which reminded her of the monkeys in the park zoo, and
turning to one of her mates, she demanded, "What is it the boys have got
treed there?"

"A monkey."

"A monkey?" shrieked Peace in real surprise. "Where did they get him?"

"I guess he b'longs to a hand-organ man. He's dressed in funny little
pants and a red cap. Thad DePugh found him on his way to school and
tried to catch him, but he run up the tree."

"And you stand there without saying a word and let them stone a poor
little helpless monkey!"

"It don't b'long to me," muttered the child, angered by the indignant
flash of the brown eyes and the scathing rebuke which seemed directed
against her alone. "Anyway, I ain't stoning it."

"You ain't helping, either. Let me through here!" She pushed and elbowed
her way into the midst of the throng and boldly confronted the
ringleaders of the tormentors, screaming in protest, "Don't you throw
another stone, you big bullies! Ain't you ashamed of yourself, trying to
kill that poor little thing!"

"We ain't trying to kill it," retorted the nearest chap, pausing with
his arm uplifted ready to pitch another pebble.

"You mind your own business!" growled another. "This monkey isn't yours.
We're trying to make it come down so we can catch it."

"You'll quit throwing things at it, or I'll tell Miss Curtis."

"Tattle-tale, tattle-tale!" mocked the throng, and another handful of
rocks flew up among the branches.

"O-h-h-h-h!" shrieked Peace, beside herself with rage. "You d'serve to
have the stuffing whaled out of you for that!"

Flinging aside the treasured roses, she seized the biggest boy by the
hair and jerked him mercilessly back and forth across the yard, while he
sought in vain to loosen the supple fingers, and bawled loudly for help.

"Teacher, teacher! Miss Curtis, oh teacher!" shouted the excited
children; and at these sounds of strife from the playgrounds, the
principal and half a dozen of her staff rushed out of the building to
quell the riot. But even then Peace did not release her grip on the
lad's thick topknot.

Pulled forcibly from her victim by the long-suffering Miss Peyton, she
collapsed in the middle of the walk and sobbed convulsively, while the
rest of the scholars huddled around in scared silence, eager to see what
punishment was to be meted out to this small offender, for it was a
great disgrace at Chestnut School to be caught fighting.

The grave-faced principal looked from the pitiful he