CHAPTER IV.
THE KEY TO THE SUMS.
THE next morning Alfred got up very early to write a letter to his mother and tell her all the news, and at the same time send the half-crown. He had stayed longer than he intended with Walter, and had to go to bed directly he came in. He sat down in his bedroom with his pen and ink and wrote with letters very well formed, but rather big, the following letter:—
My own dearest Mother and Maggie,—
I am getting on ever so nicely, and I like all the boys except two, who don’t like me. There names are King and Cox. (He paused here and scratched his head. He thought “there” did not look quite right; he was not quite sure whether he ought to have put “their”, so he smudged the last two letters and then went on.) I like Steve and Walter ever so much, and Mr. Cottenham had us to tea yesterday, and we are going their to-morrow. (Again Alfred hesitated. He knew that there were two ways of spelling the word, “there” and “their”, but could not remember for some time which was which. Then he went back again and altered the words, wondering how he could be so silly. The first word he altered with a big blot, and put “their”, and the second “there”. Again he continued.) He has bought a coil with half-a-crown, but I have sent mine to you, because I knew you would be pleased. A lady gave us both each half-a-crown. She is coming to see you. Her husband was in the ship when father mended the engin, and he is going to get father a reward for saving his life. The parrot saved Mr. Cottenham’s life, and he likes it very much. It is very clever, and can talk just like a real man or boy. It says funny things. I am just going to have my brekfast, and I am going off to school with them, and they are going to take their batterys with them there, so no more now.
Your loving son and brother,
ALFIE.
Then there were a number of crosses to signify kisses, and quite as many blots and smudges, which Alfred did not mean to signify anything in particular.
If Mr. Harmer had seen the letter he would have told Alfred that “breakfast” is the way to spell the word, and that when words end in “y” with a consonant before the “y”, you must change the “y” into “ies” for the plural. For a small boy Alfred usually spelt very well except when he was careless.
There was a post-office at Mr. Cottenham’s, for the general post-office was a long way off, so after breakfast Alfred went into his shop to buy a stamp with one of the few pennies he had.
“Please, sir, will you give me a penny stamp?” he said, putting a bright penny on the counter.