182 BY ESKIMO DOG-SLED 



man with a stern face and a kindly twinkle 

 in his eyes. 



I walked in one day when he was keeping 

 school. 



&quot; What is four times four ? &quot; said Benjamin. 



The little eyes stared, and the little mouths 

 opened, and the little fingers began to count 

 under the shadow of the desk. Benjamin 

 made it easier. &quot; I saw four sleds,&quot; he said. 



There was a general heave of interest : 

 Benjamin was going to tell them a story. 

 They shuffled their feet and elbows, and 

 settled down to listen. &quot; I saw four sleds : 

 they were coming round the bend from the 

 sealing-place. Each sled had four dogs to 

 pull it. How many dogs were there, gathered 

 all together ? &quot; 



That made thinking easy ; the little brains 

 had got something familiar to work upon ; 

 there was a picture of sleds in their minds, 

 and like a flash came the answer, &quot; Sixteen 

 dogs they are sixteen.&quot; &quot; Yes,&quot; said 

 Benjamin, &quot; four times four makes sixteen ; 

 don t forget.&quot; The little faces were serious 

 again : it was not much of a story, after all ; 

 but they had learnt something without expect 

 ing it. Wise man, Benjamin ; he was an 

 Eskimo child himself once, and has had a 

 careful training from the missionaries ; he 



