"No"--said Joe--"I aint agoin' to do it. You ask one of the other boys. It wouldn't tell you nothin' if I did, 'cause I learned writin' afore,--and I didn't go to him but four weeks, besides." And Joe at once absented himself. "Is it workin' as straight with all the rest of 'em as it is with him?" said Mr. Simlins. "You and me's got to see to it, you know, Squire--seein' we're honorary individuals." "Yes," said Squire Deacon, rousing up now Joe was gone--he had a wholesome fear of Joe's tongue--"Yes, Mr. Simlins,--and it's my belief it _wants_ seein' to--and he too." "Joe,"--said Mr. Simlins. "Ne-ver fear--he'll see to himself." "Here's some of _his_ writin'," said Joe, returning with a spelling book. "All the boys gets him to write in their books." And laying it down by Mr. Simlins, Joe took his final departure. "What do the boys want him to write in their books for?" growled Mr. Simlins, surveying the signature. "I believe," said Miss Cecilia, "he is very popular in the school." "Well, Squire," pursued Mr. Simlins, "can Joe clinch this?" "He aint with me--if that's what you mean," said Squire Deacon. "A man's writing don't prove much." "Don't go no furder," said Mr. Simlins assentingly. "Well Squire--if _you_'ll go furder I shall be wiser." And freed from the fear of contradiction, the Squire had not the least objection to going further. "He's not the man to have here," said Squire Deacon,--"I saw that the first day I saw him. I tried him,--and he didn't toe the mark." "How did you try him?" growled Mr. Simlins. "I'd like to know how much he's up to. _I_ haint found it out yet." "I tried him, sir," said the Squire, "I tried him with a classical story. Now Miss Faith gave in at once, and said _she_ didn't know what it was; but t'other one made believe as though he knew all about it. And if a man aint classical, Mr. Simlins, what is he?" "I aint classical," growled Mr. Simlins again, "but then I don't set up for to be. I s'pose that makes a difference, Squire; don't it?" "Some people's more than they set out to be, and some people's less," replied the Squire. "Well,--does _he_ set up for to be classical in school? What does he teach 'em?" "I reckon he sets up for 'most everything he ever heard spoke of, Mr. Simlins. Teach 'em? why he teaches 'em out of all sorts o' superflus books!" "Does!" said Mr. Simlins with a surprised look. "Our boys don't want none o' your superficies. They've got their bread to make. Give us an invoice o' them books, Squire." "Just you look at 'em for yourself, Mr. Simlins--then you'll know. Step down there some day in school time and look over the boys. Now I can understand figurs with any man, but _what's_ the use o' crosses and straight lines and Vs turned wrong side up?" Mr. Simlins pushed back his chair and rubbed his chin. "Well Squire--you and me are trustees--what in your judgment and opinion had we ought to do, in these precedents?"