Mrs.Stetson had long since gone back to Hampden Falls; and Bertram said that the Strata was beginning to look natural again.

There remained now, indeed, only Spunkie, the small gray cat, to remind any one of the days that were gone--though, to be sure, there were Billy's letters, if they might be called a reminder.
Billy did not write often.

She said that she was "too busy to breathe." Such letters as did come from her were addressed to William, though they soon came to be claimed by the entire family.

Bertram and Cyril frankly demanded that William read them aloud; and even Pete always contrived to have some dusting or "puttering" within earshot--a subterfuge quite well understood, but never reproved by any of the brothers.
When the Christmas vacation drew near, William wrote that he hoped Billy and Aunt Hannah would spend it with them; but Billy answered that although she appreciated their kindness and thanked them for it, yet she must decline their invitation, as she had already invited several of the girls to go home with her to Hampden Falls for a country Christmas.
For the Easter vacation William was even more insistent--but so was Billy: she had already accepted an invitation to go home with one of the girls, and she did not think it would be at all polite to change her plans now.
William fretted not a little.

Even Cyril and Bertram said that it was "too bad"; that they themselves would like to see the girl--so they would! It was in the spring, at the close of school, however, that the heaviest blow fell: Billy was not coming to Boston even then.