"I daresay I shall be able to manage them by degrees," replied Hazel-- "Are you sure you have plenty of chalk?" "I think there is an abundance of school necessaries." "Oh, no! Oh dear, no!" said Mr Chute, with a pitying smile. "You'll find lots of things wanting. They're very stingy over them; and if it wasn't for old Burge, I don't know what we should do. You are sure you have plenty of chalk?" "Please, teacher, there's a whole boxful in the cupboard," said Miss Potts. "Silence! How dare you speak when you are not asked?" said Mr Chute fiercely; and Miss Potts began to hurry away, terribly alarmed, back to her place, but watched her opportunity to turn and squint horribly at the visitor, to the great delight of the other girls--especially of Ann Straggalls the fat, who, poor girl, seemed to suffer from an infirmity; for no sooner did she see anything mirth-provoking than she exploded loudly, no matter where she was, into a boisterous laugh--a laugh that was a constant source of trouble to her; for which she had suffered endless punishments, besides having been ordered three times out of church by Miss Rebecca Lambent, who would rise spectrally above the red curtains of the organ-loft, and stand pointing at the door till the trembling girl had gone. Ann Straggalls horrified Hazel upon this occasion by giving vent to one of her explosions, and then turning purple as she tried to hide her face. "Ah, you'll have to punish her," said Mr Chute. "Oh, by-the-way, Miss Thorne--" "If he would only go!" thought Hazel, for the girls were getting very lively and boisterous, seeing their teacher's attention taken off, and catching a little of the infection from beyond the partition shutters. "I say, you'll have a deal of trouble over the school pence"--Mr Chute was a prophet in this case, though he did not know it--"they'll try all sorts of plans to get out of paying--a few of them will; but don't you be imposed upon by their excuses. It's only a penny a week, you know. There's the Simms's never will pay, and they ought to be turned out of the schools, for it isn't fair for some children to pay and some not, is it?" "Of course not," replied Hazel. "Oh, why won't he go? Surely he must see that my time is wanted." Just then the noise in the boys' school became furious, and Mr Chute made an effort to let his rebellious subjects know that, though invisible in body, he was present with them in spirit, by going on tiptoe across the school and rapping on one of the sliding shutters sharply with his knuckles. The effect was magical, and he came back triumphant. "That's how I serve them," he said, with a self-satisfied smirk. "They know I won't stand any nonsense; and, I say, Miss Thorne, if you hear me using the cane, don't you take any notice, you know. It's good for them sometimes. You'll have to use it yourself." "I hope not," said Hazel quietly; and she glanced towards the door.