verse about bees and flowers, and very pretty it
was, too. Sue had picked out a funny verse about a little mouse, a trap,
and a piece of cheese. I think most of you know it, so I'll not tell you
about it.

Then came the turn of fat Bobbie Boomer. Bobbie was funny just to look
at, and he was funnier when he got up to recite. He had picked out as
his recitation that old, old poem about Mary and her lamb, for it was
easy for him to remember that.

Now Bobbie had been very sure that he would not forget any of the verses
when he got up on the platform. He had practiced his "piece" at home
over and over until he knew it "by heart," and could almost say it in
his sleep, his father remarked.

But when Bobbie got up on the platform and after he had made a funny,
jerky, fat, little bow, all of a sudden every word of that poem seemed
to slip from his mind! He stood there, looking around the room, now up
at the ceiling and now down at the floor. His face grew red, and he
began pulling at the buttons on his coat.

Miss Bradley felt sorry for him, and she laid her finger over her lips
when she heard some of the children beginning to laugh.

"What is the name of your selection, Bobbie?" the teacher asked kindly.

"It--it's about Ma--Mary and her--her little lamb!"

"That's a cute little poem. Don't be afraid. I'll start you off, and
then perhaps you can remember the rest. Now begin," and Miss Bradley
said the first line.

This helped Bobbie very much, and he got along all right until he came
to the verse about the lamb following Mary to school. Bobbie got as far
as, "It followed her to school one day which was----"

And there poor Bobbie "stuck." He couldn't think what came next.

"It followed her to school one day--school one day--one day," he said
slowly.

"Yes," said Miss Bradley kindly. "And what comes next, Bobbie? Was it
right for the lamb to follow Mary to school?"

Miss Bradley wanted Bobbie to say, "which was against the rule," but
Bobbie couldn't just then remember that. Suddenly his eyes opened wide.
He pointed to the back of the room, where a clattering sound was heard,
and cried:

"Look! Look what's coming in!"

CHAPTER XII

WATERING THE GARDEN

Instantly all the children turned around to look at what Bobbie Boomer
was pointing to. And gasps of surprise came from Bunny Brown and Sue, as
well as from the other pupils and the teacher.

For, standing in the doorway of the classroom, which was o