Mary didn't like to go to school and leave her lamb at home. She knew he would not be happy all alone; and how could she study her books and do sums on her slate, without her dear little woolly lamb close beside her? But schooltime came, and she had to start. If she had looked back, she would have seen the lamb trotting along behind, all so pretty, with a blue bow on his neck. He loved to follow little Mary, and he didn't know lambs mustn't go to school. Before he caught up with her, the bell rang, the children all ran in, and the door was shut; but he stood on the door- step and heard them singing. Then the arithmetic class began, and the teacher said: "Mary, if you had three apples, and gave one apple to Hannah, how many would you have left?" Mary was not thinking of apples. "Four," she said, "but please teacher, did you know I had a lamb?" and the lamb heard her voice and called "Baa!" outside the door, as loud as he could. "Why, there he is!" cried Mary. "He must go home," said the teacher; and she opened the door to send him away. But the little lamb came right in, and ran to Mary, so glad to see her again! "Oh, please let him stay!" said she: "I am sure he will be good!" But all the other children laughed—it was so funny to see a lamb in school—and the teacher had to turn him out. But the lamb would not go home. He wanted to stay near Mary; So he waited on the step and every time he heard her voice he cried "Ba-a-a!" At last the teacher said Mary must take him home; so she put away her books, and the little lamb jumped and danced, he was so happy, as they ran home together.
How he Wouldn't Jump.
