Betsy and the Boys

by Carolyn Haywood

  Before Mr. Jackson could stop them, the firemen came running up the porch steps with the hose. The men looked surprised to see the children on the porch.

  Mr. Jackson held up his bands. "Hold it, men!" he cried. "There isn't any fire. You must have misunderstood. We just called for a ladder. Two little girls have locked themselves in the bathroom on the third floor."

  "Oh!" said one of the firemen. "We got the message wrong. We thought it was a fire."

  The men took the hose back to the truck and some other firemen carried a ladder around to the back of the house. The children followed and watched with great interest as the ladder went up, up, and up, until it reached the bathroom window.

  One of the firemen ran up the ladder very quickly. The children watched him as he raised the window and climbed through. Then he stuck his head out and shouted, "OK, I'll come down through the house."

  The other men took the ladder away and the children returned to the house.

  When the fireman who had rescued the fairies came out of the front door, he was carrying a big pitcher of hot cider. Mrs. Jackson followed with a plate piled high with doughnuts.

  "Gather 'round, boys! Gather 'round!" the fireman called out to the other men.

  All the men came running to the porch. They

  sat down on the steps and drank the cider and ate the doughnuts.

  "Nicest fire I've ever been to," said one of the men.

  "Never had cider before," said another.

  "No," said another fireman, "only plenty of water."

  Meanwhile, inside the house the children were gathered in the dining room and the parents were settled again in the living room. Betsy stood behind the scenes holding tightly to the two fairies.

  Mary Lou stepped before the curtain. She bowed. "Parents and friends," she said. "We are about to present for you a play. It is called 'The Fairies' Gift.'"

  "Clang! Clang! Clang!" came from down the street. It was the fire engines, going home.

  And from behind the curtain came the little voice of Lillybell. "Fire engines! Come all for Lillybell." Then the other wee fairy piped up. "Fi-gins, Betsy! Fi-gins!"

  Betsy said, "Sh-h-h-h!"

  And Richard pulled the curtain.

  9. Betsy and Her Valentines

  Ever since the day Rudy Wilson learned that Betsy had given her football to Billy, Rudy had felt hurt. After all, he thought, he was the one who had wanted the football the most. And hadn't he been the one who had made Betsy Grand Matron? And finally hadn't he put her on the team? "After all that," he grumbled to himself, "she went and gave that wonderful football to Puff Porter." Rudy felt that it wasn't fair at all. Betsy should have given the football to him.

  Rudy never said anything to anyone about it but he nursed his hurt feelings. The more he thought about it the more he wanted to do something that would make him feel that he had gotten even with Betsy and Billy.

  Meanwhile Betsy and Billy had no idea that Rudy felt badly about the football. He had been glad enough to play with it. He had come to their Christmas parties and Betsy and Billy looked upon Rudy as a good pal. But the football stuck in Rudy's thought as a splinter might have stuck in his finger.

  Once when Betsy and Billy were playing in the schoolyard, Rudy ran up to Billy and pushed him into Betsy. He pushed him so hard that Billy knocked Betsy over. Billy was as mad as a hornet, but Betsy said she didn't think Rudy meant to do it but that he was certainly getting awfully rough.

  As the weeks went by, the children's days were filled to the brim. Betsy skated every afternoon after school. She had already learned to make the figure eight and now she was learning to skate backwards.

  Billy had received some track and several kits for a miniature railroad for Christmas. So he spent most of his spare time in the cellar playroom, laying track.

  Little Eddie Wilson had collected three stray cats and was always running into seafood markets, asking for fish heads for his cats.

  Ellen was taking drawing and painting lessons. As soon as school was out, she would dash home to smear paint on large sheets of paper with her fingers.

  Soon it was February, and Betsy's father had to go away on a business trip and Mother went with him. Mrs. Beckett, who had been Betsy and Star's nurse when they were tiny babies, came to stay with the two little girls.

  As Valentine's Day approached, the shop windows were filled with valentines. There were all kinds: big ones, little ones, comic ones, pretty ones. Some had surprises in them, such as lollipops, sticks of chewing gum, candy sticks, and gumdrops. Betsy selected some of these for her best friends. She picked out one with a big red lollipop for Ellen, and one with a row of gum babies for her sister, Star. For Eddie she chose one with cats made of real fur.

  Betsy looked forward to Valentine's Day. It was such fun and so exciting to find envelopes slipped under the front door. Sometimes the doorbell would ring and when Betsy opened the door, there on the step she would find a little package. But no one was ever there.

  One year she had found a little package there tied up with red ribbon. When she looked up the street, she saw Billy running as fast as his legs would carry him. So Betsy knew, that time, that Billy had left the package. When she opened it, she found a beautiful white handkerchief with a red heart sewed in the corner. Across the heart, embroidered in white, was the name "Betsy."

  When Betsy thanked Billy for the handkerchief, his face grew very red and he said, "Oh, golly-wops! How did you know?" He made believe he was cross about it but he really was very pleased.

  Betsy decided that this year she would make Billy a penwiper. Mother had given her an old pair of long white kid gloves and she had a scrap of bright red leather that she had been saving to make a pair of shoes for her best doll. With a cardboard heart as a pattern, she cut as many white hearts as she could from the old gloves. Then, from her precious piece of red leather, she cut one heart which she placed on the top of the little pile of white hearts. She fastened them all together by sewing a red button right in the center of the red heart. She ran the thread through and through the layers of kid. Betsy was delighted with the results.

  When Valentine's Day arrived, she woke up feeling very happy. She jumped out of bed and ran right down to the front door without stopping to put on her bathrobe. There were no white envelopes lying on the floor. She opened the door on a crack to see if there were any on the step, but there was nothing on the step but the milk and cream. She guessed it was too early, so she scampered upstairs and crawled back into bed. She pushed her cold feet down into the warm covers and felt as contented as a kitten.

  Soon Mrs. Beckett called out, "Come on, Betsy. Time to get up. It's Valentine's Day."

  "I know," said Betsy. "I've been awake for ages. But there aren't any valentines yet. I looked and I've been listening. I haven't heard a sound at the front door and I haven't heard anything drop through the letter slot."

  Mrs. Beckett went downstairs. "Well, you're mistaken," she called back. "Here's a great big one lying right by the door."

  "There is!" squealed Betsy. She jumped out of bed and ran downstairs.

  Mrs. Beckett was holding a large envelope in her hand and smiling broadly.

  Betsy took it with eyes that danced. "Now who do you suppose left that!" exclaimed Betsy. "And I didn't hear a thing!"

  Betsy opened the envelope and drew out the valentine. It was a folding one that opened up with fancy cutout paper in bright red. There were fat little pink cherubs holding a big heart with "To My Valentine" in gold letters.

  "Oh, Mrs. Beckett!" cried Betsy. "Look! Isn't it beautiful!"

  "Very nice, very nice," said Mrs. Beckett. "Now you go and get dressed." Mrs. Beckett bustled out to the kitchen and began making hot cereal.

  Betsy continued to examine the valentine. Then she looked carefully at the envelope. She didn't recognize the handwriting.

  "Now who do you suppose that is from?" said Betsy, following Mrs. Beckett into the kitchen.

  "Well," said Mrs.
Beckett, "one thing is sure. It's from somebody who got up early and somebody who is dressed. And that's something you're not. Get along or you will be late for school."

  Betsy walked back to the front door, still examining the envelope. When she reached the door, she looked at the letter slot. Her mind took a sudden jump just like a Mexican jumping bean. She held the big envelope against the slot. It was much too big to go through and it showed no sign of having been folded. Then Betsy got down on her hands and knees and tried to slip the envelope under the door. The weather stripping interfered. It would have been impossible for anyone to have slipped it under the door.

  Mrs. Beckett stuck her head out of the kitchen door. She saw Betsy on her hands and knees by

  the front door. "Betsy," she cried, "what are you doing? I told you to go up and get yourself into your clothes."

  Betsy looked up with a puzzled expression. "Do you know what, Mrs. Beckett? There's a mystery about this valentine. This valentine didn't come through the slot and it wasn't poked under the door."

  "Well, you saw me pick it up off the floor, didn't you?" said Mrs. Beckett, looking a little flustered.

  Betsy sat back on her heels. Then she shook her finger at Mrs. Beckett. "Yes," she said, "and I know who put it there. It was you, Mrs. Beckett. It was you."

  "Oh, go 'long with you," laughed Mrs. Beckett. "Get dressed."

  Betsy jumped up. She ran to Mrs. Beckett and threw her arms around her. "Thank you, Mrs. Beckett. It's such a beautiful valentine." Then she dashed upstairs.

  As Betsy washed and dressed, she sang. It was going to be such a happy day. It was fun to have Mrs. Beckett put the valentine by the door. But Mrs. Beckett hadn't fooled her. She was too smart for Mrs. Beckett.

  Betsy had spent so much time over the valentine that she had to rush around very fast in order not to be late for school. At last, she was ready. She snatched up her schoolbag and dashed out of the house. She had to run most of the way to school. She didn't have time to deliver any of the valentines that she had in her schoolbag. She would have to deliver them on her way home.

  Just before she reached the school she passed Rudy Wilson. He was carrying a box under his arm. It was wrapped in white paper and looked just like a box of candy.

  "Hello, Rudy!" Betsy said.

  "'Lo!" replied Rudy.

  "It's fun, isn't it?" said Betsy.

  "What's fun?" said Rudy.

  "Valentine's Day," said Betsy.

  "Well, you're not my Valentine," said Rudy.

  Betsy looked a little surprised and then she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you're not mine either," she said.

  "You bet I'm not," said Rudy. "Billy Porter's your Valentine."

  As Betsy hurried along by herself, she couldn't help wondering about the box Rudy was carrying. Who was Rudy's Valentine?

  10. A Strange Valentine

  The children couldn't keep their thoughts on their lessons, but they had a wonderful day. At recess and lunch time they slipped valentines into each other's desks. Betsy delivered some of hers this way, but the ones for her own neighborhood she saved to slip into letter slots or under doors, which was always more exciting.

  To Betsy's great surprise, she found that she

  had forgotten to put Billy's penwiper into her schoolbag. She remembered now that she had left it on her desk. Many of the children had little packages. Once when Ellen opened her schoolbag Betsy noticed that Ellen had a little package wrapped in bright red paper. Betsy couldn't help wondering whom it was for.

  On her way home from school Betsy delivered all of her valentines except Billy's. She would have to go home and get his.

  A short way from home she turned a corner and saw Billy ahead of her. He was scurrying along in the direction of her house, carrying a package wrapped up in white paper. It was evidently a box of candy. In his other hand, dangling from one finger, was a little red box.

  Ha, ha! thought Betsy. I know who gave him that. It was Ellen, 'cause I saw it in Ellens bag.

  Betsy was sure that Billy was on the way to her house to leave the box of candy, so she walked very slowly. She didn't want to catch him leaving the package on the step. She must let him think she was surprised. Betsy stopped to play with a dog so that Billy would have plenty of time to get away.

  Finally she decided that it was safe to go home. As she turned the last corner, she ran plump into Ellen. Ellen laughed and said, "Oh, Betsy! You scared me!"

  Betsy laughed and said, "Oh, hello, Ellen!" And Betsy knew, and Ellen knew that Betsy knew, that she had been leaving a valentine at Betsy's house. But, of course, they both made believe that they didn't know.

  "Well, good-bye," said Ellen.

  "Good-bye," said Betsy. "I hope you get a lot of valentines."

  "Oh, yes," said Ellen. "I hope you do too."

  Just as the little girls parted, Betsy saw Rudy dart out from behind some bushes. Now what has he been up to? thought Betsy.

  Billy was nowhere in sight, so Betsy ran down the street as fast as she could go. Sure enough, there on the step sat a white box that Betsy was sure was candy, and a little package wrapped in red paper.

  Betsy picked them up and opened the door. Inside the floor was strewn with white envelopes. Most of them were for Betsy, although some were for Star.

  She gathered them up and ran upstairs to her bedroom. She dropped the envelopes on her desk and sat down in her chair. She opened the red package first. She was sure that Ellen had left it for her. Inside there was a beautiful, little, fat, pink satin heart. It was a pincushion. Betsy placed it on her bureau. She stood back and admired it. She thought it looked beautiful.

  Then she unwrapped the candy box. She lifted the lid while her mouth watered. What she saw made her scream. The candy box, instead of being filled with luscious chocolates, was filled with fish heads.

  "Oh!" cried Betsy. "Oh!" She began to cry very hard. With tears streaming down her face she ran downstairs. She found Mrs. Beckett in the kitchen and she ran to her, holding out the dreadful box.

  "'Laws a mercy!" cried Mrs. Beckett. "What's that?"

  Betsy was choking with sobs so that she couldn't speak. She put the box on the table, and with her arms across her eyes she cried as though her heart would break.

  Mrs. Beckett put her arms around Betsy. "Oh, don't cry like that, darling," said Mrs. Beckett. "Tell me what it's all about. Tell me, dear."

  Betsy just clung to Mrs. Beckett and sobbed. Mrs. Beckett patted her until the sobbing ceased.

  "Now, tell me," said Mrs. Beckett.

  Betsy felt exhausted but she managed to say, "It was Billy. He put that awful box of fish heads on the front step. And it was all wrapped up like a box of candy. I thought it was a box of candy."

  "Billy?" cried Mrs. Beckett. "Billy Porter did that?"

  "Yes," said Betsy. "I saw him carrying the box."

  "Why, I never heard of anything so dreadful," said Mrs. Beckett. "He should have a good whipping. I suppose he thinks that kind of trick is funny. Well, I would like to funny him, all right. Don't you have anything more to do with that boy."

  "Well, I'm glad I didn't give him that nice penwiper that I made for his valentine," said Betsy. "I'm glad I left it home this morning."

  Mrs. Beckett carried the box outside and threw it into the garbage can. "If I catch sight of that Billy, I'll give him what's what," she muttered to herself.

  Betsy's Valentine's Day that had started out so bright and shiny ended sadly. Even the valentines that she had picked up from inside the front door couldn't make her forget that terrible

  box of fish heads. She told herself over and over that she would never, never forgive Billy.

  The next morning when she woke she had a strange feeling that something was wrong. At first she didn't know what it was. Then she remembered. It was Billy. She was mad at Billy.

  Instead of stopping for Billy, as she often did, Betsy went straight to school. When Billy arrived, he grinned at Betsy and said, "Hiya, Betsy! Did you
get a lot of valentines? I know which one you sent me."

  Betsy tossed her braids and said, "I didn't send you any valentine and don't you ever speak to me again."

  Billy's face grew crimson and he said, "OK. If you feel that way about it."

  At recess Betsy said to Ellen, "That was a lovely valentine you gave me. It's beautiful."

  "I'm glad you like it," said Ellen. "How did you know which one was mine?"

  Betsy giggled. "I saw it in your bag when you opened it yesterday."

  Ellen looked puzzled. "But how could you tell?" she said.

  "By the color," replied Betsy.

  Ellen looked very blank.

  "I have my pins in it," said Betsy.

  "Your pins?" said Ellen.

  Just then the bell rang and the children scampered back to their classrooms.

  All of the rest of the month of February Betsy never spoke to Billy unless it was absolutely necessary in the classroom. She didn't go near his house and he didn't come to hers.

  Betsy had never mentioned the terrible valentine box to anyone because Mrs. Beckett had told her not to speak of it. Several times Mrs. Porter had asked Billy why Betsy never came to the house, and Billy said, "I dunno."

  Billy's birthday was the first of March and Mrs. Porter planned a birthday party for him. When he made out the list of friends he wanted to invite, Betsy's name was not on the list.

  "Now, Billy," said his mother, "you must invite Betsy."

  "I won't have her," said Billy.

  "Billy," said Mrs. Porter, "this is all very silly. Betsy was one of your very best friends. She gave you that lovely football and now you don't want to invite her to your party. What is the matter with you?"

  "Well, she didn't send me any valentine, and she said she didn't want me to speak to her again," said Billy.

  "Betsy said that!" exclaimed Mrs. Porter. "Why, that isn't like Betsy."

  "Well, she did," said Billy.

  "Then you must have done something to hurt her," said his mother.