'I don't think you will,' said his cousin Emily,—'it is a delightful place, and you will like Mr. and Mrs. Reed. Mr. Reed is a droll man; he always makes me laugh, whenever he comes here: he has so many diverting anecdotes to tell, about the boys. Do you remember the monkey he told us about, mother; which the boys had taught to take up slates, set sums on them, and then hand them to each boy, as he came up to the desk, just like the master.'
'I should not think Mr. Reed would like that; was not he angry,' said Frank.
'O no, indeed,' answered Emily; 'he is too good natured; the boys did not mean to take off Mr. Reed; but had the monkey for their master, when they were playing school. One day, a gentleman entered the school room to speak to Mr. Reed, and the monkey followed; and when Mr. Reed left his desk, and went to the other side to meet the gentleman, up jumped the monkey in his place, and began to take up the slates which lay on the desk and set sums; and some boys went up to receive them, which made Mr. Reed and the stranger laugh very much. It took so long to get settled, and bring the school to order again, that they were obliged to keep in half an hour beyond the usual time, before all their recitations were finished. So the boys, Mr. Reed said, took good care that the monkey should not play any more of his tricks in school time.'
We need not tell any Boston children what Frank saw in his walk, or his ride; and perhaps not many others will ever read this story. They stopped at Mr. Reed's about 5 o'clock; which was the tea hour; and the bell was ringing and the boys flocking in. Mrs. Reed came to the door to meet her friend.
'You see,' said she, 'that it is just our tea time; for our children prefer having their supper as soon as school is out, that they may have the remainder of the afternoon to play, without interruption; and I like to accommodate them in these little matters.—Will you take your tea with them, or will you walk in the garden till it is over; and let us have our tea by ourselves?'
'I should prefer joining your family circle,' replied Mrs. Willard. 'I have brought my nephew to introduce to you, who is to be your scholar,—here he is; master Frank Courtland, Mrs. Reed.'
Mrs. Reed took his hand; 'you are welcome here, my little fellow,' said she; 'we shall try to make you love us.'
Frank thought he had never been greeted so kindly by a stranger before; and he did not feel the least reluctance to take Mrs. Reed's hand, and accompany her to the tea room. There were collected boys of all sizes; most of them, however, about the age of Frank; they were all conversing very pleasantly and familiarly together; and appeared to be under no restraint, with Mr. and Mrs. Reed. One young gentleman had just come from town, and was giving an account of a fire which had taken place there the day before. It was a house of his cousin's; the fire had caught in the upper story and consumed that and the roof; but was extinguished before it did farther damage.
'Did it burn the house down, James?' said Mr. Reed.
'No; I think it burned the house up, Sir,' he replied.