“That’s more than I can tell. I suppose you’ve seen a dictionary.”
“That’s another of ’em. No, I can’t say I have, though I may have seen him in the street without knowin’ him.”
“A dictionary is a book containing all the words in the language.”
“How many are there?”
“I don’t rightly know; but I think there are about fifty thousand.”
“It’s a pretty large family,” said Dick. “Have I got to learn ’em all?”
“That will not be necessary. There are a large number which you would never find occasion to use.”
“I’m glad of that,” said Dick; “for I don’t expect to live to be more’n a hundred, and by that time I wouldn’t be more’n half through.”
By this time the flickering lamp gave a decided hint to the boys that unless they made haste they would have to undress in the dark. They accordingly drew off their clothes, and Dick jumped into bed. But Fosdick, before doing so, knelt down by the side of the bed, and said a short prayer.
“What’s that for?” asked Dick, curiously.