“The mistake you made is not an uncommon one,” said Walter; “I remember making it once myself.”
The mortification of Phineas Morton was removed by this frank confession of his teacher. Peter tried to get up a laugh at Walter’s expense, but failed ignominiously.
“I take it for granted,” continued our hero, “that those who have laughed just now will not object to be laughed at when they come to make mistakes.”
Phineas went on, and finished his reading without further mistakes. At length it came to the turn of Peter Groot. As we have already said, he was by no means remarkable in scholarship, and particularly read in a stumbling, hesitating manner, which made it very improbable that he would ever win reputation as a public reader. It so happened that in the passage he was reading occurred the geographical name, Straits of the Dardanelles. Now, this was a common term, and Peter ought not to have made any mistake in reading it. But he read it “Straits of the Darning Needles,” which was so ludicrous that Walter had hard work not to join in the general chorus of laughter.
Peter looked up, scowling, for, though he was ready enough to laugh at others, he did not enjoy being laughed at.
“You should say Straits of the Dardanelles, Peter,” said Walter.
“That’s what I said,” growled Peter, with a cloudy brow, looking around him with displeasure.
“We all understood you ‘darning needles.’ You may go on.”
Peter continued sullenly, and sat down at the end. He saw that he had made a blunder quite as bad as Phineas, and it took away the satisfaction he expected to have in reminding his fellow pupil of his. He didn’t like Phineas Morton, mainly because, on account of his superior size, he was unable to bully him. Besides, Phineas had more than once interfered to protect younger boys from the despotism of Peter, and the latter had been compelled to respect the remonstrances of the oldest pupil.
When the reading was concluded, Walter rang the bell for recess. Nearly all the scholars went out. Phineas Morton came up to the teacher’s desk.