Some of the children laughed. Tom walked to the chair next to the girl, sat down and opened his book. The other children began to work again.
After ten minutes, the girl looked up. There was an apple on the table in front of her. She put it back on Tom’s half of the table. A minute later the apple was in front of her again. Now it stayed. Next, Tom drew a picture of a house and put it in front of her.
‘That’s nice,’ the girl said. ‘Now draw a man.’ Tom drew a man next to the house. The man was taller than the house, and he had very big hands and very long legs. But the girl liked him.
‘Can you draw me now?’ she asked. Tom drew a girl next to the man. ‘You draw beautifully. I can’t draw pictures.’ ‘I can teach you, said Tom. ‘After school.’
‘Oh, please!’
‘What’s your name?’ Tom asked.
‘Becky. Becky Thatcher.’
Just then Tom felt a hand on his hand. It was the teacher. He took Tom by the ear and moved him back to his chair in the boys’ half of the room.
