That evening, when she went home, Royal asked her how she liked her school.

“Very much,” said Lucy; “only there are no other children for me to play with.”

“True,” said Royal; “but you don’t go to school to play, and so that is no hardship.”

“Yes, it is a hardship,” said Lucy, “for I have a recess, and I want somebody to play with me in the recess.”

“A recess!” said Royal—“a recess for only one scholar!”

“I had a recess,” said Lucy, “and an excellent recess too, and you don’t know what I saw.”

“What was it?” rejoined Royal.

“A post,” said Lucy, “with water spouting out of it.”

“It was a pump, I suppose,” replied Royal, “and the water spouted out when you pumped.”

“No,” said Lucy, “it was only a short post about so high.” Here Lucy held her hand out, about two feet above the level of the ground, to show Royal how high the post was.