this one the second page, highlighted the annotations

SOJOURNERS and SUNDOGS heart of his ladybird fair, the thrashings he knew could be counted on for committing the crime of daydreaming were not worth the reward. So, like the other children, he would stare hard at his work, the same practised look of bewilderment used by his peers on his face, while his thoughts danced around the forest close to home - far away from the arithmetic sums he was sure had nothing to do with him. He learned to listen for the questions put to him by the brother over the happy daydream. He was not expected to know the an- swer; repeating the question sufficed. Knowing the question meant that, like the others, he was slow to learn but very attentive. No punishment was meted out for thickheadedness. "What is three multiplied by five, Charlie?" The brother's brisk, clipped English accent echoed hollowly in the silence. Charlie's eyes fixed on the empty page. His thoughts followed the manoeuvres of a snowshoe hare scampering ahead of him and his half-wild dog. The first snow had fallen. It was that time of year. The question reached out to him over the shrieks of joy and the excited yelping of his dog, but it did not completely pluck him from the scene of his snow-capped, wooded homeland. Three ... times ... five?" muttered Charlie, the sounds com- ing out as though his voice were filled with air. A tense look from the brother. A quizzically dull look on Charlie's face. All the chil- dren stared harder at their pages - blank from want of work. He was still staring at the teacher but his mind was already following the hare. Did the brother's shoulders heave a sigh of disappointment? Thomas," the boredom of the teacher's voice thinly disguised. 'Fifteen," said clearly and with volume. Poor Thomas, he al- ways listened. The bell rang. The class dutifully waited for dismissal. The brother sighed. The sound of scholarly confidence carefully practised by all pedagogues left his voice at each bell. Exasperation permeated his dismissal command. It was the only emotion he 306