A Piper in the Street Today

I heard it and lifted my head.

Then another head went up, and another. Sophia caught my eye.

Then Miss Hargreaves, who had been dozing at her tall desk snorted and smacked her lips. Even a snore from her was enough to get us back to our sewing.

The Hargreaves settled again and Sophia mimed a drummer, although obviously, I could hear it for myself. They were playing the willow dance.

Just then, worse luck, Miss Hargreaves woke. Her poking stick was out before you could say ‘knife’.

I tried to get back to work, but when it’s hot, and there’s a piper outside, it’s hard to concentrate on sewing a tray cloth. And pipers always play catchy tunes to make you want to come out and dance.

Thinking about the tune made me hum it; and Sophia started, too, but she was sticking to one note.

‘Who is that humming?’ demanded Miss Hargreaves, prowling down the aisle. When she reached us, we stopped.

A girl at the back said: ‘It might be a wasp, Miss.’ Miss H hates wasps — or any insect— and began to hunt, poking stick ready for the kill.

Someone else was humming at the front. Sophie added: ‘I saw it!’ for good measure. ‘It’s at least an inch long. A hornet.’

That settled it – Miss H is mortal afraid of hornets. ‘Quickly, girls. Leave the room in an orderly manner.’ We didn’t need to be told twice to go out into the sunshine where the piper was playing half an hour before the end of school