would they never end! And then there were speeches by the
Presidentboardeducation and the Trustees, who seemed to appreciate the
privilege more than most of the pupils, Jehosophat thought, for they
never stopped when they had the chance.

He looked out of the window. Over by the orchard, he could hear a
flicker go "Rat-a-tat-tat," boring away at the old apple tree. The sun
was shining nice and warm, and he wondered if he couldn't climb up on
his seat, and drop out of the open window, and run away ever so far.
He was supposed to "do his parents proud"; and if there was anything
he hated, it was "doing somebody proud." Oh, golly!

"The boy stood on the burning deck."

Once or twice he repeated it to himself. Yes, he knew it all right.
But just then Fatty Hamm, who sat behind him, leaned over and
whispered,--

"Don't forget the peanuts, Joshy!"

Jehosophat frowned and tried not to pay any attention, but the
Presidentboardeducation had taken out his spectacles and was reading
from a paper.

"Recitation by----." He couldn't seem to understand the name and put
on his glasses a little nearer the end of his nose,

"Recitation by _Je-hos-o-phat Green_!"

How loud it sounded!