Yes 'm, I am. I--I've been docked once to-day.
Please 'm don't ask Mr. Pritchard nothing! High-Spy makes him punish
me whenever--"
"Punish you!" I straightened indignantly. "Why does he punish you?
What right--"
"I don't mean licking. But he keeps me out of the room when I'm sent
out, and docks me at the end of the week. Mother needs every cent.
She's back in the rent. I was sent out to-day."
"But why? What were you doing?"
"Nothing--leastways I didn't mean to. There wasn't none of us sick
this morning, and Billy Coons was acting down behind High-Spy's back,
and I tried not to laugh. She don't let us laugh. But she said I
did. I didn't laugh--" Jimmy's voice was protesting. "I just
smiled and it--it busted."
"Is that why she made you go out of the room?" I turned away and
looked out of the window lest the accident to Jimmy's smile be mine.
"Is that why she sent you out?"
He nodded. "Mr. Pritchard kept me out an hour. Sometimes he lets me
make it up at lunch. I was going to ask him to let me to-day, but--"
"I'm preventing.
Pages:
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100