s him
does he wanter fight again, and he says, 'No.' That's the way with
some folks, they know when they've had enough, but Pete never does; he
just stays with it till he wins out, then he looks for another fight.
But he's cunning, Pete is, he don't fight around the school none--Pete
wants that medal.

"But I was going to tell you about the first day he went to school.
One morning Pa says to Ma, 'Well, what about Pete starting school?' he
says.

"And Ma gets kinder white and her lips is trembly, and she says, 'I
guess he'll have to go,' and she says to Pete, 'Do you wanter go to
school, Pete?' and Pete says he's crazy to go.

"So Pa says to me, 'You'd better take him along, Willyum, I guess
there's no need for me to go tottin' up there.'

"But Ma says to Pa, 'I'd kinder like you to take him, Joe, the first
day,' she says, 'and I'll go and meet him at noon,' she says.

"And you bet Pa does what Ma asks him, he's that set on her. So Pa
takes him, and I seen Ma crying when they starts, so I pikes out after
'em quick, for it makes me feel kinder queer to see Ma and Pa feeling
bad about anything.

"Pa goes to the principal, and he asks Pete the same old fool things
they ask every boy and girl what goes to school, and finds out Pete can
read and write some, so he sticks him in the first form, and, of
course, it's a lady teacher. She bends down and pats Pete on the
head--he's gotter great mop of curls--and says, 'Well, my little man,'
she says, 'I hope you'll be a good scholar.' 'Sure,' says Pete,
'anything to oblige a lady.' So she laughs and says, 'What did you say
your full name was?' And Pete shuffles around some, and then he says,
'Peter Cornelius Turnpike,' he says.

"Well, that set some of the kids a snickerin'; and one of 'em, a boy
about Pete's size, says, 'Gee! what a name.' Pete walks over to him
and says, 'My Ma likes it, and anything she likes goes, see,' and with
that he pastes the kid one in the eye, and right there they goes for
each other fierce.

"Sure the teacher stopped 'em. Didjer ever know a woman that wouldn't
stop boys fightin' or get somebody to stop 'em? She stops 'em all
right, and keeps Pete in after school to give him a spiel about being
good and a credit to the school and his Ma and Pa, and right there she
plants the idea in Pete about getting a medal.

"When I gets out after school there's no Pete, so I ask some of the
kids, and they says the teacher's talking to him. I wait