Jimmy looked at Nat in disbelief. For a girl, she was pretty tall and strong. He suddenly felt really bad for bullying him - her - with his friends. Sure, they tormented girls as well, pelting them with sticks and leaves when they were trying to play alone without the boys, and tying their skipping ropes together in difficult knots. And sometimes if they really wanted a girl's attention, they would dip the end of her braid or ponytail in the ink or tie things to it. But they would never steal a girl's lunch and let her go hungry!

"Surely, Mr. Appleton won't throw ye out just like that. I doubt he'd be comfortable turning a boy out on the streets. I'm sure he wouldn't do it to a girl."