Jane regarded her thoughtfully. She happened to know that Sherm was planning to study Cicero. How mad Mamie would be if she started Cæsar all alone! She had half a mind to let her go ahead. Mamie had spent the entire morning recess telling her how the boys bored her hanging round. Yes, it would do Mamie good to have to recite alone. Chicken Little shut her lips firmly for a second. When she opened them, she replied that she understood Cæsar was a very interesting study. Mamie bridled and said condescendingly: "It's a pity you haven't had Latin so you could come into the class, too." "Oh, I see enough of Sherm at home!" returned Chicken Little maliciously. Mamie had the faculty of always rubbing her up the wrong way. Mamie gave her shoulders a fling. "Of course, I always forget you are just a little girl, Jane. You're so big and----" Mamie didn't finish her sentence. She merely glanced expressively at Jane's long legs. "I think I'll go in and talk to Mr. Clay. He must be sick of having all those kids hanging round him." Mamie sailed off in state, leaving Jane feeling as if she had run her hand into a patch of nettles. She was standing there in the sunshine looking after Mamie resentfully when Grant Stowe came along. He nodded toward the schoolhouse door through which Mamie had vanished. "What's Miss Flirtie been saying to make you so ruffled? She's begun to sit up nights now fixing her cap for the teacher. Bet you a cookie he's too slick for her." Chicken Little laughed, but retorted: "Humph, how many times have you sat on her front porch this summer?" Grant reddened. "Oh, we're neighbors, and a fellow has to kill time summer evenings. Father and mother always go to bed with the chickens and it's no fun listening to the frogs all by yourself. Suppose your folks wouldn't let anybody come to see you--I hear they're all-fired particular." Jane did not have an opportunity to answer. One of the little girls came begging her to play Blackman with a group of the younger children. Grant suggested that she choose up for one side, and he would for the other. She had just begun to choose when Mr. Clay appeared at her elbow. "May I play on your side, Jane?" "Teacher's" entrance into the game acted like magic. The few big boys who had come on this first day, edged near enough to be seen and were speedily brought into the sport. Mamie, venturing languidly to the door to see what had become of Mr. Clay, suddenly decided she was not too big to play "just this once." Teacher and Jane were both swift runners and Grant had hard work to make a showing. Mamie sweetly let herself be caught by teacher the first rush, to Grant's openly expressed disgust. The big boys warmed into envious rivalry with Mr. Clay right from the start, but he soon convinced them that they would have to work, if they worsted him at any of their games or exercises.