"Hips firm!" was the next command, and Patrick's grimy hands sprang to his hips. "Trunk forward--bend!" Patrick doubled like a jack-knife and Miss Bailey did her duty. When it was over she was more distressed than was her victim. "Patrick, I'm so sorry this happened," said she. "But you remember that I warned you that I should whip you if you touched Isaac. Well, you did and I did. You know--all the children know--that I always keep my word." "Yiss ma'an," murmured the frightened First Reader Class. "Always?" asked Patrick. "Always," said Miss Bailey. "Then wash out his mouth," said Patrick, pointing to the gloating Isaac, who promptly ceased from gloating. "Oh, that reminds me," cried Teacher, "of something I want you to do. Will you tell Isaac you are sorry for spoiling his new suit?" "Sure," answered Patrick readily. "Say, Isaac, I'm sorry. Come and git your mouth washed." "Well," Miss Bailey temporized, "his clothes are ruined. Don't you think you could forgive him without the washing?" "Sure," answered Patrick again. "Ain't it too bad that you can't, too! But you said it and now you've got to do it. Like you did about me, you know. Where's the basin? I'll fill it." Teacher was fairly trapped, but, remembering that Isaac's provocation had been great, she determined to make the ordeal as bearable as possible. She sent for some water, selected a piece of appetizing rose pink soap, a relic of her Christmas store, and called Isaac, who, when he guessed the portent of all these preliminaries, suffered a shocking relapse into English. Nerved by this latest exhibition, Miss Bailey was deaf to the wails of Isaac and unyielding to the prayers and warnings of Morris and to the frantic sympathy of Eva Gonorowsky. "Soap ain't fer us," Morris cried. "It ain't fer us. We don't ever make like you makes mit soap!" "I noticed that," said Teacher dryly. "I really think you are afraid of soap and water. When I finish with Isaac you will all see how good it is for boys and girls to be washed." "But not in the mouth! Oh, Missis Bailey, soap in the mouth ain't fer us." "Nonsense, honey," answered Teacher; "it will only clean his teeth and help him to remember not to say nasty words." And, all unaware of the laws of "kosher" and of "traef," the distinctions between clean and unclean, quite as rigorous as, and much more complicated than, her own, Constance Bailey washed out the mouth of her royal charge, and, it being then three o'clock, dismissed her awed subjects and went serenely home.