“I see!” said Tommy, and wondered.
Mr. Thompson looked at Tommy searchingly. Tommy's mind was working away—and getting nowhere!
Mr. Thompson now spoke sharply: “Take your pencil and strike out in those sheets every odd number that comes after a one or a seven. Get that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Don't skip a single one. I've spent a lot of time explaining. Now rush. Ready?”
“Yes, sir,” said Tommy.
“Go!” shouted Mr. Thompson, loudly, and looked at his stop-watch.
Tommy went at it. His mind, still occupied with the magical virtues of seven, and, therefore, with trying to discover what connection existed between his own advancement and life-work and Mr. Thompson's amazing instructions, did not work quite as smoothly as he wished. He was filled with the fear of omitting numbers. He did not know that Mr. Thompson was watching him intently, a look of irrepressible sympathy in his steady brown eyes. And then Tommy suddenly realized that obedience was what was wanted. From that moment on his mind was exclusively on his work. At length he finished and looked up.
“How many?” asked Mr. Thompson.
Tommy counted. Mr. Thompson timed him.