“Leonora walked on her head, a little higher than usual.”

“My dear!” interrupted Miss Davis hastily; and Nell vainly tried to smother a burst of laughter.

“That is what is printed here,” said Hetty gravely, but the corners of her mouth twitched.  Miss Davis did not notice this as she took the book and prepared to examine the text so startlingly given forth; but Phyllis and Nell saw at once that Hetty was making fun.

“Ah!” said Miss Davis, “it is your punctuation that is at fault.  The sentence runs:  ‘Leonora walked on, her head a little higher than usual.’  You see one little comma makes all the difference in the world.”

“I wondered how she could manage to walk on her head,” said Hetty in the most serious manner; “and why, if she did manage it, it should make her higher.  She would be the same length in any case, would she not, Miss Davis?”

Nell laughed again, and Phyllis looked more and more contemptuous.  Miss Davis said, “Read on please!” rather severely, at the same time giving Nell a glance of warning.

Hetty read on, making deliberately the most laughable blunders, at some of which Miss Davis herself had to smile.  Even Phyllis had to give way on one occasion, and in the midst of a chorus of laughter Hetty stood making a piteous face, pretending not to know what they were laughing at.

“I told you I could read only a little,” she said, but at the same time she gave Nell a knowing glance which Phyllis caught.

“She could read better if she pleased.  She is only amusing herself,” said Phyllis to Miss Davis.

“I hope not, my dear,” said the governess; “do not be uncharitable.  Well, Hetty, you may put aside your book for to-day.  I hope to improve you before your visit is over.  Do you know anything of geography?  Come, I will give you an easy question.  Where is England situated on the map?”

“In the middle of the Red Sea,” said Hetty briskly.

“My dear! why do you suppose so?”

“I see it up there on the map,” said Hetty; “the sea is marked in red all round it.”

Nell tittered again.  Phyllis put her fingers in her ears, determined to hear no more of Hetty’s absurdities.

“You make a great mistake,” said Miss Davis, and spreading a map before Hetty, the governess gave her a lesson on the position of the Red Sea and the relative position of England.

“Have you learned anything at all of numbers?”

“I can count on my fingers,” said Hetty; “I add up the fives and I can reckon up to a hundred that way.”

“You must learn a better way of counting than that.  Have you never learned the multiplication table?”

“My mamma’s tables are all ebony or marble,” said Hetty, putting on a bewildered air, “but I will count them up if you like.  There are six in the drawing-room,” she continued, holding up all the fingers of her left hand, and the thumb of the right.