teacher gave out that last word right. He gave it wrong!
And the third mistake," he shouted against the rising commotion, "was
thinking it was spelt wrong. _She spelt it right!_ And a bargain's a
bargain! The schoolmaster stays!"

He could say no more; the rumble of voices suddenly burst into a cheer.
The women and children laughed and clapped their hands,--Toutou his feet
also,--and Bonaventure, flirting the leaves of a spelling book till he
found the place, looked, cried--"In-com-pre-hen-_sibility_!" wheeled and
dashed upon Sidonie, seized her hands in his as she turned to fly, and
gazed speechlessly upon her, with the tears running down his face.
Feeling a large hand upon his shoulder, he glanced around and saw 'Mian
pointing him to his platform and desk. Thither he went. The stranger had
partly restored order. Every one was in his place. But what a change!
What a gay flutter throughout the old shed! Bonaventure seemed to have
bathed in the fountain of youth. Sidonie, once more the school's
queen-flower, sat calm, with just a trace of tears adding a subtle
something to her beauty.

"Chil'run, beloved chil'run," said Bonaventure, standing once more by
his desk, "yo' school-teacher has the blame of the sole mistake; and,
sir, gladly, oh, gladly, sir, would he always have the blame rather
than any of his beloved school-chil'run! Sir, I will boldly ask
you--_ah_ you not the State Sup'inten'ent Public Education?"

"No, I"--

"But surely, sir, than a greater?--Yes, I discover it, though you
smile. Chil'run--friends--not the State Sup'inten'ent, but
greater!--Pardon; have yo' chair, sir."

"Why, the examination's over, isn't it? Guess you'd better call it
finished, hadn't you?" He made the suggestion softly, but Bonaventure
answered aloud:

"Figu'atively speaking, 'tis conclude'; but--pardon--you mention'
writing. Shall you paht f'om us not known--not leaving yo' name--in a
copy-book, for examp'?"

"With pleasure. You do teach writing?"

"If I teach writing? To such with desks, yes. 'Twould be to all but
for the privation of desks. You perceive how we have here nothing less
than a desk famine. Madelaine! Claude! Sidonie!--present copy-book'!
Sir, do you not think every chile should be provided a desk?--Ah! I
knew 'twould be yo' verdic'. But how great trouble I have with that
subjec'! Me, I think yes; but the parents,"--he looked tenderly over
among them,--"they contend no. Now, sir, here are three copy-books.
In