meddling with problems, I
guess."

"You may answer for that," said Lubin.

Mr. Arithmetic, without further delay, produced specimens of his four
simplest kinds of sum grates, like those from which Dick had been
supplied. Lubin and Nelly soon chose Addition as their first purchase
from Arithmetic--a grate so small and so light that even the little girl
supported the burden with tolerable ease.

"You must come back to-morrow for something a little heavier," said Mr.
Arithmetic. "Addition is simple enough; but Division needs a little
greater effort of strength."

"We've done grand things to-day," exclaimed Lubin; "it's time enough to
think about to-morrow."

"Oh, I will certainly come back then!" cried Nelly, not a little pleased
at her present success.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE WONDERFUL BOY.

That evening Dick and his dark companion Pride sat in his cottage
together. The boy looked out of spirits or out of temper. Perhaps his
cut still pained him; perhaps the perpetual patter of the shower which
was falling made him gloomy and dull, for a violent rain had come on,
which continued during the whole of that night.

"Who would have thought," said Pride, "that lazy Lubin and lame Nelly
would have mounted so bravely to the top of Multiplication staircase,
and have carried back, safely over Bother, such nice little grates of
Addition? You must really look sharp, Dick Desley, or they'll furnish
their cottages before you."

"Before me!" exclaimed Dick, with a sneer. "I could do more with my
little finger than Lubin with all his fat fist."

"Certainly," observed Pride, "it would be an intolerable disgrace to a
clever fellow like you if you let any one get before you. You are not
one who would endure to see another winning from you the crown of
Success."

"I'll never see _that_," cried Dick, haughtily. "I should like to know
who has a chance against me!"

"No one has the smallest chance against you, if you only exert
yourself," said Pride. "If I were you I would put forth my powers, and
do something to astonish them all."

"I will!" cried Dick, with decision. "I'll go to Arithmetic to-morrow,
and bring back the three remaining sum-grates all at once. But what
wretched weather we have this evening!" he exclaimed; "I'm afraid all
the brightness of summer is going. And what's that on my wall--that dull
stain as of damp, that seems creeping over my paper?"

"It is merely caused by the rain. I should think nothing