"Well! Nice boys like Neale," spoke up the loyal Dot, "wouldn't hurt any family."
"But there aren't many nice ones like Neale," said Tess, with conviction. "'Most always they seem to be getting into trouble and being punished. The teachers don't like them much."
"Oh, our teacher does," said Dot, eagerly. "There's Jacob Bloomer. You know—his father is the German baker on Meadow Street. Our teacher used to like him a lot."
"And what's the matter with Jakey now?" asked Agnes. "Is he in her bad books?"
"I don't know would you call it 'bad books,'" Dot said. "But he doesn't bring the teacher a pretzel any more."
"A pretzel!" exclaimed Ruth.
"What a ridiculous thing to bring," said Agnes.
"She liked them," Dot said, nodding. "But she doesn't eat them any more."
"Why not?" asked Ruth.
"We—ell, Jacob doesn't bring them."