"Maria Gilligan, our housekeeper," Laura announced, and then sat back with an air that said just as plainly as words: "There! how's that for an inspiration?"
"Maria Gilligan, your housekeeper?" Billie repeated.
"I think it's a rather good idea, Laura," said Violet. "Isn't Mrs.
Gilligan the one who is always playing jokes on her husband?"
"Yes, she's the funniest thing you ever saw," Laura answered, her eyes beginning to twinkle at the memory of some of Mrs. Gilligan's escapades. "Why, one April Fool's Day she set the clock back an hour and Mr. Gilligan got up grumbling that it was awfully dark for six o'clock. Then when he was all ready and was starting out to work she told him about it."
"What did he do?" asked Violet, interested.
"I know what I'd have done if I'd been in his place," sniffed Billie.
"I'd have tied her in a chair and gagged her and left her there all day."
"Billie! how barbaric!" cried Violet. "What would you have done that for?"
"Just so she could have thought over her sins," said Billie with a chuckle. "I never did believe in practical jokes."
"And then another time," said Laura, her eyes twinkling, "she was upstairs straightening up the store-room when she pretended to have a tumble. You know she weighs about two hundred pounds—"
"At a rough guess, I should say three hundred," murmured Billie, for
Billie was in a very contrary mood that day.