But it's the
fashion, and we must follow it."
But if Dick was ignorant, he was quick, and had an excellent
capacity. Moreover he had perseverance, and was not easily
discouraged. He had made up his mind he must know more, and was
not disposed to complain of the difficulty of his task. Fosdick
had occasion to laugh more than once at his ludicrous mistakes; but
Dick laughed too, and on the whole both were quite interested in
the lesson.
At the end of an hour and a half the boys stopped for the evening.
"You're learning fast, Dick," said Fosdick. "At this rate you will
soon learn to read well."
"Will I?" asked Dick with an expression of satisfaction. "I'm glad
of that. I don't want to be ignorant. I didn't use to care, but I do
now. I want to grow up 'spectable."
"So do I, Dick. We will both help each other, and I am sure we can
accomplish something. But I am beginning to feel sleepy."
"So am I," said Dick. "Them hard words make my head ache. I wonder
who made 'em all?"
"That's more than I can tell. I suppose you've seen a dictionary."
"That's another of 'em. No, I can't say I have, though I may have
seen him in the street without knowin' him."
"A dictionary is a book containing all the words in the language."
"How many are there?"
"I don't rightly know; but I think there are about fifty thousand."
"It's a pretty large family," said Dick. "Have I got to learn 'em
all?"
"That will not be necessary.
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