Ben surveyed Miss Frost, whom he saw for the first time, with approval, not unmingled with surprise. She was not the average type of teacher. Ben rather expected to meet an elderly female, tall and willowy in form, and wearing long ringlets. Such had been Miss Jerusha Colebrook, who had wielded the ferule the year before.
“Are you the school teacher?” asked Ben dubiously, as they left the hotel.
Mabel smiled. “I suppose,” said she, “that depends on whether I pass the examination.”
“I guess you’ll pass,” said Ben.
“What makes you think so?” asked Mabel, amused.
“You look as if you know a lot,” answered Ben bluntly.
“I hope appearances won’t prove deceptive,” said Mabel. “Are you to be one of my scholars?”
“Yes,” replied Ben
“You look bright and quick.”
“Do I?” said Ben. “You can’t always tell by looks,” he added, parodying her own words.
“Don’t you like to study?” Mabel inquired.
“Well, I don’t hanker after it. The fact is,” said Ben in a burst of confidence, “I’m a pretty hard case.”
“You say so because you are modest.”
“No, I don’t; the last teacher said so. Why, she couldn’t do nothing with me.”
“You begin to alarm me,” said Mabel. “Are there many hard cases among the scholars?”
“I’m about the worst,” said Ben candidly.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Why?” asked Ben, puzzled.
“Because,” said Mabel, “I don’t expect to have any trouble with you.”
“You don’t?” said Ben, surprised.
“No, I like your face. You may be mischievous, but I am sure you are not bad.”
Ben was rather pleased with the compliment. Boy as he was, he was not insensible to the grace and beauty of the new teacher, and he felt a thrill of pleasure at words which would scarcely have affected him if they had proceeded from Jerusha Colebrook.
“Do you feel interested in study?” Mabel continued.
“Not much,” Ben admitted.
“You don’t want to grow up ignorant, do you?”
“Of course I want to know something,” said Ben.
“If you improve your time you may some time be chairman of the School Committee, like your father.”
Ben chuckled. “That don’t take much larnin’,” he said.
“Doesn’t it? I should think it would require a good scholar.”
Ben laughed again. “Perhaps you think my father knows a good deal?” he said interrogatively.
Ben seemed on the brink of a dangerous confidence, and Mabel felt embarrassed.
“Certainly,” said she.
“He don’t,” said Ben. “Don’t you ever tell, and I’ll tell you something. He got the minister to write out the questions he asks the teachers.”
“I suppose the minister was more used to it,” said Mabel, feeling obliged to proffer some explanation.
“That ain’t it,” said Ben. “Dad never went to school after he was twelve. I could cipher him out of his boots, and he ain’t much on spelling, either. The other day he spelled straight s-t- r-a-t-e.”
“You mustn’t tell me all this,” said Mabel gravely. “Your father wouldn’t like it.”
“You won’t tell him?” said Ben apprehensively, for he knew that his father would resent these indiscreet revelations.
“No, certainly not. When does school commence, Ben?”
“Tomorrow morning. I say, Miss Frost, I hope you’ll give a good long recess.”
“How long have you generally had?”
“Well, Miss Colebrook only gave us five minutes. She was a regular old poke, and got along so slow that she cut us short on recess to make it up.”
“How long do you think you ought to have?” asked Mabel.
“Half an hour’d be about right,” said Ben.
“Don’t you think an hour would be better?” asked Mabel, smiling.
“May be that would be too long,” Ben admitted.
“So I think. On the other hand I consider five minutes too short. I will consult your father about that.”
“Here’s our house,” said Ben suddenly. “Dad’s inside waiting for you.”
Squire Hadley received Mabel with an impressive air of official dignity. He felt his importance on such occasions. “I am glad to see you, Miss Frost,” he said.
“Are there any other teachers to be examined?” asked Mabel, finding herself alone.
“The others have all been examined. We held a general examination a week ago. You need not feel nervous, Miss Frost. I shall give you plenty of time.”