"I think we ought to turn; we are a long way from home."
"Just let us touch shore first and get to the 'Black Stone'; that would
be a record spin."
"All right, then, come along, and tell me what happened that day. You
know."
Hand-in-hand the two started off once more in the direction of the
"Black Stone." Far and wide there was not a human being visible. Not a
sound except the swish, swish of their skates and their own voices fell
on the clear, still air of the glorious night.
[Sidenote: Harry's Story]
"I never was clever," began Harry, "and am not now. I used to be quite
satisfied that kings and other celebrated people really had lived and
died without learning a whole rigmarole about their lives. Really it did
not interest me a bit. Geography was the same, composition was worse,
mathematics was worst. I seemed always to be in hot water at school.
Then one day the old man (we always called Jackson Spencer that) said
after class was over--and of course I hadn't answered once--'Elliott, go
to my room and wait for me.' I tell you, Gladys, I shivered; I didn't
know what I was in for. Old man walked right in and shut the door, after
having left me alone about ten minutes, and just said, 'Come and sit
down, boy, I want to say something to you.' You could have knocked me
over I was so surprised. He then said: 'Look here, Elliott, you are not
a bad chap, but do you know that you are as blind as an owl?' I rubbed
my eyes and said, 'No, sir, I can see all right.
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