What did she mean by that, Ruthie? What's a humorist in embryo!"

"A sprouting funny man," said Agnes, laughing. "Maybe Sammy Pinkney will
grow up to write for the funny columns in the newspapers."

"Let us see the paper, Tess," said Ruth. "Maybe that will explain just
what Miss Pepperill meant."

"And poor Sammy's got to stay after school for a week," said Tess,
sympathetically, producing a much smudged and wrinkled sheet of
composition paper.

"_Do_ come and see the box!" wailed Dot.

Tess went with her smaller sister then, leaving Ruth to read aloud for
the delight of the rest of the family Sammy Pinkney's composition on

"THE DUCK

"The duck is a low heavyset bird he is a mighty poor singer
having a coarse voice like crows only worse caused by getting to
many frogs in his neck. He is parshal to water and aks like hed
swallowed a toy balloon that keeps him from sinking the best he
can do is to sink his head straight down but his tail fethers is
always above water. Duks has only two legs and they is set so
far back on his running gears by Nachur that they come pretty
near missin' his body altogether. Some ducks when they get big
curls on their tails is called drakes and don't have to set or
hatch but just loaf and go swimming and eat ev'rything in sight
so if I had to be a duck I'd ruther be a drake. There toes are
set close together the web skin puts them in a poor way of
scratching but they have a wide bill for a spade and they walk
like they was tipsy. They bounce and bump from side to side and
if you scare them they flap there wings and try to make a pass
at singing which is pore work. That is all about ducks."

"Do you suppose," cried Agnes in wonder, "that that boy doesn't know any
better than that composition _sounds_?"

"Evidently Miss Pepperill thinks he does," laughed Ruth. "But it _is_
funny. I wonder what will happen to Sammy Pinkney when he grows up?"

"The question is, what will happen to him before he grows up," chuckled
Neale. "That kid is a public nuisance. I don't know but that the
dog-catchers will get him yet."

Meanwhile the two little girls had secured the paper box and opened it.
Their squeals drew all the others to the sitting room. Inside the
neatly wrapped box was a round object in silver and gold foil, and when
this was carefully unwound, a big, splendid golden pippin lay on the
table.

"Why!" cried Dot, "it's