Through the hush of the room could be heard the sounds of life echoing-in from off the streets. There were short playful screams of the little girls being teased by the boys. Boyce faced Lloyd. After eyeing him for a time, he finally spoke. "She told you? -- Why?" he said, as if in order. Lloyd nodded. "Will you tell my father?" Lloyd's face showed apprehension, and he answered the boy. "No, I won't. But I have a strong feeling that he may already know." he ceased for a moment and grinned a little. "Afterall, you do look more like him with each passing day." Once again there was a short silence between them but it was broken up by some sighs and a welcomed laugh from Boyce. "Yes, that is true. Perhaps that is why he asked you to teach me?" "I cannot begin to know what goes on in someone's mind, but that just may be, my young friend." With their confirming smile and nod, they acknowledged their new friendship. There was a powerful understanding which formed between them. The presence of it could be felt within the room and it was then that Lloyd made a suggestion. "Shall we start the lessons?" Excited, Boyce nodded that he would like that. "Can you read?" Boyce shrugged with an embarrassed grin. "I know the old alphabet ... my grandfather taught me, but I can't understand very much. Lloyd showed his understanding with a nod, and begged Boyce to sit again on the stool, and when he did, Lloyd handed him the book. "I will do what I can to teach you, young Lord." Lloyd promised then allowed Boyce to leaf through the pages to familiarize himself with the contents. He turned to a large and colourful map and began to read slowly: "The North American continent stretches between two oceans and from the northern icecaps to the southern tropics. Its land varies from mountains and prairies, to dense marches and arid deserts. The people of North America are united under a political ideology known as DEMOCRACY, which prime advantage lies in the FREEDOMS given to each individual citizen." Boyce finished his time consuming and irregular method of reading and smiled as he looked up at Lloyd. He waited for a response. "You did well, Boyce!" "Tell me, Lloyd ... are we Americans?" Lloyd quietly pondered the question for a moment then eased back in his chair and tried to answer his anxious pupil. "In some ways, yes! Every one of us cherish freedom and would like to be proud of our land, rather than collect into small individual districts and territories which are hostile to one another! Lloyd finished, feeling that he had adequately answered the boy's question. He waited for another question, which came quickly. "I can't understand, how such a strong land could be destroyed?"