Pell-mell down the stairs ran the children after the monkey. His quick eyes glanced about for a haven. A tall pine tree stood near the front gate, and toward this the monkey ran, a pack of screaming children after him. He had the best of them when it came to climbing, and before the first boy reached the tree he was half way to the top.
“We can’t climb that,” said a fourth-grade 127 pupil disconsolately. “All the branches have been cut to keep it off the ground. How’ll we ever get that hat back?”
But Miss Mason had no intention of losing her best hat, and she was already telephoning for one of the town firemen to come and bring his longest ladder. When he heard that he was to rescue a monkey he was indignant; then when she reminded him of the reward, he thought that after all he might be able to do it. So the children had the fun of watching him come with his ladder and climb up to get, after some difficulty, both monkey and hat.
Dear knows when the children would have gone back to school after the monkey was brought down, for he proved to be a friendly animal and was evidently used to petting, and every one was eager to make his acquaintance, but Miss Wright finally came out and ordered them all into the building, and after that affairs gradually settled down. But many were the secret wishes that every school day could start with a monkey hunt.
At noon Meg and Bobby had so much to tell, 128 and the twins were so interested and so full of self-pity to think that they couldn’t go to school and find monkeys in the cloak room that Mother Blossom’s piece of news was almost overlooked.
“I have something nice to tell you,” she said at last, smiling mysteriously, as she helped them to pudding.
“Something nice?” puzzled Meg. “Can Annabel Lee sleep on my bed?”
Meg was sure that the comfortable kitchen was not comfortable enough for the cat, and she teased persistently to be allowed to have Annabel Lee sleep at the foot of her bed at night.
“Nothing at all to do with Annabel Lee,” said Mother Blossom. “This is something that will please you all. Don’t play with your spoon, Bobby––you’ll be late going back to school.”
“Company?” demanded Twaddles, who was very hospitable.