Part 32 (1/2)

Now Frank began to play the part of a clown or buffoon, acting in a very silly and stupid manner, while the others looked on laughing and pointing their fingers at him in derision.

”Frank, can't you behave yourself?” exclaimed Maud. ”It mortifies me to see you making yourself the laughing-stock of the whole company.”

”Laughing-stock--laughing-stock,” said several voices among the spectators, the captain adding, ”Very well done indeed!”

”Thank you, sir,” said Harold. ”If the company are not tired we will give them one more.”

”Let us have it,” said his grandfather.

Some of the girls now joined the spectators, while Harold drew out a little stand, and he, Chester, and Herbert seated themselves about it with paper and pencils before them, a.s.suming a very business-like air.

Frank had stepped out to the hall. In a minute or two he returned and walked up to the others, hat in hand.

Bowing low, but awkwardly, ”You're the school committee I understand, gents?” he remarked inquiringly.

”Yes,” said Harold, ”and we want a teacher for the school at Sharon.

Have you come to apply for the situation?”

”Yes, sir; I heered tell ye was wantin' a superior kind o' male man to take the school fer the winter, and bein' as I was out o' a job, I thought I mout as well try my hand at that as enny thin' else.”

”Take a seat and let us inquire into your qualifications,” said Herbert, waving his hand in the direction of a vacant chair. ”But first tell us your name and where you are from.”

”My name, sir, is Peter Bones, and I come from the town o' Hardtack in the next county; jest beyant the hill yander. I've a good eddication o'

me own, too, though I never rubbed my back agin a college,” remarked the applicant, sitting down and tilting his chair back on its hind legs, retaining his balance by holding on to the one occupied by Herbert. ”I kin spell the spellin' book right straight through, sir, from kiver to kiver.”

”But spelling is not the only branch to be taught in the Sharon school,”

said Chester. ”What else do you know.”

”The three r's, sir; reading, 'ritin,' and 'rithmetic.”

”You are acquainted with mathematics!”

”Well, no, not so much with Mathy as with his brother Bill; but I know him like a book; fact I might say like several books.”

”Like several books, eh?” echoed Chester in a sarcastic tone; ”but how well may you be acquainted with the books? What's the meaning of pathology?”

”The science of road making of course, sir; enny fool could answer such a question as that.”

”Could he, indeed? Well you've made a miss, for your answer is wide of the mark.”

”How wide is the Atlantic ocean?” asked Herbert.

”'Bout a thousand miles.”

”Another miss; it's three thousand.”

”I know it useter to be, years ago, but they've got to crossin' it so quick now that you needn't tell me it's more'n a thousand.”

”In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed?” asked Harold.