his eyes. The sneer on his lips and his air of indifference were very annoying to the schoolmistress.
"Thomas, we are waiting!"
"I don't want to do no sums," was the reply.
"Where is your slate, Thomas?"
"In my desk," growled the boy.
"Get it immediately, and prepare to take down the figures I call off."
Shuffling his feet and moving about sullenly, the boy took his slate from the desk and let it fall with a crash.
"Thomas, how many times must I tell you not to bang your slate?"
"I didn't bang it; it banged itself!" he snapped back.
"Quiet, I say; do not talk so loudly!"
"I ain't talkin' loudly. If yer think it's loudly yer 'd better stick a bale er cotton in yer ears," and Thomas looked around for some sign of approval.
"You must behave yourself and not be impertinent," insisted the teacher, with an effort to be patient.
"'Tain't impertinent. I don't want to do no sums, an' what's more, I ain't goin' to do no
