Run, Freddie run by Austin G. Mitchell - HTML preview

Run Freddie, Run Austin Mitchell

This novel is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, to real people, living or dead, or to real locations are intended only to give the fiction a sense of authenticity. Names, characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously, and their resemblance to real life counterparts are purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2024 by Austin Mitchell

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

If you purchase this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this ‘stripped book’.

The material in this book is aimed at students in Grade Five and Six in primary, all-age and junior high schools in the Caribbean. I have included comprehension questions and also a list of words from the stories and their meanings. The story makes interesting reading.

About the author: Austin Mitchell first taught school as an assistant teacher at the Long Hill Primary School (now merged into the New Mount Industry All Age School) for two years. He was also an assistant teacher at the Grateful Hill Primary School. Since then he has been mostly involved in Accounting and Auditing.

Chapter One

Boyd was sitting on a wall near the school gate and drinking a soda. What had really happened was that during morning recess Freddie Reid had thrown a stone hitting his brother, Lewis, causing a huge cut in his forehead and he had to be rushed to the nearby clinic. He had gotten punished for it, but Lewis’

sisters at the Goffe Spring’s All Age school had reported it to his older brothers. By lunch time rumors began circulating about one of his cousins, a bad man named Miles Corbett, issuing threats to Freddie.

Lewis had been mocking Freddie about the shape of his head.

Everybody thought that he would make a run for it at lunchtime as he lived in Nelson about a mile and a half from school. He couldn’t wait until school was over as threats were being sent to him. Billy Whyte one of his classmates, was in Jackson Chung’s shop which was next door to school when he heard Lewis’

cousin, Gully and an older boy, Bam, talking.

“That youth is wicked. He nearly blinded Lewis. All he got were two slaps,” Gully remarked.

“They never even called the police. I have to give him a beating,” Bam threatened.

“When school is over, we are going to carry him down to Dunkley and let Lewis beat him,” Gully stated before drinking some more of his orange juice.

Bam was drinking a ginger beer soda. Dunkley was a mile away from school, going towards the north, while Nelson was to the south.

Billy left the shop and returned to school. He told everybody what he heard the boys saying. He saw Freddie and he looked not in the least bit worried. He wondered if he knew what fate awaited him.

When lunchtime was over all the students went back to their classes. Rumors continued to fly that all exits from the school were blocked off. Lewis’ relatives and friends were manning them.

“I hope this teaches him a lesson,” David Wilson, one of his classmates said.

“I never liked that guy, Freddie. I hope he gets a good beating,” Jacqueline West, another of his classmates remarked.

Nobody knew that he had so many enemies. He had his fair bit of trouble, such as when Norma Smith accused him of stealing her lunch money and Danny Gordon and he had a fight over marbles.

Nobody knew how he was going to leave school as the headmaster who drove had already left for the day and none of the other teachers drove. He was fast, but so were Boyd and Gully.

Everybody could see people patrolling the school boundaries. He was in deep trouble. He had to somehow find a way to reach Nelson without any of these boys seeing him.

Evening recess came around and everybody went out to play their various games. Some students were playing a marble game when they heard a shout and saw him bolting towards the southern school gate.

They grabbed up their marbles and ran after him. Gully, Boyd, and another boy, Webster, had seen him bolt through the school gate and they started after him. It seemed as if the whole school was running after him as children, both big and small, poured out of the school.

Up Market Hill they ran. Everybody heard that other boys had taken a short cut on Top Road in order to head him off. Several times Boyd and Gully were within catching distance of him, but he managed to keep them off. They approached the steepest part of the hill and Freddie was blowing hard. Children from Nelson were shouting.

“Run, Freddie, run. Show them that you can run faster than them, for if they catch you, they are going to beat you.”

Those from Goffe Springs answered.

“Catch him, Gully, catch him, he can’t run faster than you.”

“We must catch you now, Freddie,” Gully shouted in triumph.

“Think you could run faster than us, boy,” Boyd shouted as he made another grab at him. He slipped it and continued running.

Then they heard footsteps above and realized that Bam and some other boys were on that road above them, trying to head him off.

“Run faster, Bam. Try to head him off,” Gully shouted.

Then they looked up and saw that Bam and another boy, Juby, were going to head off Freddie. They heard a car horn blow and saw their former headmaster, Teacher Notice’s car coming up the road. As the car reached Freddie, he pulled the door handle, but it was locked. Nobody heard what the teacher said to him, but the car sped off up the hill.

Both Boyd and Gully grabbed him, but he managed to push them away. Then he sped off and caught up with the car and again pulled the car door open. Boyd and the rest sped off after him, but they only got to the car door when it slammed and the car sped off.

Boyd, Gully and Bam were there criticizing the old teacher.

“Teacher Notice felt sorry for him. That’s why he opened his car door for him to come inside,” Boyd said.

“You can bet he never asked him why we were running after him,” Gully put in.

“That’s Teacher Notice for you. He hears nothing and he sees nothing,” Bam commented.

They knew that they had lost the chance to exact revenge on Freddie for what he had done to Lewis.

More than likely he would drop him in New Roads if he was going to Kingston. He would drop him off in Nelson if he was going to Spanish Town. Once he dropped him off, he could always escape into nearby bushes. Then two men, Clifton and Bradley, two more of Lewis’ cousins rode up on separate motorcycles.

“You didn’t catch the boy?” Clifton asked.

“No, he jumped into that old man, Teacher Notice’s car and escaped,” Bam replied.

“Teacher Notice is too soft. That’s why he got early retirement,” Bradley complained.

“He saw the whole school running down the boy and he helped him to escape,” Clifton said, shaking his head.

“He must drop him off somewhere on the road,” Bradley said.

Gully and Bam jumped on the pillion of the motorcycles and they sped off.

Then the students heard the bell for the end of evening recess began to ring and they all raced back to school. Most of them were going through the school gate when they saw the motorcycles returning.

“Anywhere I see that boy I have to give him a beating,” Clifton threatened.

“He can’t come back to school, but we must catch him,” Bam assured him as they rode out of earshot.

Chapter Questions

1.Why was Freddie running away?

2.Which boy and he had been fighting?

3.Why were they fighting?

4.Which grade was Freddie in?

5.What was the name of Freddie’s school?

6.What remarks did Bam and Gully pass about Teacher Notice?

7.What was the name of the headmaster?

8.Whose car did Freddie escape in?

9.Where did Freddie eat his lunch?

10. How far from school did Freddie live?

Words and their meanings:

1.Forehead-(N)-The part of the face above the eyebrow 2.Nearby- (Adv.)-Not far away, close by

3.Clinic-(N)-A place where outpatients are given medical treatment or advice, often attached to a hospital.

4.Punishment-(N)-A penalty given for an offence.

5. Relative-(N)-A person connected to another by blood or marriage 6. Rumour-(N)- A currently circulating story or report of doubtful or uncertain truth 7.Headmaster-(N)-A man who is the head of a school

8.Inheritance-(N)-Something passed down from one person to another 9.Patrol-(V)-To keep watch over an area especially by guards or police walking or driving around at regular intervals

10.Boundary-(N)-A line or limit where one thing ends and another begins or something that indicate such a line or limit

11.Criticise-(V)- Indicate the faults of someone or something in a disappointing way 12.Revenge-(N)-To inflict injury in return for an insult or injury 13.Retirement-(N)- A point at which someone stops working especially of having reached a particular age or because of ill health

Chapter Two

Freddie was hiding behind a tree when he saw Clifton and Bradley ride past. He knew that they were looking for him. For a moment he was tempted to throw some stones at them. They would know that it was him if he hit them off their bikes. On the other hand, if he missed, they could run him down and catch him. So, he decided to make his way home. He knew that he could no longer attend Goffe Springs All Age school. As it was a Friday, he knew that by Monday he had to find some excuse about not going to school.

Of his two sisters and only brother he was the only one attending Goffe Springs school. They all attended Nelson primary, a mile from where they lived. They said that he was a slow learner and that was why he had been transferred to Goffe Springs three years ago.

He reached home at five o’clock that evening. It was about the same time his brother and sisters arrived home. After they had eaten their dinner, they went to help their mother pack her load for the market in the morning. At the market he saw several of his classmates. They greeted him and said that he was lucky.

“You can’t come back to school,” Danny Gordon told him.

“Look out for me on Monday,” Freddie replied.

Then he saw another of his classmates, Sonny Wilson, talking to his mother. He made to run away when she called him back.

“What happened in school yesterday why the whole school was running after you? Why did you hit Lewis with a stone?”

“He was mocking me and we started stoning each other. I hit him with a stone. The headmaster punished me, but Lewis’ friends and relatives were running me down to beat me.”

Lewis’ father, Clinton came on the scene.

“I’m sorry they never caught you yesterday. Lewis can hardly see. I had to take him to the doctor and I want back my money.”

“Freddie told me about what happened. He and Lewis were stoning each other. Teacher Smith punished him and the whole school was running him down.”

“Bradley and Clifton were riding around looking for me. I had to hide from them,” Freddie told his mother.

“I am bringing him back to school on Monday. I dare Bradley and Clifton to touch him,” Miss Jasmine warned.

“I didn’t send anybody to look for him. All I want is for you to pay me back the money I spent on Lewis.”

“I can’t help you, Clinton. Freddie is not to be blamed.”

“Freddie is a troublemaker. That’s why he was transferred to Goffe Springs school. I am going to the police to let them lock him up.”

“Clinton, you are free to do what you want. You know you can’t beat me in court. I’ve beaten you every time.”

“I know I’ll beat you this time. You had better be prepared to visit him at approved school.”

“I know that based on what Freddie told me, I can’t lose in court.”

“You had better be prepared to bail him. I doubt if you have enough money to do that.”

“I have money to even hire a lawyer. Though I don’t think I’ll need one as you love courthouse, but the judge always run you because you talk pure foolishness.”

Clinton ignored her last words and left for the police station.

***

Constable Lovel Thomas was the on-duty policeman.

“We investigated the case and both boys were throwing stones at each other. The other boy was just lucky he was not hit by a stone.”

“Lewis told me that he was only mocking Freddie when he got angry, ran for some stones and threw them at him. I’m prepared to sue his mother for the money I had to pay the doctor.”

“We plan to warn both boys to behave themselves. Anymore stone throwing and they will be in trouble with the police. We intend to warn their parents too.”

Clinton walked out of the police station his head bowed. Before he left there, he told the policeman that he would find something to sue Miss Jasmine for.

***

Monday was an uneventful day as Miss Jasmine accompanied Freddie to and from school. On Tuesday he and six other boys were in a marble game when Duggins jumped over the fence, scooped up their marbles and cashews and jumped over the fence again. Freddie and the other boys sprinted through the school gate and up the road, but all they saw was the back of the fleeing thief.

Freddie went and complained to Jackson Chung.

“Mister Chung your fence is too low. Duggins jumped over it and robbed us.”

“You said man coming to rob me?”

And he ran for his gun.

However, Sammy, an old man, explained to Jackson what was happening.

“Duggins is using your property to rob the school children. Your fence is too low and he just jumped over it.”

“That Duggins, big thief. I will soon fix fence so he can’t jump over it again.”

***

When Miss Jasmine came to escort him home that evening, he told her about the robbery.

“We were playing marbles during lunch time. Duggins jumped over the fence and took away all of our marbles and cashew nuts.”

“Let’s go up to his yard,” Miss Jasmine told him.

Three of the boys who were in the marble game went too. They saw Mister Larry, Duggins’ father and Miss Cherry, his mother.

“Mr. Larry and Miss Cherry, where is your son, Duggins? Now imagine these little boys were playing their marbles in their school yard. He just jumped over Jackson Chung’s fence and robbed them.”

“Miss Jasmine, the best advice I can give you is to report it to the police,” Mr. Larry told them.

“Jasmine and these boys are telling lies on Duggins. The last time I looked he was in his room.”

“Go and check if he’s there now,” Mr. Larry directed her.

She was back a minute later.

“Did you see him?”

But Miss Cherry shook her head.

“See I told you. He’s probably out robbing people.”

“If Jasmine reports him to the police, they would run her. What are some marbles and a few cashews?

I’ve never heard of police arresting anyone over marbles and cashews.”

“He’s going to steal something big one of these days,” Miss Jasmine told her.

“You’re wishing bad things for my son. Just remember that you have children too,” Miss Cherry reminded her.

***

Miss Jasmine left and the other boys went home. They were passing the school gate when they saw Duggins coming down the road. On seeing Miss Jasmine, he made to run past them, but changed his mind and jumped down a gully. Freddie took up some stones and threw down the gully after him but doubted if he hit him.

They were going up Market Hill when Bradley rode past them but turned back. He came up to them.

“Freddie, you are a wicked boy. You nearly blinded Lewis. Miss Jasmine you are a wicked woman. You are the one putting him up to do these things.”

“I have to protect my son from people like you.”

“Have you beaten him for what he did to Lewis?”

“I have spoken to the children who witnessed what happened. Both of them were stoning each other.

Mr. Smith gave him enough punishment already. Freddie was only lucky that one of Lewis’ stones never caught him.”

“What were you and your cousins going to do to him when you were riding around looking for him?”

“We were going to beat him.”

“Bradley, are you Freddie’s father? See him there, take off your belt and beat him.”

Bradley started up his bike.

“That boy is going to get you into so much trouble that you are going to have to sell your lands to get him out.”

He then rode away.

Chapter Questions

1.

Who were Bradley and Clifton?

2.

Why were they looking for Freddie?

3.

How did Freddie’s mother find out that people had been running after him?

4.

What did Miss Jasmine, his mother decide to do?

5.

What did Duggins rob Freddie and his friends of?

6.

What was the name of Duggins parents?

7.

What did they say to Miss Jasmine?

8.

What did Duggins do when he saw Miss Jasmine and Freddie?

9.

What question did Miss Jasmine ask Bradley?

10.

What kind of trouble did Bradley tell Miss Jasmine that Freddie would get her into?

Words and their meaning:

1.

Tempted-(V)-Entice or try to entice someone to do something they find attractive but know to be wrong.

2.

Excuse-(N)-A reason given to explain why something has been done or not done.

3.

Transfer-(V)-To move from one place to another or bank account.

4.

Market-(N)-A means by which the exchange of goods or services take place and buyers and sellers are in contact with each other.

5.

Greetings-(N)-To give a polite sign of recognition when meeting someone, 6.

Scene- (N)- A place where an incident in real life or fiction took place.

7.

Troublemaker-(N) – A person who makes a habit of causing trouble.

8.

Approved School- (N)- A government school for wayward children.

9.

Lawyer-(N)-A person who practices or studies law.

10.

Uneventful- (Adv.)- Not marked by interesting or exciting events.

11.

Accompanied-(V)- To go somewhere with another person.

12.

Property- (N)- A thing or things belonging to someone else.

Chapter Three

Five minutes later Miss Jasmine and Freddie met Miss Ada.

“Freddie, when are you going to pay me the money that you owe me?”

“I don’t owe you any money, Miss Ada.”

“You took lunch from me amounting to lots of money. You know how many times I’ve asked him for my money.”

“Miss Ada is lying. I eat my lunch at Jackson Chung’s shop. You can ask him.”

“Freddie, don’t call the big woman a liar. I will have to investigate because each day I give him the right amount of money.”

“I have seen him buying cashew nuts and marbles with the money that you give him.”

“I have to ask his friends if it’s true.”

Miss Ada held up a list of the things Freddie had taken from her. It showed puddings, banana cake, cheese, coconut drops, plums and mangoes.

“Miss Ada, I didn’t take those things from you. Mind you are mixing me up with Ken?”

Kenneth Reid was Freddie’s half-brother. He lived in Top Road with Freddie’s father, Harry. He was about six months younger than Freddie, but nearly as tall. He was in Grade Four.

“I’m sure it was you, Freddie. I know Ken and I’m sure that it wasn’t him.”

“Miss Ada, the next time you see Ken, send for Freddie and find out which one of them is taking things from you without paying. Both of them look like each other. I’m sure you’re mixing them up.”

But Miss Ada insisted that she was not mixing up the two boys. She agreed to do what Miss Jasmine suggested.

After they left Miss Ada’s yard they met the shoemaker, Deacon. He came out to meet them.

“Good evening, Mr. Deacon,” Miss Jasmine greeted him.

“So, you have come to make sure that he doesn’t get into trouble. Just the other day he was stoning mangoes off a tree in my yard and broke three windows. I want that glass replaced.”

“Mr. Deacon, those windows were broken before. I was not the only one stoning the tree.”

“Mr. Deacon, those windowpanes have been broken for as long as I can remember.”

“So, you are not going to replace my windows, Jasmine? I can have Freddie arrested and sent to approved school.”

“I can tell you the names of the boys who were stoning your tree. They will tell you that we didn’t break any of your windows.”

***

They were passing Bydie West’s house when he and his wife came out.

“So, you’re your son’s guardian now. Freddie has been on my farm stealing apples and mangoes.”

“Bydie, you know that Freddie doesn’t have to steal your mangoes and apples. I have enough trees on my land for him to pick as many apples and mangoes as he wants.”

“I want compensation or else I’m going to the police.”

“I didn’t steal any of your mangoes and apples, Mr. Bydie.”

“Bydie, if you ever let the police arrest my son, you are going to find out. Did you see him picking them?”

“I didn’t see him picking them, but I know that it was him.”

“See, you don’t even know who was stealing your fruits. But you’re accusing Freddie.

Well, you won’t get any money from me.”

Bydie’s wife, Miss Gloria brought out her daughter, Jacqueline. She was in the same class as Freddie.

“He was making monkey face at me in class today. I told the teacher, but she only told him to behave himself.”

“I wasn’t making any monkey face at you today, Jacqueline.”

“I’m really sorry that you escaped a sure beating those boys were going to give you. I was running you down too. You’re lucky that you escaped in Teacher Notice’s car.”

“Why did you want them to beat him?” Miss Jasmine asked her.

“Because all he does in class is give trouble. He pays other children to do his work for him that’s why he is so dunce. Even when the teacher is teaching us, he is doing something else and not listening to her.”

“When Freddie comes home from school, I go through his work with him. If he gets homework I make sure that he does it.”

“Freddie is the duncest boy I have ever seen.”

“Every test we do I get better marks than you.”

“It’s because you copy so much.”

***

Next up was Jasper Ramsay. He came out of his yard to greet them as they were passing.

“Mr. Jasper, how are you, this evening?”

“So, you are Freddie’s guardian now? Well maybe you can stop him stealing my naseberries.”

“I never stole any of your naseberries, Mr. Jasper.”

“How do you know that it was him?”

“Winston saw him and told me.”

“And you believe that boy, Winston over Freddie?”

“Freddie is a liar and he is very wicked. He nearly blinded, Clinton’s son, Lewis.”

“You bring Winston down to my house so that I can question him myself.”

Jasper agreed to her request and she and her son left his yard.

***

They were approaching their yard when they met Miss Jasmine’s youngest sister, Maud.

“Alrick from over Nelson is down at your yard. He is complaining that Freddie stole money from his son, Bindy.”

Maud turned back and they went down to the yard to see Alrick and Bindy leaving.

Miss Jasmine called them back into the yard.

“What is the problem between Freddie and your son?”

“Bindy asked him to buy lunch for him at Jackson Chung’s shop. Freddie ate off the money and was hiding from him.”

“I don’t have any money for Bindy. I bought the food and gave it to him. He wanted more food for his money. But I told him that was all the money could buy.”

“Freddie robbed me and kept a part of the money for himself. I went down to Jackson’s shop and checked the things he bought for me. He owes me about twenty cents.”

“Freddie was only taking the money for going to buy your lunch for you. Why couldn’t you buy your lunch yourself?”

“That’s what he does every lunch time. He buys students lunches because he and Jackson are friends and he gets it cheaper.”

“That’s what you do, Freddie?”

“I only do it for about three of my friends, mummy.”

“In the future let them buy their lunches themselves.”

“Yes, mummy.”

“Alrick, please go home. I don’t know why a big man like you would be involved in petty things like this.”

“Bindy is just greedy,” Freddie stated.

“Bindy, don’t ever give money to Freddie to buy anything for you again. He’s very dishonest, as a matter of fact he’s a thief.”

“Yes, daddy.”

“Don’t call my son a thief, please get out of my yard.”

Chapter Questions

1. What did Miss Ada accuse Freddie of doing?

2. What did she say she saw him doing with his lunch money?

3. What did Miss Jasmine advise Miss Ada to do?

4. What did Mr. Deacon accuse Freddie of doing?

5. What did Mr. Bydie accuse him of doing?

6. What did Jacqueline accuse him of doing?

7. What did Jasper Ramsay accuse him of doing?

8. Who saw Freddie stoning Mr. Jasper’s fruit trees?

9. What did Bindy accuse Freddie of doing?

10. What did Freddie used to do for some of his friends?

Words and their meaning:

1. Investigate-(V)- Make inquiries as to the character or background of someone or something.

2. Insist-(V)-To demand something forcefully, not accepting refusal.

3. Suggest-(V)-To put forward an idea for consideration.

4. Shoemaker-(N)-A man who makes or repair shoes.

5. Replace-(V)-To take the place of someone or something.

6. Guardian- (N)-A person who protects something or somebody.

7. Compensation-(N)-Something normally money given to a person who has

suffered loss or injury.

8. Request- (V)-Asking someone politely for something.

9. Approach- (V) Come near or nearer to someone or something.

10. Complain- (V)- A statement that something is not right and needs to be fixed.

11. Problem- (N)- A situation that needs to be fixed.

12. Greedy -(adj.) -loves to eat a lot of food.

Chapter Four

A week later it emerged that Mr. Ben Smith their headmaster had to go on three months leave. Freddie understood that he had to undergo an operation. His replacement was their former headmaster, Teacher Notice. He was once at Keswick Primary before retiring. Some of the boys and girls realizing that Teacher Notice was not as strict as Teacher Smith began to take liberties. Teacher Smith had not been sparing with his cane, but not so Teacher Notice. Teacher Smith used to lock the school doors after the bell was rung every morning. Each late comer would get two hits in their hand middle with his cane. The deputy headmistress, Mrs. Gordon, also used her strap on the late comers too. Teacher Notice did not do any of these things.

Children soon realized that they could get away with a lot of things. Some of them started coming to school late and taking long recesses and lunch times. The students nicknamed him Sarco. Boys like Freddie were the worst offenders. Sarco never lifted a hand to punish them. Boys like Freddie prayed that Ben never returned. Finally, it was the holidays and school was out. Freddie would now go on to Grade Six. Only students in Grade Six A were allowed to sit the Common Entrance examination. He would not get his tests result until he returned to school, but he was certain that he would go on to Grade Six A.

Freddie decided that he was going to enjoy himself playing marbles, flying kites, swimming, catching fish and cooking. He was also going to pick apples and mangoes.

He would play football and cricket with his friends. The only thing he hated about the holidays was going to the market to sell with his mother. Miss Ada always served them a big bowl of soup full of beef and dumplings. Freddie ate it off with relish and Miss Ada gave him a second helping.

She had solved the problem of who was taking things from her and not paying. One lunch time she held on to Ken and sent for Freddie. Ken tearfully confessed that he was the one who owed Miss Ada. His father was sent for. He agreed to pay back the money in addition he promised to give Ken a whopping when they got home.

“Freddie, if you want money to spend during the holidays, plant your own field.”

But he couldn’t be bothered.

He saw Bradley and Clifton riding around, but they paid him no mind. Whenever he went to the market, he saw his friends. They told him that Ben was not coming back to school because he was in a hospital abroad. Freddie did not understand what was happening to their headmaster.

“If Teacher Smith does not come back to school soon, I’m going to move you.”

“Sarco is no good and he should be enjoying his retirement rather than running a school. It was the government who forced him to retire so I don’t understand why he’s back in the system.”

***

Finally, school started and Freddie went along to find out that he had been promoted to Grade Six B with no hope of doing the Common Entrance examination. He had failed both Mathematics and English Language.

Miss Jasmine was up in arms about his test results.

“Your father will have to take you, Freddie. I can’t manage anymore. You’re just going to school to idle the time away. I don’t blame Sarco because he’s not teaching you.”

“Mummy, I’m doing my best.”

“And look at your test results. They are very poor. I doubt if Mrs. Essor will let you do the Common Entrance. I will have to go up there and beg her.”

Tuesday morning his mother came with him to school to see Mrs. Essor.

“He idled the whole of last term, that’s why his grades have dropped. With those kinds of grades, he can’t hope to pass the examination.”

“I know he can do it, Mrs. Essor. I’m begging you to give him a chance.”

“He should have taken the examination from he was in Grade Five. You asked me and I told you he wasn’t ready. Unless he stops idling, he has no chance of passing the examination.”

“So, you’ll allow him to do the examination?”

“He has to attend the classes and show that he wants to do the examination. Ben will be back next month. He will want to know how a boy with Freddie’s grades could be doing the examination. I will have to find something to tell him,” Mrs. Essor said before dismissing Miss Jasmine.

Before going for lunch Mrs. Essor called Freddie.

“Do you think you’re ready to study for the examination?”

“Yes, Miss, I’m sure about that.”

***

Miss Jasmine was at him when he reached home that evening.

“I don’t want to hear about you and any long lunch times or recesses. Your teacher will be giving me a weekly report on you.”

“Mummy, I am behaving myself.”

“That’s what you always say. I wonder if you realize how serious these things are.

You want to spend three more years at Goffe Springs school?”

“No, mummy, I want to go to high school.”

In the first common entrance class he saw about four other children from the B class there. He knew that Mrs. Essor was watching him. If he did not behave or improve his grades, she would turn him out of the class. He still played marbles but only during lunchtime and recess. One morning a month later he was playing marbles on the road about half a mile from school when he saw Ben’s car coming up the road. He and the other boys grabbed up their marbles and chased after the car. Ben had seen him. He called him up to the front of the room.

“I saw this boy and others playing marbles on the roadside instead of heading for school. I want a report on him. He has been a known troublemaker. Wasn’t he the one who nearly blinded that other boy last term?”

“Yes, sir,” Mrs. Gordon, the deputy principal replied.

“I want a report on him. I don’t think I can keep such a boy at this school any longer.”

Chapter Questions:

1.How many months leave was Teacher Smith going on?

2.Who would replace him as headmaster?

3. What was the difference between Teacher Smith and his replacement?

4. How did Miss Ada solve the problem of which boy had been taking things from her without paying?

5. What was Miss Jasmine threatening to do if Teacher Smith did not return to school soon?

6. Why was Freddie not promoted to Grade Six A?

7. What did Miss Jasmine have to do for him to attend Common Entrance classes?

8. What did Miss Jasmine say she would be demanding from his teacher?

9. On the first day of his return to school what did Teacher Smith catch Freddie doing?

10. What did he request from the vice principal?

Words and their meaning:

1. Strict –(Adj.)-Demanding that rules are kept.

2. Relish-(N)-Great enjoyment at eating a meal.

3. Solve –(V)-To find out or discover the truth about someone or something.

4. Problem- (N)-A matter that needs to be dealt with.

5. Nickname- (N)- A pet name, not a real name.

6. Promote- (V)-To advertise or market a product.

7. Behaviour-(N)- How a person carries on.

8. Improve-(V)-To get better at something.

9. Report-(N)-Write or say something about somebody or something.

10. Troublemaker-(N)- A person who loves to make trouble.