I thrust the box hastily into my trunk and confronted Dan.

“None of your business,” I said defiantly.

“Yes, ‘tis.” Dan was too much in earnest to resent my blunt speech. “Look here, Bev, is that magic seed? And did you get it from Billy Robinson?”

Dan and I looked at each other, suspicion dawning in our eyes.

“What do you know about Billy Robinson and his magic seed?” I demanded.

“Just this. I bought a box from him for—for—something. He said he wasn’t going to sell any of it to anybody else. Did he sell any to you?”

“Yes, he did,” I said in disgust—for I was beginning to understand that Billy and his magic seed were arrant frauds.

“What for? YOUR mouth is a decent size,” said Dan.

“Mouth? It had nothing to do with my mouth! He said it would make me grow tall. And it hasn’t—not an inch! I don’t see what you wanted it for! You are tall enough.”

“I got it for my mouth,” said Dan with a shame-faced grin. “The girls in school laugh at it so. Kate Marr says it’s like a gash in a pie. Billy said that seed would shrink it for sure.”