d, until the two young
giants themselves perceived that it was time to look up and take account
of stock.

The perspiration by this time was rolling down the back of Bud's neck.
He was about the only one in the room who was not on a broad grin, and
he was wretched. What a fearful mistake the new teacher was making right
at the start! She was antagonizing the two boys who held the whole
school in their hands. There was no telling what they wouldn't do to her
now. And he would have to stand up for her. Yes, no matter what they
did, he would stand up for her! Even though he lost his best friends, he
must be loyal to her; but the strain was terrible! He did not dare to
look at them, but fastened his eyes upon Margaret, as if keeping them
glued there was his only hope. Then suddenly he saw her face break into
one of the sweetest, merriest smiles he ever witnessed, with not one
single hint of reproach or offended dignity in it, just a smile of
comradeship, understanding, and pleasure in the meeting; and it was
directed to the two seats where Jed and Timothy sat.

With wonder he turned toward the two big boys, and saw, to his
amazement, an answering smile upon their faces; reluctant, 'tis true,
half sheepish at first, but a smile with lifted eyebrows of astonishment
and real enjoyment of the joke.

A little ripple of approval went round in half-breathed syllables, but
Margaret gave no time for any restlessness to start. She spoke at once,
in her pleasantest partnership tone, such as she had used to Bud when
she asked him to help her build her bookcase. So she spoke now to that
school, and each one felt she was speaking just to him especially, and
felt a leaping response in his soul. Here, at least, was something new
and interesting, a new kind of teacher. They kept silence to listen.

"Oh, I'm not going to make a speech now," she said, and her voice
sounded glad to them all. "I'll wait till we know one another before I
do that. I just want to say how do you do to you, and tell you how glad
I am to be here. I hope we shall like one another immensely and have a
great many good times together. But we've got to get acquainted first,
of course, and perhaps we'd better give most of the time to that to-day.
First, suppose we sing something. What shall it be? What do you sing?"

Little Susan Johnson, by virtue of having seen the teacher at
Sunday-school, made bold to raise her hand and suggest, "Thar-thpangle
Banner, pleath!" And