"Hullo, how did that cigar box get here?" he murmured to himself, and taking the box he opened it. "Oh! oh! get off of me! Oh!"
He started back and dropped the box, for out of it leaped seven frisky little mice which Frank had caught in his father's barn. One mouse scampered across the desk, another ran up the school teacher's arm, and the rest scattered in all directions on the floor.
"A mouse!" shrieked one of the girls.
"A whole lot of mice!" was the cry.
"See them run! Look out, or they'll get in your clothes!"
There was an immediate uproar, and a number of persons leaped on the chairs, benches and desks. In the meantime Montgomery Jadell caught the mouse on his arm and flung it away. It landed in the face of Mr. Ebenezer Boles, one of the school committeemen.
"Hi! hi! don't throw your mice at me!" roared the committeeman, wrathfully.
"Excuse me—I didn't——" began Mr. Jadell, but the rest of his answer was swallowed up in the general uproar.
"Catch the mice!" called out Joe. "Don't let them get into the girls' hair!"
"Oh!" screamed one of the girls. "I don't want any mouse in my hair." And several ran from the schoolroom at top speed.