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 it." She blushed as she spoke, and Katy blushed too. It made her shy to see the usually composed Mrs. Florence so confused.

"What did she say? What did she say?" demanded the others, who were collected in groups round the school-room door to hear a report of the interview.

Katy repeated her message. Some of the girls were disappointed.

"Is that all?" they said. "We thought she would stand up and make a speech."

"Or a short poem," put in Rose Red,—"a few stanzas thrown off on the spur of the moment; like this, for instance:—,

Thank you, kindly, for your basket, Which I didn't mean to ask it; But I'll very gladly take it, And when 'tis full of cake, it Will frequently remind me Of the girls I left. behind me!"

There was a universal giggle, which brought Miss Jane out of the school-room.

"Order!" she said, ringing the bell. "Young ladies, what are you about? Study hour has begun."