`` It 's a family failing , '' flashed Dan , breaking his resolution ere the ink on it was dry . `` There you go , '' taunted Felicity . `` I 'll work all my arithmetic problems without any help , '' scribbled Felix . `` I wish I could resolve that , too , '' sighed Sara Ray , `` but it would n't be any use . I 'd never be able to do those compound multiplication sums the teacher gives us to do at home every night if I did n't get Judy Pineau to help me . Judy is n't a good reader and she ca n't spell AT ALL , but you ca n't stick her in arithmetic as far as she went herself . I feel sure , '' concluded poor Sara , in a hopeless tone , `` that I 'll NEVER be able to understand compound multiplication . '' '' ` Multiplication is vexation , Division is as bad , The rule of three perplexes me , And fractions drive me mad , ' '' quoted Dan . `` I have n't got as far as fractions yet , '' sighed Sara , `` and I hope I 'll be too big to go to school before I do . I hate arithmetic , but I am PASSIONATELY fond of geography . '' `` I will not play tit-tat-x on the fly leaves of my hymn book in church , '' wrote Peter . `` Mercy , did you ever do such a thing ? '' exclaimed Felicity in horror . Peter nodded shamefacedly . `` Yes -- that Sunday Mr. Bailey preached . He was so long-winded , I got awful tired , and , anyway , he was talking about things I could n't understand , so I played tit-tat-x with one of the Markdale boys . It was the day I was sitting up in the gallery . '' `` Well , I hope if you ever do the like again you wo n't do it in OUR pew , '' said Felicity severely . `` I ai n't going to do it at all , '' said Peter . `` I felt sort of mean all the rest of the day . ''
`` I shall try not XXXXX be vexed when people interrupt me when I 'm telling stories , '' wrote the Story Girl .
AT about as if in on so that to without