.

"Why, Robinson, not even you?" I said to the top boy. "I always
considered you a sharp lad. Jones, you cannot? Nor Brown? Well, well;
it's too bad."

And, putting on a look of pitying contempt--which must have been quite
a success, to judge by the dejection written on the faces before me--I
proceeded to give them a little lecture on their arithmetical
shortcomings. I felt saved. It was near the time for dismissing the
class.

"Boys," said I, to finish up, "I must have been sadly mistaken in you;
the best thing we can do is to go back to addition and subtraction
to-morrow."

Without being quite so hard as that upon them, I set them an easy task
for the next lesson; the bell rang, and the boys dispersed.

I immediately went to the head mathematical master, and had the
difficulty explained away in a few seconds.

How simple things are when they are explained, to be sure!

Armed with a new insight into Stocks, I was ready for my young friends
the following Friday. After the ordinary work had been got through:

"Now," I said, "have you had another try at that sum, any of you?"

"Yes, sir; but we can't do it," was the reply.

"Well," I said, in a relenting tone, as I went to the blackboard, "I
suppose we had better do it together."

I made the boys confess it was too stupid of them to have proved
unequal to this _simple_ sum; and thus they regained my good
graces.

Later in the day I received the glad tidings that the master I replaced
was better (goodness knows if I had prayed for the return of his
health!). He was to have his boys next time.

Thus was I enabled to retire from the field with flying colors.

* * * * *

If you do not love boys, never be a school-master. If you love boys and
wish to become a school-master, see that you are a good disciplinarian,
or take _Punch's_ advice to those about to marry:

"Don't."

X.

ENGLISH BOYS' PATRIOTISM PUT TO A SEVERE TEST.--THEIR OPINION OF
FRENCH VICTORIES.--KING LOUIS VI. OF FRANCE AND THE ENGLISH SOLDIER AT
THE BATTLE OF BRENNEVILLE.--AN ENGLISH BOY ON FRENCH WRESTLING.--YOUNG
TORY DEMOCRATS.--'IMPERIUM ET LIBERTAS.'--A PATRIOTIC ANSWER.--DUCK AND
DRAKE.

I am afraid I often put the patriotism of English boys to a severe
test.

I generally liked to place in their hands such books as would relate to
them the glorious past of France, and teach them to respect her. Let
those who do not love their cou