made her a present of a brand
new slate pencil on the spot. She was allowed to choose up for her side
in "No bears out tonight," though this honor usually fell to one of the
bigger girls. By the time the bell rang she felt blissfully important.
She settled regretfully down to her work with the candy snugly tucked
away inside her desk.

All went well until about the middle of the geography recitation, when
turning around from her work at the board, she caught the small boy, who
sat across the aisle, in the act of helping himself to a handful of her
cherished sweets. She was surprised into forgetting where she was and
exclaimed out loud:

"Oh, you mustn't!"

The teacher looked up in pained amazement.

"Who was that spoke out loud?" she demanded.

Chicken Little raised a reluctant hand.

"Jane Morton, I'm surprised--I wouldn't have believed it of you! You may
stand on the floor by my desk for half an hour."

The teacher had been much annoyed by whispering that morning, the
children being all more or less riotous after their vacation, so without
stopping to investigate, as was her usual custom, she promptly visited
the sins of the whole school upon Jane.

Jane had never stood upon the floor for punishment before and she felt
the disgrace keenly. It hurt the child's sense of fairness, too, but she
dared not try to explain lest Miss Brown should confiscate the remainder
of her precious candy. She took her book and walked slowly over to the
spot indicated in front of the whole school, her face growing redder and
redder. It was several minutes before she dared lift her eyes and face
her mates.

When she did, several of her friends telephoned furtive messages of
sympathy that cheered her a little. But her humiliation over her
disgrace was soon swallowed up in wrath when the offending small boy,
who had caused all her troubles, added insult to injury by
ostentatiously eating his booty whenever the teacher's back was turned.
He would roll his eyes and smack his lips in the utmost enjoyment.

Chicken Little forgot her disgrace in a desire for revenge. She would
not give him the satisfaction of knowing she cared. She set herself
resolutely to study, avoiding even a glance in his direction. But she
did more than study; she laid her plans for swift vengeance. When
permitted to go back to her seat, she still ignored him though he did
his best to attract her attention.

His place in the line was just ahead of hers, and sh