ROBERT’S CLEARING. 77

she had been trying to explain to Eben that two
and three made five.

“ But,” said Lucy, in addition, “I cannot make
him understand it. He can’t even count.”

“Then, of course,” replied her mother, “he
cannot understand. You are giving him your
instructions in the wrong order.”

“ How, mother?” said Lucy.

“ Why, you are trying to teach him addition
before he knows how to count. You perceive
that a boy who cannot count up to five and six
does not know what numbers the words jive and
six stand for; and, of course, he cannot tell
whether two and three make five, or six, or what
they make.”

“ Then [’ll teach him to count,” said Lucy.

“Very well,” said her mother; “only let us
all go along now, for I want to see the fire.”

“QO, yes,” said Lucy; “I forgot all about the
fire.”

So they all went along together; only Lucy
and Eben walked on a little in advance, and Lucy
gave Eben some lessons in counting, while her
mother followed more slowly, looking for flowers
on each side of the way, as she came along.

In a short time, they arrived at Robert’s clear-

7*