Chapter 5

"I don't feel so well." Willie stated the next morning.

"I told you not to eat all that candy!" Nellie snarled.

"Yeah, but I didn't think Mrs. Ingalls would cook such a good dinner."

"Maybe she poisoned us." Nellie thought out loud.

"I don't think so. If she poisoned us, she wouldn't have anyone to do her chores."

Just then, Nellie and Willie saw Mary and Laura coming from down the road. Laura looked very tired.

"Hi Laura." Said Nellie.

"Hi Nellie." Laura mumbled.

"You look awfully tired Laura." Nellie commented.

"If your mother didn't have us go to bed so late I wouldn't be."

"If your mother didn't poison Willie he would be feeling better!" Nellie shot back.

"Nellie, our mother would never do such a thing." Mary said defensively.

"We will see about that." Nellie said as the bell rang.

----

"Laura, can you spell the state WYOMING please?" Miss. Beadle asked during spelling class.

Laura could hardly focus. "Can you repeat the question Miss Beadle?"

Miss Beadle sighed. "Can you spell the state WYOMING?"

Laura got up from her seat. "WYOMING. Y-O-M-I-N-G. WYOMING."

"I'm sorry Laura, that is incorrect. It is spelled W-Y-O-M-I-N-G. Laura, did you not go to bed earlier like I had recommended?"

"No, Miss Beadle." Laura answered, shyly.

"I don't know how you are going to do well on the test after lunch. You can't…"

All of a sudden Willie, green faced, ran out of the building. Miss Beadle looked at Nellie.

"I'm sorry Miss Beadle, my brother wasn't feeling well today." She looked at Mary and Laura. "I think it had something to do with Mrs. Ingalls cooking."

----

Caroline was cooking when she heard the front door slam. She walked out and saw Willie standing there.

"Willie what are you doing home?" She asked.

"I got sick in school. I really don't feel good." Willie said, sincerely.

"You really don't feel well, do you?"

Willie shook his head.

"Why don't you go rest and I will make you some soup."

"Okay."

----

"Half-Pint, why aren't you eating your dinner?" Charles asked.

"I'm not hungry Pa." Laura said as she put down her fork.

"Laura's just mad because she got in trouble at school today." Mary informed her father.

Charles looked at Laura sternly. "Is that true, Laura?"

"Well, sort of. I was really tired, and I did poorly in spelling and on my test. So, Miss Beadle was mad at me."

"I see. You better go to bed earlier tonight so you aren't so tired tomorrow."

"But I'm allowed to stay up later now!" Laura protested.

"Laura, you will do as I say."

"Now, Mr. Ingalls," Harriet interrupted. "Laura and Mary are allowed to stay up later, and I think if they want to they should."

"I know Mrs. Oleson, but staying up late is interfering with Laura's school work."

"Well, I can help her with that Charles."

Charles left the table and went outside to smoke his pipe.

Later that evening, Laura and Mary sat down to work on their homework. Mary was almost finished, but Laura hadn't even finished her first problem. Harriet could tell that Laura was frustrated with her homework.

"Laura, do you need help with your homework?" Harriet asked.

"No, thanks." Said Laura.

"I don't mind doing your homework for you. Besides, if I do your homework than you can go to bed earlier like your Pa recommended."

Laura hesitated. "Well, okay." She handed her the paper and book. "Thank you, Mrs. Oleson."

"Your welcome, Laura. Mary, do you want me to finish your homework also?"

Mary gave a disapproving look. "No, that's okay. I don't have people cheat for me." She walked away.

----

"Nellie can you clear the table while I go take some medicine to your brother?"

"I have to do all the chores around here now that Willie is sick!" Nellie exclaimed.

"Now you listen here young lady, you will do as Mrs. Ingalls tells you." Nels said as he grabbed the newspaper.

"Fine." Said Nellie as she picked up the dinner plates.

----

"Mrs. Ingalls, thanks for taking such good care of me today." Said Willie as he drank his medicine.

"Your welcome, Willie." Caroline smiled.

"My ma never pays this much attention to me when I'm sick."

"She doesn't?"

"No, she doesn't want to get sick and she has too much other stuff to do than pay attention to me."

"That can't be true Willie."

"It is. All she cares about is Pa and Nellie."

"Willie, if you think that way maybe you should tell her."

"There's no bother. She wouldn't believe me anyway."

"Well, maybe I can talk to her."

"No, don't. I'm used to things being that way. Besides, I have Pa. He takes me fishing."

"I'm glad. Now, why don't you rest so you can go to school tomorrow."

"Okay."

Caroline shut the door behind her. How could anyone ignore their child like that? She thought.