“You are very considerate, Squire Hadley,” said Mabel.
“I will first examine you in arithmetic. Arithmetic,” here the Squire cleared his throat, “is, as you are aware, the science of numbers. We regard it as of primary — yes, primary importance.”
“It is certainly very important.”
“I will — ahem — ask you a few questions, and then give you some sums to cipher out. What is a fraction, Miss Frost?”
Squire Hadley leaned back in his chair, and fixed his eyes prudently on that page of the arithmetic which contained the answer to the question he had asked. Mabel answered correctly.
“You have the correct idea said the Squire patronizingly, “though you ain’t quite got the phraseology of the book.”
“Definitions vary in different arithmetics,” said Mabel.
“I suppose they do,” said the Squire, to whom this was news. To him arithmetic was arithmetic, and it had never occurred to him that there was more than one way of expressing the same thing.
Slender as was his own stock of scholarship, Squire Hadley knew enough to perceive, before going very far into the text book, that the new school teacher was well up in rudimentary mathematics. When he came to geography, however, he made an awkward discovery. He had lost the list of questions which the minister had prepared for him. Search was unavailing, and the Squire was flustered.
“I have lost my list of questions in geography,” he said, hesitatingly.
“You might think of a few questions to ask me,” suggested Mabel.
“So I can,” said the Squire, who felt that he must keep up appearances. “Where is China?”
“In Asia,” answered Mabel, rather astonished at the simple character of the question.
“Quite right,” said the Squire, in a tone which seemed to indicate surprise that his question had been correctly answered. “Where is the Lake of Gibraltar?”
“I suppose you mean the Straits of Gibraltar?”
“To be sure,” said the Squire rather uneasily. “I was — ahem! thinking of another question.”
Mabel answered correctly.
“Where is the River Amazon?”
“In South America.”
Squire Hadley had an impression that the Amazon was not in South America, but he was too uncertain to question the correctness of Mabel’s answer.
“Where is the city of New York situated?” he asked.
Mabel answered.
“And now,” said the Squire, with the air of one who was asking a poser, “can you tell me where Lake Erie is located?”
Even this did not overtask the knowledge of the applicant.
“Which is farther north, New York or Boston?” next asked the erudite Squire.
“Boston,” said Mabel.
“Very well,” said the Squire approvingly. “I see you are well up in geography. I am quite satisfied that you are competent to teach our grammar school. I will write you a certificate accordingly.”
This the Squire did; and Mabel felt that she was one step nearer the responsible office which she had elected to fill.
“School will begin tomorrow at nine,” said the Squire. “I will call round and go to school with you, and introduce you to the scholars. I’ll have to see about a boarding place for you.”
“Thank you,” said Mabel, “but I won’t trouble you to do that. I will stay at the hotel for a week, till I am a little better acquainted. During that time I may hear of some place that I shall like.”
Squire Hadley was surprised at this display of independence.
“I apprehend,” he objected, “that you will find the price at the hotel too high for you. We only pay seven dollars a week, and you would have to pay all of that for board.”
“It will be for only one week, Squire Hadley,” said Mabel, “and I should prefer it.”
“Just as you say,” said the Squire, not altogether satisfied. “You will be the first teacher that ever boarded at the hotel. You wouldn’t have to pay more’n three dollars at a private house.”
“Of course that is a consideration,” said Mabel guardedly.
As she left the Squire’s house and emerged into the road she heard steps behind her. Turning, she saw Ben Hadley.
“I say, Miss Frost, was you examined in geography?” he asked.
“Yes, Ben.”