"Why, child, where's the ball?" said her grandmother. "And here's two needles gone!"

"O, I left 'em to school, I s'pose," said Prudy. "I'm sure I never noticed 'em."

"I found the ball under the teacher's desk _once_," said Susy.

"Well, 'tain't there now," replied Prudy; "it's all _wounded_ now, and I put it where it b'longs."

"Where's that?" asked grandma, laughing.

"Well, I don't know," answered Prudy, trying to think; "but I guess it's _somewhere_."

Mrs. Parlin began to think it was a foolish plan to let Prudy take her knitting-work. I was going to mention something she did the last day she carried it. She got tired of knitting, tired of twisting her pretty curls round her finger, and tired of looking at pictures.

"Let's guess riddles," she whispered to Nancy Glover, who sat on the bench beside her. "I can make up riddles just as easy! There's something in this room, in Miss Parker's watch-pocket, goes _tick--tick_. Now guess that:--that's a riddle."

"I wish you'd behave, Prudy Parlin," said Nancy. "Here I am trying to get my spelling lesson."

Then Nancy turned her head a little to one side, and went to studying as hard as she could, for it was almost time for her cla.s.s to be called.

All at once Prudy happened to look at Nancy's ear, and thought, "What funny little holes folks have in their ears! I s'pose they go clear through. I guess I'll put my knitting-needle right through Nannie's ear while she's a-studyin'. The needle will look so funny stickin' out at the other end!"

So Prudy was very sly about it, and said not a word, but began to push in the needle with all her might.

O, such sharp screams as Nannie gave! The teacher was frightened; but when she found that Nannie was not so _very_ badly hurt after all, she felt easier about her, and began to talk to little Prudy, asking her "why she didn't sit still, like a lady, and _mind_?"

Prudy began to cry. "I _was_ a-mindin'," said she; "of course I was. I never knew 'twas a-goin' to hurt her."

Miss Parker smiled, and said, "Well, you needn't bring that knitting-work here any more. The next thing we should have somebody's _eyes_ put out."

When Miss Parker called out the next cla.s.s in spelling, Nannie sat with her head down, feeling very cross. "I don't like you, Prudy,"

said she. "You 'most killed me! I'll pay you for this, now you see!"

Miss Parker had to call Nannie by name before she would go to her cla.s.s. She was three or four years older than Prudy, and ought to have known better than to be angry with such a little child. She should have forgotten all about it: that would have been the best way. But instead of that, she kept thinking,--

"O, how that knitting-needle did hurt! Prudy ought to be ashamed! I'll pay her for it, now you see!"

You may be sure Prudy did not worry her little brains about it at all.

Her mother was brushing her hair next morning for school, and Mr.

Parlin said,--

"Don't you think she's too little to go to school, mother? I don't care about her learning to read yet awhile."

Mrs. Parlin smiled in a droll way. "I should be very sorry myself to have Prudy learn to read," replied she; "but she won't keep still long enough: you needn't be a bit afraid."

"Look here, Prudy," exclaimed Mr. Parlin, "can you spell any words?"

"Poh! yes, sir, I guess I can," replied Prudy, her eyes looking very bright, "I can spell 'most all there is to spell."

"O, ho," laughed Mr. Parlin. "Let's hear you spell your own name.

Can't do it, can you?"

"Poh! yes, I can! That ain't nothin'. Pre-ed, Prood, Pre-i-eddy, Prudy. There!"

"Bravo!" cried papa. "You're getting ahead, I declare! Now can you spell Susy's name?"

"Spell Susy? Why, I can do it just as easy!" replied Prudy, her eyes shining very bright indeed. "C-ez, Sooz, C-i-ezzy, Susy. There! Can't I spell?"

"Why, I should think you could," said papa, laughing. "I can't begin to spell the way you do. Now can you spell _Cat_?"

"Cat? _Cat?_" repeated Prudy, looking puzzled. "Well, I guess I've forgot how to spell cat. But I can spell _Kitty_. You just hear!

Kee-et, kit, kee-i-etty, kitty! I can spell the big words the best."

"What think now?" said Mrs. Parlin. "The truth is, Prudy knew eight letters when she began to go to school, and now she knows but four."

"Glad of it," returned Mr. Parlin. "Are you ready for school, little one?" And he held out his arms, saying,--

"And now, my own dear little girl, There is no way but this-- Put your arms about my neck, And give me one sweet kiss."

So Prudy hugged and kissed her father "just as hard." Then she and Susy trudged along to school, and they met Nancy Glover, who was carrying something in her ap.r.o.n.

"Mayn't I see what you've got?" said little Prudy.

"Not till I get ready," said Nancy. "Who stuck that knitting-needle into my ear?"

"You know she didn't mean to," said Susy.

"I don't care," cried Nancy, "it _hurt_!"

Prudy felt very sorry. "I wish I hadn't hurt you, Nanny," said she, "'cause I want to see what you've got in your ap.r.o.n."

"Well, I guess you'll see it soon enough. I brought it to school _to purpose_ for you."

"O, did you?" cried the child. "How good you are, Nanny. I love you 'most as well as I do Susy."

When little Prudy spoke so sweetly, Nancy didn't know what to say; so she said nothing. They went into the school-house and took their seats, Nancy keeping the corner of her ap.r.o.n rolled up all the while.

By and by, when Miss Parker was hearing the third cla.s.s, Nancy whispered,--

"Look here, Prudy Parlin, you wanted to know what I had in my ap.r.o.n: shall I show you now?"

"O, goody!"

"Well, then," continued Nanny,--

"'Open your mouth and shut your eyes, And I'll give you something to make you wise!'"

So Prudy opened her mouth as wide as it would go, and squeezed her eyelids together very hard.