when suddenly the book flew through the air, as a result of the slap
Juanito gave it from below.

"Thunder, let the lessons go! Let's have a _dia pichido!_"

The students in Manila call _dia pichido_ a school-day that falls
between two holidays and is consequently suppressed, as though forced
out by their wish.

"Do you know that you really are an ass?" exclaimed Placido, picking
up his book and papers.

"Let's have a _dia pichido!_" repeated Juanito.

Placido was unwilling, since for only two the authorities were hardly
going to suspend a class of more than a hundred and fifty. He recalled
the struggles and privations his mother was suffering in order to keep
him in Manila, while she went without even the necessities of life.

They were just passing through the breach of Santo Domingo, and
Juanito, gazing across the little plaza [25] in front of the old
Customs building, exclaimed, "Now I think of it, I'm appointed to
take up the collection."

"What collection?"

"For the monument."

"What monument?"