to improve your opportunities while you are young, for by and by
you will grow up, and have families to support, and will have no
chance to learn--Jane Quimby, I wish you would stop giggling, I see
nothing to laugh at--There are some of you who have studied well
this term, and done the best you could. At the beginning of the
term I determined to give a book to the most deserving scholar at
the end of the term. I have picked out the boy, who, in my opinion,
deserves it--Ephraim Higgins, you needn't move round in your seat.
You are not the one."

There was a general laugh here, for Ephraim was distinguished
chiefly for his laziness.

The teacher proceeded:

"I do not mean to tell you to-day who it is. To-morrow I shall
call out his name before the school committee, and present him the
prize. I want you to do as well as you can to-morrow. I want you
to do yourselves credit, and to do me credit, for I do not want to
be ashamed of you. Peter Shelby, put back that knife into your pocket,
and keep it there till I call up the class in whittling."

There was another laugh here at the teacher's joke, and Peter
himself displayed a broad grin on his large, good-humored face.

"We will now proceed to the regular lessons," said Mr. Burbank, in
conclusion. "First class in arithmetic will take their places."

The first class ranked as the highest class, and in it was Harry
Walton.