mans mit
those balls und hammers they has awful mads. They is red on the face,
und they tries und they tries--Missis Bailey, Ikey says it's somethin'
fierce how they tries--und they couldn't never to hit nobody."

"They weren't trying to," Miss Bailey tried to explain, but Isaac's
picturesque recital was not lightly to be effaced.

[Illustration: "I guess games in gardens ain't so awful healthy for
somebody," said Yetta]

"I guess games in gardens ain't so awful healthy for somebody," was
Yetta Aaronsohn's pronouncement. "My mamma says you could to make
yourself a sickness sooner you runs awful hard, on'y Ikey, he says a
whole bunch from mans und boys they chases theirselves like an'thing.
They runs und they runs, und all the times the mans und the ladies scups
und yells und makes go their flags. Ikey says it looks like a awful
fight is comin', on'y these boys und mans they couldn't never run to
catch theirselves, und so there ain't no fight. Ikey had a awful sad
over it."

It was evident all through this recital that Eva Gonorowsky had a
communication of a more important and confidential nature upon her
conscientious little mind. When at last the other Monitors had scattered
to their duties, and Room 18 was in a satisfactory stage midway 'twixt
chaos and order, Eva drew Miss Bailey into the corner between the window
and the bookcase.

"Nobody ain't told you _all_ what Ikey says," she whispered, with much
the same gusto as she had seen her elders display as they gathered close
about the very heart of a scandal. "Everybody has fraids over telling
you."

"Afraid!" repeated Miss Bailey in surprise, well knowing this to be the
last feeling she inspired. "Afraid to tell me!"

"Teacher, yiss, ma'am. They has fraids. It's somethin' fierce what Ikey
says. He says like that: all those mans what couldn't to catch nothings
und couldn't to hit nothings. He says somethin' fierce over all those
mans." And here Eva pressed her professionally soiled hand over her
mouth and regarded Miss Bailey with scandalized eyes.

"Go on, dear," said Miss Bailey encouragingly. "If Isaac has told you
and Morris and the others I might as well know it too."

Eva removed her hand. "Ikey Borrachsohn, he dun'no what is polite for
him," she made reply. "He tells it on everybody--in the yard even, where
the babies is--he tells it out. He needs he shall get hit off of
somebody."

"Now you tell me," said Miss Bailey, "and I'll see about Isaac."