found their games fun at first, but quickly grew bored. When he tried to
introduce a note of strategy they ignored him because they did not
understand. They made rules as they went along and changed them as they
saw fit. Then, instead of complying with their own rules, they pouted-up
and sulked when they couldn't do as they wanted.

But in the end it was Jimmy's lack of experience in acting that tripped
him.

Having kept score on his playmates' answers, Jimmy knew that some fairly
high percentage of answers must inevitably be wrong. So he embarked upon
a program of supplying a certain proportion of errors. He discovered that
supplying a wrong answer that was consistent with the age of his
contemporaries took too much of his intellect to keep his actions
straight. He forgot to employ halting speech and childlike grammar. His
errors were delivered in faultless grammar and excellent self-expression;
his correct answers came out in the English of his companions;
mispronounced, ill-composed, and badly delivered.

The contrast was enough to attract even 2.08% of a teacher.

During the third week of school, Jimmy was day-dreaming during class.
Abruptly his teacher snapped, "James Holden, how much is seven times
nine?"

"Sixty-three," replied Jimmy, completely automatic.

"James," she said softly, "do you know the rest of your numbers?"

Jimmy looked around like a trapped animal. His teacher waited him out