"I do, really," returned Bert. "Please tell me, like a good fellow."
"Come along home with me after school, and I'll show you," said Regie.
"All right," assented Bert; "I will."
Accordingly, that afternoon when school had been dismissed, Bert accompanied Regie home, and there the latter took him to his room, and produced a book which contained the whole of Sallust turned into clear, simple English.
"There," said he, placing the volume in Bert's hands; "that's what I mean by a pony."
Bert opened the book, glanced at a page or two, took in the character of its contents, and then, with a feeling as though he had touched a serpent, laid it down again, saying:
"But do you think it's right to use this book in getting up your Sallust, Regie?"
Regie laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
"Where's the harm, my boy. If you can't translate old Sallust by yourself, you can't, that's all, and you've got to wait for Dr. Johnston to do it for you. Now, mightn't you just as well get it out of this book at once, and save all the trouble," he argued, glibly.
This was very fallacious reasoning, but somehow or other it impressed Bert as having a good deal of force in it. The simple truth was that he was willing to be convinced. But he did not feel quite satisfied yet.