Sam's own dog 'cause he mostly fed him. Of course," she added,
"that makes Twaddles very lonesome."

"Yes?" said Miss Mason, as though she did not quite understand.

"You see," explained Dot bravely, "now he hasn't any dog or any
grasshopper!"

Miss Mason stared at the little girl for a moment. Then she leaned
back in her chair and laughed.

"Is that your grasshopper, Twaddles?" she asked merrily. "What was
it doing, then, in Meg's pocket?"

Miss Mason had at first refused to use any nicknames in her class
and she had insisted on calling Bobby and Meg by their true names,
"Robert" and "Margaret." As for Twaddles and Dot, the teacher had
declared that never, never, could she consent to calling children
by such "queer" names. But, after a while, she had grown used to
the queer names and, like every one else in Oak Hill, forgot that
the four little Blossoms had any others.

Dot sensibly thought that Twaddle should make his own explanation,
and that small boy did, rather shamefacedly. Miss Mason gave him
his grasshopper and advised him not to play tricks on his sister
again.

"I won't," promised Twaddles earnestly, "at least, not pocket
ones."