very end of a sentence spoken in the loud whisper by amanda and though it was only the end of the sentence it told a great deal to billy whose suspicions had already been aroused at ten o'clock to-night in miss race's room were the words she caught the fact that amanda stopped speaking at sight of her and grew an unsightly brick-red gave billy further proof that the girl was plotting mischief

very probably the scapegoat was to be herself she gave no sign that she had heard anything out of the ordinary but when she had found the book she had come for and was out in the hall once more her heart was pounding heavily and her face was hot ever since he had come to three towers amanda had done her best to discredit billy she had not succeeded so far but sometimes she might was this the time thought billy a dull rage taking possession of her no she would not let amanda get the better of her she would outwit her now that she had been warned then a dreadful thought came to her suppose amanda thinking she had given her secret away postpone her miss plot, whatever it was, until another time. No wonder Billy answered questions queerly that afternoon, so queerly, in fact, that one teacher asked her if she were ill and would like to be excused. But Billy did not want to be excused. That would mean more time to herself to think. And so, she blundered through the miserable afternoon, and her heart jumped with relief when the last gong sounded that meant liberty. Connie and Laura overtook her in the hall on the way to the

dormitory, and Laura looked actually anxious. What was the matter with you this afternoon, she asked. Why, you answered no three times when it should have been yes, and it sounded so silly. I'd have had to laugh if I hadn't been scared to death. What is it, Billy? added Connie, putting an arm about her friend. You look dreadfully white. Aren't you feeling well?

Then, pulling them into a secluded corner of the dormitory, Billy told them what she had heard, and as Vai came in, just as she had finished, she had to tell it all over again, just for her benefit. Of course, the girls were all angry, and Laura wanted to go and have it out with Amanda at once, but Billy, who had had all the afternoon to think out the best thing to do, commanded her to say nothing about it to anyone. Listen, she said tensely, somebody's apt to command it any minute, and then I can't say it. this is what we will do to-night we'll pull our nighties on over our clothes get into bed and pretend to go to sleep then we'll wait till amanda starts whatever she's going to do and we'll follow her and see what she's up to and then said laura driven to more forceful slang by the necessity for emphasis we'll just about settle her true to their plans they retired to the dormitory that night before amanda or the shadow arose by Belcher arrived there, and they hurriedly slipped their nightgowns over their clothes and got into bed.

Poor Connie's wailing her heart out, chuckled Laura, because she's in another dorm and can't be in at the death. I say, vie, push the collar of your dress down. It shows outside your nighty. Sh, warn Billy, I hear somebody coming. These somebody proved to be no other than Amanda and Eliza, and when they entered, they found Billy and Lauren vise sleeping peacefully, with a cherubic expression of utter innocence on their faces. It seemed to the girls that they had never lived through an hour so long as that between nine o'clock and ten that night, and it was with more than relief that they heard a slight stir at last and saw a shadowy figure slip out of bed, and make noiselessy for the door, and while they held their breath for fear their breathing might betray them, they saw a second

shadow fled after the first one. The shadow, in fact. They waited till the conspirators had had time to get well down the hall. Then they two slipped quietly out of bed, pull their nightgowns off, and started in pursuit. "'Sh!' whispered Billy. Take your time. We want to let them do it before we catch them at it. When they reached Miss Race's door, they were surprised to see a light in the room. Was it possible a man had been brazen enough to turn on the light herself? Cautiously, Billy peeped into the room and saw that Amanda and Eliza were busily at work doing something to the teacher's desk at the other end of the room. They were alone, so it must have been Amanda who had switched on the light.

The girl was bold with the courage of stupidity. Laura uttered a stifled exclamation and would have pushed past Billy, but the latter held her back. For still another minute she hesitated, then called. to the girls softly. Now, she said, and ran swiftly into the room, Laura and Vi beside her.

So quickly and silently did they come that they were almost upon the two girls before either of them looked up. Then, Amanda Peabody, cried Billy. Her voice choked with anger. We've caught you this time. Now, let's see what you were doing.

End of Chapter 17, read by Nancy Cochran-Gurgin, Gilbert, Arizona, December 1, 2022. Chapter 18 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libervox recording, while Libervox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler.

Amanda's Revenge Amanda's jaw dropped and she sprang back while Eliza cowered behind her. the former held an ink bottle which she had been about to turn upside down in Miss Race's desk. With a quick movement, Laura snatched it from the girl's hand and held it aloft triumphantly. Look, Billy, she said in a loud whisper. Amanda was going to spill this in the desk and then blame it on you. Amanda made a quick dart for the door, but Billy ran after her and pulled her back. Not yet, she said grimly. You'll wait till we're through with you or I'll go to Miss Walters. and report the whole thing. You had better not try to get funny.

Amanda started to bluster, but on second thoughts, decided not to. Billy and her chumps had the argument all on their side this time, and the thought made her fume inwardly. As for the shadow, her homely face was pale with fright, and she stood motionless and scared on the spot where the girls had first discovered her. The plan of the two conspirators had evidently been to upset the teacher's desk, and then blame the whole thing on Billy. But how could Amanda hope to prove that Billy had done it all? Thus thought the girls as they rummaged through the desk

in search of some further trick, and then they found it. Look at this, cried Billy, holding aloft a little square of linen, at sight of which Amanda grew more sullen, and Eliza quaked. It's my handkerchief, with my initials and my laundry mark on it.

Those, those girls were going to be. going to leave it here, after spilling the ink, and when Miss Race found it, she would, of course, think that I was a guilty one. Oh, what shall we do to them? She glared at the tricksters, while Amanda tossed her head defiantly, and Eliza shrank still farther back into the corner. But that would have been so silly, cried Laura, who had snatched the handkerchief from Billy, and was examining it eagerly. Vye, in her turn, was trying to pull it from her. miss race would know that you would have sense enough not to give yourself away by leaving your handkerchief their head charmed it bone and she favored the girls with a contemptuous glance that was harder to bear than billy's anger i wouldn't leave my handkerchief on purpose of course billy pointed out i might have dropped it by accident though but how did they get the hanky wondered by wide-eyed at this example of depravity

probably stole it out of my pocket when i wasn't looking said billy contemptuously and at that amanda made a show of defence you needn't call me a thief billy bradley she exclaimed but laura cut her short with a flippant observation would you rather she would call miss walters she asked which effectively closed the girl's mouth let's make em clean up suggested billy i'd call miss walters only they're not worth sporting or sleep for Come on over here, you two, and get busy. We won't do it, said Amanda, but as Billy started toward her, she quite suddenly changed her mind. Oh, all right, she said angrily, as she flounced over to the desk, pulling the Lent's shadow after her. We'll do it this time, but you just look out, Billy Bradley. I'll make you pay for this. Laura struck a dramatic attitude. Look out, she cried, but warm is turning. Let us snip it in the butt.

it was all right for them to laugh at amanda's discomfiture then and treat the whole thing as a joke but in the morning they were not quite sure that they had done the right thing i think we ought to have reported her to miss walter's worried vi then she in the shadow would have been expelled or suspended at least and we would have had no more trouble with them as it is oh don't be an old gloomhound commanded billy seizing her chum around the waist and whirling her about the room in a fantastic dance they've never been able to do anything to us yet so what's the use of worrying sure agreed laura busy marking passages in her life of washington that's what i say we're too many for em but in spite of their optimism in their hearts the girls decided to watch amanda and her cowardly shadow more closely than ever in the future and the girls would have been put even more on their guard if they could have peeped into the library one afternoon and overheard the curious conversation that took place between two girls seated in a far corner of the big room i got it at last gloated one of the girls who was no other than the plotting amanda herself eliza of course was her inevitable companion i don't know what you're talking about said the latter rather snappishly for since the failure in this race's room, she had not entered into Amanda's schemes quite so wholeheartedly as she had before. I don't see why you should be so pleased about finding a musty old book.

Of course you don't see, said Amanda patronizingly. That's what I'm going to explain to you. She paused a moment regarding the musty old book in her hand lovingly. Eliza moved impatiently in the seat beside her, and Amanda grinned at her. You remember I told you I was going to try for the composition, "'Yes,' said Eliza Crossley, adding, with a frankness that might have been disconcerting to anybody but Amanda, "'and I thought you're crazy even to think of it. You haven't a chance in the world beside Billy Bradley or Rose Belser or any of those girls.' "'I know I wouldn't as a rule,' admitted Amanda, her small eyes gleaming with triumph. But with this book, she caressed the little volume fondly,

they won't have a chance against me and still i have the slightest idea what you're talking about snapped eliza i wish you'd stop grinning to yourself and get to the point if there is one she added under her breath all right said amanda too delighted with her own cleverness to notice her shadows bad timber listen then and i'll tell you just how i came to think about it i was rummaging through some books on the top shelf one day trying to find one i needed when down behind the rest of them, I happened to come across this little little book of biographies of the great generals of the world. It was covered with dust, and so old and shabby-looking that I was sure it hadn't been touched in an age. Yes, said Eliza impatiently,

as Amanda paused for breath. Of course, that was before the composition prize was offered, so I put the book back where I found it and forgot all about it. But now, she paused and the shone. shadow saw a clean of light. And now, Eliza finished, you think you're going to get material enough out of this musty little old book to take the price away from Billy Bradley. I see. Oh, no, you don't see. It was Amanda's turn to be impatient. I'm not going to try to write an original composition at all. Listen. She lowered her voice to a whisper, although they too were the only

once in the large room. I'm going to copy it from this book. Word for word. For a moment, Eliza stared at the grinning girl, Popeye. Then, as the daring of the thing sank into her muddled brain, she sank back in her chair and shook her head slowly. Don't do it, she said, if they should find out. But nobody's going to find out, cried Amanda, as gleeful as though the coveted prize were already in her hands. This is an old book, and probably nobody's in this place has even heard of it. Say, won't that Bradley girl's eyes stick out when she sees me walking off with a prize? Oh my, oh my, this is the time I'm going to settle her. It was just about this time that a fur was caused in the school by the disappearance of articles

belonging to the students. The articles were small and seldom valuable, so insignificant were some of them, in fact, that the owners never missed them, until a report of numerous other their losses spread through the school, and woke them to the realization that they, too, were victims of the petty thief, whoever she was. For that the guilty one was one of their schoolmates, there seemed to be little doubt, for what outsider would care for such things as pencils, and embracers, and old jackknives. It was true that one or two of the losses were valuable, a gold-mounted fountain pen, for instance, which had been a Christmas present to one of the girls, who lamented her loss with loud wailings and gnashings of teeth, as Laura described it.

It was when the excitement over this strange series of events was at its height that Billy drew Laura and by a side one day and whispered a startling decision in their ears. Girls, she said, I've dreamed of that locked room in Tower Three, two nights in succession, and I found an old bunch of keys, and one of them may fit. Are you willing to come with me, or have a gut to be? to go alone. End of Chapter 18, read by Nancy Cochran-Gurgan, Gilbert, Arizona, December 3, 2022. Chapter 19 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a LibraVox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit

liverbox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. The Tower Room. For a moment, the girls looked as though they thought Billy had gone mad. The proposal had been made to them so suddenly that it took their breath away.

But, Billy, aren't you afraid? After finding that blood-stained handkerchief and everything? demanded by, round-eyed. Of course I'm afraid, but I'm going just the same, said Billy. stoutly. I've wondered and wondered about what might be in that locked room, till I'm nearly crazy. And if you won't go with me, I'm going alone, she repeated. Don't be foolish, commanded Laura.

If you go, of course we'll go, but suppose none of your keys will fit, she added, glancing at a half dozen rusty keys on a still more rusty key ring, which Billy was jingling nervously. Billy had found the key ring on a nail in a dark corner of her locker the day before. She had been about to deliver it to the lost and found office when the inspiration had come to her. She would try the keys first to see if by any chance one of them could be used to unlock the Lord in Tower 3. It would be time enough afterward to report her discovery. Now, at Laura's question, she looked somewhat provoked. Don't you suppose I've thought of that? she said.

adding with a twinkling smile. Somebody is always taking the joy out of life. We can try them anyway, said Laura doubtfully, still speaking of the keys, but they don't look very promising. But girls, Vi-protested weekly. Suppose we should find something horrible up there, a skeleton or something?

Well, the pearl skeleton couldn't hurt us, returned Laura, adding with a giggle. Probably it would be glad to see us after being up there alone so long. But the blood-stained handkerchief, Vy whispered. Oh, that, said Laura, with a lofty wave of her hand. That's nothing. I told you before that probably somebody had a nosebleed,

which made even Vye giggle and had the effect of stilling her fears for the time being, at least. They had hard work getting away from their classmates without arising their suspicion, but they succeeded at last. The three girls ran lightly up the three flights of stairs, that led to the must-o-old attic. Now that the moment was at hand, they were more excited than nervous, and their hearts beat high with the hope

that they might really find a mystery hidden behind that locked door. But what could it be? The queer sounds and heavy musty smell of the attic that it seemed so dreadful to Billy on that never-to-be-forgotten night seemed natural and even funny in the revealing daylight.

The shadowy corners that had seemed so sinister, when lighted only by one tiny flickering candle, were only corners now, cobwebbed and dusty, to be sure, but harmless. Mice scuttled across the floor, squeaking angrily at being disturbed. But although Vy screamed and Laura sidestepped nervously, Billy only laughed. Today there were only little mice more afraid of her than she was of them. That night they had been monsters waiting to devour her.

But just the same, some measure of her. nervousness returned when they reached the stairway, down which she had nearly tumbled in her wild flight. Laura and Vye seemed to share her uneasiness, for they stopped at the foot of the stairs and held back a little. Who goes up first to meet the skeleton? asked Laura, with an attempt at a laugh that sounded strained even to herself. You do, said Vy, added maliciously, you were the one who said he wouldn't hurt us. Seeing that Laura was about to argue the point, Billy pushed impatiently past them both, and ran defiantly up the stairs. Laura, thus challenged, took the stairs two at a time after her, and Vi followed reluctantly.

"'Look! There's the handkerchief,' said Billy, kicking the tiny square of blood-stained linen over toward Laura, who jumped nervously out of the way. "'Well, you need wish it on me,' she said resentedly, kicking up the handkerchief by the very tip of a corner, and presenting it to Billy with a low bow. Here, take back your gold. What are you two whispering about? demanded Vi petulantly, for by this time she was beginning to wish she had not come. At her question, Laura whirled suddenly about

and poked the blood-stained handkerchief directly beneath Vy's startled nose. There, she said, want it? Vye gave one look, screamed, and fled down the stairs. She had gone only halfway, however, when Laura overtook her and dragged her back. None of that, she cried, You can't back out now. Besides, we're only beginning to have some fun.

Fun, groaned Vye, keeping a wary eye on the handkerchief that Laura still held. Well, I'm glad I know what to call it. Come on, said Billy, jingling her rusty keys and starting up the ladder. Now we'll see whether one of these keys will fit. "'I hope it doesn't,' said Vye, under her breath, but Laura caught her up sharply.

"'What did you say?' she demanded. "'Oh, nothing,' said Vye. By this time, Billy was on the top rung of the ladder, and her fingers trembled as she tried to fit the first of the keys into the lock. She had more courage than Vye, yet almost she echoed the other girl's wish, that she would not be able to find a key to fit. She wanted to see what was on the other side of that locked door, yet, for some reason, perhaps the blood-stained handkerchief, she was afraid to find out.

She had tried every key till she came to the next to the last, while Laura and Vy fidgeted at the foot of the ladder. Won't they fit? asked Laura, impatiently and in a high-strong tone. Yes, said Billy unexpectedly, as the key slipped into the lock and turned easily. under the pressure of her fingers. She hesitated and looked down at the two girls before swinging the door wide. "'Aren't you coming?' she asked, and she could not, for the life of her, keep a little scared quality out of her voice. "'Of course,' cried Laura, recovering from her surprise, for she had really not expected that any of Billy's keys would fit, and ascending the ladder her hand over hand.

Lead on, McDuff, to victory or to death. Faye groaned again and gingerly put a foot on the ladder. She did not know which was worse, to remain there by herself, or to follow the girls to, goodness, knew what. But the squeak of a mouse behind her made her decide in favor of company, and she scurried in a panic of the ladder. Meanwhile, Billy and Laura were experiencing rather severe pangs of something. They could not have told her.

whether it was disappointment or relief. They had braced themselves to find something horrible, or at least interesting, in the tower room, and they were rather taken aback at finding themselves confronted with a large amount of nothing at all. There seemed to be a great deal of junk scattered about, but in the gloom of the place they could not even make that out very clearly. There were windows all about the tiny room,

but they were so encrusted with ancient dirt and cobwebs that the bright sunlight of the out-of-doors was reduced to a weird and spooky twilight, which seemed somehow to correspond to the forlorn aspect of the place. Well, said Laura, drying a deep breath, we come up here expecting to find something interesting and we get stum. It does look that way, admitted Billy ruefully, seems as if we might at least have met a good live ghost or two. Live ghost?

sniffed Laura Crossley, for she was really feeling very much injured. All the ghosts that I ever heard about were as dead as a doordale. For goodness sake, stop talking about dead people, said by, querulously from the doorway. If there isn't anything in here, and thank goodness there isn't, let's go back. Not yet, said Billy. Her eyes become more accustomed to the dim light, had lighted upon something interesting among the junk.

What had caught her attention was a large, clumsy-looking thing like a queerly-shaped wooden box. The girls watched her curiously as she bent over to examine it. You haven't found your ghost, have you? asked V in a voice that was meant to be sarcastic. No, said Billy, a thrill of wonder and excitement creeping into her voice. But I may have found something. Girls, come here and have a look at this. The girls picked their way over the rubbish that littered the floor. what had seemed like a peculiarly shaped box proved, on close inspection, to be some cunningly fashioned wooden machinery.

The girls looked at each other in odd silence. To them, all in an instant, had come the same thrilling thought. The lost invention, murmured Billy, and we thought there was nothing here. End of Chapter 19, read by Nancy Cochran, Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, December, 4, 2022. Chapter 20 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org, Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Stolen. Oh, but how do we know? protested Laura. It looks like machinery of some kind, but we have no way of proving that it is a stolen invention.

No, said Billy, still in the kind of days. It may be just some old, worthless thing that has been put up here because it is of no use to anybody. But then again, Oh, I think Laura's right, put in by to whom this new find of Billy's

was not very interesting. It seemed absurd to put any value on that queer-looking thing. And besides, she was anxious to get out of that musty, ill-smelling place. I thought of Mrs. Haddon at first, too, but, Hello, I wonder what this is,

Laura interrupted her. There had been some blueprints lying on the floor near the wooden machinery. In the poor light, they had remained unnoticed, until Laura had stumbled upon them quite by accident. In her eagerness, Billy forgot to be polite. She snatched the papers

from her chum and made her way to the nearest desperate grabbed window. She scanned the prints eagerly, and finally came to the thing she had so wildly hoped to find. It was only a name, but it told a great deal. The blueprints were evidently the design of some sort of machinery, and down at the foot of one page, the designer had put his name. Henry Haddon. Girls, girls, look, cried Billy, almost beside herself with excitement at her discovery. Now maybe you'll dare to say I'm crazy, and I don't know what I'm talking about.

I dreamed of it two nights in succession, and now my dream is a little bit of it. come true. Well, for goodness sake, stop waving that thing around, and tell us what you're raving about, commanded Laura, snatching the blueprint from Billy in her turn, while Vite crowded close, looking curiously over her shoulder. Here, at the bottom of this page, crowed Billy, pointing out the name. See it? Henry Hadden. Henry Hadden, repeated Laura excitedly. Then it looks as if that really were his invention. "'It is a knitting machinery model,' cried Vye, "'forgetting that a moment ago she had scoffed at the idea.

"'Of course it is, you goose? "'I mean you geese?' cried Billy, incoherent in her happiness. "'I told you so right along, didn't I? "'Next time maybe you'll believe your Uncle Billy.' "'I guess, yes,' said Laura, "'still staring at the blueprints, "'as though she could not believe they were real. "'You surely did have the right idea that time, Billy.'

"'Of course. I did, cried Billy impishly, bubbling over with excitement. And now I've got an idea that's right her yet. Let's go to Mrs. Haddon and tell her about it. Agreed, cried Laura. Then she clasped uncertainly at the blueprints. Shall we take these along? She asked. Billy hesitated, he shook her head. No, she said, I think we'd better leave everything just as we found it. So Laura put the important papers back on the spot where she had found them. Or is near to it as she could remember. She then backed out of the room and felt her way down the ladder. Fye followed, treading on her fingers, so that she let go and very nearly tumbled to the floor.

Billy came last for she was to lock the door. But a strange thing happened. Either excitement had made Billy's fingers clumsy, or something had really happened to the rusty lock. At any rate, she could not get the door locked again, and after a few minutes of nervous fumbling, interspersed with remarks from the girls that were anything but encouraging, she gave up the attempt. Oh, well, we'll be back in a little while, anyway, she said as she came down swiftly hand over hand, and dropped to the floor beside the girls. Come on now, let's hurry and find Mrs. Haddon. They scurried down the stairs, and were hurrying to their dormitory to get on coats and hats, when a voice hailed them, and they stopped impatiently to find Rose Belser hurrying toward them,

Have you heard the latest girls? asked the dark-year girl excitedly, for once forgetting her sleepy drawl. No, said Billy, trying not to sound as impatient as she felt, while Laura and Viya frowned openly. It's up on the bulletin board, Rose told them, too full of her own news to notice their annoyance. Connie Danvers has lost a gold wristwatch, and Miss Walters is very much upset about it. She says that the thief, whoever it is, must be found. and she has ordered that no girl leave the hall until tomorrow morning. The girls looked at each other and groaned. "'Till tomorrow morning,' said Billy,

her face as long as though a death sentence had just been pronounced upon her. "'Oh, why couldn't Connie have held on to her old watch?' Rose's look of surprise was so genuine that it put Billy instantly on her garry. The chums were not ready yet to take anybody into their confidence about the new discovery. and so she covered her slip as well as she could, and they went on together to the dormitory, exclaiming sympathetically over Connie's loss. The next morning came at last, however, and as it was Sunday, the girls were free to go

as soon as the morning chapel hour was over. But as Miss Walters would not allow any girl to leave the building without special permission from her, the classmates were forced to go to her, and tell her about their invasion of the tower room and their discovery. She was displeased that they had not asked her consent before taking such a step, but she was also very much interested in their story, and Redley gave them her permission to go to Polly Haddon. Bring her back with you, if you can, she said, and we will all go together to the tower room. Now for the fun, cried Laura, as a few minutes later they stepped out into the crisp air. "'Hugh, I think we got off last better than we expect,

I thought Miss Walters would be awfully mad. Probably she would have been if she hadn't had so many other things to worry about, said Vy. Poor Connie, said Billy. It surely is too bad about her watch. It was a beauty, and she was so proud of it. I hope Miss Walters finds the thief pretty soon, said Laura, frowning. Everybody thinks it is one of the girls, and I'm even beginning to feel guilty myself. Do you think?

"'Vy began, then flushed as the girls looked at her and stopped. "'What?' asked Laura, adding, as Vye still hesitated. "'Come on, we won't eat you.' "'Nothing, only I was wondering if the thief might not be Amanda.' "'Oh, no!' cried Billy quickly. "'I'm sure it couldn't be, Vi.' The suggestion from Vy startled her, and it troubled her too, for the very reason that the same idea had been in her own mind.

and suddenly laura spoke up in support of vye i shouldn't wonder if vi is right she said amanda is mean enough for anything billy had no answer for that and so she said nothing but she was more than ever troubled as they neared the little white cottage that had seen so much trouble they forgot amanda in anticipation of polly hadden's joy at the good news they were bringing her they knocked on the door and the moment it was open pushed eagerly and sighed and sighed and turned to face the astonished widow. Billy started to speak, but Laura, with her usual impulsiveness, was before her. We've got good news, Mrs. Haddon, she blurted out. We found your invention. Billy gasped, with dismay as Mrs. Hadden turned deftly white and grasped the back of a chair for support.

Oh, Laura, you shouldn't, cried Billy, as she put an arm about the woman and helped her into a chair. Get some water, quick. there's a glass in the sink. But Mrs. Haddon brushed her impatiently aside. I'm not going to faint, she said brusely. Tell me why you said that. Hurry. But Laura thought she had done enough speech-making for one day,

and it was Billy who answered the woman's question. It must be ours, said the latter at last. I will go with you and make sure. Peter? Yes, he will be all right till I get back. He is much better. I will be ready in a moment. she returned in less than a minute a hat perched carelessly on her head and a shawl around her shoulders her eyes burned bright in her thin face no one spoke on the way back mrs hadden her lips set and her eyes fixed straight ahead said not a word and the girls were too awed by her emotion to break the silence miss walters met them in the hall said a few words to mrs hadden then seeing that the woman was keyed to the breaking point led the way to the waist straight to the tower room. The girls ran up the ladder ahead of the two older women. The ladder

followed more slowly. Billy pushed open the little door and entered the room. Then she started, gasped, rubbed her hand across her eyes to make sure she was not dreaming. For the spot where the queer wooden machinery had stood was empty. The invention was gone, and the blueprints were gone too. End of Chapter 20, read by Nancy Cochran-Gurgin, Gilbert, Arizona, November 11, 2022. Chapter 21 of Billy Bradley and our classmates. This is the Lipravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org.

Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. More mystery. billy bradley turned cold all over to have brought polly hadden here to have practically promised her a fortune and then to find nothing billy they're gone said a voice at her elbow and she turned sharply to find lauren vi peering inquisitively over her shoulder i know they're gone she cried almost sobbing in her rage and disappointment oh girls what can we do we can't tell mrs hadden "'What's this you can't tell me?' asked Polly Haddon herself, and Billy looked at the woman miserably. "'The model,' she said, her voice almost inaudible. "'It was here yesterday, and now it's gone.'

"'Gone?' cried Miss Walters sharply. "'How can that be? "'Is it possible that somebody else is in the habit of visiting this tower?' "'But Mrs. Haddon pushed her aside. "'Do you mean that the model is gone again, after bringing me here?' She cried wildly. Oh, you could not be so cruel. You could not.

The last word caught in a sob, and Miss Walters put an arm about her compassionately. Listen to me a moment, she said, in a gentle voice of authority. If the girls are certain that the machinery and the blueprints were here as late as yesterday, oh, we are, we are, cried Billy eagerly. Then whoever has taken them since

could not have got very far away with them this short time, she went on reassuringly. Your husband's invention. If indeed it was his model the girls found here, must still be in this neighborhood, perhaps in this very building. Though who, she added thoughtfully, in this place could wish to steal such a thing is indeed a mystery. Oh, Miss Walters, cried Billy eagerly, I'm sure nobody here in the hall is stolen the invention. Nobody would have any use for it. And besides, it is an a thing that could be hidden very easily. Suddenly, Laura had what she thought was a right idea. Maybe somebody stole it who had a grudge against Mrs. Haddon, she suggested.

Miss Walters looked inquiringly at the woman who had drawn away from her embrace and was wiping her eyes residedly. Is there anyone you know of who might hold a grudge against your family? Miss Walters asked. Mrs. Hadden went over to one of the dust-bogrom windows and stood there for a moment looking out, her fingers tapping a restless tattoo on the window pane. Then she slowly shook her head. No, I can't think of anyone, she said, adding bitterly. We were too poor and unimportant to make enemies of anyone. But what does it matter?

She turned quickly from the window with one of her fierce changes of mood. The invention is gone. I was a fool to think that any good fortune would ever come to me. Let me go home. She brushed fiercely past Miss Walters. but the latter put out a gentle hand and detained her wait a little she begged her heart ached for the other woman's suffering come into my office with me while i make inquiries and find out if any suspicious person has been seen about her lately i am confident she added with an assurance that reached the other woman that before long we shall be able to recover your property will you trust me and believe that i want to help you yes said polly hadden faint hope once more stirring your heart you are more than kind to me with what different emotions the classmates left the tower-room from those with which they had entered it so hopefully only a few minutes before

the girls supposed that now that miss walters had taken charge of mrs hadden's affairs they would have no further interest in the matter but to their surprise and gratification miss walters motioned them into her office also then she summoned the teachers to her one after another and questioned them carefully as to whom if anybody had been seen around three towers since the afternoon before through it all mrs hadden sat with an expert expression of utter hopelessness on her face. Evidently the faint hope that Miss Walters had, for the moment revived, had died away again. It seemed that none of the teachers had seen anything that might arouse suspicion, and even the girls were beginning to despair, when they were, at last, given a clue to work on. It was Miss Harbuckle who gave it to them. She showed considerable surprise, at first, at being questioned,

but after wrinkling her forehead thoughtfully for a few minutes, she remembered having seen somebody loyering about the billing late on the preceding afternoon. Could you identify the person? asked Miss Walters quickly. Alert at once. No, said Miss Arbuckle hesitantly. I couldn't be at all certain because it was dusk, and I saw him only from the window,

but it looked like that simple son of Tim Budd, the gardener. Nick Bud? cried the three girls together, and at the name, Polly hadn't also roused from her reverie. You could not say certainly that it was Nick Bud, said Miss Walters questioningly. No, I couldn't return Miss Arbuckle, but I remember thinking at the time that the fellow was acting in a rather peculiar manner, and I even thought of reporting him. I was called away by some duties then, however, and when I looked from the window again, he was gone. "'Nick Bud,' cried Polly Haddon, in an agitated tone, her hands clasping and unclasping in her lap.

You asked a while ago if there was anybody who might bear grudge against my family, and I said there was no one. But I had forgotten poor foolish Nick Budd.' "'Yes, Mrs. Haddon?' prompted Miss Walters, while the girls exchanged excited glances. At one time, my husband employed him as a handyman about the place. woman hurried on. But after a while, we noticed that things began to disappear, things that were worthless to anyone else, but dear to us because of their associations. The girls and Miss Walters were intensely interested now. They were thinking of the numerous petty thefts that had taken place in the hall during the past few weeks. Could there be any connection between that and

Polly Haddon's story? My husband charged the simpleton with taking the things, the woman went on. He did it gently enough, too, for he was sorry for the poor fellow, but Nick fell into one of his rages and slammed out of the house, muttering to himself. He never came back, and we never saw him again. Then this boy did have some reason for wishing to get even with your husband, said this Walter's all interest. It begins to look as if he were the one who stole your invention in the first place,

and, if this was really Nick Budd, whom Miss Arbuckle, saw learning about the school yesterday, it is probable he had something to do with his second disappearance. She broke off suddenly, for Polly Haddon had risen to her feet. The girls thought they had never seen such a picture of concentrated fury. She stood clutching the back of a chair fiercely, and her eyes flashed fire. If it is proved that Iqbud did this thing,

she said in a low, tense voice, I think I shall, shall. But you must must have. remember that he is a simpleton, and not accountable as same people are, put in Miss Walters hastily, but apparently the woman did not hear her. We must catch Nick Bud and make him confess, she said impatiently. Then, perhaps, we shall find out where he has hidden my property. Miss Walters, cried Billy excitedly, jumping up and walking over to the principal. I think I know where we can find everything that Nick Bud has ever stolen.

What do you mean? asked Miss Walters. Speak quickly, Billy. In Nick Budd's cave, cried Billy triumphantly. End of Chapter 21, read by Nancy Cochran Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, November 18, 2022. Chapter 22 of Billy Bradley and our classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,

please visit Libravox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. First prize. Billy, you're a wonder. Come on, let's go, cried Laura. Then clapped her hand over her mouth and turned to panic you red as she caught Miss Walters' eye upon her. But Miss Walters was looking through and beyond Laura,

and her gaze came quickly back to Billy. Polly Haddon's eyes were fixed on the girl, too, with passionate intensity. tell us what you mean billy commanded miss walters quickly billy remembering suddenly that miss arbuckle was the only one of the faculty who knew of her adventure with teddy was embarrassed for a moment but she plunged bravely in and told them the whole story from beginning to end sparing no details miss walters was intensely interested and when she had finished even polly hadn't looked encouraged the latter wished to set forth at once in search of the cave but Miss Walters proposed a plan that appealed to everybody, especially the hungry girls. Wait and have lunch with me in my rooms, she said to Mrs. Haddon, for it is almost lunchtime now. Then we can start to hunt for the cave as soon as we have finished.

Mrs. Hadden looked tempted, but she shook her head. There are the children, she said, and little Peter. There's no one with them. But Miss Arbuckle settled this objection by offering to go over and state, with the children and see that they were well taken care of during their mother's absence. I was a governess and sort of children's nurse combined at one time, you know, and she smiled graciously upon the mother, and I assure you that I know how to care for children. Almost upon her words the lunch gong rang, and Miss Walters thereupon dismissed the girls to the dining hall.

Remember, we will start directly after lunch, she said to them as they fled. Billy, it's just like a storybook or a movie, cried by joyfully, as they took their places at the table among the noisy, chattering girls. Are you certain you can find the cave again, Billy? Asked Laura, as she attacked her heaped-up plate of good things ravenously. Before Billy could answer, Rose Belser leaned across the table and asked with a drawl, where they had been keeping themselves all morning. We've made a snowman, she chuckled, but we needed Billy's

artistic touch to make the face. I can't get the nose to look just right. Instinctively, the girls glanced out the window and saw that it was snowing, and they had never noticed it. Why, it's snowing, girls, remarked vi brilliantly. It looks almost like a blizzard. Are you just waking up? asked Connie Danvers, a little crossly. Connie was cross because it was the first time in her intimate friendship with the girls, that they had had a secret from her. Now I know you're crazy. Billy guessed at Connie's grievance,

and, reaching over, she pressed the hand of her classmate under the table. We'll tell you all about everything tonight, she promised, and Connie's face brightened miraculously. The snowstorm did indeed look like the beginning of a blizzard, and as the girls went to get their wraps, they worried not a little for fear this new development

might put an end to their adventure. however miss walters decided that they would try it at least and mrs haddon was eagerly anxious to be off we'll try anything once whispered laura to billy as they went out into the already ankle-deep snow the wind lashing bitingly against their faces thank goodness we can die but once die but once is right said billy grumpily she was worried for fear she would not be able to find the path leading to the cave it would have been hard enough if the ground had been clear but with the snow rapidly obliterating every landmark it was well-nigh impossible i wish teddy were here she said after herself and her voice was very wistful don't you though echoed laura heartily it seems an age since we've seen any of the boys say billy broke in by who was shivering in the bitter cold despite her warm furs are you sure you're going right it wouldn't be any fun to be lost in these lonely woods with maybe a blizzard coming on at this observation billy stopped and turned to miss walters and polly hadden who were following close behind i'm sorry she said looking up at miss walters appealingly if it weren't snowing i might be able to find the way but as it is i'm afraid i would only get you all lost i'm lost myself now all right honey don't look so distressed about it said miss walters patting her kindly on the shoulder you would have to know the way pretty well to be able to find it in this storm we shall have to give it up to-day and try again as soon as we can yes that will be best said polly hadden through chattering teeth her thin shone

saw form scarcely any protection against the freezing weather. Thank you all so much for bothering with my affairs. Now I must get back to the children. Goodbye. Before they fairly realized she was going, she was gone, and the girls and Miss Walters turned back to the hall. Bothered the old snow, said Laura Crossley. I always liked it before, but now I hate it. They were all glad when the warmth of Three Towers Hall closed in about them again. Miss Walter said a few words to them about saying nothing of this affair to anyone. Then she dismissed them to the dormitory, while she herself hurried off to do a little work that she had neglected all day. For around examination time, Miss Walters was not always free even on Sunday. Some of the girls

had seen Billy and Laura and Vi come in with Miss Walters, and they demanded to know what all the excitement was about, and the fact that the girls would not talk made their classmates all the more curious. Connie was the only one to whom they would tell the story, for they knew that they could trust her as they trusted themselves. And it's still snowing, mourned Billy, as she cleared a space on the misted window and looked out at the snow-covered world.

It looks as if we shouldn't get out of here for weeks. Billy's gloomy prophecy was fulfilled. The storm developed into one of the worst blizzards that part of the country had ever known, and for almost two weeks the occupants of three towers were practically housebound. It was good that the school boasted a wall-stop larder. Otherwise, the girls might actually have gone hungry, and they wondered a great deal about Polly Haddon and her little brood.

Suppose she hasn't enough in the house to eat, worried by. Why, they may starve. Maybe she used the gold pieces we left her to stock up when she saw the blizzard coming on, suggested Billy. and the suggestion comforted them a great deal. The day was approaching when those competing for the composition prize were to hand in their essays. Billy and Laura and Connie and Rose Belser

and the half-dozen other girls who had entered the lists were writing like mad and biting their pins to bits in an effort to get their essays in on time. And in the heart of each was the fervent hope that she would be the winner. Only Amanda had no need to hope, she was sure the prize was hers she had carried out her intention of copying her essay straight from the little musty book so sure was she that her ruse would not be detected that she had not bothered to alter a word and while the others worked she smiled

at last came the day when the finished essays were to be handed in and all day long miss walters was closeted in her office with miss race and one or two of the other teachers reading and tabulating the manuscripts as they came to her. So busy had Billy been in rewriting a phrase here, changing or there, that she ended in her essay the very last of all, just a scant half hour before the time was up, but she was happy because she knew that she had given her best effort. I imagine we shall enjoy reading this, Miss Walter's remarked to her associates, tapping Billy's manuscript with a thoughtful finger. Billy Bradley has real literary talent. The result of the result of the The result of the contest was to be announced the next morning in the auditorium, and the prizes to be awarded to the winners. When the longed-for, yet dreaded, moment arrived, the girls filed into the auditorium, the contestants near the front, and almost the entire school occupying the seats behind them.

Billy's heart was hammering so loudly that she glanced about her to see if anybody else seemed to notice it, but the majority of the girls were babbling away too excitedly to hear anything. but themselves. Billy was surprised to see that even the girls who were expecting to hear their fate within the next few moments were talking, chattering away excitedly, to be sure, but still talking. As for herself, she was sure she could not have uttered a word just in if her life had depended upon it. She did want that prize so dreadfully. Cheer up, Billy, whispered Vi, slipping a loyal hand into hers. You're not afraid of missing the prize, are you? Why, you couldn't miss it if you tried. Billy did not say anything, but she gripped Vye's hand hard, and she was still holding on to it when Miss Walters ascended the platform,

and a deep hush spread over the room. As you all know, came the clear, sweet voice of the head of Three Towers Hall. I have come here this morning to announce the winners of the Composition Prize. I and my associates have had difficulty in choosing the winning essays, for the reason that they are all so excellent. We are only sorry that we have not a prize to attach to each. A buzz broke out in the audience, but when Miss Walters raised her hand, it instantly died down again. And now, she said, not to keep you any longer in suspense, we will announce the winners. Billy's grip on Vye's hand tightened till it hurt. Then, into the tense silence, Miss Walters threw the bomb of her announcement.

The first prize goes to Amanda Peabody, she said. Will she please step up upon the platform? End of Chapter 22, read by Nancy Cochran Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, November 18, 2022. Chapter 23 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libravox recording. All Librevox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,

volunteer, please visit livervox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Disgraced. For a moment, there was intense silence, while Amanda rose triumphantly and flounced up to the platform. Then an amazed, angry buzz rose from the audience of indignant girls. Amanda, who was proverbially stupid, to have taken the prize from some of the brightest girls in the school, it was impossible. incredible, and yet it was only too true. Miss Walters, with a few words of congratulation,

handed the prize, a fine set of books, to Amanda, and the latter swept hotly back to her seat, triumph in every line of her figure as she passed the other pupils. She had beaten Billy Bradley at last, and her revenge was sweeter than even she had dreamed it would be. But Billy, tears of anger and disappointments, stinging her eyes, felt sure that she had not been beaten fairly. Amanda had played a trick on her on the rest of the contestants for the prize, on Miss Walters herself. But, in Teddy's vocabulary,

Amanda had gotten away with it. The prize was in her possession. It's a shame, she heard an angry protest all about her. She never did it honestly. Somebody ought to tell Miss Walters. She doesn't know Amanda as well as we do. But Miss Walters had raised her hand for silence, and in a few seconds the angry murmurs died down again. I have the pleasure of awarding the second prize, the principal announced, to Beatrice Bradley. Will you step up on the platform, Billy? The second prize. She didn't want the second prize, Billy told herself, when Amanda had come in first. To march up there on the platform, without girl's gloating eyes upon her. But via Laura were pulling her out of her seed, pushing her out into the aisle, and while Billy hesitated, Miss Walters had impatiently repeated her

summons. Someway Billy found her way to the platform, thanked Miss Walters incoherently for the fine volume of poetry which was the second prize, and stumbled back to happy oblivion among her schoolmates. It's a shame, honey, Laura whispered in her ear. Jim generously forgetting her own disappointment in billy's. But never mind, you got the second prize anyway, which was more than the rest of us did, she added, with a little stab of regret at her own failure. And you would have won the first prize if it hadn't been for that cat, added Vi fiercely. Billy pressed their hands gratefully and glanced for the first time at her prize.

I'd like to throw it away, she cried fiercely. Shh, whispered Vi. for Miss Walters was making an interesting announcement. The winning compositions will now be read, she said, Miss Arbuckle has volunteered to give us that pleasure. There was a great clapping of hands as Miss Arbuckle stepped on the platform and smiled down at them, for the little teacher was a great favorite with the girls. We will read Amanda's composition first, she said,

as it has had the distinction of winning the first prize. Again there was tense silence in the hall. The girls were gog with curiosity to hear this wonderful composition, which had been written by one of the notoriously stupid girls of the school. As for Amanda, she had not foreseen this event. She had not expected to hear her stolen composition read aloud, and before all this assembly of stirring young critics, the prospect made her a trifle nervous,

but her smile was as proudly triumphant as ever. Her chief concern was with Eliza, for the girl was so white and scared that she threatened to give the deception away. Amanda gave her a sharp nudge with her elbow. Cheer up, will you? She muttered fiercely. You're not at a funeral.

Miss Arbuckle began to read, and as she read the well-rounded phrases, the telling metaphors, the girls became more than ever stupid, with astonishment. Could it be, they asked themselves incredulously, that Amanda had remarkable literary ability that they had never suspected?

Could she really have written a thing like that? The same thought seemed to be in Miss Arbuckle's mind, for as she read on, her brow became clouded, and she paused, noun men, as though she were trying to recollect something. Finally, she stopped altogether, looked across at Amanda for a thoughtful moment, then laid the manuscript down and turned to Miss Walters.

She said something that the girls could not catch, then hurried from the room. This was something no one had counted upon. Amanda, her triumphant smile gone at last, quaked as she heard again the excited buzz of the girls about her. Miss Walter's voice rose over the murmur, clear and very grave. Miss Arbuckle thinks she has made a discovery, she said. she will be back in a moment, and until then, I must ask that there be absolute silence in the room. Miss Sarah Walters possessed that rare gift of authority that needed no raising of the voice or undue emphasis to command obedience. Instantly, the murmuring stopped and the girls waited in breathless silence for Miss Arbuckle's return.

They did not have to wait long. A moment later, the teacher re-endered the room holding a book in her hand, the sight of which made Amanda's craven heart sink in consternation. The book looked like an exact copy of the one from which she had copied her original prize composition. Miss Walters, said Miss Arbuckle, in a voice which indignation made vibrant, I am sorry to have to admit that one of the students of Three Towers Hall has been guilty of so disgraceful an act, but the composition that I have just read, the essay that was handed in as original by Amanda Peabody has been copied word for word from this book.

It is an old book that has been in my possession for years, was my father's before it was mine, and doubtless the girl thought herself perfectly safe in copying from it. Here is the passage. She had been marking a place with her finger, and now she opened the book at the place and handed it to Miss Walters to read. What a hideous minute for Amanda! If she had been awaiting a death sentence, she could hardly have felt more terrified. To be publicly disgraced, to have all the girls laughing at her, gloating over her. With intense gravity, Miss Walters closed the book and laid it on the table. Amanda knew that her moment had come.

Amanda, said Miss Walter sternly, Will you please stand up in your place? Amanda stood up, conscious of a score of curious and contemptuous glances focused upon her. Her heart was beating suffocatingly. Her hands were clenched tight at her side. You have been guilty today, Miss Walters' curvoys pronounced sentence, of blackening the good name of Three Towers Hall by a most disgraceful act. But, by your wretched duplicity, you have injured yourself far more than you have injured anyone else. You will go to my office. I will see you there. There was intense silence while Amanda,

her head hanging, walk from the room. Then the eager murmur rose once more, but again Miss Walters lifted her hand for silence. I am sorry, she said, more sorry than I can express that such a thing could have happened here. Of course, the first prize will now go to Beatrice Bradley, and I will side later to whom the second prize belongs. That is all. With a little gesture, she disposed them, and she herself walked quickly from the room. Then, the riot that had been suppressed so long, broke loose and the girls formed into little groups, talking excitedly and all at once, about the dramatic turn events had taken. Billy, the center of a little group of her own, was fairly overwhelmed with congratulations.

We knew all along that you should have been the winner. To think that Amanda should try to get away with a thing like that, said Laura, disgustedly. She might have just the same, Connie reminded her. It was just luck that Miss Arbuckle happened to have that book. My, but I bet you're happy, Billy Bradley, sighed by. I shouldn't let anybody speak to me if I were in your place. "'What's the matter, honey?' asked Laura, regarding Billy's sober face curiously. "'I say, cheer up, old dear. What have you got to gloom about?'

"'I was just thinking about Amanda,' said Billy, with all her sweet sympathy for the unfortunate. I was wondering how it would feel to be in her shoes now. "'Out, out upon such doleful thoughts,' Laura sang out early. But Billy, who had turned toward the window, suddenly clear, clutched her by the arm. Look, she said, excitedly. There's Nick Budd! End of Chapter 23, read by Nancy Cochman-Gergan, Gilbert, Arizona, November 19, 2022.

Chapter 24 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Libervox recording. All Libervox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visitlibrovox.org. Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler. Triumph. Before her classmates knew what she was about, or had fairly taken in what she had said,

Billy had darted from the room and was flying toward the dormitory. She's crazy again, cried by. Come on! And she and Laura and Connie flew after her, overtaking her as she reached the stairs. What's the big idea? Gassed Laura as they ran together down the hall toward the dormitory. What do you expect to do you expect to do?

New to poor neck. Sandbag him? Something like that, returned Billy, slipping hurriedly into her coat and hat, and motioning impatiently for the girls to do the same. If we can only get hold of him, we may be able to frighten him in and telling us where the machinery is. Oh, and maybe I'll be able to get my watch back, added Connie, pulling a dark cap down over her fluffy hair, and carefully adjusting it at the right angle. We won't get anything if you.

if we don't hurry, said Billy, regarding her impatiently. What do you think you're going to, anyway? A party? You had better put on your leggings, suggested Vi, looking doubtfully at the rubbers Billy had pulled on over her shoes. The snow's awfully deep. Having time, cried Billy, adding distractedly, For mercy's sake, hurry! While you girls are dolling up for a party, Nick Budd will be gone.

At this dreadful thought, the girl stopped fussing and followed Billy hurriedly down the stairs. They slowed down in the lower hall, however, for there they were apt to meet a teacher, and undue haste might be thought suspicious by one of these unreasonable beings. At sight of Nick Budd, a plan had come to Billy. She remembered how terrified he had seemed, when he had found Teddy and her in the cave that day, and thought, in his crazy mind, that they had come to arrest him. So she was going to take a chance of so frightening him with a threat of arrest that he would confess, and perhaps even be prevailed upon to lead them to the cave.

In case this plan should fail, she had not an idea in the world what she would do next. But the plan did not fail. It worked more perfectly than she had dared to hope. They caught up to the simpleton just as he was sneaking, around to the janitor's entrance of the school, and the fellow shrank from them like a frightened animal. What do you want? He stammered. His hands out as though to ward them off.

I haven't done nothing. You can't arrest me. I haven't done nothing, I tell you. His terror was pitiful, but Billy followed up her advantage ruthlessly, while the girl stood by in admiring silence. You have done something, she told him sternly, while he cowards to. still further back from her. You've stolen things, lots of things, and we will have you arrested. Oh, no, oh no, he cried out, fairly gibbering in his terror and slinking further back against the wall.

I haven't done nothing, I tell ye. But Billy took him by the sleeve and shook him as she would a bad child. I tell you, I know, she cried, conviction in her tone that carried even to the poor muddled brain of the simpleton. and I know where they are, too. They are in your cave hidden away, every last one of them. Of course, Billy was taking a big chance, but the shot went home. The simpleton stared at her for a moment

out of his bloodshot eyes, while his big mouth dropped open. Then he began to cry, great tears that ran down his grimy face and made crooked streaks upon it. It was an indescribably terrible and pitiful sight. The poor silly,

fellow in his abject terror, and ordinarily Billy would have felt sorry for him. But she thought of Polly Haddon, and the thought gave her courage. Polly Haddon had suffered, and now if it was this poor Simpleton's turn, it was no more than he deserved, after all. Listen to me carefully, she said, pulling out his sleeve again and speaking very distinctly, if you will take us to the cave and promise to give back everything you've stolen to the people you have stolen from. We will try to keep you from being arrested. You won't put me in jail? Jabbered the simpleton. You won't let the policeman get me?

Billy shook her head, adding quickly, but you must take us to the cave right away and help us bring back the things you have stolen. Otherwise, we will have you arrested tonight. They were hardly prepared for a sudden acceptance of the ultimatum. He turned, with a swiftness that had surprised Billy and Teddy before, and strode off through the heavy snow, the girls, after a minute of indecision, following. What do you suppose Miss Walters will say? Laura whispered in Billy's ear, Do you suppose she will mind our running away like this?

I don't know, answered Billy, adding with a hint of premature triumph in her voice, I don't imagine she will say anything, though, if we come home with the knitting machinery models, the blueprints, and an armful of stolen things besides. Oh, if I can only get back my watch, I'll be happy, sighed Connie, as she plotted along beside Vye. If is right, said Laura Ruffily, we haven't got anything yet, you know. Now who's the wet blanket? cried Billy gaily. She was feeling amazingly happy and confident.

and all of a sudden. For had not she just won the first prize for the best composition? After that, she felt that she could accomplish anything. It was no easy task to make their way through the woods. Nick Budd trudged along sturdily, hardly looking at the girls. He may be simple-minded, but he is as strong as a horse, at least when it comes to walking, remarked Laura in a whisper. Many simple-minded folks are strong, answered Billy. Why, some lunatics are noted for their strength. I once heard my father say so. They had to pass over an exceedingly rough rise of ground, and then down through a hollow where the bushes grew close together. Here the walking was very uneven, and Connie gave a sudden cry of pain.

What's the matter? demanded Billy quickly, and came to a halt beside her clasmede. I slipped into a hole, and I—I guess I wrenched my ankle. Then Connie made a wry face. Can't you go on? Questioned Vi? I—I guess so, but I'll do a little limping, was Connie's reply. We'll have to be careful, mourned Billy. We don't want to hurt ourselves if we can help it. After an hour of trudging through the snow, they came at last to the twig-intwined entrance to Dick's cave. Luckily, the simpleton had beat a sort of path through the snow from three towers to the cave, a fact which showed that he had made frequent visits to the school, or the girls almost surely could not have made the trip. Nick pulled aside the twigs that concealed the entrance and dived inside, leaving the girls

to follow as best they could. But the girls did not follow immediately. They were no cowards, but the side of that yawning dark mouth was enough to make them hesitate. and besides there was a simpleton at the other end of that dark passage a simpleton who might be mad enough by this time to do any desperate thing you go first billy i urged nervously he is afraid of you but at that moment a dancing light flickered down the dark passage and immediately nick bud himself appeared carrying a lighted candle which he carefully shielded from the wind the terror had not left his face and he looked at billy abjectly like a beaten dog will ye come in he asked in a barely audible voice or shall i bring the things out here but as the latter course would give the simpleton an excellent chance to retain some of his loot billy replied firmly that they would come in and see for themselves vi made a noise that sounded something like it groan and connie echoed it pathetically but they joined the Quirlo possession just the same, following Nygba down the dark passage to the still darker cave,

guided only by the flaring light of his one candle. It was a dangerous thing for the girls to do. The simpleton, with a cunning of the mentally deficient, might have decided to attack them all there in the darkness of the cave, and he would have had a good chance of doing it, too. But the gods that favor the daring watched over the girls that day and brought them safely through their adventure. Billy had evidently thoroughly cowed the simpleton,

and his one thought was to get rid of his stolen goods, as quickly as possible, and thus evade the dreadful prison that loom more horrible to him than death. There, in a corner of the cave, the girls found the knitting machinery model and the precious blueprints, besides a great pile of small trinkets, that comprised pretty nearly everything

that had been stolen from the mrs. girls during the last few weeks. They were no more eager to linger in the cave than Nick Bud was to have them, so they eagerly pocketed as many of the trinkets as they could, Connie snapping the precious, recovered wristwatch about a wrist, with as much joy as though it had been three times as valuable as it really was, and Billy, taking the candle from Nick Bud's fingers, ordered him to carry the wooden machinery. She herself took charge of the blueprints. When they had reached the outside world once more, Billy blew out the candle, threw it into the cave,

and readjusted the twigs at the entrance as best she could. Then she ordered Nick Bud to lead the way back to the hall. This, the simpleton did, although he sometimes staggered under the weight he carried, and several times had to put his burden down. But in spite of the delays and the cold, the return journey seemed short to the girls, but they were triumphantly happy

and chattered like magpie all the way back. I've got my wristwatch. I've got my wristwatch, crowed Connie over and over again, till the girls got tired of hearing her, and Laura asked her if she would mind changing her tune.

And won't the girls be surprised when we tell them what sluice we are? Added by, Huff, sniffed Laura. Billy is the real detective. We're only... What do you call them? Also, Rance.

We come in at the end and clap noisily. "'Nonsense,' laughed Billy. "'I couldn't have done a thing without you girls. "'Look out,' she cried sharply, "'as Nick Budd stumbled and almost dropped his load. "'If you should break that thing, Nick Bud, "'I'd murder you. "'But this last was delivered in an undertone.

"'The poor simpleton had troubles enough "'without being threatened. "'Oh!' giggled Laura, incorrigibly. "'Ain't she the vicious thing?' "'One would have thought that the girls "'had had about enough excitement that day, but it seemed that fate still held a little more in store for them. They were coming up the winding path that led to the hall, when they saw a black-clad figure

that looked strangely familiar, hurrying on before them. Isn't that Polly Haddon? asked by eagerly. Yes, it is. Oh, what luck! She was about to call out, but Billy stopped her. We'll want to break it to her gently, she warned, but I'll want to break it to her gently, she warned, but her warning came too late. Polly Haddon had heard their voices

and had glanced back indifferently. Then, recognizing the girls, she turned and came hurrying toward them. At sight of her, Nick Budd dropped his burden in the snow and ran for all he was worth back the way he had come. Billy tried to put herself between Polly Haddon

and that bulky object in the snow, but once more she was too late, for the woman had seen. With a low cry, Polly hadn't crumbled suddenly and lay out in the snow, as inert as a bundle of old clothes. Good gracious, cried Laura frantically. Now, just when everything is beautiful and unlovely, she's gone and died. End of Chapter 24, read by Nancy Cochran Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, November 20, 2002. Chapter 25 of Billy Bradley and her classmates. This is a Liberbox for work.

recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liverbox.org billy bradley and her classmates by janet d wheeler pretty frocks but polly had and had not died one very seldom does of happiness some way the girls managed to get her inside the hall and administer hot drinks and hot food and in a surprisingly short time she was her again. Not quite herself, for she was beautified and transfigured with happiness into a very different Polly Haddon from the one the girls had known. Miss Walters was summoned and made her come into her own private rooms. Of course, the girls went also, and while Mrs. Haddon was stretched luxuriously on a couch in Miss Walter's sitting room, Billy told how she had frightened the simpleton into confessing his guilt and restoring the stolen goods. Billy was so modest about her leading part in the affair, that Laura was forced to interrupt occasionally, and, disregarding

Billy's frowns, at a bit of explanation here and there, that enabled her audience to visualize the thing just as it had happened. The machinery model had been brought inside and deposited in one of the study halls, and now Miss Walters asked Mrs. Haddon what she wished done with it. We can keep it here for you in the big school safe, she suggested, or we can have it carried over to your house, just as you wish. Oh, no, leave it here, said Polly Hadden quickly. I will notify that Philadelphia Knitting Company that the invention has been recovered, and if they still wish to buy it, it probably will not remain here long.

Oh, how can I thank you all? Her voice broke, and for a little while all of them felt a bit uncomfortable, while Polly hadn't sobbed out her happiness and gratitude. It was over at last, however, and the girls were free to go back to their door, dormitory and the curiosity of their friends. Here, perched on the bed with Connie and Vi, Laura gave a graphic account of everything, just as it had happened, to a sympathetic audience of some twenty girls. She rang Billy's praises to such an extent that the poor girl tried to hide herself in an inconspicuous corner, only to be dragged forth into the limelight again by a

couple of laughing and heartless maidens. You get up there where you belong, cried one of them, shoving Billy up into the center of the bed, which was already overcrowded with giggling girls. Don't you know that you're real honest-to-goodness heroine? And for the second time today, drawled Rose Belser, her eyes fixed a little enviously upon Billy's pretty, flushed face. Wasn't it enough to win the prize, without going and getting yourself with the limelight again? Laura and Vy flushed angrily, for there was a little malice under the question, but Billy took it all good-naturedly. Well, I didn't do it on purpose. Not the last part, anyway, she said.

We know you didn't, honey, said Connie, ruffling Billy's dark curls fondly. You're just naturally talented. By the way, asked Laura, after an interval of skylarking, does anybody know what happened to Amanda? She was suspended, replied one of the girls. And I thought it was a pity she wasn't at expelled, spoke up another. Poor Eliza, drawled Rose. I wonder what she will do without her master.

Does anybody know who won the second prize? Asked Laura carelessly. What a queer question to ask, said Carolyn Brant, who had been dreaming about the thesis she was going to write, and had hardly heard a word of the conversation. You did, of course. It took a little time for this to sink in, for Laura had long ago given up hope of winning a prize for herself.

But when it did finally beat its way into her mind, she straightway proceeded to turn the place upside down in her hilarity. She found Billy's sewing basket, dumped out its contents, and turned it upside down on her head for a crown. Then she draped a bedspread about her shoulders, queen fashion, and two of her classmates caught up the dangling ends that formed a train. Then they marched through the halls crying, Way for the Queen,

and gathering a crowd of giggling girls as they went. What's it all about? Queen, indeed. Just look at her with that work basket on her head. They are having the sport because Laura took the second prize in that composition contest. Oh, that's it, is it? Well, I'm glad they showed up Amanda,

and Billy Bradley certainly deserved the first prize. The merriment grew louder, and presently the crowd made Laura mount a stand and deliver what they called an oration. Tell us about making linen dusters for the Laplanders, suggested one girl. Or overcoats for the heathens in Africa, suggested another. Or how to make sponge cake from live sponges? Or why Washington didn't use submarines when his army crossed the Delaware? I can talk, but I can't make a speech, declared Laura. In other words, I could say something if I could only frame my speech.

Properly, that is. If she could only get her tongue to working, broke in by, and at this the assembled girls roared. It was only when rumours said that Miss Walters was coming their way, that the hilarious party broke up and scurried for home and safety. Take off that ridiculous thing, cried Billy, jerking at the bedspread, herself weak from laughing, and give me back my work basket. woman before Miss Walters catches you and sends you after Amanda.

Goodness, said Laura, meekly handing Billy her property. Do you think she would? It may suit Amanda fine to be suspended, but I'm more comfortable the way I am. And so the time we're on, with studies and lessons and fun, until the girls woke up one day to find that the summer holidays were almost upon them. Mrs. Haddon had sold the knitting machinery model to the Philadelphia concern at a price that was a fortune to her. The little white cottage had been remodeled and furnished bridly, and Polly Haddon had grown prosperous and handsome, and oh, so happy. But the most remarkable thing to the girls was the change in Marian Isabel and Peter Haddon. The children, who had been

such sorry little waifs in their poverty, had grown almost beautiful in the days of their prosperity. Polly Haddon's pride in them and their pretty clothes was almost pathetic. the northern girls in connie were often visitors at the little cottage and sometimes the boys went with them on their visits and were treated to a dinner of waffles and maple syrup that to quote chet would make an indian's hair curl and now as the girls realized how fast the time was flying they conceived the idea of giving a party not a small party but a real one with cake and ice cream and snappers and everything "'I wonder,' breathed Vye, daringly, "'if Miss Walters would mind if we should ask a few of the boys. "'Just a very few, you know. "'There would have to be enough to go around,' interposed Billy.

"'I should say so,' said Connie, with emphasis, "'especially as Billy is sure to have at least two of them. "'I want to dance with Teddy and Paul Martinson, "'once or twice myself, my dear,' she said. "'I'm a laughing Billy sternly. "'And I'm quite sure, dear Roe. will, too, especially Teddy, murmured Laura maliciously. They found that Miss Walters was quite willing to let them have the party and the boys, too,

provided the latter did not stay too late, and then the plans began in earnest. They sent invitations to about twenty of the boys at the Academy, and the invitations were accepted promptly and eagerly. About two days before the great event, the girls decorated the two big sitting rooms on the ground floor, which Miss Walters had said they could use, and when they had finished, no ballroom ever looked prettier. Even the girls said so. Then, at last, came the morning of the great day, then the afternoon, and then the evening, and time for the girls to dress. They had brought out their best party-frocks for the occasion, and the closest chums had compared colors carefully, so that they

would be sure not to clash. Billy was to wear a pale-green net, where they had to be a pale-green net, where they touch of pink. Laura light blue, Connie had chosen a lovely rose pink that went well with her fluffy fairness, and Vye had decided on golden yellow that made her look like a queen. Rose Belcher was dressed

in an expensive black frock that was far too old for her, but that set off her dark prettiness admirably. There was Nellie Bain in white, and a number of other girls were in pretty frocks of varied hues. All were flushed and laughing and excited, and their happiness made every one of them pretty.

Oh, aren't I beautiful? cried Laura, with engaging frankness, as she pirouided before the mirror. Then she turned to Billy and hugged her rapturously. And you're gorgeous, honey, she cried. I see where we don't get even a boy a piece tonight. The boys arrived early. It was lucky that Billy could dance with only one boy at a time, or there might not have been enough to go around.

I say, Billy, Teddy cried once, waltzing her over into a corner and gazing at her wonderingly. I never knew you could look like that. What is it anyway? This green and pink thing? Lifting a piece of filming that gingerly between his thumb and finger. Billy looked up impishly in his face, while one foot kept time with the music. Don't ask me, she said.

It's because I'm so happy, I guess. Oh, come on, Teddy, let's dance. It was some time later that. that the three classmates happened to find themselves together and alone. Dezoited, cried Laura dramatically. Where's yours, Billy? Gone to get me some ice cream, said Billy. Wonderful, cried Laura. So has mine.

And mine, added by. They giggled happily for a minute, and then Billy reached out and put an arm about each of her chums. She hugged them close, regardless of pretty frocks. Girls, she said contentedly. I think I'm the very happiest girl in the world. Except me, said Laura. And me, add goodbye.

And to think, she added, after they had contentedly watched the happy crowd for a few moments, to think that in a few short weeks vacation will be here. Well, said Laura decidedly, if we have any more fun this summer than we've had this winter, we'll have to go some. We shall indeed, said Billy, happily. End of Chapter 25, read by Nancy Cochran Gergen, Gilbert, Arizona, November 20, 2022. End of Billy Bradley and her classmates by Janet D. Wheeler.