“Why, Meg,” she said pleasantly, “aren’t you going home early? And are these new scholars?”
“It’s the twins,” stammered Meg desperately. 87 “They would come, and Miss Mason says I must take them home.”
Mr. Carter, who had come up behind Miss Wright, laughed. He had clear, kind eyes behind his glasses, and he was much younger than Meg had supposed him to be. The other children had talked to her so much of how terrible the principal was when he had a bad boy before him that she had really pictured an ogre, with gray hair and a terrible hooked nose and a loud, fierce voice.
“I’ve heard of children having to be driven to school,” said Mr. Carter, still smiling, “but this is the first time I ever knew that they had to be taken home to prevent them from learning. Never mind, youngsters, your school days are coming. And when you do come to Oak Hill School, you come and see me the very first day.”
The twins were too shy to do more than nod, and Meg hurried them out of the building, Philip having already pushed the door open and gone, before they should attract any more attention.
“What ever put it into your head to come?” 88 she scolded, leading the way toward home. “Does Mother know it?”
For the first time Twaddles appeared to be somewhat confused.
“She doesn’t know it exactly,” he admitted. “We just said we were going out.”
And indeed Mother Blossom was very much surprised when Meg walked into the sitting room followed by the twins.
“Where is Bobby?” asked Mother Blossom, looking up from her sewing. “And you are early, dear. Is anything wrong?”