can you jump without a race? and in fact I want to know
all about you.'

"`My name's Tommy Thompson,' replied the boy, `and I--'

"At that moment the bell rang, and the remainder of his sentence was
drowned in the rush of the rest of us to the classroom.

"When all was quiet the master called Doddle up, and said, `Well,
Thompson, my boy, your mother tells me you have learned a little grammar
and a little arithmetic. I hope that we shall instil into you a good
deal of those branches of learning, and of many others besides, ere
long. Let me hear what you can do.'

"`I can play hockey and dumps,' began Doddle, in a sing-song tone, and
with the most uncommonly innocent expression of visage; `an' I can--'

"`Stay, boy,' interrupted the master, smiling; `I do not want to know
what you can _play_ at. Keep silence until I put a few questions to
you. What is English grammar?'

"`Eh?'

"`Don't say "Eh!" When you fail to understand me, say "Sir?"
interrogatively. What is English grammar?'

"`It's a book.'

"The master looked over the top of his spectacles at Doddle in surprise.

"`English grammar,' said he, slowly, and with a slight touch of
sternness, `is indeed contained in a book; but I wish to know what it
teaches.'

"`Eh?--a--I mean sir interrogatively.'

"`What does English grammar _teach_, boy?' cried the master angrily.

"Doddle laid hold of his chin with his right hand, and looked down at
the floor with an air of profound thought, saying slowly, in an
undertone to himself, `What--does--English--grammar--teach--teach--
grammar--teach? It--teaches--a--I don't know _what_ it teaches.
Perhaps you can tell me, sir?'

"He looked up, and uttered the last sentence with such an air of blank
humility that we all had to cram our pocket handkerchiefs into our
mouths to prevent a universal explosion. The master looked over his
spectacles again at Doddle with an expression of unutterable amazement.
We looked on with breathless interest, not unmingled with awe, for we
expected some awful outbreak on the part of the master, who seemed quite
unable to make up his mind what to do or say, but continued to stare for
nearly a minute at the boy, who replied to the stare with a humble,
idiotic smile.

"Suddenly the master said sharply, `How much are seven times nine?'

"`Five hundred and forty-two and a half,' answered Doddle, without a
moment's hesitation.

"The master did not look surprised this time, but he took