The children alternately hugged and thumped him.
“Why haven’t you been here before, Billy?” Maida said, “I’ve been at home two weeks now.”
“Only because I wasn’t in Boston,” Billy declared. “I’ve been away on my vacation. I had to take it early this year. I couldn’t have come over here at this moment, but that I’m on a story.”
When Billy Potter spoke of a “story,” he meant the account which he wrote of events for his paper. “I’m on a kidnapping case,” he explained over their heads to Mr. Westabrook. “I may be here in Satuit on and off for a few days. And if invited, I might become a guest of this noble establishment.”
“Oh do come, oh do, oh do!” the children entreated.
“All right,” Billy agreed, “I’m only waiting for an invitation, Petronilla.”
“Well here it is,” said Maida.
“I accept,” Billy Potter laughed.
The children had to take him the rounds too. He wondered at and exclaimed over the vegetable garden. He exclaimed over and wondered at the flower garden. He went in swimming in the Magic Mirror, and showed them many new water tricks. He inspected House Rock with the Little Six. He climbed to the Tree Room with the Big Six. He declared that the Tree Room was where he must sleep. And he did sleep there, although it took all the ingenuity that he possessed, plus the assistance of the three boys, to pull a cot up into it.
And while Billy Potter was still a guest, as though, as Maida said, wonders would never cease, Dr. Pierce suddenly appeared on the scene.