I can't begin to tell you what it was that Mrs. Knight said to them: it
was very affecting, and before long most of the girls began to cry. The
penalty for their offense was announced to be the loss of recess for
three weeks; but that wasn't half so bad as seeing Mrs. Knight so
"religious and afflicted," as Cecy told her mother afterward. One by one
the sobbing sinners departed from the schoolroom. When most of them were
gone, Mrs. Knight called Katy up to the platform, and said a few words
to her specially. She was not really severe, but Katy was too penitent
and worn out to bear much, and before long was weeping like a
water-spout, or like the ocean she had pretended to be.
At this, tender-hearted Mrs. Knight was so much affected that she let
her off at once, and even kissed her in token of forgiveness, which made
poor Ocean sob harder than ever. All the way home she sobbed; faithful
little Clover, running along by her side in great distress, begging her
to stop crying, and trying in vain to hold up the fragments of her
dress, which was torn in, at least, a dozen places. Katy could not stop
crying, and it was fortunate that Aunt Izzie happened to be out, and
that the only person who saw her in this piteous plight was Mary, the
nurse, who doted on the children, and was always ready to help them out
of their troubles.
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