chool to-morrow for see him at
quarter after three."

When Mrs. Gonorowsky reached the big school-house, she found that her
audience with the Principal was not to be a private one, for a dozen or
more mothers were gathered in the yard. A regular investigation was on
foot. Every one concerned had recognized that there was some
organization about Room 19's sedition, and Miss Blake had first
repudiated the acquaintance and friendship of Miss Bailey, and had then
gone on to repudiate all responsibility for what she now termed
"Bailey's Brats."

"I refuse--I must refuse--to teach that class," said she to the
harassed Principal. "If you can't arrange to exchange me with some other
teacher, I shall apply for a transfer to an up-town school. If that Miss
Bailey is so crazy about these children, why don't you let her keep them
for another term? Every one seems to think she's a crackerjack teacher,
so I guess she can get along in second term work, and I can take that
new class of hers."

"I'll think of it," said the Principal, as the janitor came to tell him
that the mothers were overflowing his office.

Before his interview with them, he turned into Room 18, and there he
found the ringleaders of Room 19's rebellion. Though beatified they wore
a chastened, propitiatory air, for Miss Bailey had just been lecturing
them. She looked as distressed as she was by the whole situation.

"I just stepped in," the Principal explained, "to see how many of them
were still chained to their oars. Rather a luxurious galley this, don't
you think?"

"I can't think at all," answered Constance Bailey. "They were a fine
class, and Miss Blake is a fine teacher."

"These misunderstandings happen," said the Principal, "in schools just
as they do in marriages. I'm going down now to interview the mothers of
most of these young people here. Do you mind staying and keeping the
children for a few moments? I must get this thing straightened out."

"We shall all be here when you come back," Miss Bailey promised.

Eva Gonorowsky had but reflected the general opinion when she told her
mother that Miss Bailey had been left back "because she wasn't smart
enough," and the Principal found himself in the midst of an indignation
meeting. In Yiddish, in English, in all grades and dialects between the
two, the mothers protested against this ruling.

There was hardly one of them who did not owe Miss Bailey some meed of
gratitude--and they were of a race which