Thorny easily recovered much of his former skill , but his strength had not fully returned , and he soon grew tired . Bab , on the contrary , threw herself into the contest heart and soul , and tugged away at the new bow Miss Celia gave her , for Ben 's was too heavy . No other girls were admitted , so the outsiders got up a club of their own , and called it `` The Victoria , '' the name being suggested by the magazine article , which went the rounds as a general guide and reference book . Bab and Betty belonged to this club and duly reported the doings of the boys , with whom they had a right to shoot if they chose , but soon waived the right , plainly seeing that their absence would be regarded in the light of a favor . The archery fever raged as fiercely as the base-ball epidemic had done before it , and not only did the magazine circulate freely , but Miss Edgeworth 's story , which was eagerly read , and so much admired that the girls at once mounted green ribbons , and the boys kept yards of whip-cord in their pockets like the provident Benjamin of the tale . Every one enjoyed the new play very much , and something grew out of it which was a lasting pleasure to many , long after the bows and arrows were forgotten . Seeing how glad the children were to get a new story , Miss Celia was moved to send a box of books -- old and new -- to the town library , which was but scantily supplied , as country libraries are apt to be . This donation produced a good effect ; for other people hunted up all the volumes they could spare for the same purpose , and the dusty shelves in the little room behind the post-office filled up amazingly . Coming in vacation time they were hailed with delight , and ancient books of travel , as well as modern tales , were feasted upon by happy young folks , with plenty of time to enjoy them in peace . The success of her first attempt at being a public benefactor pleased Miss Celia very much , and suggested other ways in which she might serve the quiet town , where she seemed to feel that work was waiting for her to do . She said little to any one but the friend over the sea , yet various plans were made then that blossomed beautifully by-and-by . CHAPTER XIX SPEAKING PIECES The first of September came all too soon , and school began . Among the boys and girls who went trooping up to the `` East Corner knowledge-box , '' as they called it , was our friend Ben , with a pile of neat books under his arm . He felt very strange , and decidedly shy ; but put on a bold face , and let nobody guess that , though nearly thirteen , he had never been to school before . Miss Celia had told his story to Teacher , and she , being a kind little woman , with young brothers of her own , made things as easy for him as she could . In reading and writing he did very well , and proudly took his place among lads of his own age ; but when it came to arithmetic and geography , he had to go down a long way , and begin almost at the beginning , in spite of Thorny 's efforts to `` tool him along fast . '' It mortified him sadly , but there was no help for it ; and in some of the classes he had dear little Betty to console with him when he failed , and smile contentedly when he got above her , as he soon began to do , -- for she was not a quick child , and plodded through First Parts long after sister Bab was flourishing away among girls much older than herself . Fortunately , Ben was a short boy and a clever one , so he did not look out of place among the ten and eleven year olders , and fell upon his lessons with the same resolution with which he used to take a new leap , or practise patiently till he could touch his heels with his head . That sort of exercise had given him a strong , elastic little body ; this kind was to train his mind , and make its faculties as useful , quick and sure , as the obedient muscles , nerves and eye , which kept him safe where others would have broken their necks . He knew this , and found much consolation in the fact that , though mental arithmetic was a hopeless task , he could turn a dozen somersaults , and come up as steady as a judge .
When the boys laughed at him for saying that China was in Africa , he routed them entirely by his superior knowledge of the animals belonging to that wild country ; and when `` XXXXX class in reading '' was called , he marched up with the proud consciousness that the shortest boy in it did better than tall Moses Towne or fat Sam Kitteridge .
Bab Benjamin Edgeworth First Teacher XIX knowledge-box olders practise right