"Well, I did feel most sure," she said. "I only thought about trying very hard to earn it, and I forgot all the rest wanted it too, and were going to try."
"But I think you'll be the one to have it, Maggie," said Bessie.
"Well, little mouse," said Kate Maynard, dancing in, catching up Bessie, and carrying her off to the other room, where she seated the child on her desk, and took a chair in front of her,—"well, little mouse, and what makes you so sure Maggie will get the composition prize for the other room?"
"She wants it so very much, and is going to try so hard," said Bessie.
"But, as Maggie just said herself, all the others want it too, and mean to try."
"Yes," said Bessie, smiling back into the merry black eyes; "but my Maggie is very smart. She has a great deal of make up in her, and can tell such beautiful stories all out of her own head, and she can write them too."
"Come here, Maggie," said Kate, as the child, whose classmates were leaving, peeped around the door for Bessie,—"come here; I want to have a little talk with you about these prizes."
Maggie came slowly forward.
"Is that the way you mean to come when you are called up to get the composition prize?" said Kate. "Hurry up, tortoise, or you won't be here before recess is over."
At this, Maggie turned about as if she would have run away; but two of the larger girls caught her, and drew her over to Kate's desk.