t take the time to work out the
sums properly?"
"Yes, father; perfectly sure."
"Then why don't you inform Dr. Johnston of your suspicions, and he will
make an examination into the matter?"
"Oh, father!" exclaimed Bert, with a look of profound surprise. "You
wouldn't have me turn tattle-tale, would you?"
"No, Bert, dear; indeed, I would not, although you should lose a dozen
prizes. I said that simply to see what you would think of it, and I am
glad you answered me as I expected you would. But, Bert, you have asked
my advice in this matter. Did you think of asking somebody else who is
infinitely wiser than I am?"
Bert understood his father at once.
"No, father; I did not. I never thought of it," he answered, frankly.
"Then had you not better do so when you are saying your prayers
to-night?"
"I will, father. I'm so glad you reminded me." And with that Bert
dropped the subject for the time.
That night, ere he went to bed, Bert laid the matter before his Father
in heaven, just as he had done before his father upon earth. He had
imbibed his ideas of prayer from what he heard from his own father at
family worship. Mr. Lloyd's conception of prayer was that it could not
be too simple, too straightforward. It often seemed as though God were
present in the room, and he was talking with him, so natural, so
sincere, so direct were his petitions. And Bert had learned to pray in
the same manner. A listener might at times be tempted to smile at the
frankness, the naivete of Bert's requests; but they were uttered not
more in boyish earnest than in truest reverence by the petitioner.
The next morning, when Bert came down to the breakfast-room, he was
evidently in the best of spirits.
"It's all right, father," said he. "I asked God to show me what's the
best thing to do, and I'm sure He will."
"That's it, Bert; that's the way to look at it," replied Mr. Lloyd, with
a smile of warm approval.
On reaching the school Bert found Frank awaiting him.
"I've got it! I've got it!" he shouted, so soon as Bert appeared. "I
know how Levi manages it now."
"How is it?" asked Bert, eagerly.
"Why, he learns all the answers off by heart, and then doesn't work out
the sums at all, but just pretends to, and slaps down the answer before
the rest of us fellows are half through," explained Frank.
"To be sure, Frank; you know I thought of that before. But how are we
going to stop him?"
"That's just what I'm coming to. Wh
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