The third and the fourth hour and the first hour in the afternoon were
more or less the same. In all the classes I attended, I made some kind
of blunder. I realised that the profession of teaching not quite so easy
a calling as might have appeared. My teaching for the day was finished
but I could not get away. I had to wait alone until three o'clock. I
understood that at three o'clock the students of my classes would finish
cleaning up the rooms and report to me, whereupon I would go over the
rooms. Then I would run through the students' roll, and then be free to
go home. Outrageous, indeed, to keep on chained to the school, staring
at the empty space when he had nothing more to do, even though he was
"bought" by a salary! Other fellow teachers, however, meekly submitted
to the regulation, and believing it not well for me,--a new comer--to
fuss about it, I stood it. On my way home, I appealed to Porcupine as to
the absurdity of keeping me there till three o'clock regardless of my
having nothing to do in the school. He said "Yes" and laughed. But he
became serious and in an advisory manner told me not to make many
complaints about the school.

"Talk to me only, if you want to. There are some queer guys around."

As we parted at the next corner, I did not have time to hear more from
him.

On reaching my room, the boss of the house came to me saying, "Let me
serve you tea." I expected he was going to treat me to some good tea
since he said "Let me serve you," but he simply made himself at home
and drank my own tea. Judging by this, I thought he might be
practising "Let me serve you" during my absence. The boss said that he
was fond of antique drawings and curios and finally had decided to