Chapter 2

           Theoldmanshowedpleasureinbeingthuscalledupon. Heclearedhisthroatandbegan. 

           “Twentyorthirtyyearsagomystorywasingreatdemand. Butinthesedaysnobodyseemsinterested—” 

           “Thereyougo!”Hare-Lipcriedhotly. “Cutoutthefunnystuffandtalksensible. What’sinterested? Youtalklikeababythatdon’tknowhow.” 

           “Lethimalone,”Edwinurged,“orhe’llgetmadandwon’ttalkatall. Skipthefunnyplaces. We’llcatchontosomeofwhathetellsus.” 

           “Lethergo,Granser,”Hoo-Hooencouraged;fortheoldmanwasalreadymaunderingaboutthedisrespectforeldersandthereversiontocrueltyofallhumansthatfellfromhighculturetoprimitiveconditions. 

           Thetalebegan. 

           “Therewereverymanypeopleintheworldinthosedays. SanFranciscoaloneheldfourmillions—” 

           “Whatismillions?”Edwininterrupted. 

           Granserlookedathimkindly. 

           “Iknowyoucannotcountbeyondten,soIwilltellyou. Holdupyourtwohands. Onbothofthemyouhavealtogethertenfingersandthumbs. Verywell. Inowtakethisgrainofsand—youholdit,Hoo-Hoo.” Hedroppedthegrainofsandintothelad’spalmandwenton. “NowthatgrainofsandstandsforthetenfingersofEdwin. Iaddanothergrain.That’stenmorefingers. AndIaddanother,andanother,andanother,untilIhaveaddedasmanygrainsasEdwinhasfingersandthumbs. ThatmakeswhatIcallonehundred. Rememberthatword—onehundred. NowIputthispebbleinHare-Lip’shand.