“On the first slip is written ‘Boston!’ Who wrote that?”
“I,” said Tommy Toby.
“Then it is correct?”
“Yes.”
She took the slip from her forehead and laid it in her lap, saying as she did so,—
“It is not written very plainly, either.”
So one by one she read all the slips. Each passenger acknowledged the writing of each announced word, after it had been correctly given by Agnes. First, the correct readings awakened wonder, then positive excitement. The experiment was repeated at the request of all, with the same wonderful result.
The diversion was reproduced on the following evening, and even Master Lewis failed to see how the girl read the slips. It was noticed, however, that Tommy Toby always collected the slips, and acknowledged writing the first word. Agnes also examined each slip closely as she took it down, as if to verify the results of her very penetrating mind.
