Читать книгу The Ark of 1803. A Story of Louisiana Purchase Times онлайн

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“Numskulls!” he shouted. “After all I have taught ye, to spell like that! Y-e-r-e, year! R-a-i-z-e-a-n-s, raisins! T-i-l, till! P-o-n-d-s, pounds! S-i-n-e, sign! O you young ignoramuses! You will go out into the world and disgrace me!”

“Sign your name, master!” shrilled the unfeeling chorus inside.

“O you young vipers! Vipers whom I have cherished in my bosom! Mox anguis recreatus! Sting the hand that nourished you! And spell like that!”

“Sign it, master! You got to sign it! H-i-l-l-e-l H-e-m-p-s-t-e-a-d, Hillel Hempstead. Sign it!” still yelled the dissonant chorus within.

“Ingrates! Thankless cubs! Good instruction has been wasted on ye! Open the door, that I may flog it out of ye!”

“No—no—no, master, you can’t come in!” retorted the young rebels. “You have got to sign that, and promise not to whip us!”

“Compacts with a mob! Truces with rebels! Never!” shouted the wordy old schoolmaster.

“Parley is at an end. Prepare to suffer. You shall have your deserts.”

Master Hempstead hurled the walnut chip back in at the window—where it caused lively dodging of youthful heads—and made ready for active operations.