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Dr. Carey began to repair the car, and Stuart went shopping. He decided to buy clothes for his long travel. He went to a doll’s shop, and bought some new suits and shirts. He was very pleased with all his new things, and put his luggage in the automobile. That night he slept in the doctor’s house.

The next morning Stuart got up early. He thanked Dr. Carey and decided to start at once. He wanted to get out of town before there were many people, cars and trucks in the streets. He drove through Central Park to One Hundred and Tenth Street, then north to the river. The car ran very fast. People sometimes stopped and looked at it, but Stuart did not mind. He did not want to press the button which made the car invisible. He could not forget how much trouble it had caused the day before.

Suddenly Stuart saw a man sitting by the side of the road. It was a tall, thin man, and he looked very sad. Stuart stopped his car and put his head out.

“Good morning, sir! Why are you so sad?” he asked.

“Because everything is bad,” said the man.

“Can I help you?” asked Stuart in a friendly voice.

The man shook his head.

“Nobody can help me,” he said. “I am the director of School Number Seven in this town, and I always have a lot of problems. Today one of my teachers is ill. Her name is Miss Gunderson. I must find a teacher who will take her place.”

“What’s the matter with her?” asked Stuart.

“I don’t know. The doctor says that she has a bad cold,” said the director.

“Can’t you find another teacher?” asked Stuart.

“No, I can’t. Nobody in this town knows anything. Nobody can teach at school. The lessons must begin in an hour.”

“I shall be glad to take Miss Gunderson’s place for a day,” said Stuart.

The director looked at him.

“Can you do it?” he asked.

“Of course,” said Stuart. “I shall be glad to help you.”

He opened the door of his little car and stepped out.

“I must put on another suit,” he said. “This motoring suit is not good for a classroom.”

He took out his suitcase from the car and went into the bushes by the side of the road. When he came back he had on a grey coat, stripped trousers, a black tie and spectacles. Then he took his motoring suit and put it in the suitcase.

“Do you think you can maintain discipline?” asked the director.

“Of course I can,” said Stuart. “I shall make the lessons interesting and then discipline will take care of itself. Don’t worry about me.”

The man thanked him and they shook hands.

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This version of Stuart Little was originally published in Moscow, in 1964.  All rights are reserved by respective copyright owners and this version must not be used in any other but private ESL study settings.  Hard or electronic copies for business purposes are prohibited.

© 1998 Ervin Nemeth. All rights reserved.

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