roblem. The broken statue seemed as far from being paid for as ever, and,

t to find her chums, feeling the need of their sympathy. And how was she to know, poor Billie,

t herself came rushing out to meet her,

g Billie with her arm and fairly dragging her up on t

ht had literally taken her breath away. "Goodness

to send me to Three Towers Hall!" Three Towers was a boarding school some distance from North Bend. "Laura is going too," Viole

face falling, "you're never g

ly that the knuckles showed white. "I might have stood some chance if it hadn't been for t

ger and longer: "What fun will there be, I'd like to know, in going to Three Tow

l had long been the ambition of the chums, and now it was doubly hard to see her chance snatched

nd put a loving ar

rgetting her own disappointment in Billie's.

de an effort to look as if there were s

ter an interval of unhappily trying to think of some way out of their troub

t you stay at home from the school they've decided on just because I can't go with you. Although," and her voice broke a little, "it's just wo

ut you, and that settles it. I don't care if I had a thousand parents. Who's that turning

to her feet for a better view. "My, but he lo

n the town, came rushing up the steps like a whirlwind, an

ging his hat high in the

ing and T

and behave," Billie commanded. "What

I have at last persuaded our reluctant parents to send us to the military school. You kn

ere going to Boxton Military Academy, and Chet-her darling, loyal Chet-would not be abl

dressing her. "We haven't had a chance to get in touch with Chet yet. But the ol

ght Billie, as she tried to swallow a sob and only

s insisting, while Violet wa

ke her voice sound natural. "I do know one thing, and that i

n't you see the good times we're going to have with you girls at Three Towers Hall and we fellows such a little way off that we can see each other every once in a whil

o he spied Chet coming up the

e declared fervently. "Come on up he

ed about to speak, but Violet st

she whispered. "Chet is sure to he

ched as she watched Chet march up

houted it at him. "How about it, old timer, are you goi

e, but he came on quietly and perched himse

his voice as quiet as his manner, but Billie noticed that t

aming upon him. "Billie s

lie's unhappy face

e repeated. "I'l

in the impetuous Ferd. "I didn't ask

t," said Chet, his eyes on the ground. "But I'm ve

getting to his feet indignantly. "Why, the thing

rrupted Violet, coming t

go and would if he

his chair, too d

ngly. "What sort of a party do you think this is going to be anyway, with B

don't suppose I'd go to Three To

erd, seeing all his castles in the air

ok her hea

going eithe