Blue Bonnet started for school at the usual time the next morning. Near the building she met Billy Slade. “See here,” he said, “why on earth didn’t you let on, and not let folks go thinking all sorts of nonsense?”
“They didn’t have to think nonsense, did they? Where’s Debby?”
“Gone on to the reception; she went early, so as to get a back seat.”
“Will it be very—?” Blue Bonnet asked, sympathetically.
“I can tell you better about that later on.” Billy turned towards the front entrance, leading up to Mr. Hunt’s office.
In the office, he found the rest of the fourteen waiting, and chiefly occupied with the question—Would Mr. Hunt keep them until after opening exercises, or would he allow them to join their class before school began?
“It’s worse than waiting at the dentist’s,” Ruth sighed.
“He’s coming now!” one of the boys called, softly, from his place near the door, and Mr. Hunt came in.
Fourteen pairs of eyes were lifted to his, more or less anxiously. But he was not very hard on them this morning. A few grave words of advice they had to listen to; to promise, each in turn, that there should be no more cutting of classes on their part. Then Mr. Hunt said that in regard to the Sargent, he was still undecided; it would depend largely upon the promptitude with which they made up the lessons for the past week.
“That means we can try, doesn’t it?” Hester said, as they were on their way to their classroom. “I’m glad I’ve kept up.”