.........Elizabeth Dellinger

It was a challenge to put thirty boys, third grade through seventh, to bed. It was my privilege to do so at Navajo Methodist Mission School, Farmington, New Mexico, when Leland was in another dorm relieving the dorm parent. Usually, everything went along smoothly. One night, however, the boys had gone up the two flights of stairs to their bedrooms as usual, and I followed. When I came to the first room where five boys should be, not a boy was in sight. I gasped, but before I could say a word I saw Tony’s toe sticking out from under his bed. I went around and had a story and prayer with the other boys. When I was ready to go downstairs, all five boys were in bed. They had done it so quietly that I had not heard them. They mentioned nothing about the trick they planned to play. It was the only time they went to bed under their beds. We read stories to the boys after they were settled in their beds. One night I finished Gentle Ben. The next night when I read a new story, Edison said, “What happened to Gentle Ben?” Another time Leland was reading Ajax, the story of an Australian wild dog. The boys could be heard saying, “Ajax, Ajax” as they went up the stairs. My heart really took a tumble when I once went to check the boys and Willie was not in his bed. I rejoiced and gave thanks when I found him in bed with Ron.

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