Everybody said it after Miss Dellie.
"Now say it again without me," from Miss Dellie.
And after they had said it again without her, the little, little girl with the black curls, the little girl whose name proved to be Juliette, looked up into Miss Dellie's face, her own little face and her eyes full of wondering interest.
"Why's it A?" she asked the lady.
"What? What's that?" from Miss Dellie Black sharply. "Don't you know I'm talking, little girl? And you must listen!"
Half a dozen volunteers explained what she had said, Maudie with the red plaits, Tommy, Sam and others.
"She says why's it A?"
"She's a naughty little girl not to know her place in school," said Miss Dellie? Black firmly, "and if she can't be quiet she can go to her seat and stay there."
Absurd again! So Selina told herself as before. Much good a recall like this could do her this morning! She'd try again.
But this time it wasn't a picture of school that came to her at all. But of herself at home going to Papa full of pride in her achievements at school, and carrying with her to his knee, her primer open at a picture.