"I am sorry you fought, and sorry I had to punish you in this way." Jerome looked at her.

"She's a good deal like mother," he thought.
"You had to punish somebody," said he, "an'-- _I'd_ licked _him_." The teacher started; this reasoning confused her a little, the more so that she had an uneasy conviction that she had punished the lesser offender.

She looked at the proud little figure in the torn coat, and her mild heart went out to him.

She glanced round; there were not many scholars in the room.

Elmira sat in her place, busy with her slate; a few of the older ones were in a knot near the window at the back of the room.