The next day Lulu, who was a prime favorite and a leader of the girls, began systematic teasing of Miss Mayne. She persuaded the other girls to annoy the teacher with a constant irritating succession of coughs whenever she started to explain anything. Mattie was to say that the room was too close, and when the windows had been opened Muriel was to complain of the cold, and the rest were to join in a storm of coughing. This program was carried out, and with great success. Miss Mayne finally saw that she was being hectored, and took revenge by standing three girls and one boy, who had joined in the fun of his own accord, on the platform. Here they had great fun, standing with grave faces, pretending to study, until a good chance came to make a face at Miss Mayne. Lulu capped the climax by asking Miss Mayne to put a cold compress upon her throat, as she said this always relieved a cough for her. She folded a handkerchief and dipped it into cold water, and Miss Mayne, looking into her upturned pitiful face, did not know whether to forgive and pity her or to shake her. She finally decided to shake her, which made Lulu really sober for once and temporarily restored the peace. Lulu was a good girl for several days after this, but when her high spirits demanded another good time in school, she found similar means of leading the other girls and boys into mischief. There was an intermittent feud between her and Miss Mayne, in which the teacher usually came out second best. Miss Mayne had to admit to herself that although her school was sometimes as good as could be desired, when Lulu wanted to she could lead the whole room into a maddening course of annoyance that spoiled the order and spirit of the day. CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT Natural leadership, a rare and valuable gift, is usually combined with unusual ability of some kind or other, and is always carefully to be reckoned with. When Miss Mayne found the girl who started the giggling, she might have said to her: “Lulu, have you found out something that is too funny to keep? No? You are just giggling because you are giggling? That is too bad; suppose you step out into the hall until you are over the attack; perhaps it is too warm for you here.”