The busy week ended and Monday came again. The same young substitute was in Miss Heath’s place. She was “terribly cross” with the boys, Peggy said, but she didn’t blame her. Four or five of the freshman boys tried to see how far they could go and went a little too far for their own good, for when there was some chalk throwing at the blackboard, during written exercises there, the teacher called several boys by name to take their seats and see her after class. “If any one else longs to be sent to detention, he or she may just keep on with the fun as these have done!”
There was an immediate cessation of performances, for D. T., as it was called, was not popular.
“By the way,” the teacher added, “I should like to see after class for a moment Betty Lee and Peggy Pollard.”
Betty, who was at the board, pausing in her work to listen to the startling interruptions, was surprised to hear her own name. What could the teacher want with her? But after a surprised look at the somewhat grim face of an otherwise attractive young woman, Betty turned again to the board and finished the verb synopsis on which she was engaged. The class work went on as usual, with correction and assignments by the teacher, recitation and occasional question on the part of the class.
The boys who had been told to stay remained in their seats at the close of class and Betty, raising her eyebrows at Peggy, gathered up her books and went to one of the front seats to wait the teacher’s pleasure. She felt in a hurry, for she was due at study hall on this day and it was on the third floor, quite a climb from the basement floor.
With eyes demurely on her books, she listened to a brief and sharp rebuke delivered to the boys, who scurried out of the room as soon as they were ordered to “detention” that evening, immediately after the close of school. At “detention” some victim among the teachers, who took turns at the disagreeable task, was in charge of a room devoted to the derelicts from duty who had from one cause or another been assigned to an extra hour in study after their classmates and others had gone. How long that extra hour! And when there was “doubly D. T.” or detention for several days, alas!
That Betty was to receive any rebuke was the last thing that she expected, though she was nervously wondering for what she was asked to stay. She looked inquiringly, and in Betty’s unconsciously sweet way, as the boys disappeared, and was beckoned to a seat in front of the desk. “Come also, Peggy Pollard,” said the teacher, Miss Masterman. “I believe this is Peggy, isn’t it?”
“Yes’m, and that’s Betty Lee.”
“Peggy, did you exchange papers with any one Thursday?”