Read Online Betsy and the Boys by Carolyn Haywood - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Haywood
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valentines into each other's desks. Betsy delivered some of hers this way, but the ones for her own neighborhood she saved to slip into letter slots or under doors, which was always more exciting.
To Betsy's great surprise, she found that she
had forgotten to put Billy's penwiper into her schoolbag. She remembered now that she had left it on her desk. Many of the children had little packages. Once when Ellen opened her schoolbag Betsy noticed that Ellen had a little package wrapped in bright red paper. Betsy couldn't help wondering whom it was for.
On her way home from school Betsy delivered all of her valentines except Billy's. She would have to go home and get his.
A short way from home she turned a corner and saw Billy ahead of her. He was scurrying along in the direction of her house, carrying a package wrapped up in white paper. It was evidently a box of candy. In his other hand, dangling from one finger, was a little red box.
Ha, ha!
thought Betsy.
I know who gave him that. It was Ellen, 'cause I saw it in Ellens bag.
Betsy was sure that Billy was on the way to her house to leave the box of candy, so she walked very slowly. She didn't want to catch him leaving the package on the step. She must let him think she was surprised. Betsy stopped to play with a dog so that Billy would have plenty of time to get away.
Finally she decided that it was safe to go home. As she turned the last corner, she ran
plump into Ellen. Ellen laughed and said, "Oh, Betsy! You scared me!"
Betsy laughed and said, "Oh, hello, Ellen!" And Betsy knew, and Ellen knew that Betsy knew, that she had been leaving a valentine at Betsy's house. But, of course, they both made believe that they didn't know.
"Well, good-bye," said Ellen.
"Good-bye," said Betsy. "I hope you get a lot of valentines."
"Oh, yes," said Ellen. "I hope you do too."
Just as the little girls parted, Betsy saw Rudy dart out from behind some bushes.
Now what has he been up to?
thought Betsy.
Billy was nowhere in sight, so Betsy ran down the street as fast as she could go. Sure enough, there on the step sat a white box that Betsy was sure was candy, and a little package wrapped in red paper.
Betsy picked them up and opened the door. Inside the floor was strewn with white envelopes. Most of them were for Betsy, although some were for Star.
She gathered them up and ran upstairs to her bedroom. She dropped the envelopes on her desk and sat down in her chair. She opened the red
package first. She was sure that Ellen had left it for her. Inside there was a beautiful, little, fat, pink satin heart. It was a pincushion. Betsy placed it on her bureau. She stood back and admired it. She thought it looked beautiful.
Then she unwrapped the candy box. She lifted the lid while her mouth watered. What she saw made her scream. The candy box, instead of being filled with luscious chocolates, was filled with fish heads.
"Oh!" cried Betsy. "Oh!" She began to cry very hard. With tears streaming down her face she ran downstairs. She found Mrs. Beckett in the kitchen and she ran to her, holding out the dreadful box.
"'Laws a mercy!" cried Mrs. Beckett. "What's that?"
Betsy was choking with sobs so that she couldn't speak. She put the box on the table, and with her arms across her eyes she cried as though her heart would break.
Mrs. Beckett put her arms around Betsy. "Oh, don't cry like that, darling," said Mrs. Beckett. "Tell me what it's all about. Tell me, dear."
Betsy just clung to Mrs. Beckett and sobbed. Mrs. Beckett patted her until the sobbing ceased.
"Now, tell me," said Mrs. Beckett.
Betsy felt exhausted but she managed to say, "It was Billy. He put that awful box of fish heads on the front step. And it was all wrapped up like a box of candy. I thought it was a box of candy."
"Billy?" cried Mrs. Beckett. "Billy Porter did that?"
"Yes," said Betsy. "I saw him carrying the box."
"Why, I never heard of anything so dreadful," said Mrs. Beckett. "He should have a good
To Betsy's great surprise, she found that she
had forgotten to put Billy's penwiper into her schoolbag. She remembered now that she had left it on her desk. Many of the children had little packages. Once when Ellen opened her schoolbag Betsy noticed that Ellen had a little package wrapped in bright red paper. Betsy couldn't help wondering whom it was for.
On her way home from school Betsy delivered all of her valentines except Billy's. She would have to go home and get his.
A short way from home she turned a corner and saw Billy ahead of her. He was scurrying along in the direction of her house, carrying a package wrapped up in white paper. It was evidently a box of candy. In his other hand, dangling from one finger, was a little red box.
Ha, ha!
thought Betsy.
I know who gave him that. It was Ellen, 'cause I saw it in Ellens bag.
Betsy was sure that Billy was on the way to her house to leave the box of candy, so she walked very slowly. She didn't want to catch him leaving the package on the step. She must let him think she was surprised. Betsy stopped to play with a dog so that Billy would have plenty of time to get away.
Finally she decided that it was safe to go home. As she turned the last corner, she ran
plump into Ellen. Ellen laughed and said, "Oh, Betsy! You scared me!"
Betsy laughed and said, "Oh, hello, Ellen!" And Betsy knew, and Ellen knew that Betsy knew, that she had been leaving a valentine at Betsy's house. But, of course, they both made believe that they didn't know.
"Well, good-bye," said Ellen.
"Good-bye," said Betsy. "I hope you get a lot of valentines."
"Oh, yes," said Ellen. "I hope you do too."
Just as the little girls parted, Betsy saw Rudy dart out from behind some bushes.
Now what has he been up to?
thought Betsy.
Billy was nowhere in sight, so Betsy ran down the street as fast as she could go. Sure enough, there on the step sat a white box that Betsy was sure was candy, and a little package wrapped in red paper.
Betsy picked them up and opened the door. Inside the floor was strewn with white envelopes. Most of them were for Betsy, although some were for Star.
She gathered them up and ran upstairs to her bedroom. She dropped the envelopes on her desk and sat down in her chair. She opened the red
package first. She was sure that Ellen had left it for her. Inside there was a beautiful, little, fat, pink satin heart. It was a pincushion. Betsy placed it on her bureau. She stood back and admired it. She thought it looked beautiful.
Then she unwrapped the candy box. She lifted the lid while her mouth watered. What she saw made her scream. The candy box, instead of being filled with luscious chocolates, was filled with fish heads.
"Oh!" cried Betsy. "Oh!" She began to cry very hard. With tears streaming down her face she ran downstairs. She found Mrs. Beckett in the kitchen and she ran to her, holding out the dreadful box.
"'Laws a mercy!" cried Mrs. Beckett. "What's that?"
Betsy was choking with sobs so that she couldn't speak. She put the box on the table, and with her arms across her eyes she cried as though her heart would break.
Mrs. Beckett put her arms around Betsy. "Oh, don't cry like that, darling," said Mrs. Beckett. "Tell me what it's all about. Tell me, dear."
Betsy just clung to Mrs. Beckett and sobbed. Mrs. Beckett patted her until the sobbing ceased.
"Now, tell me," said Mrs. Beckett.
Betsy felt exhausted but she managed to say, "It was Billy. He put that awful box of fish heads on the front step. And it was all wrapped up like a box of candy. I thought it was a box of candy."
"Billy?" cried Mrs. Beckett. "Billy Porter did that?"
"Yes," said Betsy. "I saw him carrying the box."
"Why, I never heard of anything so dreadful," said Mrs. Beckett. "He should have a good
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