Part 13 (2/2)

They were the first to arrive, but in a few minutes others came, and by nine o'clock more than thirty scholars were in their seats. The mother's heart sank within her when she met the teacher and heard him talk. It was only too evident that he was poorly equipped for his work. He could barely read and could neither write nor teach arithmetic. The one qualification about which there was absolute certainty, was that he could lick the biggest boy in school whenever the occasion demanded it.

He conveyed this interesting bit of information to the a.s.semblage in no uncertain language.

The mother could scarcely keep back her tears. By the end of the week it was plain that her children knew as much as their teacher.

”What's the use?” Tom asked in disgust. ”Hit's a waste o' time an'

money. Let 'em quit!”

”No, I can't take them out!” was the firm reply. ”They may not learn much, but if the school keeps going, don't you see, a better man will come bye and bye, and then it will be worth while.”

Tom shook his head, but let her have her own way.

”Besides,” she went on, ”he'll learn something being with the other children.”

”Learn to fight, mebbe,” the husband laughed.

He did, too, and the way it came about was as big a surprise to the Boy as it was to the youngster he fought.

The small bully of the school lived in the same direction as the Boy and Sarah. They frequently walked together for a mile going or coming and grew to know one another well. The Boy disliked this tow-head urchin from the moment they met. But he was quiet, un.o.btrusive and modest and generally allowed the loud-mouthed one to have his way. The tow-head took the Boy's quiet ways for submission and insisted on patronizing his friend. The Boy good-naturedly submitted when it cost him nothing of self-respect.

At the close of school, the tow-head whispered:

”Come by the spring with me, I want to show you somethin'!”

”No, I don't want to,” he replied.

”Let Sarah go on an' we'll catch her--I got a funny trick ter show you.

You'll kill yourself a-laughin'.”

The Boy's curiosity was aroused and he consented.

They hastened to the spring where the embers of a fire at which the scholars were accustomed to warm their lunch, were still smouldering.

The tow-headed one drew from the corner of the fence a turtle which he had captured and tied, scooped a red-hot coal from the fire with a piece of board and placed it on the turtle's back.

The poor creature, tortured by the burning coal, started in a scramble trying to run from the fire. The tow-head roared with laughter.

The Boy flushed with sudden rage, sprang forward and knocked the coal off.

The two faced each other.

”You do that again an' I'll knock you down!” shouted the bully.

”You do it again and I'll knock you down,” was the st.u.r.dy answer.

”You will, will you?” the tow-head cried with scorn. ”Well, I'll show you.”

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