[Illustration: They had a merry time getting the Whatnot Shop ready.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NANCY BRANDON By LILIAN GARIS _Author of_ "JOAN'S GARDEN OF ADVENTURE," "GLORIA AT BOARDING SCHOOL," "CONNIE LORING'S AMBITION," "BARBARA HALE: A DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER," "CLEO'S MISTY RAINBOW," ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY THELMA GOOCH GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _Copyright, 1924_ By MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY Springfield, Massachusetts _All Rights Reserved_ PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS I. THE GIRL AND THE BOY II. DINNER DIFFICULTIES III. BELATED HASTE IV. NEW FRIENDS V. ORIGINAL PLANS VI. FAIR PLAY VII. THE SPECIAL SALE VIII. FISH HOOKS AND FLOATERS IX. THE BIG DAY X. STILL THEY CAME XI. THE FAILURE XII. THE VIRTUE OF RESOLVE XIII. BEHIND THE CLOUD XIV. A PLEASANT SURPRISE XV. TALKING IT OVER XVI. JUST FISHING XVII. THE CAVE-IN XVIII. INTRODUCING NERO XIX. A DISCOVERY XX. THE MIDNIGHT ALARM XXI. FOR VALUE DECEIVED XXII. TARTS AND LADY FINGERS XXIII. THE STORY TOLD ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NANCY BRANDON: ENTHUSIAST CHAPTER I THE GIRL AND THE BOY The small kitchen was untidy. There were boxes empty and some crammed with loose papers, while a big clothes basket was filled--with a small boy, who took turns rolling it like a boat and bumping it up and down like a flivver. Ted Brandon was about eleven years old, full of boyhood's importance and bristling with boyhood's pranks. His sister Nancy, who stood placidly reviewing the confusion, was, she claimed, in her teens. She was also just now in her glory, for after many vicissitudes and uncertainties they were actually moved into the old Townsend place at Long Leigh.