hat she's got to stay
all night."

"All night!"

"Of course! Billy's got to have a chaperon; hasn't she? Now hurry. We
shall be up right away."

"Kate's got company."

"Never mind--leave 'em. Tell her she's got to leave 'em. And tell Cyril,
of course, what to expect. And, look a-here, you two behave, now. None
of your nonsense! Now mind. I'm not going to have this child tormented."

"I won't bat an eyelid--on my word, I won't," chuckled Bertram. "But,
oh, I say,--Will!"

"Yes."

"What's Spunk?"

"Eh?--oh--Great Scott! I forgot Spunk. I don't know. She's got a basket.
He's in that, I suppose. Anyhow, he can't be any more of a bombshell
than his mistress was. Now be quick, and none of your fooling, Bertram.
Tell them all--Pete and Dong Ling. Don't forget. I wouldn't have Billy
find out for the world! Fix it up with Kate. You'll have to fix it up
with her; that's all!" And there came the sharp click of the receiver
against the hook.

CHAPTER VII

INTRODUCING SPUNK

In the soft April twilight Cyril was playing a dreamy waltz when Bertram
knocked, and pushed open the door.

"Say, old chap, you'll have to quit your mooning this time and sit up
and take notice."

"What do you mean?" Cyril stopped playing and turned abruptly.

"I mean that Will has gone crazy, and I think the rest of us are going
to follow suit."

Cyril shrugged his shoulders and whirled about on the piano stool. In a
moment his fingers had slid once more into the dreamy waltz.

"When you get ready to talk sense, I'll listen," he said coldly.

"Oh, very well; if you really want it broken gently, it's this: Will has
met Billy, and Billy is a girl. They're due here now 'most any time."

The music stopped with a crash.

"A--GIRL!"

"Yes, a girl. Oh, I've been all through that, and I know how you feel.
But as near as I can make out, it's really so. I've had instructions to
tell everybody, and I've told. I got Kate on the telephone, and she's
coming over. You KNOW what SHE'LL be. Dong Ling is having what I suppose
are Chinese hysterics in the kitchen; and Pete is swinging back and
forth like a pendulum in the dining-room, moaning 'Good Lord, deliver
us!' at every breath. I would suggest that you follow me down-stairs so
that we may be decently ready for--whatever comes." And he turned about
and stalked out of the room, followed by Cyril, who was too stunned to
open his lips.

Kate came first. She was not stunned. She had a great d