dness to read
a leetle?"

Pickle knew he was addressing her, but she ignored the request, and
gazed blankly before her. Sally nudged her, whispering, "Pickle, he
means _you_."

"He must address me by my name, then."

"Why, how can he, when he doesn't know what it is?"

"That's his look-out," was the reply.

Herr Mueller, perceiving that every one else in the room knew whom he was
addressing, exclaimed, impatiently, "Vill ze young lady wiz ze _very
short hair_ please to read?"

Unconscious Herr Mueller knew not what mortal offense he had given, as
Pickle quickly arose, glibly read as far as desired, and then sat down,
boiling with indignation.

"'Very short hair!'" she muttered to Sally. "Maybe it is; but it can
grow, I guess; anyway, it's no disgrace. But as for his curls, hair like
that is a disgrace to any man."

"Yes, indeed," assented Sally; "his curls are only fit for a girl.
They'd look nice, now, on _you_, Pickle."

Pickle replied to this apparently innocent speech with a withering
glance. The next moment, however, her face lighted up with an idea.

The door of the class-room opened, and Miss Meek entered to say that
some new German books had arrived, and to request Herr Mueller to come
and look at them. No sooner had the door closed behind the two teachers
than Pickle exclaimed aloud, "I've forgotten my translation book," and
also left the room. Sally was suspicious of this errand. Pickle often
forgot her books, yet seldom took the trouble to go for them, unless
sent. But when she came into the class-room again, with several others
who had also seized this opportunity of walking out, she seemed hardly
to merit her friend's suspicions. She paused a moment by the teacher's
desk, and then took her seat.

In a few minutes Herr Mueller's step outside caused all the girls to
scramble to their seats, so that when he entered they sat as quiet and
demure as though they had not stirred during his absence. He took his
seat, and opened his book again at the lesson, when the girls saw him
suddenly flush up to the roots of his hair, and run his fingers
nervously through his long curls. He next removed a small package that
had evidently been lying in his book, and laid it on the side of the
desk. In so doing, something fell out of the package on to the floor,
and showed itself to the wondering girls to be a _hair-pin_. Thereupon
some of the girls giggled, others smiled, and all involuntarily fastened
their gaze