Nevertheless she felt his
large spectacles upon her. And presently he astonished her by saying,
resignedly--doubtless he had decided that thus could the virginal calm
be most surely and swiftly restored:--
"Bring me your book. I will solve your problem."
"Oh!" said Fifi, choking down a cough. And then, "Do you know all about
algebra, too?"
It seemed that Mr. Queed in his younger days had once made quite a
specialty of mathematics, both lower, like Fifi's, and also far higher.
The child's polite demurs were firmly overridden. Soon she was
established in a chair at his side, the book open on the table between
them.
"Indicate the problem," said Mr. Queed.
Fifi indicated it: No. 71 of the collection of stickers known as
Miscellaneous Review. It read as follows:
71. A laborer having built 105 rods of stone fence, found that if
he had built 2 rods less a day he would have been 6 days longer in
completing the job. How many rods a day did he build?
Queed read this through once and announced: "He built seven rods a day."
Fifi stared. "Why--how in the world, Mr Queed--"
"Let us see if I am right.
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