mysteries of tramp and brass bound box sank out of mind. She was off to
school a half-hour before time, and strangely enough Montgomery was
equally prompt. Together they repaired to the wooden bench under the
beech-tree, and while the lad suggested things to be written down, Kate
wrote them rapidly on little slips of paper, which suspiciously
resembled a leaf from a copy-book.

Other scholars came along and stared, wondering what had sent this
usually tardy boy so far in advance of the bell. Little girls tittered.
Phrony Walker tossed her braid flippantly over her shoulder, casually
displaying a new hair ribbon with which she meant to impress the city
girl who wore and needed none. Sophronia's hair did not kink and curl as
Katharine's did, but it was "a hunderd times as long and a great deal
prettier colored." Kate had said so herself, yet here was she who was so
generously admiring, almost covetous, calmly unobservant of braid,
ribbon, and all.

Martha and Mary Turner came, swinging their lunch-basket between them,
delightfully conscious that in its depths were stored three apple
turnovers, one for each of them and one for Kitty Keehoty, who was never
allowed to carry pie to school. With a child's fondness for the
indigestible, she had once declared that Mrs. Turner's turnovers were
"sim-ply de-lic-ious," and they had teased their mother ever since to
make one for their new friend. But they stopped short at sight of the
light and dark head so close together over something they did not know
about, and when Martha drew nearer and informed the dark-haired
scribbler that she had "brought it," Kate merely nodded her head and
continued scribbling.

Bob and Ned arrived, tackle over shoulder, intent upon playing hookey at
afternoon session, and disgusted that Monty was so little excited by
their grimacing pantomime, as they demonstrated how they would escape to
the woods and invited his company. Then they tried ridicule, calling
"girl-boy, girl-boy," as loudly as they dared, with Katharine's scornful
glances upon them. Monty grew fiery red and tossed his blond head as if
shaking an obnoxious insect from it, but did not cease to scratch it for
ideas, which he whispered to his companion as fast as he dug them out.

Even when the teacher came and Kate sprang to her feet to bid him her
always courteously ready "Good morning," also dragging Montgomery to his
own feet as a reminder of what was correct, that excited, exalted
ex