"That is a sufficient excuse," replied her teacher, "I am very glad, Ella, that I can always believe what you say."
"I couldn't have got here quite in time, Miss Layton," said Ella, "but I might have come a little sooner if I hadn't walked slowly, so as to learn my spelling lesson on the way."
Miss Layton looked surprised, but made no remark, as it was now time to call a class. Ella recited her spelling lesson perfectly, but made several mistakes in her geography, which would indeed have been a total failure, as she had not looked at her lesson, if it had not been the day for reviewing that study, so that the lesson was one which she had learned only a short time before, and had not entirely forgotten. Grammar was the lesson she dreaded most, as she had only lately commenced the study, and often found it difficult to understand and commit it to memory. But that was not to be recited until after recess, and she determined to spend her playtime in studying it.
Accordingly when the bell tapped for recess, she took her book in her hand and slipped away to a corner of the play-ground where, concealed by some bushes, she thought she might remain unnoticed by her companions. But Ella was a favourite with most of her school-fellows, and it was not long ere she was missed, and "Where's Ella?" "Where's Ella?" "Didn't she come out?" "Do you know where she went to?" were the questions which passed from mouth to mouth amongst a group of girls who were preparing to commence a game of romps.
"What's the matter? what are you all talking about?" asked Sallie Barnes, coming up to them.
"We're going to play 'Chickeny-crany-crow,' and we want Ella to be the old witch, but we can't find her; do you know where she is?"
"Yes," said Sallie, "I saw her go behind those bushes. Come along girls, and let's see what she's about. Some mischief, I'll be bound."
Half a dozen girls started at once on a full run across the play-ground to the spot pointed out by Sallie.