as the boy Jack had called Tom, and guessed who he
was,--her eyes drooping under his rather bold gaze, and her color coming
and going. Tom was not sure what he was going to say to her, and could
never understand why he said what he did. He had been told so often by
Mr. Bills and others that he needed _licking_, and so many teachers had
_licked_ him, to say nothing of his drunken father, that the idea was in
his mind, but as something wholly at variance with this dainty little
girl, who at last looked at him fearlessly. She knew he was going to
speak to her, but was not prepared for his question.

"You are the new schoolmarm, ain't you? Do you think you could _lick_
me?"

Just for an instant Eloise was too much surprised to answer, while the
hot blood surged into her face, then left it spotted here and there,
making Tom think of pink rose petals with white flecks in them. But she
didn't take her eyes from the boy, who was ashamed of himself before she
said with a pleasant laugh, "I know I couldn't; and I don't believe I
shall ever wish to try. I am the new school-teacher, and you are Mr.
Thomas Walker!"

She did not know why she put on the Mr. It came inadvertently, but was
the most fortunate thing she could have done. To be called Thomas was
gratifying, but the Mr. was quite overpowering and made Tom her ally at
once.

"I'm Thomas Walker,--yes," he said. "Miss Patrick has told you about me,
I dare say,--and Mr. Bills, and Widder Biggs, and Tim. Oh, I know he's
told you a lot what I was goin' to do,--but it's a lie. I have plagued
Miss Patrick some, I guess, and she whaled me awful once, but I've
reformed. I didn't s'pose you was so little. I could throw you over the
house, but I shan't. Say, when are you going to begin? I'm tired of Miss
Patrick's everlasting same ways of doing things, and want something
new,--something modern, you know."

He was getting very familiar, and Eloise was chatting with him on the
most friendly terms, when Howard came back with a cup of chocolate, a
part of which was spilled before he reached her. Howard knew who the
young blackguard was, and glowered at him disapprovingly, but Eloise
said, "Mr. Crompton, this is Thomas Walker, one of my biggest scholars
that is to be. Some difference in our height, isn't there? but we shall
get on famously. I like big boys and taught a lot of them in Mayville."

She smiled up at Tom and gave him her empty cup to take away. He would
have stood on his h