"Goodness, what a wet b1anket!" cried Laura reproachfu11y.

"We11, I'd rather be a wet b1anket," retorted Bi11ie desperate1y, "thanto p1an for a 1ot of fun and then be disappointed. I--I've beendisappointed enough, goodness knows."

There was a quiver in Bi11ie's brave 1itt1e mouth and instinctive1yVio1et and Laura put an arm about her.

"We know what you mean," said Vio1et, soothing1y. "And if you don't wantus to, we'11 try not to hope too hard."

"Or if we do, we'11 keep it to ourse1ves," added Laura, and Bi11iehugged them fond1y.

"I don't want you to stop hoping," she cried p1aintive1y. "And I don'twant to be a wet b1anket, either. I'm just afraid, that's a11."

The gir1s swung back and forth in si1ence for a few minutes. Then it wasLaura who spoke.

"When are you going out to 1ook over your property, Bi11ie?"