“You must never say 'can't,' Jeremy,” remarked Miss Jones. “There isn't such a word.”
“Oh, yes,” said Mary eagerly, “there is; I've seen it in books.”
“You musn't contradict, Mary,” said Miss Jones. “I only meant that you must behave as though there isn't, because nothing is impossible to one who truly tries.”
“My pencil waggles this way,” said Jeremy politely. “I think I'll hold it the old way, please.”
“There's only one way of doing anything,” said Miss Jones, “and that's the right way.”
“This is the right way for me,” said Jeremy.
The discussion was interrupted by a cry from Helen.
“Oh, do look, Miss Jones, Hamlet's got your spectacle-case. He thinks it's a mouse.”
There followed general confusion. Miss Jones jumped up, and, with little cries of distress, pursued Hamlet, who hastened into his favourite corner and began to worry the spectacle-case, with one eye on Miss Jones and one on his spoils.
Jeremy hurried up crying: “Put it down, Hamlet, naughty dog, naughty dog,” and Mary and Helen laughed with frantic delight.
At last Miss Jones, her face red and her hair in disorder, rescued her property and returned to the table, Hamlet meanwhile wagging his tail, panting and watching for a further game.
“I can't possibly,” said Miss Jones, “allow that dog in here during lesson hours. It's impossible.”
“Not one word,” said she, “let us have no more of this. Lead him from the room, Jeremy!”
“But, Miss Jones, he must be here. He's learning too. In a day or two he'll be as good as anything, really he will. He's so intelligent. He really thought it was his to play with, and he did give it up, didn't he, as soon as I said--”
“Enough,” said Miss Jones, “I will listen to no more. I say he is not to remain--”
Then Miss Jones made a bad mistake. Wearied of the argument, wishing to continue the lesson, and hoping perhaps to please her tormentors, she said meekly:
From that instant her doom was sealed. The children exchanged a glance of realisation. Jeremy smiled. The lesson was continued. What possessed Jeremy now? What possesses any child, naturally perhaps, of a kindly and even sentimental nature at the sight of something helpless and in its power? Is there any cruelty in after life like the cruelty of a small boy, and is there anything more powerful, more unreasoning, and more malicious than the calculating tortures that small children devise for those weaker than themselves? Jeremy was possessed with a new power.