and seated himself on the railing. "Laura has been telling me of your
escapade, Billie Bradley, and I've come to find out what you mean by
going about busting busts--that isn't good English, is it?"

"It doesn't sound just right," agreed Billie, dimpling adorably. "You
speak as if I were bust--pardon me, _breaking_ busts for a living. And
it wasn't a bust, but a whole statue. No part way things for me!"

"There's Nellie Bane, I must speak to her," cried Laura, and before
either of the others realized what she was up to, she was gone, leaving
them alone.

Quite naturally Teddy came over and took the seat his sister had vacated.

"I say, Billie," he said, his handsome eyes regarding her frankly, "you
know, I'm really awfully sorry about that business. It makes me mad that
you should be troubled with it. You and I have always been pretty good
friends, haven't we?" he finished unexpectedly.

Surprised, Billie answered warmly: "The very best of friends, Teddy. We
ought to be," she added with a little laugh. "We've known each other
pretty nearly forever."

"Then let me help," begged Teddy earnestly. "You know my allowance is
away more than I need--"

But Billie stopped him, shaking her head decidedly.

"You're a perfect angel, Teddy, to want to do it," she said. "But I
really couldn't let you. Don't you know I couldn't?"