"Play all you like, my son. No one will ask you to go school."

"But _I_ really want to go," said Nate. "I wouldn't miss it for
anything. A girl's school like that will be larks. Only four hours
anyway, two in the forenoon and two in the afternoon. Time enough left
for play."

"H'm, if that's all, let's go," cried Jimmy. "We can leave off any time
we get tired of it."

Kyzie heard this as she was crossing the hall.

"Why, boys," she said, "you don't live in Castle Cliff! It's the Castle
Cliff children I'm going to teach--the little ones, you know."

"But papa said if you'd show me about my arithmetic--" began Nate.

"Perhaps I don't know so much as you do, Nate. But if you go you'll be
good, won't you--you and Jimmy both?"

She spoke with some concern. "For if you're naughty, the other boys will
think they can be naughty too; and I shan't know what in the world to do
with them."

"Oh, we'll sit up as straight as ninepins; we'll show 'em how city boys
behave," said Nate, making a bow to Kyzie.

He could be a perfect little gentleman when he chose. He liked to tease
Jimmy, younger than himself, but had always been polite to Kyzie. Still
Kyzie did not altogether like the thought of having a boy of twelve for