"B" Is for Betsy (3 page)

Mr. Kilpatrick's bright red police car was always parked near the corner. Betsy thought it was a beautiful car. It was so red and shiny. Father's automobile was black and only the wheels were red. She wished that Father was a policeman; then she could ride in an automobile that was all red.

One morning, when Mother and Betsy were crossing the street, Mr. Kilpatrick called out, "Good morning, Little Red Ribbons; sure that's a pretty plaid schoolbag you've got over your shoulder."

Betsy liked Mr. Kilpatrick. She looked forward to seeing him every morning and every afternoon. Rain or shine he was always there. Mother told Betsy that she must never, never cross the wide street without Mr. Kilpatrick, and Betsy said she never would.

One evening, Betsy said, "Mother, I am sure I can go to school alone now. I know the way."

"Very well," said Mother. "You may go alone tomorrow."

Betsy felt very big indeed as she walked out of her front gate alone the following morning. Mother stood at the door and watched Betsy go up the street. When she reached the corner she looked back and waved her hand. Mother threw her a kiss.

Betsy followed the cartracks. After she passed the turn in the road, she could see the railroad bridge by the station. It was easy to go to school alone, thought Betsy. She walked along as quickly as her short little legs could carry her. Sometimes she skipped and her schoolbag bounced up and down.

As she passed the flower shop, she stopped to look in the window. Betsy loved flowers and these were beautiful. Soon she was so busy choosing the flowers she liked best that she forgot Mother had told her never to look in the shop windows on the way to school because she might look too long and be late. When she remembered Mother's warning, Betsy began to run. It would be dreadful to be late the very first morning that Mother had let her go alone! Now she was at the railroad station. Under the bridge and around the corner she ran. Soon she would reach Mr. Kilpatrick. She was out of breath from running. She would have to walk for a while. Betsy trotted along.

It was strange not to see any other children. She usually saw them after she passed the railroad station. Perhaps they were already in school. Betsy began to run again. Everything looked strange. She didn't remember this big open field.
Where, oh, where were the wide street and Mr. Kilpatrick! Perhaps he would be gone when she got there and how would she ever get across alone?
Oh, why did I stop to look at those flowers?
thought Betsy.

She wanted to cry, but she knew that it wouldn't help a bit; so she hurried on. There were some little houses in the next block. She could see a large lady sweeping the pavement.
Perhaps she could tell me how to get to school,
thought Betsy. Betsy remembered that Mother had told her never to speak to anyone on the street but a policeman, but there was no policeman.

When Betsy reached the lady with the broom, the lady stopped sweeping. She leaned on her broom and looked down at Betsy. "Well, darlin'," said the lady, "and where are you goin' this bright mornin'?"

"I'm going to school," said Betsy, "but I can't find it. I'm all mixed up."

"Well, sure," said the lady, "you're way off. You must have taken the wrong turn."

Tears came into Betsy's eyes.

"Now don't you fret," said the lady. "It will be all right. If it weren't for my feet bein' that bad, I'd take you myself. But my Patrick will be here soon, for it's nine o'clock and he'll be

wantin' his breakfast. Patrick will have you there in a jiffy. Come sit on the porch step and wait for him," said the lady.

She opened the front gate, and Betsy went into the little yard and sat down on the porch step. It was a pretty yard with chrysanthemums growing all along the fence and borders of petunias. "And now while we're waiting for Patrick, I'll pick some flowers for your teacher. It will help her to feel a mite better about you bein' late for school."

Betsy watched her pick the chrysanthemums. She had gathered a large bunch when a bright red police car drove up and stopped in front of the house. "Here's Patrick now," said the lady.

The door of the car opened and out stepped Mr. Kilpatrick. Betsy rushed to meet him. "Well, if it isn't Little Red Ribbons," cried Mr. Kilpatrick.

"Oh, Mr. Kilpatrick," cried Betsy, "I got lost going to school. I couldn't find you, Mr. Kilpatrick."

"Well, sure it's good you found my wife, Katie," said Mr. Kilpatrick, picking Betsy up in his big strong arms.

"And now, Pat, run her over to the school
and hurry back for your breakfast," said Mrs. Kilpatrick.

Mr. Kilpatrick put Betsy in his bright red automobile and his wife gave her the big bunch of chrysanthemums. Mr. Kilpatrick climbed into the driver's seat and in no time at all they reached Betsy's school.

"I'll take you into your room," said Mr. Kilpatrick.

"Oh, thank you," said Betsy.

Betsy was glad to have him go into the room with her, for she didn't like to go alone. When Mr. Kilpatrick opened the door and Betsy walked into the room, all the children called out, "Here's Betsy," and some of the little boys called out, "Hello, Mr. Kilpatrick."

Miss Grey said, "Why, Betsy, I am so glad to see you. We were wondering where you were."

"I'm sorry I got lost," said Betsy as she handed the big bunch of chrysanthemums to her teacher. "Mrs. Kilpatrick said they would make you feel a mite better about my being late," she added.

Miss Grey laughed and said, "Oh, they do, Betsy; they do."

"Miss Grey," said Betsy, "I rode in Mr. Kilpatrick's red police car."

One morning when Betsy was walking to school, she saw Billy Porter trotting along ahead of her. Billy was also in the first grade, and his desk was right near Betsy's. Billy was a pudgy little boy with a round, merry face. He had thick, bushy, brown hair that stood up all over his head. It looked as though it had been cut with a lawn mower. Billy was carrying a
cardboard box by its wire handle. One by one little drops of water were dropping from the bottom of the box.

"What's in the box?" asked Betsy, as she caught up to Billy.

Billy grinned. "Oh, wait 'til you see," said Billy. He set the box down on the pavement and opened the lid. Betsy stooped down and looked in the box. It was filled with water. Swimming in the water were what looked like two little gray fish.

"What are you going to do with those fish?" asked Betsy.

"They're not fish," said Billy, "they're tadpoles. I am going to give them to the teacher."

"Oh!" said Betsy. "You'd better hurry before all the water leaks out."

Soon Billy and Betsy reached Mr. Kilpatrick. He had a group of children around him. "Billy has tadpoles in a box," shouted Betsy.

"Have you, Bill?" cried one the boys. "Let's see them," said another. "What are you going to do with them?"

"Come along, come along," said Mr. Kilpatrick, as he hurried the little group across the street. "We don't want the tadpoles to be late for school."

The whole group rushed into the classroom. "Look, Miss Grey," they cried, "Billy has brought some tadpoles." Billy felt very proud and important as he set the box down on Miss Grey's desk.

"How lovely of you, Billy!" said Miss Grey.

The children gathered around her as she opened the box. "Oh, look!" they cried. "One is bigger than the other." "What are you going to do with them, Miss Grey?"

Miss Grey took a large glass bowl from the shelf in the corner and poured the contents of the box into the bowl. "Now," she said, "we'll add some water and put them on the windowsill. Something very interesting will happen to these tadpoles. We will watch them grow every day."

"We should name them," said Betsy.

"Oh, yes!" cried the children.

"Let's call the little one Wiggle," said Billy.

"Yes," said the children, "let's call him Wiggle."

"And the big one can be Waggle," said Ellen.

So the tadpoles were named Wiggle and Waggle, and the children were delighted.

Every morning they crowded around the bowl to see how the tadpoles were growing. One morning when Betsy reached school she ran to the windowsill. "Oh, Miss Grey," she cried, "something has happened to Waggle. He has two little bumps on each side of his tail." The children came running to look at Waggle. He had, indeed, two little bumps on each side of his tail.