“Look at this sum. Tell me how many seven and nine make?”
“Sixteen, sir.”
“Then why do you put fourteen?”
“I am sorry, sir, I was so careless. I really will try not to do so again.”
“You have made another mistake in the same sum. You have added the farthings up incorrectly, and have put one halfpenny, when it should be three farthings.”
“Shall I do the sum again, sir?”
“I have not yet finished, Davidson,” continued Mr. Harmer. “What is strangest of all is, that your result, thus incorrectly done, should be the right answer. If you had added up the figures correctly, your answer would have been wrong. That is very strange, is it not?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Alfred.
“Do you know that I don’t allow any boy to use an arithmetic book with answers at the back of the book?”
“Yes, sir.”