The children laughed, and Ralph shouted after him, "Hi, there, Uncle
Nate! Who's not so smart as he thinks he is, NOW!" He turned to the
little girls near him. "They 'most got away from him THAT time!" he
said. "He's awful foolish about leaving them standing while he's funning
or something. He thinks he's awful funny, anyhow. Some day they'll run
away on him and THEN where'll he be?"
Elizabeth Ann was thinking to herself that this was one of the queerest
things that had happened to her even in this queer place. Never, why
never once, had any grown-up, passing the playground of the big brick
building, DREAMED of such a thing as stopping for a minute to play. They
never even looked at the children, any more than if they were in another
world. In fact she had felt the school was in another world.
"Ralph, it's your turn to get the water," said the teacher, handing him
a pail. "Want to go along?" said Ralph gruffly to Ellen and Betsy. He
led the way and the little girls walked after him. Now that she was out
of a crowd Elizabeth Ann felt all her shyness come down on her like a
black cloud, drying up her mouth and turning her hands and feet cold as
ice. Into one of these cold hands she felt small, warm fingers slide.
She looked down and there was little Molly trotting by her side, turning
her blue eyes up trustfully. "Teacher says I can go with you if you'll
take care of me," she said.
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