he had earned that nice glass of creamy milk, and the big slice of
gingerbread, especially the thick chocolate icing on top. It was an
extra thick piece, too, which Mother gave him, probably as a prize for
all his hard work.

Next morning, on the way to school, he was reciting Casabianca for
practice. He tried it on the Purple Crackles that flew in the fields
by the blackberry bushes; the little Gold Finches that swayed on the
grasses; and the topknotted Kingbirds on the telegraph wires overhead.

And he thought he was getting on pretty well with "The boy stood on
the burning deck," when a voice took the second line right out of his
mouth:

"Eating peanuts by the peck!!!!!"

Angrily he turned, and there were Fatty Hamm and Reddy Toms, Dicky
Means too, and Lizzie Fizzletree, all making faces at him and mocking
him with funny gestures. Surely no teacher ever taught gestures like
those.

They began it all over again, reciting together. And this is the piece
they made of it--you never would have recognized poor Casabianca at
all:

"The boy stood on the burning deck
Eating peanuts by the peck.
His father called, he would not go
Because he loved his peanuts so!!!"