across the porch excitedly, stopping only to sniff several other children’s lunch pails.
Mattie continued to holler at the dog, and so did some of the others, but Twinkles still wouldn’t go. She wasn’t being an obedient dog today, and Mattie was so embarrassed.
The teacher, Anna Ruth, stepped onto the porch just then and looked right at Mattie. “Is that your dog?”
Mattie nodded slowly, wishing at this moment that Twinkles belonged to someone else.
“Well, she can’t be here at school. Please, take her home right now.”
“Okay.” Mattie didn’t mind at all, because it would take her some time to walk home and back, which meant she’d miss taking the spelling test they’d be having soon.
“Oh, and since we’ll be having the spelling test while you’re gone, you’ll have to stay after school to take it,” Anna Ruth said.
Mattie frowned. It was bad enough that she hadn’t studied much. Now she had to stay after school and take the spelling test. She realized her forgetfulness about not putting Twinkles away like Mom had told her to do this morning would probably get her in trouble with Mom, too. She wished she’d come down with a bad cold or the flu so she could have stayed home in bed today!
C HAPTER 11
Unexpected Gift
“What are you thinking about?” Mark asked, sneaking up behind Mattie and tickling the back of her neck with a feather.
She whirled around. “Absatz! You know I don’t like to be tickled!”
“Aw, sure you do.”
“No, I don’t. Not when I’m thinking.”
“What are you thinking about—the spelling test you failed at school last week?”
“Do you have to spoil our birthday by reminding me about that? Would you like me to keep reminding you about falling down the last time you tried to play baseball?”
“No, and I’m glad Anna Ruth has been letting me push some of the younger scholars on the swings during lunch recess, ‘cause that’s a lot more fun than playing baseball.”
“I guess you are happier doing that,” Mattie said, “but I’d rather play ball.”
“That’s because you’re so good at it. It’s always more fun to do something you can do well than something you always mess up.” Mark tickled Mattie’s chin with the feather again. “So what were you thinking about when I snuck up on you?”
“I was wishing Grandma and Grandpa Troyer could be here for our birthday celebration tonight.”
“I wish that, too. It would have been nice if Grandma had called and said Grandpa was feeling better by now. I’ve been praying for him.”
“Same here,” Mattie said with a nod.
Mark smiled. “Even though Grandma and Grandpa Troyer can’t come for our party, when everyone else shows up I’m sure we’ll have a good time.”
“I hope so.” Mattie’s mouth turned up at the corners. “I’m glad our birthday’s on a Saturday this year. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the day in school.”
“Oh no, that would be baremlich.” Mark snickered and slid the feather under Mattie’s chin once more.
“Will you stop teasing?” She pushed his hand away. “If you don’t, I’ll find a feather and tickle you right back.”
“You can’t, because the only place I’m ticklish is on the bottom of my feet, and since I’m standing you can’t tickle me there.”
“If I was big like Dad or Ike, I’d pick you up and put you right on the ground,” Mattie said. “Then I’d sit on you and tickle your feet till you couldn’t stand it anymore.”
Mark plopped his hands against his hips and crinkled his nose. “Well, you’re not big like them, so don’t even think about tickling my feet!”
Mattie flapped her hand at him, like she was shooing away a pesky fly. “Why don’t you go play with your katze, or find someone else to tease with that feather?”
“Think I just might, ‘cause you’re so monotonous.”
“Monotonous? What’s that mean?” Mattie asked.
“It means you’re boring.” Mark gave Mattie one final
Mattie continued to holler at the dog, and so did some of the others, but Twinkles still wouldn’t go. She wasn’t being an obedient dog today, and Mattie was so embarrassed.
The teacher, Anna Ruth, stepped onto the porch just then and looked right at Mattie. “Is that your dog?”
Mattie nodded slowly, wishing at this moment that Twinkles belonged to someone else.
“Well, she can’t be here at school. Please, take her home right now.”
“Okay.” Mattie didn’t mind at all, because it would take her some time to walk home and back, which meant she’d miss taking the spelling test they’d be having soon.
“Oh, and since we’ll be having the spelling test while you’re gone, you’ll have to stay after school to take it,” Anna Ruth said.
Mattie frowned. It was bad enough that she hadn’t studied much. Now she had to stay after school and take the spelling test. She realized her forgetfulness about not putting Twinkles away like Mom had told her to do this morning would probably get her in trouble with Mom, too. She wished she’d come down with a bad cold or the flu so she could have stayed home in bed today!
C HAPTER 11
Unexpected Gift
“What are you thinking about?” Mark asked, sneaking up behind Mattie and tickling the back of her neck with a feather.
She whirled around. “Absatz! You know I don’t like to be tickled!”
“Aw, sure you do.”
“No, I don’t. Not when I’m thinking.”
“What are you thinking about—the spelling test you failed at school last week?”
“Do you have to spoil our birthday by reminding me about that? Would you like me to keep reminding you about falling down the last time you tried to play baseball?”
“No, and I’m glad Anna Ruth has been letting me push some of the younger scholars on the swings during lunch recess, ‘cause that’s a lot more fun than playing baseball.”
“I guess you are happier doing that,” Mattie said, “but I’d rather play ball.”
“That’s because you’re so good at it. It’s always more fun to do something you can do well than something you always mess up.” Mark tickled Mattie’s chin with the feather again. “So what were you thinking about when I snuck up on you?”
“I was wishing Grandma and Grandpa Troyer could be here for our birthday celebration tonight.”
“I wish that, too. It would have been nice if Grandma had called and said Grandpa was feeling better by now. I’ve been praying for him.”
“Same here,” Mattie said with a nod.
Mark smiled. “Even though Grandma and Grandpa Troyer can’t come for our party, when everyone else shows up I’m sure we’ll have a good time.”
“I hope so.” Mattie’s mouth turned up at the corners. “I’m glad our birthday’s on a Saturday this year. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the day in school.”
“Oh no, that would be baremlich.” Mark snickered and slid the feather under Mattie’s chin once more.
“Will you stop teasing?” She pushed his hand away. “If you don’t, I’ll find a feather and tickle you right back.”
“You can’t, because the only place I’m ticklish is on the bottom of my feet, and since I’m standing you can’t tickle me there.”
“If I was big like Dad or Ike, I’d pick you up and put you right on the ground,” Mattie said. “Then I’d sit on you and tickle your feet till you couldn’t stand it anymore.”
Mark plopped his hands against his hips and crinkled his nose. “Well, you’re not big like them, so don’t even think about tickling my feet!”
Mattie flapped her hand at him, like she was shooing away a pesky fly. “Why don’t you go play with your katze, or find someone else to tease with that feather?”
“Think I just might, ‘cause you’re so monotonous.”
“Monotonous? What’s that mean?” Mattie asked.
“It means you’re boring.” Mark gave Mattie one final
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