Becky Hensley was the only member of “The Exclusive Three” who did not appear happy. She seemed to have something on her mind that was making her miserable. Every little while she stared into space and when Miss Piquilin spoke to her directly, she seemed to come back to the school room with a start. We just knew that the other two had used Becky as a cat’s paw for their scheme, whatever it was. Becky is really a nice girl, but she is easily led. Well, she failed completely on the test that morning, and Miss Piquilin, truly out of patience, and rightly so, commanded her to remain in that class room until she could hand in a perfect paper. The poor girl was sobbing when the other pupils filed out and I was sure that in her upset state of mind, the child wouldn’t be able to solve the simplest kind of a problem if she stayed in the class room all night. Betsy Clossen, who was monitor that day, stayed to put things away and she told us afterwards that as soon as they were alone, Miss Piquilin looked very sorrowfully at the bent head of the sobbing girl. Then going to her, she said kindly, “Becky, don’t you understand at all what I have been trying to teach you? Tell me! Don’t be afraid. Perhaps I have not been as patient as I should have been. It all seems so simple to me, now, perhaps I forget that once it was difficult.” Becky looked up, seemingly surprised, and yet touched by the kind tone. “No, Miss Piquilin,” she replied, “I really don’t understand algebra at all. “I was absent during the first part of the term, when—when mother died, and I guess I missed so much that I just can’t catch up.” “Dear girl!” Miss Piquilin said tenderly, “Forgive me if I have been harsh. If you wish, I will stay during my rest period for half an hour and review what you have missed.” Becky’s eyes glowed her gratitude. “Oh, Miss Piquilin, how kind you are!” she said. “Dad is so proud of me and I want to do well for his sake. I’m all he has, now.” “And so he shall be proud of you,” Miss Piquilin declared. “Now dry your eyes, dear, and run out and play.” When our teacher was gone, Becky sat staring out of the window with such an unhappy expression; then, all of a sudden she put her head down on her arms and sobbed harder than before. Betsy went over to her and said, “Dearie, don’t cry now! Didn’t Miss Piquilin excuse you?” “Yes. Yes,” the girl sobbed, “but, Oh Betsy, I wish I hadn’t done it, especially now that she has been so kind. When I thought she was a mean, horrid old thing, it wasn’t so hard to do. Oh dear! Oh dear!” Then, all of her own free will, Becky told what she had done that she so deeply regretted. We were all horrified when Betsy told us half an hour later. “We had a meeting of ‘The Lucky Thirteen’ in my room to try to decide what was best to do and Becky Hensley was with us. You simply never could guess the April Fool’s trick that Rose Hedge of ‘The Exclusive Three’ had planned, and so I will have to tell you.”