A Lucky Magpie 157 



on my nose when Miss Pringle was speaking 

 to me. 



11 ' Come in, John Reynardson, says she. 

 1 You may stand on that bit of matting by the 

 door. What is the matter with your foot ? ' 



" ' Sprained my ankle, ma'am, climbing a tree 

 with Nelly Green.' 



"'With Nelly Green?' says Miss Pringle. 

 1 Then Nelly Green ought to be ashamed of 

 herself! Boys may be monkeys if they like, 

 but not girls. Tell Nelly Green I'm ashamed 

 of her!'" 



" Did she say that ? " asked Mrs. Reynardson. 



" She did, and she never liked Nelly Green 

 too much after that. She asked me several 

 times afterwards if that monkey-girl was ashamed 

 of herself." Here the farmer stopped a minute 

 to laugh. " And I always told her she wasn't. 

 No more she was not a bit! 



11 Well, she told me frankly that she didn't 

 like boys and that was very kind of her ! but I 

 could have told her so myself as soon as ever I 

 was put on the matting and had my face looked 

 at for smuts. Miss Pringle was not one of 



