He looked up in surprise. There were not only his father
and Cousin Carrol, but a stranger, a fine-looking man, who, it was
presently telegraphed through the class, was Judge Dennison, of Buffalo,
who used to attend this school when he was a boy. And then, behold, came
Principal Bowen, who stood talking with his guests a moment, after which
they all took seats and stayed through the entire hour.
Work went on well until that fatal thirty-ninth example was reached, and
Howard Eastman was called upon to go to the board and perform it.
"I cannot do it, Miss Andrews," he said, "I tried it as many as fifty
times, I think, in fifty different ways, and I could not get near the
answer."
"That is very sad!" said Miss Andrews, trying not to laugh. "If you had not
tried so many ways, but worked faithfully at one, you might have done
better."
Then she called on the boy next to him, with no better success. A long row
of downcast eyes and blushing faces. Some of the pupils confessed that they
had not even attempted the problem, but had been discouraged by the reports
of others.
"Is there no one who is willing to go to the board," said Miss Andrews,
"and attempt the work, carrying it as far as he can?"
At just that moment she caught sight of Earle Hamlin's face, and spoke to
him.
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