of books. Mary crying:

"Oh, Jeremy!" Jeremy crying: "I didn't; it was you!" Miss Jones: "Now,
children--"

Then Jeremy, very politely:

"Please, Miss Jones, may I help Mary to pick the books up? There are
rather a lot." Then, both on their knees, more whispers and giggles.
Miss Jones, her voice trembling: "Children, I really insist--" And
more books dropped, and more whispers and more protests, and so on ad
infinitum. A beautiful game to be played all the morning.

Or there was the game of Not Hearing. Miss Jones would say: "And twice
two are four." Mary would repeat loudly: "And twice two is five--"

"Four, Mary."

"Oh, I thought you said five."

And then a second later Jeremy would ask:

"Did you say four or five, Miss Jones?"

"I told Mary I said four--"

"Oh, I've written five--and now it's all wrong. Didn't you write five,
Mary?"

"Yes, I've written five. You did say four, didn't you, Miss Jones?"

"Yes--yes. And three makes--"

"What did you say made five?" asked Jeremy.

"I didn't say five. I said four. Twice two."

"Is that as well as 'add three,' Miss Jones? I've got twice two, and
then add three, and then twice two--"

"No, no. I was only telling Jeremy--"

"Please, Miss Jones, would you mind beginning again--"

This is a very unpleasant game for a lady with neuralgia.

Or there is the game of Making a Noise. At this game, without any
earlier training or practice, Jeremy was a perfect master. The three
children would be sitting there very, very quiet, learning the first
verse of "Tiger, Tiger, burning bright--" A very gentle creaking sound
would break the stillness--a creaking sound that can be made, if you are
clever, by rubbing a boot against a boot. It would not come regularly,
but once, twice, thrice, a pause, and then once, twice and another
pause.

"Who's making a noise?"

Dead silence. A very long pause, and then it would begin again.

"That noise must cease, I say. Jeremy, what are you doing?"

He would lift to her then eyes full of meekness and love.

"Nothing, Miss Jones."

Soon it would begin again. Miss Jones would be silent this time, and
then Mary would speak.

"Please, would you ask Jeremy not to rub his boots together? I can't
learn my verse--"

"I didn't know I was," says Jeremy.

Then it would begin again. Jeremy would say:

"Please, may I take my boots off?"

"Take your boots off? Why?"

"They will rub together, and I can't stop them, because I don