Billie Bradley and Her Classmates

This book has Billie and her friends back at Three Towers Hall for another year of school. I have found this story to be more interesting than the last one, Billie Bradley on Lighthouse Island, which bored me tremendously.

Billie has already had quite a few assorted adventures in this book. Billie and her friends rescue three young children who fall through the ice into the lake, and as a result, meet the children's mother and learn that the family is extremely poor and in need of food. Billie receives permission from Miss Walters to put together a basket of food for the family.

Billie and her friends go sledding with Teddy and the other boys from Boxton Military Academy. Billie and Teddy sled down an unexplored trail which results in an accident when the sled goes over a cliff. The two young people seek refuge in a cave which is inhabited by a simpleton.

Billie and Teddy's relationship grates on my nerves. Here is an example from page 79 when Billie is frightened:

Teddy looked down at her with a grin.

"Why worry?" he asked. "Haven't you got your Uncle Ted?"

I do not know why it bothers me, but I cannot stand it when Teddy refers to himself as Billie's "Uncle Ted." I want to gag. Part of the problem is that the relationship is over-the-top for a series book, so the "Uncle Ted" business just makes it worse. Also, the romance between Billie and Teddy is not compelling to me, so I find nothing endearing about "Uncle Ted."

The teasing that occurs after Billie and Ted's accident is a bit suggestive for an early series book from 1921. From page 90:

"Perhaps they got lost on purpose," said a nasal voice, and Billie's chums turned indignantly to face the speaker.

From page 94:

"Did you and Teddy Jordon have a good time when you ran away to-day?"

From page 96:

"She and Teddy Jordan ran off together to-day and were gone for about three hours," she said triumphantly. "Billie just came in."

Billie's eyes, black in her white, set face, looked up at Miss Arbuckle steadily.

"I didn't do it, Miss Arbuckle," she said, her lip quivering. "I—I couldn't."

From page 98:

"Didn't Teddy keep you warm?" asked Rose Belser, wickedly, but just then the door opened and Amanda came into the room. Needless to say, Billie did not answer the question.

All of the teasing added to my gag factor. Maybe the real problem is that I do not like Teddy. I am not really sure what it is aside from the "Uncle Ted" business, so I am going to pay close attention in future scenes. Perhaps I can pinpoint it better. I usually like the girls' beaus in series books, so this is a different experience for me.