he is always respectful and courteous. But she is
spontaneous and quick-witted, and we are glad of it. Do you know what
the scholars call Professor Duke?"

"Professor Duck," said Prudence humbly. "But they mean it for a
compliment. They really admire and like him very much. I hope he does
not know what they call him."

"He does! One day he was talking about the nobility system in England.
He explained the difference between dukes, and earls, and lords, etc.,
and told them who is to be addressed as Your Majesty, Your Highness,
Your Grace and so on. Then he said, 'Now, Carol, if I was the king's
eldest son, what would you call me?' And Carol said, 'I'd still call
you a Duck, Professor,--it wouldn't make any difference to me.'"

Prudence could only sigh.

"One other time he was illustrating phenomena. He explained the idea,
and tried to get one of the boys to mention the word,--phenomenon, you
know. The boy couldn't think of it. Professor gave three or four
illustrations, and still the boy couldn't remember it. 'Oh, come now,'
professor said, finally, 'something unusual, something very much out of
the ordinary! Suppose you should see a blackbird running a race down
the street with a sparrow, what would you call it?' The boy couldn't
imagine, and professor said, 'What would you call that, Carol?' Carol
said, 'A bad dream.'"

Prudence smiled wearily.

"Sometimes we have discussions of moral points. We take turns about
conducting them, and try to stimulate their interest in such things.
We want to make them think, every one for himself. One day Professor
Duke said, 'Suppose a boy in this town has a grudge against
you,--unjust and unfair. You have tried one thing after another to
change his attitude. But he continues to annoy and inconvenience and
even hurt you, on every occasion. Remember that you have tried every
ordinary way of winning his good will. Now what are you going to do as
a last resort?' Carol said, 'I'll tell papa on him.'" Miss Allen
laughed again, heartily. "It does have a disturbing effect on the
class, I admit, and often spoils a good point, but Professor Duke calls
on Carol every time he sees her eyes twinkle! He does it on purpose.
And Miss Adams is nearly as bad as he. One day she said, 'Suppose you
have unintentionally done something to greatly irritate and
inconvenience a prominent man in town. He knows you did it, and he is
very angry. He is a man of sharp temper and d