AS Elizabeth entered the dining-room someone jumped out from behind the door and pounced upon her. “Why, Betsy,” cried Elizabeth, “when did you come?”
“Just now,” returned Betsy. “I came with Hal. He is going to take supper with you all, for he and Kathie are going somewhere afterward. I asked aunt Em if I couldn’t come too, and she said I might if I would not stay long afterward. Hal and Kathie promised to take me to our gate when they go down. I was so worried about you, Elizabeth, when you didn’t come to school. Bert said you had a headache and I was afraid you were getting some fatal disease.”
“I did have a headache,” Elizabeth acknowledged, “but it is better now. I think when I have had some supper I shall feel all right. I thought supper was ready.”
“I think they are waiting for your father to come in,” Betsy told her. “Elizabeth, I am so anxious to know what Miss Jewett had to say to you.”
“She didn’t have very much to say,” replied Elizabeth doubtfully. “She thinks I put the mouse in my desk on purpose to be mischievous, and she was very much hurt, so was I.”
“Oh, Elizabeth, were you really? You did put the mouse there, you know.”
“But I didn’t do it to make fun; I did it so it would not upset the school and scare Miss Jewett.”
“Why didn’t you tell her so?”
“I don’t know; somehow I couldn’t. I got sort of rattled, I think; at first I did, and then I was mad because she thought I did it on purpose so I just wouldn’t say.”
Betsy was thoughtful for a moment. “I wonder how the mouse got in,” she said. “I never saw one in the schoolhouse before, did you? Where was it when you picked it up, Elizabeth?”