Free Betsy and the Boys by Carolyn Haywood

whipping. I suppose he thinks that kind of trick is funny. Well, I would like to funny him, all right. Don't you have anything more to do with that boy."
    "Well, I'm glad I didn't give him that nice penwiper that I made for his valentine," said Betsy. "I'm glad I left it home this morning."
    Mrs. Beckett carried the box outside and threw it into the garbage can. "If I catch sight of that Billy, I'll give him what's what," she muttered to herself.
    Betsy's Valentine's Day that had started out so bright and shiny ended sadly. Even the valentines that she had picked up from inside the front door couldn't make her forget that terrible

    box of fish heads. She told herself over and over that she would never, never forgive Billy.
    The next morning when she woke she had a strange feeling that something was wrong. At first she didn't know what it was. Then she remembered. It was Billy. She was mad at Billy.
    Instead of stopping for Billy, as she often did, Betsy went straight to school. When Billy arrived, he grinned at Betsy and said, "Hiya, Betsy! Did you get a lot of valentines? I know which one you sent me."
    Betsy tossed her braids and said, "I didn't send you any valentine and don't you ever speak to me again."
    Billy's face grew crimson and he said, "OK. If you feel that way about it."
    At recess Betsy said to Ellen, "That was a lovely valentine you gave me. It's beautiful."
    "I'm glad you like it," said Ellen. "How did you know which one was mine?"
    Betsy giggled. "I saw it in your bag when you opened it yesterday."
    Ellen looked puzzled. "But how could you tell?" she said.
    "By the color," replied Betsy.
    Ellen looked very blank.
    "I have my pins in it," said Betsy.
    "Your pins?" said Ellen.
    Just then the bell rang and the children scampered back to their classrooms.
    All of the rest of the month of February Betsy never spoke to Billy unless it was absolutely necessary in the classroom. She didn't go near his house and he didn't come to hers.
    Betsy had never mentioned the terrible valentine box to anyone because Mrs. Beckett had told her not to speak of it. Several times Mrs. Porter had asked Billy why Betsy never came to the house, and Billy said, "I dunno."
    Billy's birthday was the first of March and Mrs. Porter planned a birthday party for him. When he made out the list of friends he wanted to invite, Betsy's name was not on the list.
    "Now, Billy," said his mother, "you must invite Betsy."
    "I won't have her," said Billy.
    "Billy," said Mrs. Porter, "this is all very silly. Betsy was one of your very best friends. She gave you that lovely football and now you don't want to invite her to your party. What is the matter with you?"
    "Well, she didn't send me any valentine, and
she said she didn't want me to speak to her again," said Billy.
    "Betsy said that!" exclaimed Mrs. Porter. "Why, that isn't like Betsy."
    "Well, she did," said Billy.
    "Then you must have done something to hurt her," said his mother.
    "I didn't do a thing," said Billy. "I just gave her a valentine just like the one I gave Ellen."
    "Then there has been some misunderstanding," said his mother.
    "What do you mean, 'misunderstanding'?" asked Billy.
    "Why, Betsy evidently feels that you have done something to hurt her," said Mrs. Porter. "The best way to show her that you wouldn't be unkind to her is to invite her to your party."
    "Oh, all right," said Billy.
    When Betsy received the invitation to the party, she threw it on her desk and said, "Humph! Billy Porter has invited me to his birthday party."
    "Well, you'll not go there," said Mrs. Beckett.
    "I should say not," said Betsy.
    The following day Billy said, "Betsy, are you coming to my birthday party?"
    And Betsy said, "I am not coming to your party."
    Then Billy said, "Say, Betsy! What's the matter with you?"
    "You know what you did," replied Betsy as she ran off to join a group of girls.
    The very day of Billy's party Betsy's father and mother returned home. Betsy and Star were overjoyed to see