CHAPTER XIX SPEAKING PIECES

ltomyboy'sbirthdaypartyonSaturdayweek.Thearcherymeetingistobeintheafternoon,andbothclubswillbethere,Ibelieve.Intheeveningwearegoingtohavesomefun,whenwecanlaughasmuchaswepleasewithoutbreakinganyoftherules.InBen'snameIinviteyou,andhopeyouwillallcome,forwemeantomakethisthehappiestbirthdayheeverhad." Thereweretwentypupilsintheroom,buttheeightyhandsandfeetmadesucharacketatthisannouncementthatanoutsiderwouldhavethoughtahundredchildren,atleast,musthavebeenatit.MissCeliawasageneralfavoritebecauseshenoddedtoallthegirls,calledtheboysbytheirlastnames,evenaddressingsomeofthelargestas"Mr."whichwontheirheartsatonce,sothatifshehadinvitedthemalltocomeandbewhippedtheywouldhavegonesurethatitwassomedelightfuljoke.Withwhateagernesstheyacceptedthepresentinvitationonecaneasilyimagine,thoughtheyneverguessedwhyshegaveitinthatway,andBen'sfacewasasighttosee,hewassopleasedandproudatthehonordonehimthathedidnotknowwheretolook,andwasgladtorushoutwiththeotherboysandventhisemotionsinwhoopsofdelight.Heknewthatsomelittleplotwasbeingconcoctedforhisbirthday,butneverdreamedofanythingsograndasaskingthewholeschool,Teacherandall.Theeffectoftheinvitationwasseenwithcomicalrapidity,fortheboysbecameoverpoweringintheirfriendlyattentionstoBen.EvenSam,fearinghemightbeleftout,promptlyofferedthepeacefulolive-branchintheshapeofabigapple,warmfromhispocket,andMoseproposedatradeofjack-kniveswhichwouldbegreatlytoBen'sadvantage.ButThornymadethenoblestsacrificeofall,forhesaidtohissister,astheywalkedhometogether,— "I'mnotgoingtotryfortheprizeatall.Ishootsomuchbetterthantherest,havinghadmorepractice,youknow,thatitishardlyfair.BenandBillyarenextbest,andabouteven,forBen'sstrongwristmakesupforBilly'strueeye,andbothwanttowin.IfIamoutofthewayBenstandsagoodchance,fortheotherfellowsdon'tamounttomuch." "BabdoessheshootsnearlyaswellasBen,andwantstowinevenmorethanheorBilly.Shemusthaveherchanceatanyrate." "Soshemay,butshewon'tdoanythinggirlscan't,thoughit'sgoodexerciseandpleasesthemtotry." "IfIhadfulluseofbothmyarmsI'dshowyouthatgirlscandoagreatdealwhentheylike.Don'tbetoolofty,youngman,foryoumayhavetocomedown,"laughedMissCelia,amusedbyhisairs. "Nofear,"andThornycalmlydepartedtosethistargetsforBen'spractice. "Weshallsee,"andfromthatmomentMissCeliamadeBabherespecialpupil,feelingthatalittlelessonwouldbegoodforMr.Thorny,whoratherlordeditovertheotheryoungpeople.Therewasaspiceofmischiefinit,forMissCeliawasveryyoungatheart,inspiteofhertwenty-fouryears,andshewasboundtoseethathersidehadafairchance,believingthatgirlscandowhatevertheyarewillingtostrivepatientlyandwiselyfor. SoshekeptBabatworkearlyandlate,givingherallthehintsandhelpshecouldwithonlyoneefficienthand,andBabwasdelightedtothinkshedidwellenoughtoshootwiththeclub.Herarmsachedandherfingersgrewhardwithtwangingthebow,butshewasindefatigable,andbeingastrong,tallchildofherage,withagreatloveofallathleticsports,shegotonfastandwell,soonlearningtosendarrowafterarrowwitheverincreasingaccuracynearerandnearertothebull's-eye. Theboystookverylittlenoticeofher,beingmuchabsorbedintheirownaffairs,butBettydidforBabwhatSanchodidforBen,andtrottedafterarrowstillhershortlegsweresadlytired,thoughherpatiencenevergaveout.ShewassosureBabwouldwinthatshecarednothingaboutherownsuccess,practisinglittleandseldomhittinganythingwhenshetried.