So Ladybird went to school--to a small and not far distant district school--whenever she could not get up a successful excuse for staying at home. With her sun-dial-like capability of marking the bright hours only, she eliminated as much as was possible of the ugly side of school life. She enjoyed the walks to and from the school-house, across the fields and through the lanes, and she enjoyed them so leisurely that she was a half-hour late nearly every morning, thus escaping the detestable "opening exercises." During school hours, when not studying or reciting her lessons she read fairy-tales or else worked out puzzles. Though this was not exactly in line with the teacher's methods of discipline, yet it was overlooked after several experimental endeavors which showed unmistakably what was the better part of valor. Also, Ladybird always kept fresh flowers on her desk, and kept lying in her sight any new toy or trinket which she might have recently acquired. She would have been fairly happy during school hours if she could have had her dog with her; but the teacher's discretion did not extend as far as this, and so Cloppy was left at home each day to add to the gaiety of Primrose Hall. One day after he had added gaiety with especial assiduity, Miss Priscilla announced that she was at the end of her rope, and the dog must go. It happened that Ladybird came in from school that day in an unusually docile frame of mind. To begin with, it was Friday afternoon and the next day was a holiday. Furthermore, she had wrested a good half-hour from the long school afternoon, with its horrid "general exercises," by the simple method of rising from her seat and walking out at the door. The teacher saw her do this, but allowed her feeling of relief to blunt her sense of duty. Not but what she liked Ladybird: no one could know the child and not like her; but when one is teaching a district school it is easier if the disturbing element be conspicuous by its absence. And so, with her course unimpeded, Ladybird marched out of school into the fields, and drawing a long breath, sauntered slowly and indirectly home. "I had a beautiful time," she announced to her aunts. "There's the loveliest afternoon outdoors you ever saw, and I've walked all around it. Such a big, fair, soft afternoon, and the sunlight is raining down all over it, and it's full of trees, and sticks, and fences, and dry leaves; and where's Cloppy? I'm going out in the orchard." "Wait a moment, Lavinia," said Miss Flint, "I wish to talk to you; sit down in your chair." "Yes, 'm," said Ladybird, dropping into a chair suddenly, "And hurry up your talking For I want to go a-walking." "That will do, Lavinia, I'm in no mood for foolishness; I want to say that that wretched dog of yours can_not_ stay here any longer."