Chapter IV

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.