miled at the droll error, but Arabella laughed long
and loud.

"Order, order!" said Aunt Charlotte.

"The word is _chariot_," she said.

The others read in turn, until they had finished the charming story, and
each of the girls wondered why Arabella was not reproved for rudeness.
The arithmetic lesson completed the morning's work, and as they walked
home, they talked of the new pupil.

"I don't see why Aunt Charlotte didn't speak to Arabella," said Nina
Earl, "she was horridly rude."

"And how queer she is," said Mollie Merton; "just the minute school was
out she ran down the path, and across the street to get home before any
of us could talk with her. And I _do_ wonder Aunt Charlotte didn't speak
to her about laughing so loudly, just because Reginald made a mistake.
I don't believe she could read any better."

"I guess _perhaps_ Arabella didn't mean to be disagreeable," said
Flossie Barnet.

She disliked Arabella, but she never could bear to hear any one spoken
of unkindly.

"Now, Flossie Barnet, you might just know that Arabella _likes_ to be
unpleasant," said Jeanette, and Flossie could not deny it.

Dorothy and Nancy had heard what they were saying, and they thought that
it was not at all nice of the girls to speak as if Aunt Charlotte had
allowed Arabella to be rude.

"Perhaps Aunt Charlotte thought she wouldn't correct her the very first
day," Nancy said, and Nina and Mollie wished that what they had said
had not been heard.

Little Reginald seemed, for once, to have nothing to say.

He was skipping along between his cousin Katie Dean and Jeanette Earl,
and tightly grasping their hands.

There had been a light shower early in the morning, and here and there a
little puddle reflected the blue sky and floating clouds. Reginald saw
one just ahead, and laughed softly. Katie and Jeanette were talking with
Dorothy, and paying little heed to the small boy who walked between
them.

"I thought your cousin was coming to school this morning," said Dorothy.

"She's coming the first of next week," said Jeanette.

"And what is her name?" asked Katie.

They were close to a fine large puddle now, and Reginald with a hop
landed both feet in the middle of it.

"Why, Reginald Merton Dean! You naughty boy!" said Katie; "just _look_
at my new shoes! See the dirty water you've splashed on Jeanette's
dress!"

"And look at the puddle," exclaimed Reginald, "I didn't spoil the
puddle; it looks just same's it did b