Stuart Little by E. B. White, Garth Williams Read Free Book Online Page B

doing.”
    “Yes, sir,” answered Stuart,
and his eyes filled with tears, each tear being smaller than a drop of dew. It
had been an unhappy morning, and Stuart was already homesick. He was sure that
he was never going to see Margalo again.
    XII. The Schoolroom
    While Dr. Carey was making
repairs on the car, Stuart went shopping. He decided that, since he was about
to take a long motor trip, he should have the proper clothes. He went to a doll’s
shop, where they had things which were the right size for him, and outfitted
himself completely, with new luggage, suits, shirts, and accessories. He
charged everything and was well pleased with his purchases. That night he slept
at the Doctor’s apartment.
    The next morning, Stuart
started early, to avoid traffic. He thought it would be a good idea to get out
on the road before there were too many cars and trucks. He drove through Central
Park to One Hundred and Tenth Street, then over to the West Side Highway, then
north to the Saw Mill River Parkway. The car ran beautifully and although
people were inclined to stare at him,
    Stuart didn’t mind. He was
very careful not to press the button which had caused so much trouble the day
before. He made up his mind that he would never use that button again.
    Just as the sun was coming
up, Stuart saw a man seated in thought by the side of the road. Stuart steered his
car alongside, stopped, and put his head out.
    “You’re worried about
something, aren’t you?” asked Stuart.
    “Yes, I am,” said the man,
who was tall and mild.
    “Can I help you in any way?”
asked Stuart in a friendly voice.
    The man shook his head. “It’s
an impossible situation, I guess,” he replied. “You see, I’m the Superintendent
of Schools in this town.”
    “That’s not an impossible
situation,” said Stuart. “It’s bad, but it’s not impossible.”
    “Well,” continued the man, “I’ve
always got problems that I can’t solve. Today, for instance, one of my teachers
is sick—Miss Gunderson her name is. She teaches Number Seven school. I’ve got
to find a substitute for her, a teacher who will take her place.”
    “What’s the matter with her?”
asked Stuart.
    “I don’t know, exactly. The
doctor
    says she may have rhinestones,”
replied the Superintendent.
    “Can’t you find another
teacher?” asked Stuart.
    “No, that’s the trouble.
There’s nobody in this
    town who knows anything; no
spare teachers, no anything. School is supposed to begin in an hour.”
    “I will be glad to take Miss
Gunderson’s place for a day, if you would like,” suggested Stuart agreeably.
    The Superintendent of
Schools looked up.
    “Really?”
    “Certainly,” said Stuart. “Glad
to.”
    He opened the door of the
little car and stepped out. Walking around to the rear, he opened the baggage compartment
and took out his suitcase. “If I’m to conduct a class in a schoolroom, I’d better
take off these motoring togs and get into something more suitable,” he said.
Stuart climbed the bank, went into the bushes, and was back in a few minutes
wearing a pepper-and-salt jacket, old striped trousers, a Windsor tie, and spectacles.
He folded his other clothes and packed them away in the suitcase.
    “Do you think you can
maintain discipline?” asked the Superintendent.
    “Of course I can,” replied
Stuart. “I’ll make the work interesting and the discipline will take care of
itself. Don’t worry about me.”
    The man thanked him and they
shook hands.
    At quarter before nine the scholars had gathered in School Number Seven. When they missed Miss Gunderson
and word got round that there would be a substitute, they were delighted.
    “A substitute!” somebody
whispered to somebody else. “A substitute, a substitute!”
    The news traveled fast, and
soon everyone in the schoolroom knew that they were all to have a rest from Miss
Gunderson for at least a day and were going to have the wonderful experience of
being taught by a strange