Thislastshehadreadofinbooks。AtfirstJeremyhadeveryintentionofbehavingwell，inspiteofthatunfortunateembrace。Hewasproudofhisadvanceinlife；hewasnolongerababy；thenurserywasnowaschoolroom；hestayedupanhourlateratnight；
hewastobeallowedtwopenceaweekpocket-money；hiswholesocialstatushadrisen。Hebegantoreadforpleasure，anddiscoveredthatitwaseasierthanhehadexpected，sothathepassedquitequicklythrough“Lottie’sVisittoGrandmama“into“Stumps“andoutagainin“Jackanapes。“Heheardsomeeldersaythattheroadtoalargefortunelaythrough“Sums，“and，althoughthisseemedtohimanextremelymysteriousstatement，hedeterminedtogivethetheoryachance。Infact，hesatdownthefirstdayattheschoolroomtable，MaryandHelenoneachsideofhim，andMissJonesfacingthem，withfineresolvesandhighambitions。Beforehimlayapurewhitepage，andattheheadofthisthenoblewordsinarunninghand：“Slowandsteadywinstherace。“Hegraspedhispencil，andMissJones，eagertolosenotimeinassertingherauthority，cried：“Butthat’snotthewaytoholdyourpencil，Jeremy，yourthumbso，yourfingerso。“
HescowledandfoundthatliftinghisthumboverthepencilwasasdifficultasliftingHamletoveragate。Hemadeaboldattempt，butthepencilrefusedtomove。
“Can’tholditthatway，“hesaid。
“Youmustneversay’can’t，’Jeremy，“remarkedMissJones。“Thereisn’tsuchaword。“