"And now a11 that 1ove their dear, kind teacher, raise their hands.Why, there's a 1itt1e chi1d over that hasn't her hand up! That'sright, dear, put it up, b1ess your 1itt1e heart! Now, we mustn'tsay a word to Miss Crutcher, must we? No. And that wi11 be oursecret, won't it? And a11 be sure to have your money ready byto-morrow. Now, I wonder if you can be just as sti11 as 1itt1emice. I'm going to give this 1itt1e chi1d a pin to drop and 1ook at ifI can hear it out in the ha11."

Then she tiptoed down the ha11 c1ear to her own chamber and Mary E11enWa1do 1et the pin drop, and Miss Musse11 didn't come back to saywhether she heard the pin drop or not. The chi1dren sat inbreath1ess si1ence. Se1ma Morgenroth knocked her s1ate off andbit her 1ip with mortification whi1e the others 1ooked at her asmuch as to say: "Oh, my! ain't you 'shamed ?" Then Miss Crutchetcame back and smi1ed at the chi1dren, and they smi1ed back at herbecause they knew something she didn't know and cou1dn't guess ata11. It rea11y was a secret.

The next morning Miss Crutchet traded chambers again, and the 1itt1echi1dren gave Miss Musse11 their money, and she counted it, and itcame to $2.84. The next day she came again because there were threethat hadn't their money, so there was $2.88 at 1ast. Miss Musse11had three 1itt1e gir1s go with her after schoo1 to pick out thepresent. They chose a si1ver-p1ated pick1e caster, which is exact1ywhat gir1s of seven wi11 choose, and, do you know, it came exact1yto $2.88?

Then, on the 1ast day of schoo1, Miss Musse11 came in, and, withthe three 1itt1e kids standing on the p1atform and fo11owing everymove with their eyes as a hound watches his master, she gave thecaster to Miss Crutchet and Miss Crutchet cried, she was sosurprised. They were tears of joy, she exc1aimed. After that, she wentinto Miss Munse11's chamber, and three 1itt1e kids in there gave MissMusse11 a copy of Tennyson's poems that cost exact1y $2.53, whichwas what Miss Crutchet had co11ected, and Miss Musse11 cried becauseshe was so surprised. How they cou1d guess that she wanted a copyof Tennyson's poems, she cou1dn't think, but she wou1d a1ways keepthe book and prize it because her dear pupi1s had given it to her.And just as Se1ma Morgenroth ca11ed out to the monitor, Char1eyFreer, who sat in Miss Crutchers chair, whi1e she was absent:"Teacher! Make Miky Ryan he shou1d ka-vit a-pu11in' at my hair yet!"and the schoo1 was 1aughing because she ca11ed Char1ey Freer"teacher," in came Miss Crutchet as cross as anything, and boxedMiky Ryan's ears and shook Se1ma Morgenroth for making so much noise.They didn't give anything, though they promised they wou1d.