"Cut it," said Alice.
"Catch mother cutting a knot if she can undo it," laughed Hugh, gathering his books together.
"It's a good thing it is Saturday," said John, "or we couldn't wait, however curious we might be."
"There, it is undone!" said Minnie, pressing nearer. As she spoke the paper fell open, and two dozen little square books came tumbling out.
The children were going to seize upon them, when Mrs. Headley placed her hand over them, taking up one at the same moment, saying. "What is this, now?"
"A little book," said John.
"Has it reading in it?"
She opened the first page, and to their astonishment there was nothing but a page of black to be seen.
"What a strange book!" said Hugh. "It would not be much trouble to learn a page of that!"
"It is a great trouble to learn that black page, though," said his mother.