“No, no! What does English Grammar teach?”
“I don’t know—it never teached me anything; it was Mr. Hammer.”
“Oh, dear me! You are rather obtuse, I fear. Perhaps you know more of geography, though. Can you tell me how the earth is divided?”
“It ain’t divided!” said Pet, stoutly. “It’s all one piece!”
“Ah! I fear your teacher was none of the best,” said the lady, shaking her head. “We shall have to remedy all these defects in your education, however, as well as we can. I hope to send you a very different little girl home, judge.”
“I sincerely hope so,” said the judge, rising. “Farewell, madam. Good-by, Petronilla; be a good girl—remember.”
“Oh, I’ll remember!” said Pet, significantly, accepting her father’s farewell salute, with a great deal of sang froid.
Mrs. Moodie politely bowed her stately guest out, and then turning to Petronilla, said:
“The young ladies are all in the class-room studying, my dear. Would you prefer going there, or shall I have you shown to your room?”
“I’ll go where the girls—I mean the young ladies are,” said Pet, following the rustling lady up-stairs.