e corner from there, you know.
Well I went, and the man I took the note to was busy counting money. He
wouldn't look at me, but just counted away like lightning. I never see
anything like it in my life, the way he did fly off them bills. It
wasn't a quarter of a minute when he said to a man who stood waiting,
'Nine hundred and seventy-eight dollars, sir. All right.' Now just think
of counting such a pile of money as that in about the time it would take
me to count seventy-eight cents? Well, I come back, and I pitched into
the addition table harder than ever, because, I thinks to myself,
there's no telling but that I may have some money to count one of these
days, and I guess I'll get ready to count it. But it was tough work. All
at once, while I was looking at my pasteboard, and wondering what I
should do with this end, it came to me. Now I'll explain. You see them
nine figures around there? Well, thinks I, now there ain't but nine
figures in this world, 'cause Pliny Hastings he told me that once, and
I've noticed it lots of times since, that you may talk about just as
many things as you're a mind to, and you'll just be using them same nine
figures over and over again, with a nothing thrown in now and then, you
know. Now, then, s'pose I begin at this one, and I say, 'one and two is
three, and three is six, and four is ten.'"

"For pity's sake say 'are ten,'" interposed Winny.

"Why?"

"Because it's right. Go on."

"Well, now, I could remember just as quick again if you'd give a fellow
a reason for it. Well, and four are ten, and so all around to the nine.
Well, I say that, and say it, and _say it_, till it goes itself, and
then I begin at two, and say two and three is--no, _are_ five, and on
round to the nine, only this time I take in the one at the other end.
Understand? Well, after I've learned that I begin with the three, and go
around to the two, and so on with them all; and then I mix them up and
say them every which way, and after I've put them a few different ways,
let's see you give me a line of figures that I can't add!"

"That is so," said Winny, at last, speaking slowly and admiringly. "It
is a very good way indeed. Tode, I shouldn't wonder if you would know a
great deal after awhile."

"Well now," answered Tode, gleefully, "I call this a pretty good
evening's work, painted a sign and made a new arithmetic, enough sight
easier than the other, so far as it goes; and you've helped me, so now
I'll help yo