to him that hath-第9章
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offences and an earnest purpose to reform would induce me to give
him a further trial。 In the absence of either penitence or purpose
to reform I must regretfully advise expulsion。〃
Joyfully the School Board； who had for months urged upon the
reluctant head this action； acquiesced in the course suggested； and
Samuel was forthwith expelled； to his own unmitigated relief but to
his father's red and raging indignation at what he termed the
〃（h）ignorant persecution of their betters by these （h）insolent
Colonials；〃 for 〃'is son 'ad 'ad the advantages of schools of the
'ighest standin' in （H）England。〃
Being expelled from school Sam forthwith was brought by his father
to the office of the mills； where he himself was employed。 There
he introduced his son to the notice of Mr。 Grant Maitland； with
request for employment。
The old man looked the boy over。
〃What has he been doing？〃
〃Nothin'。 'E's just left school。〃
〃High School？〃
〃Naw。 Public School。〃 Wigglesworth Sr。's tone indicated no
exalted opinion of the Public School。
〃Public School！ What grade； eh？〃
〃Grade？ I dinnaw。 Wot grade； Samuel？ Come； speak （h）up； cawn't
yeh？〃
〃Uh？〃 Sam's mental faculties had been occupied in observing the
activities and guessing the probable fate of a lumber…jack gaily
decked in scarlet sash and blue overalls； who was the central
figure upon a flaming calendar tacked up behind Mr。 Maitland's
desk； setting forth the commercial advantages of trading with the
Departmental Stores of Stillwell & Son。
〃Wot grade in school； the boss is （h）askin'；〃 said his father
sharply。
〃Grade？〃 enquired Sam； returning to the commonplace of the moment。
〃Yes； what grade in the Public School were you in when you left？〃
The blue eyes of the boss was 〃borin' 'oles〃 through Sam and the
voice pierced like a 〃bleedin' gimblet；〃 as Wigglesworth； Sr。；
reported to his spouse that afternoon。
Sam hesitated a bare second。 〃Fourth grade it was；〃 he said with
sullen reluctance。
〃'Adn't no chance； Samuel 'adn't。 Been a delicate child ever since
'is mother stopped suckin' 'im；〃 explained the father with a
sympathetic shake of his head。
The cold blue eye appraised the boy's hulking mass。
〃'E don't look it；〃 continued Mr。 Wigglesworth； noting the keen
glance； 〃but 'e's never been （h）able to bide steady at the school。
（H）It's 'is brain； sir。〃
〃Hisahbrain？〃 Again the blue eyes appraised the boy； this time
scanning critically his face for indication of undue brain
activity。
〃'Is brain； sir；〃 earnestly reiterated the sympathetic parent。
〃'Watch that （h）infant's brain；' sez the Doctor to the missus when
she put 'im on the bottle。 And you know； we 'ave real doctors in
（H）England； sir。 'Watch 'is brain；' sez 'e； and； my word； the care
'is ma 'as took of that boy's brain is wunnerful； is fair
beautiful； sir。〃 Mr。 Wigglesworth's voice grew tremulous at the
remembrance of that maternal solicitude。
〃And was that why he left school？〃 enquired the boss。
〃Well； sir； not （h）exackly；〃 said Mr。 Wigglesworth； momentarily
taken aback； 〃though w'en I comes to think on it that must a been
at the bottom of it。 You see； w'en Samuel went at 'is books of a
night 'e'd no more than begin at a sum an' 'e'd say to 'is ma； 'My
brain's a…whirlin'； ma'； just like that； and 'is ma would 'ave to
pull 'is book away； just drag it away； you might say。 Oh； 'e's 'ad
a 'ard time； 'as Samuel。〃 At this point the boss received a
distinct shock； for； as his eyes were resting upon Samuel's face
meditatively while he listened somewhat apathetically； it must be
confessed； to the father's moving tale； the eye of the boy remote
from the father closed in a slow but significant wink。
The boss sat up； galvanised into alert attention。 〃Eh？ What？〃 he
exclaimed。
〃Yes； sir； 'e's caused 'is ma many a （h）anxious hour； 'as Samuel。〃
Again the eye closed in a slow and solemn wink。 〃And we thought；
'is ma and me； that we would like to get Samuel into some easy
job〃
〃An easy job； eh？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Something in the office； 'ere。〃
〃But his brain； you say； would not let him study his books。〃
〃Oh； it was them sums； sir； an' the Jography and the 'Istory an'
the Composition； an'； an'wot else； Samuel？ You see； these 'ere
schools ain't a bit like the schools at 'ome； sir。 They're so
confusing with their subjecks。 Wot I say is； why not stick to real
（h）eddication； without the fiddle faddles？〃
〃So you want an easy job for your son； eh？〃 enquired Mr。 Maitland。
〃Boy；〃 he said sharply to Samuel； whose eyes had again become fixed
upon the gay and daring lumber…jack。 Samuel recalled himself with
visible effort。 〃Why did you leave school？ The truth； mind。〃 The
〃borin'〃 eyes were at their work。
〃Fired！〃 said Sam promptly。
Mr。 Wigglesworth began a sputtering explanation。
〃That will do； Wigglesworth；〃 said Mr。 Maitland； holding up his
hand。 〃Sam； you come and see me tomorrow here at eight。 Do you
understand？〃
Sam nodded。 After they had departed there came through the closed
office door the sound of Mr。 Wigglesworth's voice lifted in violent
declamation； but from Sam no answering sound could be heard。
The school suffered no noticeable loss in the intellectual quality
of its activities by the removal of the whirling brain and
incidentally its physical integument of Samuel Wigglesworth。 To
the smaller boys the absence of Sam brought unbounded joy； more
especially during the hours of recess from study and on their
homeward way from school after dismissal。
More than any other； little Steve Wickes rejoiced in Sam's
departure from school。 Owing to some mysterious arrangement of
Sam's brain cells he seemed to possess an abnormal interest in
observing the sufferings of any animal。 The squirming of an
unfortunate fly upon a pin fascinated him； the sight of a wretched
dog driven mad with terror rushing frantically down a street； with
a tin can dangling to its tail； convulsed him with shrieking
delight。 The more highly organised the suffering animal； the
keener was Sam's joy。 A child； for instance； flying in a paroxysm
of fear from Sam's hideously contorted face furnished acute
satisfaction。 It fell naturally enough that little Steve Wickes；
the timid； shrinking； humpbacked son of the dead soldier； Stephen
Wickes； afforded Sam many opportunities of rare pleasure。 It was
Sam that coined and； with the aid of his sycophantic following
never wanting to a bully； fastened to the child the nickname of
〃Humpy Wicksy；〃 working thereby writhing agony in the lad's highly
sensitive soul。 But Sam did not stay his hand at the infliction of
merely mental anguish。 It was one of his favorite forms of sport
to seize the child by the collar and breeches and； swinging him
high over head； hold him there in an anguish of suspense； awaiting
the threatened drop。 It is to be confessed that Sam was not
entirely without provocation at the hands of little Steve； for the
lad had a truly uncanny cunning hidden in his pencil； by means of
which Sam was held up in caricature to the surreptitious joy of his
schoolmates。 Sam's departure from school deprived him of the full
opportunity he formerly enjoyed of indulging himself in his
favourite sport。 On this account he took the more eager advantage
of any opportunity that offered still to gratify his taste in this
direction。
Sauntering sullenly homeward from his interview with the boss and
with his temper rasped to a raw edge by his father's wrathful
comments upon his 〃dommed waggin' tongue；〃 he welcomed with quite
unusual eagerness the opportunity for indulging himself in his
pastime of baiting Humpy Wicksy whom he overtook on his way home
from school during the noon intermission。
〃Hello； Humpy；〃 he roared at the lad。
Like a frightened rabbit Steve scurried down a lane； Sam whooping
after him。
〃Come back； you little beast。 Do you hear me？ I'll learn you to
come when you're called；〃 he shouted； catching the terrified lad
and heaving him aloft in his usual double…handed grip。
〃Let me down； you！ Leave me alone now；〃 shrieked the boy；
squirming； scratching； biting like an infuriated cat。
〃Bite； would you？〃 said Sam； fling
