“Now I understand,” said Royal, when his father was screwing on the second strip.
“What?” said Lucy. “What is it? Tell me.”
“Why, these strips are for the till to slide on. Father is going to make a till, and put it in there, and let it rest upon those strips. Those must be the sliders for the till to slide upon. Isn’t it so, father?”
His father did not answer, but went on with his work.
“It must be so, I know,” said Royal; “and it is an excellent plan. I like a sliding till a great deal better than one that’s nailed in, so that you can’t move it.”
When Royal’s father had got the sliders secured in their proper places, he began to work again upon the till itself.
“Father,” said Lucy, “why did not you finish the till before you made the sliders? You very often tell us that we must always finish one thing before we begin another.”
“Did I say always?” asked her father, “or generally?”
“Always, I believe, father,” said Lucy, pausing a moment, as if trying to think. “Yes, I believe you said always.”
“Then I made a mistake,” said her father; “I ought to have said generally: it is a good general rule, but there are some exceptions. There are very few rules which have not some exceptions.”