t such a curtain could do but come down; and this it did, the
three boys sprawling at the base of the stem of the Last Rose of
Summer--in other words, at Wort's feet! Wort, in turn, was ignominiously
night-capped by the sheet, for it completely covered him. The butter-tubs
now gave way to their sense of the ludicrous, and clapped and laughed
merrily. This did not please the four boys in or on the floor, who angrily
rubbed their shins. Sid declared that it was too bad to act as
disgracefully. All this was poor preparation for the serious duties of
school-keeping, to which the president now directed his attention. With
how much pomp and dignity he took up the duties of school-teacher,
confronting a row of uneasy boys occupying seats on a green blind, each
one wearing his cap!

"Hats off!" shouted Sid.

"Where are my books?" asked Charlie.

"They are probably where they ought to be, young man, in your desk."

Each boy then proceeded to take an imaginary reader out of an imaginary
desk. Wort, though, had a book.

"All properly supplied with readers? Open them. Read, 'Merry Gentlemen,'
read. Wort may begin."

There was no response.

"Read, I say."

There was silence still.

"Do you mean to disobey me?"

"You haven't told us what to read," replied Wort.

"Yes, I have."

"You haven't," stoutly reaffirmed Wort. "You said, 'Merry gentlemen,
read.'"

"I mean the piece called 'Merry Gentlemen,' on page--well, you know. We
have read it in school enough times to know it, and then scholars ought to
know their readers well enough to be able to turn to any place and read
without a book even. Who is that speaking? Tell me. Haven't I told you a
thousand times that there must be no speaking in this school? I see the
guilty scholar. Richard Grimes, come this way!"

"I didn't."

"No trifling, young man. Come this way," and collaring the refractory
Rick, Sid led him into the closet. The governor was not to be wholly
suppressed, and kept protruding a red pug-nose into very plain sight.

"Teacher," called out Wort, "I see a red sugar-plum sticking out."

"Richard, come this way. You're looking out."

"No, sir; it was my nose."

"Hold out your hand. If you flinch, sir, you will receive another."

The punishment was moodily received, and the governor went back to the
closet. Charlie and Wort were soon consigned to the same spot for
disobedience. Pip was noisily moving about.

"Say," whispered Sid, "Be good, and take y