Surprised, Billie answered warmly: "The very best of friends, Teddy. We ought to be," she added with a little laugh. "We've known each other pretty nearly forever."
"Then let me help," begged Teddy earnestly. "You know my allowance is away more than I need—"
But Billie stopped him, shaking her head decidedly.
"You're a perfect angel, Teddy, to want to do it," she said. "But I really couldn't let you. Don't you know I couldn't?"
"I don't see why," grumbled Teddy, for after all he was only a boy, and just now a disappointed one. "Laura says you're set on replacing the thing—"
"Of course I'll have to," Billie said.
"And if you are going around getting yourself sick with worry, what sort of good time do you think the rest of us are going to have?" he burst out indignantly, and for the life of her Billie could not help smiling.
For a moment Teddy seemed undecided whether to laugh or be angry, but ended, as he nearly always did, by laughing.
"But it really isn't very funny," he reminded her when they had finished.
"Goodness! you don't have to tell me that," said Billie ruefully. "This is the first good laugh I've had since I broke the old thing."