I do not speak his language," she answered.

"And yet you understand him?"

"I understand him--yes----"

"Well," repeated the Principal, in no mind to allow one small boy to
upset his morning's routine, "well, if you understand him, tell me what
he said. What language was that he used?"

"Russian," she replied, "pure Russian, and what he said is the only
Russian phrase which many of the Jewish people ever hear. I have not
heard it since I escaped from Russia with my parents years and years
ago. I had hoped never to hear it again. I must refuse to translate it
to you."

When she had gone, all shaken, back to her class, the Principal shook a
remonstrating head at his captive, who was by this time examining the
book-case with a disparaging eye. Catching the man's glance, he made
some remark in his liquid speech, and thumped his chest.

"Perhaps so, my boy," Mr. Trevar agreed. "But I'm studying your case. No
English, horrid temper, young wild animal, in fact. It's hard on the
girl," he admitted to his own conscience; "but I guess it's a case for
Room 18," and rang the bell again and sent word to Room 18 to summon
Miss Bailey to his office.

"We've caught a tartar," he told her, "almost literally a Tartar. He
seems to have strong racial prejudices, and I shall have to assign him
to you until he learns a little English."

"But if he speaks no English at all," Miss Bailey remonstrated--for
children of this kind were her greatest trial, and she was already
laboring with three of them--"would he not be happier with one of the
teachers who could understand him?"

[Illustration: "I must refuse to translate it to you"]

"Ah! but they wouldn't," he replied; "that's just the point. Miss Rosen
tells me he's a Russian and not a Jew. He said something extremely rude
to her just now. No, you'll have to take him, at least for a few days,
until I can make some inquiries about him. We shall have to get the
Truant Officer to give us the child's name and address. Will you take
him with you now?"

Constance Bailey had a smile to which many a lonely frightened little
novice had yielded a shy and sweet response, but there was no answering
smile here. She stretched out a hand to take the boy's, but he eluded
her, reached the door, opened it, and stood at stiff attention until she
had preceded him into the hall.

"Well, I'll be blamed!" reflected the Principal. "Manners, and princely
ones at that!"

On the way to Room 18, Miss Bai