"No, sir; I never heard of it before."
"A stranger here, I suppose?"
"Not exactly, sir."
"Tell me your name, that is, if you wish to attend here regularly. I keep school here for two hours every evening except Saturday."
"Oh, I should like that well! What do they teach here, sir?"
"They, means me," said Mr. Aylmer, laughing. "I have no help as yet. I teach whatever my lads want to know, and some of them have had more education than others. What do you wish to learn?"
"To understand the Bible and to keep accounts," replied Roger, with all the promptitude of one whose mind is made up.
Mr. Aylmer looked curiously at him.
"Tell me your name," said he, "and your age."
"Roger Read, sir; and I'm going on seventeen."