. But
just when it was almost time for school to be out the owl school teacher
said:

"Now, children, I am going to give you all some lessons to study at
home, and I want you all to do them as nicely as you can. Now pay
attention, please."

So she gave some of the pupils examples to do, and to others she gave
spelling, and to still others writing, while the bigger children, like
Sammie Littletail or Johnnie and Billie Bushytail, had geography to
study. And the little kindergarten children had to cut things out of
paper--horses and cows and houses and trees, and things like that.

"Now you may all go," said the teacher, "and bring your lessons in with
you to-morrow morning."

Well, the animal children marched out, but they weren't very happy. They
didn't think they ought to have to study at home, but it has to be done,
sometimes, you know. And really it isn't so hard if you don't think so.

"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Jacko to his brother, when they were outside the
school. "We can't go for an auto ride if we have to study our examples."

"No; isn't it mean?" exclaimed his brother. "But perhaps if we run along
quickly we'll have time for just a little ride before we have to do our
home work."

So they hurried as fast as they could and they soon reached home. Then
their mamma said they might ride around the block a couple of times in
their auto before doing any study.

"And then, after your lessons are done, you may ride some more," she
said; "that is if it isn't too dark."

Well, Jacko and Jumpo took their little ride, and they gave rides to as
many of their friends as they could. Then they went in the house to
study.

But alas and alack-a-day! You know how it happens sometimes. Jacko got
his example all twisted up, and the answer wouldn't come right. And
Jumpo's numbers got all snarled up, until the figure six looked like a
nine and the figure eight like a brown cruller which his mamma sometimes
made in the lard kettle.

"Oh, dear!" cried both the monkey boys. "We'll never get done in time to
go auto riding before dark."

"Never mind," spoke their mamma, "I'll help you." And she did; but even
then it was dark before they were finished, and quite too late to go out
in the auto, for they might have hit a lamp post and bent the rubber
tires into a figure forty-'leven.

"What can we do to have some fun?" asked Jumpo, as he untied two hard
knots in his tail.

"How would you like to roast some marshmallow candies