"I know a real nice one. Once there was a monkey--" "No, a ape." "Well, a ape, then. But I didn't start right. Once Mr. 'Gustus Allen sailed round the world." "Did? Who sailed him?" "O, he went in one of those ships that go puffing out of the bay. And he had a little ape, named Jacky." "How did you know? You wasn't there." "O, he told me about it. He was the brightest little creature, Jacky was. When he was cold, Mr. Allen used to tuck him right in his bosom. Sometimes he got into mischief, he knew so much." "Did he know as much as Zip? Did he ever talk in meetin'?" "No, he couldn't bark the way Zip did at the lecture, but he chattered, as we do when our teeth are cold. When he'd been doing mischief he'd run round the floor of the ship, wagging his head the way I do now, as if he was as innocent as a whole lot of kittens. Why, he acted as you did, Dotty, when you was a little girl, and picked the inside out of that custard pie." "Ahem!" said Dotty. "I guess you think you're talkin' to somebody else, Prudy Parlin! I don't like your story; wish you'd stop." "But I was going to tell you how Jacky got sick, and there were ever so many more monkeys on board--" "On what board?" "On the ship. And they took care of Jacky, and brought him his supper as if they were folks." "What did he have for supper?" "O, nuts and things, on a wooden plate." "I wish I was a monkey!" "O, Dotty Dimple, that's a horrid speech!" "Then I don't want to be a monkey; I want to be a ape. I wish I could go puffing round the world in a ship." "Well, Dotty, this isn't keeping school. What letter have you learned?" "I didn't learn a letter; I learned a story. You're a funny gell to keep a _story_-school!" Prudy held up the block. "O, that picked thing? You called it a ape!" "Why, Dotty Parlin! that's A." "A _what?_" "I said _A_," repeated Prudy, with emphasis, "only just _A_." "Why, 'tisn't A _nothing_--is it?" "Dear me," thought Prudy, "I don't see how folks do keep school. I'm getting just as hungry--and cross!" When Dotty had learned A so well that she knew it at a glance, her teacher proceeded to the next letter, which stood on the block for a bat. Dotty said the picture looked "like Zip with an umbrella over him." After the second story, she was tired of the business. "Look out the window, Prudy. See that whale! O, you April fool!" The young sister sighed over her sister's light-minded behavior. When they came to C, which stood for cat, Dotty seized her kitty and tried to feed her with lozenges. But Pusheen turned away her head with a gesture which signified,-- "Candy isn't fit to touch. I'd eat a mouse with you, with pleasure." "Talk," said Dotty; "say 'thank you,' Pusheen! No, indeed, you needn't do it; I's just in fun. God didn't give you any teef to talk with, Pussy; so you can't talk." "Now, Dotty, this next letter is D." "O, Prudy, I wish you'd hush! I've got the earache."