“My goodness, what did you lug that cat for?” demanded Bobby, big-brother fashion. “You’ve torn some of the gathers in your dress, too, Dot.”
“Don’t care,” said Dot, giving Annabel Lee over to Meg with a sigh of relief, for the cat was 50 heavy. “I caught it on a nail coming down the steps. Twaddles and I played school.”
“I led the line, going in to assembly,” reported Meg importantly. “Where’s Mother? I want to tell her.”
They had reached the house by this time, and the little Blossoms dashed up the stairs to find their mother and tell her all the news. The twins listened eagerly, for the slightest word about school never failed to enthrall them.
“So I think Tim Roon is hateful,” concluded Bobby, when he had finished telling Mother Blossom about the unfortunate snake. “And Charlie Black is just like him.”
“Now, children,” said Mother Blossom firmly, “you needn’t tell me any child is hateful, I don’t care who he is or what he does. You may think this Tim Roon hasn’t a single pleasant trait, but that doesn’t prove that he has none, only that you are not able to find it. Don’t let’s have talk like this. If you find your other classmates friendly and pleasant, think as little about the disagreeable ones as you can. There’s the lunch gong.” 51
After the meal the four children went out to the garage to find out what Sam Layton was going to do that afternoon, because he often had interesting plans.
“Thought you had to go to school,” Sam greeted Meg and Bobby. “Aren’t in the kindergarten, are you?”
“You know we’re not,” answered Bobby indignantly. “First day they always have one session, so’s the teachers can get their records fixed up. Are you going to take the car out, Sam?”
“Well, yes,” admitted Sam. “I’ve got orders to meet your father at the foundry at two o’clock.”