(Isaac and Ira put heads together over pencil and paper while teacher asks next question.)
Teacher. “Bessie, if your mother bought four baskets of grapes, the dealer’s price being a quarter a basket, how much would the purchase cost her?”
Bessie. “You never can tell. Ma’s great at a bargain.”
(Isaac and Ira wave their hands to attract attention.)
Teacher. “Well, Isaac? Well, Ira?”
Isaac. “Say Miss Fitzimmons, me’n Ira’s figgered out that two hundred and eighty-eight men will build it in one hour; seventeen thousand two hundred and eighty, in a minute, and—”
Ira (interrupts). “And one million, thirty-six thousand eight hundred men will put it up in a second, an’—”
Teacher. “There, that will do—that’s quite enough. I see you understand the meaning of mathematics fully.”
Curiosity (raises hand and asks). “Please, teacher, did you ever see a stone step, or a bed spring, or a apple turn over?”
Teacher. “Curiosity Cornhusk, I want you to stop asking questions at once. Don’t you know that curiosity once killed a cat?” (Curiosity is thoughtful.) “Children, you may all take your seats.”