The Several Lives of Orphan Jack

The Several Lives of Orphan Jack — page 1 — Be tramps THE MOUSE AND HIS CHILD

The Several Lives of Orphan Jack — page 2 — Chapter One GENTLEMEN Schoolmaster Bane slapped his pointer down on his desk and barked out a question What is the purpose of snow The question floated out into the dead air of the classroom and over the bowed heads of the boys Then it gave up hope and began to sink toward the floor Edwin Edwin heaved himself out of his desk and stood in the aisle An answer surfaced in his head and he gave it with a sure sense of defeat Edwin had answers but they were never the right answers Snowballs sir Slap The desk took another lashing from the pointer No you scurvy lump of a semiwitted ne’er-do-well Sit Hugo

The Several Lives of Orphan Jack — page 3 — A bullet of chalk whizzed down the aisle and connected with the ear of the dozing Hugo Ow Zanzibar sir Once long ago Hugo had been right with the answer Zanzibar and he lived in hope of repeating his victory No you booby-brained mutton-head Otherjack Otherjack stood up Two roads lay before him and both led to trouble Give the wrong answer and Mr Bane might reach the end of his rope and get out the strap Mr Bane had a very short rope Answer the question correctly and Edwin the late-night basher would get him after dark Ah well Otherjack said to himself Better the trouble that lies around the corner than the trouble staring you in the face The purpose of snow is to keep plants warm in winter and to brighten our gloomy evenings sir Correct Mr Bane sounded disappointed He turned his pale blue eyes to the book in his hand Little Truths for the Instruction of Boys What is the purpose of A timid knock at the door saved the boys from further little truths Enter

The Several Lives of Orphan Jack — page 4 — A small warty boy put his head around the door Otherjack to Dr Keen sir

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