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laugh. "But it's such fun! She's such a timid little

mouse! You know, she never says anything. I don't

think she can talk!" Down from the chair Sissy

jumped to run to where Carrie was, and there she

prodded Carrie with her foot. "Have you got a tongue,

little freak? Come, little big-eyes, tell us how you got

to be so funny- looking. Did the cat steal your tongue?

Do you have a tongue? Stick it out!"

Carrie hung her head even lower.

"See, she doesn't have a tongue!" proclaimed

Sissy, jumping up and down. Sissy whirled around and

spread her arms wide. "Look at what they gave me for

a roomy--an owl without a tongue! What can we do

to make her talk?"

Lacy moved protectively closer to Carrie.

"Come on, Sissy, enough is enough, leave her alone." Pivoting, Sissy stomped down hard on Lacy's

foot. "Shut up! This is my room! When you're in my room, you do as I say! And I'm just as big as you are,

Lacy St. John, and my daddy's got more money too!" "I think you are a mean, nasty, ugly girl to

torment Carrie!" said Lacy.

Sissy raised her fist in the manner of a

professional boxer, dancing around to take quick jabs

at Lacy. "You wanna fight? C'mon, put up your dukes!

Just see if you can get me before I blacken your eyes!"

And before Lacy could raise her hands for protection,

Sissy shot out a right that caught Lacy squarely on the

left eye. Then Sissy's left hook smashed Lacy's fine

straight nose! Blood spurted everywhere!

This was when Carrie lifted her head, saw the

only girl who'd shown her the least bit of kindness

being beaten to a pulp, and that was cause enough for