But Billie's shake of the head was very doubtful.

"I don't see how that helps me any--_now_," she said.




CHAPTER IV

THE LAST HOPE


That afternoon Billie took herself and a book out on the porch and tried
hard, but unsuccessfully, to forget her troubles. The more she tried to
fix her attention on the printed page before her, the more the broken
statue rose before her eyes until at last she closed the book with a slam
and bounced impatiently in her seat.

"That horrid old 'Girl Reading a Book' has spoiled my whole summer for
me," she said, her lips pouting rebelliously. "I wish I hadn't gone back
to the old school anyway. I might have known it would bring me bad luck.
Oh, here comes Laura," and her face brightened as she saw the familiar
figure of her chum swinging up the street. "I wonder what she wants.
Whatever it is, she seems to be in a terrible hurry about it."

"Hello, what's the rush?" she sang out, as Laura Jordon ran up the steps
of the porch.

"It's--it's that--that Nanny goat Amanda Peabody!" cried Laura, panting a
little, for she had indeed been in a hurry. "What do you think the old