s covered with scraps of paper, Miss
Lawrence felt she must at least inquire into the matter, and, though the
children did not want to "tell tales," it soon transpired that Marjorie
Maynard had been ringleader in the game.

"Why did you do it, Marjorie?" asked Miss Lawrence, with a reproachful
expression on her face. As she had meant no harm, Marjorie felt called
upon to defend herself.

"Why, Miss Lawrence," she said, rising in her seat, "I didn't think
everybody would do it, just because I did. And I didn't think much about
it anyway. I s'pose that's the trouble. I _never_ think! But I never had
a jography before with such a big ocean map, and it was such a lovely
place to sail boats, I just made a few. And then I just thought I'd put
some people in the boats, and then it seemed as if such a big ocean
ought to have fish in it. So I made a whale,--and I was going to make a
lot of bluefish and shads and things, but a boat upset, and the whale
came after the people, and then, first thing I knew, everybody was
laughing! I didn't mean to do wrong."

Marjorie looked so genuinely distressed that Miss Lawrence hadn't the
heart to scold her. But she sighed as she thought of the days to come.

"No, Marjorie," she said, "I don't think you did mean to do wrong, but
you ought to know better than to make paper toys to play with in
school."

"But it isn't exactly a schoolday, Miss Lawrence."

"No; and for that very reason I shall not punish you this time. But
remember, after this, that playing games of any sort is out of place in
the schoolroom."

"Yes, ma'am," said Marjorie, and she sat down, feeling that she had been
forgiven, and firmly resolved to try harder than ever to be good.

But half-suppressed chuckles now and then, in different parts of the
schoolroom, proved to the watchful Miss Lawrence that some of the whales
were still lashing about the paper oceans in quest of upturned boats.

The game so filled Marjorie's thoughts that she asked that Gladys and
she might be allowed to stay in the schoolroom at recess and play it.

"There's surely no harm in playing games at recess, is there, Miss
Lawrence?" she asked, as she caressed her teacher's hand.

Miss Lawrence hesitated. "No," she said, at last; "I can't let you stay
in the schoolroom. I'm sorry, dearies, and I hate to be always saying
'No,' but I feel sure your parents want you to run out in the fresh air
at recess time, and they wouldn't like to have you stay