He told them the story of Hannibal--his aim, his struggles, his conquest.

As he told it the written record took life, and he marched and fought and lived with the great Carthaginian captain--lived for conquest.
"Beyond the Alps lies Italy." He had read the tale with lips that quivered with feeling, but as he looked up at his little audience, he met only listless eyes and dull faces.

A big boy was preparing a pin to evoke from a smaller neighbor the attention he himself was withholding.
The neighbor was Dave Dennison.

Dave was of late actually trying to learn something.

Dave was the only boy who was listening.