THE UNFAMILIAR WAY In September David entered the village school.

School and David did not assimilate at once.

Very confidently the teacher set to work to grade her new pupil; but she was not so confident when she found that while in Latin he was perilously near herself (and in French--which she was not required to teach--disastrously beyond her!), in United States history he knew only the barest outlines of certain portions, and could not name a single battle in any of its wars.

In most studies he was far beyond boys of his own age, yet at every turn she encountered these puzzling spots of discrepancy, which rendered grading in the ordinary way out of the question.
David's methods of recitation, too, were peculiar, and somewhat disconcerting.

He also did not hesitate to speak aloud when he chose, nor to rise from his seat and move to any part of the room as the whim seized him.