isten, children, to what I will ask you. I am going to ask you
something."

"Ask it," we all cried in one voice.

"What is the law in a case where, for example, one of us suddenly
becomes ill?"

"It is not good," we replied.

"No, I don't mean that. I mean something else. I mean, if one of us is
ill does he go to '_Cheder_,' or does he stay at home?"

"Of course he stays at home," we all answered together.

"Well, what is the law if two of us get ill?"

"Two remain at home."

"Well, and if three get ill?" Velvel went on asking us, and we went on
answering him.

"Three stay at home."

"What would happen if, for example, we all took ill?"

"We should all stay at home."

"Then let a sickness come upon us all," he cried joyfully. We replied
angrily:

"The Lord forbid! Are you mad, or have you lost your reason?"

"I am not mad, and I have not lost my reason. Only you are fools, yes.
Do I mean that we are to be really ill? I mean that we are to pretend to
be ill, so that we shall not have to go to '_Cheder_.' Do you understand
me now?"

When Velvel had explained his plan to us, we began to understand it, and
to like it. And we began to ask ourselves what sort of an illness we
should suffer from. One suggested toothache, another headache, a third
stomach-ache, a fourth worms. But we decided that it was not going to be
toothache, nor headache, nor stomach-ache, nor worms. What then? We must
all together complain of pains in our feet, because the doctor could
decide whether we really suffered from any of the other illnesses or
not. But if we told him we had pains in our feet, and were unable to
move them, he could do nothing.

"Remember, children, you are not to get out of bed tomorrow morning. And
so that we may all be certain that not one of us will come to '_Cheder_'
tomorrow, let us promise one another, take an oath."

So said our comrade Velvel. And we gave each other our promise, and took
an oath that we would not be at "_Cheder_" next morning. We went home
from "_Cheder_" that evening lively, joyful, and singing. We felt like
giants who knew how to overcome the enemy and win the battle.

The Spinning-Top

More than any of the boys at "_Cheder_," more than any boy of the town,
and more than any person in the world, I loved my friend, Benny
"_Polkovoi_." The feeling I had for him was a peculiar combination of
love, devotion, and fear. I loved him because he was handsomer, cleverer
and smart