CHAPTER V
AMANDA'S SURPRISE
Billie was right about their luck, for they reached home without furthermishap. And it was with great relief the boys and girls later saw theprecious trunk safely deposited in Billie's attic.
The next few days were mostly spent in telling wondering and interestedhome folks about the ghostly happenings at the old homestead that wasBillie's inheritance and in recounting in detail the circumstances thatled to the discovery of the treasure trunk.
And then one night Mr. Bradley came home with the wonderful news that hehad sold most of the contents of the old trunk and had realized fourthousand three hundred and fifty dollars--and every cent for Billie!
"Did you sell them all, Dad?" Billie inquired, her eyes shining.
"No, I kept out a few coins and stamps that were especially rare andI'll take them to another dealer. I think," and he looked at Billiethoughtfully, "they ought to bring in quite a little pile more."
"Oh, Daddy, it's like a fairy tale!" Billie cried, and then added,edging around to where her father stood and looking up at himappealingly: "You and Mother haven't really said it, Dad, but Chet and Iwill be able to go to boarding school, won't we?"
"I should think so--on four thousand dollars," her father answereddryly, and so Billie's cup of happiness was filled to the brim.
But Billie, young as she was, was beginning to learn that no matter howperfect a thing seems, there is almost sure to be a fly in the ointmentsomewhere; and it was not long before she discovered the fly in thepresent case.
It was one beautiful bright day, the kind that only early autumn knows,and the chums were walking down the main street of North Bend eagerlydiscussing plans and talking of the fun they would have at Three TowersHall when suddenly Billie espied Miss Beggs, the English teacher whosestatue she had broken, coming out of a drug store.
With a great wave of happiness that now she could pay for the statue, orat least replace the one she had broken, she hurried forward and spoketo the English teacher as she was about to enter another store.
"Why, how-do-you-do!" cried the latter, evidently surprised and verymuch pleased at the meeting. "I didn't know you were back yet."
"We left Cherry Corners on Monday," Billie replied, then added eagerlyas Laura and Violet came hurrying up: "I'd like to tell you whathappened to us there; that is, if you have time enough."
"Indeed I have," replied Miss Beggs heartily, and after she had greetedthe other girls they all walked down the street together while Billielaunched into the wonderful tale of her good fortune.
"Over four thousand dollars!" cried the teacher when Billie stopped forlack of breath. "Why, Billie, isn't that marvelous? It sounds like astory. What," she added, smiling down into the eager face, "do youintend to do with all that wealth?"
"Buy a statue for you, first of all," said Billie promptly, and MissBeggs flushed.
"I had forgotten all about that statue," she said. "I told you it hadalready been broken, anyway."
"I know you did. But since you had mended it so it looked all right, itwas almost as good as new, wasn't it? You mustn't say 'no,'" she addedquickly, as she saw Miss Beggs was about to interrupt, "for it won't dothe slightest bit of good. I'm not going to buy anything for myself tillI replace that statue."
Miss Beggs gave a little helpless shrug of her shoulders.
"I can see that nobody has a chance to change your mind, Billie Bradley,when it's once made up," she said with a smile, then added as the girlsturned toward home: "I know what I shall name my new statue. Her nameshall be 'Billie.'"
"She's lovely, isn't she?" asked Violet, referring to Miss Beggs. "Iwish she were going to be one of the instructors at Three Towers."
"I hope they're nice, for it's awful to live with people who aren't,"sighed Laura.
"Well, we won't know very much about them till we get there."
"And then it may be too late," put in Violet dolefully.
"But Daddy says," Billie went on, "that Miss Walters, the head of theschool, is just splendid."
"Well, that ought to help some," said Laura, adding with a quick changeof tone that made the girls look up suddenly: "There's Amanda Peabody.Can't we hide or something?"
"I don't see where, and, besides, she won't bite you," said Billie.
Amanda Peabody was probably the most unpopular girl in North Bend. Thegirls disliked her as real girls always dislike a sneak and tattle-tale.Amanda was always spying around, minding everybody's business but herown, and making a general nuisance of herself.
And because Billie was so popular, Amanda seemed to have an especialgrudge against her and was always trying to get her into trouble.
As Amanda came toward them on this beautiful afternoon she seemed moreunpleasant than usual and there was a mean little smile at the cornersof her thin-lipped mouth.
"Hello!" she accosted the girls, then turned to Billie with a morepronounced grin. "I've heard all about the money you found in that awfulold house. You must feel like a regular Captain Kidd, don't you?"
"Since I never was sure how Captain Kidd felt, I don't know," saidBillie coolly, although she could feel the blood slowly mounting intoher face. Oh, if she could only do what she wanted to, Amanda Peabodywouldn't be smiling very long!
The girls made as if to go on, but with characteristic ill breeding,Amanda planted herself directly in front of Billie, still with thatmaddening grin on her face.
"I suppose now you'll be going to Three Towers Hall and your brother toBoxton Academy."
Billie did not say anything--she just looked. But that look must havebeen enough, for suddenly with a flirt of her dress and a toss of herhead and an insolent look Amanda flung past them.
"Just the same you needn't think you're the only pebble on the beach,"she called back. "I'm going to Three Towers, too."
For a minute the chums could not believe their ears. Then they looked ateach other with horror written on their faces.
"Did you hear what I heard?" gasped Billie, when she could find hervoice.
"Yes, I heard," said Laura faintly. "Girls, do you think she could havebeen telling the truth?"
"I don't see why she should want to fib about it," said Vi, feelingrather bewildered. "She'd know we would soon find it out."
"Oh, but it's too awful!" burst out Billie suddenly. "Why, girls, it'sapt to spoil our whole year! Just think of having that sneak around,prying into all our affairs and reporting every little thing we do."
"I guess the only way out of that is not to do anything she can report,"said Violet ruefully, and Laura caught her up quickly.
"There you go taking all the fun out of it before we start," she said,and in spite of their consternation the girls had to laugh.
"Why, you actually sound as if you intended to break the rules," saidBillie, drolly adding, with a prim little pucker of her mouth: "Laura,I'm surprised at you."
"Listen to the good little girl talking," gibed Laura. "I never knew youto get into any mischief, Billie,--oh, no!"
"Well, I won't quarrel with you about it," said Billie, calmly addingwith a little chuckle: "If we try to have any midnight feast at ThreeTowers with sweet Amanda wandering round loose we will have to appoint aguard to stand outside the door and warn us."
"I suppose that will be my job," said Violet plaintively. "It will belots of fun standing out in a drafty hall looking for Amanda while yougirls are having a feast."
"No, we'll fix it so it will be perfectly fair," said Billie soothingly."We'll draw lots or something."
"But I don't know what good a guard would do anyway," said Lauradolefully. "There's something creepy about the way Amanda finds outthings. You think she's miles away and the next day she tells you moreabout what you did than you know yourself."
"Maybe she has an accomplice," said Billie dramatically, and the girlsgiggled.
"Anybody'd think Amanda was a criminal or something," said Laura, butBillie shook her head decidedly.
"Uh-uh," she said. "I might l
ike a good honest criminal but I'll bejiggered--scuse me, ladies--if I can like Amanda Peabody! She's toosly!"