"You've just been sweet to us," she said, "and we'll never, never, _never_ forget how kind you've been. I--I'd like to kiss you, if you don't mind."
Shyly she kissed Mrs. Jenkins' rosy cheek, and Violet and Laura followed suit. The boys and Mr. Bradley shook hands with her heartily, and then they picked up their belongings and fairly ran down the steps and out at the little white gate.
They turned to wave to Mrs. Jenkins, and she waved back at them until they disappeared around the corner; and when she started to go into the house she was surprised to find that there were tears in her eyes.
"The precious lambs," she said. "The precious little lambs! They kissed me, too, bless 'em!" and she put her hand up gently to her face.
Meanwhile the train that was to carry the North Bend party back home had thundered into the station, and all the passengers who had been stranded in the place overnight were crowding on board.
As Billie was being hurried up the steps, she suddenly paused and looked back at her father.
"Where's the trunk?" she asked nervously.
"In the baggage car," Mr. Bradley assured her. "We'll get it safely to North Bend--unless we have another wreck."
As soon as he had made the speech he regretted it. Billie's face went white and Laura and Violet looked back at him with startled eyes, then went on more slowly into the car.
The luggage had been stowed away in the racks overhead and the girls were removing their hats when the train moved slowly from the station.
"You know, I'm terribly afraid," Violet confided in a whisper to Billie. "I--I won't feel safe for a minute until we reach North Bend."
Billie looked a little uncertain herself, but suddenly there floated across her vision a shabby, odd, little trunk, filled to the brim with old coins and postage stamps. Then she laughed.
"After this morning," she said, "I'm not afraid of anything. The luck's all on our side!"
Billie was right about their luck, for they reached home without further mishap. And it was with great relief the boys and girls later saw the precious trunk safely deposited in Billie's attic.
The next few days were mostly spent in telling wondering and interested home folks about the ghostly happenings at the old homestead that was Billie's inheritance and in recounting in detail the circumstances that led to the discovery of the treasure trunk.