Our hero did so; thereby affording information to the teacher, as well as to his classmates.
“Very well,” said Mr. Slocum, patronizingly. “Julius, you do me credit. Bent, do you understand the sum now?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You must pay more attention next time. You can’t{129} do anything without attention and talent. When I was a student at one of the most celebrated educational institutions in Maine, I was noted for my attention. When the principal handed me the first prize at the end of the term, he said to me: ‘Theophilus, you have gained this testimonial by your attention and natural talent.’ I am sorry that I left the prize at my home in Maine. It would give me pleasure to show it to you, as it might encourage you to go and do likewise. We will now go through the remaining sums. John Sandford, you may try the sixth sum.”
So the recitation proceeded. In spite of his pompous words, the scholars began to suspect that the new teacher was a first-class humbug. There is reason to believe that they were not very far from the truth.{130}
CHAPTER XVIII.
MR. SLOCUM’S STRATEGY.
“I don’t believe Mr. Slocum knew how to do that sum,” said Frank Bent, at noon. “He got off by saying that he did it in another way; but I saw him looking at the rule about forty times when he was trying to do it. If you hadn’t done it on the board, he would have been caught.”
“Listen, boys,” said John Sandford, “I’ll put you up to a good joke. We shall have the rest of those sums to-morrow. We’ll all pretend we can’t do them, and ask him to explain them to us. Do you agree?”
The boys unanimously agreed.
“As he will be most likely to call on you, Julius, you must be the individual to ask him for an explanation.”