Sara awakened from her dream, started a little, and then broke into a
laugh.

"What are you laughing at, you bold, impudent child!" exclaimed Miss
Minchin.

It took Sara a few seconds to remember she was a princess. Her cheeks
were red and smarting from the blows she had received.

"I was thinking," she said.

"Beg my pardon immediately," said Miss Minchin.

"I will beg your pardon for laughing, if it was rude," said Sara; "but I
won't beg your pardon for thinking."

"What were you thinking?" demanded Miss Minchin. "How dare you think?
What were you thinking?"

This occurred in the school-room, and all the girls looked up from their
books to listen. It always interested them when Miss Minchin flew at
Sara, because Sara always said something queer, and never seemed in the
least frightened. She was not in the least frightened now, though her
boxed ears were scarlet, and her eyes were as bright as stars.

"I was thinking," she answered gravely and quite politely, "that you did
not know what you were doing."

"That I did not know what I was doing!" Miss Minchin fairly gasped.