"That's a teaser," said Lance. "What did the kid mean?"

"That's what troubled Alice," chuckled Bobby. "She couldn't get it at
all; but Tommy stuck to it that he had given her the text straight. So
she looked it up herself and what do you suppose Tommy had twisted
into 'Don't worry. You'll get the blanket?'"

"Give it up," said Jess. "Let's have it."

"Why, the text was," said Bobby, more seriously, "'Fear not; the
Comforter shall come unto you.'"

"That kid is a terror," said Chet, when the laugh had subsided. "And
so's Short and Long. I believe he agreed to let Pretty Sweet go along
with us to Lake Dunkirk just because he likes to play jokes on Purt."

"Dear me!" sighed Bobby, with unction. "With Pretty in your camp and
Lil in ours, the sun of no day should go down upon us without, seeing
_some_ fun."

"And if you have 'Lonesome Liz' along," chuckled Lance, "you girls
certainly won't forget how to laugh."

It was agreed that Laura and Jess should see Lizzie Bean the next
morning and engage her for the position--if she would accept. They
started early, for although they were only juniors and would have
another year to attend Central High before graduation, this last day
of school would be a busy one for them as well as for the graduating
class.

Billy and Alice Long, who were their schoolmates, lived in a much
poorer quarter of the town; it was down toward the wharves, and not
far from the Central High's boathouses.

The street was a typical water-side street, with small, gaily painted
cottages, or cottages without any paint at all save that put on
lavishly by the ancient decorating firm of Wind & Weather. Each
dwelling had its own tiny fenced yard, with a garden behind. The
Longs' was neatly kept both front and rear, and the house itself
showed no neglect by the tenants.

Mr. Long was a hard working man, and although the children were
motherless, Alice, the oldest, kept the home neat and cheerful for her
brothers and sisters. All the children were old enough to go to school
save Tommy; and he had been to kindergarten occasionally this last
term and would go to school regularly in the fall.

Laura and Jess, hurrying on their errand, came in sight of the Long
cottage abruptly, and of a wobegone little figure on the front step.

"Why, it's Tommy!" exclaimed Laura Belding. "Whatever is the the
matter, Tommy?" for the little fellow was crying softly.

He was a most cherubic looking child, with a pink an