“I should say he was,” said Tom Allen. “You wouldn’t catch him making a jackass of himself by making such a speech.”
“I hope he knows something,” said Julius, “for I want to learn.”
“I don’t believe he does,” said John. “When a man talks so much about what he knows, I think he’s a humbug. Did you hear what he said about taking right ‘holt’? It seems to me a teacher from one of the best academies in Maine ought to know better.”
“He puts on airs enough,” said Tom Allen. “If he expects he’s going to tread us under foot, he’ll find himself mistaken.”
Tom Allen was the largest boy in school—large-framed and muscular, through working on a farm. He was tractable if treated justly, but apt to resist if he felt that any attempt was being made to impose upon him. He was a little dull, but tried to improve. He was a scholar whom it was the interest of the teacher to secure as a friend, for he could render very efficient assistance in case of trouble. He was not particularly pleased with{121} the tone of the new teacher’s opening speech, regarding it as unnecessarily aggressive, as well as betraying not a little self-conceit. He had been a trusted supporter of Mr. Fairbanks, who had patiently endeavored to clear up difficulties in his lessons, and, not being naturally quick, he encountered them often. It would have been well if Mr. Slocum had understood the wisdom of conciliating him; but the new teacher was very deficient in good judgment and practical wisdom, and was by no means as well versed as he pretended to be in the studies which he had undertaken to teach. It was a proof of his want of tact that he had begun his career by threatening the school, and parading his authority very unnecessarily.{122}
CHAPTER XVII.
A FIRST-CLASS HUMBUG.
Julius found, to his great satisfaction, that he was placed in a class of boys of his own age and size, and that the lessons assigned were not beyond his ability to learn. Teddy Bates, on the other hand, who had had no opportunity of increasing his knowledge since his departure from New York, was placed in the lowest class. He was astonished to find his old companion so far above him.
“How did you do it, Julius?” he asked at recess.
“I have been studying at home ever since I came here. Mr. Taylor helped me.”
“You didn’t know no more’n I do when you came out here.”