"And let y equal the length of its tail," continued the teacher, completely absorbed in the problem.
In a moment the shoe slipped off noiselessly, and Johnny put three of his largest marbles in a row on a crack in the floor.
"Aw, that ain't fair," said Jode. "You can't pick up that big Pompey yourself. Put down three little grays."
Johnny grumbled, but made the change, and Jode triumphantly picked them up with his toes.
"There," said he. "What did I tell you?" Just then one of the marbles began to slip. He tried to regain his hold, and all three of them dropped noisily, and went rolling across the floor.
The teacher turned quickly, and his eyes fell, not on Johnny and Jode, but on Boney Woods, who had finished the spectacles and put them on, and was now lolling out his tongue, and making hideous faces at the smaller children.
So intent was he on this, that he did not know he was being watched, until the awful stillness that had settled over the noisy room warned him that something was the matter. Then he faced around in his seat in great haste, to make the discovery that he was the centre of attraction.
"Are you quite through with your little exhibition, Bonaparte?" asked the teacher. "Come here! Just as you are—don't take them off."
Poor Boney went up with fear and trembling.
"I'll settle with you after school, sir. Take a seat on the platform and study your lesson."