XXVI.
Fred found, much to his surprise, that Carl was something of a scholar, as he could read well and write a very fair hand. He had thoroughly mastered an elementary arithmetic, learning all of the tables and rules so as to apply them readily and correctly.
"When did you learn so much about mathematics?" asked Fred. "You have had no teacher."
"Well, I got a little idea of it before going into the mill, enough so that I managed to work my way through the book after getting around again from my sickness. Since then I have been through the book so many times that I know it almost by heart."
"Why didn't you get a more advanced book, instead of spending so much time on this one?"
"That is just what I wanted, but couldn't buy one."
"Almost any one would have given or lent you one, the same as I am going to let you use my books. It is too bad that you have been kept back for the want of suitable books; but what you have been over you have learned so thoroughly that it is worth about as much to you as if you had been through several higher arithmetics, and knew none of them well. Have you ever studied geography?"
"No, I have not, and that is just the book I want to study most, for I would like to know something about the world. Have you a geography?"