the."
Such letters as did come from her were addressed to William, though they
soon came to be claimed by the entire family. Bertram and Cyril frankly
demanded that William read them aloud; and even Pete always contrived to
have some dusting or "puttering" within earshot--a subterfuge quite well
understood, but never reproved by any of the brothers.

When the Christmas vacation drew near, William wrote that he hoped
Billy and Aunt Hannah would spend it with them; but Billy answered that
although she appreciated their kindness and thanked them for it, yet she
must decline their invitation, as she had already invited several of the
girls to go home with her to Hampden Falls for a country Christmas.

For the Easter vacation William was even more insistent--but so was
Billy: she had already accepted an invitation to go home with one of
the girls, and she did not think it would be at all polite to change her
plans now.

William fretted not a little. Even Cyril and Bertram said that it was
"too bad"; that they themselves would like to see the girl--so they
would!

It was in the spring, at the close of school, however, that the heaviest
blow fell: Billy was not coming to Boston even then. She wrote that she
and Aunt Hannah were going to "run across the water for a little trip
through the British Isles"; and that their passage was already engaged.

"And so you see," she explained, "I shall not have a minute to spare.
There'll be only time to skip home for Aunt Hannah, and to pack the
trunks before it'll be time to start."

Bertram looked at Cyril significantly when this letter was read aloud;
and afterward he muttered in Cyril's ear:

"You see! It's Hampden Falls she calls 'home' now--not the Strata."

"Yes, I see," frowned Cyril. "It does look suspicious."

Two days before the date of Billy's expected sailing, William announced
at the breakfast table that he was going away on business; might be gone
until the end of the week.

"You don't say," commented Bertram. "I'M going to-morrow, but I'm coming
back in a couple of days."

"Hm-m;" murmured William, abstractedly. "Oh, well, I may be back before
the end of the week."

Only one meal did Cyril eat alone after his brothers had gone; then he
told Pete that he had decided to take the night boat for New York. There
was a little matter that called him there, he said, and he believed the
trip by water would be a pleasure, the night was so fine and warm.

In New York C