More Deadly Than The Male

Mr Thomas brightened; embarrassed suspicion left his face. "From the school, are yer?" he said. He looked round the small garden a little helplessly, and then, raising his voice, he bawled, "'Ere, Emmie! Come 'ere, can't yer?"

Mrs Thomas and the two children joined them.

"These two gents are from the school," Mr Thomas said, wiping his hands on the seat of his trousers. He glared at the children. "Wot 'ave you two bin up to?"

"Oh, it's nothing like that," George put in hastily as the two children looked sheepish. "Your kiddies are a credit to you both. They're doing so well at school I thought you might consider helping them to do even better."

Mr Thomas looked blankly at his wife. "I dunno about that . . ." he began, and, getting no support from his wife, he lapsed into silence.

"Perhaps we could go inside for a moment?" George asked, moving towards the house. "I won't keep you long, but it's easier to talk inside than in the garden, isn't it?"

Rather reluctantly, Mr Thomas led the way into the squalid little house. They all crowded into the small front parlour. Mr Thomas dusted two chairs with his cap and pushed them forward, warned his children that if they didn't sit quiet he'd knock their blocks off, and sat down himself. Mrs Thomas stood by the window.

George glanced round the room and cleared his throat. He was not nervous. He knew what he was going to do, he had an interested audience, and the result of what he had to say was his bread and butter. More important still, he wished to impress Brant with his salesmanship.

"Before I come to the point," he began, taking up his position behind the chair and grasping the back of it firmly in both hands, "let me put to you both a very important question. You will both agree with me that education today is the most vital factor in the life of any child?"

Mr Thomas and his wife emphatically agreed that this was so, and Mr Thomas began a rambling account of the lack of education in his time.

George hurriedly interrupted. "Fortunately, Mr Thomas, times have changed. Now, education is so important you can't leave all the work to the school teachers. Many a time your kiddies have asked you questions which you're unable to answer. There're thousands of such questions, and they are very difficult to answer. I've had a lot to do with children, and I know how worrying it is not to be able to satisfy their craving for knowledge."

"That's right," Mr Thomas returned, nodding his head. "Fair terrors these imps are. Always asking questions . . ."

"And what questions!" George went on, beaming at the children. "I don't have to remind you of all the conundrums, do I? You know only too well. All the same, these questions should be answered."

Mr Thomas nodded again. He had no idea what all this was about, but he felt that George did appreciate their difficulties and was trying to be helpful.

"Very well, then," George said, getting into his stride. "Children are thirsting for knowledge. Teachers haven't the time to explain everything children want to know. Parents haven't the knowledge. So what happens?" He leaned forward, suddenly looking stern. "Your children, Mr Thomas, are being mentally starved. Make no mistake about that! You would be ashamed to starve their bodies. Yet you are openly starving their minds. Knowledge is to the mind what food is to the body."

Mr Thomas began to have doubts about George's good intentions. He scratched his head and glanced at his wife for support.

George paused until there was a long, awkward silence, and then he flashed on his old heartiness again. "Now, don't let that disturb you," he went on, beaming round on them. "I'm here to put all that right. I have a wonderful work that'll be the silent teacher in your home."

From his hidden poacher's pocket, he produced the specimen of the Child's Self-Educator.

"Let me show you."

He laid the book on the table. Mr and Mrs Thomas and the two children crowded round him. He began to turn the pages slowly, making a comment for every page.