I'd see myself in Davie Jones's locker 'fore I'd go addin'
three-quarter minutes together from sunrise to sunset."
"Oh, addin' fractions is mighty good trainin' for Benjamin," put in the
peace-loving Captain Phineas, with a chuckle. "It keeps his arithmetic
brushed up. I'll bet you he could beat you at a sum, Jonas."
The triumphant Captain Benjamin observed a complacent silence.
"Let Benjamin an' his watch alone, Jonas," drawled Zenas Henry,
speaking for the first time. "Somebody in the house has got to be up
on mathematics, an' it may as well be Benjamin as another. I'm only
sorry his ticker holds him just to addin'; if it would only make him
multiply an' divide some, an' take him into square root 'twould give
him a liberal all-round education. Still, there's always hopes it may
take a new turn. The last time it went overboard there was indications
that 'twouldn't be long before 'twould be leadin' him into algebra an'
the fourth dimension."
Captain Benjamin grinned at the sally.
"It won't be goin' overboard no more now, Zenas Henry," responded he
serenely, "'cause since the _Sea Gull's_ got that eel-grass-proof
contrivance hitched to her, there won't be no call for me to be lyin'
head down'ards astern.
Pages:
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342