usually makes at me, but it was just too much. The next thing I knew the goldfish bowl was down over her head and there was seaweed all down the front of her and one big fat goldfish swimming around in her pocket.”
Nancy wiped her swollen red eyes on her sleeve and said, “Didn’t Marybelle scream?”
Plum said, “She gurgled like dishwater when the sink’s stopped up. Mrs. Monday didn’t even hear her, so I just sauntered out and closed the door.”
Nancy said, “Well, we’re certainly in trouble now. I wonder what Miss Waverly will say when I tell her we can’t be in the program and can’t go to the school picnic.”
Plum said, “I don’t care so much about the program but we are going to the picnic. We’re going to run away and go.”
Nancy said, “But how? You know that we’ll be locked in.”
Plum said, “I don’t know how, but I’ll find a way. Now I’m going down and try to find that dumb chicken. If Mrs.Monday comes up, don’t talk back to her. Just don’t say anything to her.” Plum went out.
In a few minutes, Eunice, Evangeline, Sally, Todd and Allan came in to see what had happened. When Nancy told them they all laughed delightedly at Plum’s putting the goldfish bowl on Marybelle’s head but they were furious at Mrs. Monday’s unfairness.
Sally said, “I’m going to be a tree in the program and Miss Dowd made us all tree costumes and I don’t see why, as long as you are going to sing ‘Trees,’ you couldn’t wear one of those. They’re awfully pretty. The dresses are long and brown and our arms and heads are all covered with pale pink blossoms.”
Nancy said, “That’s a wonderful idea, Sally. Do you think if I asked her, Miss Dowd would make me one?”
Sally said, “She wouldn’t have to, there’s an extra one because Jeanie Kirk has mumps and can’t wear hers.”
Eunice said, “I’ll go with you Monday and we can ask Miss Waverly to ask Miss Dowd.”
Nancy said, “Oh, I forgot. Mrs. Monday said that Plum and I can’t be in the program and we can’t go to the picnic.”
Todd said, “She can’t keep you out of a school program. That’s against the law.”
Allan said, “That’s right. She can keep you home from the picnic but she wouldn’t dare keep you out of the program.”
Nancy said, “Are you sure?”
Todd said, “Yes, because at another boarding home where I was, the woman kept some of the bigger kids home fromschool to do the work and the truant officer came out and then the police came and they closed up her house and sent all the kids home.”
Nancy said, “Was that out in the country like this?”
Todd said, “No, it was in Central City but I’m just sure you have to let kids go to school.”
Plum came in then, looking very dejected, and said, “I can’t find that old chicken. She must have flown back over the fence and gotten back with the other chickens.”
Nancy said, “Never mind, Plum, Sally had a splendid idea,” and she told Plum about the tree costume.
Plum said, “But Mrs. Monday said we couldn’t be in the program.”
Todd said, “I know but if you tell Miss Waverly that Mrs. Monday’s going to keep you home for a punishment, she’ll get the principal to talk to her.”
Allan said, “Yeah, Plum, keeping kids out of school is against the law.”
Plum said, “Oh, boy, do you think she’ll get sent to jail?”
Todd said, “She might, if the truant officer catches her.”
A voice from the doorway said, “Why are you children up here? Why aren’t you doing your work?”
The children scattered like frightened birds and Mrs. Monday said, “Pamela, I expect you to apologize to Marybelle.”
Plum said, “Mrs. Monday, I will apologize to Marybelle, if you let Nancy be in the school program.”
Mrs. Monday said, “I do not bargain with children,Pamela. When Nancy has apologized to me for her outrageous behavior I will then take the matter of the school program under consideration.”
Nancy said, “Mrs.
Nancy wiped her swollen red eyes on her sleeve and said, “Didn’t Marybelle scream?”
Plum said, “She gurgled like dishwater when the sink’s stopped up. Mrs. Monday didn’t even hear her, so I just sauntered out and closed the door.”
Nancy said, “Well, we’re certainly in trouble now. I wonder what Miss Waverly will say when I tell her we can’t be in the program and can’t go to the school picnic.”
Plum said, “I don’t care so much about the program but we are going to the picnic. We’re going to run away and go.”
Nancy said, “But how? You know that we’ll be locked in.”
Plum said, “I don’t know how, but I’ll find a way. Now I’m going down and try to find that dumb chicken. If Mrs.Monday comes up, don’t talk back to her. Just don’t say anything to her.” Plum went out.
In a few minutes, Eunice, Evangeline, Sally, Todd and Allan came in to see what had happened. When Nancy told them they all laughed delightedly at Plum’s putting the goldfish bowl on Marybelle’s head but they were furious at Mrs. Monday’s unfairness.
Sally said, “I’m going to be a tree in the program and Miss Dowd made us all tree costumes and I don’t see why, as long as you are going to sing ‘Trees,’ you couldn’t wear one of those. They’re awfully pretty. The dresses are long and brown and our arms and heads are all covered with pale pink blossoms.”
Nancy said, “That’s a wonderful idea, Sally. Do you think if I asked her, Miss Dowd would make me one?”
Sally said, “She wouldn’t have to, there’s an extra one because Jeanie Kirk has mumps and can’t wear hers.”
Eunice said, “I’ll go with you Monday and we can ask Miss Waverly to ask Miss Dowd.”
Nancy said, “Oh, I forgot. Mrs. Monday said that Plum and I can’t be in the program and we can’t go to the picnic.”
Todd said, “She can’t keep you out of a school program. That’s against the law.”
Allan said, “That’s right. She can keep you home from the picnic but she wouldn’t dare keep you out of the program.”
Nancy said, “Are you sure?”
Todd said, “Yes, because at another boarding home where I was, the woman kept some of the bigger kids home fromschool to do the work and the truant officer came out and then the police came and they closed up her house and sent all the kids home.”
Nancy said, “Was that out in the country like this?”
Todd said, “No, it was in Central City but I’m just sure you have to let kids go to school.”
Plum came in then, looking very dejected, and said, “I can’t find that old chicken. She must have flown back over the fence and gotten back with the other chickens.”
Nancy said, “Never mind, Plum, Sally had a splendid idea,” and she told Plum about the tree costume.
Plum said, “But Mrs. Monday said we couldn’t be in the program.”
Todd said, “I know but if you tell Miss Waverly that Mrs. Monday’s going to keep you home for a punishment, she’ll get the principal to talk to her.”
Allan said, “Yeah, Plum, keeping kids out of school is against the law.”
Plum said, “Oh, boy, do you think she’ll get sent to jail?”
Todd said, “She might, if the truant officer catches her.”
A voice from the doorway said, “Why are you children up here? Why aren’t you doing your work?”
The children scattered like frightened birds and Mrs. Monday said, “Pamela, I expect you to apologize to Marybelle.”
Plum said, “Mrs. Monday, I will apologize to Marybelle, if you let Nancy be in the school program.”
Mrs. Monday said, “I do not bargain with children,Pamela. When Nancy has apologized to me for her outrageous behavior I will then take the matter of the school program under consideration.”
Nancy said, “Mrs.
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