“Oh, I’ll squeeze in,” said Betty lightly.  Now seven girls with market baskets in addition to the driver are somewhat of a crowd, and there really was no room for Betty in the machine.  Besides, Betty was a great tease and the girls dreaded to have her with them, so no one said a word of encouragement.

“You can’t come, and that is all there is to it,” said Migwan rather crossly.  She was in a hurry to be off and get the marketing done.  Betty stamped her foot, and snatching Migwan’s market basket, she ran around the corner of the house with it.  Migwan ran after her, and forcibly recovering the basket, hit Betty over the head with it several times.  Then she jumped into the automobile and the driver started off, leaving Betty standing looking after the rapidly disappearing car and working herself into a terrible temper.  She ran into the house and slammed the door with such a jar that the vases on the mantel rattled and threatened to fall down.  She threw her hat and coat on the floor and stamped on them in a perfect fury.  On the sitting room table lay the pages of the book which Migwan was making for Professor Green.  The edges were already burned and they were ready to be pasted on the brown mat.  Betty’s eyes suddenly snapped when she saw them.  Here was a fine chance to be revenged on Migwan.  With an exclamation of triumph she seized the leaves, tore them in half and threw them into the grate, standing by until they were consumed to ashes, and laughing spitefully the while.

Migwan came in briskly with her basket of provisions.  Betty looked up slyly from the book she was reading, but said not a word.  Migwan went into the sitting room and Betty heard her moving around.  “Mother,” called Migwan up the stairway, “where did you put the pages of my book?  I left them on the sitting room table.”

“I didn’t touch them,” replied her mother; “I haven’t been downstairs since you went out.”

“Betty,” said Migwan sternly, “did you hide my work?” Betty laughed mockingly, but made no reply.  “Make haste and give them back,” commanded Migwan.  “I have no time to waste.”

Betty still maintained a provoking silence and Migwan began looking through the table drawers for the missing leaves.  Betty watched her with malicious glee.  “You may look a while before you find them,” she said meaningly; “they’re hidden in a nice, safe place.”

Migwan stood and faced her, exasperated beyond endurance.  “Betty Gardiner,” she said angrily, “stop this nonsense at once and tell me where those pages are!”

“Well, if you’re really curious to know,” answered Betty, smiling wickedly, “I’ll tell you.  They’re there” and she pointed to the grate.

“Betty,” gasped Migwan, turning white, “you don’t mean that you’ve burned them?”

“That’s what I do mean,” said Betty coolly.  “I’ll show you if you can treat me like a baby.”