"
"S'posin' them hornets lift the lid of the desk and come out before the
teacher gets here?" suggested Will Horton.
"What are you talking about?" was the scornful question of Dick Culver;
"how can a hornet raise the lid of a desk?"
"I don't mean that _one_ will do it, but, if they all join together and
put their shoulders to it, they'll lift more than you think."
But this contingency was too vague to be feared. A quarter of an hour
later, Mr. Lathrop entered the building with his brisk step, bidding
such children as he met a pleasant good afternoon, and hanging his hat
on the peg in the wall behind his desk, rang the bell for the children
to assemble, and took his seat in his chair on the platform.
The observant instructor quickly saw that something unusual was in the
wind. There was a score of signs that he detected in the course of a
few minutes, but he could have no idea what it all meant. He was on
the alert, however, and did not remain long in suspense.
The first hint was the sound of loud and angry buzzing within his desk.
While wondering what it meant, and in doubt whether to investigate, he
observed a hornet emerging through the key-hole. Before it could shake
itself free, he shoved him back with his key, which was inserted and
turned about, so effectually blocking the opening, that the insects
were held secure.
The teacher read the whole story, and it needed only a brief study of
Tom Britt's actions to make sure that he was the guilty one.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219