me so unhappy!'

Some good-natured brothers would have told the little girl not to
mind, and sent her out to enjoy herself, but Claude respected
Phyllis's honesty too much to do so, and he said, 'Well, Phyl, let me
see the sum, and we will try if we cannot conquer it between us.'

Phyllis's face cleared up in an instant, as she brought the slate to
her brother.

'What is this?' said he; 'I do not understand.'

'Compound Addition,' said Phyllis, 'I did one with Emily yesterday,
and this is the second.'

'Oh! these are marks between the pounds, shillings, and pence,' said
Claude, 'I took them for elevens; well, I do not wonder at your
troubles, I could not do this sum as it is set.'

'Could not you, indeed?' cried Phyllis, quite delighted.

'No, indeed,' said Claude. 'Suppose we set it again, more clearly;
but how is this? When I was in the schoolroom we always had a sponge
fastened to the slate.'

'Yes,' said Phyllis, 'I had one before Eleanor went, but my string
broke, and I lost it, and Emily always forgets to give me another. I
will run and wash the slate in the nursery; but how shall we know
what the sum is?'