Johnny did not say anything, for his father was the drunken shoemaker of the little settlement, and the cross-road tavern took all their spare pennies. He stood and looked with longing eyes at the pictures of the animals. He knew what a stir there would be circus-day. How the wagons would begin to rattle along the roads at daylight from all directions; and how the band would play in town; and the frightened country horses would prance, and the crowds of people would block the streets to see the long, gay procession. But it would be six miles away, and he would miss it all. While they looked at the side-show pictures,--the fat woman and the two-headed man and the African giant,--the second bell began to ring and away they raced to the schoolhouse. In his haste Jode left his geography on the gate-post by Squire Hooper's barn, and never thought of it again until after the noon-hour, when they came tramping in from the playground. "You are very careless, Joseph," said the teacher. "Sit with Harris to study, and don't let it happen again, sir." The boys put their heads together behind the map of the New England States, and began studying their boundaries. "Let's begin with the littlest," whispered Jode. "And don't you talk to me, old fellow; I don't want to be kept in again after school. Rhode Island is bounded on the north by Massachusetts, on the east by--" "Oh, say," interrupted Johnny, "I've got some field-mice in a box at home. I was going to bring them to-day, but was afraid the teacher would take 'em away. They're the cunningest little things! Come over after school and I'll show 'em to you." "All right," whispered Jode, with one eye on the teacher. "On the north by Massachusetts, on the east by Massachusetts and Atlantic Ocean, on the south by--" "Oh gracious! look there!" interrupted Johnny again. "Look at Boney Woods! What's he a-doin'?" Boney had his book propped up in front of him. His head was bowed studiously over his lesson, but his lesson was farthest from his thoughts. He had cut a piece of leather from the top of his boot-leg, and was making a pair of spectacles. "Oh, never mind him. Come on, and let's learn this. I've got through half the day all right, and don't want to spoil it all now. Rhode Island is bounded on the north by Massachusetts, on the east by Massachusetts and Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Atlantic--" "I say, Jode," interrupted his seat-mate, "I can pick up three marbles at a time with my toes." "So could I," answered Jode, "if I didn't have my shoes on." "Bet you couldn't!" "Bet I could!" "Take 'em off and try," coaxed Johnny. "Well, I'll just show you," retorted Jode. There was a class in algebra at the board, and the teacher was very busy explaining some problem. "Let _x_ equal the length of the fish," he was saying. Jode raised his foot carefully and began to untie his shoe. "And let _y_ equal the length of its tail," continued the teacher, completely absorbed in the problem.