"High time they were up!" quoth Miss Miller, as she went upstairs to rouse the girls.
But Zan, a true country girl, had been awake for some time and enjoyed the fresh morning breeze from her window.
"Did you make friends with Groutch?" asked she, as Miss Miller smiled a good-morning to her.
"Groutch—who's Groutch?" pondered the teacher.
"Why, the old hen! She's always quarrelling with friends or family, so we named her Groutch," laughed Zan.
"Oh—the hen! I wondered how she got there? Did you see me talking to her?" replied Miss Miller.
Zan laughed delightedly at an opportunity to correct the teacher. "No—I saw you there but heard you talking!"
"One for you, Zan! That casts discredit on my early morning thinking apparatus, doesn't it?" said Miss Miller, laughing at her own expense. "But tell me—did Bill bring the chickens?"
"Thereby hangs a tale," giggled Zan, turning her back and asking Nita to hook the centre of her dress-waist.