"All the more chance then," smiled William, "that somewhere among them
you'll find something to interest you. Now these Chinese ceramics,
and these bronzes--maybe you'd like those," he suggested. And with a
resigned sigh and an exaggerated air of submission, Bertram stepped back
and gave way to his brother.

"And there are these miniatures, and these Japanese porcelains. Or
perhaps you'd like stamps, or theatre programs better," William finished
anxiously.

Billy did not reply. She was turning round and round, her eyes wide and
amazed. Suddenly she pounced on a beautifully decorated teapot, and held
it up in admiring hands.

"Oh, what a pretty teapot! And what a cute little plate it sets in!" she
cried.

The collector fairly bubbled over with joy.

"That's a Lowestoft--a real Lowestoft!" he crowed. "Not that
hard-paste stuff from the Orient that's CALLED Lowestoft, but the real
thing--English, you know. And that's the tray that goes with it,
too. Wonderful--how I got them both! You know they 'most always get
separated. I paid a cool hundred for them, anyhow."

"A hundred dollars for a teapot!" gasped Billy.

"Yes; and here's a nice little piece of lustre-ware. Pretty--isn't it?
And there's a fine bit of black basalt. And--"