"And she came down with a thump that shook the chandeliers," Laura went on, ignoring the interruption, "and when Mr. Gilligan—you know he weighs only a hundred and fifty and is about half her size—"
"Now I know she weighs three hundred," interposed Billie again. "It's just a matter of arithmetic."
"There she was with her head in her hands," went on Laura, too much amused by her story to notice the interruption, "sobbing as if her heart would break. And when he got down on his knees to comfort her, she just looked at him with a grin and said: 'April Fool.'"
"Well, I should say he was," said Billie, with another sniff. "And not only an April Fool, either. She would try a trick like that just about once with me."
"Well, anyway," Laura concluded, "I think she would be just the one to take on our trip with us. She's jolly and full of fun and yet she's old enough and fat enough to please our fathers and mothers. What do you say?"
"Do you suppose she's fat enough to scare away the ghosts?" asked Billie, with a chuckle.
"My, but I'd be sorry for any mistaken ghost that tried to have a set-to with her," laughed Laura. "She'd just laugh at them and say: 'Shoo, ghost, don't bodder me.'"
"All right, let's ask her," decided Billie. "Now that we have made up our minds to change Cherry Corners into a summer resort, I can't wait to get started."
"If only the folks will be willing," said Violet, looking worried. "Mother is funny about letting me go anywhere away from home without her."
"I guess all our parents are," said Billie, then added, with a sudden inspiration: "I tell you what! Let's all go together and ask them. Three are always stronger than one."