But to be ever so good a boy does not carry one through the
examinations that stand at the door of every road of life for those
who are not wealthy. Sam knew he was the dull boy of Mr. Carey's
four pupils; and though from sheer diligence he was less often turned
back than the rest, yet they could all excel him whenever they chose:
his lessons all went against the grain, and were a sore trouble to
him; and his uncle had shown much wrath to-day at his ignorance and
backwardness. He was therefore in a great fright, and gave himself
and Miss Fosbrook no peace, running after her every moment with his
Euclid, his Colenso, or his slate.
"That boy will stupefy himself and his admirable cramming machine!"
exclaimed Uncle John, when coming out into the court after tea to
talk to Purday, the two brothers heard, "The complement A E is equal
to the complement D E," proceeding out of the school-room window.
"A truce with your complements to-night," shouted the Captain; "come
down, Sam; I must have a game at hide-and-seek!"
Though hide-and-seek on the lawn with Papa was the supremest bliss
that life had yet offered to the young Merrifields, and though Susan,
Bessie, Annie, and Johnnie, had all severally burst into the room to
proclaim it and summon Sam, he had refused them all; but this call
settled it; he broke off in the middle of his rectangle, and dashed
down stairs, to the great relief of kind Miss Fosbrook, who, with all
her good-will, found her head beginning to grow weary of angles and
right-angles on a hot evening in the height of summer.
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