Minnie was very popular with her friends. Every year, her classmates voted her as their favorite student and she was always 1 of having so many friends.
One day the 10-year-old girl was caught talking and2in class and was ordered to stay back after school as a punishment. She had to help in the school3 for at least one hour. It is also a rule that once in a month the one getting4 could ask a friend to do that for him if he is busy. And of course, he had to5 the favor within the same month.
It was the last day of that month and Minnie had promised to go to the airport and see her uncle Tom from New York while he was waiting for his connecting 6to Florida. She was sure someone would stand in for her out of 7.
She turned to Peres, her best friend. But Peres said she had to coach her brother for his8 test. “The kid can't even calculate9 without my help.” She spent a lot of time talking about her brother's learning 10.
“Morris, could you take my11 this afternoon?” Minnie asked another friend, who often stayed 12at school. “To help the librarian? I have to 13 my cousin's birthday with her family.” and then Morris 14.
By now, Minnie began to15 if even one of her friends would agree to stay. She tried three more but all of them16. No one said “no”17, but everyone was giving his or her reason why they couldn't stay back for her.
Finally, Minnie stayed to help the librarian, Mr. King. When he found her unhappy about being unable to keep her18 with her uncle, he allowed Minnie to 19, which turned her tears into a big smile. “You seem to have a lot of friends,” Mr. King said, “But you should 20 that a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
