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herself face to face with Mr. Reid.
    “What do you mean snooping around here!” he shouted.
    “I was just...” Trixie stammered, trying to collect her thoughts.
    But evidently, Mr. Reid wasn’t through with his tirade.
    “You have some nerve, kid,” he yelled. “You know, trespassing is against the law around here!”
    Trixie stood rooted to the spot.
    “But I wasn’t—I mean, I wanted to talk to you. I was just looking...”
    Her voice trailed off as she saw the unreasoning anger on Mr. Reid’s face.
    “Listen, kid, don’t poke your nose into other people’s business, you got that?”
    “Yes, sir, but—”
    “But nothing. Now please leave!”
    Trixie didn’t waste any more time trying to explain. She turned and ran down Glen Road as fast as she could. She didn’t stop running until she reached the driveway of Crabapple Farm.
    She was frightened, but angry too. After all, she thought, as she tried to catch her breath, what’s a person supposed to do in an antique shop? Snoop and browse, that’s what! What a horrible man!
    Trixie stomped into the house and dropped her books on the hall table. Without even taking off her coat, she rushed over to the telephone and called Honey. She could hardly wait to hear the excuses Honey would come up with this time for Mr. Reid’s impossible behavior.



5 * An Unusual Favor

    TRIXIE TRIED to tell Honey about Mr. Reid, but never got a word in edgewise. The minute Honey heard her voice on the telephone, she started talking.
    “Oh Trixie, I was about to call you! You’ll never guess what!” Honey’s voice was a high-pitched rush of excitement. “Daddy and Mommy have just given me the most wonderful news!”
    “Quick, tell me!” Trixie gasped, instantly forgetting why she’d called Honey in the first place.
    “Well,” Honey went on breathlessly, “you know how this is a long weekend because of the teacher conferences? Well, Daddy has to go to Paris, and guess what? They said they’re so proud of me for being a finalist in the spelling contest, and getting sent to the Eastern Regional—oh, this is so exciting I can barely talk.”
    “Come on, Honey,” Trixie begged. “Now you’ve got me all excited too!”
    “Wait till you hear! You’ll never guess. They want me to go with them, and you too!”
    “I don’t believe it!” Trixie yelped. “Whoopee! Are you sure they really want me to come too?”
    “Of course, silly,” Honey said. “After all, you’re the person who made it all possible. I mean, you’re the one who helped me get over my shyness and everything!”
    “Oh, Honey,” Trixie murmured. “I don’t know what to say!”
    “Of course you know what to say!” Honey giggled. “You’re supposed to say yes!”
    “Yes! I mean, I guess so. I have to ask Moms, though.”
    “Well, then, go ask her!” said Honey. “Oh, I’m so excited. Hurry!”
    Trixie let the phone receiver drop to the floor with a clunk as she raced into the kitchen to speak to her mother.
    Helen Belden listened quietly to the rush of words that spilled out of her excited daughter.
    “Well, dear, I don’t know what to say,” she began. “It’s rather embarrassing, you know, such a large gift. There would be no way on earth we could ever do something similar for Honey.”
    “Mo-o-ms!” Trixie groaned. “Please, pretty please with honey and sugar and tons of extra chores on top. Please?”
    Mrs. Belden smiled as she watched her daughter writhe with anxiety. “I guess so, dear. You tell Honey I said it was fine, but I would like to speak with her mother this evening. Is that all right?”
    Trixie raced back to the telephone and gave Honey the good news.
    “We can still study this weekend, too. After all, we’ll be together, won’t we?” Trixie reminded her friend.
    “That’s right,” Honey answered. “What else is there to do in Paris besides study for a spelling test?”
    Trixie’s peal of laughter could be heard all the way to Glen Road, but suddenly