Stella by Starlight Read Online Free PDF Page B

yelling, “It wasn’t me!” Everyone else looked about ready to pop with held-in giggles, but the look on Mrs. Grayson’s face was a thunderstorm.
    â€œWhich of you boys did this?” she demanded. “Johnsteve? Tony?”
    Tony shook his head, sputtering, “We didn’t do it. Honest.”
    â€œYou Spencer boys?”
    Herbert held one of the squirming, leggy frogs in one hand. Hugh held the other. Their eyes were wide with innocence. Herbert spoke up first. “We didn’t bring no frogs in here, miss. But can we keep ’em?”
    That stopped Mrs. Grayson short. “Keep them? For pets?”
    â€œNo, M’am,” Hugh answered. “For to eat. My sister Hannah can put ’em in some stew!”
    Mrs. Grayson’s eyes finally softened. Herbert was awfully thin and hungry-looking. Stella hoped Mrs. Grayson would say yes.
    â€œDo what you want with them, boys. Put them in those old Mason jars over there, poke a few holes in the top. Mind now that they don’t get loose again.”
    As Herbert and Hugh hurried off, Mrs. Grayson turned to the rest of the class. “I still need to know which young man hid frogs in my piano! Jojo, was it you?”
    â€œNo, M’am. I promise,” Jojo replied. “But you gotta admit—it was kinda funny.”
    Mrs. Grayson did not look amused.
    Stella looked around, as curious as her teacher. Finally one small hand went into the air.
    â€œIt was me, Mrs. Grayson,” Claudia Odom said quietly.
    Mrs. Grayson didn’t seem quite sure how to respond. She’d clearly been prepared to swat a naughty boy, and now looked at the first grader in astonishment. As did Stella. “Claudia? But . . . why?”
    â€œI like stuff like frogs and snakes and bugs,” Claudia said simply. “I found them last night, and I put them in my lunch pail to show everybody.”
    â€œSo . . . how did they end up in my piano?” The teacher looked flabbergasted.
    â€œI figured they needed some exercise. I was gonna move them at lunch. You don’t ever do music until afternoon. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    â€œI most certainly was not frightened,” Mrs. Grayson said, straightening her back. “Just very surprised.” She pursed her lips tightly, tried to look angry, then finally, explosively, she burst out with the biggest laugh Stella had ever heard from her. “Lord have mercy, child!” she cried out. “Don’t ever do that to me again! That’s about all the botheration a body can stand for one day!”
    â€œCan I still keep ’em?” Hugh called out from where he was jabbing holes into a Mason jar lid.
    â€œSure, Hugh,” Claudia said amiably. “Kilkenny Pond is full of frogs!”
    Stella found herself thinking about the frogs she’d heard in the pond. What might a family of bullfrogs have witnessed under the darkness of other nights?

8
Go Where I Send Thee
    â€œWell, we have wasted quite enough time with frogs and foolishness,” Mrs. Grayson said, buttoning up her smiles. “So let’s get started. Most of you probably have heard this song, but we need to make sure we have the words and rhythms right. This is for a performance.” She raised an eyebrow at Claudia. “I trust no other animals shall land in my lap while we proceed?” Then she sat down at the old piano, and her fingers seemed to glide over the keys.
    Stella grinned as she recognized the tune. She’d learned it when she was only two or three, sitting on her granny’s lap at church. She suddenly remembered sliding the thin band of silver—her grandmother’s wedding ring—up and down her granny’s thin fingers.
    Now Mrs. Grayson, pulling the children into the heart of the song, began to sing. “First verse!” she called out.
    â€œChildren, go where I send thee
    How shall I send thee?
    I’m gonna send thee