- THE REFORMATION OF MARY HOG AN 197 



charge of the counting. Each could choose the boys and girls 

 that he wished to have help him. She also told them that they 

 could choose the weeds whose seeds they wished to count, but, she 

 warned them, that it would not be an easy task especially in the 

 case of the wormseeds which bore so many and such tiny seeds. 

 The work must be done after school hours, and she said that the 

 one who undertook to count the seeds must not get discouraged. 



Because Mary Hogan had made the highest grade in the nature 

 work, she had first choice. Josephine Lacy held her breath. Here 

 was a fine chance to learn whether she had read the girl aright. 

 Without a moment's hesitation Mary Hogan chose the wormseed 

 and proceeded to pick out the children who were to help her. 

 ''The most difficult weed,^ but the one which will undoubtedly 

 yield the greatest number of seeds. Now for the helpers!" Some 

 of the girl's boon companions sought to catch her eye, to let her 

 know that they wished to be chosen. The girl gave no hint that 

 she saw them. With a sigh of relief. Miss Lacy murmured under 

 her breath, ''Couldn't have done better myself, not a lazy nor 

 careless one among them." 



Mary Hogan had need of good helpers. The largest wormseed 

 plant grew in moist loam and was seven feet high, measured five 

 feet across, and produced 26,085,150 seeds. 



Miss Lacy wrote the results of the work on the board. Worm- 

 seed came first, followed by the others in the order of the largest 

 number of seeds found. 



Wormseed 26,085,150 seeds 



Lamb's-quarters 1,813,320 " 



Pig-weed 305,760 " 



Curled Dock 7,000 " 



Stick-tights 2,555 " 



Milkweed 2,510 " 



Opposite the number of seeds, Miss Lacy wrote the naraes of 

 the group of children, who had done the work. Never before had 

 Mary Hogan's name been associated with those of the best chil- 

 dren in the school. Miss Lacy heard one of Mary's former chums 

 accuse her of being with the goody-good crowd. The girl made 

 no reply to the taunt. Miss Lacy would have given a great deal 

 to have known what was going on in the mind of the girl. Per- 

 haps she had been working so hard, that she had no superfluous 

 energy to waste on mischief. At any rate, from that time on 

 Mary Hogan deserted her former co3iipanions. 



