"Perhaps Dominie Black will think you have been sick or had to
mind the cows," said Jenny.

"He won't think so unless I tell him," said Andrew, "and you know
I won't do that."

"If we were to run all the way, would you be too late?" said
Jenny.

"If we were to run all the way? I should not get to school till
after copy time. I expect every minute to hear the school bell
ring," said Andrew.

"But what can I do, then?" said poor little Jenny. "I can't wait
here till school's out, and I don't want to go up to the
schoolhouse, for all the boys to laugh at me."

"No," said Andrew, reflecting very seriously, "I must take you
home some way or other. It won't do to leave you here, and, no
matter where you might stay, your mother would be very much
troubled about you."

"Yes," said Jenny, "she would think I was drowned."

Time pressed, and Jenny's countenance became more and more
overcast, but Andrew could think of no way in which he could take
the little girl home without being late and losing his standing
in the school.

It was impossible to get her across the stream at any place