CHAPTER XXV
HAPPY AGAIN
"Gee, that was some slick work!" crowed Teddy Jordon exultantly. "Who'dever think we would catch the old Codfish. But say----" he broke off,his face growing sober as he looked at the girls. "You haven't told usyet just why you're taking this tramp in the snow. What's the idea--ahealth cure or something?"
"No, it isn't a health cure," explained Billie, a trifle wearily, fornow that the excitement of catching the Codfish was over the girls werebeginning to feel cold and hungry and rather forlorn. "We're justleaving Three Towers, that's all."
"Leaving Three Towers!" the boys repeated incredulously. And Teddyadded, seeing in a flash the real state of affairs: "Now I get the idea.You're striking, aren't you?"
Billie nodded.
"Say, that reminds me," said Chet. "We sent a telegram to Miss Waltersasking her to come back at once. We sent it for you even before we toldthe police about the Codfish."
The girls brightened, and Billie darted forward eagerly and caught Chetby the sleeve.
"Oh, Chet, what did you tell her?" she cried. "Did you ask her to comeback right away?"
Chet nodded importantly. "I told her enough to bring her back on therun, I guess," he said, adding with a grin: "I made up the telegram andTeddy paid for it."
"Oh, you darling!" cried Billie, hugging both the boys to the greatdelight of Teddy, who made the girls giggle by asking if there was notanother telegram he could send.
"Come on, girls," cried Billie, forgetting, in the hope of seeing MissWalters again before long, that she was tired and hungry. "If we hurrywe can get to town before the snow gets too deep."
"But, say," cried Teddy, as the girls started on their way, "aren't youeven going to say good-bye to us? That's gratitude for you!"
The girls stopped short and looked surprised.
"Aren't you going to the town with us?" asked Vi.
"You needn't think that because you're on strike that we are, too," saidChet reproachfully. "Captain Shelling didn't give us the whole day off,you know."
"You deserve it just the same," said Connie Danvers. "He'll probablygive you a week off and a medal when he learns how you caught thethief."
"But we couldn't have caught him if you girls hadn't come along,"protested Teddy modestly. "If we get a holiday we'll see that you getone, too."
"We're taking ours now," laughed Billie. "Good-bye, boys; and thanksawfully for sending the telegram."
Teddy and Chet stood watching the girls as they trudged through theclinging snow, and when they turned away their faces were unusuallysober.
"That's a plucky thing to do," said Teddy admiringly. "But I bet theywould never have had the nerve to do it if Billie hadn't set them up toit."
"Billie's some class, isn't she?" Chet took him up eagerly. "Just lookhow she jumped in front of the Codfish. She might have been shot, butshe never even thought of it. Say," he added, his chest swelling visiblywith pride, "I've always thought I'd like a brother; but Billie's asgood as a brother, any day."
"She's a sight better," Teddy contradicted fervently.
Tired but hopeful, the girls trudged the remaining distance to town andstarted up the main street toward the one big hotel in Molata. Theystrung down the street in what seemed an endless line, and peoplepassing stared wonderingly and turned around for another look when thegirls had passed them.
People gathered at the windows and in the door-ways to look at thestrange procession, but the girls were too tired and hungry to noticethem.
When they filed into the big summer hotel lobby, how the clerk at thedesk and the few men gathered about did stare! A hundred girls, allpretty and daintily dressed, but seeming, by their suitcases and theirclothes which were powdered thick with clinging wet snow, to have walkeda good distance, were sure to create a sensation.
The girls hung back, realizing for the first time how they must appearto strangers and not quite certain just what to do next. But, as usual,Billie took the lead.
She went toward the clerk with an uncertain, apologetic little smilethat would have softened a much harder heart than his and said that shewould like to engage rooms for herself and her friends.
Be it said to the credit of the clerk, who was rather a nice looking boywith sand colored hair and eyes to match, that he did not even smile.
Soberly he asked Billie how many rooms she would need, and Billie turnedto the girls rather helplessly. Then it was Caroline Brant who came toher aid.
"We can sleep three in a room," she said, regarding the clerk gravelythrough her horn-rimmed spectacles. "So you can figure out just how manywe'll need."
"If we could have cots put in the rooms," Billie ventured, "we couldget more than three in one room."
"All right," the clerk answered, still unsmiling, while several peoplehad gathered around and were looking on with interest. "If you don'tmind cots I guess I can fix you up all right. It's lucky that it'swinter," he added, a little twinkle creeping into his nice eyes, "andthat the hotel isn't crowded, or we might have to turn somebody out."
He watched the girls go up the stairway to the rooms above--for they haddecided they would rather walk than wait for the elevator--then turnedto one of the men lounging near with a chuckle.
"Nice kids," he said, regarding the signatures in the big book beforehim written in unmistakably girlish hands. "If they weren't dressed sowell, I'd say it was an orphan asylum out for an airing."
Meanwhile the girls had decided that they were more hungry than theywere tired, and so merely stopped to drop their bags in their rooms andbrush a little of the clinging snow from their clothing before settingforth in search of food.
They had decided to separate into groups and to eat in different placesso as not to attract too much attention, and they were gathered on thesidewalk in front of the hotel wondering just what to do next whensuddenly one of the girls gave a startled cry.
"Girls--no, it isn't--yes, it is!" she cried, clutching the girl besideher hysterically. "Look! There's Miss Walters!"
"Where?"
"Oh, it can't be!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, there she is! There she is!"
And Miss Walters--for it was indeed she--attracted by the hubbub as weresome other passersby, looked at the girls first curiously, then inastounded amazement. To her startled vision it seemed as if all thegirls in the world were gathered there on the sidewalk in front of thehotel. And they were her girls--the girls of Three Towers Hall!
She hurried forward, feeling that the next moment she must wake up andfind it all a dream, and the girls surged around her in an eager flood.
They were so wildly surprised and joyful at the unexpected meeting thatthey were almost ready to get down on their knees and thank the fateswho had sent her to them just when they needed her most.
They all started to talk at once, but Miss Walters, having recovered alittle from her first surprise and seeing that a curious crowd wasbeginning to gather, spoke to them authoritatively.
"Come inside," she said. "I can't imagine what has brought you here likethis, but we certainly can't talk about it in the street."
She led the way through the doorway and into the hotel lobby, which wasfortunately deserted. Then she sank down upon a couch and the girlsgathered eagerly around her.
"Now suppose one of you tell me the meaning of all this," said MissWalters, her blue eyes a little hard and accusing. She had no idea whathad happened, but she knew that if the girls were responsible for thisunheard of proceeding it would go hard with them. Miss Walters was fairand just, and because she was just she could be sternness itself whereany disobedience on the part of the girls was concerned.
As for the girls themselves, all their old fears of expulsion came backat this attitude of their president, and they looked rather helplesslyat each other.
Then Connie Danvers nudged Billie and whispered something in her ear.And Billie bravely did as she was asked, although, as she afterwardsaid, her knees were trembling under her.
"Miss Walters," she began hesitatingly, as Miss Walters turned a steadygaze upon her, "I can explain why we are here and everything that hashappened since you left--if you will let me," she finished rathertimidly.
"That is just what I want you to do," said Miss Walters gravely.
As Billie told her story Miss Walters' expression changed, became lessstern, and she leaned forward in amazement.
"You say that some of the girls were faint and sick from lack of food?"she asked once incredulously. "Why, it's--it's incredible. But go on,"she interrupted herself impatiently. "What happened then?"
When Billie told of the raid, her imprisonment in the little room, herescape, and finally the decision of the girls to leave Three Towers andcome to the hotel until Miss Walters' return, the latter jumped to herfeet, her face flushing angrily.
"I'm glad I came just when I did," she said. "I was tempted to staylonger, but something told me that I might be needed, and that somethingwas right. Come, girls, we'll hire all the taxis in town if we have to,and private automobiles, too, and get back to Three Towers immediately."
"We'll have to get our baggage," Billie suggested timidly.
"Your baggage?" queried Miss Walters absently, her mind on what shewould do when she reached Three Towers.
"Yes, we left our bags in our rooms upstairs."
"Your rooms?" Miss Walters asked, then added with a compassionate smilethat made her seem more beautiful than ever to the adoring girls: "Why,of course, you poor children! I forgot that you expected to stay overnight. All right, run up and get your bags while I see the room clerkand about getting us back to Three Towers."
The girls never forgot that triumphant ride back to Three Towers throughthe snow. Nor did they forget what happened afterward.
Miss Ada and Miss Cora Dill and the other teachers saw them coming, andMiss Cora's lips tightened grimly. She was the first to greet MissWalters at the door.
"Go up to your dormitories, girls," said Miss Walters, hardly glancingat the teachers. "We will have lunch in half an hour--a real lunch. Justa minute," she called, as the girls started jubilantly off. "I'd like tospeak to Beatrice Bradley in my private office immediately."
Billie came back, wondering just what was going to happen next, whileLaura picked up the suitcase she had dropped and hurriedly followed theother girls.
Then Miss Walters turned to the teachers.
"Will you all come with me into my office?" she asked. "There is a veryimportant matter which I must attend to before I do anything else."
She walked down the corridor to her office and opened the door. Then shemotioned them inside, stepped in after them and closed the doordecidedly.
"Sit down, please," she said, and when they were all seated she sat downat her desk and regarded them gravely. "As you know," she said, "anunheard-of thing happened this morning, and I must have the testimonyof every one before I can decide one way or the other."
Then very quietly she told of her meeting with the girls that morningand repeated almost word for word the story of what had happened duringher absence as told by Billie and supported by the other girls.
The faces of Miss Ada and Miss Cora had been growing redder and redder,and now as Miss Walters finished and looked about her Miss Cora burstout angrily.
"I hardly expected that you would listen to the girls' account of it,Miss Walters," she said. "What they have said is not true."
"Pardon me, Miss Walters," Miss Race broke in, and they all turned toher, "but I can testify that everything that Beatrice Bradley has toldyou is absolute fact. I don't think that Miss Cora will deny," sheturned to Miss Cora, who was white with fury, "that I have time and timeagain remonstrated with her and Miss Ada for their treatment of thegirls."
"Is that so, Miss Cora--and Miss Ada?" asked Miss Walters, turning tothe sisters, whose anger was slowly beginning to change to fear.
"Yes, Miss Walters," said Miss Cora at last, "it is true that Miss Racewas continually interfering in our government of the girls during yourabsence. But," she added, while her mouth set in a grim line, "I stillmaintain that we did nothing during your absence that you yourself wouldnot have done."
There was deep silence in the room for a minute while Miss Walters' eyeswandered from one intent face to another and then dropped to the blotteron her desk.
Billie's heart was beating so hard she was afraid it could be heard inthe room.
Then Miss Walters' voice came to them, cool, incisive.
"I'm sorry," she was saying, looking from Miss Ada to Miss Cora and backagain, "but I can't agree with you. Surely while I have had charge ofThree Towers the girls have not gone hungry or become faint and sickfrom lack of nourishment. Neither have they raided pantries andstorerooms and deserted Three Towers _en masse_, Miss Cora." She paused,and one could have heard a pin drop in the room. "I am very sorry, but Ithink that after Monday Three Towers will have no further need of yourservices, nor of those of Miss Ada. That is all, I think."
She rose by way of dismissal, and the other teachers rose also. Billie,who was nearest the door, slipped out quietly and ran swiftly up thestairs toward her dormitory. Her head was in a whirl, and all she wantedto do was to get with the girls again and tell them the marvelous thingthat had happened.
The other girls were waiting for her, and as she burst in upon them theycarried her off, seated her royally on top of a dresser, and gatheredaround eagerly, all talking at once and demanding to know what hadhappened.
Somehow, she made them see the scene in Miss Walters' office as if theyhad been there themselves, the scene in which the girls had won thegreat victory and the "Dill Pickles" had been dismissed.
They were just at the height of their rejoicing when the bell rang forlunch, and with one accord they stampeded for the dining room.
And it was a real lunch, as Miss Walters had promised--a lunch thatdisappeared as if by magic, and when it was over the students of ThreeTowers were really comfortable for the first time in over a week.
And everybody was happy, except Miss Ada Dill and Miss Cora; and AmandaPeabody and Eliza Dilks, perhaps. However, even though her attempt hadfailed this time, Amanda was by no means discouraged. There would beother chances--and then she would get even with Billie Bradley!
Rose Belser was happier than she had been since she had first becomejealous of Billie. She was happy because she had done her best to setBillie right again, and could look at her pretty reflection in the glassonce more without feeling ashamed.
It was some time later, and Billie, Vi and Laura were stretched out incomfortable attitudes on Billie's bed in dormitory "C"--for Miss Waltershad declared it a half holiday. And, indeed, after lunch was over therewas scarcely any of the day left, anyway.
"I feel almost sorry for Miss Ada and Miss Cora," Billie was saying,when suddenly the door opened and Connie Danvers flew in upon them.
"Girls," she cried, plumping herself down between Laura and Vi on thebed, narrowly missing the latter's feet, "I've just got a letter--thereare some for you girls down in the box, too--and what do you think thefolks are going to do this summer?"
The girls said they could not possibly guess, and before any of themwould have had a chance to, anyway, she rattled on again:
"Mother and Dad are going to open our cottage at Lighthouse Islandagain--we haven't been there for several summers. My old Uncle Tom runsthe lighthouse there, and he's a perfect darling. But this is the realthing," she paused and regarded them with sparkling eyes. "Mother saysthere will be plenty of room in the cottage for two or three of myschool chums if I'd like to have them. Think of that--if I'd like tohave them!"
The girls sat up and regarded Connie doubtfully. "What do you mean?"stammered Billie.
"What do I mean, you little goose?" said Connie impatiently. "Don't youknow I'm asking you and Laura and Vi to go with me?"
"A summer on an island with a lighthouse!" Billie murmured, while Lauraand Vi looked as if they could not believe their ears. "Now I know I'mgoing to jus
t die of it."
"What?" asked Connie curiously.
"Joy," said Billie.
And whether she did actually die of joy or not--somehow one is rathercertain that she did not--will be told in the next book of Billie'sadventures, entitled, "Billie Bradley on Lighthouse Island; or, TheMystery of the Wreck."
Lighthouse Island was certainly a queer spot, and the girls had anynumber of unusual adventures there.
"We mustn't forget our own letters!" cried Billie suddenly, and thenthere was a rush to get the epistles. And here let us say good-bye tothe girls of Three Towers Hall.
THE END
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