ld for the other.
She had just begun to choose when Mr. Clay appeared at her elbow. "May I
play on your side, Jane?"

"Teacher's" entrance into the game acted like magic. The few big boys
who had come on this first day, edged near enough to be seen and were
speedily brought into the sport. Mamie, venturing languidly to the door
to see what had become of Mr. Clay, suddenly decided she was not too big
to play "just this once."

Teacher and Jane were both swift runners and Grant had hard work to make
a showing. Mamie sweetly let herself be caught by teacher the first
rush, to Grant's openly expressed disgust. The big boys warmed into
envious rivalry with Mr. Clay right from the start, but he soon
convinced them that they would have to work, if they worsted him at any
of their games or exercises.

Chicken Little found team work with him very delightful and could
scarcely believe the noon hour was over, when he pulled out his watch
and announced that he must call school. She turned a radiant face up to
him.

"Oh, it's such fun to have you play--I wish you would often."

"Thank you, it's fine exercise, isn't it?"

Mamie began her Caesar the next day, requiring much help from "Teacher."
She also came to school in her best dress. Mamie had faith in first
impressions. Chicken Little had been tempted the night before to betray
Mamie's schemes to Sherm, but she stopped with the words on the tip of
her tongue. She couldn't exactly have explained the scruple that would
not let her "give Mamie away," as she phrased it.

"Is the teacher any good?" Sherm had asked, meeting her at the ford on
her way home, and taking lunch basket and books with an air of
possession, which was the one trick of Sherm's that annoyed Chicken
Little. He never asked leave or offered to relieve her of burdens; he
merely reached over and took them.

She minded this more than usual to-day; Mr. Clay's manner had been so
delightful. She couldn't even thank Sherm. They trudged along in silence
for a few minutes. Finally, Sherm asked dryly: "Left your tongue at
school, Miss Morton?--you're not very sociable."

Chicken Little responded by making a face at him, which brought an
ominous sparkle into the boy's eyes. Things hadn't gone very well with
him that day and he had waited for Jane for a little companioning.

"Well," he demanded gruffly, "what's the matter? Did Mr. Clay stand you
in a corner the first day or did the handsome Grant neglect you for
Mam