A Question ot Grammar

William Brown is a eleven-year-old English boy, who lives with

his parents, older brother and sister. He and three ofhisschool
friends form a group called the Outlaws, and are always up to
mischief-they usually believe that they are helping someone
who needs their assistance. The William' series by Richmal
and tough picture of
Crompton became famous for the funny
childhood they presented.

all morning. William

It was raining. lt had been raining
was bored with his family.
tenth
demanded of his father for the
"What c a n I do?" he
time.
father fiercely, from behind his
his
"Nothing!" said
newspaper.
the kitchen.
William followed his mother into
voice.
in a loud and irritable
What can I do?" he said,
his mother.

Couldn't you just

sit quietly?" suggested
could sit
William argued. "I
anything,"
"That's not doin'
he went on,
"ifI wanted.
quietly all day,"
never do." would
But you in it,
sense
wouldn't be any
'cause there
"No,
there?"
draw o r something?
you read
or
Couldn't
not doin'
anything
lessons. That's
"No. That's

irritable: angry or easily annoyed

 Feturnrd tothe dnimR room, where his father
WaR
1ll reading the paper lis fathersighed when
hen he
he s.saw

11 vou've ome to ask questionshe began.

Ihavn't. said Wilham quickly "Pather, when you're al
way on Saturday, can I have a party?

No of course not, said his father irritably. "Can't vo

ou
find something to do?
That was just what William had been waiting for.
He burst out impatiently, "The sort of things I want
to do. they don't want me to do. An' the sort of things
1 don't want to do, they want me to do."
His scorn and fury were beyond words. His father looked
out of the windoW.

Thank Heaven, it's stopped raining! Go out!"

10
William went out
There were some interesting things to do outside. In
the road there were puddles, and the sensation of walking
through a puddle, as every child knows, is a very pleasant
one. It is also fascinating to walk in mud.

William's spirits rose, but he could not shake off the idea
and
of a party. Quite suddenly, he wanted to have a party
he wanted to have it on Saturday. His family was going
the day with an aunt. Aunts rarely included
to spend
William in their invitation.
cheerful.
He came home wet and dirty and
He approached his father warily

scon: the feeling that others are loolish and do not deserve your respect
of anger
fury: strong feeling
fascinatirng: very inleresting

warily: hesitantly
 Did you say 1 conld have a partv, Father ho a
casuall
No I did not. said Mr Brown firmly
Wilham let the matter est for the present.

But next moming. he spent most oftlhe English Gramma

1ar
class in school thinking about the party. There Wias a gre

deal to be said for a party held when ones parents and

Hed like to ast.
TOWn-up brother and sister are away.
George and Ginger and Henry and Douglas and... and
heaps of them. Hed like to ask them all. "They were the
whole class -thirty in number.

What have l just been saying, William?

William sighed. That was the sort of question that
teachers were always asking. They ought to know
themselves what they'd just been saying better than
anyone. He never knew. Why were they always asking
2
him? He looked blank.
Was it anythin' about participles?" He remembered
something vaguely about participles, but it mightn't
have been today.
Miss Jones groaned.
That was ever so long ago, William," she said.
You've not been listening."
William cleared his throat with dignity and made no
answer.

Tell him, Henry"

Henry stopped trying to push a fly into his ink-
well with his nib, and answered mechanically,
Two negatives make an affirmative."
vaguely: not very clearly
with dignity: here, in a calm and serious manner
mechanically: here, without any interest
 Yes. Say that, William
William repeated it without showing any great interest
in the fact.
Yes. What's a negative, William?"

William sighed. "Somethin' about photographs?"

he said hopefully
No." snapped Miss Jones. "It's 'no' and 'not'.
And an afirmative is 'yes'."

Oh" said William politely

"So two 'nos and 'nots' mean 'yes', if they're in the same
sentence. If you said, "There's not no money in the box,
mean there is."
you
William thought about this.
become
He said "Oh" again. Then he seemed suddenly to
13
intelligent.
Then," he said, *if you say 'no' and 'not' in the samne

sentence does it mean 'yes?"

Certainly."
smile was a rare thing.
William smiled. William's
quite touched.
Miss Jones was
"Thank you," he said.
she said. "Tm glad you're
"It's all right, William,"
interest in your work."
beginning to take
an

to himself, "*No,
of course not
William was murmuring
'not' mean a 'yes, so
not. And a 'no' and a
and No, I did
and Yes, I did'."
he meant Yes, of course' invitations with a
before he gave
his
He waited till Friday tomorrow an' they
said
a r e goin'away
casual air. "My folks come? Tell
friends in to tea. Can you
could have a few
write."
bother to
to come an' not
your mother they saidjus'
and kindness
emotions of sympathy
touched: affected by
 He was a born strategist. Not
one friends .paren
is friends
of his
guessed the true state
of affairs. Whenen Will."
Williams
consciece began to worry him, he said to itit Gfin
"He saidI could. He said Yes, of course. THe
He said Y.mly
said 'Yes
did"
He asked them all. He thought that while you are havi..
a party. you might as well have a big one. He hinted
darkly at unstoppable joy and mirth. They all accepted
the invitation.

William's mother took an anxious farewell of him on

Saturday morning.
You don't mind being left behind, do you?"
"No, mother" said William with perfect truth.
You won't do anything we've told you not to, will you?"
No, mother. Only things you've said yes' to."
14
Cook and her helper, Jane, had long looked forward to
this day. There would be very little to do in the house
and as far as William was concerned, they hoped for
the best.
William was out all morning. At lunch he was quiet and
polite.
About three o'clock, the postman came and Cook went
to the door for the letters. Then she stood gazing down
the road in shock.
William was joyfully bringing his guests home with him.
They werea happy crowd andWilliam headed them with
a trumpet. They trooped in at the garden gate as Cook,
pale and speechless, watched them in dismay
strategist: someone who is clever at making plans
true state oB aftairs: truih of the situation
darkly: mysteriously
anxious: worried
dismay: shock
 to tea, said William calmiv
Theyve come
still
She grew paler

they've not! she said fiercely. "What your father'd

That

sav
"I asked him
could cone, said William.
11e said they
'Yes, of course, an T asked if he'd said so an
an' he said
I did. Thats what he said 'cause of English
he said Yes.
an what Miss Jones said"
Grammar

rose. This promised to be more

The guests spirits
a party unlike
than the usual party. It was
enjovable Hide-
At other parties they played
any other party.
but firm mothers and
aunts
and-Seek with smiling
intervals saying "not in
the
at
and sisters standing umbrella stand," and
and "mind the
bedrooms, dear,"
drawing-room," and "don't shout
in the
"certainly not the stairs and
But this w a s real fun. Up 15
so loud". sliding down the
the bedrooms,
in all
down the stairs, leaving
and out of the drawing-room,
banisters, in shattered
o r n a m e n t s as they
boots and
trails of muddy
went!
herself in her r o o m .
answer
was to lock
Cook's tea-
first that it
was
discovered
William who slightly
It was At first he felt
no tea.
and there w a s
larder and his spirits
time of the
Then he
thought
upset.
rose. can."
what you
called. "All jus' get
Come on!"
he and all
laughing,
shouting,
panting,
in,
They trooped could.
what they great gusto,
just got with
jar of
cream

whole
drank a
George
as a group
larder: store-room siore-room

the
walked into
frooped in:
here,
gusto: enjoyment
 William and Douglas between them ate a gooseberry
Henry ate a whole currant cake. They ate two bowls
pie,
of
cold vegetables, two pots of honey, three dozen orangeo
es
and three loaves of bread. They left the larder a place of

gaping emptiness.
Shouts of triumph and laughter filled the air. Then tho
he
shouts of triumph died away abruptly. William's smile
also faded away. A taxi was turning in at the front gate.

The taxi contained his family.

Two hours later, a friend of William's who had come with
a note for his mother, looked up to William's window and
caught sight of William's untidy head.
Come and play with me, William," she called eagerly.
I can't. I'm goin' to bed," said William sternly.
Why? Are you ill, William?"
16
No."
Well, why are you going to bed, William?"
William leant out of the window.
"T'm goin' to bed," he said, 'cause my father don't
understand 'bout English Grammar, that's why!"

Richmal Crompton

f you liked this story, read the novel Just William. There is a
whole series of William' books for you to enjoy after you finish
this one.

u
aaping: wide