Page:Paul Clifford Vol 3.djvu/61

Rh said Augustus, as he pouched his share: "addition, subtraction, division, reduction,—we have them all as pat as 'the Tutor's Assistant;' and, what is better, we make them all applicable to the Rule of Three."

"You have left out multiplication!" said Clifford, smiling.

"Ah! because that works differently; the other rules apply to the specie-s of the kingdom; but as for multiplication, we multiply, I fear, no species but our own!"

"Fie, Gentlemen!" said Mac Grawler austerely,—for there is a wonderful decorum in your true Scotsmen. Actions are trifles; nothing can be cleaner than their words!

"Oh, you thrust in your wisdom, do you?" said Ned. "I suppose you want your part of the booty!"

"Part," said the subtilizing Tomlinson. "He has nine times as many parts as we have already. Is he not a critic, and has he not the parts of speech at his fingers' end?"

"Nonsense!" said Mac Grawler, instinctively holding out his hands, with the fork dropping between the stretched fingers of the right palm.