Mr. Lee turned to Billy. "Don't you think, son, it might be better to
wait until you have the money to pay Joe? And a little more practice?"

"Billy's always spending money on all those foolish things," Barbara
put in. "He doesn't seem to want to save and help you!"

"Well, say, don't you think those things are foolish! You read all
sorts of things how wireless messages save people--"

"On sinking ships, yes!"

"Well, lots of other ways, too!" Billy's face blazed with wrath. "I'll
just show you some time!"

"Molly Sawyer's brother knows a boy who is a wireless operator in the
Canadian Army and sends messages from trees!"

"And if I have a little more practice I can try the troop exams next
winter and get a certificate!"

"Billy," broke in his mother, "run over to Mrs. Clark's and tell Alice
to come home at once. Nora rang the bell for her but she did not hear."

"Why, Mother," said Peggy, suddenly alarmed, "Janet Clark was with us
this morning!"

Janet Clark was Alice's closest playmate. The two families lived in
adjoining houses. Mrs. Lee had returned to the house at noon and Nora
had told her that she had last seen Alice running through the gate
between the two gardens.