“If they came from both the other dormitories into this to lie down with the middle dormitory girls, there would be one cripple in each bed, and in one there would be two cripples,” said a broom girl, who was quite expert at figures, having studied on the problem with the aid of broom-straws representing cripples.

This portrayal of the startling situation, if Cordelia Running Bird’s wish could be fulfilled, increased the shock of indignation in the dormitories.

“Ee!” cried one, “we hate the ugly government shoes, of course, and wish that we could wear the nice shoes from our mission boxes every day.  But we cannot, only Sundays—­and we have to change them after Sunday-school —­and when we wear our best clothes for white visitors.  Cordelia Running Bird will not wear the government shoes because her father is an agency policeman, and can buy store shoes for every day.”

“I was always much ashamed of my big feet, and now I am more ashamed,” complained the largest girl.  “If the dormitory girls are shovel-feeted, every large girl in this school is shovel-feeted.”

“Cordelia was very cross about the dustpan, too, but we can pay her back,” said Hannah Straight Tree, adding fresh fuel to the fire.

“Now I shall not show her how to feather-stitch the little blue dress,” said the largest girl, who was quite famous at embroidery, and had partly promised to instruct Cordelia Running Bird in her work that day.

“And I shall not help her make the little red dress, as she will be wanting me next week,” resolved a south dormitory bed girl, Emma Two Bears, who was standing in the doorway.  Emma was the most experienced dressmaker of the large girls’ class and was generous, as a rule, in helping younger girls.  “I am sorry now that I cut and made the little blue waist, but I did not think she would so soon be wishing me a cripple.”

“And you need not praise the little blue and red dresses if she gets them done; but I am sure she cannot,” gloried Hannah Straight Tree.

“Ee!  We will not.  We will call them ugly issue goods,” said one of the girls.

“Or watch her little sister in the Jack Frost song,” said another.

“We will shut our eyes!” exclaimed another.

“And the middle-sized and short girls need not choose Susie in the games,” came from another.

“We will tell them not to.  They will choose Dolly,” cried a fifth.

“But Dolly looks so horrid, I am much ashamed of her,” was Hannah Straight Tree’s answer.

Cordelia Running Bird heard the fierce discussion through the open door, near which she knelt at work, and the bitter tears ran down her face.

When at length her work was done as well as she was able, and the last stair wiped, she went back upstairs on tiptoe to inspect her floor and see if it was dry.  She was met by Hannah Straight Tree on the upper landing, carrying a pail of scrub water, mixed with ashes, from the dormitory.  Hannah set it on the top stair, and then glanced wickedly at Cordelia through half-closed eyes that meant mischief.