SCHOOL BEGINS
Mr. Sorber was a man of his word. Scalawag arrived at the Corner House before the end of the week.
Dot had told Tess so much about the beauties of the fat little creature that the older sister could scarcely wait to see the pony.
"I almost wish I'd run away to be a pirate myself with Sammy Pinkney, just to see that pony do his tricks in the ring," Tess declared, with a sigh of envy.
"Oh, no, you wouldn't! No, you wouldn't, Tess Kenway!" Dot hastened to say. "We had just a nawful time. Hiding in that dark hole—"
"Hold, Dot—hold!" reminded Tess.
"Well, it was a hole—so there!" her little sister said. "And there were rats in it—and maybe worse things. Only they didn't bite us."
With Scalawag, the calico pony, came Louise Quigg and her father. The Nancy Hanks had been moored near Meadow Street again and the canalboatman and his little girl had brought the pony ashore and led him to his new home.
"Oh, you beautiful!" cried Tess, and hugged Scalawag around the neck.
The entire Corner House family—and some of the neighbors—gathered to greet the little girls' new pet. Scalawag stood very placidly and accepted all the petting that they wished to shower upon him.